There is something about a family reunion that makes you realize that you are a lot like the other nuts! I mean for heaven's sake, Andrew and Graham own the same pair of sunglasses.
Who would have ever thought those two had the same fashion sense?!?
(After all, Andrew's whole arm is one big tattoo)
The goofiest nut in the group.
Mermaid Mal's official first family reunion - welcome!
Ellison had a blast with her cousins.
Cute guys!
(I need to find Dylan a pair of Danny's shorts)
That's the tattoo I was talking about.
Sister and brother love.
Dylan was in middle of a splash attack... awesome!
Aren't some of your best childhood memories, the ones with your cousins.
So cute!
I know what you are thinking, its easy for me to call my husband's family a bunch of nuts. (you would be correct) One thing is for sure, my family reunions have never involved an orchestra of kazoos. In all honesty and sincerity, its the nutty stuff that makes for the best memories and the biggest laughs.
We had a wonderful time in Tennessee, spending time with the family, and studying for the Bar. Ok, well only I was doing the last thing... which was gross. (On a side note... 4 more weeks until the Bar!) (On another side note, Andrew's tattoo was not permanent.)
I was holding Ellison yesterday and she said, "Mom, put me down! I'm a teenager, I can walk by myself." In fact her latest thing is acting like a "teenager". Anytime she thinks that she is doing something teenager like, she points it out.
On Friday, I put a smocked bathing suit on her for water day at camp. As we were driving to school, she looked down and said, "mom, you dressed me like a baby. I can't wear this baby suit." It was an adorable one piece with smocked frogs that were scuba diving. As she continued to discuss her "baby suit" she exclaimed, "Who thinks frogs are cute anyways?!?" Point taken, Ellison, point taken.
FYI... when we arrived to school she immediately changed before her friends could see her in the "baby suit". I think I have a teenager on my hands!
My sweet boy is 19 months going on 3! He loves big boy toys, tackling, playing soccer or football, and bulldozing his sister. Just give him a car and he will zoom, zoom it all over the house. Just give him something to climb, and well, we better be standing by to catch him... no fear! We love you, Dylan!
In case you have not heard, I am studying for the Florida Bar Exam. Basically this means that my full time job is studying for that test. Yes, I said "that test" because that is how I feel about it - complete and utter disgust. And while I am known to be dramatic at times, I am only being slightly dramatic.
Okay, so to my story... my Mom has been amazing (as always) and has been watching Ellison and Dylan until Summer Camp begins next week. However, on Wednesday, she was unable to so I came up with the grand plan to have an amazing day with my little ones and "wear them out".
Here was my thought process as it went through my brain... "must do something fun with kids... season passes are ending at Disney this weekend... I should take them to Disney...we will have so much fun and if I can get them to last until late afternoon we can pick up dinner on the ride home... Ellison will pass out for the night in the car... Dylan is easy... I can be studying by 7:30 pm."
Ok, so here is the thing about my big plans, they tend to never go according to the plan. I already know you are thinking, "it rained, game over". And well, it did rain. But you see the thing about me is that I am a planner, an obsessive planner, so I had a rain plan... Build a Bear.
We made it to Build-a-Bear because as I pulled off the exit for Animal Kingdom at 9 am it was pouring (despite constant weather checks)...
Here is another thing about me, I love spending time with my kids. I am not intimidated by crowded malls, sit down lunches, and lack of naps... not me! So as I trekked the mall in search of lunch, I forgot that we would be passing by Ellison's favorite store, The Disney Store.
So after lunch...
If you think our excursion was over, you are wrong... to top it all off and make it a special day, we stopped at the M&M store (and Nordstroms, but don't tell Graham). Day over, right? WRONG!
As I was leaving the mall, I noticed that it had not rained a single drop since we had entered the mall. I was very annoyed. In typical stubborn Jenn fashion, I loaded up the car, drove the kids to Animal Kingdom, parked, loaded a sleeping Dylan and an excited Ellison in the stroller and headed in.
Not 5 minutes after entering the park, TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR! We made the best of it and had a hat fashion show...
Eventually the rain subsided and we went to the Lion King show. However, immediately following the show, it poured. We left drenched, cold, and awake. Oh yes, and that plan to have sleepy worn out kids... it failed. Ellison was rejuvenated by Chik-fil-A and awake until 10:30 pm (later than normal). Epic Fail! Lesson learned? I doubt it. I am stubborn to my core. (and according to my sisters, very bossy)
Mom, wife, attorney, volunteerer (if even a word) of all things... and so much more. Somedays my life is filled with crazy and chaos, but I always take the time to enjoy my surroundings. As for my wishes and dreams - a clean house, a daily hair blow out, and kids with a normal bedtime!
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