St. Pete and the Phillips Family

I LOVE the beach.

I LOVE everything about it - the smell, the sand, the sunset, the fish, sandcastles . . .

Always so hard to leave. Then, I return to our house and want to decorate it in a beach motif! Hard task considering we live in a farm house!

Some things I want to remember:

• Mia just floating in an inner tube riding the waves without a care in the world.
• Curt and Sab completing the wipe-out course!
• Paddleboats in a waterway not nearly wide enough.
• Captain Red Beard
• Walking out the backdoor in a swimsuit with bedhead.
• A Conch in a pocket!
• A trolley ride with sweaty palms
• Fish - pretty, nondescript, acrobatic otters, all just new and wonderful.
• Tired kids riding an early flight home, one fast asleep - hair beaded and happy.

Mia and her sometimes craft friend Captain Red Beard.

Pet the sting ray at the aquarium. Sab was not impressed :)

 Love this.

Surprise in a shell.

 

 

Seems sooo long ago!

 

Pure Brilliance or . . . Pretty Close

Sab's 9th(!!!!!) birthday is tomorrow. I can remember turning 9 and the fact that he is at this age already blows my mind. Honestly, it seems like just yesterday Curt was asking where is the manual for him! I'll be sappy more later as we are celebrating his birthday all week :)

On to brilliance. If you ask Sab what he loves most in this world, his reply is money. Yes, I know we should have a discussion about greed, BUT in his defense he does chores and understands the concept of jobs and responsibility. So when someone gives him money in a card, he just can't believe his luck. A bunch of one dollar bills excite him more than a $20. He understands the amount of each, long story short he is into quantity.  My oldest (smile) sister mailed him a package yesterday. I was fearful of its lack of weight and suggestions to recycle on the outside of the box. I thought for sure it was a creature of some sort. We, as sisters, try to pay each other back through the gifts we give to each other's children.  To name a few examples: drum sets, princess high heels, fisher price light up toys that just never die .  .

Inside this TAPED package were tiny balloons filled with one dollar bills. His delight was just awesome. And he was gracious enough to let his sister break a few.  Somehow she broke them with her little hand and he was unable.  Lots to think consider there!

Straight from scout camp.

 

The pile beginning to take shape!

 

In love.

 

She had a million questions about how this all came about. I pity the next person who gives her a balloon :)

 

Long story short  . . . a great surprise . . brilliance.

My Soccer Bub

I have to be careful . . . Sebastian is becoming computer savvy enough to know that I have a blog and he often appears on it!!  He happened to be strolling by my laptop one day and spotted his photo on the screen.  Good Lord Mom, he said - what is that and why am I on it? I backpedaled as quickly as I could, but I am fairly certain he mentioned me and embarrassment.  Ah, 8 going on 17.

As you know . . . SOCCER SEASON IS BACK!

Let's take a peek at my David Beckham :)

Taking the ball down the field

Quarter break - Coach Deal talking strategy

 

Disgusted

 The last photo just cracks me up. Sab's coach, during Thursday's practice, sat his Team Fire down and said we need to talk a little strategy. The team we are playing on Saturday is older, faster, and has been undefeated for quite some time. We are going to play four defenders and one striker.  Sab immediately became disheartened. He said on the way home, "Mom, we aren't going to win. They are better than us." Cue the music and the mom speech (this is where I come in!) - I countered this statement with if you go in with the wrong attitude you won't win and everyone has a bad day now and then, you never know what might happen . . . yep, I was rolling them all out!

 

Saturday dawns and the other team was just awesome.  When I noticed the coach timing their wind sprints, I knew things were a little bleak. Team Fire did a great job though, especially Beckham Phillips here. He took a lot of abuse from bigger players, and took it in stride. That's probably the hardest thing for me to watch.  Time passes, the lone striker here looks over at me.  I am the most embarrassing soccer mom.  I CAN'T HELP IT! So, I yell from the sidelines, "Sab, you can do this."

 

It could be that he was mad at me, or just frustrated with the score.  He took the ball from his goal line and just took off with it. He had four players on his heels so fast. He maneuvered around one, which tripped the player and just full-out sprinted towards the other goal. He scored beautifully! I cried - still am as I type this.  He slapped the hands of his teammates, ran back to his position and gave me the most heartwarming Bub grin.  He was the first player to score on this team in five games :)

 

The End.

 

Tulips Everywhere

My friend Em, will often switch up the schedule of her posts due to something she really wants to blog.  So I interrupt this daily broadcast to share these tulips with you.  We set out last week, to visit the Ecotulip farm near us.  It was just one of those days when you know your kids are not going to cooperate.  Sab was into it, but his sister, well, it wasn't her day.  So we waited a week. And. It worked out because the tulips were in full bloom - what a beautiful day, what a fantastic farm. If you know me well, you know how much I LOVE flowers. It is rare that I don't have flowers in this house, we won't even talk about my love for plants :)

Row, after row, pink, red, yellow, striped -- aahhhhh!

They don't even look real here!

We have often joked (this is mean I know) that sister here has a few dog-like qualities including her sense of smell. She couldn't get enough . . . . wait for it . . .

Buried in it :)

An enormous sneeze follows shortly

They willingly posed. This makes me laugh out loud.

We picked 20 in all.  No self control in this party.  It wasn't just me, I swear.

Love the pink

So dreams of my own nursery/coffee shop/scrapbook store still continue . . . 

Mia's 4th Take I!

It AMAZES me that four years have past! Her birth story which I just told the other day is pretty remarkable.  I was enormously pregnant.  I know everyone says that, but please believe me when I tell you that I am not exaggerating.  Not even a little.  I was TWO weeks late, and the only shoe that fit was my black Old Navy flip flops.  My boss would inquire at least once a week, "Dawn, aren't those your shower shoes?" Why yes, yes they are! My tears finally worked on my obgyn and an induction was set. The day before Sab and I yucked it up at Chuck-E-Cheese.  I knew this was his last outing as an only child and I gave into everything. I passed out on the couch almost the entire evening, then got up to go to bed!!! On my fourth trip to the bathroom I felt wet.  Then I stood up and noticed oceans were erupting!!  I started talking a million miles a minute.  Going to the bathroom, wrapping myself, planning with Curt who was unresponsive.  Unresponsive?!? Ear plugs, he had in ear plugs!!! Long story short and much discussion about traffic routes and traffic light timing mechanisms (sigh), we arrive at the hospital.  Upon my exam, the emergency room doctor scolded me for not mentioning that I was an at-risk pregnancy.  At-risk?  No, just fat.  Mia, all 9lbs 2 oz of her became breach within a 24 hour period. My last exam had been 24 hours before! Did I feel the earth move - no. But have you ever seen the Twilight birth?  Kidding. 

So four years of this whimsical, beautiful, stubborn and bright little person later.
Birthday party, take I.  She just loved it, all of it.  Thank you to everyone who made it special.

 

My sister knitted all of these! Bunnies, and ducks, and the little girl with the braids is Mia!

 

Her gardening hat.  She is a wonderful help in the garden, truly!

Much love between these two.

Love these faces. 

Happy Birthday Mia!

Easter Egg Tree

My children are great crafters! I love this about them despite the mess and random stickers on the wall (Mia!). So when I proposed the idea of an Easter tree all parties were signed up in a heartbeat. The ornaments were salt dough and quite easy - you can find it on designmom.com! 

 

Our paint, not the best finish on our eggs but WASHABLE. See the q-tip? The moment I became pregnant with Sebastian Curt bought cases of these.  I can tell you that I am still using them almost nine years later!

In the middle of our salt dough masterpieces - we decide to color Easter eggs. As cool as Sebastian can be, he comes running to do this every single year. Still is mystified by the double dipping colors.

So very cute.  So very rare! She teases quite mercilessly, but genuinely adores her brother. She often asks if they will get married. I think Sab would prefer to be a monk vs this option.

My bub.

Oh Easter tree, oh Easter tree . . . how lovely . . .

One of our ornaments.  More to come from our Easter celebration.

Sunset

Beautiful sunset from our front porch!  Come on spring!!

Imagine A World Without Mathematics

Sab's school has something called Declamation Day. Grades kindergarten through sixth memorize a poem and then recite it in front of the entire school as well as their parents. Can you imagine doing this as a kid? What is even more interesting to me is that there is a poem "pool" for all of these grades.  It is quite possible that a student in kindergarten will recite the very same poem as a second grader! The title of this post is also the name of Sab's chosen poem. He loves math thus why the poem intrigued him. Next time I hope he chooses something about a ladybug!

I might have been more nervous than Sab, it is quite possible. He put on his coat and tie for this event and I knew I was in trouble. Tears, lots of them.  Some for kids I do not even know!

Is it just me or are they twins? The coat and tie was not a big hit for Sab.  In fact, five minutes after his class finished he was without tie, coat, belt, untucked . . .

Sab was CONVINCED that the tie hung outside of the coat.  See Curt shoving it in there?

Curt is so into this.  Hmm.

 

Thanks Bub for humoring me.

 

On stage awaiting his turn.  I feel terrible that his eyes are glowing in this photo because it is such a sweet shot.

I was just so very proud of him.  I taped his time on stage with a shaky hand.  His whole life (thus far) flashed through my mind.  Bringing him home from the hospital with Curt driving 20 miles per hour. Those long, long curls in his first hair cut. Carrying his Nana's evening bag,  Wearing goggles on his head for an entire six months. Putting him on the kindergarten bus and praying I would see him again. We have come such a long way.  Love you buddy.

Mary Lou Mia

A few shots from our first class last night. After a few tears and a couple minutes of uncertainty - all was well!


Can you hang? Of course, I can!

Go Mia!

Tuck your chin! She did such a great job, the teacher reminded her that her chin did not need to be tucked the entire time!

The finish - we have this down.

Balance Beam! Concentrate!

It is her first official "big girl" activity. Watching her wait in line, make friends, and follow directions, brought a smile to my face. This big girl is growing so very fast. 

Seriously Mom . . . Again?!?

Each Christmas we go home to celebrate the holiday with our family in Pittsburgh.  The anticipation of this journey is enormous and the amount of planning is considerable.  You see Santa (shh!) joins us on this adventure, as well as Sammy the Elf, a Woodberry ham, the kitchen sink .  . So one can see how a person might forget snow boots? Two years in a row now, I have forgotten our snow things.  Is it avoidance? I'm not sure. One would think growing up there for 34 years (I am not lying about my age - please figure in that we have lived in Virginia for three years), I would remember that Halloween to May might bring snow at any moment. So sure enough, the day after Christmas it snowed at least 6 inches within a couple of hours.  My angels have their little faces pressed up against the glass, loaded for excitement.  Sab turns to me, "Mom, seriously again? You brought no snow stuff."  One day I will enlighten this young man on what was involved in this trip.  Long story short (too long?!?) a quick trip to the store by Mr. Phillips and a little creativity provided all with some sledding gear!  Two of the four nieces I have, took my children out this day. The wise Meghan could be heard saying, "Sebastian, WHY does everything have to be an Olympic event!" He owes this girl big. My little girl Sassaruby truly loves her Ally and enjoyed every moment.  Thank you girls. Ever hear that phrase your reward is in Heaven?

This is what the day brought:


They have a great hill. 

Joy!

 

I spy with my little eye  . .  Uncle Jim

Just looking at this is COLD!

 

Tasting snow.  Lost hat!

Ally has to be thinking sometimes are you kidding me?

Meghan is a trooper for sure. Hopefully Sab will know this someday.

So the day we were supposed to leave  it snowed at least another 3 to 4 inches. No leaving that day! We anticipated this treacherous route and blizzard . . . only to cross into Virginia with no snow and 45 degrees.  Go figure!