Knock, Knock

The kids came running out the back door yesterday to inform me that "somebody is at the door."



Naturally, I said, "who is it?"



Princess: "It's those guys dressed in BLACK and YELLOW!!"



LegoMan: "It's the Mortemists."



Me: "The WHO?!"



LegoMan: "You know, those guys we saw walking around the neighborhood the other day."




Me: "You mean the MORMONS??"


LegoMan and Princess: "OH!"



Welcome to MY world. Enjoy your stay.

Back to School Blues

School Year 2010-11 is underway! We got back into the swing of all things school this past Wednesday. I officially have a 6th and 4th grader in my home.

What?!

How??

Where does the time go?

It seems like yesterday each were graduating from Kindergarten.

And now look where we are:






LegoMan has graduated from hanging out with the elementary kids in the cafeteria before school, to hanging with his buddies in the gym:




And the Princess has her books and new bangs ready for a new school year:





Happy New School Year, y'all!

Taxi! Taxi!

I know, I know.....it's been a while since I've been here.

Yes, I am still alive and the entire GRITS household is doing well. Thanks for asking.

We've been in school now for almost six weeks and have a steady stream of nightly homework. And let me tell you I am NOT fit for supervising homework.

But I do.

And nobody has died.

Yet.

And this year we have added a couple of extra-curricular activities into the mix. Because school alone was not enough madness.

This year I became the CEO of a new business, you may have heard of my company.... "Mom's Taxi Service".

I'm sporting a brand new logo this year:



Here's a photo of my client:






Isn't he handsome? And he's a pretty good swimmer too. He started on a local swim team about three weeks ago and practices 2-3 times a week. His first meet is in two weeks.


Here's our new home away from home:


Awesome, huh? I think so.



I have another famous client, I drive on Wednesdays. You may recognize her:





Yep, it's the Princess and her new PINK guitar. She's going to be a rock star.

Or something like that.

And starting next week, Mom's Taxi will be taking her to swim lessons twice a week in hopes of joining her brother on the swim team.

Because we just need one more thing to do!

Mom's Taxi service is open and business is BOOMING!

Flippers and Fishies

Thursday morning we found ourselves in the port of Calica, Mexico. From what I understand this is a new port that is trying to establish itself with the cruise lines. Other than the local shore excursions, many people took cabs to the nearby city of Playa del Carmen, which has more to offer.







Our shore excursion in Calica was a morning of snorkeling! We boarded the bus and were ready for our adventure!







After a 20 minute ride, we got off the bus at this BEAUTIFUL beach:




We had a quick lesson in snorkeling before we got our gear on and entered the water. Check out the Princess and Lego-Man.






I'll pay for this one, but here is the hubby getting his snorkel groove on:








While I am at it, I might as well roll my snorkeling self under the bus too:




We spent the better part of an hour in the water, which was a bit choppy if you ask me. The hubby ended up with the Princess and I wound up with the boy, whose name should probably be changed to Aqua-Man after this excursion. I could barely keep up with him!


Here are a few of the photos of some underwater sights:

Before heading back to the ship, we spent a little time enjoying the beach:







Care to guess what the Princess' favorite thing was in Calica?!





Yep, you guessed it....she LOVED the iguana's!! They appeared out of the rocks like magic when a local man tossed some DOG FOOD out onto this boat landing. I believe the word "pet iguana" was used on a sign nearby. The Princess actually asked her crazy germophobic mother if she could touch one?! And, no, I didn't let her.


After all the snorkeling and iguana fun one family could stand, we headed back to our ship.





We left Calica and got the ship headed back in the direction of Alabama:


Somebody was worn slap out by dinner time:



And tonight's towel animal......you tell me?!

No more pencils, no more books

 

This week was our first official week of summer here at the GRITS household. 

We wrapped up school last Friday with Honors Day where both Lego-Man and the Princess received a few awards:

 

 

Lego-Man won the Science Award in his class and was on the All A Honor Roll ALL YEAR!

 

 

 

The Princess won the Music Award, All A Honor Roll, and the Academic Excellence Award for her classroom (which came as a shocker to us since we struggled with her getting “seat work” done all year).

 

It’s hard to believe my 4th and 2nd graders are now, officially, 5th and 3rd graders.  *sigh*

 

 

And what better way to start our first official Monday out of school than at a Memorial Day pool party?!  Even though the water was FREEZING, the kids did not seem to care….and I tried to overlook their blue, chattering lips!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope everyone has a great summer!

Because I’m the Mama

 

 

That’s why I got these marvelous handmade items from these cuties for Mother’s Day:

 

 

The Princess’ Silhouette

which was accompanied by this sweet poem:

 

 

And she is right…I would LOVE to go the beach! Now!

 

 

 

Lego-Man is a man of few words. 

 

 

 

His teacher helped all the kids make a bar of glycerin soap for their moms.  Lego-Man wanted to make sure I knew he did not get to pick out the scent.  He said, “I didn’t get a choice. I’m not sure it smells good”. 

Little does he know, it doesn’t matter!

 

I had a great Mother’s Day complete with an afternoon nap.  The only thing I plan on doing differently next year is adding a little Doris Day to my Mother’s Day plan.  Because it just seems right!

 

How was your Mother’s Day and what fabulous homemade items did you unwrap?

Sunday Sunday

 

It’s been a BIG weekend at our church.  We have been looking for a new pastor for the last 9 months and this weekend God answered our prayers….in a BIG way! 

Today our search ended and our new pastor begins in 3 weeks.  Church was packed today and you could feel and see the excitement. 

 

God has GREAT things in store for our church!

 

Our weekend was topped off tonight by our children’s music program, WHAM ….Worshipping Him through Arts and Music.

 

Just like in her chapel program, the Princess had a singing part.   This time she sang in a trio.  Perhaps this is the new norm for her….my singing sister will be proud!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight I bring you the newest sensation at the GRITS household, Dancing Lego Man! 

 

 

 

 

And I’m oh so proud to say, he dances just like his white-to-the-bone Mama. 

 

 

 

 

I am SO proud of him!!  There was a time in his life, not very long ago, that I would have bet against him actually doing this.  I guess this is a sure sign he’s growing up on me.  *sniff*

 

And check out this presentation his group did:

 

 

 

 

Thanks for letting me share this with you all.  I hope everyone else had a good weekend.  I know we did!

 

 

The real deal

 

The Bible says, “Ask and ye shall receive”

 

We asked and we received….finally.

 

IT SNOWED ON SATURDAY!!!

In ALABAMA!

Sorry.  *regaining composure*

 

 

The last time we had an accumulation of snow, it was 1997, and our family looked like this:

 

The hubby and I had four-legged, furry “children” and I was wearing “mom” jeans.

 

Indulge me here, please. 

 

This was my kids first “big” snow.  Yes, I used the word BIG for 3” of snow.

No snickering from you folks in the North. 

The most excitement we get from weather in these parts is Spring tornadoes and Summer hurricanes.  We are encouraged by our local meteorologists to have a “weather plan” that involves a “safe place”. 

But every winter, we are occasionally teased with the “S” word.  Which usually involves a trip to the grocery store for bread and milk.  Seriously.  I guess everyone dines on bread sandwiches with a side of milk.  I have never understood it, but it’s the truth. 

Snow reports always get the kids get excited and then NOTHING happens.  Then you have to explain that meteorologists are human and make weather mistakes, and snow in the South is very rare.

However,  today I present you with the GRITS family blizzard snow pictures from 2009:

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, for your viewing pleasure, I videotaped the making of their very first snow angels:

 

Snow Angels

 

(FYI- this video was taken in our first trip out at 7AM….the angels were actually covered up by the time we went back out at 11AM)

 

Thanks for indulging me….

 

We now return to our regularly scheduled weather.  Highs in the 70’s by the end of the week.