Hurricane Fay Hits Da 'Hood

When we bought our house, I thought it was so neat that we had a creek in the backyard.

I didn't know that sometimes it becomes a river.

This is the part of the creek that is outside the bay window in the kitchen (but a good 100+ feet away).

Usually there is about 4-5 inches of water flowing.

Today there was easily - and I am so not exaggerating about this - 8-9 feet of rapidly flowing, muddy creek water.

At one point it was over the banks.This lovely creek is a different creek in our backyard that flows into the first one.

Usually it's about a foot wide with a trickle of water.

Clearly, it was a bit bigger today with a depth of about 2 feet.

Oh. And with other people's trash. Nice. Do these people not have recycling bins?This is the area of our creek that we affectionately call "the beach". The boys love to come down here and play in the sand and find mussel shells and dig ditches and splash around.

Because the "beachy" sandy area typically starts at the front edge of the picnic table in this picture and goes to the tree trunk you see in the background.

The water is slowly going down now. And while it's kind of neat to see just how high it can get, the water rising this high is not a good thing. The bank of the creek (on the house side) is slowly eroding away making the creek wider and wider.

So, maybe someday, instead of just a creek in the backyard, we will be able to offer white water rafting tours for a bargain price.

You know. For the kid's college funds.

Kindergarten Education

Well. My baby started kindergarten yesterday. For a whole hour.

His school staggers the arrival of kindergarteners the first week of school.

Monday they come for an hour.

Tuesday half the class comes all day while the other half stays home and Wednesday they switch places.

Thursday and Friday are all day for everyone.

Having been in preschool the past three years with the past two years going every day, he is more than ready just to jump right in.

So, we decided to let him ride the bus in the morning and be a car rider in the afternoon, mostly due to my work schedule. This morning was to be his first morning riding the bus, which was scheduled to arrive at 7:16 (whew!). We were told to give the bus a ten minute leeway, so we arrived (me having to drive him because it's over 1/4 mile away from our house...don't get me started) about 7:05. And he and I chatted about this and that and then listened to a "Magic Treehouse" cd. And then it was about 7:16, and I said, "Look, Matthew! It's exactly when your bus is supposed to come!" Only it wasn't there. And then Alan drove up (on his way to work) and stayed to see Matthew get on. And then kids going to another elementary school showed up to wait for their bus. And their mom tells me that they left the house at 7:25. And the bus still wasn't there. So, Alan goes on to work and Matthew and I continue standing there and chatting. Me getting nervous because I am supposed to be at work at 8 am. So, at 7:40 the bus still wasn't there. We give up and fly back to the house so I can finish getting ready for work and then we fly to his school getting him there - on his first official full day - right at the late bell and then I fly to work.

And proceed to worry about my boy all day long. Because I am one of those moms. Again, for the record, I am also one of those moms that doesn't let her kid swim in the deep end if he can't swim, and I make him hold my hand in the parking lot, and I discourage stuffing his mouth full of food and talking, and I enforce the helmet policy while riding a bike. THAT mom. You know, in my head, I know he would be just fine. After all, he's kind of an old hat at this school thing after three years in preschool. But in my heart I wonder if he'll be able to get his thermos opened and if he will have a friend to talk with at lunch and if the day will feel too long to him and if he'll find my friend Becky's car to bring him home. Becky the Saint (who works with me and knew how I was feeling) called me as soon as she picked him up and let me talk to him. And, of course, he had a great day and is excited and full of stories. And finally, the knots left my stomach and I was able to take full breaths again. And smile. And feel proud.

Glad that Daniel Boone Wasn't With Us

Every summer the boys and I usually go hiking at least once with my mother-in-law (hi Janice!). We usually go to Hanging Rock in Danbury, NC, but since the boys and I just went there this past Friday with Sarah and Samuel, we decided to try a new (to us) park. Alan found "Boone's Cave Park" for us near Lexington.

The park itself is pretty minimal...a picnic shelter with a few tables and a bathroom and a reconstructed 1740s cabin. But the trails through the forest were pretty easy and well-maintained. We came almost immediately to the cave above, which is where Daniel Boone (who really got around if all the stories of where he has been are to be believed) and his family supposedly hid from Native Americans. Hopefully Daniel Boone and his family were about two feet tall because that cave is pretty narrow.

We saw all kinds of neat nature stuff like fish and mussels and water bugs in the Yadkin River, a HUGE cottonwood tree (I know nothing about cottonwoods...why am I associating those with southern plantations??), a toad, lots of interesting flowers and plants and berries and nuts, a loaded wasp nest, and a lizard.

Hmm. The lizard. We ended the hike back at the picnic shelter, and I saw it scooting across a wall. While Janice talked to two young men that were about to leave in their work van, I chose to pick up the lizard to show Matthew and Michael. The lizard was about two inches long and quite squirmy. The boys were very interested in trying to touch it, and it ran up my arm and then jumped onto my shirt to get away from them. The shirt being one of those thin strappy kind of tank tops that doesn't require undergarments. And then, of course, the lizard seemed to dive right down the front of my shirt. Now, I like lizards, but you know, maybe not right there. So, I'm shrieking a bit and grabbing at my shirt trying to get the lizard out. Which is when I ended up flashing two men I don't know. And thankfully will never see again. With my mother-in-law watching the whole thing. And laughing her head off at me.

It's the price I pay for wanting to expose my children to nature. Unfortunately, in the process, I ended up exposing two unsuspecting men to more of my nature than was intended.

On the Wings of Love (sorry - couldn't help myself!)

On Saturday morning, Alan had the boys on a "Dad Trip" (which means taking them to Sam's to try the food samples) while I was cleaning at the house. I was folding clothes and feeling kind of "glummy" (as my mother-in-law would say - Hi Janice!) and maybe a smidge sorry for myself about this frustrating and hurtful situation I am dealing with. I happened to glance out the window and caught sight of this beautiful swallowtail butterfly enjoying my impatiens. I ran out the door with my camera and kept running around the porch trying to capture the best shot. The butterfly would drink up at the Impatiens Bar and then flit away and then come right back for another shot. Eventually after taking several shots, I just gave up and watched the butterfly dance while still holding my camera. All of a sudden, it came over and landed on my finger. On my finger! And just sat there for about a minute. I've never had that happen before. It made me feel like God was sending me something special to experience in the midst of a "trial" to remind me that He is here and cares about me.

Welcome to the Family!

This is a new cousin on Alan's side of the family:

Grace Noel.

Isn't she a doll?

Her mother was actually a friend of mine in college, before I knew Alan.

And then when I started meeting Alan's extended family, it was a surprise to find Jennifer was a part of it.

So, it's extra fun to share in the joy of this little one.

My New BFF's BFF

Remember my new BFF from July 8th? The Hoover Steamvac?

Well. She has a new friend that came to live with us last week.

Her name is Dyson Absolute D17.

Or, D-Dawg for short.

A few weeks ago, I somehow got into a conversation with my parents one Sunday at lunch about how my Eureka The Boss SmartVac (or, Boss Diddy) was not functioning optimally anymore. We've had that vacuum for about five years, maybe. In that time, we have replaced the hose and the floor attachment twice each. And now the motor is sounding funky. And the cord is frayed in several places - such that it's down to the bare wires - where it has gotten weak from being wound up and then, well, I did vacuum over it some. While Mom and I were lamenting the challenges of vacuuming, Alan and Dad agreed that perhaps I could have been more careful and not run over the cord. I say, you vacuum and then you can complain. But anyway.

So, I thought we probably needed to replace the vacuum sometime in the near future. I'd hate to get electrocuted cleaning the house, for pete's sake. Well, evidently - unbeknownst to me - my dad has accumulated points through various hotel credit cards/bank cards that can be redeemed for different kinds of items. And vacuum cleaners are one of those items! So, GENEROUS MAN THAT HE IS (and that is true of him all the time...he is always doing something for us), Dad offered to use some of his points towards a new vacuum for us. I ended up choosing the above Dyson Absolute D17, which retails on their site for $550. Surely I don't need to tell you that we would never would have spent this much money for a vacuum cleaner. But I'm not opposed to owning one if someone gets it for me!

Wow. I've always thought there was a lot of hype about these Dysons, but let me tell you, this thing sure sucks up the dirt, cat hair, bugs, small children, etc. I usually vacuum about once a week, but the large-ish canister was about half full of crud after just doing a normal vacuuming around the house. Oh my. We are quite the dirty people. I had no idea. Well, no, maybe I did. It works like a charm, and so far, I haven't been electrocuted once. Always a plus.

Surprise! Happy Birthday, Andrea!

A few weeks ago, my girl Andrea's fiancee emailed a few of her friends to invite us to a Surprise Birthday Dinner in Burlington. He chose this restaurant, which Alan and I never would have gone to since it was an hour away, but whew! Was it good! If you are ever in Burlington, this is a place to look up! Andrea says they are known for their burgers and chicken sandwiches. There is a separate "sandwich bar" area where you can add the "fixin's" for your sandwich.

YUM! I love this picture! They are absolutely the sweetest couple - very tender and loving and caring with each other. And even though they are clearly SMITTEN with each other, it's obvious that their love runs deep. I can't wait to go to their wedding next month! They are so comfortable to be with, and it seems like we have known Isaac forever. I just don't get to see Andrea enough, and it was a special treat to get to spend some time with her (and with Isaac!) before the wedding. So, it's the Three-Girl-Posse back together again. Andrea and I were making a Blonde Amy Sandwich (we did not add fixin's to her from the bar). Amy rode with us to the restaurant and sat beside Matthew on the way. He was really tired before we picked her up from our big hike at Hanging Rock earlier that morning. I thought maybe he wasn't feeling well.

But then Amy got in.

And he talked NON-STOP (she was so gracious!) with her the whole way there and back.

Amy was provided with a treatise on Pompeii, dinosaurs (two lecturers there), cancer research (Amy's true field...but she wasn't the one providing the information), the physics of cats and dogs, prehistoric life, etc.

I think it's safe to say that while Andrea was definitely Matthew's first girlfriend, Amy is strong competition for the second. He said on the way home, "I love being with your friends, Mama!"

My Little Jack-o-lantern

Well, after weeks of wiggling away, my little baby boy lost his first tooth this afternoon.

As cliched as it sounds, it is so hard to believe that he's growing up so fast. We have a special "Tooth Fairy" pillow that I bought this week knowing his wiggly tooth was coming out soon.

Matthew insisted that we make an arrow with that specific message so that she would know exactly where to find his tooth. We were about to head out the door to the library this afternoon when the auspicious moment of Matthew pulling his tooth occurred.

Would you believe that we just happened onto this book when we finally got there?

Bedtime stories were just a bit more special than usual tonight.

Afternoon for Me

I've been having quite a few afternoons for me lately. Work starts back next week, so I'm trying to take advantage of my time left.


Anyway, I caught a bit of this movie - at about midnight of all times - Sunday night. I LOVE this movie. Every single bit of it. Haven't watched it for a long time. Pulled out my videotape this afternoon while tots are resting...

Someone's Expecting

My friend Samantha (hi Samantha!) is expecting a little boy in November. We went to the pool with her and her twin sons on Tuesday, and Michael was intrigued with her expanded belly. She let him touch (well, poke would be a better word) her belly and try to feel the baby move. And he's been talking about this ever since. And telling me my belly looks like it has a baby inside. Nice. That kid won't be allowed to eat today.

Anyway, he just said to me a minute ago, "Mommy, do you know why my belly's so big? I'm gonna have a baby Triceratops! See - I just laid my egg!"

Wow. Grandmother to dinosaurs, huh?

Going Native

Native American artifacts and history has always interested me. It intrigues me that people lived right where I am not too, too long ago in such a very different way from me. My parents are from the Susquehanna valley area of Pennsylvania, and I remember seeing N.A. arrowheads and spear points and other objects that my grandfather had found in the plowed fields of farmers in the area.

I stumbled upon my first [spear] point - the one on the left above - when I was about eight in a vacant lot in my neighborhood. Obviously, I was pretty ecstatic. I continued looking for years when my dad would till up the garden and eventually found the black one above. It was probably 3-4 acres away from where I found the first one. And then I married into a family who evidently had a prime N.A. area on their land in Stokes county (about 30 minutes away from my parents' home). They used to till up the land for a huge garden every spring, and Alan's grandfather told me that he has found quite a few arrowheads and spear points over the years. I used to walk that area after he had tilled it and eventually found the broken spear point in the middle above. Now that area is all covered in grass except for a small area in the back of the yard. For the past few weeks, after we eat dinner with them on Monday or Tuesday nights, Matthew and I have been walking this area and digging around and looking for treasures.

When we went to the Fossil Festival in May, someone there recommended that I get in touch with the anthropology department from Wake Forest University. The boys and I took a visit there to show one of the women what I had found and to get ages of my points. The first one I found (on the left) is from the "Archaic Period" which means it is about 4000 years old. The broken spear point is from the "Early Woodland Period" and is about 2500 years old. And the small, black point (my only "true" arrowhead) is from the "Middle Woodland Period" and is about 1200 years ago. So the two that I found so close together are about 2800 years apart in age. Isn't that fascinating? Makes me want to knock down houses and plow up my parents' neighborhood to see what else I could find...

Because I'm a Healthy Girl (umm...ignore the part from my last post about my feast on my really cheesy Award-Winning Macaroni and Cheese)

Alan and the boys went camping this weekend (with his mom and without me...hence the Weekend O'Julie plans), and he always likes to have soup when he comes home from a trip. For the most part, since this past December (when I began taking magnesium supplements - which EVERYONE needs to take...I won't nag too much in this post, but DO SOME INTERNET RESEARCH until my lecture is ready), I have been trying to eat healthier and trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals. The recipe for this one I got from a turnstyle of recipes at Wal-Mart, of all places. Not the location I usually think of as a Mecca for Health. But this was - again - delish and easy. And super healthy and fiberlicious and colorful and all those things that health gurus tell us we need. And Alan has told me about four times that he "really liked that soup". So, that's what makes it a keeper. I modified the ingredients a bit (mostly more of everything), and it seemed to work really well.

Veggie Black Bean Soup
Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 25 min
Makes: about six servings (depending on your serving size)

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 2-3 stalks chopped celery
• 1 clove garlic (more or less to taste)
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups veggie broth (couldn't find this, used chicken broth instead)
• 2 cups torn fresh spinach
• 1 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes (I just finely chopped up enough fresh tomatoes - yum - to make 2 cups)
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

Coat large Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and pepper; cook 5-7 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Add broth, spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas, and black beans; bring to boiling. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Things I Love (-or- How I Plan To Spend My Weekend)

• taking naps for as long as I want
• editing pictures from my memory card at Sams for at least an hour
• shopping by myself
• knowing exactly where the remote is
• making greeting cards
• my homemade macaroni and cheese - it really IS the cheesiest!
• watching a great chick flick with a great chick
• staying up late reading a good book
• sleeping in late without the pitter patter of little feet
• staying in bed in the morning and reading
• going to the local coffee shop and working on my Bible study
• enjoying only cleaning up after myself
• wandering aimlessly around Whole Foods or the Fresh Market
• eating lunch on the deck
• taking a walk around the neighborhood
• snuggling with my kitty

Sixth Turtle of the Season

Went to look for deer (saw five hanging out in our woods all afternoon).

Startled the deer and they bolted.

Leaving this friend behind.

Powder Horn Mountain

Yesterday we went with our friends Sarah and Samuel to their "cabin" at Powder Horn Mountain. This is our third year visiting together there. Samuel and Matthew and Michael are good buddies and have a great time together. The weather is always cooler with lower humidity and it's an absolutely beautiful and peaceful place. Well, peaceful except for the wildness from those little monkeys we brought with us.
We saw deer ALL THE TIME while we were there. You know I loved that. Of course, there is no hunting on the mountain and the deer must sense that because they were not afraid of us at all. We saw several bucks (this is one in the picture above) in addition to many does and several fawns. Almost every time we went outside (just about), we saw deer.
We also saw a flock of wild turkeys. If you look closely at this picture, you can see the little ones in front of the big one. So cute. And thankful that it's not Thanksgiving.
Our boys did not need toys as long as they had weeds and sticks and rocks, etc. I'll tell Santa to keep it light this year.
This is a precious doe that was right below the deck. Look at her ribs! What the picture does not show clearly is that she had long scars on both sides of her body. I named her Louise. Louise loved the watermelon and corn cobs and green beans and tortillas that we threw down for the critters. I tried to get Louise to climb in the van before we left, but she wasn't so interested. Even if we did have chocolate chip cookies.
A big part of our PHM trips is going down to the creek to play. The water is usually cold - mountain creek, you know - but that doesn't stop the boys. They make dams and towers and drive their construction vehicles in the water and just generally try to see exactly how wet they can get.
Isn't Sarah the bomb? I am crowning her Miss Crayfish - see how brave (and talented!) she was in picking them up? I tried but was just too chicken at the last moment. The boys were all about collecting "snappers" (crayfish claws that remained after some critter ate the rest of the crayfish). Makes for a smelly ride home when those are riding with you.
We had such a fun visit. It felt like we had been there a week (in a good way) instead of just a day. The boys are zonked out and took some really long naps today. Good times!

My New Teenybopper Favorite Movie

"Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"

I'm watching this tonight on that ABC Family channel for this first time. What a cutie pie movie. I turned up my nose at it when it came through the theaters and this is definitely not the kind of movie that Alan would pick out for us to rent. But when we went to see "Hitchcock" Friday night (thanks to Matthew and Michael getting to spend the night with their cousin Austin which gave us an unexpected DATE night), there was a preview for SoTP2, and I thought, "Julie, this is your kind of movie!" You know, without having seen the first one (until tonight). So, I'm now accepting applications for all gal pals interested in going to see SoTP2 with me!