Keeping up with the....: September 2008

Wow, its been FOREVER since I've posted something..... sorry blog fans (if I have any left, hehe)!!

The summer is officially over, we just got back from our last beach trip of the summer...so sad. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE autumn, BUT there is nothing like relaxing by the pool or on the beach with your feet in the sand!! Time for vests though, YAH!!!

We had a blast at the beach this past week with my mom & Tony. We rented a home in North Topsail Island, NC...which had great perks and was CHEAP!

Everyday we would wake up around 7ish (with Winnie as our alarm clock) and be down to the beach by 9am. Winnie couldn't get enough of playing in her blow-up pool at the beach, with her bath toys surrounding her in the salt water. Still everytime we would put her feet into the ocean she would cry and pick her legs up like she was a sitting.

(can you see the fish in this pic...look at the top of the wave!)

Oh well, maybe next year she will like it! After her afternoon nap we would take her into the pool to swim a bit.

There were only 2 days that were overcast/chilly/rainy but we filled them up with shopping! I actually got a few Christmas gifts purchased, thank heavens. Every night we ate well... of course we set-up a schedule before we went and enjoyed relaxing when it was the others turn. Tues we went down to the local seafood market, next to Surf City Crab, and got clams and shrimp...it was my turn to make dinner, Clam Linguini! It was absolutely delish!

On Wednesday we went back down to the seafood market and came home with a dozen and 1/2 crabs....they were only $18/dozen!! We couldn't believe they were soooo cheap and large! Tony had gone crabbing earlier in the day and came home with 3 of his own to add to the pile. (Did I mention the neighborhood had its own fishing dock...Tony had a blast fishing all week!) My mom was hilarious as she wouldn't cook them (since they were alive and all), so Tony & I took care of dinner that night!!

They were some of the best crabs that I've had...and that says a LOT! Friday night we were suppose to have burgers/dogs....but were all craving the crabs again.... Mom and I were sad when we stopped in at the market and someone had just bought 6 dozen, leaving only a few little guys, darn! So, we bought flounder and shrimp instead! It was the first beach trip that we ate almost everything in the fridge, with no leftovers to spare.

After all that fun we brought Winnie home sick.... When we got home and took her out of the carseat she seemed a little warm but just thought she was filling the seat more and getting too warm. She was still warm after a little bit so I took her temp... 103.1!!!! YIKES she really was sick! So, we took Liz's advice...gave her a cool bath and some ibuprofen. Her temp went up and down all weekend, which meant she/I were going nowhere....I got a lot of cleaning around the house done!! Monday morning we took her to the docs and he said her throat/tonsils were all swollen and she even had blisters in there!! Poor little thing... Now today her temp has gone down some more but she is sleeping an awful lot, hope she is 100% by this weekend....we have family coming to visit!

Which reminds me..... the bonus room is almost complete!! Tom worked late last night caulking the baseboards and we are going to start organizing our stuff in there tonight!! I'm SOOOOO excited!!!

Our Labor Day weekend was a busy one.... Friday I had a chance to enjoy the outdoors with Winnie, we sat under our birch tree and played on a blanket. This is always something I looked forward to, so I enjoyed every minute of it. Now that she is sitting up so well she was excited to play with balls... time to get her a soccer ball!!

In the early evening Tom's sister, Mandy, came to visit and help us get the bonus room done. Once we put her to bed Tom, Mandy & I cleaned the bonus room, ridding it of all the dust from the drywall insulation..fun fun.

I awoke Saturday morning with a horrible sore throat (darn dust!) and Winnie/I were off to get her 9month pics taken. She did pretty good and they were able to capture a few good shots... I'm sure it will get harder and harder as she learns to walk.

While we were out and about Tom & Mandy worked very hard in the bonus room....priming and painting the walls and trim. By Sunday afternoon they had the first coat of blue paint on the walls...so exciting!! On Monday they finished up the painting and installing the trim throughout the room. There is NO way the room would've gotten that far without Mandy's help this weekend...she is such a hard worker and we were so greatful that she came to help!!! Here is a look at their progress...