The Ravines revisited

We made a trip to Palatka as one of our Spring Break soirees, to visit the Ravine Gardens. Diaper issues weren't on the radar this time, thank goodness, so a good time was had by all.

Mer was our official tour guide, considering she lived in P-town through her high school years and she made sure to point out the old high school and tell stories about the "good ole days."
The flowers were beautiful. I think we hit it at the right time this year.
Check this out. The only way he would take a picture next to her was if she was kneeling down below him, was not touching him and allowed him to have a hold of her neck. Can you see "I'm a stinker" written all over his face?
Capturing some Mer/Grandson love. No, that's not staged or anything.
I thought this was interesting. The following two pictures were taken within feet of each other. This one was in the sun, showing the hard shadows.
And this one was two steps back in the shade. Huge difference, I think.
Sometimes I think it would be fun to be a fly on the wall (or in this case, a tree) when I'm out with my kids. For some reason, I felt extremely compelled to explain what the word "suspended" meant to Katherine, as we were walking across the suspended bridge. She was the least bit interested, but I still chased her down, explaining the whole time and even trying to give her examples, of what "suspended" meant as I held her up with my arms, weak stomach muscles and all. One day she'll get old enough to tell me she really doesn't care. Until then, I'm coming after you sister.

They're baaaack!

Seriously, if you want some, let me know and I'll cut some for you early in the morning while they're still fresh.

Katherine fine-tuning her photography skills...

Someone is very happy now that he's driving...

Quick updates

Even after a nap today, I'm still tired. So today's update will be fast. I'm itching to talk more about these. Maybe later.

Mr. cutie-patootie

My precious laundry helpers

Nathan giving George a kiss

Our trip to visit a field of flocks

A busy birthday week

We had quite the busy week, that week of March 21st, and a majority of it revolved around or featured Little Miss.

It started with her first school-related performance. Daddy was prepared for Mommy and stuck a nice clean hanky in his back pocket, but I managed to get by on some used tissues tucked away in my pockets used to wipe Nathan's runny nose. She didn't act nervous before the performance or during, just liked picking at and twisting her hair.
Two days later, it was her Birthday Party! Whoo hoo! Watch out she's four and ready to boss around anyone who gets in her way. She got to hang out with her best buds from school, G and S. It is truly heartwarming to watch her little budding friendships. We had 10 of her closest friends and cousins there, plus their chauffeurs.
The cake was none other than a long, twirly dress (although she's too young to know that Barbie's top reminded me of a painted on outfit).
And the next day she sang in front of the church, for the first time, with the Children's Choir. Here she's giving the shout out to her best bud AC sitting on the sidelines.

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Some quotes and funny stories from her birthday week:

Me: Katherine, I am so impressed. You are so smart!
K: No, I'm a LOT smart!

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While waiting patiently, no longer than a usual trip through the drive-thru line, she proclaims loudly and irritated from the backseat: "Come on lady."

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"This is taking for a long time, Mom."

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"I loaded my pants with lots of toots. Oops. He he he he."

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She affectionately refers to her brother as "Bubbilicious"

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There's not a patch of wildflowers or weeds we pass in the yard, parking lots, other people's yards that she doesn't notice the flowers. No matter how tiny. She notices them, picks them and declares who the recipient is. We usually have to go put them in water immediately and try to remember them when we're on our way to "deliver" the beauties.

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Sometimes, her innocence is quick to point out how I'm not as good as I think I am. She certainly doesn't do it on purpose, but her lack of interest brings me back down to reality and I am reminded once again that sometimes, I'm just not that interesting.

We got these great Resurrection Eggs. She is ever so eager to open them up and hear me tell the story about each one, but before we just start tearing into them, I want her to understand why we're telling the story about Easter. What happened? Why was it important? Who is the story about? You know, basic stuff.

My easy questions were not being answered, at all, so I quickly tried to redeem the situation and start explaining in age-appropriate language what all this excitement is about. She is ever so still and obedient, intently listening (or so I thought), hanging on to my every word and I finish what I considered a short-version of explaining Resurrection Eggs with a VERY simple question she would know the answer to.

She's quiet, thinks for a second or two and says, "Mommy, did I have my vitamins today?"

I was once again reminded that when I think I'm doing something really good, usually I'm not. But then I'll catch her helping her brother, giving him hugs, reading to him or trying to comfort him and I am reminded that when I think she doesn't see anything good that I'm doing, she is.

The ravin' Ravines

We took a trip to the booming metropolis of Palatka today, and while we were there we visited the beautiful Ravine Gardens. Over 95,000 flowers were planted there during the Great Depression, a majority of them being azaleas. I'm thinking in a couple of weeks or so the azaleas will be in full bloom and absolutely bee-yu-tee-ful!
The busy-bodies (who had been strapped into car seats for over an hour and a half) and their parents decided to brave the not-so-sure-footed trails down into the ravine. The paved asphalt path around the perimeter would have been too easy and since this adventure was my idea, I was feeling a little pressure to make it one worth visiting again and off the scales fun. It wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't have my heart set on trying to practice taking pictures. A stroller carrying kid paraphernalia is cumbersome and awkward down in the ravines, so stroller-less and diaper bag-less we went. I felt so naked.
We thought after visiting the stream that the wet area near Nathan's rear was from some fresh water he inadvertently stuck only a long narrow portion of his rear end into. Hmm. Nathan must have thought we were flaming idiots because for the next hour he didn't want us to hold his hand to help him walk and insisted on us picking him up. And wouldn't you know it, every time one of us picked him up and complained about our wet shirt sleeves or love handles, we questioned the other parent on whether or not the wet spot was from fresh water or bodily fluids.

Yes, son, we are in charge of raising you.

I did get somewhat frustrated because Nathan was not going to walk anywhere without holding a stick. I've mentioned it before: the child is always carrying some type of tool. Which then makes it difficult to help him navigate the uneven terrain because holding just one of his hands makes for a very uncomfortable sideways fall, usually using the nearest foot as a pivot causing him to twist as he goes down. And a tool-carrying version of the infamous phrase from "The Christmas Story" echoed in my head: "You'll poke your eye out."
I did have fun taking a very limited amount of pictures, but as mentioned in the beginning, I had my heart set on practicing. A couple of times, when reaching for both of Nathan's hands to keep him from tumbling head over heels down a steep embankment, the camera I'd been waiting so long for and had hanging around my neck, would swing from behind my back and bonk him in the head, causing some discomfort.

About mid-way of our trek in this beautiful ravine conveniently blocking the 15 mph winds, we ran into some children on the playground that make it hard for me to be nice to them. They were with their mother and used words we try to avoid like "kill" and "butt", referred to Jim as "hey dude" and insisted on me taking their pictures then running over to see it. I shouldn't be so, oh I don't know what the word is for that, but they were loud, obnoxious and our children just stood still and stared at them a lot.
It must have been our ever-so-positive attitudes that kept us naive for so long, because when we finally did agree that the wet spot was from Nathan's body and we now officially smelled like sweat and child's pee, we had no idea how to get back to the parking lot. The paved path around the perimeter is 1.8 miles long. We were in an area I don't remember ever seeing before, so choosing the correct direction was imperative. The chance of us being close to the parking lot and heading the opposite way was very real.
Our guardian angels then appeared, driving a minivan. I (who does not fear asking for help when Katherine's insisting on being held because her legs hurt and Nathan's diaper is officially so full it's using our apparel to soak up his urine) flagged down a sweet elderly couple to ask for directions. They acted sure, but then not so sure on the quickest way to get out and then said those sweet words I loved and feared all at the same time, "Would you guys like a ride back?" They very well could be serial killers and hunt down families; was my fear. Oh thank the Mighty Provider for sending this chariot disguised as a mini van; was my gift.
We hopped in, most of the clan quite reluctantly, and I the free-loving hippy mother I've turned into lately was chatting away with these complete strangers. They didn't know when they offered that the big people in the car were the ones truly smelling like pee and hopefully they didn't notice. All they could do was talk about Nathan because their 7th grandchild was just recently born up in New York and they haven't got to see him yet.

They drove (according to the closet-detective I married) approximately 0.3 miles to the exit and before they picked us up we were heading the opposite way. (I'll do the math for you; it would have been 1.5 miles of walking in less than stellar circumstances if we weren't offered a ride).

Thank you dearly to the couple who have lived in Palm Coast for five years that picked up the ragged-looking couple with two small kids. We appreciate your kindness. We promise to pay it forward.

All in all, it was a great day. Nathan slept for over an hour and a half on the way there, Katherine enjoyed movies quietly in the back, my husband didn't badger me about not bringing the diaper bag and we got to spend some coveted family time together.