August, Wilmington and What we did this summer.

Here we are, all 5 of us on our Surry Ride around Carolina Beach.
We went to Wilmington last weekend after spending the night with G&G Ray. It was Grandpa's 50th birthday and he got a big suprise! We spent our time in Wilmington just doing things together as a family. It was a ton of fun.
This summer has been full of tons of mini and macro adventures for our family. The next few posts just show hi-lights. I for once don't get very chatty, just provide simple descriptions. I figured though it might be good to give an update on why we've been so busy this summer.

August Children's Nature Museum in Wilmington

outdoor play area.

Tiny dinner upstairs, Charmie is preparing a scrumptious meal for us on the "grill"

Charmie and Mardie play scientist and combine colors to make new ones.

Pirate Charmie and no Beard Mardie on the pirate ship!

August

I'm finally getting the hang of this order thing. Here's my little gunslinger playing with his beloved pop gun. The photo is to show his self designed tape mustache!

Reeds Gold Mine, panning for gold!

June

Boys posing on a horse at Ghost Town in the Sky.

Mardie, one of the littlest campers at summer camp walking on a trail near the paintball area.

Daddy in the pool with the boys during swimming time at camp.

Zuri's first photo.

June

Ghost Town in the Sky - Maggie Valley NC. in the saloon with the Preacher.

Here are my Jr. gunslingers with a lawman down at the entrance.

Rocky and Charmie on the Chairlift.

A view of Mardie on my lap on the chair lift. This thing was crazy to ride trying to balance, keep the bar down, hold a toddler, etc. That horizontal line coming off Mardie's temple is the road. We were so high up the ride took over 15 minutes!

June

The funeral service.

The first day at the lake. Charmie and Mardie look ready for water!

Daddy on a jetski, having fun going fast as usual.

Another shot of the beautiful lake.

June

Our 2nd trip back from Michigan. . . ok eventually by the time I'm done I'll get the order thing right. The boys are in a better mood. Maybe they are getting used to the long trip?

This was the first day at the lake. I don't have pics from the boy's 2nd day there. I went shopping with some of Rocky's Aunts.

The family gathered for a meal after the service.

Here's our little family after the service. Poor Mardie slept the entire service, he was barely awake here.

More from May

Once again out of order. . . me with a honkin zit (can anyone say pregnancy hormones?????) with my little man after the funeral.

This is how we all felt on the way home from our long drive to Michigan.

Father's Day, driving an RC boat up at the lake.

Japanese leftovers. Mardie says, "YUM" While Charmie says, "cum and take a luk har at m'teef!"

May

These are out of order but here goes. . . I know you guys know what this means!

Our first trip to Michigan this summer. Grandpa Ray takes a moment to help Charmie unwind from having to be so well behaved in the funeral parlor.

Rocky and his brother Charles.

The boys get a ride with Uncle John in the sidecar.

Church Picnic - May

Here's the first of my what did we do this summer pics. I'm just posting hilights from each month. Here Rocky is giving Charmie and Mardie some extra instructions beore their "race".

Meet Zuri Elizabeth Ray!

Here'a a good shot of her face Resting in mommy
And this is one of several views she finally cooperated on to allow us to determine that she is a girl. Since this was a little too early for final confirmation stay tuned for the end of the month update!

update

Well I can honestly say I've been trying to post for the last week or so but I've not been able to get Picasa to connect with Blogger and I wanted to post pictures. Like ULTRASOUND pics of Zuri Elizabeth, btw, we're having a girl if you hadn't figured it out or heard from me yet! Our Dr. wants another ultrasound at the end of the month for confirmation purposes, the one we had was really too early but there was no male anatomy to be seen so the determination is GIRL!
After we found out Rocky agreed that I could splurge on a diaper bag so I got a Vera Bradley. I had not had one of these before and I love it. I chose a retired style and print, the Bermuda Pink, Cary-All. It's exactly what I wanted as far as size and shape are concerned so I'm really excited to stuff that puppy and tote it around. VB is having a huge clearance sale at the end of the month at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart and hopefully I can find my hospital overnight bag there! I've got my eye on a style, the Miller bag and a few different prints. I'll just have to see what they have when I go though.
Rocky and I also created a registry at the usual store. . . but after talking to my friend I realized like her, I didn't want or really need what the usual store had to offer. Zuri has been promosed plenty of clothes from her cousin (November birthday) and a family friend (January birthday) and I already have pretty much all the "gear" a baby needs leftover and saved from my first 2 Rays. Things that Zuri needs are cloth diapers, related supplies, bath and bathing items, etc. I followed my smart friend's path and created an online registry. I don't know if we're going to have a shower, I don't know if anyone will buy anything for Zuri off it. . . but at least if asked about a registry I can say where ours is and it's stuff that Zuri will use and need, not just a bunch of stuff we don't really need.
We did keep the other registry because we get a 10% off coupon after Zuri is born to use on those items if they are not purchased. Who can pass up a savings? As we draw closer to my due date I can tweak that one to ensure I get a savings on the things we still don't have and want.
The coolest is that after this weekend we are much closer. I was actually able to remove quite a few items from both registries. This weekend the Charlotte area had at least 4 of it's major consignment sales and we were blessed to be able to go to 2 of them plus a smaller one closer to our home! I think I finally got the missing links to my maternity clothes (seeing as how the last time I needed winter maternity I was a business professional not a SAHM!), some basic layette and accessory items for Zuri, a 2nd diaper bag, toys, winter wear and costumes for the boys and I was even able to help out another friend who is preggers with her first, and twins at that, who couldn't go saleing by almost rounding out her list!
I am so excited to be mommy to a girl. To get little special things for her. I didn't think it would be this way. We were going to be blessed whether we were having a boy or a girl, but so far for me expecting a girl is very different from expecting a boy. I am nervous seeing as I am entering into uncharted territory but I know God is giving me the grace for this job so I just need to hang in there and follow his lead!
My OB/CNM delima seems to be finally situated. I went to my first really appointment and loved it. The midwife and her nurse were actually nicer this time than before. I was pleased with our interaction and feel that both Zuri and I are in good hands. I am so glad that this experience has the potential to be just as rewarding as it was with Charmie and Mardie. I was beginning to worry.
I've been to a couple of knit nights at my local yarn shop. Last time we had a yarn tasting where a new yarn company, Universal Yarn brought 4 sample balls (Cottonwood, Flax, Links and Trellis) for each participant to knit and play with from their new Fibra Natura line. I've never knit with 100% linen before. These yarns were a joy to work with. It was a lot of fun.
While I was there I got some different cotton yarn and I've started knitting a blanket for Zuri. I'll post pictures when it's complete. Janet has started a wash cloth kick and I am going to be soon to join her as I LOVE fine knitted wash cloths for baby.
I have a funny feeling that when it's all said and done I will have made quite a few things for little Zuri.

official unpost

Once again I haven't posted in a while. . . I've been bad about blogging lately.
The updates are:

1. I just finished a mei tai sling for my dear friend Jaime who is having twin girls. For some reason (preg brain)I forgot to take a picture. She liked it though. I'll just have to get a picture of it once the twins are born and she's using it! I made it solid navy twill with the body reversible to a subtle flower batik print. I am hoping since the main sling is solid navy her dh will give it a try when he's either at home or out and about with the twins! It will make his job as a sahd easier that's for sure!
2. I have a few bags to make for the dance studio. I hope to get them done this week so I can take them when I got to my bellydance class on Sunday.
3. I also want to make a few bags for my local knit shop but when I discussed it with the shop owner we decided there was no rush.
4. The boys and I made applesause rasin muffins last week. They were tasty but a little dry. I maybe need to bake them for a little less time, but the recommended time wasn't enough so I had to keep adding a few minutes.
5. Everything with the pregnancy is going well. I finally, at 13 weeks, found the CNM practice that I will be using and the hospital. Unfortunately a birthcenter was not a realistic option unless I wanted to drive for 2 hours for the delivery, not to mention all of my appointments. The practice I found is only 30 minutese away! My weight seems to be fluxuating, both at the various dr. scales and also in my wardrobe. A few weeks ago it seemed like I needed maternity pants and was going to be very soon needing maternity tops as well. This week I was able to wear pre pregnancy bottoms and tops everyday. Many times without my belly band, meaning completely zipped and buttoned! Go figure. I'm relishing these days, my energy seems to have returned and it won't be long before I'm in my maternity clothes for real.

Soaker pants

I posted, but I mistakenly put it onto our family blog.

new purse time

This time I decided to make a messenger style bag. I saw one on a stranger that I really liked but after finding out who made her bag and looking at the website I decided that $86 was a little steep for my tastes so a swift trip to Hobby Lobby and a stroll down the upholstery isle produced this fabric. These pictures don't really do it justice. It's brighter contrast in a non obnoxious way. I combined it with an upholstery weight sage green velvet from my stash for the exterior base and strap lining. There is no closure. I may regret this later, but seeing as how I haven't whipped the inside closed yet I could still add either Velcro or magnet without having to go through exterior layers. I'm going to carry it for a day or two and then decide.
My bag is smaller than the Magpie Satchel, it's about 10" across and 14" deep. The strap is 2.5" wide and idk at this point how long. I just cut it off when it felt right.

Here's a full shot of the bag. I decided to put my label on the outside vs. on the inside this time. I like it here, it just happens to go with these colors and the bag was too busy to embroider anything onto it.

Here's a shot of the inside. For the lining of the bag I shopped my stash for this dupioni silk that is a mustard color with a faint stamped golden floral print. I used the exterior fabric for the interior pockets. I sewed a few skinny ones and some wider ones. I think a new wallet is in order now. I have just enough of this exterior fabric to make another small bag. I'm thinking this is big enough to hold my knitting so I may make a little drawstring bag to go inside it that I can put a small knitting project into from the remaining fabric. That or it will get added to my scrap stash!

Since I blogged last

• I've been too lazy to take pictures.
• I finished the boy's shirts for their recital yesterday. I didn't alter the patterns at all due to time constraints. They were large, but looked just fine. It's was really neat to see my 2 Rays performing. I'm glad we chose to do dance this year and we're in the process of deciding if we will continue. We unfortunately will no longer be able to continue with our dance studio. It's over an hour away and there are closer alternatives. Rok and I are very sad about this but it's just too much expendature of our time, money, car, lives etc. to go that far.
• I cut the boy's hair.
• I sewed 3 tote bags that Ms. Gina, the studio owner requested as gifts for the other three instructors. These bags like almost all of the others were original designs.
• I've been knitting a blanket in the round. It's going to be a large circle. It's all one color a creamy white wool blend soft yarn, but on each increase I knit an increasingly larger section. I've been playing with different stitch patterns within the sections to give it a sampler look.
• I got some new sock yarn.
• I got some new yarn to make a really cool sweater.
• I've got some organic bamboo and organic cotton fabric to make some clothes. Very yummy fabric.
• I've aquired 5 more patterns (a little sadistic huh?)
• I made carmel popcorn.