Traveling to the Isle of Palms

I have been missing in action due to our recent family vacation to the Isle of Palms.  

Our little trio left last Thursday and drove to Papi and Abby's house in Lexington.  

That evening G presented Papi with a new iPad for his birthday.  We have to maintain our FaceTime antics on state of the art technology.  

I took this picture during the 5-6 minutes that my child napped on the way down there.  

In typical Trinity style, we stopped in Corbin, Kentucky at the original Sanders Cafe.  This would later be known as KFC, or Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Our visit was life changing.  It not only served fried chicken, but it also had a small museum.  Part of the exhibit was an actual motel room from when it also housed a motel.  

G was so impressed that she tried to shut the door.

T&G met the Colonel.  

I highly recommend this roadside attraction.  

We stopped in Charlotte on Friday night to stay with Trinity's bestie and his family.  

Genevieve was greeted at the door by Warren.  

Warren is 10 months old.

Will is 3 1/2 years old, and was quite the host.  

I nearly stroked as these two climbed all over that fabulous Eames chair.  

Rusty and Mary Fran know how to decorate and furnish an abode.  

Our darlings played all evening and Saturday morning too.  We loved catching up with Rusty and Mary Fran.  On Saturday morning we left for our week vacation in Isle of Palms.  

My 35th Birthday Weekend

Oh, Mylanta, I'm getting old.  On Friday the 13th I turned 35.  It was not quite as scary as the movie.

Thanks to my parents, Trinity and I were able to enjoy a child-free weekend.  On my birthday morning I went to my free yoga class at Invoke.  I think I've gotten to go to a class on my birthday for the past several years.  It's such a great way to start the day. 

I took a nap and showered without G banging on the glass shower doors screaming, "Momma!"  

I imagine it's similar to a car jacking when someone bangs on your windshield.  

Anyway, the day started out swimmingly.

I was able to rock my new shades from my husband, which I love, but my family is not sold.   

My mother thinks I look like the Green Hornet.  Whatevs.  

When Trinity arrived home we hopped in the car and drove to Chicago.

My teeniest bestie was waiting with her new husband, Scott.  Remember they got married in November, when we had another child-free weekend.

Kate and Scott enjoy the big city life, with a beautiful condo in the Wicker Park/Bucktown area.

We were greeted with some wine and cheese.  Kate wrote out the names on the cheeseboard-

The happy couple.  Scott accentuates Kate's smallness since he is about 14 inches taller than her.

Of course, so am I.

Snarf.

This is the only picture of us from the whole weekend.  

They took us to some great Italian restaurant.  It's so fun to have friends in the city, since we can spend a night like the locals.  We walked there.  I pretended to be fancy.  

I'm 35!

The waiter brought me this cream puff thingy.  I don't do those.  I'm all for cake.

Kate proved her forever bestie status by bringing out Sweet Mandy B's cupcakes in honor of my special day.

God I love her.

And those cupcakes.

They are a Chicago institution.  

On Saturday morning we got our Starbucks (free on my birfday) and went to the DryBar in Lincoln Park.  I do love me a good blowout.  That was a gift to myself.  

Here's the before.

Gosh, we're pretty.

We also look about the same size.

I love sitting poses.

And boom!

Brienne of Tarth and Aria Stark.

We could be stunt doubles for Game of Thrones with our size difference.

Oh, I jest.

I just find it to be so stinking hilarious.  

I also got that new purse for being halfway to 70.

We left our locals after a stellar brunch prepared for us by the newlyweds.  I ate some bacon.

Bacon, y'all.

I'm fine with swine if it comes from Whole Foods and costs like $20 a strip.

It was great.

We checked into our hotel, MileNorth, which was right off of Michigan Avenue.  We then did the touristy thing and window shopped and walked.  We got Sprinkles and stuffed our faces on the sidewalk outside like homeless people.

We make beautiful memories.

After about 4 hours of walking we sidled up to the sidewalk cafe/bar outside of our hotel and got tipsy off of Wildcats, a drink made of tequila, mango juice and lemon juice.

They were divine.

Then we walked 3 steps to the Gino's East for Chicago deep dish pizza.  Trinity had never had any, and we did it up.  

Tequila and thick ass pizza crust=asleep by 7:30.

I'm not even kidding.

We had big plans for the rooftop bar, but then we remembered that we are old farts and fell asleep.  

It was wonderful.

Meanwhile, Miss Sassafrass was having the time of her life with her YaYa and Bob, who pretty much do anything she says.

I was thrilled to see my child likes a Face-in-a-Hole as much as I do.

She thinks she is Dennis Rodman with that tongue.

We were excited to get her back on Sunday and celebrate Father's Day.

For my birthday gift, my parents bought plane tickets for Genevieve and me.  We are all going to San Diego in the fall for a 4 day/night adventure.  I plan on pretending this is international travel so we can use her passport.

Happy birthday to me!

Week 2 of Summer

This is picture overload, and they're all of my darling girl.  This second week of summer we were very busy.

I took Genevieve to the Children's Museum for a couple of hours on Friday, and then we came home and napped. 

We nap a lot.

Daily for about 2 -3 hours.

Don't judge.

I only sleep for 2 to 2 1/2 of those hours. 

There is a new China exhibit, and this was a sleeping mat.  She thought a nap sounded good right then.  This is G's sleeping position each night-

She also tended to the baby pandas.  

On Saturday we attended a graduation party for Miss Emily.  She is heading to Purdue in the fall, but we still love her. 

It was at this particular soiree that my daughter discovered the after dinner mint.

Ah, the chalky goodness that melts on your tongue.  

I love those things.

I don't love the stomach ache that follows after I eat about 5 handfuls.  

Genevieve had about 5 or 6 mints and was most satisfied.

Let it be noted that she sidled up and sat in the chair by the food table.  The one that was set up with food, not for dining.

Easier access to dem mints!

On Monday we met Jamie, Charlotte and Liam at Nordstrom.

Because that's a reasonable place for a playdate.

J and I have been meeting there for eons, so why change with kids?

We patiently awaited their arrival by reading about kittens.

Duh.

Then it was lunchtime!

Jamie is my parenting model.

These two are amazing sleepers and behave so well.

Genevieve practiced her baby owl swivel head as Charlotte and Liam fed her from opposite sides of the table.

It was quite cute.  

Nordstrom brings out little boxes of raisins for the kids when we eat there.  They go gaga for them.  

Cheers to regularity!

On Tuesday it was shot day.

Sadly they were not of the vodka variety.

Genevieve had 2 immunizations and I got my round 2 of allergy shots.

Peach milkshakes are really the only cure after such torture.

On Wednesday we drove home to spend the night with my parents.  That is always fun.

Our activities included, but were not limited to:

mulch squatting and touching,

bike riding ( I'm using bike in the loosest sense of the word),

and trying on clothes.

On Thursday morning we went to the annual Strawberry Festival, which is one of my favorite days of the year.

It's such a happy memory from my childhood.

We shared "The Works," which is shortcake, strawberries, ice cream and whipped cream.

My child and my forehead really loved it.

My dear sister is pondering cutting bangs because she is tired of looking at her forehead, or fivehead, as we like to call it.

I'm discouraging this.

I can't be the only person walking around on this planet with a fore melon like that.  

G went nanners when she saw her Bob.

She was a tad frightened of the "yee-haw," which is her word for a horse.

I flared my giant nostrils and whinnied "neigh" at her.

She immediately saw the similarities between her mother and that noble steed and was instantly reassured.

That closes out week 2 of summer 2014!

Our First Days of Summer

Summer is off and running!  I have introduced Genevieve to the concept of the toilet.  

I have had this lovely contraption on display in my living room since last Monday.  She loves to sit on it and say "potty."  I really loathe that word.  I'm rolling with it, though, because I don't think she would recognize my favored terms, water closet or lavatory.  Because I'm an aristocrat as you know.

I'm also waiting for Elmo and Abby undies to arrive, as everything I have read says that those are a good incentive.  I'm pretty sure my kid would push me in front of a bus if it meant hugging Elmo, so I'm betting having his face printed across her fanny will make her use the lavatory.  Updates to follow on that endeavor.   

In other household excitement, I present this picture.  

Now, normally even I would not splash a photo of this two piecer on le blog.  However, I have looked at our faces a million times and they about bring me to tears.  This is so us.

I know I said I was done with the two piece bathing suit.  

Then I saw this one online at Old Navy for $17 and I thought I 'd take a gamble.

I was trying it on for Trinity, who was taking a picture to see if it really looked the way I thought it did.  You know how I do that.  Don't act surprised. 

Just as he was snapping it, G came up and shanked me with a mini tube of Crest toothpaste.  She scraped that little ridged cap down my thigh. 

Now you may be asking how my kid got a hold of mini toothpaste. I'll be purchasing more locks to keep her out of my travel toiletries.

I shudder to think that she could strangle Kashmir with a dinky size case of dental floss.  

And this one is so us too.

What? 

I don't have any travel toothpaste, Momma!

You just need to cut my fingernails.

Speaking of bathing suits, that purchase will be perfect for our high class water activities.  

My peeps be hose drinkers.

I haven't gotten her a little baby pool yet, so I pulled out this mini igloo cooler and her bath toys.  With that stellar swimsuit and my frequent texting, I'm hoping the neighbors mistook me for a skanky teenage babysitter.  

On Monday we started swim lessons at the high school.  

Genevieve was so excited that she kept screaming, "ready!"  

I felt compelled to slap my hands down against my thighs and respond "Okay!" 5th grade cheerleader style.

I classed it up for lessons.

All of the parents sit and watch lessons from the bleachers, and I shan't be the talk of Indianapolis due to improper swim attire.  

We also entered the Reading Challenge at the public library.  I'll be reading the books, although we do have a set of  DVDs that my mother purchased for Caroline entitled, Your Baby Can Read.  

The mere thought makes me howl.  

This morning Genevieve had her tubes inserted in her ears.  She was a champ.  

We watched Elmo until her 10 minute procedure commenced.  She recovered beautifully today and took two 2 hour naps.  We can't swim for 2 weeks, but we'll keep busy with our cooler in the yard!