Carowinds

We haven't taken a trip to Carowinds in several years, so we decided to make it this year.

Our little one was finally tall enough to ride every ride!!

We took turns holding the backpack.  This one below had everyone but me.  Eric & Luke are about midway with the girls behind them.

Here's another with all of them in a row.

Thunder River, the rafting ride, is still enjoyable in October when the weather is 85 degrees.

I finally got a picture with me in there!  This ride was my favorite, The Intimidator.  It's the longest ride, and the best!

My one rule this trip was that no roller coaster ride would be tied to getting a pet.  That qualification expired in 2010 when the rest of us overcame our fears.  

Son's Birthday

Our son just turned 17.  His restuarant choice was the usual, India Palace.  Afterwards, he wanted a red velvet mega cupcake from the Chocolate Moose.  For someone who doesn't like chocolate, he sure loves a cake with lots of cocoa in it.

I felt honored he let me take a picture with him before school.  Since this was out of character, I should have known that he was up to something.

It was his special day, and he wanted to do something fun.  We found out later that this did not include school.  So he dropped his sister off at the elementary like normal, but then detoured to Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  Then, he decided to go mountain bike riding with a friend at Clemson.  Later, he stopped for lunch at Bojangles then came home to sleep.

Knowing he would get in trouble, he pleaded for leaniency since it was his birthday.  While I appreciate him doing healthy things outside in nature, it never supercedes the responsibility of showing up for classes and being prepared with school work.  

Maturity comes and goes, I guess.  Another lesson, another grounding, another privelege taken away....

Voice Recital

Our youngest has been attending voice lessons for the past month and a half.  Although it was a quick semester, she has improved quite a bit.  Below is one of the songs where she had a solo:

Enjoy!  https://youtu.be/RLilSU1SXXU

It was PJ day at her school and the recital began at 5pm.  Sorry we didn't have time to go home and change, but that's our life right now.  She didn't mind, though!

Autumn Fun

It was the last official weekend of summer, and just 3 days before fall.  The kids were ready to decorate the house with pumpkins, hay bales, and enjoy cooler weather.  We decided to head to the best pumpkin patch around, Denver Downs.  

The little one invited a friend to make the outing even more fun.  The two girls talked the entire 45 minute drive.  When we got there, we saw everything was locked up!  Apparently, they didn't open until the following weekend.  Nice.

Deciding that wouldn't ruin a fun day, we looked up on our smart phone whether the apple orchard (45 min away in the opposite direction from our house) was open.  Glad I did, because it was also closed.  

The girls were troopers, though, and agreed to just head to the zoo.  Although it wasn't exactly how we expected the day to go, it turned out just fine.  

They had fun at the park just outside the zoo entrance playing with other children.  The animals inside were neat, too.  

We didn't come home empty handed, though.  We picked up a pumpkin at the grocery store on the way back.  Happy fall!

5 is Enough!

With two of our fleet of vehicles down, Eric went into a panic.  The mustang had a blown head gasket and the cadi needed coolant every 2 miles.  That left three reliable modes of transportation for commuting to school & work:  my car, the truck, and the motorcycle.

For years I've been asking him to sell one of the two broken vehicles, but he always managed to get them running again.  It's a hobby, albeit a time-consuming and money wasting one.  These cars cost more to repair than they are worth.  But, he claims, it's an opportunity for learning and bonding with his son.

After several weeks of the two working diligently under the hood, I noticed they would frequently escape for a bite to eat.  I expect they had their share of hot wings and burgers, but I wasn't expecting this...

Yes, they were shopping for a new vehicle.  This one may have been a great find and a bargain, but we're now up to 6 vehicles.

Even the little one seems to like it.

To top things off, the two "broken" vehicles are working again, my parking spot in the garage is always taken, and none of the vehicles are on Craig's List yet.  I'm willing to sell a few the next time Eric goes out of town.  Just give me a call.  Best offer.

1st Apartment

Our oldest hit a new milestone in her life, her own apartment.  What was supposed to be a shared basement ended up being private living quarters.  Her roommate decided not to return to the college this fall.

It is a uniqe experience visiting your child in HER apartment.  Instead of feeling 'old' like I expected, I felt proud. I couldn't help but marvel at the young adult she had become.  

Her place was neat & tidy, with a little furniture here & there to make it feel at home.  

It's also a free hotel now whenever I need a place to stay in Columbia.  The bed may not be as soft, or the shower as spacious, but the company is worth it!

Singing Lessons

Our little one wants to be an actor.  But an actor is more versatile if she can sing.  Thanks to the wonderful influence of her Grandma Linda, I am now taking her to voice lessons once a week.

There are usually 3 other girls with her.  They sing kids songs like "She'll be Coming Around the Mountain" and "Bingo", taking turns to solo the verses as well as together.

Sometimes they move while they sing.  I was a bit confused at first, but after several lessons, I'm actually noticing an improvement in how she hears each note, then adjusting to hit the right pitch.

During her one hour session each week, I am blessed with the sounds of a beginner trumpet trying to blow any sound possible out of the horn.  I am fortunate to hear a drum lesson down the hall.  And to top it off, there is a banjo student learning to play the 5-string.  Ahhh, sounds of joy (nor not).

Thanks, Grandma!