I will kiss all your booboos, almost!

Ben will be embarassed when he is old enough to appreciate the following story.

A few nights ago, Ben needed to go to the potty. He usually goes downstairs where the seat lid stays up for his use. This particular night he wanted to use the one in our bedroom. I told him to go ahead since I was getting his stuff ready for bed. A few minutes later I heard this loud scream and he came running to me with he pants around his ankles. I immediately grabbed him up and went back into the bathroom in order to see what happened. Apparently, Ben went to put the lid up and about the time he started to pee, the lid fell back down. Yes... I started to look at it and make sure that we were not going to have to take at trip to the ER. Thank goodness, the lid landed more on his skin than on his wee wee (:), but it was red and I know that it hurt. I told him that I would put some neosporin on it since Ben knows that it does not burn. Instead he asked me, in that sweet little innocent voice of his, if I could kiss it because he had a Boo Boo. Benji had ran up the stairs when he heard Ben scream and then had to leave the room because he was laughing so hard. I politely told him that mommy could not kiss this boo boo but I was sure that the medicine would help. :)

Random Pictures

Apparently, Marcus is snapping pictures even when I do not realize it. Thanks to him, we have lots of great pictures. Here are a few from the last month or so.

Danny made Ben a fishing rod with a stick and some line. Ben was fine with it and caught lots of "fish"

I think he might have realized it was not a real one.

Ben blowing bubbles

Ben gagging, and eventually throwing up his dinner, because he got bubbles in his mouth.

Erin, PA, Melissa, me and Angie. Great, great people!

Carly's rant

So, of course the news all over the country today revolved around the Governor's mysterious trip and his affair. For most of us, we said he was having affair starting Monday when they said he was missing. So, here is my question, why do the men who have fabulous kids, a fabulous wife, a job (it might be stressful but it is better than not having one) and seem to be happy feel the need to have just a little bit more...then a little bit more. In the last few years, I know several guys (we will not call them real men) who seriously had it all, but seemed to think the grass might be a little greener on the other side and decided to stray. These are married adults whose wives are great and overall were happy, but for some reason found someone else to satisfy all their sexual "needs". Yes, most of them were all caught and for most of them their wives have decided to try and make it work. I am just concerned with the loss of old fashion values and morals. No one is perfect and no marriage is perfect, but when you say your vows, aren't you committing to that person forever. Not until things get tough or something better comes along, but forever. Sure it takes work by both parties, sometimes hard work, but a little hard work has never killed anyone. Things are not supposed to come too easy. If after trying everything, then get a divorce. They are costly... and final. No more sorry excuses of why you were there or why you bought this or why there was a "phone number I have never heard of" on your phone. Cut ties and move on. Believe me, it is better for the kids to live apart than live a lie. It took my parents 18 years and years of lies to finally end things and that was after lie after lie was made to make one look better than the other. Such childish drama. I know that I have many faults, but I will always be loyal to the ones I love. But I know sometimes that it is not enough!!

I put a little rant on my facebook and was reminded that he is like all others, a sinner saved by grace. That is great, hopefully he is saved and will walk through the Pearly Gates when he dies. But what happens to him now?? What about his family?? Do people not care because they are so selfish and self absorbed and know they can do now and repent later??

I guess I just need to tell me that this world is truly not going to hell in a handbasket and that there is hope. That all people are not all bad and that there is hope for optimists like me.

Griswald, I mean Lineberry, family Vacation 2009

Every year, we go with Benji's parents to the beach. This year it was extra nice because Angie, my future sister in law, and her fabulous kids went with us. It truly was a week of relaxation. No alarm clocks, no schedules, just doing what we wanted when we wanted.

The view from our porch. We have stayed at this particular house in Ocean Lakes before. We love it because the 2 porches hang over the lake and it is fun to fish and watch the ducks.

Ben and Benji on the golf cart.

Ben loved going to the arcade. Even though, he technically could only play a few games, he thought he was a big kid. Here he is "playing" the shoot the ducks game.

Benji and Ben in the pool

Benji and I at Margaritaville

We had date night on Thursday. Here is my brother in law, Marcus and my future sister in law Angie, at Margaritaville.

We decided to eat a Margaritaville the same night that we were going to Croccodile Rocks, my all time favorite bar. Even though none of us are Jimmy Buffet fans, it seemed like a cool place. We got there at 415 and were told that it would be a 2 hour wait. We knew that we wanted to be at Croccodile Rocks by 7, but we put our name down anyway. We then discovered that the back porch area is first come first served, and walked and waited in that line. We had a table in less than 45 minutes. It was a pretty fun place. There were lots of activities for the kids and Buffet music pouring from the speakers. One of the neat things was this giant Hurricane that came from the ceiling everytime the song "Hurricane" was played. A giant Tequila bottle came from the hurricane and poured into this huge blender. I wanted a picture but there were too may people. The food was okay, but our service and strawberry margueritas were awesome. Pretty sure it would not have been worth the 2 hour wait, but not bad with the 45 minute.

Man on stilts who made balloon creatures

A picture from our seats at Croccodile Rocks. This is a dueling piano bar, that is actually pretty raunchy, but totally fun.

Ben and the kids stayed with Big B and Nana and played putt putt and got ice cream. I will post those pictures as soon as I get them.

One night we all went to Family Kingdom. When I was younger, FK was kinda the baebae Pavillion and we never went there. Well, it has really taken off since the Pavillion has been torn down. There is no admission charge, you only pay to ride rides. The games are affordable, I spent $10.00 and Ben won 4 prizes, and the kids had a blast.

Ben and the Pick a Duck game. He won a frog.

Ben and the fishing game. He won 2 dinosaurs and a lobster.

Benji, Ben and Morgan on the Antique cars. Yes, Benji looks way happy!

Ben and Morgan

Ben and I on the Merry Go Round. Ben said the horses go too fast and he just wanted to sit on the bench. That was fine with me, since apparently I get motion sickness now.

Look out Chad Smith,

You might soon have a replacement.  Our friends, PA and Trevor, own a fabulous music store in Boiling Springs.  If you are ever in need for equipment or supplies, definately see them first.  Today they sponsored a customer appreciation day type celebration and had bands playing in the parking lot.  Our friend, John, (who happens to be the father of one special lady in Ben's life, Sidney) was playing with his new band so we went to check them out.  We had a lot of fun.  Ben wanted to play inside the whole time because he was able to rock out on a great set of drums.  

He liked these first, since they were green.  He practiced a little, but there was no stool.  

He watched Sidney play.

Sidney handing the sticks to Ben

Telling daddy that he can do it by himself

Our own little prodigy

I tried to upload a video, but it takes too long.  Maybe later.

The friendly neighborhood Spiderman

Since Ben is officially potty trained (with no accidents I must add), we told him that he could pick out whatever he wanted.  He said that he wanted a Spiderman bicycle.  Grandma Pat wanted to buy it for him so she was on a mission to find one.  She found one, but it was twice the price as a regular bike.  We decided that since he is growing so fast and is bound to outgrow it soon, we would get the cheaper one, but buy the Spiderman accessories.  

Waiting patiently for Grandma to get it out of the car.  

I told Ben that Grandma was coming home to see him.  She picked him up and had the bike hidden in the back under a blanket.  The first thing he said to her was, "I know you got my bike.  Where is it?"

It took him about 5 minutes to realize that there was no Spiderman on his bike.  He asked where Spiderman was.

We brought out the Spiderman helmet, elbow pads and knee pads.  This made him happy!

Then he told me that he looked like a "Skateboarding guy" and asked if he could have a skateboard.

This is $60,000 *(! *$@! Car Man!

So the family and I venture out for a quick trip to Target today.  On the way, we see this very pretty old, but shiny, blue Studebaker.  Benji and I comment on how nice it is and how we would not dare drive it out in public.  Well, a few minutes later we get behind the car at the red light at Jason's Deli on Hwy 29.  We are the 3rd car at the light when the light changes to Green.  The Stude (as we will call it) breaks (or chokes) down and the driver cannot get it going right away. There is a line of cars behind us and we can not get around, so Benji motions for the other cars to pass us.  They all do, but we cannot move.  We notice that the Stude starts rolling backwards, but were quite positive that the people in the car were aware of it.  Benji is still trying to get over when I notice the Stude is about to roll into us, so I reach over and honk the horn.  About that time, the Stude rolls into us and the woman in the car raises her hands as if to shout "Ya'll hit us". There was not even a bump on our end when they rolled, just a little nudge.  Out jumps old, leathered taters (AKA old, rich people who are apparently on their way to a classic car show) and the man ( with his pastel clothes, bad toupee, leathery skin and porno mustache) jumps out and yells to Benji "You hit my $60,000 car".  I will leave out the expletives that came from Benji, but B yelled back and said you hit me, you idiot.  What are you doing?  I motion Benji back into the car and am dialing 911 because I know that we are going to have a problem.  Berni (think weekend at Bernies, the driver of the Stude) gets on his phone and apparently calls some friends.  Before the cops can get there, Bernie's friend has pulled up in his muscle car and parks in front of the Stude and gets out almost to say that he had been there the whole time.  The cops question them and then us and verify that no damage has been done, however we all know that the person in the back is always at fault.  About that time, an older guy comes up to my window and says that he and his wife saw the entire thing and can witness that Bernie rolled into us.  He nicely talks to the cops and gives his view of the story, also our version.  The woman in the Stude, we will call her Liz (short for Elizabeth Taylor, and in her pastel capris and Key West visor), starts yelling at Benji that there was no way they were rolling because the car was in park.  They were both so obviously lying.  Why would the car be in park at the light and yes, with a straight drive it will roll backwards.  Benji, who at any other time probably would have beat the old man down in the middle of the road, did not say at word and just stood there and waited on the cops to discuss the situation.  One of the cops asked Liz to please be quiet and to get back in the car.  In the end, no one was charged even though we should have asked for a new tag, since ours was bent.  I think that had the witness not come up, Bernie and Liz  and their friend would have conjured up a story so that we would be adding to the classic car collection.  Bernie even told the cop that the witness, who was from Union, must have been a friend of ours.  Long story short, I would rather be a middle class, sometimes a little redneck, honest mom than a rich, bad style, lying tater.  

The end!