18 Years

Today, I decided it was time to make some changes.  I moved the kitchen table.  It runs the opposite direction and almost touches the island.  Jack moved the table light - a foot or so back and over a bit.  It opens up the space more than I'd imagined.  The kids really like it.

I was telling Annie I was starting a new project.  She said with a smile, "I hope you never move out of this house."  I am certain Jake feels the same way.  

I cleaned the bathroom on the main floor.  I took everything off the walls and washed them down.  Goodbye burgandy walls.  Goodbye white accessories and mirror.  (Ok, the toilet, sink, trim and door will be white, of course, but everything else will be changing.)  The top half of these walls haven't been painted since we moved in.  I will prime it all but started with the bottom half.  It was so dark I think it will take several coats.  

What color will it be?

Tonight, I realized today was June 28th.  On June 28, 1996 Jack and I moved into this house.  This big house with many empty rooms - including the living and dining rooms.

Wow, it seems crazy!

It seems crazy because growing up I never lived anywhere longer than 7 years.  When Jack and I moved here we both agreed that if we had kids we wouldn't before they graduated. It's crazy to think Jake will graduate in 2 years.  It's even crazier to think Annie will be right behind him.  

I guess it's a good with change.  ;-)

xo

Independence

It's been busy since we got home.  Last week was Vacation Bible School.  Jake helped with recreation, then got shifted to a class guide.  Annie was assigned to snacks, but was a huge help to me with crafts.  I created, organized and lead crafts.  We all were exhausted.  

Jake's big announcement last week was... he got a job!  Firehouse Subs has a new store in Corbin Park, 135th and Metcalf.  He started last Thursday.  We got to go to the soft opening on Friday night for dinner.  They opened Monday.  Jake was very excited and left the house before 9 a.m. Monday morning. This week he will work almost every day with Wednesday and Sunday off.  Did I say he likes it?  Because he does.  

Annie has been hard at work on her on-line summer class.  Health.  I must say, as a casual observer, it's a LOT of work.  Her first deadline is July 7th at 11:00 p.m.  She got a little stressed out the other night and stayed up until 2:00 a.m. working on it.  I expect her to complete this section today, she's working on it now. And Annie has been babysitting a couple times each week.  She's made enough to pay for several concert tickets.     

The kids stretched their independence wings a bit further last Sunday afternoon when Jake drove Annie to Lawrence to a Battle of the Bands concert.  Annie's friend Jordan's band was playing.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous but I was also very excited for them.  Part of Jack's anxiety was valid.  Jake has no sense of direction, doesn't know the names of streets and highways and couldn't tell us how to get there.  We had him look at a map.  And gave him my old GPS.  I know it might sound a little silly, especially since there are only a hand full of turns between here and there once you're on the highway.  It helped that he had a navigator... even if she isn't much better off.  Many prayers were said and Annie called us when they turned onto Massachusetts.  She knew exactly where to go from there... from 23rd Street straight into downtown Lawrence.  They had a good time.  We got a telephone call when they were leaving for home and they were home safe and sound by 9:30 p.m... and Jake was exhausted.  

Jack has decided to take Friday's off this summer.  Every year he has to forfeit vacation days because he doesn't use them all.  Having been with Sprint for so long he gets an obscene amount of vacation.  Last week he played a round of golf at Stone Canyon Golf Club in Blue Springs, Missouri.  I'm pretty sure it was more like the experience he expected in North Carolina.  It was a hard course!  It was busy and it took 5 hours to finish 18 holes.  (I might be wrong on that, but it took a long time.)  Best of all, he is looking forward to playing it again.           

xo      

Carolina on my mind

We had a great time in the Carolina's.

Sunset our last night.

We thoroughly enjoyed watching the critters around the neighborhood.  There were "odd" ducks and ducklings, several resident alligators, turtles, gecko and lots of frogs.  Jake got too close for my comfort once, that I know of.  And Annie got great pictures --- from a safe distance.  I was very cautious walking Suzy and didn't let her get near the water.  Cautious or paranoid, I'm not sure but we thankfully we didn't have any encounters. 

 

<- Odd duck, or is it a turkey with webbed feet?

-> The ducklings were adorable.

Jake staring down a gator.

(No, I didn't like this one bit!)

Scary! 

Not a small gator!

Annie took this one from a safe distance.

Suzy enjoyed the deck view, too.

Jack took his clubs and played at Ocean Ridge Plantation - Leopard's Chase.  Here's a link to show some course info:  Leopards Chase.  It was voted one of the best in the area.  We drove over the night before to be sure we knew where we were going early Wednesday morning.  It was a good thing.  We wandered around the plantation for quite a while before finding the right clubhouse.  There are four courses and we easily found all but the one we were looking for.  We found a much easier way home - through what I later learned was a construction entrance.  I dropped him off a little before 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Jack was the second "group" to tee off for the day.  He quickly caught up to a threesome ahead of him and asked to join them - but the East-coaster suggested he play through.  He lost all but one ball.  He saw two water moccasins.  One on the cart path being dealt with by the grounds crew.  And the other in the water when he was trying to retrieve a ball.  He said it was nice but, "The course was very flat and didn't have a lot of personality."  I guess there was a water feature on the 18th hole that was supposed to have a waterfall but it hadn't been turned on yet.  One of the cool features of this course is they have bent grass greens. It was kind of hard for Jack to get excited about something all the courses he plays at home have the same type greens.  He got done playing 18 holes by 10:15 a.m. and decided to play another 9 holes.  He was stuck at the golf course until I returned to get him. All in all, he found a great deal and would play again for for that price but he wouldn't go out of his way and definitely not pay full price.  The clubhouse also left a bit to be desired. While the other three courses had BIG, FANCY clubhouses, this one had a fancy-fied double wide mobile home.  I wonder, since there were still many homes to be built in the close vicinity, if a larger clubhouse will be built someday?  I'm guessing, yes.

 

Golf Day!

While Jack was golfing the kids and I went kayaking.  It was our first time.  Jake went solo while Annie and I got a double.  It was... an adventure.  We had to paddle out against the current for several miles. Yes, the ocean current.  It was hard work and I was so thankful Annie and I were together!  We saw live oyster beds, fiddler crabs, egret, and sea gulls.  Our destination was Bird Island.  (click for Bird Island info.)  Our guides, Kari and Greg, helped us beach our boats and we were free to walk about the island for a while.  The kids and I headed to the Kindred Spirit Mailbox.  I had read about it and had wanted to make the trek. Had we walked down the beach from Sunset Beach, it would have taken over an hour but it was a short walk and were were there.  I took a few moments and wrote a note - words of thanks and gratitude, as well as several prayer requests.  The kids were less than impress and Jake was a bit anxious the group would head back without us.  We ate a snack, played in the water and took a little rest before heading back to the mainland.  The return trip was much easier, except for the jet ski's and boats causing waves.  Jake took them like a pro. Annie and I... well, we took on a lot of water and returned soaked.  :-)  It was a fun trip but we were all E X H A U S T E D!

Jake avoiding live oyster beds.

Meandering.

Walking to the Kindred Spirit Mailbox.

Weather worn but worth the journey!

Heading back to the mainland.

We enjoyed going to the beach... in Myrtle Beach we sat in front of a large hotel with loud music and the most people.  Sunset Beach is a quiet, isolated beach.  There is a Pier but not a lot of other businesses.  We went to Sunset beach a couple times.  The second time the waves were pretty big due to the storm coming in later that night.  North Myrtle Beach had free parking about every block or so and great beach access.  Ocean Isle Beach has more of a small beach town feel with several little shops and restaurants.  All had a different feel and it was our favorite.  We didn't go there until our last day.

 

above are from Sunset Beach

 

above are from Myrtle Beach

 

Frisbee at North Myrtle Beach

 

Ocean Isle Beach with friends

 

Our dear friends from Maryland came down for a quick visit.  

They spent more time on the road than with us but said they'd do it again.  

Here are a few more pictures of things that kept us busy...

 

Hanging out on the deck, rain or shine.

Dinner with a few.

Pippy (our GPS) took us down one scary road.

At the other end it said "Proceed At Your Own Risk"

Needless to say we didn't take that road again.

 

Goofing off before dinner out.  Don't they look nice?

 

Jake loved "The Presley" sandwich - peanut butter, banana and bacon.

 

All you can seafood in Myrtle Beach.

We celebrated National Donut Day at Krispy Kreme.

 

Zipline Adventure in Myrtle Beach.

It was fun!  I'm ready for the real thing.

I did not do the Freefall, too scary.

The kids were underwhelmed.

Jack... will never do that again.

 

   

 

 

Our last evening we rented bikes and took a ride on the beach.

And our ride home...

 

Lots of traffic.

Sasquatch watch. 

 

Mom, please stop taking pictures.

Never!

And lots of rain.

But we're home, safe and sound.

xo