Cole's new pet snake

The carving on the side of the mountain

Stone Mountain, GA

Just thought I would add this pic I took tonight at football practice. I was reminded of our days sitting at Boys Club watching Zach's practices because the parents were always trying to figure out where to sit to hide from the sun that blared in our eyes. Well, new football field, new team and I'm still waiting for the sun to drop down behind the trees!

And We're Off.....

No, we're not off to a beautiful tropical island or anywhere terribly exciting just fall sports season.  Zach's football practices are now in football swing.  His coaches are tough.  Very few water breaks and then it's only long enough for a quick swig of water and then run back out on the field.  No lolly gagging(not sure how ya spell it).  Tonight they just finished the third night of conditioning with just helmets.  Tomorrow night they have off and then Thursday they go to full pads and hitting.  Of course, Zach can't wait for the hitting to begin.  He seems to think he will be playing left wing but of course, they haven't given out any positions for sure.  They have two scrimmages in August and I'm sure no permanent positions will be given out before those are over.  He says it's pretty awkward being the new guy on the team and not knowing the plays or anyone to talk to.  I had that feeling a little tonight when I was the only parent not standing in a group chit chatting during practice.  Takes you right back to high school insecurities.  So much for Southern hospitality...maybe that's only in their individual homes or something.  I overheard one of the mom's saying she was chased through her subdivision(development) by a coyote.  At that point, I couldn't help myself  I had to inquire as to whether that is a common occurrence.  I'm sorry but when I hear chase I picture running as fast as I can(which isn't that fast) to get away from something.  And when it's a wild animal that's doing the chasing that's some scary stuff, especially one with teeth!  So, after a little chatting I found out that isn't common. Darn, just when I thought I had found an excuse to use for not going on a morning run!  Coyote sightings are evidently pretty common though even in the subdivisions.  The ladies were saying they can hear the pack howling sometimes in the evenings when they are outside.  I know! I can read your mind and you're thinking "Where did you move?"  That is exactly what I am thinking.  After basically inserting myself into that group conversation, yea I know kinda rude but it's kinda rude to not welcome people too sooooo. I found out that there is another kid on the team from our subdivision.  He just so happens to be minus a best friend since his just moved from the neighborhood a few weeks ago. She invited us for a swim day on Thursday at our new neighborhood pool.  Since we don't have the pass code we still need an invite.  At least that will give us something to do on Thursday.  And maybe we'll be able to get to know a few other neighbors too.

Kirsten finally got started with softball on Monday too.  She just had conditioning but she said it was way worse than the field hockey workouts Coach Derr had them doing last year.  Tomorrow night they have their first official team practice.  Should be interesting!

Hotel life is wearing on us all.  We are staying in a really nice two bedroom suite complete with a living room and a kitchen.  Sounds wonderful right?  Not really!  Not with four stressed out kids, a stressed out mom and a dad that just wants everyone to be happy and can't quite figure out what to do with us!  I think the biggest problem is that no one has any space to just get away from everyone and relax.  You don't realize how precious that alone time is to your sanity until you know longer have it! I also think the move is taking it's toll on the kids.  They are all secretly worrying about their sports, making new friends and everything else that goes with being the new kids.  And I'm just worrying about all of that for them! 

We did some school shopping today.  I thought it would maybe build some excitement for the first day of school.  It didn't.  As it turns out the new school dress code is even stricter than Elizabethtown's.  For the boys it isn't too bad.  They just need to make sure they aren't wearing chains and that they are wearing belts around their waists.  For the girls it's like bashing you're head against the wall.  We spent hours trying to find shorts that they were willing to wear that fit the dress code.  They don't exist!  It's basically Bermuda shorts or capris.  Well, right now it is very hard to find capris maybe again in the fall they will be around.  And the Bermuda shorts just are not all that flattering to either of the girls.  They've decided they will be wearing jeans year round.  After I talked to a couple moms at football practice that sounds like the "in" thing to do anyway.  You would think that since all the schools have the same dress code down here that the stores would carry some more fashionable looking shorts that meet the dress code.  I guess someone forgot to send them that memo!

Living the Southern Life

Fortunately for me, my father is from the South, South Carolina specifically. So not everything has been totally strange for me. That has been part of the fun for me introducing the kids to things that I remember experiencing with my dad when we would visit relatives in the South. One of those things is boiled peanuts. Yes, they are actually boiled in salt water. When they come out they deliciously salty and and soft. The nut inside is similar in texture to a pea and the shell is easily peeled away. We discovered a little road side market at the end of the road that leads to our subdivision. They give free samples of sweet tea and sell these delicious southern delicacies. The boiled peanuts were not a total hit with the kids Kirsten didn't care for them but the other three loved them. In fact, Zach has discovered a new addiction. Every time we pass the little stand he wants some. The other thing I discovered in this little store that took me back to my childhood was grape nehis in a glass bottle. It's simply a grape soda but for me it was like a step back in time. I'm not sure why I have such fond memories of them because it's just grape soda. It could be because as a child I once shook one and when my mom went to open it it shot all over the ceiling of the kitchen. Quite the mess! If I hadn't gotten in so much trouble I would probably have been rolling on the floor laughing. Yes, if there was ever any doubt where the devilish side of my children, namely Zach, comes from you now know. In fact, sometimes I can totally relate to the goofy stuff he does and I have to remind myself to be the grown up. Other times I just go along with him and have a great bonding time and lapse back into childhood. I think more adults should follow their children's lead more often. It would definitely result in a much more interesting world and many lasting laughable memories.

We Survived the First Half of the Move

We left at about 6:30am on the 18th and arrived here in Sandy Springs around 10:30pm. No, it's not really that long of a drive.  Don't get me wrong, it is a loooonnnggg one, but the main reason it took us so long is a lot of bad luck.  The first bad luck happened in the mountains of Virginia when we came across an entire section of Rte 81 that was completely closed.  Who closes both lanes of a major highway for blasting in the middle of the day?  Better question, who reroutes all the traffic from the major highway that was closed through a tiny town the size of Rheems, PA???? The traffic was horrendous.  Worse yet, I had Lauren following me so we needed to stay together as much as possible.  That was not easy nor fun for either of us!  The second incidence was totally my fault.  I was all excited about being allowed in the HOV lanes on Rte 77.  My dear friend by the name of GPS screamed at me not to get in those lanes but did I listen???? NO!  I know you would think I had learned my lesson after our adventure in Triple X land the last time we were here.  But believe me when you are sitting in traffic and those empty HOV lanes appear they look like the golden road to heaven!  And they were until I saw the exit to Rte 85 our next highway disappear in a flash.(yes, I was flying).  That mistake resulted in us being rerouted through downtown Charlotte, NC.  It wasn't quite as bad as Triple X land but we did see an establishment called Nikki's Paper Dolls.  Kirsten and I were busy laughing over it and of course, Cole wanted to know what paper dolls are and who would want to play with them.  His innocence is always a wonderful opportunity for a chuckle.  I pray he holds on to that innocence for a long while!  I think each of those traffic nightmares accounted for an hour per incident.  The final catastrophe was the deluge of rain we drove through in South Carolina.  I'm just a little hard headed, in case you hadn't noticed,  and I will literally drive as long as I can see the car in front of me.  This rain storm actually stopped me in my tracks!  I have never seen it rain so hard.  The lightning was incredible too!  I love watching lightning from the safety of a car.  It's like having a front row seat to a great show!  Since it was such a great show and it was pouring cats and dogs, we decided to pull over and wait it out.  That probably added a half hour to the trip too.  Three major stops, a lunch break, a coffee break and multiple bathroom breaks for Cole and that is why the trip took so long!

It has taken two days but I am finally able to put a sentence together.  Yesterday I managed to get the other three kids registered for school to their dismay.  The staff was very helpful especially the high school athletic director.  He is the go to guy for anything involving the athletics here.  And with four kids involved in athletics of all kinds I'm sure we'll get to know him well.  Especially since I have two wrestlers and he was the former wrestling coach at the high school and we have two wrestlers.    I talked to Kirsten's softball coach this evening and confirmed her eligibility for the varsity team.  The eligibility rules down here are incredible.  I had to fill out about 10 forms all for the purpose of . proving that she had not been recruited or offered anything in return for attending the new school.
Of course, my sarcastic little mind came up with all kinds of things I could say to prove she had not been recruited, but since I am on this new kick of being just the sweetest little thing since sweet tea I kept my mouth shut.  Yes, you read that right.  Here I'll repeat it just so you don't think you're mind is playing tricks on ya! I KEPT MY MOUTH AND BRAIN FILLED ALL KINDS OF GOOD SARCASTIC COMMENTS COMPLETELY SHUT AND TO  MYSELF!!!  Now, I know you're probably in shock.  Don't be! The real reason is I was just too stinking tired to fight.  Especially since I had just finished filling out paperwork to enroll all the kids.  We're talking a ton of forms.  While i was filling out the forms for Zach's JH  I was chatting with the secretary there.  She was great and seems like she will be full of laughs when she meets Zach.  I almost collapsed when I handed her the forms and said, "I am so happy all the forms are done for all four kids."  And she said, " Oh honey, on the first day of school you'll get a whole new set of the same forms to fill out!"  She had a great chuckle at the look on my face.  I'm glad I made her day and she can be glad I am as sweet at sweet tea. LOL!

Next week we will begin our fall sports schedule Zach has football Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.  Not sure what happened to Wednesday practices.  Maybe that's just so I don't blow my brains out mid week. Kirsten has softball practices 4 out of the five days also.  Of course, we couldn't have Wednesday off.  She does have practice that day but not Tuesday.  None of this will be an issue when we are settled in our house and school is 10 minutes away but right now we are about 45 minutes away and when I have to go up to that area the whole crew must come with me.  I keep telling myself only five days of this craziness!  Lauren's cheering hasn't started yet so I guess that will be to my advantage.  I'm sure that will end up starting soon though. 

The new hotel is much more spacious and nicer than where Bill was staying.  My fun for the week has been telling people we're homeless and watching how uncomfortable they become.  I know it's mean right?  Well, I am technically homeless right now and it's kinda a social experiment.  So since it's in the name of science it's not mean.  f I was reading a book called "A Girl's Guide to Homelessness" The author talks about peoples reactions when they find out she's homeless and it made me curious.  Let's just say all the rich people here are feeling a little uncomfortable around us!  Well, I'm off to wreak more havoc!  Have a good evening!








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