Jordan and Carter...you have many many many living grandparents. Allow me to break this down for you:
Mommy's Parents:
Grandma and Grandad
Mommy's Grandparents:
Great-Grandma and Great Grandpa Osborne
Great-Grandad and Great Grandma Casey Bryan
Great- Grammy and Great Grandpa Peter Henrichsen
Daddy's Parents:
Poppy and NaNa
Grandma "Lucy" and Grandpa
Daddy's Grandparents:
Maw Maw
Great-Grandma Adamo
If you lost count, that's 8 sets for a total of 14 living Grandparents. THAT in itself is a blessing far greater than what many children have! Here is a fun-fact about each:
Grandma and Grandad Bryan have lived in their home since I was 4 years old and before Aunt Jen was born. Your "room" at their house was my bedroom until I was about 10. For as long as I can remember we vacationed at Myrtle Beach, which is something I hope that you can say one day as well :-). The bunk beds that are in your "room" at their house are a new addition since you two came along....and yes, Aunt Jen and I are TOTALLY jealous!
Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Osborne: Have had a TON of plants/flowers for as long as I can remember. Although I have a black thumb, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa do not, and I hope that you inherit a green thumb from them. They took Aunt Jen and I on some of the neatest trips...Field Of Dreams, Plays in New York, and even Mall of America.
Great-Grandad and Great Grandma Casey: Live in Delaware now, but they used to live closer. Great-Grandad had the COOLEST swing in his backyard that i have ever come across in my life. It swung out so high over the trees I'd lose my breath EVERY TIME I was one it.
Great-Grammy and Great Grandpa Peter: Have lived in the house that they are in for as long as I can remember. We try to get to their house every year for St. Patricks Day. Grammy invented Tunafish and Noodles...a staple meal in our house already.
Poppy and NaNa: They love the beach too....Myrtle Beach, just like your Grandma and Grandad. They have 2 cats that Jordan LOVES to torture, Jake and Elwood. And a crazy dog named Mickey who I'm pretty sure thinks he's a person. Poppy and NaNa have lived in Gastonia forever. They know everyone there and hence everyone there knows who you guys are too.
Grandma "Lucy" and Grandpa: Really like to garden and remodel their home. Grandma Lucy seems to have a green thumb as well, so there's a double shot that you may get one. When Daddy was growing up he and Grandma had lots of long talks about politics and religion.
MawMaw: Worked on a railroad for a long time, and worked with kids alot too. EVERYONE knows her as MawMaw. Everyone who knew her when they were a kid calls her that, but she really is YOUR MawMaw, so that's pretty special.
Great-Grandma Adamo: Is very knowledgeable and helped Daddy get interested in science and Math when he was younger. She grew up in New York and was an only child. Daddy and Uncle Mac and Grandma Lucy used to live with her.
That's the run-down....I'm sure you'll make your own memories about each one, but this is a start. You both were born with so many people who loved you even before they met you, this is only the start of a VERY long list of those people!!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Merry Christmas!
So, I have been feeling a little guilty lately about Carter having so few "big" toys. With Jordan, every couple of months we'd buy her some great NEW toy to play with...something that she had just gotten big enough to play with, or something that just looked really fun and she "needed." If I were being entirely honest, I'd have to admit that I STILL do this for her.
Poor Carter...I can count on one hand the number of big toys we've bought him. I was having a weepy day yesterday and this came up. So my GENIUS husband went into the attic and pulled down ALL of Jordan's old toys. DUH! I have no idea why I didn't think of this. Now our downstairs looks like toys r us and Carter is just circling the room going from one new and exciting toy to the next. I still was feeling guilty, but then Dave reminded me "He has no concept of new from the store vs. new to him. These are just the same as if we'd bought them FOR him." (which I suppose we kind of did, we took IMMACULATE care of Jordan's toys, with the intention of handing them down "one day.")
And really, this is even better, because with Jordan she got them all one at a time, for Carter, this is like CHRISTMAS!!! He got 4 really big toys (Fisher Price talking chair thing, Fisher Price piano pull up toy, Push walker thingy, Barn toy) and TONS of small ones (too many to list). He was busy until 8:00 last night and Carter is a strict little 7:30 bedtime baby! He has been busy all morning. The only downfall is his size. Since he is so large, the toys that he should be pulling up to, he just pulls up to his knees and he can reach everything on them :-( Oh well, I'm sure he'll get it eventually. Its also like Christmas for Jordan, because APPARENTLY when Dave packed up the basement into storage and the attic, he put up ALOT of her toys that were downstairs. Jordan has enough toys that she and I didn't really even notice (yikes!) Also, she tends to get in a toy rut, and play with the same things for a few weeks. This was GREAT for her. ALL of her Little People toys were up there, which she was VERY excited about (And has no memory of playing with before) along with many other "hidden treasures."
Its also Christmas for my friend Jenny's daughter, Lilly, who will be getting all of the girlie toys that we saved. (and there are QUITE alot of them). We have absolutely no need for them, and Lilly and her Mommy will be down in August visiting family, and will be getting a large sack of toys...HOHOHO!
So, Merry Christmas to you, from Jordan and Carter (and Santa Hayes)!
Poor Carter...I can count on one hand the number of big toys we've bought him. I was having a weepy day yesterday and this came up. So my GENIUS husband went into the attic and pulled down ALL of Jordan's old toys. DUH! I have no idea why I didn't think of this. Now our downstairs looks like toys r us and Carter is just circling the room going from one new and exciting toy to the next. I still was feeling guilty, but then Dave reminded me "He has no concept of new from the store vs. new to him. These are just the same as if we'd bought them FOR him." (which I suppose we kind of did, we took IMMACULATE care of Jordan's toys, with the intention of handing them down "one day.")
And really, this is even better, because with Jordan she got them all one at a time, for Carter, this is like CHRISTMAS!!! He got 4 really big toys (Fisher Price talking chair thing, Fisher Price piano pull up toy, Push walker thingy, Barn toy) and TONS of small ones (too many to list). He was busy until 8:00 last night and Carter is a strict little 7:30 bedtime baby! He has been busy all morning. The only downfall is his size. Since he is so large, the toys that he should be pulling up to, he just pulls up to his knees and he can reach everything on them :-( Oh well, I'm sure he'll get it eventually. Its also like Christmas for Jordan, because APPARENTLY when Dave packed up the basement into storage and the attic, he put up ALOT of her toys that were downstairs. Jordan has enough toys that she and I didn't really even notice (yikes!) Also, she tends to get in a toy rut, and play with the same things for a few weeks. This was GREAT for her. ALL of her Little People toys were up there, which she was VERY excited about (And has no memory of playing with before) along with many other "hidden treasures."
Its also Christmas for my friend Jenny's daughter, Lilly, who will be getting all of the girlie toys that we saved. (and there are QUITE alot of them). We have absolutely no need for them, and Lilly and her Mommy will be down in August visiting family, and will be getting a large sack of toys...HOHOHO!
So, Merry Christmas to you, from Jordan and Carter (and Santa Hayes)!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
10 day Catch-up!
What a whirlwind it has been around here (and elsewhere) in the past 10 days or so!! First, let me just say our basement is AMAZING. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it and have no idea ho we were living in such close quarters before!!!! Dave finished the basement last Friday, just as my Uncle Johnny was arriving to put the carpet down.
Jordan and Carter and I spent Friday (the 19th of June) running around like mad-people trying to prepare for Dave's party! We hit Nick's, The post office, and various other party-preparing places. Poor Jordan said to me at least 20 times "I want to go home. I want to play. I don't want to run earrings (she means errands, but always pronounces it this way)" SOOOOO my Mommy guilt kicked into full force, and next thing you know we were at CHUCK-E-CHEESE!
Apparently this was also on the agenda of EVERY DAYCARE CENTER in Charles County. So, after 2 hours of pizza, root beer, and games/rides, we left with smiles and full bellies and headed to conquor the rest of our errands. (Which were all places I could run into with the car running, picking up tables, borrowing things from my parents house, etc. and Jordan and Carter slept the ENTIRE 3 hours from when we left Chuck-E-Cheese to when we got home.)
When we got home the carpet was done (pause for a heavenly sounding: haaaaaaah) and it looked MAGNIFICENT!!! Jordan immediately started moving in to her "new room." One puzzle at a time, until our floor was quickly covered in hundereds of puzzle pieces and lots of work to do for later. We then realized that Jordan really thought that this was her new room. We tried explaining that we were getting ready to put a couch and tv down there so that we could all use it. Boy was she excited that she'd have a couch and TV for when her friends visit, HER ROOM. Anyways, eventually she got the idea, but it was a hairy hour or two.
Saturday went great, good friends and family, good food, lots of "oohs" and "aahs" over the basement (which from this point forward will be called the living room.) Jordan played with her little friends who came, and of course her Aunt Eileen and her Uncle Mac and Uncle Paul.
On to Sunday, Father's Day. Oops. That one went without notice, but Dave was so busy it would've been impossible to plan something. Jordan and I made a big breakfast of Pancakes, bacon and eggs, and Uncle Mac walked in just as we were finishing up. Then Dave and Mac headed out to the Storage unit to empty it out.
The rest of the week (Monday-Weds.) is a blur of furniture rearranging, on all 3 floors, playdates and packing.
Then, Thursday Morning bright and early (no, really, bright and early. 4:00am) we were up and all piled into Mac's truck to head to NC. Mac really loves his niece and nephew. I know this because he volunteered his pristine white truck for the trip...even I cringe at loading our vehicles for that drive...its never pretty. We made it down th NC by early afternoon, no harm to the truck. Jordan and Carter WOWED Poppy and Nana with their new tricks (you know, songs, blowing raspberries, Carter's size alone is amazing, LOL!) And of course there were presents! Jordan got a Barbie and a My Little Pony (which was actually pretty huge) and some coloring books with a special marker. She also got some beautiful dresses! She was immediately busy with her prizes. They always know EXACTLY what to get her :-) Carter got some ADORABLE clothes and some toys that have tiny wheels and roll across the floor...he was in love!
A few hours later, Pop and Kay (Cathey's (aka Nana's) Father and his wife) arrived for a cookout. Jordan INSISTED upon going along to pick up MawMaw (Dave's grandmother, David Sr's mother) She had actually been reminding us for days "Now 'member, I get to go pick up MawMaw with you guys." Then Aunt Penny arrived (Dave's aunt, David Sr's sister) along with her son Trey, and grandkids: Owen and Emma. It was ADORABLE to see how they got along immediately. They ran for at least 95% of the time they were all there (stopping only for a few minutes to eat a bit) Jordan had a BLAST with her cousins. Later Melissa (Penny's daughter, mom to O and E) arrived with her boyfriend. It was a great little cookout.
The next daywe went to IKEA in the morning. This is a favorite in our little family. Jordan gets just as excited as Dave and I. She loves furniture so much. Its strange, I know. It was Poppy and Nana's first time at IKEA, and we're hoping to have started an addiction, much like the one Dave and I have for the place!!
Later that night Dave's Uncle Harry arrived with his wife, 2 step sons and daughter Wendy. I hadn't yet met Wendy, and Dave and Mac hadn't seen her for 10 years or so. We had alot of fun with them. We went to a "Fish Camp." Jordan loved it and ate the fried fish like it was candy. Then on the way out Daddy let her buy 5 pieces of candy. He's so wrapped. We continued on to a mini-festival type deal in downtown Gastonia. Lots of music and dancing, which both Jordan and Carter LOVED. Jordan got a tattoo on her arm of Tinkerbell. This was her second choice, Daddy told her no to her first one, a playboy bunny. Yikes! At aroune 8:30 the meltdowns began with both children, so we had to call it a night kind of early.
The next day the boys had some guy time, and Jordan, Carter (who is not quite big enough for guy time yet...poor thing) Mommy and NaNa went shopping :-) Another favorite past-time of ours! Jordan had made it clear the day before though, that she WAS going to "Blacks" for lunch. So the guys came and picked her up.
Blacks Barbecue is a very small barbecue place (for those of you in SOMD, it makes me think of Twin-Kiss) They specialize in this GOD-AWEFUL mixture of cole-slaw and barbecue sauce or something that makes the slaw pink. (sorry, I know someone is going to get mad at that comment). Jordan actually likes it, almost as much as her Daddy, Poppy and Uncle Mac, so she wasn't going to allow us to leave her out of that! That evening everyone was over again (minus Owen and Emma) Jordan had lots of fun. I think the highlight of her night though, as she is still talking about it, is when she tried to get Dave's cousin Trey (who is in his early 30's) to do a tumble. He told her he could do it while holding his beer. So, she ran inside, got her cup of juice and showed him that while he talked about doing a tumble while holding his drink, she could in fact do the tumbe while holding hers!
We packed up and left just as early Sunday morning to head home, as we had Thursday morning to head down there. The car ride home was slightly less enjoyable, but still the truck survived. Since then, this week has again been a blur of un-packing, re-decorating, and playdates but we're doing well.
Today Grandma "Lucy" is coming over to visit for a little while (this is Dave's mom and we have NO CLUE why Jordan calls her that). Then we are having a pj and movie party with the Springle Family (minus Daddy Springle who has to work), so I WILL be on here and blogging about all of that tomorrow.
Sorry its so much to read, and I'm sure some GREAT stories are missing, but I wanted to catch everyone up quickly so that I could resume my blogging.
Jordan and Carter and I spent Friday (the 19th of June) running around like mad-people trying to prepare for Dave's party! We hit Nick's, The post office, and various other party-preparing places. Poor Jordan said to me at least 20 times "I want to go home. I want to play. I don't want to run earrings (she means errands, but always pronounces it this way)" SOOOOO my Mommy guilt kicked into full force, and next thing you know we were at CHUCK-E-CHEESE!
Apparently this was also on the agenda of EVERY DAYCARE CENTER in Charles County. So, after 2 hours of pizza, root beer, and games/rides, we left with smiles and full bellies and headed to conquor the rest of our errands. (Which were all places I could run into with the car running, picking up tables, borrowing things from my parents house, etc. and Jordan and Carter slept the ENTIRE 3 hours from when we left Chuck-E-Cheese to when we got home.)
When we got home the carpet was done (pause for a heavenly sounding: haaaaaaah) and it looked MAGNIFICENT!!! Jordan immediately started moving in to her "new room." One puzzle at a time, until our floor was quickly covered in hundereds of puzzle pieces and lots of work to do for later. We then realized that Jordan really thought that this was her new room. We tried explaining that we were getting ready to put a couch and tv down there so that we could all use it. Boy was she excited that she'd have a couch and TV for when her friends visit, HER ROOM. Anyways, eventually she got the idea, but it was a hairy hour or two.
Saturday went great, good friends and family, good food, lots of "oohs" and "aahs" over the basement (which from this point forward will be called the living room.) Jordan played with her little friends who came, and of course her Aunt Eileen and her Uncle Mac and Uncle Paul.
On to Sunday, Father's Day. Oops. That one went without notice, but Dave was so busy it would've been impossible to plan something. Jordan and I made a big breakfast of Pancakes, bacon and eggs, and Uncle Mac walked in just as we were finishing up. Then Dave and Mac headed out to the Storage unit to empty it out.
The rest of the week (Monday-Weds.) is a blur of furniture rearranging, on all 3 floors, playdates and packing.
Then, Thursday Morning bright and early (no, really, bright and early. 4:00am) we were up and all piled into Mac's truck to head to NC. Mac really loves his niece and nephew. I know this because he volunteered his pristine white truck for the trip...even I cringe at loading our vehicles for that drive...its never pretty. We made it down th NC by early afternoon, no harm to the truck. Jordan and Carter WOWED Poppy and Nana with their new tricks (you know, songs, blowing raspberries, Carter's size alone is amazing, LOL!) And of course there were presents! Jordan got a Barbie and a My Little Pony (which was actually pretty huge) and some coloring books with a special marker. She also got some beautiful dresses! She was immediately busy with her prizes. They always know EXACTLY what to get her :-) Carter got some ADORABLE clothes and some toys that have tiny wheels and roll across the floor...he was in love!
A few hours later, Pop and Kay (Cathey's (aka Nana's) Father and his wife) arrived for a cookout. Jordan INSISTED upon going along to pick up MawMaw (Dave's grandmother, David Sr's mother) She had actually been reminding us for days "Now 'member, I get to go pick up MawMaw with you guys." Then Aunt Penny arrived (Dave's aunt, David Sr's sister) along with her son Trey, and grandkids: Owen and Emma. It was ADORABLE to see how they got along immediately. They ran for at least 95% of the time they were all there (stopping only for a few minutes to eat a bit) Jordan had a BLAST with her cousins. Later Melissa (Penny's daughter, mom to O and E) arrived with her boyfriend. It was a great little cookout.
The next daywe went to IKEA in the morning. This is a favorite in our little family. Jordan gets just as excited as Dave and I. She loves furniture so much. Its strange, I know. It was Poppy and Nana's first time at IKEA, and we're hoping to have started an addiction, much like the one Dave and I have for the place!!
Later that night Dave's Uncle Harry arrived with his wife, 2 step sons and daughter Wendy. I hadn't yet met Wendy, and Dave and Mac hadn't seen her for 10 years or so. We had alot of fun with them. We went to a "Fish Camp." Jordan loved it and ate the fried fish like it was candy. Then on the way out Daddy let her buy 5 pieces of candy. He's so wrapped. We continued on to a mini-festival type deal in downtown Gastonia. Lots of music and dancing, which both Jordan and Carter LOVED. Jordan got a tattoo on her arm of Tinkerbell. This was her second choice, Daddy told her no to her first one, a playboy bunny. Yikes! At aroune 8:30 the meltdowns began with both children, so we had to call it a night kind of early.
The next day the boys had some guy time, and Jordan, Carter (who is not quite big enough for guy time yet...poor thing) Mommy and NaNa went shopping :-) Another favorite past-time of ours! Jordan had made it clear the day before though, that she WAS going to "Blacks" for lunch. So the guys came and picked her up.
Blacks Barbecue is a very small barbecue place (for those of you in SOMD, it makes me think of Twin-Kiss) They specialize in this GOD-AWEFUL mixture of cole-slaw and barbecue sauce or something that makes the slaw pink. (sorry, I know someone is going to get mad at that comment). Jordan actually likes it, almost as much as her Daddy, Poppy and Uncle Mac, so she wasn't going to allow us to leave her out of that! That evening everyone was over again (minus Owen and Emma) Jordan had lots of fun. I think the highlight of her night though, as she is still talking about it, is when she tried to get Dave's cousin Trey (who is in his early 30's) to do a tumble. He told her he could do it while holding his beer. So, she ran inside, got her cup of juice and showed him that while he talked about doing a tumble while holding his drink, she could in fact do the tumbe while holding hers!
We packed up and left just as early Sunday morning to head home, as we had Thursday morning to head down there. The car ride home was slightly less enjoyable, but still the truck survived. Since then, this week has again been a blur of un-packing, re-decorating, and playdates but we're doing well.
Today Grandma "Lucy" is coming over to visit for a little while (this is Dave's mom and we have NO CLUE why Jordan calls her that). Then we are having a pj and movie party with the Springle Family (minus Daddy Springle who has to work), so I WILL be on here and blogging about all of that tomorrow.
Sorry its so much to read, and I'm sure some GREAT stories are missing, but I wanted to catch everyone up quickly so that I could resume my blogging.
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