The beach

September is now almost over. UGH!! I hadn't been to the beach this month and am flying to GA tomorrow. I was running out of time. So I loaded 4 children [there's always more : ) ] into the van and went to the beach. I just wanted (and had time for) a stroll on the beach. Some of us were in suits, some of us weren't. The water was wonderful and the breeze was gentle; the weather was perfect! Because it was planned as a quick outing we didn't take anything. As we got out of the van Chace elated, "Yes, nothing to carry!" My sentiments exact. We played for about a 1/2 hour and loaded up the van and went to lunch, with daddy. Jessica declared that she wanted October's beach visit to be much longer and I am all for that.

The beach visits in August and September made me realize the need for this New Year's resolution. Both months almost got away from me without a beach outing. Our schedules can get crazy (spelled c-h-a-o-t-i-c) and without this minor goal in mind the peace of moments at the beach would slip away.

Tomorrow I fly to GA to spend a week with my parents. My sister spent last weekend with them. I sent her a quick e mail---tell me about your weekend. That brief e mail was loaded with a lot of wondering for what journey I was about the embark on. You see, I was daddy's favorite, all 4 of us were, and I have so many wonderful memories with him. Dad taught me how to ride a bike. Dad let me drive the riding mower. Dad brought goodies home from the gas station if he stopped to fuel up on the way home. You get the picture. Now don't get me wrong, the memories of mom are equally as delightful and plentiful. The first of the year I saw the decline of my father's health as it had been described to me in e mail after e mail from my mother. Dad appeared worse off then his father who drives from Ohio to Florida and back every year. Anyway, my dear sister answered my e mail along with every question I was unsure about asking. She hit the high notes and the low notes and now I can go in with much less trepidation. Thanks Cheryl!

I also must thank my younger sister for bailing me out. In my excitement of finding a reasonably priced plane ticket I inadvertently purchased a ticket that has me landing in Atlanta at 10:00 PM YIKES!! Laura's husband has agreed to come to baggage claim to 'claim' me and keep me safe and get me to my parent's house. Thank you and thank you!! This, of course, means that I'll get to see my niece and nephew in the morning.

While I'm on the thank you wagon I need to also thank my husband who will be adjusting his schedule and caring for the children so that I can help mom and dad. Their planner is ready with school work and house work and everything else that makes our world turn. I know they are in wonderful hands.

The dryer buzzer just went off reminding me that I need to go finish packing. But one more thing before I go. Jennifer Thompson, a dear friend and former neighbor, moved within 1 hour of my parents. I e mailed her letting her know I would try to see her while I was in GA. Her response---I want to fix a meal for you and your parents. This wonderful lady is going to cook us a meal AND load her 6 children into the van and deliver our dinner. I am so excited to see her and the children; two of whom I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. Jessica if you're reading this and seething, sorry, I'll take lots of pictures and share them with you when I return. Jennifer thank you for being a fine example of a good Christian woman.

God Bless!

Another view..

OK, top picture is from table area out into the living room. After the yellow wall on the right is a half bath, the door into the garage and then a door under the steps into the children's hiding spot. Half of the living room has low ceiling and the farther away area is a cathedral ceiling with ceiling fan. You can see the bottom of the half circle window.

The bottom picture shows the door under the steps on one side and the front door on the other. The steps, of course, are then behind the piano.

OK, here's another picture. This is looking from the living room into the kitchen and family room. The kitchen is on the right and the office/school area is on the left. Out the sliding glass door is grass, deck and a canal.

133 Danielle Court

OK, here's the front of the house. Chace's window is above the garage area. To the right is the living room.

Jessica, my Jessica

Today is Jessica's birthday, she is 11. And what a joy she is in our lives. She has a sense of humor that she let's out every now and then. And then there's the ornery side of her. She is so lovely. Her wish is to have tennis be part of her birthday party. She has invited a small group of friends to play tennis; we've borrowed a ball server machine from a friend. Then the girls will come to our home to shower and have lunch. Afterwards, we'll go to the mall to Build-a-Bear.

Dad and mom are getting into a routine at home. With help coming in through-out the week mom feels more and more equipped to handle her new job. The children have been able to come in for the weekends so that mom can get to church or the grocery store and other minor errands. My turn is the end of the month; I'll fly in for a week. Dad is more mobile and it sounds like he is most confident while using the walker. He tends to make mom nervous when he slings it around. I am certain her fingerprints are evident on his arm when he is up and about.

I know I've promised pictures and I haven't forgotten. The camera was in use at work; I plan to track it down today to bring it home.

Julian's accomplishments

Let me brag on Julian just a little. She's been asking me to help her do flips in the pool. Last week I was able to help and she learned how to do front ones and back ones. And all by herself. She was so proud and eager to show her brother and sister. She looks so graceful when she does the front flips. She's getting there on the backwards ones.

Testing Chace

Chace was making tea yesterday and, to get the sugar out, he decided to climb up on the counter top. While up there he noticed 2 cabinet doors above our frig and asked what was in them. My response to him was, "Your Christmas presents" It was enjoyable to watch his reaction. I maintained a smile on my face the whole time so he wasn't sure if I was kidding or not. 'Are you serious?' 'You've already gotten our Christmas presents?' 'I shouldn't look, that would take away the fun.' ' I'm gonna look, can I?' 'Are they wrapped?'
I never answered and curiosity got the better of him. When he peaked in he opened the door a little like he could shut it quick and erase the memory if there really was something inside and then said, "Uh there's nothing in there!' I told him that was what he was getting for Christmas this year.
Once forgotten, that cabinet (remember it's above the frig and he climbed on the counter top to get to it) was designated his next hiding spot for hide and seek. Fortunately for me he cannot fit all the way inside therefore he would not be hidden very well after all.

Homeschooling the Long's way...

Hello, I come to you with good news. Dad is now home from the hospital under the watchful eye and loving care of mom. I can't even imagine how content he must feel to be, as my sister put it, on his throne watching over his kingdom. He has some work to do yet but am certain that he will continue to progress and be his former self again soon.

Today's schooling started out normal, whatever that is, and then took a turn. I'm a sucker for my children working together as a team coming up with activities, school related or not. Today's really didn't have anything to do with education; it was just fascinating to watch. What started out as a water fight with squirt bottles, quickly turned into a slip and slide in the living room . We have tile downstairs as with most houses in South Florida. It didn't take Chace long to realize that the tile was getting slippery; so he started sliding around on his knees. Eventually he was running and sliding and the girls quickly followed his lead. Once he started getting brave, he realized that when he plowed into the chairs at the kitchen table he could move them and keep sliding right under the table. So the chairs were removed and they began creating stunts. Sometimes they had their squirt bottle in hand, sometimes not. Sometimes the squirt bottle was being squirted, sometimes not.
I realized that daddy might not share in the humor of the event so quickly e mailed him to give us a 10 minute warning before he came home. Fridays are his 'day off' so he could be home at anytime. That, of course, set the phone ringing immediately. "WHY do you need a ten minute warming?" I left out some of the details and assured him it was for his own good. When he was home and that was after we had cleaned up and put everything back the way it was before he left for work, we told him what our activity was. It shall remain named as 'mopping the floors.'
In the meantime, I notice that my children are getting along better and better and for longer periods of time. That's all good to me.
We're still unloading boxes in the house; a couple here and there and not every day. The shelves still need some organizing but the clutter seems to be at a minimum. By the end of this month we'll empty the storage unit into the garage. So the settling in is going smoothly; slowly but surely.
I haven't yet taken pictures so bear with me, they'll be posted once I start taking them.