Dog Training Update

We are a week-plus into the training with Rico, so I thought I would give an update. Things are much improved. Since Rico is not an aggressive dog, but is smart, training has been relatively easy, and thankfully Matt can take some time to devote to him during the day when there are less distractions. However, the training we do during distractions is definitely the most helpful to see how Rico's behavior has progressed.

Rico now has to work for treats. And, work he does... happily.  As the trainer put it, as humans we do very little for free, and dogs are the same way. He is starting to understand what we want of him and will sometimes run through his list of "tricks" when he knows we have a treat ready.

Rico is also wearing a DAP collar. "DAP" stands for Dog Appeasing Pheromone. Essentially, the collar's scent is activated by heat, and the scent is designed to mimic the smell of his mother. Sounds kooky, I know, but it has been shown to be very helpful in dogs that were removed from their mothers too early. Matt calls it his "Mommy collar". If you have issues with your own dog(s) - from submissive urination to aggressiveness - you should actually look into this collar.  Rico is a completely different dog than he was when he and Ian got into their scuffle... and it is possible the collar has contributed to his calmness.

We have actually had a couple situations where neighborhood kids have run through our yard or come up to him in the yard without us knowing (frustrating from a pet owner's perspective, let me tell you) and Rico has responded almost perfectly. Honestly, Rico has not shown any aggression since we started the training. And, Ian has greatly improved on his interactions with Rico, too. 

Rico sometimes doesn't listen because the temptation in front of him is too great (like the sweet new Dalmation he met this morning - "Pongo" - that he just wants to play with!), but when led away from those temptations, he hasn't shown aggression.

Because I know there are some of you reading this that likely are saying/thinking, it is a dog and if it was MY child was ever in danger because it was near this dog... blah... blah... blah... a dog should listen to humans... period... blah... blah... blah... that dog should be given to a family without kids or put down... blah...blah...blah.... let me say this, Rico is not Cujo. He is a sweet, smart dog who wasn't being trained as a dog. We were doing somethings right, but many things wrong with him. And there were likely many things that contributed to the incident with Ian a few weeks ago... that we have been working to successfully fix.

In the meantime, parents, please teach your children (and remind them often), that no dog is "safe". A child should never approach a dog unless it is their own, and a child should never ever pet a dog that is not theirs unless invited to do so by the pet owner. A dog is a dog, and a dog will act like a dog even if you don't want it to.

It's a story worth a post...

... and I SOOOO hope that I do it justice.

Yesterday after church, I had some errands to run. One of them was to find Audrey a three hole punched pencil pouch. The selection of which cannot be done by me alone, because that would be so lame and I would pick the ugliest one in the bunch.

So, Audrey was going to come with me to run said errands. On the way home from church, I mentioned to Matt that since we would be out and about, Audrey and I would just grab lunch somewhere because we also had a soccer game to get to in the afternoon.

Audrey asked if we can go to a certain Mexican restaurant in town. I was thinking more along the lines of Panera. When I told her that we wouldn't be going to the Mexican restaurant, we were just pulling into the driveway from church.

As she was getting out of the car, she made the poor choice of screaming, "You never let me eat what I want to eat. We are never going to be able to eat at ______ again!" All of this through tears, of course.

It was one of those moments where I had to stop and seriously wonder if she was losing it or if I was, because weren't we just talking about lunch?

Audrey then ran upstairs crying and slammed her bedroom door shut.

I called her down after a few minutes and she came to me with a smirk on her face. I did the normal and expected don't-you-ever-talk-to-me-again-that-way. The tears welled up again, and I told her I was giving her a second chance. If she wanted to come with me to pick out her pencil pouch, she needed to pull herself together. 

"I am not going anywhere with you!" Run away. Door slam. Didn't we just go over that?

Before I left on my errand running, I took out the trash and the next thing I know, Audrey is back in the land of the mentally-well-balanced, walking out of the house to go with me.

As she passed Matt on the way out, he said, "This is nothing to cry over."

She got in the car and said, "Ugh! I am not even crying! He doesn't even know what he is talking about."

The rest of our expedition was spent talking about school, cross country, soccer, food and re-decorating her room.

Are you a parent of an infant, toddler or adolescent? If so, you MUST catch "The Middle" when the primetime season starts back up. It is so funny and so true to life that when Audrey has her episodes such as this one, I immediately think of Axel, the teenage boy on the show.

During one episode, he comes downstairs in the morning and asks, "What are we having for breakfast?". One of his parents responds with something like, "Bagels." And Axel yells, "Do you wake up every morning just thinking of ways to ruin my life?!"

Where's the airbag?

I should live to a ripe old age

I just read this article in TIME. I wonder when the study will come out about adding popcorn to the daily mix.

Rendered Speechless

I try to stay out of Isaac's room.
You know those knick-knacky kind of people? They collect things like wooden figurines of geese. You know who you are. I am not one of those people. Isaac is.

Let us take a journey into the forbidden world of Isaac's room.

Exhibit A. Isaac's desk. That is a chair next to it, but you cannot see it because his folded CLEAN clothes are sitting on it. Yes, I am one mean Mom and make all children above the age of six put their own clothes away.

Exhibit B. Empty shoe box and an Obama bobblehead.

Exhibit C. Bible. Tissue paper from empty shoe box, along with the silica insert. Yearbooks under tissue paper.

Exhibit D. Desk from other angle. Sea shells. Lego. Glue. Art supplies. Money. Telephone/address book. Socks.

Exhibit E. This is the bottom shelf of the bookshelf under his loft bed. It is holding clothes. Why? Likely because at one point, he needed to sit in his desk chair and no other place to put them.

Exhibit F. More shells. And a Siberian Tiger slushy cup from the circus. Seems like the piggy bank would be a fine place to keep the money that was on his desk.

Here we have the locker shelf (forgot to name this exhibit, but I am exhausted) that is supposed to help him keep his locker at school organized. Well, that just does not make any sense. So, in his bedroom, it is holding his wallet, Magic 8 Ball, and... another bank. Oh, and that money box? He has taken to selling some of his possessions this week and need that to keep his money organized.


This is what you will find under his bookshelf. Speechless.

Every bookshelf needs a tin can and a wad of soccer medals.

This is Isaac's bed. In it, you will find: 1 - pillow that belongs to him, 1 - pillow that he took from the guest room, 1 - body pillow, 1 - robe (he starts bedtime wearing it and then at some point in the middle of the night, he disrobes), 2 - blankets rolled in balls under his pillows, 10-stuffed animals also under his pillows. He does not have the luxury of a flat sheet on his bed, and this is why.

In our house, this is the equivalent of a girlie calendar in the garage.

Guess what Isaac is doing this weekend?

Ian First Day of Kindergarten

Ian has been very nErVOus for Kindergarten. It has been absolutely crazy around our house with sports and the start of school, which likely has contributed to the uneasiness of yet another change.

Last night as he went to bed, he told me he was scared to go to school. I asked him to tell me why, and he said, "Because I don't know how to read the words in the school."  Sweetness.

This morning he told Matt the same thing, but he did awesome. He quickly found his locker, gave me a HUGE hug, and ran into his room. He was set and ready to roll!

I am so anxious to find out how his day went. I can't imagine my little man trying to carry his lunch tray, open his carton of milk, gather his things for his bookbag/weekend, etc.

First nervous.

Then, silly excited.

Brothers starting the walk to school.

Isaac cracks him up.

I cannot fathom what was so funny, but it started our walk to school juuuuuust right.

Patience... patience...

WOW!! The search for September's new Miche Bag shell releases has skyrocketed in the past couple of weeks so I wanted to let all of you know that the September 2010 Miche shells will be announced next Wednesday which is September 1st.

Miche has recently changed their policies and all new releases will now be announced no earlier than the first of month. To be one of the first to see photos of the new shells, subscribe to our blog using the link on the right-hand side of this page. I will post them as soon as I get them!

Now, that's what I call love...

My friend, Kait, shared this story with me, and I hope it will inspire. If you know of someone in the Lexington, KY area, please pass this post along.  Real compassion involves action and this couple is exemplifying that. 

Tanya Ferguson and Christian Torp will host the entire East End and North Limestone neighborhoods at their wedding reception dinner at Duncan Park in Lexington, and instead of handing out favors, will hand out canned goods and clothing to those in need.

“We wanted our wedding to be about more than a dress and a fancy dinner,” Ferguson said. “We live in this community surrounded by people who work hard just to be able to put a hot meal on their table. What better opportunity to care for our neighbors than at our wedding, an occasion that’s supposed to be the happiest day of our lives!” The couple has invited local service organizations to attend as well. The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department will be on-hand to inform community members about its services and Kentuckians for the Commonwealth will be registering voters.

The couple has purposely chosen to live in the struggling William Wells Brown neighborhood so they can provide legal assistance and other forms of help to those without. The groom, Torp, has formed his own law practice dedicated entirely to providing affordable law services. It has been no easy feat for him to achieve.

After a nearly fatal motorcycle accident in 2002 that caused a month-long coma and subsequent Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Christian went on to complete his law degree at the University of Kentucky in 2006, but was banned from taking the Kentucky Bar Exam due to the TBI. After the state found him competent, Christian sat for and passed the bar in 2008. His law firm, Christian L. Torp ESQ., PLLC opened in April 2009 with the mission of “championing the causes of the poor, forgotten and oppressed people of Lexington.”

Tanya serves the children in her neighborhood by providing a free Wednesday night meal and programming she created herself at New Greater Soul Deliverance Apostolic Tabernacle. "We want to fill their hungry bellies and provide their hearts with love," she explained. She continuously seeks donations for hot meals and curriculum. She also volunteers at East Seventh Street Kids Café; sits on the board for the Zion Project, an organization that rescues young girls from sex trafficking in Uganda; and serves as the William Wells Brown Neighborhood Association secretary.

“We want our neighbors, the church and our love for people to intertwine,” said Ferguson. “We recognize that our neighbors are not a charity case, but are deserving of respect and dignity. We have spent time with many of them and look forward to living and working together for our community,” she added.

The Ferguson/Torp reception will take place Saturday, September 4, 2010 at 1 p.m. at Duncan Park. There is no charge to attend the reception and all guests are welcome to come enjoy a hot meal together. In addition to the meal, guests will enjoy inflatables, carnival games and live entertainment featuring University of Kentucky and Morehead State University student musicians.

The couple is accepting donations of food, meal service items, clothes and canned goods. Monetary donations will be used expressly toward providing these items. Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 861, Lexington, KY 40588.

Open Houses and First Day of School

Audrey - Grade 7
Isaac - Grade 3
Ian - Kindergarten

HOW did this happen? My memory is fuzzy at times, but it is crystal clear when I think back to the days I brought them all home from the hospital, just days old. Now, they are ALL in school.

Last night, we had Back to School Open Houses at both schools (elementary for the boys and middle/jr. high school for Audrey). Before we got to the elementary school, Ian was a mess. He was crying, telling me over and over that he was nervous and didn't want to hug his teacher. My heart broke, but I knew he would be fine. And, he was.

By the time we left that open house to go on to the next, he was shaking hands with the aides... and was double checking his bearings to make sure he knew which room was his. The thought of my baby carrying his lunch tray all the way from the lunch line to the lunch tables makes me just as nervous as him, I think. We have definitely babied the "baby" of the family.

{ For those of you that will pick up on the fact that Ian's "first day of school" picture is not below, let me explain... our school district splits the start day for Kindergartners. Because our last name falls at the end of the alphabet, Ian actually starts school tomorrow, whereas, Audrey and Isaac started today.)

Moving on to the Open House at Kimpton Middle School for Audrey. It went just about as expected... alot of pre-teens and teens looking cliquey, excited, nervous... I could go on and on but I am sure you get the gist. Sounds like the biggest issue today on the first day of school will be getting organized and figuring out locker combinations for the new middle-schoolers. { "Do not cry if you cannot get your locker open."... the motto of the evening. } Interesting tidbit about Audrey's school counselor... He is a "Bully Prevention Specialist". Very cool. This year should be interesting as he helps the kids build their character - and, to not only resist bullying others but also to stand up to let everyone know that bullying, in any form, is wrong. Hmmm.. I know some adults that could benefit from time spent with a Bully Prevention Specialist.

This morning came with everyone waking up on time, or exceptionally early. Isaac, our morning procrastinator, came out of his room about an hour before he needed to, already dressed with his shoes on, and he immediately brushed his teeth without being told. I love the motivation that comes with back to school time!

Audrey hanging while she waits for departure to the bus stop. She had a short-lived panicky situation as it downpoured right before she was to head out. Thankfully, the sun ended coming out.

If you can guess what this bag is for, you win the prize! { Hint: Bus rides can create motion sickness in some children. } She resisted this addition to her bag right up until the memory of two sick episodes last year came flooding back to her.

 

I had to interrupt Isaac's early morning filling-anxious-time-scooter-ride to get him to do a First Day of School pose. He was SO excited this morning. He kept going back and forth... car rider or walker... decisions, decisions.  

Don't forget to come back tomorrow to hear about Ian's first day of Kindergarten!

Zzzzzz...Zzzzzz...

Girlz Just Wanna Have Fun - Part II

Last night, Audrey and her friends had a Back to School sleepover, which also included the girls going to the Back to School dance at their new middle school.

They arrived to our house after the dance around 9:30pm. They were alittle wound up, but they quietly headed down to our finished basement where they could have their own space and do what twelve year old girls do. Scream, laugh, scream some more, etc.

I eventually fell asleep, but sometime around midnight, I heard Matt get out of bed and go downstairs. I could hear many little girls screaming and laughing through the vents. It sounded liek they were yelling to one another from across three rooms!

Matt eventually crawls back into bed and told me that he had gone downstairs to our first floor to text Audrey, who was in our basement. Is that not the best Dad ever? He knew she would be mortified if he actually went down into her space to ask them to keep it down so I could get my much needed beauty sleep.

Repeat around 1:30am. Ugh. Not much sleep for Mr. and Mrs. White last night.

This morning, of course there was no sound from the basement for hours. While they slumbered, Matt and I talked about a few things.

It was so nice to see all of the girls the night before displaying who they are and their individual personalities by their outfits and makeup. Some spent most of an hour getting ready for the dance, while others didn't fuss a bit. One wore crazy knee highs and another wore bright neon clunky rapper tennis shoes. Crazy knee high girl had on strips of glittery royal blue on her eye lids. Some wore glittery bows and others were STILL messing with their hair in the windows of the van as I dropped them off. 

As Matt lay in bed awake, he said he kept going back and forth between the thought that Audrey would never, ever have another sleepover again in her life... and the thought that this is what we have always wanted for her (and the exact reason that we finished the basement with the touches that we did). We wanted to create a space where the kids would feel safe and  comfortable to just hang out.

My thoughts kept going back to my own childhood. Earlier in the night, I had asked Matt if I should sleep on the couch in case they decided to sneak out. They would never get away with that, he said. At one point of last night, I could hear the girls tip-toeing up the stairs. Just for food. Phew. They are so lucky.

I also thought of the alcohol we have in the basement refrigerator. I told Matt that I would hope if someone tried something with those bottles, Audrey, the rule follower, would come get us. There ain't no way a seventh grader would tell on her friends, he said. Really? Because my bet is still on Audrey. As I type this, I am sitting here wondering what my reaction would be if someone tried something. Did you see my last post about anger management issues?

What were we worried about? Look at these sweet, sleep-deprived, yet well-fed angels?

I Was So Mad

I came home the other day and Isaac announced to me, "I have anger management issues."

I wanted to reply, "No duh. Don't we all around here."

An hour or so later, I pull this book out to read to Ian. And, Isaac says, "Yep, I had to read that too."

Dog Whisperer

A couple of weeks ago, our 3-year old cockapoo bit our five year old. I first blogged about it here.

Today was the first meeting with the trainer. A.MA.ZING. I wanted to give just a quick recap of the couple hours we spent with her because many of you have asked about it.

Essentially, the trainer came to our home, and we talked ALOT about our interactions with Rico. His likes, dislikes, tolerances, triggers, etc. She then introduces the "clicker" as training tool. We practiced using it, and the BEST part of the whole afternoon was seeing Rico act PERFECT.

In the past, if our kids - or, God forbid, other children - were running or playing in the yard, Rico would be running and jumping and nipping. Not today. He was so well behaved as the trainer counter-conditioned him. It was looooooovely.

The trainer taught us things that we should have known... and somethings that we just needed to tweek... there were maybe A-HA moments, I must say.

Dog trainers are a huge expensive, there is no doubt about it... but, we are so glad that we took the step. Stay tuned...

Girlz Just Wanna Have Fun

Don't let their sweetness fool you... these girls are heading off to the infamous 7th grade, where the boys are cute and the girls are mean. I have a feeling it is going to be a fun, yet rough, year for these little ladies. I thought things would be different for Audrey in middle school - my 7th and 8th grade years sucked, quite frankly - but the issues are all the same, it seems.

It is interesting though... I never wanted to talk about any of the nastiness that went on with my Mom. Likely because I didn't think she would understand or if I spoke about it, it would make it more real. But, Audrey is talking. And, it sounds like her friends are talking to their Moms, too.

I guess we all have to hope and pray that as Moms, we guide and encourage our daughters to be inclusive, kind, respectful, modest, and overall good examples to their friends and acquaintances. Because in the end, those that alienate themselves by being "mean girls" are only hurting themselves, and one day, it will seem so silly.  

Life Purge

Dear friends & family,

I am in the middle of a life purge. Some things, events and people will make the cut and others will not. In the end, remember, it's not you or them... it's me. 100% me.

It may be difficult to understand my rationale, so I am not going to even try. Let me just say that I was created a certain way, with certain tolerances, intolerances, likes and dislikes, and limitations. I am X, yet for the past couple of years, and for various reason(s), I was trying to be Z.

Ain't happening any more. Most people in my life won't even notice. Some will. And I pity those that try to figure it all out.

There, and I don't even need therapy. { Or maybe this shows that I do. }

Love,
Me

A boy and his dog

A couple of weeks ago, we had an incident where Rico seemlingly bit Ian, our five year old, in the face after Ian woke him up from a sleep. This happened the day before we were supposed to leave for a week's vacation, with Rico in tow. Thankfully, a friend was able to watch Rico instead while we were gone, which gave us some time to sort our thoughts and come up with a game plan. The initial reaction was that we needed to give Rico away (Matt wanted to put him down). But with some thought and guidance, we have decided to go in another direction.

I know everyone has their own opinions and ideas about dogs that have bitten someone, especially a child... and most of them likely differ from mine. Here is how I see it... and this isn't just because Rico happens to be our dog and one that I especially love... 

We have not invested an ounce of training into Rico. I am not talking about formal professional training. We have taught the dog how to sit, and that is it.  Sitting. Helpful. In about three situations I can think of. We have treated Rico as a furry human for the past three years and not as a dog. And, unfortunately, because he is an animal, a couple weeks ago, he was pushed to get as agressive as he could to get Ian to take his cues. And, because of how Ian was wounded, it is likely Rico didn't actually bite him. Which is good news, but I will get  to this later.

Whether you can relate (I use relate vs "agree" on purpose) or not, Rico is a part of our family.  We have created this little monster, and I will not have him put down for acting like a dog. I also will not give him away before trying to reverse the behavior because he is our responsibility. I will not pawn the problem off to someone else, untrained, to have him do it again... and then be put down. He is a great, smart, and loving dog, and as his family, we need to find the time and energy to go through the steps to correct the triggers of his aggression and curb his response.

On the day that the incident happened, we immediately called the vet for guidance, and she gave us the name of a trainer. The trainer and I finally connected yesterday, and the first question she asked me was, "Did Rico actually draw blood and create a true bite where medical attention needed to be sought?"... he drew blood, but did not create a true bite. While he did have a couple scratches on the side of his nose, the actual "wound" was on the inside of Ian's mouth. It looked like he had been punched in the kisser. Per the trainer, this likely was not a bite, which shows that Rico can control his bite. Why is it important or why make the differentiation? Because it shows that Rico has likely done all that he can do without actually biting. { Believe me when I say that Ian has agitated this dog to no end over the years, and he has put up with it for a very long time. } Apparently, if a dog is going to bite, it is a BITE... no confusion about how the wound was created. While I understand the severity of the situation, it also shows that Rico likely has the good control needed to reverse the problem.

The trainer will be coming to our house on Friday to get the ball rolling. I will keep you posted on how it goes... I have a feeling, in the end, it is going to be five humans with our tails between the legs.

Transformation

Remember when we traveled to Memphis to see my sister in June, and when we got back, I decided to do some rearranging of rooms? If not, check it out here.

Well, here you see the finished office product. This room used to be our dining room. Mr. White will now take your calls.

When we decided to make the dining room the office, we were going to close it off with french doors, however, the cost of that project thrwarted our efforts. But, I got a new paint job out of it.

The foyer went from a burnt red to grey. We love it. The kitchen is a few shades lighter than this. Also a great improvement over my bright blue!

We need to add some more color in both areas, but I knew some of you wanted to see the color!

Tomato Candy

I hope someone has a good tomato recipe...

What we did - Mayleville 2010

This is for me and my family... not for you...  but if you care to know (and my in-laws likely do!), then so be it. Enjoy. We had a blast!

Day #1 - Saturday
Arrival day for us, along with 11 others. Nana, Tony, Sherrie, Craig, Grace and Connor (BF), Seth, Cathy, Aaron, Lucy and Griffin. It was a beautiful, hot day spent on the dock and in the water... then playing cornhole and ladder ball. Isaac had an AWESOME time meeting his cousins, Zac and Gabe. Aunt Cathy enjoyed many a Bloody Mary, and the kids learned how to play poker.

Day #2 - Sunday
Our friends the Bowers and Sneiders came to visit. Then, along came Uncle Mike, Cole and Chase with their boat. Mike took the kids for a boat ride while the parents caught some R & R on the dock. Sherrie and her clan departed, which left The Whites, The Smiths (my younger sister's family) and Nana (my mom) and Tony (step-daddy). Isaac also jumped 997 times on the pogo stick (later in the week, he hit 1100!)

Day #3 - Monday
Put-in-Bay. Hollar! With the Smiths and Cole and Chase Mayle.
 

We go to PIB every year... since like forever and a day ago. It changes some but the premise is still the same. When I was growing up, we would hit PIB for ice cream on my grandpa's boat.

Today, it is a similar kind of event. Although, now we take the Miller Ferry, which is actually where I (and my sister Cathy) made some bucks from about age 16-21. Straight off the dock, we had to find Billy Market to catch some kisses, then we headed to the Miller Boat Line offices to say hello to Julene Market, Billy's sister, and our former boss. It has been about 15 years since I have seen her last... girl, you look good!

We then headed to Frosty's for some lunch.

Last year, after lunch at Frosty's, Cathy and I allowed Matt and Aaron to stay behind to get to know the bartender, but this year, we did it a different way. You see, we had two 12 year olds with us, which means double the babysitter. So, we cozied up to the window at Frosty's, which had a clear shot of the park, and we let the kids run free, under the watchful eye of two twelve-year olds, of course. Eventually, Matt and Aaron went out to tend to the kids while Cathy and I hit the porch of the Round House. There, we met Stan, the "bouncer" who did not card me... but also flattered me by seeming stunned that I was 38 yrs. old. And, he bought that Cathy was 29. Pfft.

And, after a couple of gift shops, we were done. If I ain't gonna see Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs at PIB, I am done.

Day #4 - Tuesday
It was HOT and gross. The algae had moved into the beach and we weren't able to swim. I honestly don't even recall what else transpired this day, other than ending it with a jaunt to Nana's house a few miles away for a quick shower in the air conditioning.

Day #5 - Wednesday

Cedar Point Day. It started out as a beautiful, sunny day. We arrived at the amusement park separately... me, Ian, Aaron (my brother-in-law) and Lucy (neice) in one car, and Matt, Isaac and Audrey in another. Sissies vs. Dare-devils. We went our separate ways in the park too.

We arrived at Camp Snoopy, via the cable cars and train, and first rode the Nascar ride with Ian and Lucy. Harmless. Moved on to the TRUE first roller coaster experience for these two... Woodstock Express. They LOVED it.

From there, Aaron suggested the Tilt-a-Whirl. Out loud. In front of God and my 5 year old son. I said no. Ian said yes. So, we went. All 4 of us. It was fun until about 30 seconds was left of the ride when it felt like my stomach was in my throat. It ended, and I looked to Aaron and Lucy in the tin can next to us. Aaron was feeling my pain. We exited the ride, and ultimately had to sit, in our own dripping sweat, with the hopes that the motion sickness would subside. I was shaking. LOVE CEDAR POINT.

We ate lunch, all the time getting updates from Matt about what a great time they were having going on the real rides.

Then, I get a text telling me that they had waited one and a half hours in line for the Millenium Force. Audrey had no intention of going on it... she was just along for the line. But Isaac... he chickened out. 90 mins. waiting in line. LOVE CEDAR POINT.

Our clan moved on to the swings. Circular motion. Why? No idea. But we did and it was not good. I think Aaron was trying to kill me.

The sheer joy on their faces is worth all of the motion sickness. But really, we could have avoided all of the going round-and-round. Really.

It was a BUSY day. We left promptly after the rain started, and the big kids stayed, of course. Once we got home, we left for Uncle Mike's boat. Hard to explain, but we were headed to some joint on the river for dinner. In the boat. Then, had great bar food. While running into old neighbors.

Day #6 - Thursday

The Smiths headed out the night before, so Audrey, Nana and I had a day to visit my friend, Danielle, and her sweet family at their cottage at Lakeside, OH. I have never been there before, but it was awesome and beautiful.

While we were there, Matt and the boys went to Camp Perry in Oak Harbor, OH to check out some of the military relics.

That night, Isaac ended up jumping the 1100 plus jumps on the pogo stick. He only has about 176 thousand jumps (and 20 hours) more to go to beat the record!

Day #7 - Friday
Hitch 'em up and move 'em out!

We sunned ourselves in the morning. Some of us stayed inside and sent text messages. And, by noon, we were headed east.

It was a GREAT vacation. I almost took us back there today. THAT is how good it was.

My own little slice of heaven

Many of you have asked me about our vacation to Mayleville (pronounced My-lee for those of you that were not fortunate enough to know me before I became Matt's bride). We had a fabulous time... 

What is Mayleville, you ask? It is a little piece of land located on Lake Erie in Port Clinton, OH which was established by my great-grandfather about eight decades (and five Mayle generations) ago.  

My great-grandfather (GGF), Louie Mayle, and his wife Minnie, had seven children, and on this piece of land along Lake Erie, he built one cottage for each adult child, along with one for him and Minnie. Four cottages along the lake, and a driveway between the next row of four.

The cottages were built during the depression, and they were done so by men my GGF employed. He didn't have enough work for them at his company, so he put them to work creating "Mayleville".

Along the way, as Louie and Minnie's children grew older (two of them are still with us at 90 - twin girls - and going strong. They both live at their original cottages all summer long.), the next generation assumed the responsibility of the cottages. Some have changed hands... but they are all still in the family.

There are currently hundreds and hundreds of us in the "Mayle family". We are all cousins. We all are connected and share a bond. Some we may not have seen in years, but we are Mayles. There is nothing like it.  And, every five years, we have a family reunion. At Mayleville, of course.

Growing up, in my generation, we spent much of our summers at Mayleville. We were there at least every Sunday, and spent at least two weeks renting one of the cottages. It was my favorite place growing up, and it is quite possibly still my favorite. It is where I swam in the lake during thunderstorms (because that was THE BEST!), smoked my first cigarette, built mud pies by the dozens, dug for clams with my feet, painted rocks and sold them to my relatives, caught fire flies, played hide-n-go seek for hours on end... I could go on and on...

Now, we get to spend a week there every summer, sharing the history and the lake with our own families. Where else can you play, fish, ride and swim freely, day in and day out? Many of us also share Mayleville with our friends during the "off season". I wish I could take you ALL there.

First day of vacation. It was HOT and there was lots of Mayleville (and non-Mayle) activity in the water. Many, many Bloody Marys were drunk on the dock that day.  Oh yea, the alcohol flows alittle too freely at Mayleville. There is a saying hanging in our cottage that says, "Giving a Mayle champagne is like putting a tie on a pig." Still makes me giggle.

One night, I found Lucy, my neice, fishing on the dock alone. All of the kids have a pretty good grasp of fishing. Although, I did have to bait one hook this vacation. YUK.

Aaron, my brother-in-law, and Griffin, my sweet nephew. This is what your feet look like after a day on Mayleville turf. Double YUK.

And, this would be a friendly game of ladder ball-while mooning the photographer. If you are in my family (by blood or by marriage), chances are, anything is fair game. Even your bum.

This is the BEST part of Mayleville. My kids are able to meet their cousins, who are like 10 times removed, but they are still Mayles (in this case, literally) as these are the Mayle boys playing with the White boys. My boys had such a wonderful time with their cousins, and they will not forget this summer.

I know, because I remember them all.