the corn maize

Maxim and family were in town for Ryan's birthday party weekend, yay!  We met up with our fav cuz, Auntie Sarah, Nana, Grandma, and Grandpa on Saturday afternoon for some family fall fun at the Cagle's Dairy corn maize.  We've been the past two years with Ryan, but this was Maxim's first time.  We started the adventure with the jumpy pillows, petting goats, and riding on horse tire swings (adorable!!). 

Once we began the maize, Ryan and Maxim immediately took their spots at the front of the pack leading us fearlessly through miles and miles of corn.  Well, maybe not miles and miles, but when you are following three year olds, it can certainly feel like that.  I think we wandered all the way to Iowa and back.  But it was a blast and Ryan will talk about it all year long, or at least he did last year. 

Dolphin Tale

Friday night the much anticipated [at least by my mom :)] movie, Dolphin Tale, came out and we were right there to see it!  Ryan and I met up with Grandma, Grandpa, and Ms. Lori to take it in.  It was a good movie, esp if you accept the facts beforehand that a.) very little of it is actually true and b.) there's a little bit of cheesiness to it.  Although, I must say, it was not nearly as cheesy as I expected! 

Ryan did very well with the movie and seemed to enjoy himself.  We had talked about the dolphin a little beforehand and read the book Winter's Tail.  We also saw Winter on one of the tv morning shows and Grandma had bought him a stuffed Winter a few years back.  And it was a 7pm showing, so he was calm and sleepy.  In fact, as soon as the credits started rolling, he jumped saying I'm ready to go home, let's go!  He was asleep before I'd even turned on to the main road in front of the theater!

If you get the chance to see it, please be sure to do so and support Winter!  She's an amazing dolphin and if you don't believe me, ask my mom!

Marching Band video

So I'm not sure if that was really cool or really scary (yes, Auntie Sarah, I know I should be scared).  I found the Pride of the Mountains marching band on facebook and was watching a video some random person had posted to Youtube from Saturday night's game.  After it was done, I was going to copy the link to share with my large number of blog fans, but instead it had an option to put it on my blog and I clicked and there it was.  Just like magic.  It did that last post all by itself.  So enjoy!  Or be weirded out.  Either way is okay.

WCU's Pride of The Mountains Marching Band - 2011 Club Swagger

WCU

This past weekend we took a trip up to Cullowhee, NC to visit Western Carolina.  I went to school there for a year, but haven't been back since.  It was a fun walk down memory lane.  We started the day at my old favorite spot - a beautiful picnic on the river.  After we ate, we wandered around and I even got Ryan to wade through the water with me!  Then we drove through Sylvia & Dillsboro.  We walked around a little and ate ice cream at the general store, yumm.   

Then it was time to check out the campus.  We drove by my old dorm, bought a few souvenirs at the bookstore, and then watched the Pride of the Mountains marching band warming up.  If you like marching bands, you've got to figure out how to see one of their shows one day, amazing!  It was Ryan & Abby's first football game of any sort and they did okay.  Fortunately it's a very laid back atmosphere without the typical college crowds; we're certainly not ready for Athens anytime soon!  In fact, Abby and then Ryan befriended the lady sitting in front of us and she basically babysat them the first half.  She was great with them and seemed to truly enjoy hanging out with them.  And then it was halftime.  I always knew that the band was a big hit there, but I guess I didn't realize how much.  As soon as they lined up to march on, people were on their feet and clapping.  It was crazy!  The band really truly is the highlight of the evening.  The did their usual contemporary funky show; this year it's called Club Swagger and features music from the likes of Usher & Lady Gaga.  Humm, could you ever see the Redcoats doing that?!  I loved both WCU and UGA's bands, they are just so completely different!  Ryan and Abby really got into the show too.  Ryan moved into the aisle so he could see better and Abby was dancing.  So much fun.  After that, we (along with a whole lot of other people) made our way out.  After a quick dinner at Subway, we headed for home.  What a fun day!  In fact when we asked Ryan what he liked best, he said something along the lines of: "I like Everything we did today!"  At another time, he said he liked " the picnic, going into town, and the football game."  Two things about that: 1. the "going into town" was hilarious; he'd fit right in.  2. If you're a parent you probably realize how rare it is for them to like what you plan!  It's usually some small, obscure detail that they love.  I think we did well today! 

Tomato Soup

I love tomato soup.  Coleson not so much.  So when I eat it, I have it for lunch and enjoy it all to myself.  Today however, Ryan was asking about my soup.  I told him it was like ketchup and asked if he wanted to try it.  He had a cautious bite before deciding he did indeed like it.  I gave him his own little bowl and he eat every bit of it.  I even saw him dipping his pb&j in it at one point.  As we were cleaning up, he told me again that he liked it and asked if he'd had it before.  I told him no, but now that I know he likes it, we can have it again soon.  "I think we should have it for dinner too!" 

Point Team Mommy.  Next up, mushrooms & black olives :) 

Happy Football Season!

Aunt Jennifer mailed the kids some adorable outfits the other day with the messsage "Happy Football Season" and I think that sums it up perfectly!  We have been very excited to be watching football again and teaching Ryan & Abby all about the Georgia Bulldawgs.  And of course we've been having to learn about loyalty recently too :)  Win or lose (although winning would be nice), there's just something special about a gameday Saturday, dressing up in red & black, eating lots of snacks & dips, and everything else that makes college football awesome. 

Life Ain't Always Beautiful

I know most of you don't share my love of country music, but this was the song playing on my ipod this morning.  It's by Gary Allan. 

Life ain't always beautiful
Sometimes it's just plain hard
Life can knock you down, it can break your heart

Life ain't always beautiful
You think you're on your way
And it's just a dead end road at the end of the day

But the struggles make you stronger
And the changes make you wise
And happiness has its own way of takin' its sweet time

[chorus]
No, life ain't always beautiful
Tears will fall sometimes
Life ain't always beautiful
But it's a beautiful ride

Life ain't always beautiful
Some days I miss your smile
I get tired of walkin' all these lonely miles

And I wish for just one minute
I could see your pretty face
Guess I can dream, but life don't work that way

But the struggles make me stronger
And the changes make me wise
And happiness has its own way of takin' its sweet time

No, life ain't always beautiful
But its a beautiful ride
What a beautiful ride

More!

I forgot to mention Abby's newest trick in my last post: signing "more."  It'd be a real handy trick if she used it correctly and helpfully.  Last night she just about drove her Daddy crazy at the dinner table with her signing.  She'd sign "more" and he'd hand her something and she'd say no and hand it back (or throw it or swing her arms like a madwoman).  This continued for several food items, while I was trying to hide my laughs and Coleson was trying to resist the urge to run out the door screaming.  It was quite funny.  She ate a ton of food, but still continued to sign "more."  Finally we thought to offer her a drink and that did the trick!  So now I am desperately trying to teach her "drink" in addition to "more."  She pulled the same "more" trick at lunch today, but fortunately I was on to her and knew to offer a drink.  Hopefully she'll learn the difference soon! 

The coolest, craziest kids ever!

Ryan is super talkative these days and can communicate very well now.  We have real conversations and it's lots of fun.  This morning while driving to preschool I asked him if he would like to go out to lunch and meet Grandma after school.  Of course he was excited, so we talked about where he wanted to go.  He decides on Taco Bell for a quesidilla.  Then he wants to call Grandma and tell her, so I dial and hand him the phone.  When Grandma answers I hear: "Would you like to go to Mexico after preschool?"  Apparently, Grandma did not immediately realize this meant Taco Bell for lunch (I don't know why not!), so he has to repeat himself several times.  Needless to say I had a really good laugh this morning and yes, we are going to eat Mexican for lunch at Taco Bell in a little bit. 

Do you remember being a kid and thinking your teacher was only your teacher?  The surprise and shock when you realized they were real people and had real lives?  Shortly after we hung up the phone, we were sitting in the preschool carline and there were several cars parked in the parking lot and Ryan wanted to know why.  I told him they were probably the teachers' cars.  He didn't like that answer and told me, "No, teachers no drive."  I pushed him a little and he said "No, them have to stay at preschool for kids."  I asked where teachers eat dinner and go night-night and he told me they do that at school.  And then that was the end of that: "Let's no talk about that anymore."  Okay, we won't rock your three year old view of your teachers.

Abby is doing well and picking up her share of silly-goose-ness too of course.  One of her current favorite things is to show off her belly; she LOVES her belly.  She pulls up her shirt for anyone and everyone to see, including the cashier at the grocery store this morning.  Fortunately it hasn't happened in public yet, but she also likes to pull up Mommy's shirt and see my belly too.  And she likes to touch all our noses too.  She's still into sitting and has her own baby Tinkerbell papasan chair (she's sitting in her chair next to me, drumming on a drum).  She has also started spinning til she gets dizzy, then she throws her head to the ground while still standing so she looks like one of those beetles with his bottom up in the air.  Not really sure why she ends that way.  She cracks herself up and is always smiling & laughing.  And of course she still adores her big brother and thinks Ryan is the coolest kid ever.  And I think I have the two coolest kids ever, even if they are a little crazy!