Category: Family (Page 5 of 13)

Time for school!

07/23/2008 / Blake

For the last two years our oldest has been homeschooled for Kindergarden and First Grade. It has been a good experience for both her and my wife. Addison has grown to be a passionate reader during this time. While still in Clinton she went to a school on Fridays that was specifically for homeschooled kids. She loved it. She’s such a social bug.

In the transition from Clinton to Oxford, there was the five month stop in New Albany that was just a crazy time for us. So she continued her home schooling there. But now that we are in Oxford, we have been chewing on the possibilities of Addison going to school each day. We’ve checked into a local private school and also the public school that is in our district.

Now we don’t have the notion that all public schools are quagmires of debauchery and evil. On the contrary. But it had been important for us in the early years to do some intentional teaching and development of our children. And it looks like Addison will be attending public school starting next month. We’ve heard great things about the school system, and I’ve met with the principal a couple of times. Addison got to meet her too and take a tour of the school and meet a few teachers.

She is pumped! We excited for her. But it will also mean some adjustments for us as we’ll have to be making sure she’s up and ready for school (and whoever is taking her to school as well) each morning. Do we make lunch or eat the caf food? Make sure we go to bed earlier. All the things that most home probably do already.

But as the final decisions are made, keep us in your prayers. Change can be good.

Vacation Observations

07/13/2008 / Blake

Here are some general observations I made on vacation:

For some reason I don’t shower as much as I usually do when I’m at home. I guess since I spent so much time in the clorinated pool it seemed to suffice.
Sometimes I think getting a tattoo might be cool. But then I see a lot of bad examples of tattoos, and I rethink things.
Just because a restaurant has a lot of cars in the parking lot doesn’t mean it is good. We at at Hazel’s the first night. I’d rather eat rice cakes than go back there.
Even when you’re gone for a while, it seems there are things you don’t get done.
Movies seen on vacation seem to be more special.
I still don’t sleep late on vacation. But I didn’t want to anyhow.
Driving down the entire state with three kids isn’t that bad if you leave late enough for them to sleep most of the way. I was tempted to give them Benadryl, but it wasn’t needed.
Internet access on vacation seems wrong to some. It’s comfy to me.
You will go with out a lot of clothes in front of extended family at the beach and it’s not awkward. There is no way I’d walk into a Thanksiving dinner or Memorial Day cookout dressed only in nylon shorts and dripping wet and have normal conversations w/ my wife’s aunts. But on the beach? Straight from the pool? Who cares?
You can get burned quickly at the beach.
If you go to the pool about twice a day for five days, you’ll see some really interesting people there and think you know a lot about them.
Outdoor pools usually trump indoor pools.
Ground floor condos trump upper level condos. Sure, there’s not quite the view. But the access to everything makes such the difference.
I might could live in a beach town.

Back at home

07/12/2008 / Blake

Early this morning we roll back into town. We’ve been gone on vacation for the last 5 or 6 days. Orange Beach, AL! So I’ve got a few stories to tell. A few observations. And tons of pics. It was good.

I absolutely loved crawling into my own bed in the very dark hours of night/morning. But when I work up this morning I missed being able to look out of my bedroom and see the pool and the ocean.

The Tooth Fairy Note

06/17/2008 / Blake

This was a note my 7 year old wrote. It says:

“Dear Tooth Fairy,
My tooth isn’t here because my sister droped it in the grass will you give me a treat please?”

The day after Addie’s birthday her tooth came out. She let her little sister hold it and it was immediately dropped in the grass out back. Never to be seen again. So this is the note she left under her pillow.

My oldest turned 7 yesterday

06/05/2008 / Blake

Seven years ago yesterday we became the proud parents of a little girl. She’s shaped our lives in so many ways. And tonight we celebrated SEVEN YEARS!

After supper last night we went out for some dessert at Holli’s Sweet Tooth and then a walk around The Square. It was a great evening for a walk, and the girls had a good time [except when sitting with WF.] Watch the video below.

Peace in the house

06/01/2008 / Blake

The last four days have been sorta crazy. But now I’m sitting in a dark room under a ceiling fan at peace.

Thursday: Talk to utility companies. Get things switched over. Get a big cashiers’ check from the bank. Do a final walk through. Buy a gift certificate for our realtor to a local restaurant. Buy a house. Unload a few things at my new house. Walk around it and realize that I finally have a house in Oxford. Go back to New Albany to watch the season finale of LOST.

Friday: The Wife leaves New Albany to go buy paint and start painting the new house. My stepmom and I load a horse trailer and flatbed trailer to the gills. My mother in law comes to help by talking on the cell phone for hours. Drive to Oxford and unload everything. The Wife has painted the great room already. Drive the trailers back for more the next day. Sleep well.

Saturday: Load up two big flatbed trailers again. Most everything fits. I have lots of help on Saturday. Drive to Oxford. Stuff everything in the garage. Meet neighbors. Put the mattresses on the floor and go to sleep.

Sunday: Drive 10 minutes to church instead of 40. Go eat lunch with friends (since I now don’t have to drive 40 minutes back home). Then come home to paint and arrange furniture. Rain comes. I like my street. More painting. Family supper at the table for the first time in this house (leftover “moving food”.) Tired. I lay in my backyard looking up at the stars for a few minutes. That was nice. Time for bed. Will only have to drive 10 min to work tomorrow.

Here’s a quick video of the house for you (RSS readers might need to go to my site to watch):

What a day

05/31/2008 / Blake

It’s eleven thirty. I’m about to go to bed. But yesterday I bought a house. We are now home owners in Oxford (or just outside of). So today I loaded up a whole bunch of stuff and took it over there. Tomorrow is more of the same. And some painting too.

Soon, we’ll be out of our 800 Square Feet.

We’re so happy.

Pics soon.

My 800 Square Feet.

05/28/2008 / Blake

This is where I’ve been living for the last five months. There are five of us and a dog in here now. I estimate it to be about 800 square feet. A space this size would go for about $300,000 in downtown San Francisco. But it’s quite different in Mississipi.

Pardon the messiness. But we’re packing up to move! We should be home owners tomorrow. We’re closing on a house in Oxford. Then we’ll be able to actually be a part of the community! And no more driving acorss Hwy 30 multiple times a day.

I know my wife may shoot me for how chaotic the house looks. But everyone was still asleep before I left this morning, and grabbed some quick vid.

4:15 a.m. Fever

05/22/2008 / Blake

Addie was not feeling well most of the day (Wednesday). She woke up that way. No real symptom other than no appetite and wanting to lay on the couch or bed. She didn’t feel nauseated specifically, but didn’t want to eat for concern of throwing up.

We checked her temperature and she had a moderate fever. Nothing to be alarmed about, but obviously not her normal temperature.

She goes to bed with a dose of Children’s Tylonol. But I awake at 3 something with her in the bathroom whimpering. She says she needed to go to the bathroom and now feels like she can’t get to sleep. So I get up with her.

So now I’m sitting on the couch. She finally fell asleep. But is next to me with her head propped by a plastic garbage can. She did drink some water all at once, and she threw it up earlier. So we’ll see how the morning goes. I’m going to try to move her into her bedroom and let her finish the night morning in her bed.

Nine Years

05/08/2008 / Blake

Nine years ago today I left a life of singleness behind.

My life has never been the same.

Now while I don’t sleep as late as I used to during those single days…I wouldn’t go back for anything. I’ve had nine great years with The Wife. Now everyday hasn’t been a cake walk. But there’s been something to learn from each day. I love this woman!

So we watched tornadoes on the tv again today in the area. And we’re about to go eat out together, just the two of us. And check out the gift from her that I’ll be wearing on my feet tonight! Think they’ll stand out?