House of Estrogen

Emerald Isle 2011: Fun in the Sun

Despite lice, croup, asthma, hurricanes, swarms of locusts, blizzards, and the plague, we managed to make the most of our vacation and have a lot of fun in the sun.

For your enjoyment (or complete annoyance)... a little vacation alliteration....

 We hopped high,

 

to ride on a raft,

 

slept in the sun,

 

got pitched above the pool,

 

colored creations with chalk,

 

donned dolphins, 

 

got pushed in the pool, 

 

giggled in our goggles,

 

snacked by the surf,

 

rowed on rafts,

 

 

beamed at the baby

 

stood on shoulders,

 

played pranks in the pool,

 

gave huge, happy hugs,

 

tiptoed in the tide,

 

searched for sand crabs,

 

laughed out loud,

 

and jumped for joy!

 

It was a terrific trip, indeed.

Simple Woman's Daybook, September 26, 2011

For Today...

Outside my window... mosquitos. They are awful this year!

    I am thinking... that it is nice to have Elise's birthday party behind us.

 I am thankful for... year-round school. I don't know how people survive nine straight months of school and three straight months of no school!  We need our breaks.

From the kitchen... pot roast with carrots in the crock pot, biscuits, and something green.

I am creating... a bunch of blog posts.

I am going... to sign up Elise for a second jump rope class to help her prepare for team try-outs.

I am reading... Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier aloud to Elise and Nina. This is an incredible book. If you read the reviews on Amazon (5 stars), people are comparing it to classics like the Phantom Tollbooth, the Narnia series, Harry Potter, and James and the Giant Peach.  This is the most charming, wonderful, creative children's book I have read in a long time. I truly think it is destined to become a classic. If you still read to your older elementary school children, this is the perfect read-aloud book. We're only a few chapters in, but it has captivated us all!

I am hoping... that we're not dealing with too serious an ear problem with Nina. She has an appointment with the ENT tomorrow. She still has tubes in her ears but continues to get ear infections. Right now, she says she can hardly hear out of her right ear. She had pain in that ear several times while we were at the beach that she said felt like a shot in her ear. Poor girl.

I am hearing... Lady GaGa's You and I.

Around the house... things look reasonably tidy at the moment... amazing!

One of my favorite things... chips and salsa.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... not much. The girls are both at ice skating camp this week, so it is nice to have them at the same location. Book Club is this week, but I haven't read the book, so I'm not sure if I will go.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... a shot from Elise's 10th birthday slumber party this past weekend at the Embassy Suites.

 



To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Cupcakes, Lessons Learned

1. Most bakers will not recreate a copyrighted design unless they have a license for it. If the birthday party theme is not Dora, Barbie, Star Wars, or Hello Kitty, forget finding a cake.
2. The same is true for Etsy cupcake topper makers. No license, no make.
3. Cupcake toppers can be made fairly easily with supplies from Michael's and stickers from Target.
4. When a frosting receipe calls for Crisco, don't substitute margarine. Trust me. Just don't do it.
5. One large tub of store-bought frosting to replace the failed homemade frosting is not enough for 24 cupcakes.
6. Store-bought frosting is too thin for proper cupcake piping.
7. I have completely lost my cake decorating mojo. Gone. I can still bake, but all decorating assignments will be contracted out from this birthday party on.

 
 

 

Nina Drive, Part 8

Of course, we had to take our annual "Nina Drive" picture of Nina while at the beach. I think she really changed a lot this year. I'm not sure if it is the pose, the hair, the outfit or what, but she looks a lot more grown up to me. She's losing some of that little girl look. What do you think? 

2004

 

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2011

 

Emerald Isle 2011: Shackleford Banks

We always enjoy taking the ferry over to Shackleford Banks...

 

to spend time shelling,

 

swimming,



exploring the barrier island, and searching for the wild mustangs that live there.

 

Even though about 150 wild horses reside on the tiny island, we didn't spot more than a pair of ears. Hurricane Irene was good to us though. We've never found a starfish before or as many whole sand dollars as we found on this trip.

Shackleford Banks is absolutely primitive.... no shade, no shelter, no garbage cans, no food, no convenience stores, no electricity, no Starbuck's, and... no potties. When the urge hits... Hello Dune! (How mortified will she be one day that I took this picture?)

 

 

After the ferry ride back

 

 

(This little guy LOVED the boat ride)

 

to Beaufort,

 

we found a great little place for lunch. Who knew a place with walls lined with beer bottles would also have an excellent kids menu? Score!

 

Fun day, all around!

Emerald Isle 2011: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

To say this beach trip had its ups and downs would be putting it mildly. It was more like the Murphy's Law of beach trips. Overall, we had a great time. We truly did. We tried not to let the bad and ugly bring us down, but there were times that felt like a full time job!

First for the GOOD...

The beach house was lovely. The girls loved the pool and hot tub.

 
 

 

We had beautiful weather the first four days.

 

Hurricane Irene left us with some fantastic shelling opportunities.

 

We were vacationing with great friends.

 

The girls all got along marvelously,

 

 

and I had a sweet baby to snuggle with all week!

 

Now on to the BAD...

The waves were INSANE... HUGE... STRONG... CRAZY, in part thanks to Hurricane Irene causing some beach erosion and in part thanks to Tropical Storm Maria churning out at sea. Elise really didn't feel well enough to play out in the ocean, but Nina was dying to boogie board. That didn't go so well.

 

 

 

 Our plans to dine outside on the deck at Channel Marker for Elise's birthday were foiled by Hurricane Irene as well. It is tough to eat outside when the deck has been ripped off by a hurricane. Bummer. She had a great party regardless, just not exactly as planned.

 

Poor J.C. reinjured his wrist with this slick move on (or, uh... off) the skim board. I just happened to be in the right spot with my camera at the right time (Shhh... don't tell him that I was anticipating a fall and was set up waiting for it!).

 

This porch swing at the house was a lot of fun until the chain broke and it came crashing down while our friend M and Addie were on it. Nobody was hurt, but it just added to the Comedy of Errors theme for the week.

 

Combing through Nina's hair and doing lice treatments didn't fall into the category of a "relaxing vacation activity", so that definitely added to the bad. On the upside, I think we've conquered the lice (knock on wood).

J.C. spent our first day of vacation driving three hours back home to pick up a box we had forgotten, turning around, and driving right back. He said he didn't mind, but that didn't really qualify as quality vacation time either.

Now we get to the UGLY.

Poor Elise was suffering through the worst asthma flare in years just before we left and for the first couple days of the trip. She was getting migraines from lack of oxygen, and just generally wasn't doing well. After several days of steroids and round-the-clock nebulizer treatments, she snapped out of it, but she spent a couple days looking like this.

 

Addie developed croup our first night there. I took her to the little beach urgent care the next day. The beach doc prescribed steroids (which I knew she needed) and another med that didn't make much sense to me. I decided not to give it to her and later asked a physician friend about it who said, "You DEFINITELY made the right call NOT giving it to her. That causes shallow breathing, and I NEVER prescribe it for kids." Nice. Gotta love crappy beach docs. She sounded awful but stayed in good spirits.

 

I'll be posting more pictures in the next few days with more of the fun and less of the whining. I just couldn't describe this trip without including the bad and the ugly. I'm not sure we've ever had a vacation with quite so much of it! Despite the apparent curse, we all managed to enjoy the trip!

  

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, September 19, 2011

For Today...

Outside my window... fall seems to have arrived.

   I am thinking... that apparently it is our anniversary today. I had no idea until I heard an answering machine message from my mother-in-law wishing us a happy anniversary. Oops! Fortunately, J.C. forgot as well, so we are both slackers - not just me. Plus, we alternate who plans our anniversary dinner/date/trip/whatever each year. J.C. has the odd years, so he is the one who dropped the ball this time.

I am thankful for... 13 years of marriage to my wonderful husband. We have our ups and downs, and it isn't always roses, but we are good for each other, love each other, and make a good team. Clearly, we don't have a good memories for dates though!

From the kitchen... pasta with pesto, sausage, mushrooms, and green peppers, bean salad, and apple slices.

I am creating... Elise's birthday photobook... hoping to finish up in the next few days since her birthday was last week!

I am going... to be blogging up a storm this week with beach picture posts. Stay tuned!

I am reading... The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares. It is billed as "the perfect beach book", so I started it while at the beach. So far, it isn't doing much for me, so I'm not sure if I will bother to finish it or not. I finished Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work by Tim Gunn and loved it. If you are a Tim Gunn fan, it is a must-read.

I am hoping... that the lice epidemic is over at the elementary school before my kids track back in.

I am hearing... nothing at the moment. The kids are all tucked in bed. I'm just waiting for the next staller wanting water, a blanket or lost stuffed animal.

Around the house... suitcases that need to be unpacked.

One of my favorite things... Starbuck's pumpkin spice latte is back! Ahhh...

A few plans for the rest of the week.... lots of taxiing (that is the correct spelling, really... I looked it up) kids around. Nina is at ice skating camp all week. Elise is at drama camp. They are on the opposite sides of town.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... my girlies 


To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Um... OK.

On the drive to preschool this morning, we drove past a man in a convertible. Addie exclaimed, "Look at that man in that fancy car! I bet he's going to my school. Maybe he is taking somebody there. Maybe he is taking a baby there... or a rooster."

I just left that one alone. I have no idea why a man in a convertible might be taking a rooster to preschool, but I decided not to question it. It definitely gave me a morning chuckle though.

Simple Woman's Daybook, September 12, 2011

For Today...

Outside my window... dolphins! We are at the beach and saw a huge pod of dolphins today. We must have seen 40 or so. They were jumping and riding the waves... just beautiful.

I am thinking... that I hope Addie's very croupy sounding cough isn't really full-on croup. I took her to the little beach rent-a-doc today. I'm not totally sure I trust his assessment of her, but I picked up the prescriptions he gave us regardless.

I am thankful for... J.C. driving all the way back home this morning to pick up a big bin of stuff that we somehow left behind. It contained two of Elise's asthma meds along with a bunch of other stuff. He drove all the way home, got the bin, turned around and drove all the way back here... about 7 hours round trip.

From the kitchen... tonight was sausage, brown rice, green beans, and frozen margarita (because when you're at the beach, frozen margarita (aka "bucket") goes with everything).

I am creating... a lice-free family, I hope.

I am going... to keep my fingers crossed that nobody else gets sick or gets lice. This has been a rough week leading up to vacation.

I am reading...  Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work by Tim Gunn, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

I am hoping... that Elise starts feeling better soon. She is in the midst of the worst asthma flare-up she has had in years. I spent 3 hours at urgent care with her yesterday morning before we left for the beach. She is on steroids now but still really struggling. She is getting winded spending any time in the ocean and even just going up the stairs. Poor kid.

I am hearing... the guys doing dishes, and the kids playing the Wii.

Around the house... sand, towels, and swim suits.

One of my favorite things... sitting out on the deck enjoying the ocean breezes, smell of the salt water, and sounds of the waves.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... beach, lunch, nap, pool, dinner, repeat.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... walking to the beach access this morning - our friend M, Addie, Addie's friend S, and Elise

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Unattended Artwork