Braces

Well, remember my August, 2010 post? That my adorable little (then) 7 year old would need braces? That day has come. Our dentist decided to not bond (or glue) expandables onto Carlie's teeth, but instead use the appliance (i.e. retainer) expander. She leaves them in 24/7 with exceptions of immediately after eating (she rinses them off) and if she swims in a lake (I thought this one was weird, but didn't ask...). She did better than I expected. No tears, and only a few gags as the dentist shoved these GIGANTIC pieces of plastic and wire into my daughter's petite mouth. We will be wearing these expanders for 6-8 months....think Christmas....New Years. I pain with her. Often I feel as if it is unfair that parents feel the physical pain on their children. I would gladly wear these braces for her...but that's just not the way it works. Hopefully next year at this time....I'll have an update and a picture .... with straighter teeth :) Oh, and I much emptier wallet.

This picture doesn't clearly show the top retainer, which is twice the size of the bottom one. With three different screws to slowly mid-evilly stretch her upper palate. Ugh...sound gross, doesn't it?

Canal Days

Think Bluffton Street on a Vera Cruz level. That is the New Haven Canal Days. Yes, there is fried food. Yes, there are rides. And yes, there are carnival folks creeping you out everywhere. Carlie has graduated to the "big" rides. I - being the chicken that comes with adulthood - can no longer ride the rides without being sick. So insert Samantha. Carlie's little BFF from church, dance class, softball team, not to mention I run with her mom three mornings a week....our paths cross often. Samantha enjoyed the festival with Carlie, with both of them riding each ride a minimum of 8 times. Their loud giggles and ear to ear smiles just melted my heart each time. I remember my Bluffton Street Fair Days...I don't remember the creepy carnies, but I do remember laughing so hard that each year I couldn't wait to go back. I hope Carlie has those memories too.

T-Ball

This is our last year of T-Ball for the Gongaware household. I am assistant coaching this year. Let me describe T-Ball for you. It is a collaboration of 4 to 6 year olds...some of which want to be playing ball. Some of which do not. There is a lot of coaxing to run bases. A lot of reminding that we don't play in the dirt. A lot of telling them no, you can't go get a drink in the middle of an inning while you are in the field. And some directing to first base...instead of running to third base. This is Lucy's second year of T-ball....and I can clearly tell she is ready to be moved up a division. Now there are some other girls on the team...not so much. Lucy appears to be having a good time, and she can really sock that ball off of the Tee. Looking forward to giving up my coaching title next year and sitting in the stands to be a fan.

Notice Lucy's great throwing form...

If there was audio to this picture, you would hear me saying...look at the batter Lucy....watch the batter Lucy.....watch the ball!!

Great form off of the Tee too :) Thanks Daddy for teaching them....

Awards Day

Yesterday was the last day of school. As I sit here and type this...both girls are still zonked out in their beds. I am slowly getting glimpses of what lies ahead. Me drinking coffee, reading the paper, checking on them..(still sleeping)...unloading the dishwasher, having breakfast, checking on them (still sleeping)...devotions, watching some TV, check FaceBook, checking on them (still sleeping). Okay...now I am ready to start poking them! Although this week has been exhausting with ball games each night at 7:00 p.m....which puts them into bed nearly an hour and a half past their normal bedtime. It really took the toll on Lucy yesterday in the form of tears for the littlest things. So I decided since it was my birthday today, I would go into work a little late and just enjoy a slow morning. I had no idea that they would also take advantage of this morning!

Carlie was recognized at the Awards Banquet yesterday for her Accelerated Reading (AR) points. She broke all kinds of records, and they got to 6th grade before anybody reached her point level. She was so proud...and we were proud of her too! The school has a "1,000 Point Club" and there have only been two people in Central history to reach it. The girl yesterday was awarded this, and she got a Barnes & Noble gift card. To which Carlie immediately looked at Jeff across the gym and mouthed, "I want that!" She reached 436 points by the end of this year. If I was a betting gal, I'd be betting she'll make that 1,000 point club someday.

Carlie and her "besties."

After school, we swam, ate lots of sugar and just kicked off summer in a great fashion. Summer is hard for working parents. I want to stay home and play every day too. I'll just make an intentional effort of making the most of every minute that I do get to spend with them. I know this may sound silly...but I can't believe I am going to have a 3rd and 1st grader next year. And Carlie will be NINE this year?!? Doesn't NINE just sound old? Does to me...

Meet Kinani

As "tradition" in our house...Lucy and I went to Chicago this weekend for her birthday American Girl visit. Long ago, she had her doll picked out. Meet Kinani. She is only at the AG store for one year. She is Hawaiian and very pretty. We made it to Chicago on Friday afternoon and spent about two hours "shopping" for her clothes, braces for Carlie's doll and gifts for our friends. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I am not really a doll person. But this store is just the best place if you have little girls. To see all these little girls walking around the store with their dolls and the smiles on their faces. Priceless. First business...we walked into the store...and bought Kinani. They took her out of the box right at the register....THEN we shopped for the clothes. I don't think Lucy has put her down since we purchased her.

I think this smile says it all.

Right after purchasing her, we went and got her ears pierced...at an extra cost...of course.

Directly outside the store on Michigan Avenue.

We had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Lucy thought they only served "cheese" and wondered why we didn't get any with our meal. Love that girl!

Our hotel's pool was on the 30th floor...heated indoor with hottub! This was the view....so pretty at night time.

Since Kinani is the doll of the year..they had Kinani stuff.....everywhere.

This was taken at the AG Luau we went to on Friday night. We made flower clips for our hair and drank out of tiny tea cups.

Let me tell you about Kinani's hair. Within 2 hours of Lucy brushing her thigh length hair...it was a tangled mess. So bad, in fact, that we made Kinani a "salon appointment" for Saturday morning. For a mere $20 they comb and style the dolls hair. Now know that you must get there early, or make reservations ahead of time...or you will wait....hours. You have many styles to pick from, and I convinced Lucy the piggy tail braids was best...because this would eliminate combing/rat nesting in the future. I must admit...it looks adorable....for a mere $20. This is Kinani in her salon chair getting her done. LOL...as I said...this place is over the top.

More Vacation...

Weather has been perfect. Stress has been low. Fun has been high. The days have been in the mid-90's every day and the pool has been at 85 degrees. Bath water. The girls have been swimming by 9:00 a.m. every day (I at least need to hold them off until then.) Mornings are spent reading on the porch and taking walks around the resort. There aren't many kids here, so the girls have been "cleaning up" when it comes to games. Lucy won the scavenger hunt yesterday, which included items like "can of tuna" and "foreign money." Carlie was a pretty sore loser until the guy who loaned her the $5 Canadian bill told her to take it back to her class for show and tell...she was pretty happy at that time. Yesterday Lucy won $10 at Bingo in the Gazebo. She can't wait to spend it today when we go into the beach. She is like her mama...money burns a whole in our pockets. On Monday we went out to an Italian restaurant for Lucy and Donna's (Barb's friend) birthdays. The WHOLE group went...all 14 of us! The girls did wonderfully and acted liked little ladies. I was a bit nervous seeing how we were the only one with kids...but they didn't let me down.

Is it 9:00 yet? How about now? Now?

This was after our birthday dinner...we needed a walk to help the Fettuccine settle.

This is on the putt putt course. We have a picture of Lucy doing this 2 years ago....can't wait to compare the two pictures.

Tuesday night we hit the a Fort Myers Miracles baseball game. Old habits die hard. I had jackets packed for the girls. Ha! At 9:30 p.m. the temperature in our van read 89 degrees....

Great family shot...

As you can see....the stands were NOT crowded...we had the place practically to ourselves :)
NOTE ... the giant purple slurpee...now check out Lucy's dress in the next pictures...

Mama and her girls...

Lucy actually got CLOSE to a mascot! Well...it was because it was a GIRL mascot...and she had pom poms in her hair and as her tail. LOL. Now...notice the purple slurpee down the front of Lucy???

The girls each got bat souvenirs...not quite sure those were a good idea.... Lucy's face in this picture just cracks me up!

Vacation - Day 1

Well, we're here. Ft. Myers, Florida. Yesterday was the "travel day" and boy..it was long. But I couldn't have asked for better behaved children. We had them up at 4:00 a.m. to catch a 6:00 a.m. flight, and then with a 3 hour layover...they both were wonderful. But today...ahhhh....lots of sunshine, lots of pool time, and to boot - it's Mother's Day!

If you had a clock at this picture...it would ready 4:30 a.m.

The layover got a little long, and Carlie decided to catch a snooze...smart girl.


The first "morning adventure walk" of the week. While daddy golfs each morning, the girls and I walk around and see what we can "find." This morning in the rec room we found Battleship and played a pool side game at the early hour of 8:00 a.m. I won by the way :)

My sunny beauties.

Carlie at pool golf...which she won...again!

Lucy at pool golf....