Escape to Myrtle Beach

**Logan Lovin' the Beach!! **WOW, Let's go... I'm ready!
**LOOK at those waves!!

**Let me show you how, Seth!
**My biggest Beach Bum!
**"OK... You have to tackle these waves sideways" What a great big brother!
**I'll show you how to dig a really BIG hole!!
** Seriously MOM... We have no time for pictures!!

** Well, Brudder.... This is how I do it!! :o)
**The boys thought this was the BEST tub ever & almost as fun as the waterpark!
**Check out our "bubble" beards!
** Not sure which one enjoyed the rides the most!!
** LOOK.... There's Mommy with that camera again!

** They absolutely LOVED the lazy river & the water park!!
**It's raining.....
** Seth swimming!
** IT's POURING!! :o)
** The boys at Broadway at the Beach!!

** A Little More "CHEESE"
** SERIOUSLY.... I'm Innocent... (What you can't see so well in this picture is that his face is covered in chewed crayon pieces!)
** Imagine that... The boys riding Dinosaurs @ Broadway??
** I'm Pooped... Good Night, ALL!!

Long Weekend at Myrtle Beach...

The last couple of years I have not seemed to be able to get enough BEACH time... Maybe it's all those years of only going to the lake or the fact that we did not go to the beach for over 10 yrs straight, but then again, does anybody ever get enough beach time?? Well, for the last 3 years every time we have went to the beach it has only left me yearning for yet more time there. Last year I tried really hard to plan a late summer or early fall trip.... but after the life changing events of last fall we never quite made it there... To say the least, huh? SO... a few months ago looking ahead at our calendar & crying because summer was OVER, I realized that the boys had 2 days out of school in late summer & I was exhausted so what better time to take a long weekend at the beach??? We searched many options & finally decided to go to Myrtle Beach.



I spent so many summers at Myrtle Beach as a kid & as we started planning; I first realized that we had not gone to Myrtle Beach in over 15 yrs (really, not on purpose... but time really does FLY) & then I began to get excited at all the options of stuff to do with the kids & couldn't wait to share such a special place from my childhood with my own children. Well, let me just say Myrtle Beach has changed a lot in 15 yrs.... the Pavilon is GONE (nothing but a big empty lot), which I knew about; but to see it first hand is SHOCKING & SAD!! Steven just couldn't understanding why I wanted to ride up & down the "Strand" numerous times or why I was excited to do so! & had no idea what the "Gay Dolphin" was or why I got excited to see it, either!?! (It is one of the things I do remember that is still there) But regardless how much things had changed... In my mind I could recall so many precious & priceless memories from my past.... Oh Yeah, did I mention the flash backs of being "tortured" by my big brother? Let me share... You know after such a long ride as a kid I can always remember how exciting the FIRST view of the actual ocean/beach was, something I remember in my mind as always being a big deal not only to me but also my family. Well, just as we turned onto the road to go to our hotel...there it was... That first glimpse of ocean, just as I had remembered it in my mind! & At that exact moment in my excitement & trying to share that with the boys & Steven (who all thought Mommy had LOST it) The flashbacks began....of being sat on & held back in the back seat so that I could not see the beach or the ocean by my BIG brother all while Oohing & Ahhing about his great view.... Yep, Torture... I Started to call him right then & there & THANK him for that "torture", but instead I just enjoyed the moments of reflection & realized what I thought was "torture" then was now a wonderful memory from my childhood! (Thanks, Jimmie!) ;o) It was about that time that Logan asked what house were we staying at this time, as we have stayed in a house with my whole family every time he has ever been to the beach, so I said... we are not staying in a house this time we are staying in a hotel...he responds.... "What's a hotel?" I looked at Steven, like really he has no idea what a hotel is??? could this be?? & as we brainstormed we could not recall of 1 time that we had actually stayed in a hotel since he had been born! Shocking, yeah I know! I was shocked also! "My poor deprived child!" not really, I guess just lucky & fortunate! He has no idea!

We stayed at the Dunes, which has a spectacular indoor water park, complete with lazy river, kiddie pool, hot tubs & 2 slides, big enough that even us grown kids could enjoy! :o) The place wasn't quite what Steven & I pictured in our minds, but at the end of the weekend we could not of asked for anything better! It seems like we ran from the moment we go there to the day we came home. Water park in the morning, beach in the afternoon, dinner & Broadway in the evening. We had a blast!! The boys were great... except for the fact that they wore out several nights before we were done running but hey.... it all worked out! A few nights we had children sleeping at the dinner table or falling asleep in the car before we even got to dinner but they were troopers & kept on going. ( We did try to alter the plan & get a nap in... but they were too excited & yet even though tired, when the sun was up.... there was no napping no matter how hard we tried.)

Logan got a little more brave in the water & began to swim under water! (This a big step for him!) YEAHHH!!! & Seth continued to jump in like a pro... still no idea that he can't swim & Mommy tried really hard to sit back & let him realize that... but there's only so long that you can watch your child under water with eyes open staring back at you... with no intention of trying to get back to the top! By the end of the weekend he was almost resurfacing but far from swimming or really trying! UGHHH!!! The boys just loved the Jacuzzi tub in the room & that's where they retired too after we came home from the beach every day... as Logan said... This tub is a great bubble maker! :o) Bubble beards & all it was great seeing them play together as they usually can't agree to like & share the same things! We went to Broadway several nights & the boys loved all the rides!! For Logan the more scary the better!! His favorite was the catipillar... fowards...backwards 3 times straight! He loved it! Yikes... my stomach is not what it used to be! Thank Goodness, Steven & I took turns & we survived just fine. Logan kept begging to get on the Pirate Ship... Thank Goodness he didn't make the height requirements for that one!! :o) ::WHEW!!:: Seth loved all the rides too... The Cars, the Motorcycles... he even wanted to ride the big rides just like Brother... He also liked the faster rides! Giggling non stop. "Agin... Agin" :o) he would ask! Unfortunately my camera died while we were at the rides so my pic's are limited :o( More Priceless moments!

We wanted to go to the Museum in Columbia in route & to the Aquarium at the Beach but time was not on our side & really a nap was more important! :o) Regardless I don't think we could have had a better time! & Logan's summary of the weekend.... "This is the BEST Beach trip EVER!!! I want to come back here forever!! " When asked what he liked best.... "The Elevator!!".... What???... what about the water park...the rides... the ocean???? "Oh yeah, I liked that too" he said.

Overall, Job accomplished... This weekend alone was a weekend that I will never forget! Just as special as all those times I went there as a kid with my family!! & A very special weekend for the boys! Maybe next year we will try to brave the crowds of summer at Myrtle Beach... to see those faces of excitement & happiness again... It would most definetly be worth it!! :o) As for rest...well we didn't get too much of that but I did have 4 days off with no work so I am not complaining! :o) We rolled back into reality on Monday afternoon & was shot out of the cannon!! T-ball practice, Meeting a work, Softball practice, Dr's appt, On call day for work, Tball game... This is my life & I love it!! But... Can we go back to the beach???

Until next time!

First Day of School Photos

**Logan's First Day of K-5 **The Boys getting ready to leave for school
** Seth calling Nanny & Nana to tell them all the details of his first day!
** Are we ready yet???
** Logan's being a HAM for the camera
** Day 2... We've got the hang of this now... Ready??
** Homework Time
** No looking back now... Off We Go!...
** This school stuff really wears me OUT!!

First Day of School...

My first born (Logan) started K-5 & my baby (Seth) started K-2 on August 20, 2007. Here's a recap of the day, my thoughts & emotions. Yes, I am still behind on my bloggng but definetly catching up! Here we go.....

What an emotional & monumental day for Steven & I both, as proud parents of 2 big boys! My first thoughts on the day is, "Oh... how could this be???" How could Logan be starting K-5??? It seems just like yesterday, that they laid that little tiny being (6lbs) on my chest. I promise I just blinked & now he's starting K-5??? Looking back now it seems like a blurr... hard to remember life without him here yet at the same time hard to believe that 5 yrs has passed so quickly. Also, to add to the emotion.... Seth started K-2. My baby, no longer a baby, truly a toddler now starting school.... They are both going to the same school & excited to be there together! Seth kept saying "brudder koouul"... "brudder koouul" So as daddy & I walked both our "big boys" in to school, it hit me... My babies are growing up... will I blink again & they be entering Middle school? ... uh, High school?... gasp, College?... holding breath, Moving out of the house & starting a family of their own?? ::PANIC:: Tears are coming... ::PANIC:: Idependence & growing up is a good thing, right??? That's what we are striving for as parents, right?? ? Yet somehow all I wanted to do right then was grab both of them... drag them home, hold on to them tight & freeze this moment in time, FOREVER!!!! Back to reality....(well sort of) every time I ask Logan to please stop growing up, (which seems to be more & more often) he refuses stating.... "I have to grow up mommy, so I can be big" with a huge smile on his face. How do you resist that?? OK... I will settle with just being so PROUD of my boys & the realization that we have made it this far... Let's just take it ONE milestone at a time! :o) ::calm, returns::

I don't think Logan realized the importance of the day, but then again he has been in school since K-3. I kept trying to stress the importance of the day to him, but not scare him at the same time. This is BIG BOY School, it is no longer an option... :o( The reality of this just set in & was probably harder for me to accept than him! :o) His teacher's name is Ms Bryant, she seems very nice & upbeat. This is her first yr teaching at the school she has 3 kids of her own & her baby is in Seth's class. Logan unfortunately again had no familiar faces in his class... which always scares me to death, but NOT him... he walked in without hesitation & really didn't want Mommy or Daddy to walk him to class at all.... "I can do it" he said. "Just drop me off at the door as usual" Does the rejection of Mom & Dad start at this age, really??? Please tell me NO... I'm certainly not ready for that! Sure enough after droppong Seth off we went to his class & he had made it without any help. ::sniff, sniff:: Later as I sat at home watching the clock I had flash backs all day long of some of his little sayings thru the yrs that are now PRICELESS memories....
Before he started school, when it was just him & I at home, I would often wake up in the morning with him in the bed beside me. He would be there patiently waiting for me to wake up, watching his cartoons & often having already been downstairs to get himself a snack (Mr Independent since day 1). Patience would eventually wear thin or the sun would come up when he would tapp me on the should saying... "Good Morning Mommy, the Sun is ready" No better way to start the day I promise. Or I remembered how when we would be outside playing when he would come & ask for a "little push" stating "a little push please" or "Can I get some push over here?" when he wanted us to come push him on the swings. Or when he would ask me numerous times a day... "Mommy, you know what???.... I Love you!" I remembered how he went from Baby Einstein to The Wiggles to Rollie Pollie Ollie to ELMO to Thomas the train (where he knew all those trains by heart, by color & number & sometimes just by the face) then he started moving to the bigger cartoons of Dora & Blues Clues. Now his favorites are Power Rangers, Transformers & Sponge Bob. I also remembered how I could not wait for him to be able to play on the computer beside me at work to finally mastering the mouse, then he quickly moved on to the Super Ninetindo, V Smile & computer games. He now has his favorites saved on the computer & does it all himself.

So even though today is sad in someways, it is also a very PROUD day for Steven & I. He has grown so much.... He's now playing Tball & will also start Soccer this fall. His confidence grows daily & he is truly transforming into such a big boy right before my eyes. I tear up just watching him walk down the hall on this day, thinking of the precious years that have passed & looking forward to the exciting years yet to come.. WOW, again realizing how quickly time passes... makes me understand even more that each & every moment is to be cherished!

On to Seth... as excited I was for him to start school, the closer we got I began to have great anxiety. He's never been away from home, here with me or Steven since the day he was born & never truly spent much time away from us! Also the closer we got, his "not so nice" behaviors seemed to get worse daily. I just knew I would be getting a call by 9 or 10am that I must come pick him up. And just as I remembered with Logan... on the first day... He walked in to the school... had to have his backpack on (just like Brother... although it was so big & heavy he could barely stand up). Not really ever looking back "I do it" he said, we did convinced him that we must at least walk him across the parking lot & he walked straight into class & began to play... no dramatic scene, no tears, no wanting Mommy or Daddy to stay.... ::sniff, sniff:: So we walked out of school that morning empty handed... with 2 big boys in school. I just prayed on my way out that he would be OK when reality set in that Mommy & Daddy were not there & also prayed that he did terrorize all the others in the class! :o)

That was one of the longest days I can remember & the silence in this house was deafening!! I promise my ears were ringing all day long as I am sure the house had not been that quiet in yrs. As the day crept along, all the cats came out of hiding & seemed to enjoy all the "Mommy & Daddy" time they had missed over the past 5 yrs. We both sat on pins & needles waiting for the phone to ring ...but it never did! Yeah! It's funny thinking about it now as I know I got very little work done that day, we both seemed to just look at each other not quite knowing what to do with ourselves, you would of never knew we spent 10 yrs without kids! :o) Once 2:00 finally came, we both could wait no longer!!! We anxiously headed back to the school & could not wait to hear how the day went.... Good reports from all around. Seth was an "angel" (What?, Really?) & Ms Bryant said Logan was a treasure, "I couldn't ask for a better student" Again, I could feel my body fill with SO MUCH PRIDE! Here comes the tears again.... How great is my life?!?!

I wish I could say that the entire week went that well & for the most part, we were extremely LUCKY. Poor Seth really had his world turned upside down & suddenly going to "brudder's koouul" wasn't so exciting or anything he wanted to do at all. The drama started on Tuesday with the tears, crying & clinging on to Daddy for dear life... It was actually the worst.... Per Ms Miranda he cried most of the day. The phone did ring that day (just as an update on his crying) & I believe there was divine intervention as I was tied up in a meeting & Steven with a job so by the time we actually got the call.... Crisis had passed, he was sleeping & had formed a bond with Ms Miranda his teacher. Each day got a little easier & by Friday he was a PRO. The first week once home all he wanted to do is to be held & cuddled... Daddy & I soaked that up as that rarely happens with him! He also got his 4 remaining molars :: OUCH:: all at once as usual. He decided himself that it was time to start wearing big boy undies & the whole potty training process of which he let us know by finding him in the big boy undies with his shorts on bakwards, all on his own. Last but not least words began coming from his mouth, all of them, he was talking up a storm.... Not able to understand them all but hey it's a start! Oh Yeah... those "bad behaviors" I talked about earlier... apparently, not been a problem so far! Thank goodness!! Ms Miranda braggs daily on what a good boy he is! :o) She calls him "Bubba" Like I said earlier, his world was turned upside down & seems as if he's starting out on a new foot.... :o)

What a day for memories! The most special part was that Steven was also there every step of the way & got to experience all those Firsts that he had missed before! How many little boys get to start a new school year & a new phase of life with BOTH parents by there side?? Really; everything happens for a reason, I am reminded of all the benefits & great family times we have had over this past yr, as challenging as it may have been. Another truly PRICELESS moment & TIMELESS memory has just been added to the life with my 3 guys!

Ok, next time, Let the sports begin..... Until then......

Hilton Head Pictures

** Logan & Shannon Tanner
** Seth loved the pool & learned to jump in... " Ready??"
** He also loved the sand, except when he
realized that he was dirty
** Logan had a blast jumping the waves

** All Nana's grandchildren....

Justin, Brandi, Seth & Logan

** "Looking" for dolphins .... Well, mostly just
posing for Mom..... ;o)
** Here's my Lil' Surfer Dude...
** Logan up close & personal...
** One of the last nights at the dunes

** And we end with My 3 Guys on the Shannon

Tanner Dolphin Cruise! Boy, was it HOTT! "

As promised here's a few pic's from our vacation to Hilton Head. We rented a house in Palmetto Dunes with Mom, Jimmie, Annette, Brandi & Justin. We really enjoyed the island life! :o)

A quick summary of our Summer....

** The boys in their Flag T's & Camo's on the Fourth. (Seth no longer a fan of group photos) :o) **Watching fireworks on the Fourth! ** Big Boy ALERT! :o)
** Logan loving the sparklers!
**Soccer Camp at the YMCA
**The boys playing at Russ & Angel's **My Power Ranger
**The boys getting ready to go to a Baseball Game
** Seth, loves the water & to jump in... BUT has no clue that he can't swim without this life jacket! Scary!!
** Seth's famous "cheese" face, which is what I get anytime the Camera comes out! ** First Mate Logan, on our way to wait for Salty (the train) to come by!

** Seth admiring the view...if Mommy would STOP taking pictures... I imagine him saying... "What?" which was his favorite response to any question asked of him this summer!
** Logan playing at the bank @ Sunset
** This picture is blurry but PRICELESS just the same.
**Seth at Sunset.... My favorite pic's

Well, I'm not doing so good at this blogging stuff... lots of things go thru my mind each day but somehow never seem to get around to putting the words down in a blog.... or time for that matter! :o)

It's hard to imagine that summer is OVER!! Where did it go?? Honestly I feel like just yesterday Logan got out of school for the summer & I was sooo excited because both boys were going to be home all summer with Daddy. Now, I sit here analyzing the past few weeks, realizing we didn't get to do everything I wanted to with the boys.... but on the same hand we got to do sooo much.

We started the summer with a trip to Hilton Head, our first time, we went with Momma, Jimmie, Annnette, Brandi & Justin. We rented a very nice house with room for all. It was a little too far from the beach (we realized once we got there) but was within bike riding distance. We rented bikes for the week (all of us) & got to ride quite a bit. They had wonderful trails to ride, that you felt like you could ride on forever. We went to Harbor Town & ate at the Salty Dog, spent an evening over in Shelter Cove & got to see Shannon Tanner sing, which Logan LOVED & asked to go back nightly. We also took a Dolphin Cruise with Shannon Tanner that was extremely HOTT but Logan really loved it! The boys absolutely loved the beach, Seth really loved staying in the water & deep & Logan loved jumping the waves.... they also loved playing in the pool at the house that was cold but nice. Seth learned to jump in & if not careful he would attempt to jump when no one was there to catch him with no clue that he didn't know how to swim. You would hear him say..."Ready?... GO!" & everyone was on there toes! :o) Then they all would warm up in the hot tub.

We also took 3 trips to the lake, camping...not like our trips from the past but nice. I came home & worked most mornings & then we would go to the camp ground in the evenings. Gave use plenty of time to ride bikes, sit by the camp fire, "roast" marshmellows (which to the boys means to sit by the fire & eat marshmellows from the bag) We got out on the boat quite a bit, but again not as much as we have in the past... the boys love to ride on the boat to the train tracks & wait for "Salty" to come by.... It was on one of those trips that Seth actually learned to swim with his life jacket on & he has not stopped since.... He is truly my water boy! The boys & Steven did get caught in 1 really bad storm which frightened them all quite a bit, it actually ripped the awning off the camper & put a hole in the roof. Thank goodness everyone was alright & no one got hurt... there was a reality check to really put things in perspective about what's really important in life!!

We spent the Fourth around the house & then went to swim at Eddie's & had a cook out. Mom, Jimmie, Annette & Justin were all there & here Seth perfected the jumping in & did so over & over... He honestly has NO FEAR, which is scary & exciting just the same! We finished the night off at a fantastic fireworks display up the street! What a perfect ending to a perfect day with the family!

Logan got introduced to soccer when he went to a soccer camp at the YMCA. He had so much fun, we got to go with him daily, they played lots of games to teach the basics of soccer & Logan loved every minute of it. He made the decision that week that he wanted to play both T-ball & Soccer this fall & for some reason Steven & I agreed to let him do so.... He's growing up so fast!
:o( We are extremely PROUD of him!! The sports seem to have brought him so much confidence. He really gives it his ALL in everything he attempts & always wants to be the "winner" & The "best"

We also got to go to Uncle Russ & Aunt Angel's to swim on several occasions... the boys really love the water & love to spend time at their house! We also got to have an evening out with Logan... Just him, Daddy & I, we went to see the new Transformers movie & all of us had an absolute blast! It was a really great movie & Steven & I were SHOCKED! :o)

Steven is still doing odd jobs when they come up & I continue to work at BCBS & also the hospital. It's hard on some days & many days feel like we are barely keeping our head above water, BUT when I look at the quality time that we have all spent together... I wouldn't change a thing!!

So, it's the beginning of fall... The boys have started back to school, which is worth a whole other BLOG.. lots of emotions & reflections as my first born starts K-5 & my baby goes to K-2......

Until next time....