First Time....

1) Spencer and I are on two different continents.
2) I bought a new vehicle, sans husband (note, husband has very limited contact with me while on separate continent).
3) Rane took his first sink "bath" at Chick-fil-A (note, he has also "bathed" at Taco Bell).
4) Ella Ann reached a new terror scream volume when she was chased by a tiny dog.
5) Rane began taking over 20 steps in a row while Spencer was across the pond.
6) Rane said "Mimi."
7) Rane climbed on a couch by himself.
8) I drove a vehicle home today with so much space I don't know what to do with it all.
9) Rane demonstrated that he has the Disney gene.

What in the world have we been up to you ask? You want more details? Of course you do, silly, you are still reading! Well lets start at the beginning, then. Spencer decided a few months ago to go to London, England with his brother, brother-in-law and father. A mancation. A mancation that I was NOT happy about. Did NOT want to discuss. Did not want him to go on....this all stems from my deep jealousy of never having been to Europe and Spencer going to an awesome place that he'd never been to either for 7 days with out ME, his wife! This was all under the disguise of, "We are going to watch soccer!" Whatever. Okay so I'm over it since I bought a van while he was gone. hehe. My dad called about an hour before we dropped Spencer off at the train station that would take him to the airport on Wednesday afternoon with the good news that he located a Honda Odyssey that is fully (more than fully) equipped with everything we have been asking for. Horray! So my parents met me on my way to their house Thursday afternoon at the Honda dealership about 30 miles from where they live. Dad and I test drove it, bargained a bit (Dad bargained), I wrote the check and off we went! Wait, back up. I mentioned that Rane bathed at Chick-fil-A. That happened on the way to the dealership. Poop from nape of neck to ankles. I'll spare you the details, just know that he was washed in the sink while a stranger handed me paper towels. Gross. We arrived at the dealership with him wearing nothing but a t-shirt and a diaper (I was too lazy to dig out clothes in the suitcase). Yeah, we're from Georgia.

So we had a great time with my parents. The kids really enjoyed being at their house, as usual. Ella Ann took her traditional trip with her Grandpa to the DQ for lunch followed by ice cream with sprinkles. Rane was up walking a lot while we were there. He is extremely wobbly and if he wants to get anywhere quickly he will just drop and crawl. We got outside despite the cool temps and drizzle because we were tired of being stuck indoors. We went to dinner on Saturday night and Rane ate more than the rest of us. He was in hog heaven with the Italian food! In a nutshell, we were lazy around their house for 4 solid days!

On Sunday Ella Ann, Mom and I went to a shower for my friend, Sara, who is having a little boy in April. Ella Ann enjoyed running around with another little girl that was there and playing with Sara's daughter, Lucy. Sara and her husband have 2 small dogs and they were at her mom's house in a back bedroom. Ella Ann and her little friend, Evelyn, kept hearing them bark so Brandon, Sara's husband, went back with the girls to visit them. Well we first hear Ella Ann's sheer terrifying scream and then we saw her run down the hall with a little dog right on her heels barking like crazy! Mom jumped in front of my open arms like she was taking a bullet for me and grabbed Ella Ann, who immediately wrapped her legs around Mimi's neck! Thanks mom. We must teach Ella Ann to not run around dogs or else they will chase! After she calmed down her and Evelyn enjoyed petting the dogs and chasing them around! It was great to see my old friends and spend some time with everyone.

Mom drove the kids and I to the dealership on Monday morning to pick up the van and we drove it home. It is awesome. So awesome. I am in love with it. It is silver so I'm glad I can somewhat keep it clean. I am just not used to all the space! I can cart around so much it's not even funny! I reached back to hand Ella Ann something and I couldn't even reach her! So strange. I'm used to her feet practically being beside me in our old car! I put a Mickey Mouse movie in the DVD player before we left and it was the first time Rane had ever seen Mickey on television and he went absolutely bananas! He was squealing nonstop! See, Disney runs in my blood line! Anyway, we enjoyed the new ride the entire way and I got to listen to my CDs! That hasn't happened since July when my CD player quit on the way to Kentucky. I received CDs for Christmas that I haven't even listened to yet and now I can! The cutest thing was when I opened the automatic doors for Ella Ann at Taco Bell this afternoon and she said, "Woahh Mom." I never thought I'd ever in a million, bazillion years think I would drive a van. However, the tides have turned and now I see why millions of Moms drive them....it is a necessity, especially if you travel as much as I do with two kids and all of our junk! Also, Rane had his best trip ever both too and from, despite the poop. He slept 3 hours on the way home (it's a 5.5 hour trip with a lunch stop) and was happy, for the most part, when awake. Yeay!

The kids and their favorite toy, Sebastian. Poor kitty. Ella Ann carries that cat around the house like a sack of potatoes and Sebastian allows it....even purrs!

Up on the couch....

ready to climb over the couch now!

We drug out Ella Ann's old bouncing zebra for Rane and he loved it! It is now in our playroom.

Ella Ann gave Grandpa a massage....

then Grandpa had to give her one! This kid will be my spa buddy one day. She loves to have makeup brushes run across her face, hair played with, back scratched, legs rubbed, you name it.

Watching the UK game with Grandpa on Thursday. Dad taught her to yell, "Go Big Blue" but I know that color will change to red when Spencer gets home!

It drives Ella Ann nuts when her Mimi's shirt buttons are not ALL buttoned so every. single. time. she sees that they are unbuttoned she is sure to button them all the way to the neck....modesty, ya know! My four year old is a stickler for it!

Watching Grandpa fix a drink before we left for dinner Saturday evening. I thought this was such a sweet picture of Baby Boy.

One last ride on the zebra before we headed out!

My parents are always sure to have all of our favorite foods while we are visiting, especially loads of berries. The kids go crazy. Rane and Ella Ann would eat their weight in blueberries, raspberries and strawberries!