Goodbye Ms.Myrtle...Day Six

What we did: We woke up and said goodbye to the beach!

Highlight of the day: Sleeping in our own beds!

What we learned: It takes The Pacifier,Knoch's New Groove, Spy Kids 2 and an hour of sleep to get from Myrtle to Georgia. And that we had a GREAT TIME! See you next year Myrtle!

GoodBye Mrs. Myrtle....Day Six

Making it big on Broadway...Day Five

Sometimes you like a break from the beach. The good folks at Myrtle Beach know this fact and have created many things to entertain you. We decided to try BoardWay at the Beach. Its is basically a large outdoor mall. We spent no less than seven hours there! What did we do? Scroll on down and take a look!





Wall-ee was awesome. Hello Dolly! The highlight of the day

At the Broadway's pier we saw more fish than you can believe!

Too bad we didn't have our fishing pole!!

Kids..you are a litte young to go cursin' for dates!



Christian...who wouldn't love him?

Jacob can always find a good spot to hang out!

This is a typical picture of the Kotter Kids...No one is smiling or even looking at me!

No matter how much I yell, plead and jump!

At the end of the day we got to play in a in ground fountain.

Joseph is a water bender



Jordan's screams could be heard waaaaayyyy out in the parking lot...I know I heard them!

Luke....having fun?

Day five....was FAB!

What we learned: Window shopping is AWESOME!

Mr. Crabs....Day Four

What we did:

We tried to catch Mr. Crabs using crab nets that we threw over the Pier.

We caught only hermit crabs...the Krusty Krab is safe for another day!

After some fun but unproductive fishing....we hit the waves!!!

Wardobe malfunctions were a common sight....but he has a nice tan dosen't he?

This is one of my favorite memories...all the boys hanging ten...or just trying too! The offical highlight of the day.

is it a it green eye shark or just Luke pulling in a huge wave?

All in all a great day.

Marshes and Inspriation: Day Three

What we did: About thrity minutes south of Myrtle is an incredible place called Huntington State Park. Named after the Huntingtons who donated their beauitful land to the state for preservation. We love it here. We saw for the first time salt marshes. As we watched high tide come in we were entertained by four different kinds of crabs, graceful cranes and a wonderful alligator. How great is that?

The beaches at huntingtion are like a peaceful postcard picture come to life. I could have stayed forever looking at the constant waves and watching the kids find shells. They found some really great shells and some cool animals. We dug out a hole in the sand and made a little aqaurium. Christian found a big coch shell that was still alive, a crab and a little fish.


Highlight of the Day: We got to go to some classes about different sea life and took a class that taught us how to fish in the surf...pretty darn cool.

What we Learned: We got to tour the summer home of the Huntingtons. They bulit this brick home back in the early 1900's. It inspired me to see the vision of a couple who had wealth and used it so wisely. They only used local craftsman to bulid their home and hired local people to be the servants. We got to see the whole house from the laundry room to the giant indoor and outdoor sulcpting studios. What a facintanting place...somtimes almost spooky They kinda of reminded me of Chris and I if we lived a hundred years ago, had a lot of money and were very talented...so ok we aren't much like them...I guess I just want to be!

Myrtle Day Two

What we did: The kids woke up around seven and Chris mumbled "I feel that I got ran over by a Mac Truck..." but bravely got up to get ready for the BEACH!

We went to the Myrtle Beach State Park, an old family friend. This beach is the first beach that each of our kids saw. We have come here since Luke was a wee nine months. We loved playing in the surf and watching the fisherman and sea life on the pier.

The highlight of the day: was the end. We left the beach at 6:00.pm. and the kids were happy and tired...the perfect storm of emotions! After a quick dinner at the golden arches, we went home, and the kids watched Harry Potter as Chris and I relaxed upstairs. WE RELAXED!!!!! I read and Chris surfed the waves on the internet. We talked and laughed and put the kids to bed at 8:00.

What we learned: Repect your elders. Every year we buy ice cream cones from the store on the pier. The store is run by some old retirees...we love them. As scooping out our seven cones, the old shopkeeper kept reminding us that when we took the ice cream outside that the ice cream will melt fast. We smiled and nodded. Chris and I both thought "okay old timer we know about the heat and ice cream..." But by golly we got outside those ice creams meldted faster than anything we saw in our thrity plus years on earth. The pier got more ice cream than we did. Lesson Learned...those who gone before know more about weather and ice cream.

To the Beach...Day One

On Tuesday July 24 the Kotter 7 headed to the Mytrle Beach!

What we did: Drove for six hours. Overall the trip went great...I read without throwing up...a big accomplishment ...the kids settled in and watch movies. (How did forefathers in the 1980's travel across the country in station wagon without dvd players?!)

The kids went to sleep after their second movie around 9:30 yipee! Despite Chris's assurances that he "would wake me up when we got there (as if he had another option...) I stayed up until the bitter end of the trip at midnight like a big girl. We brought the kids into Lee's lovely two bedroom condo and all fell fast asleep...

Christian the Olympian...at least in our minds! :)

Christian quailfied to swim in this years county meet at the Georgia Tech Auqatic Center. The very same pool that the 1996 Olympic races were held!

Christian swam in the freestyle and meldy relay as well as the 25 freestyle. He did great. I am so proud of him. What a thrill it was to sit in the stands and cheer him on. The pool had the time pads in pool so we got to see his time instantly on the jumbo screen...how cool is that? Christian had his personal best times in each event. AWESOME!

Jacob, Luke and Joseph were lucky enough to go spend the day with the Jordans (THANKS Jace and Summer!) and had a awesome time swimming at the cub scout swim party.

We all had a great day.

Clean up Clean Up Everyone do their share!

Today we re-arragned the kids rooms! We had a lot to do..LUCKY US! Christian and Joseph are now roommates. Jacob and Luke share a room. They all worked hard. Luke spent a lot of time organizing his toys! It was really fun to watch him talk to his animals and invite them to sit in their new homes. ( FYI all his animals said "yes")

I am trying to enjoy these moments more. It can be really hard somtimes to understand that they are growing up...getting more mature. We threw out a lot of their baby toys today...werid. We are no longer that herd of babies but now a pack of boys with on girl leading the fun.

I love those boys so much. All that we went through together...I am proud of them. We are all learning and growing...becoming a stronger family one step at a time. ) Wow all that from just cleaning their rooms!)

Before I go again...I like to give a shout out to Val..thanks for being the one to read day in and day out.... :)

When I saw my Garment walk down the runway...

The BIG premire wasn't so very big....I am sure after some people go home the fashion will start really walking!

But that table cloth dress rocked! If the girl got hungury she could eat...how cool is that?

Horray for the diaper-man for bringing something so fresh to the show. Even though I thought was easily the ugliest garment to "walk" down that runway, with courage like that, there was no way the judges were going to elimnate him. A diaper... he even had to "hand sew" it!!! (ewww.)

I so thought the trash bag lady should have got the axe...I could have made her little number in my sleep Pulheezze! It really belonged in a trash bag. :) And REALLY never want to see those strip pants that she wore AGAIN...what is up with those?

The wrong guy got sent home . Y'know I kinda was intriged by the slasher outit...what would he have made next a burial suit? Now we will never know. All and all I am hooked again! I know where I will be next Wed. Night!

Luke and his Hawk

Our next passenger on theCRAZY Bus to introduce is...

LUKE!
Age:7
Job on the bus: To make sure all things are fair... according to him at least!

Luke is the MAN!! He sports his summer hawk with style unsurpassed...Move over Mr.T.

If you know Luke at all, you will know that he has the best laugh! You can't help to along laugh with Luke. He brings so much joy to our family.

If you need any computer help..just call him. He has recently fixed our computer speakers that have been broken for about a year. When I asked him how he fixed it his explantion was far beyond my understanding!

He is a great firend and teaches me alot about myself.... LUKE WE LOVE YOU

BREAKING NEWS!!
Luke can now touch the bottom of our pool...in the Deep End. Way to go Luke.

A Cat Can't Help It...oh babe

There a has been a death on Woodvine this past week!

The our neighboors, the Peers, came to our house to show off their brand new baby pet bunny named nothing less than "Angel Kisses." All the kids lined up and we all cooed over the cuteness as the bunny hoped around. Along came our beloved cat Tom. YEA! We were just sure that Tom and Angel Kisses would be fast friends.

Well we got the fast part right just not the friends...Tom carefully sniffed at the bunny and we all smiled about how cute they were! Then Tom reached out his massive paw and swiped once at our dear Angel Kisses. We screamed!!! The cat ran away and the bunny convulsed. The cat ripped the jugular vain and blood ran everywhere. One long minute later Angel Kisses stopped moving. The bunny was dead and presumbly getting kissed by some angels in heaven while the kids who witnessed the event cried.
A cat can't help it...oh my!!!

Fourth of July at Stone Mountain

We had such a great time!!! We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family!!! Happy Birthday America!!!!

Mom, Aunt Val Made Me Do It!

Well here is my BLOG!!!! I will start small but by small and simple means right?


So let me introduce you to the Kotter Crew...the people to men and women ride on the "crazy bus" everyday!!

Today we will start with Jordan!

Jordan
Age: almost 2
Job on the Bus: Entertainment...so no one falls asleep!

Jordan is our only girl and she knows it!!! She keeps her brothers on their toes. She loves babies...they all must have a diaper on. Jordan also makes sure that when we read her babies books that their eyes are looking at the page. Sometimes that could be a challenge with the babies who close their eyes!

She is a daredevil ala Jacob. She will jumping off anything she possibly can and has already beoken her arm.

Her big accomplishment is growing hair long enough for mom to put some "pretties" in. Jordan loves to dress up and look great.

Jordan LOVES life and LOVES to express her opion on every subject. (lucky us!!!)