Thanks for the fun night in-laws/Sherri

So, forget the the kids in this one. This post is all about me. Sherri's parents are on a much needed vacation. When you leave behind a house, you tend to leave behind a couple of things that need doing. Sherri remembered last night at about 8PM that those things (take trash out, water indoor plants, move some stuff) still needed doing that night.

So, I did it, especially since Ben needed to stay home and was stuck on her like white on rice.

The only thing is, no one informed me that their new house has a working alarm system or that the code is now different than it was at the old house. There really is no feeling quite as helpless as those few seconds between realizing the alarm pad is warning you of an imminent alarm and knowing there isn't a thing you can do to stop it. Thankfully, with the door closed, what sounds like a piercing alarm on the inside can only be faintly heard on the outside. And, with the combination of empty neighborhood lots and really old people with poor hearing around them, I actually think I may have distrubed no one.

Plus, when the alarm company called to check to see if it was a real or false alarm, I was able to guess the all clear code.

So, that was pretty awesome.

Thanks for the fun night Ben

So, he's sick. The guess is an ear infection that caused mighty fun fever starting yesterday afternoon, the doc appointment will hopefully prove that out. So, he was pretty lethargic. And, between being up with him late, up again from about 3:15 to 4:30, and having to drive to Kroger to get children's Tylenol (off brand only please), it was a night that veered from the hoped for "sit down, hang out, vegetate" plan I had in mind after being on the phone with the CFO until 7PM last night.

Fever seemed better this AM, so that was good.

Drew's new girlfriend

While he still says he will marry Katie (when he is five), he also says he'll marry Barney the dinosaur, a chair, and the house. So, I think it's safe to say he has no clue what he is talking about.

However, he really does have a blast when he sees Courtney, an upcoming junior that plays for Sherri. She's a tiny point guard who Kate loves to follow around and I think Drew has picked up that habit as well.

Ben really digs standing

Because he does it all the time now. Pulls up on anything he can get his hands on, though no obvious attempts at steps yet. This is also a self-reminder to post pics/video for those of you reading this that don't get to see him on a regular basis.

He still likes all foods.

And the first two people to see Ben pull up are...

Chris and Drew. Ben pulled up to a standing position for the first time yesterday in the afternoon, though no one actually saw it. Sherri looked over and he just happened to be standing. Last night with the girls gone at basketball, Drew and I saw Ben actually pull up right in front of us. He had no clue what to do after that.

Ben appears to like plain avocado. Ugh.

Kate is in basketball camp this week with kids somewhat her age. She's two years too young, but fits right in size wise.

Ben - one step closer to taking one step

Mainly because it looks like he may have started to figure out how to crawl. Rather than rolling and shifting his way around a room, he managed to string together a couple of actual crawling motions last PM.

Drew - one step closer to evil genius

And why is that? He has a minion. Apparently some kids movie is coming out about an evil genius. Whilst at the children's museum with Katie, Emmie, and Andrew, the museum folk were giving out minion pictures (mazes, word searches, etc on the back) to promote the movie. Drew has become quite attached to his. We have to laugh every time he asks us where his minion is. The disconnect between the idea of what a minion is and the sweet way a 2 1/2 year old asks about the whereabouts of his prized minion is too cute.

What's his minion look like?

Drew's future

Sherri: "Looks like Katie's birthday present has shipped in the mail."
Drew: "My Katie?"

And, in the bathroom at Moe's last night: "I'm going to marry Katie when I am 5 and a half."

And vacation is over

Or it was a couple of days ago. Sherri and Chris did the Siler Bald hike which is 5 miles in and 5 miles out of mountainy terrain with elevation change of 2400 feet, rated strenuous. Made it in exactly 3 hours.

Kate and Drew got to enjoy the new pizza place in Hiawassee as we reloaded all of our lost energy. Ben enjoyed it 3 hour later.

Drew currently likes to randomly sing the "Alvin and the Chipmunks" theme song. Although, in his world it is Almon, Syndom, Feodore. Close enough.

The best of vacation. The worst of vacation

The best would be the AM half of the day. Chris, Sherri, Cindy, and Ben did a 6 mile hike rated as strenuous. And it was. 2 mountain summits,a couple of great views, no people, interesting animals. Meanwhile the other kids did a mountain climb with Granddad. Even Drew made it the whole way on his own. Building up those soccer legs

The worst part was going to the little beach here at the lake. We are famously not beach or lake people but the kids had a blast. Lots of swimming, decent weather, and jet ski rides for Sherri and Kate

Just about to eat so off I go. Dinner appears to be cabbage, squash, chicken, sweet potatoes, plums, and peaches. Not all in the same dish.

Ben's nickname

Not sure if I have mentioned this yet.  Drew and Kate currently call him Sippis.  And why, you might ask?  Somehow after he was born, Kate (when learning about states) learned of Mississsippi.  I think she thought it was a fun sounding word and called Ben by it one day.  Drew laughed, and a silly nickname was born.  At some point, the started calling him Mistersippi, I suppose since he is a boy.  That then worked it's way down to Sippis.