A First

Last year, around her birthday, Annabelle saw a princess fishing pole and just wanted it so bad.  She had never been fishing or watched anyone fish so I have no idea why she was so enthralled with it, but she was.  She ended up getting it for her birthday but Mark never took her out fishing.  He thought it was such a waste of $12. 

A whole year later and Mark sees that there is a small fishing pond at the campsite we were going to.  Now he's all gung ho to teach his princess the ins and outs of fishing.  Of course I brought along my handy dandy camera to (hopefully) capture some fish pictures but I was also realistic.  I brought my nook with me too.  Except I wasn't able to read.  This was the very best pond to fish in ever!  Every time you through in the hook, you caught a fish or at least had the bait stolen.  Needless to say Annabelle had a great time!

Reporting for duty Captain!

Just a girl with her thoughts.

Her first fish, Mark said it was a blue gill.

This was maybe fish 4 or 5.

It pooped all over Mark's leg:)

Austin gives it a try.

He wouldn't touch that fish.

The last fish of the night, a large mouth bass.

As you can clearly see, Annabelle, Austin and Mark had so much fun.  It really was a great camping trip!

Camping

We had been promising over and over to Anabelle that we would go camping this summer.  We had every intention of doing it but then we realized, summer's half over and every weekend was booked for at least one of the two days each and every weekend.  When my mom called me up last Monday to ask if Annabelle wanted to camp, Annabelle's answer was definitely yes.  After Mark and I looked at the campsites web page we decided to come along too.  It turned out that my dad's hand was all swollen from his cellulitis and needed our help getting things set up anyways.

We had never been to this place before but it was very nice.  It mostly holds seasonal renters so there are tons of activities every single day.  Every weekend there is a theme and last weekend just happened to be Christmas in July.  We made cookies and put up a few Santa decorations near the camper and called it Christmas. 

There were tons of activities from story time, craft hour, a hayride and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus.  The kids had a blast but the Saturday was so full that we were pooped out by the time it got dark.  All of our plans for gorging ourselves with smores by the fire were quickly extinguished.  We were ready for bed early.

Story Time

Craft Time

Annabelle's Popsicle stick tree.

Anya's pine cone tree.

Anya and Annabelle on the hayride.  Such cute cousins:)

Austin and Santa

Now it's Annabelle's turn.

Posing with her balloon sword in front of the Christmas tree.

Mrs. Claus painted her hand.

The next morning, while the adults were cleaning up, the kids played with bubbles.

We had a very good time, even though it is a lot of work.  Next year we'll try to be more proactive earlier on so that we have the chance to camp again.

My Bubble is Burst...

even though I knew it was a long shot.  But last night Mark basically said London next year is a no go.  I cried silently to myself while we watched the Olympics 30 Greatest Moments that I had DVR'd.  Especially when they were showing Big Ben and Windsor Castle.  I know that an overseas trip is expensive, much more than a trip here or even a cruise, but I just want it so bad.  I'm not trying to be a baby, most families don't get a nice vacation every year like we do.  I know, I KNOW!  Spoiled girl that I am, I thought we would be able to make it work. 

I'm not totally giving up yet though.  I will get myself that part time job this fall maybe even start near the end of August if my MIL will watch Annabelle.  Those few extra dollars coming in will be a nice bonus for us.  If I pare down my mini dream vaca, 12 days touring England, Scotland and Ireland, to maybe just a week in England, it might work.  Otherwise, maybe we'll do a cruise or something.  I want to celebrate 10 years with my husband, and I want it to be grand.  I can't help it!  I'm trying not to be selfish and spoiled and self-centered but right now- WAH!

• We are going camping this weekend for the first time in a long time.  I forgot how much work it is to get everything together.
• Annabelle's asking every 5 minutes if it's time to leave yet.  Drives. me. bonkers.
• I have about a billion posts wandering around in my brain, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to shake them out.  I'll give it a try next week.
• I only have one free weekend for the rest of the summer and already have tentative plans for the one free Saturday we have left.  Soooo busy!
• I want to make some shirts for next weekend for Race Weekend.  My mom and I went in for both Mark and my dad to do an actual nascar race at the local speed way.  I think it will be fun and exciting. 
• I want to shirts to say MAD vs. MAN, who will win (MAD is my dad's initials and MAN is Mark's)
• I've been trying to get back into a shape that isn't round.  My weight is not really changing but my butt looks fabulous!  That BLT (Buns Legs and Thighs) class at the gym is working!  Thanks Jared for kicking my a$$ every Monday morning so that I hurt for days afterwards.
• See you all on Monday!

Another Fun Weekend

Does it seem like I'm bragging?  All these fun and relaxing weekends, lining right up in a row.  But it had felt for awhile that we were struggling to make it through, that some easy times are a reason to celebrate.

On Saturday we went for a hike on the paths through Stigelmeyer Park.  Annabelle whined and whined at first.  It was too hot and she was tired and she never gets to do what she wants to do.  Ugh, I just wanted to pull my hair out!  Once we got there she calmed down and started smiling, especially when we saw a deer on the path. 

A really big leaf!

She is one strong girl, holding up that tree:)

Our little deer friend.

This one gives you an idea of how close we got to her.

Then later on that night, Mark decided he wanted to chop up some of our wood.  When we had cut down some trees almost 7 years ago, we put the logs out back to "season".  They are nice and dried out now and our fire pile was starting to dwindle.

The mighty lumberjack in action.

The ax didn't get too far into the log.

But broke the 25 pound stone Mark was using to balance the log.  He was pretty much done after that!

On Sunday, it was my father-in-laws 60th birthday and I volunteered to make the cake.  Dad is an avid golfer, goes out every Sunday morning at the ass-crack of dawn.  I know he's been golfing for at least the almost 17 years Mark and I have been together and he started quite a bit before that as well.  I think it turned out pretty darn cute and was a hit with everyone at the party.

Afterwards, I joked that I should have made some trees with a ball hidden in there because that is where Dad's ball is most of the time lately:)

All in all, a fun weekend.  I hope everyone else's was just as wonderful!

A Proud Moment

Annabelle got her very own library card today.  She is so proud of herself and obviously so am I.  She took out quite a stack of books all on her own using the self-check out.  I'm not really ready for my little girl to be quite so big!

Smell Ya Later!

The town I live in is very skunky.  During the spring, summer and early fall you will smell them on a regular basis plus see them squished on the road.  While this is an annoying part of our area, we live with it just fine.  That is until you notice one of those little buggers walking around your backyard and hear them digging themselves a nice little home under the deck.

Luckily, our next door neighbors have a Have a Heart trap.  We caught and released him back into the wild this morning.  There was no spraying or stinky-ness involved either because I would have mad, mad, mad if it had stunk up the car!  Hopefully we'll catch stinky number two tonight or the night after and be done with all this skunky business.

:)

Yesterday was Annabelle's very first gymnastics class.  She had been asking for lessons since mid-spring but with school and ballet, I wasn't ready to start adding more to our already busy schedule.  I promised we would give it a try over the summer and I came through:)  She burst out of bed all on her own yesterday morning yelling It's gymnastics day!  It's gymnastics day!  So far, so good.  She put her new leotard on and inhaled her breakfast in about 3.2 seconds.  Mornings are not Annabelle's thing.  Usually I'm pleading, yelling, and getting exasperated at her slower than a snail's pace, but not yesterday morning.

When we got to the gym, she started getting shy, not as bad as she can sometimes get, but I saw it coming.  Sitting on my lap, holding hands, touching my face and whispering I love you's in my ear.  I'm not going to complain though because as I typed that, I know how much I love it. 

Once she got inside the actual gym, they broke the group up into small groups and Annabelle started learning somersaults (which she did already know how to do) and cart wheels.  She was so excited for that.  It was the one thing she kept saying she wanted to learn.  At first she was shaky but by the end of cart wheel time, she was going faster and had one leg pretty straight.  After floor work, the kids did some stuff on the bar.  She learned how to hold herself up and did some assisted forward and backwards circles.  The last ten minutes were for sit ups and push ups. 

When she walked out to me, she had the biggest smile on her face.  She was so proud and happy, and I was too.  She declared that she wouldn't be dancing anymore, now she's a gymnast.  Now she's mad that we're only signed up for one class a week.

After all that we hopped in the pool and swam for a few hours, ate snacks and played hard.  I was tired and pretty worn out but when some friends of mine asked if I wanted to go do some Zumba down on the waterfront, who can resist!  Not me!  I wasn't sure what to expect, but knew that no matter what I'd have a good time.  I only knew one routine and even the end was different from how I do it at my gym.  Plus I felt like the routines were simpler overall than the stuff I usually do, but an hour out in the sunshine with the lake breeze, having fun with my friends, perfect. 

I've been having so many great days that last few weeks.  I hope they don't run out on me!

At Peace

Our normal lives always seem so hectic.  There is/was school, play dates, ballet classes, jazz classes, time at the gym, a million errands to run, do your homework, make the breakfast/lunch/dinners, and then the weekend would come.  Birthday parties, huge projects at home, never a moments rest.

Until this past weekend.  It was perfect and peaceful and just plain wonderful!  We played, swam, went to the Taste of Buffalo and stuffed ourselves silly on Saturday.  We took our time listening to a great band, dancing to the music.  Then on Sunday we did some more relaxing and playing.  The only time I left the house was a quick run to Target, school supplies are already on sale and school's only been out for two weeks!  But I got everything on Annabelle's first grade list except the low odor white board markers.  Folders, crayons, glue, markers, colored pencils, book bag and lunch bag.  The kid is set:)  We made a fire in the fire pit and had some delectable smores with Nutella.  Can you say yummy!  We each ate two apiece!

At the end of the weekend, Mark and I looked at each other and said, "That was perfect, the best weekend we've had in a long time."  It felt so good and energizing.  I'm hoping we'll have many more of those this summer.  We really need them!

Running

• We had a fantastic Fourth of July.  The Lancaster parade, by far, beat Cheektowaga's parade.  We found a shady spot, ate some fried dough and caught about a thousand pieces of candy!
• I still ended up burnt and looking like a lobster though, ouch!
• We had hobo pies for dinner, swam in the pool, and then went to our secret spot near UB to watch the fireworks.  We also (illegally) let Annabelle do some, or about 20, sparklers and lit a wish lantern.  All in all fantastic, plus Annabelle was so tired she fell right to sleep!
• Today I will be spending at least eight hours running errands, going to doctor's appointments, and shopping with my Gram.  I expect to be cranky and tired by the end of the day.  I don't know how my Aunt Pattie does this with her every single month!
• Thank goodness my sister was willing to watch Annabelle for the whole day.  I think I'll have to make it up to her one of these days.
• A bunch of my aunts and uncles plus my mom and dad are up in the 1,000 Islands and I'm so jealous.  I haven't been to our annual vacation spot on three years and I miss it so bad!  I have some of the very best memories being there when I was a kid/young adult.
• If we don't end up going to England next year, I know that I'll be there next year.
• We got together with some friends last weekend and my other Disney loving friend and I decided on what we will be doing for our family themed Splash Mountain shot!  I think it will be so much fun!
• Five more months to wait for a vacation is way too long, in my opinion.

Irritation

Lately, I'm feeling defeated as a mother.  Overall, Annabelle is good.  She did well in school, we are having some attitude issues (but she is six, so it is expected though thoroughly annoying), I have fun things planned for our summer.  Our days have been going along pretty swimmingly until night-time comes around. 

For the past month maybe more, five, six weeks- we've been having issues at bedtime.  She is insisting that she can't and doesn't ever sleep.  At first I thought it was because it doesn't get dark until close to 10pm.  We were/are letting her stay up past the regular eight o'clock bedtime.  She goes up around 8:45, then plays or reads books by herself until we tell her to lay down.  Within minutes she's calling one of us, pleading for us to call the doctor because something is wrong with her.

We are at our wits end, or at least I am.  My anxiety at bedtime is so high right now.  We've tried everything I can think of.  She's slept downstairs on the couch, put up a tent on her bed to keep out extra light, I've read books, sang On Top of Spaghetti and You are My Sunshine more times than I can count, rubbed her back, played music on her radio, played a rain CD- all to have her still be asking for the doctor.

I'm frustrated.

I have no idea what to try next.

Does anyone have any ideas?