Update on the Kids, and Becoming a Warrior

With the first tropical storm, comes lots of rain.  Booo.  More rain.  At least this stuff should clear out for the weekend, and our Beach Luau! 

Before I forget, more "Payton-isms"
-She was playing "doctor" with one of her baby dolls.  She stopped to consult a book, then paused and said, with great concern, "It's SO serious!  Her heart isn't "beeping" anymore!"  I nearly fell out of my chair, trying to hide my laughter.
-"Catch a tiger by the toe. Fifteen dollars, let him go!"  (She's going to be quite the negotiator!)
-Still counts by 10's to "Big-Hundred!"
-She was singing a song, to Baby Abby, about boo-boos and how babies don't drink wine...hmmm.  At least she knows the rules, but I'm thinking Mommy may need to cut back :)
There are SO many more, but I can't remember right now.  I'll have to start writing these down!

Griffin is talking more and more, adding new words to his vocabulary daily.  The other day he recognized a song on the radio by Maroon 5 (one of my favorite bands) and he called out "Maroon 5!"  After the song finished, he said "Maroon 5 again, mommy!" 

He stutters a little, when trying to get his first words out.  I'm hoping it's just a phase.  Also, he can't pronounce his "L's."  Lake is "yake."    For train, it's choo-rain, for choo choo train.  It comes out in two syllables.  His new thing is when asked a question, if the answer is yes, he yells "Yes!" and jumps up.  I think it's super cute :)  We haven't started potty-training, per se, but we have pulled out the little potty, on which he sits, and he has a package of Thomas underwear, which Daddy taught him to call "underoos!"  He won't put them down.  He shows a little interest, and will let us sit him on the big potty, but nothing has "happened" yet.  This is the age we started with Payton, but I'm in no rush.  To be out of diapers would be nice, but he's still young...

Checking out his big-boy underwear

And, how 'bout those curls!  They are even getting tangles in them.  No one wants me to cut them.  I'll try to hang on, a little longer!  I do think that all the "baby" will be gone with the curls.  Mommy's not ready!

Again this year, we have season passes to Carowinds.  Payton is tall enough to go on a few more rides than she did last year, but they are "scary" so she wants me to go with her.  Since I usually have both kids solo, we haven't been able to go on them yet.  Griffin isn't tall enough for the same things Payton is.

At first they were scared.  Then they were not.

On the "Choo-Rain!"  His favorite thing these days, besides a ball.

Thursday evening, Nana and Granddude came to take us out to dinner, and Friday they were there to sit/play with the kids.  Nana seems to have much of her energy back, and is feeling well. She even enjoyed a beer at dinner! I think they are still consulting with doctors on what route to proceed with, preventatively, for the future, but other than some difficulty in stretching the affected skin and muscle, Nana seems to be on the mend.  We are so thankful for that!  Within 10 minutes of them arriving, this is how Payton looked:

More paint fun was had all throughout the day...and I still have little painted footprints on the sidewalk to prove it, lol!  Thanks, again, Nana and Granddude! To follow along with Janet's progress, please click here.

We had a play date/pizza night with Eva, and her family.  The kids, as always, had a blast...and so did mommy and daddy.  It was the night before my "Warrior Dash" (more on that in a sec), so we took it easy, and got home early.

Parker, Eva, Payton

Saturday morning, Brian, the kids, and I headed up to Huntersville, to a place in the middle of nowhere.  We met some friends there, and the ladies, Marnie, Celeste, and I ran/competed in the Warrior Dash.  This is a 5K (3.1 mile) distance, with around 16 obstacles.  We crawled under barbed wire, up tall wooden walls with ropes, over old cars, across a rope bridge, through tunnels made of nets, over walls of cargo nets, jumped fire, and army-crawled ourselves across a muddy finish.  It was so much fun!  I even think Brian will do it with us next year...assuming we have brave volunteers to watch the kiddos!

Loooooong line to pick up packets.  I was filed under the men's category, for whatever reason, so it took some digging for them to find mine.  And the results are thrown off too.  Oh well.  I still beat a hell of a lot of men :)

Me, Celeste, and Marnie

Warriors

We know no one in this shot, it was just one of the last obstacles

EW!

Fire!!  Hot Hot!

 

 

Celeste kissing her muddy boy, Kyler

Turkey Leg....yummmmm.

Kind of cleaned up...and heading home for a nice, long, cool shower!  What a fun day!

As if spending the day in the sun and sliding through mud wasn't enough, we had a housewarming party to go to that evening, for our friend's Jon and Janice.  It was a gorgeous evening and everyone enjoyed themselves.  We had to peel the kids away around 10pm! 

Camryn and Griffin...young love.

On Sunday, we spent the afternoon at the Palisades pool with McKaley, who is babysitting the kids some this summer...and giving Granby a break.  Their pool is awesome, with zero-entry, splash pads, and a 3 1/2 foot huge area that Payton can stand in, swim, and get back on her feet.  They LOVE it there.  They also have 2 super-cool waterslides, that Daddy took them both down.  They are going to have such a fun summer!  We are hopeful, that once our townhouse sells, we will move into the Palisades, and become members at this pool.  They have a great swim team, and I'm looking forward to Payton starting in the next year or two!

My attempt at getting a picture of Griffin under water, without going under myself.  Lol!

This week was an important one for a little girl named Libby, and her family.  I've known her dad, Josh, for many years.  My brother, JP, used to hang out with him some, in high school.  Josh and Barb's daughter, Libby (not quite 3), who Payton used to go to Providence Baptist with, has been diagnosed with leukemia, and they had to undergo some important testing this week.  They are hoping to hear the treatments have continued to be aggressively attacking and eliminating the harmful cells, and that she's okay to begin her bone marrow transplant.  I can't imagine how all her family feels, but they have been super supportive and positive through everything, thus far.  Tuesday they asked that everyone wear pink in support of what they call "Team Libstrong."  Payton wanted to make her a sign, and we all wore pink!  To follow along with Libby's story, please click here.

We are praying for both Nana and Libby, and hope to hear continuing good news!