Update...

What a sad turn of events that the most interesting thing I have to blog about is sewer lines! Wednesday morning Elton broke the sewer line and spent the next few hours bailing out all the water so the city could run a camera through the lines. This is one of the moments that I am so thankful to be a woman! and 2 1/2 hours away! LOL. They spent the rest of the day running an auger through the lines tearing out tree roots. It didn't have anything to do with the work they were doing on the next street over (or so they say- the timing is freakishly cooincidental...) However since the tree roots aren't on our property and we can't very well go tearing up the yard of the people who live behind us, the city has decided to replace our lines themselves. Thank God! This is supposed to be happening sometime today. What a relief! We have been having an extremely laid back time in VA I have spent pretty much the entire time working on my school work. My Collection Development Policy is due Monday at noon, and then all I will have to do is write a reflection, post it to my portfolio (which I feared was lost somewhere in cyberspace, I had to write frantic emails to various staff members at ECU- but it paid off- apparently they had just moved them... Whatever.) But after that- I am done! Free for the summer! :0)

running away from my problems

A slow drain didn't seem like such a big deal... Not compared to all of the problems we've been having the past few months- major roof repairs, major electrical problems, motherboard going out on the desktop, my microwave mysteriously dying, the element burning out on my hot water heater. Do you have any idea how long it takes a sealed hot water heater to drain? FOREVER! Do you know how big a mess you have on your hands when you get impatient and pull the element out? Not pleasant!

I wasn't too concerned about the slow drain until it started backing up into other drains... The City of Wilson has been redoing the sewer lines on the road behind up, we just assumed they had stirred up a bunch of dirt or something. We had a plumber come out to the house yesterday. They attempted to use some kind of water jet to blast out our sewer lines which are apparently completely blocked. They were there several hours and finally decided that the city must have blocked it off while doing their work. They informed us that under our house was completely flooded and it was actually seeping out from under the foundation. Can you say disgusting??? The plumbers were there all day, we ended up with 20 some city workers in the backyard trying to find the lines in the backyard. When they started talking about bringing in backhoes I started packing. The kids and I are in VA until next week sometime. HOPEFULLY all issues will be resolved by then. I cannot deal with one more problem.

Family photos

Reminds me of George in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. "I'm gonna hold him and love him and squeeze him." LOL

Squishy baby. He thrives on the abuse though...

Oh my God! A smile an actual for real smile- directed at me! Will wonders never cease. Too bad he has one of his shirts draped over his head, but at this point I will take whatever I can get. LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! BTW- I found those sunglasses at Busch Gardens- I thought Katherine would probably like them but Chris stole them from her.

Daddy and BriBri

Mommy and Brianna. I actually halfway like this one!

Virginia Beach

The ride home from Virginia Beach

Poor baby! Too much fun in the sun!


Naked & exhausted w/ sand in every imaginable orfice!

Aquarium

Three crazy girls!

How the boys kept themselves entertained... Check out the flying mullet & mohawk! ;0) I'm surprised we weren't asked to leave!

Science lesson. Daddy showing off his Biology degree! Katherine was a wimp & wouldn't touch it.

Dolphin Game

No Katherine- wrong kind of amphibian... You're supposed to kiss a FROG!

Busch Gardens

The new Sesame Place at Busch Gardens was very cool! The girls loved it. Shawn was a little less impressed. Give him another year though- I imagine we'll be spending A LOT of time there!

Brianna with Burt & Ernie

All smiles in the stroller. Trying to get a good picture of tooth #5- oh well...

Prince Elmo's Spire- Brianna's favorite ride by far, Katherine had a ball too. Can't decide if Brianna M. is trying to look cool or trying not to throw up!

We waited in line for at least 45 minutes for this 1 minute ride...

Easter Basket cupcakes for B's Preschool party

Letting her true colors shine through!

Brianna and I made these for her Preschool Easter party. I thought they turned out precious. It's hard to determine which looks sweeter- the cupcake or Brianna... She's becoming such a good kitchen helper and is always asking for a "job" to do! Sorry to say I doubt that will last long!

Easter

The masterpieces!

The artist!

Hard at work

Checking out her loot. She gave all her Robin's eggs to mommy- what a good girl!

Found one!