Friday

Well, this week was exciting.  Marc surprised Marky with a Father/Son/Grandson trip to West Virginia to see where Big Grandpa grew up  and enjoy his hometown's annual mountain festival.  It was SO CUTE Thursday morning!  Marc had worked out of town Wednesday so he said, "I think I'll take the day off, but I better run into the office to sign something- Marky want to ride with me?"  Marky said yes- and as they were riding Marc was telling him all about the awesome things Grandpa was doing in West Virginia.  He said, "wouldn't that be fun to do one day?"  And Marky said, "oh, yes- that'd be awesome".  They kept driving to the airport and Marc said, "let's go right now."  It blew the boy's mind!  He turned around and saw that the trunk had suit cases and I had packed him a bag for the plane.  Here they are on their way out the door-






I had so much fun packing his Florida State backpack for the plane and car travel time- (and I had to pack Grrr- yes, he still sleeps with him, which I love)-



I packed pencils and crayons with a drawing pad and "how to draw" book that shows how to draw Americana stuff- perfect for this trip to the heartland-



 Playing cards, magnetic chess, a word search, sunglasses and his favorite snacks- peanuts, bubble gum and dried mango slices (I don't know why he loves those- he just does)-



Picking a book to take was hard- all his chapter books he would have read in one sitting and be done with it- so I picked these- the first is the American History textbook grandpa used when he was in school. I also got this book on battles- knowing he'd love to read about those. (I also put in a brand new "Imagination Station" book, which Marc said he read in its entirety on the plane). In the middle is a love note from Mommy. :)

 

BUT- at the last minute- Daddy mentioned "why don't I let him take my gameboy?" And I said, "what are you talking about- we don't have a gameboy." And then he reached in his closet and pulled out a working gameboy with tetris and all kinds of fun games. How we've been married over 11 years and I'd never known we had a gameboy is beyond me- but needless to say the American history textbook came OUT of the bag and the gameboy went in.   :)   I think Marky was as excited about seeing a gameboy as going on the trip- he doesn't have any handheld toy like that. I've heard they are having a blast and Marc sent a couple pics tonight- carving a tractor out of a log using a chain saw- pretty impressive-

 

Meanwhile I'm here with Mr. Enthusiastic-


We had soccer games and Sissy's team pictures last night so BB came to help me. She went to Sissy's game and Charlie and I went to Tucker's and caught the last 1/2 of Julia's.





Today we went to have Charlie's one-year portraits done.  He had his pictures made in May, when he was 9 months old, but he's changed SO much in four months- mainly he's grown a LOT of hair, teeth, and a chin.  :)  (And I need this precious curly hair in pictures for posterity)-



He was AN ANGEL!!! We were there like 10 minutes- he walked in, smiled, posed- and it was time to go! (and yes, he wore his "yum yum" bubble b/c it best represents my hungry wittle baby)-

 

We went to lunch to wait for the pictures to print-



And after reading THIS article, I've decided I need to be in more pictures with my children. I always try to get out of the pictures, or delete them b/c I don't EVER like the way I look, but I'm erasing myself from their history. No More! Here is me loving my sugar bear-