Pics of the progress...

Wayne was putting up paper lanterns last night after I got all the clothes and piles from around the crib! We are still washing today!
Do you think Daddy had one to many helping hands????

Mom is working hard on the curtains and will move on to the table cloth. Then she will tackle the pink chair. Can't wait to get pictures up of the room when it is finished....it might be with a cute little baby in the room, but I am sure that will be fine!

Dr. update!

I went to the Dr. on Friday. I love that they ask how I feel. Well, I am 37 weeks pregnant, do you really want to know??? I am excited, first and foremost, but other than that - don't ask! I am 3 cm dilated. So.... she says I could go anytime. That if I made it to 39 weeks, which would be Monday, July, 14th, and wanted to be induced, we could talk about that at that time. I did stay 4 cm with Ava for like 2 weeks, so I am not too concerned with going into labor in the next few days... but you never know. It did inspire me to get some things done in the baby's room. I will post some pics soon!

Last Beach Day

We went out first thing and the kids played some in the ocean and then we built a sandcastle...

Then while the kids were in the water, a group of birds flocked in and had a feast on the huge school of fish coming through. The closer toward us the birds came, the closer to the shore they would come... so here comes the lifeguard blowing her whistle making everyone get out of the ocean. So I guess you could say we could have had a shark attack! You know I like to fill it with drama!

We all went up to the hotel, showered, got snow cones, packed and went home! Well- of course we had everything packed, loaded down! We all grabbed the last of the bags from the room and Wayne took the trash out, we were all waiting at the door and when he came back in and went to shut the big metal room door and Ava starts wailing, her fingers were in the hinge part while the door was open. We thought two of her fingers were broken, they looked awful and she cried (screamed) for what felt like forever! So then we finally got down to the car loaded the rest of the stuff in, strapped all the kids in....

and realized we forgot to make the kids go to the bathroom....

so here we go again, unbuckling all of them tracking all the way back from the 3rd floor parking to the top floor of 20 where we were so lucky to be assigned. (The possibility of making it all the way up to the top floor without stopping at least 3 times does not exist) So we get back up there and Ava is still crying about her fingers, they all go to the bathroom and we remembered to get our washing detergent. Ava wanted to carry it, so the fingers were long forgotten! She held the detergent half way home, and talked to it and I think she was petting it!? So hooray for the Gain! (and it smells good too!)

Day 3 of the beach

I know I don't say this as much as I need, but I must have married one of the best men out there. I can't get over how selfless he is and how catering he is to us. He has pretty much taking care of all the children out on the beach and making all of us lunch and bathes all of them. I just am an extra set of eyes, I guess for drowning purposes. I can carry a bag or two to and from the beach. I can hold a hand while crossing the street and dry children off out of the shower. But aside from that, it is all Wayne. Thank God for him! Saying all of that, it should be obvious how exhausted he is about right now, so I think we will be leaving tomorrow late afternoon to go on home instead of Friday morning (plus his mom is having a little out patient surgery Friday morning).

We decided to switch up our routine today. We went to the swimming pool this morning. The wind was whipping and I was freezing. I sat in a lounge chair while Wayne went from the swimming pool to the hot tub with Ava. The boys were back in forth as well. The good thing was we were about the only people out there since it was the crack of dawn! Well, okay, it was about 9, but still.

Then we went to the outlets and Wayne sat in the car for a while and the kids watched a movie out there. I called a little later after I had found a Ben & Jerry's and they all came and we ate ice cream - well you know,..... I ate ice cream, the boys ate half of their ice cream and Ava ran from table to table while we kept threatening her that she would have to go back out to the car, while Wayne ate her pink ice cream she had to have (with sprinkles!). It was some strawberry sorbet or something.

I bought a few outfits for the baby, some for now and some for next summer. You know me, I can't pass up a deal! By the way.... I think the names have been narrowed down to Nate (Nathan), Carson, Landon, or Aiden. Not real sure about middle names yet. I like Andrew with some, but not all.

We came back, ate lunch, and hit the beach to try the afternoon in the ocean.

Here are some things I learned....

Families with small children and some older people are on the beach in the morning. Teenagers that are oblivious to others are on the beach in the late afternoon. Not to mention that the tide is rising so the beach is smaller to have to share with loud and obnoxious teens and young(er) adults.... my how I kind of miss those days.... the body, the carelessness, the flirting, sleeping till 2, never the tan... but the rest was good. I wish I could still wear a bikini and run while wearing it. Oh the thought of me doing that now.... lets move on to the pics!

One more very important thing I learned .... don't try the beach in the afternoon without the 2 year old napping first... this is what we got. The start of whining...

Then the running up the beach and falling into the sand to throw a fit...

Then the sand and snot mixed... the sand is all over her forehead.

Ava ended up having a little fun and the boys had a blast in the bigger afternoon waves! My favorite picture is the one with Josh's mouth wide open!

We then let the kids wash the sand off (what we couldn't get off in the faucet) in the lazy river, which I am sure is not what the hotel likes, but whatever....

Beach Day 2

What in the world happen to the breeze is all I am saying???? Oh my, it was sooo hot today on the beach. Ava and I got in the water some, but I have no balance on a normal day, much less when I am pregnant, in the ocean, holding a 2 year old. So after falling in the water, I just decided to risk the heat stroke instead. Good news - I am alive and kicking. I don't understand how the beach can wear an adult out and seems to have little effect on children? Wayne and I just can't hang like we used to. I refuse to accept the fact that it is because we are getting older. That doesn't happen to us yet. Right?



We had been out on the beach for about an hour when Ava says "I haffa tee tee". I have forgotten how hard it is to teach a child that it is okay to tee tee in the ocean. So Wayne takes her back out into the water and tells her to tee tee, this goes on for a few min. and when asked she says "ayes, I tee tee". So they come back up to the chairs and she stands there and says "i tee tee" and spreads her legs and pees through her bathing suit into the sand in front of everybody. So of course, Wayne and I the great parents we are, pretend we don't see and are laughing while facing each other as to throw off all the other beach goers how unaware we are.



We came back up to the hotel after a few hours of beach fun, took showers and daddy made us all delicious sandwiches! We then took a big fat nap (mom, dad and Ava).... we couldn't get Ava up even at 5 to go for dinner! Caleb and Josh watched TV. We all dolled up and went out to an all you can eat seafood buffet. (with crab legs!) Wayne and I got out money's worth is all I have to say for us. The children on the other hand(Ava's was free).... $15.00 for the buffet... for a slice of pizza minus the crust and half a corn on the cob, ohh, and 2 cookies. What? Whatever! That was Caleb's hurtin on the bar.



Here are some pics...

Some Beach Fun!

First of all let me just start out saying that there should be an age AND weight limit on ALL bathing suits! If your belly hides the fact that you are wearing bottoms - that may not be the most flattering suit. People never cease to amaze me and I wonder why I even care about what I look like!? I have always said that THE PERFECT JOB for me would be to be paid (well) to sit somewhere and observe people. I don't think I would ever, ever get bored!

So let me move on to the fam - Wayne (what a great daddy!) is inside now lathering up kids for our 2nd day out on the beach and I am sitting in the only corner of the balcony that we have Internet access typing out our fun from yesterday!

Ava was very satisfied with the sand when we first got out there. The water was of no interest. The boys however, hit the water before we could get our beach gear put down. Josh loves to go under the water, Caleb on the other hand..... doesn't even want his chin to get a sprinkle! Here is some shots of Caleb when the wave got the best of him!

That is the top of his head in the front of the wave in between Josh's head and Wayne holding Ava.

Cough, cough, choke, choke, spit, spit.... back out again!

Then we went to eat at a seafood restaurant with a wait of 1.5 hours! But there was a "tatts 4 tips" booth outside... so that took up a good 5 min. of that time. Here are their "last up to 7 days" tattoos.

And our souvenirs from Drunken Jacks..... I traded all the kids for pirates... and to hear a 2 year old say Arrrggghhhh was hilarious!

So we are headed off to the beach for another day in the sun....

Love to all,

A

Just a quick update!

I went to the Dr. today and got a "looks good, see you in 2 weeks". So to make the most out of my time there in Florence, I went and picked out fabric for my curtains and table that will be in the baby's room. I ended up spending less than half of what one curtain that matches the bedding cost from JC Penny! I will post pics of all of that when it is up and finished - Thank you mom!
The kids have been swimming all week at the daycare and enjoying themselves. Josh is attending a summer reading program for 3 weeks this summer. So he has missed the church trip to Chuck E Cheese and all the swims in the morning. They only meet Monday thru Thursday until 12, so I signed him out a little early and took him to Zaxby's -"because they have the best chicken in the whole wide world!" It was nice to have some Josh and mom time and to treat him. Next week he will not go because we are leaving Sunday for the BEACH! The kids have been looking forward to this for what feels like forever! Wayne on the other hand is a little less excited about being on the beach, in the ocean with 3 small kids while his 8 month pregnant wife will probably be little help (If not a hinder!) Can't wait to post some beach drama and pics!
Love to all,
Amah

Baseball Medals

Baseball is finally over! Whew! I never imagined how hard it would be with two different ball schedules! (not to mention a dance schedule!) This was Josh's first year. He was on an instructional league, where they get two swings and then the Tee. He did pretty good, just need to figure out that "watching the ball" deal. Caleb played his last year in Farm league and will move up to minors next year which will be the first year the kids pitch. Can't wait to see how that goes! He played 3rd, 2nd and some catching and really got into the game this year. The last 3-4 weeks he has improved so much and has been playing great! I kind of hated for it to end for him. One of their last games they even beat the top ranked team. Those were the most excited boys I have ever seen after that game, the smiles on their faces probably lasted a few days! I think we tied for 3rd position in the rankings at the end. (last year, we were second from last) So they both are proud of their medals and are looking forward to soccer in the fall! Gotta keep them busy!

This is why in the picture below she was so extremely tired! She sat down for a long time, and that's enough to wear a pretty girl out!.. this is just a short clip!

But... here is her trophy she was so very proud of....

So, we are taking the summer off of dance and will start back in the fall! Let's cross our fingers I will at least get my money's worth......

Dance class......$32.00 a month

Recital Fee.....$28.00

Dance Costume......$70.00

Your child being the only one not dancing during the recital..... Priceless!

Pooped out Dancing Queen!

My poor baby danced so hard! - NOT. She sat down for the entire dance. At least she stayed on the stage and never cried!

Baby Room Drama!

I have finished painting, but can't seem to move forward at all! Here are some pics of the baby's room so far. I have polka dots to put up mainly on the striped wall. I was thinking of putting his name in big white letters on the chocolate wall, of course that would mean I would actually have to choose a name! I am trying to get a pink gingham chair covered to match the khaki stripe in the wall. I have ordered a chocolate cover for the changing pad. I can't put his bedding on because Ava is using the crib mattress until her bed comes in... which is taking forever. Last update was mid-July. Along with the bed comes a bed box with drawers underneath, to put her clothes in, so her clothes are still in the dresser that needs to be the baby's! So I haven't got his clothes organized. Ahhhh, just all the time, all the time.

New Blog

I decided to set up my own one of these to keep all my out of towners updated and posted on the life of the Riley's, since I am so slack at all of that. Hopefully I will do better with this to post pictures and happenings!
So please bookmark it and I will work on it tonight! But for now.... I am off to a meeting... my life story.. off to somewhere all the time!