The First Day - Where is the Parade?

I write a lot about my sisters  because they continually fascinate me.  I began this intrigue when I was 11 and considering what it would be like to be a teenager and not play with dolls.  I was disappointed with their angst and lack of childhood activity but have found them to be endlessly fascinating.  That being said my middle sister who shall remain nameless because of her fear of the spotlight truly misses her children when they return to school life.  Oh, you think they must be little - nope, reasonable thought I agree, but they are 13 and 11!  Good Lord!  They are in the stages of embarrassment, clothing, hair  . .  bye bye beautiful girls, please relate to your own kind.  Sab, my beloved son, who played an awesome game of goalie today!!, was to return to his mothership Sept. 6.   Well, who knew Virginia was an earthquake state?!?  Seriously I was in Butler, PA having an infected tooth pulled when an earthquake was reported in Louisa, VA.  What?  Yes, the very same day Curt agreed to take Sab to the pediatrician for a check-up, a wait of 2 plus hours, and then an earthquake - he stayed for the exam, he was a man on the edge.  So long story short, Sab's school suffered damage as a result and was declared unsafe structurally for another week.  AHHHHHH!  That last week was a kicker.
But here comes a rainbow - Nana and Pap decided to be here for the first day!!!!  They came in the Friday before and we loved it.

Sab and his Nana.  Boy can this woman play video games.  She probably went home to seek carpal tunnel surgery but nonetheless she can humor a child like you wouldn't believe.  The night before the first day of school on the couch I hate.

So we had some things to do that weekend and were busy a lot.  Their last day I wanted to take them to Sweet Frog for frozen yogurt and to Target for Sab's new lunchbox.  He lost his other lunchbox on the very last day of school?!?!  I secretly, think he gave it away.  So it was 7:00 p.m. before we sat down to dinner.  My dad was in disbelief.  I wonder if he'll ever return?  The first day of school shone bright  . .

Sab with London - saying goodbye.  His teacher is a huge Steeler fan, so he wore his jersey.  He continues to wear all of them that he has.  I bet she is worried about our sanity.

She was so disappointed to have an empty house that first day.  She still asks for Sab every single day.



Low and behold - here she is waiting to go to her new school!  Her dad is surprised to see her in purple, obviously we enjoy the color pink way too much in the Phillips household.  I even purchased purple shoes from her Nana and Pap, but they were too big!!!!  So, she wore her pink Crocs, which really took away from the look. 



There's definitely more adventure to come from these two.  Right now I'm just trying to make order of my house after a summer of destruction.  Sab is soo happy with his new teacher, somewhat disappointed with the sheer number of rules and carpet time but delighted to do "big boy things."  There is a new woman on the horizon as well, but we don't know her name yet.  No name? That's a story for another day.

Beach Life

Ahh the beach . .  the smell of salt water, the breeze, WINGS stores, sand in my shoes and blister - I'll get to that in a minute.

For three summers now, my entire family (parents, siblings, neices, spouses, Phillips farm) has packed up (these people have it down to a science) and headed to a beach.  Let me give you a few things you can just count on:

Traffic to the beach - check in for most vacation rentals is Saturday afternoon.  So who wants to wait?  Pack up the car and go, go, go and sit on the two lane highway, with a very long bridge for two plus hours.  Each year I have looked over at Curt while he is wiping his right hand over his face in frustration, turning the air conditioner on high, glancing in my directions with a look of less than love.  We have gone early and now late and still can't figure it out.  BUT . . . once you arrive it is so worth the wait.

Vacation, relaxation, lazy, . .  none of those words apply to this family.  Internal clocks begin ringing at 5:00 a.m.  Hostetler exercise routines begin.  Last year I was a member of the walking club and I felt fulfilled.  This year my membership was revoked and I was responsible for running with my sister whom I now refer to as JR - Jack Russell.  I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to have a portion of this woman's energy.  5:30 - she is hauling a@$ down the driveway like a dog who has been in a crate too long.  We ran for almost an hour every day.  I would become lightheaded because I couldn't breathe.  All the while, I have to look at her stupid grin and white teeth.  One day she biked afterwards!!!  If she ever decides to figure out a blog and cleans up her infected computer - you will read her version.  We have one thing in common - sweat, tons of it.

On with the schedule  . .  this blog is not long enough to contain every story I want.  I'm accepting it at this moment - this could be a two parter.  I'm so enjoying the moments currently.  Above is Sebastian.  Is he having a blast?  Nope, not here.  Each year we have a "brilliant idea."  I think my sisters are extremely bright and talented on their own.  When we come together as a group brain cells just diminish.  Last year, my running friend J.R. thought it would be swell to buy each child a real life hermit crab!  She swears that the cost isn't much, the lifespan can't be that long and what a great memory of our time together.  This moment of togetherness cost each person $23.  Sure the crab was only $.99 but everything else the creepy thing needed was unbelievable.  Well our crab bit the dust after a few months and J.R.'s two crabs didn't make it a month? - but our sister who almost killed the clerk over her sheer lack of interest in us, still has her crab lovingly referred to as Joe.  Rumor is this guy is headed for a big time aquarium purchased by his big papa.  So this year  . . . our kids are older (with the exception of Mia) how about boogie boards!!!  In all fairness my oldest sister who has been had by the crab incident, didn't fall for this purchase - they had one already.  But the rest of us hook, line and sinker.  Above is Sab after one experience, his vision of a full stand surfing expedition didn't occur - go figure.  Bye, bye $16.99. 

This is Curt giving Sab a little pep talk.  Much later we used the boogie boards for pool life.  Every year Curt gives the speech about spending time in the pool vs the ocean.  We could just stay in a holiday inn, yada, yada.

So, so many stories I could share.  I laugh as I think about it and I would love to post a picture of all the kids but J.R. is sure bad people are reading this blog and someone will steal the picture . . .she needs to get out more.  Anyway, this little person here loved, loved, loved the beach.  In this photo she is posing for us on a log.  She was delighted with her female cousins and all of the extra attention she received from them, her aunts and her Nana.  She talks to them each day on her pretend phone and even adds conversation pieces to her Uncles James - she is quite taken with him.  One day she propped her sippy cup on his face so she could drink and be next to him.

I love the beach.  Currently I have seashells all over the house and a whole roll of black and white photos waiting for me to pick up at Walmart.  I hope we go again . .  I keep saying to Curt - who knew Virginia Beach is so close now?

Oh, the sand blister.  This is by far the most disgusting thing I have ever seen on my body.  I mentioned running with JR, - my whole body ached afterwards.  I mean everything did.  My feet were blistered and honestly I try not to look at them on a daily basis.  Genetics and feet are God's joke on us.  Anyway, our last evening there (everyone is ready to leave and get on with real life), I felt pain in my foot.  I was hoping to ignore it but I noticed as I came out of the shower (OUT!), my foot had a huge green bubble on the bottom of it.  I almost passed out.  Normally I try to hide these things from Curt, trying not to ruin the magic :), but this clearly was a problem.  He didn't bat an eye - "Dawn your blister is somehow full of sand.  Puncture that and get it out." Not a lot of sympathy, just matter of fact.  I should have taken a picture.  My mom was clearly taken away with disgust and motherly angst.  I wish I had taken a picture because it's hard to adquately describe  . . . I'll leave you with a better image

This is a small porton of us who decided to climb the Currituck Beach Light Station.  214 steps up!  I thought for sure Sab would be airborne somehow.  Love the beach!