THE Trip-Part 1

In the bleak, dark, cold month of January Jed and I began to plot our escape.  It's been five years since we went anywhere new and exciting.  My requirements consisted of warm sand and blue water.  Not too far.  No Mexico.  We began looking at the U.S. Virgin Islands because I didn't have a passport at the time.  As we searched vacation homes for the entire month of January we kept seeing links to other islands and Turks and Caicos caught our eye.  Eight out of ten people I told where we were going had no idea where it was.  Even better. 

The home we rented, seconds from the beach.  

We stayed on the island of Providenciales, this picture is overlooking the Chalk Sound a shallow "turquoise lagoon filled with hundreds of little rocky islands."  It is remarkable and stunningly beautiful.  The pictures you see on travel websites are 100% accurate. 

Another view of Chalk Sound.  So shallow, so calm and so warm!

One day we traveled to North beach which is a direct ocean beach (not a lagoon) and the waves were normal, strong waves.  The Chalk sound made me forget what a real ocean beach is like.  My favorite part about this beach was finding conch shells everywhere.  I have never been to a beach where you could actually find giant shells submerged in the sand. 

Renn 1+

 Every day Jed calls me to make sure I'm alive, because I have a very talented, one-year-old tornado.  This child.  He is so, very curious.  In about five minutes he can throw every toy out of the toy box, upturn food, dump shoes in the toilet, unroll a roll of TP, throw your brush in the trash and can only be thwarted in his path of destruction when his attempt to climb the toilet, table, piano, office desk, wooden blinds (take your pick) ends in blood or immobility.  I have never had a climber.  I've had a rager, scribbler, boss of the world, non-food eater, biter but never a climber.  My number was up.  I'm going to have to bubble wrap him.  

One day out of desperation, while I was attempting my five minute make-up routine, I gave him his baby bath to play in.  He promptly scooted it all over the floor and once it became wedged in the closet doorway he climbed in.  Makeup accomplished.  He looks like he is on a little iceberg.

He hears me open the dishwasher and comes running.  Depending on the day he has one of two goals.  One, throw all of his toys in as quickly as possible or two, throw out all of the silverware and dishes as quickly as possible.  We don't do slow around here.  I'm hoping I can harness these powers for good when it comes time to putting on shoes for school in the future.  

Utilizing his rocking chair to aid in walking skills.  He was cautious but ended up being my second earliest walker.  15 months almost to the day.  One day he preferred crawling and the next morning he woke up walking.  He went from being bribed with crackers to step across the rug to walking circles around the house.   I love to see his tottering, little, chicky legs wobbling around.  

He loves the horsey, sometimes he will be nice and take Jara for a ride.  He had no choice in this picture.  The day he attempted to do a knack-knack on the pony I gave him 9-year-old supervision to thwart/slow his moto tricks.  

I'm sure this is only the beginning.  The first time he climbed the table, before he could even walk, I sent a picture to Jed's mom.  Her response, "Well hello little Jed."  By the end of the week when he had progressed to climbing to the top bunk bed I felt true fear.  Pray for me.  

It's only Fair

We now have a tradition-dad's in charge of the carnival.  Everyone's happy.  Jed met the kids at the fair Thursday afternoon, a hot, windy, dusty afternoon but at least it was cloudy.  Renn and I went long enough to eat funnel cakes and make sure everyone was alive.  

Who do you really think is in charge here?

My little buck-a-roo

Friday was my day to take the kiddos.  It was cold and rainy.  I secretly, okay blatantly, love it.  I would much rather be cold and wet than dusty, hot and sweaty.  NDOW has a couple of awesome booths set up for kids.  Not carnival fun status but entertaining nonetheless.  

My girls enjoyed planting flowers while the weather raged outside.

Even with rain, the show must go on.  Thank goodness for a covered stage.  Jara was lovely.  She is gaining much more confidence with each performance.  Ballet suits her well.  I love watching her.

And this should have won "best in class" in my book.  I need this in my life.  I'm Dorothy by the way.  I have an opening for a Rose. 

Also and I'm sad I don't have a picture, we had Grandma and Grandpa Wheeler and Chase and Chloe staying with us.  We loved having them.  Chase and Chloe are Elise's age and they all played together so nicely.  Elise had constant entertainment for four days!