Heather Sanders…The BLOG

Oh how I miss posting to my blog! I am still trying to get it back into commission and working order…I finally had to revert back to the very blah wordpress default template. This is what I get for trying to tweak the code so much, eh? So please, pardon the dust while I update! It will be worth the wait, I promise. :)

Oh I am so behind on my blog! I will be catching up in the next few days…check back soon! I will be back dating posts so they’ll fit where they belong, so read backwards! :)

It’s hard for me to believe that my first baby is in 2nd Grade! Kelsie could not wait another day to go! She was so excited – especially with her new backpack and matching lunch box. :) Don’t you just love the motley crew of kids standing at the bus stop? And that’s not even all of them!!

To me, there is nothing like traditional pictures in white dresses on the beach. Everyone should have a set of these. :) Sharing a few of my two beach angels…

Kelsie, my beautiful dancer. :)

Carley’s 3-year-old version of "trash the dress."

Kelsie is in Dance Camp this week, so it is just me and Carley doing our thing. Today we went to the library. A fun and enjoyable activity, no? Not exactly, at least not this trip. I had a few books on hold to find, so Carley went right over to the children’s section and quickly picked out two books. Probably the two biggest and heaviest books in the section, but nonetheless two “must reads” in her little mind…Really, who could argue that “The LIttle Mermaid” special edition and “Princess Stories” with sparkling gold rimmed pages are THE BEST two books that ever were?

Carley brings the two books over to the table to “read” while I look over the summer reading suggestions for Preschool/Kindergarten. As I make my selections, I run them by Carley, who is usually easy to please when it comes to books. At least until I show her a book with a little mouse on the cover called “Lunch.” I ask her if we’ve read it before, to which her response is “No,” so I tell her to take it and add it to the pile on the table. She goes on to tell me she doesn’t want to check it out, but I hand it to her anyway, saying that “sissy” will want to read it.

Carley gets one hand on the book and proceeds to THROW it across the table; the book lands on the floor. I tell her to pick it up and that we are not getting any books today. MELTDOWN.

It isn’t until I take my books to the check-out counter that Carley realizes I am dead serious. She RUNS back to the table and picks up HER two books (Mermaid and gold sparkle Princess) and brings them to me, screaming. I explain again why we aren’t getting any books and ask the librarian if she can hold the two books until tomorrow when “we” are able to behave properly and not throw books in the library. Carley then RUNS through the ENTIRE library, SCREAMING. Wait, before that she did manage to THROW herself down on the ground in protest.

No doubt, every single person in the library, a place where it’s almost tabu to even talk, is staring at me in horror. I finally turn around and walk towards the door. It doesn’t take long for Carley to follow, still screaming of course.

By the time we get to the car, the mommy guilt starts setting in. However, I feel a small victory knowing I really made my point. As we drive off, I remind Carley why we left with no books and tell her if she’s a good girl at the grocery store we can go back and get them.

An ANGEL accompanies me to the grocery store, stays in her cart, and doesn’t ask for anything. Not even gum at check-out. A mommy’s grocery shopping DREAM for sure.

And yes, we went back and got the books. :)

Wow. What a great week of vacation! Beautiful weather, beautiful condo, beautiful beach. LOVED it! Although I’m usually not a *huge* fan of the actual sand itself, I must admit it didn’t bother me much at all this year. OK, so I jumped at any opportunity to take a de-sandification dip in the SeaWatch pool, but otherwise was quite content.

I’ve decided that as long as I’m not just sitting there in my beach chair soaking up the sun with nothing to do (I know, I too wonder why that’s not relaxing for me) except think about all those grains of sand sticking to me and my sticky sunscreen, I’m pretty happy. This would include standing at the ocean’s edge watching Joe attempt boogie boarding (he’s actually pretty good for a 40-something), running from the waves with the girls, watching the girls dig for sand crabs and build sand castles, or even braving the waves myself.

During the trip I naturally had to get the girls out one evening in their white dresses I bought from the Gap for some beach pictures. I’ll be sharing those soon…

OK, so I’m trying out WordPress for my new blog. I’m hoping I can design a super cool theme without using up too much of my brilliance at once. :D