The Alford Family: This week in pictures (kind of) August 17, 2014-August 23, 2014

This week has been tiring. Not because we have been doing a whole lot, but just from traveling with the littles. Going anywhere these days takes a great deal of patience, creativity, and organization. This is true for traveling 8 hours away to going to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things. I once thought I was SO organized, but there are areas in my organizational skills that needs LOTS AND LOTS of work.

But anyway, on Sunday, we were in Ohio. We went to church with my Aunt Carol and Uncle Dave. Of course Sally wouldn't allow me to sit in during the sermon. So, I ended up in the nursery with her. Ava, in her typical Ava style, walked right in to the nursery she had never been before and had a good time. I love how she enters new experiences with such ease. After church, my aunt Carol made a delicious lunch and we hung around their house the majority of the day. Towards the evening, my grandma was ready to go back down the street to her house and so we went down there and spent a couple more hours with her before it was time for the girls to go to bed and for me to say my tearful goodbye to grandma.

Around 5:30 am the following morning, we loaded up the girls, said a couple more goodbyes to my aunt and uncle and hit the road. Of course, Ava stayed awake for a good long while. But, altogether, they are both very good travelers. Ava was the energizer bunny and Sally did her fair share of playing and not taking her routine naps, so they were very tired and exhausted after we ate breakfast at our usual stop in Rio Grande, Ohio, the home of Bob Evans. I wanted to get a picture of the girls here, but Curtis wouldn't let me. I was irritated by that, as it has become tradition, and it would have been the first picture there with both girls in it...but..oh well.

Tuesday was back to the real world. Curtis back to work and I had tons and tons of laundry to catch up on. Thankfully, I was pretty diligent the day before we left at getting the house in tip top shape so there wouldn't be a lot of cleaning to do upon entering the house Monday. I hate coming home from an out of town trip to a messy home and then when you add all your luggage and unpacking to that it makes for a horrendous time. Anyway, I was also hard at work when we got back unpacking everything and putting it where it goes. By Monday evening, most of the things that had been packed were unpacked and put away and a load of laundry was already started.

This made for a much calmer Tuesday. We were able to play and just kind of do whatever with no expectations. It was a nice change for once. So that is what we did all day. We played, listened to music, read books, among other things. We did not get in the car to go to one place!

Wednesday our friends, the Black's, came over for a bit. The kids got to play and I got to talk to an adult. Those kiddos are so cute together. It is really sweet to watch them. I was horrible at getting pictures of this week...so I have none of this morning. I'm such a slacker. Wednesday was another day that we just enjoyed being home and doing things around the house. I finally got around to cleaning out and organizing our downstairs closet. It looks so much better!

Here are mostly craft things like play-doh, paint, construction paper, crayons and markers. The two bottom drawer house shoes we were on a regular basis and our winter things like mittens, ear muffs, and hats.

Cat and dog food and the vacuum.

Wednesday night during dinner we had a door to door salesman come to our door. Curtis had just pulled into the driveway and I know he was not amused or thrilled to be having this man (very enthusiastic man, at that) on our front porch trying to sale us this cleaning solution. But, I was amazed by this stuff. After dealing with a long sales pitch and seeing the stuff at work, I was in love and I HAD TO HAVE SOME!!! I had juice stains on my carpet I hadn't been able to get off with anything I had tried and I had tried several different things to no avail. I put this stuff on it and within a minute of scrubbing, the stains were gone! It is amazing!

Thursday we went up to Poplin, the school where I use to teach, and we said hey to some old friends. We also finalized my Thirty-one order so I can get my new stuff!!!! We were going to go to the store after we left there, but I took so long talking to other adults, that the girls were getting restless and hungry. We went home after that and ate lunch and took naps. Once the girls got up from their naps, we headed to Target to get some things we were low on or completely out of. While we were getting back on to the highway, Curtis just happened to be right behind us on his way home from work! Ha! Small world!

Friday, we went to church to help deliver bags to Porter Ridge Elementary School. It was nice to get to do that for some other teachers. I know those supplies will come in handy! Of course, I was a slacker and didn't have time to snap some pictures of this (wish I had because the kids were pretty stinkin cute) but I didn't.

Saturday is one of our favorite days of the week, because Curtis is home, unless he is on call. This Saturday we visited Sea Life at Concord Mills. We got a special deal on tickets. Otherwise, I don't think I would pay full price to go there. It was neat, but not nearly big enough. Ava loved it, though. Here are some pictures of her there.