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Our sitter snapped this picture of us just before we left for our date night at the The Melting Pot last week. I hadn't been there in 10+ years (since the weekend that I first met Mike's mom). It was slow-paced, the perfect spot to just settle in and talk. And, of course, it was very yummy. I'm craving fondue just thinking about it.
On Friday night, I attended (worked) a silent auction to benefit our neighborhood pool. My neighbor, Shawne, & I co-chaired the event and have been working like crazy people over the past month to pull everything together. My dining room turned into a warehouse of auction items several weeks ago and I have been diligently keeping the toys hidden so that they boys wouldn't tear into them. But, as I was loading up the car on Friday afternoon, Miles spotted a matchbox carrying case (exactly the way an eagle spots its prey). He started asking me a million questions about it and I described the auction and its purpose. He pleaded with me to "please, please bid it!" and I told him that I would -- but that I couldn't guarantee that I'd win it. He then RAN to find his wallet and his bank. He emptied both (full of change) and said, "here, mom. You can use this when you're bidding." He then persuaded Noah to donate his funds as well. That item turned out to be a hot one at the auction....but, rest assured, armed with my ziploc bag full of change (ok, and my checkbook), I was the winner at the end of the night.
The boys were SO excited to play with it in the morning (it came stocked with 24 matchbox cars) and at least one boy has been playing with since. 
As a way to amp up some fun at the auction, we coordinated with an auction vendor in GA to send us some celebrity items (we buy them only if they sell and the money we make comes from anything earned above the products "base price"). We sold a few, but have a bunch to send back later this week. In the meantime, if you are interested in any of these items, we'll sell them to you at the base price (we wouldn't make any $ on them, but could save $ since we wouldn't have to ship them back). There is a list below of what is left. Maybe a fun Christmas present for someone on your list? :)
(the colors in this photo are really cool. and, doesn't michael jordan look like a rock star with his cigar? it was taken at the 2007 wachovia championship in charlotte)Here are the base prices of what's left (I've included the "value" given to us. I'm sure its slightly inflated, but who knows :).
TIGER WOODS & MICHAEL JORDAN UNSIGNED framed photo in 16X20 $175 (value = $350)
JAKE DELHOMME Carolina Panthers QB SIGNED framed photo in 11X14 $100 (value = $250)
ALGE CRUMPLER Carolina Panthers RECEIVER SIGNED FOOTBALL $110 (value = $285)
KYLE BUSH SIGNED #18 1:24 M&M's CAR $135 (value = $325)
TONY STEWART Old Spice # 14 1:24 SIGNED CAR $135 (value = $325)
DALE EARNHARDT JR. SIGNED #88 NATIONAL GUARD HAT $80 (value = $200)
JIMMIE JOHNSON 3x NASCAR CHAMPION Lowe's SIGNED HAT $80 (value = $200)
TAYLOR SWIFT SIGNED/FRAMED CD/PHOTO 11X14 $105 (value = $250)
PS While I was taking the above picture, Griffin sneaked into Mike's office (directly across from the dining room), opened the top desk drawer, grabbed a pack of gum, and began opening and chewing. This little guy is a fiend when it comes to gum. He knows exactly where its kept in our junk drawers and he loves it. Mike mentioned a few days ago that it might be a good potty training treat for Griffin (when we get there) since we (obviously) never let him chew it. We do find it funny that Miles (and Noah) have yet to chew gum, and Griffin (the young, rebellious one?) apparently has plenty of experience.
The little guy and the big guy....
Miles spent 5 days in New Bern, then we spent the weekend in Apex, then Noah spent 6 days in New Bern. We've also spent time at camp, at the beach, in Summerville, and in Florida. Its been great and has passed in a FLASH.
Miles starts 1st grade two weeks from today. WOW.
Last year Noah and Griffin attended 2 different preschools (yep, I had 3 boys in 3 different schools). But, after spending a fun week at vacation bible school this summer, I've decided to transfer Noah and Griffin to that nearby church's preschool program. They start after Labor Day with Noah is signed up for 5 days a week (though I can see him staying home on many Fridays) and Griffin is signed up for Tuesdays and Thursdays. As a bonus, Griffin's favorite friends from his preschool class at Forest Hill happen to be enrolled in the same class at this new school. I'm telling you, it was meant to be. 
Hard to believe the school countdown is on! I think we'll all welcome the structure (and cooler temps!) that the school year brings, but until then, consider us grounded in Charlotte....and footloose and fancy-free.
While Noah was in New Bern, Miles spent his mornings at martial arts camp with our neighbor, Will. It was based on Jeet Kune Do, and they learned boxing, kick-boxing, wrestling, and grappling moves. Both boys loved it!
On the last day, they had a little tournament combining all of the moves that they'd learned and Miles came in 3rd! I was very proud of him (and he of himself), especially considering that the kids that came in 1st and 2nd are students at the school already (and older, I think). 
Miles has a new-found passion for martial arts now and keeps telling us that he wants to earn his black belt. I've heard that the classes are much different than camp (more structured, focused, etc..), so we'll see what he thinks of a class. Would be fun if he continues to enjoy it, though!
Mike did martial arts for a few years when he was younger and Mike's sister, Shannon, earned a black belt as an adult (doesn't she look impressive?! Makes me want to give it a try.) Maybe we'll find out that it runs through the Brown family blood. If so, look-out Noah & Griffin....Miles may soon have some new moves to try out!
Noah spent this past week with Mike's parents in New Bern. He had a great time hanging out with them, playing with their toys, going to their pool. Peggy said that he was so excited when he woke up on the first morning and kept saying things like, "I have the entire house to myself! I don't have to share these toys with anyone! This is so fun!" We laughed and laughed as she told me the story. He called us on the phone each night and I loved hearing his little voice say, "I love you! I miss you!" It was so sweet. So glad our middle child got hang out for a week and be the center of his grandparents' attention. Seriously, what could be better?!
Bob & Peggy offered to drive Noah all of the way home, so they came for a visit on Friday. Just before they left on Saturday afternoon, I snapped a picture of each of them with Miles. Bob is here sporting a cowboy hat signed by Kenny Chesney (for sale in our upcoming auction).
Love the sweetness of this hug with Peggy and Miles. 
I'm so glad that the boys have spent such special time with their grandparents (and great-grandmothers!!) this summer. Talk about a summer of memories. Couldn't be better.
The days seem to blur by this summer, and I've been slow to blog and haven't been writing much down. I need to sit down and write a page about Griffin....he's growing and changing so much. Its amazing. Until then, here are a few things to document before I forget them.
*****
Do you have a two-year old? And a subwoofer? If so, investigate its contents. We found ALL of this in ours last week. Griffin is officially a master stockpiler.
*****I washed Noah's bedding one afternoon (several sheets, blankets, etc..). When I opened the lid of the washing machine, Luke Skywalker was in position, staring at me. Bizarro! I honestly stood still for several moments, just staring at it, wondering if I was on candid camera. Had to take a picture of it, since Mike was on the road.
*****
Last week while Noah and I were building a block tower, he looked up at me and said, "Mom! What happened to your eye brows? They are teensy-weensy now!" Good grief, another Brown boy taking after his father with an insane attention to detail. I am definitely outnumbered. :)
My neighbor and I are in charge of our neighborhood pool's silent auction this year. So, on one of the hottest days of the summer, Miles and I distributed our share of invites (about 100) to the big event. He was a huge help....running up to each house that had a mail slot in the door. He's spy it from the street, grab an invitation out of the wagon, and run up the driveway. It was precious.
We needed to cool off as soon as we got back home, so Miles peeled off his clothes and turned on the hose. Ahhh.....
He got a little silly (surprise, surprise) and started spraying the mailbox. 
Pretty soon his silliness turned into a rigged-up water fountain. Pretty clever (and, yes, I'm sure it was 100% sanitary, right?). 
Man, I dig this little guy. Really, really dig him. 
On Saturday morning, Mike left before we woke up to do a swim-bike trial run of his upcoming triathlon. When he was finished, he described it as brutal. During the swim he was kicked time and time again, and since the course was hard to determine (not well marked and it was his first time swimming the distance in a dark lake), he swam way off course and had to double-back. He and his friends then took off on the bike course,which Mike said was very hilly and confusing (he actually got lost and had to double back a couple of times). I'm so proud of his hard work and really excited to cheer him on in August -- and I'm oh, so glad that I've decided to bump my race to a one later in the year in October (shorter distance and more time to train while the boys are in school, since I haven't made it to the gym at all this summer).
While Mike was training, the boys and I packed the car and settled in for a 3-hour drive to my parents' house/our first leg of our Operation Grandmother Road Trip (I felt really lazy, "just sitting there" while Mike was exercising his strength and endurance :). Soon after we arrived, we girls headed out to watch Dana try on wedding dresses while the boys hung out with my dad. Dana looked BEAUTIFUL in every single one. I will certainly be crying when she walks down the aisle (I'm tearing up now, just thinking about it). She is amazing.
(Had to cut off the dress...no peeking before the big day!)Here's one more super cute picture from Lindsey's blog.
On Sunday morning, 3 sisters & 3 boys & a bunch of suitcases & what felt like zillions of toys, loaded into my minivan on our way to Deland, FL to visit my dad's mom ("Nona"). The boys strapped on their headsets (we stocked up at Blockbuster with 10 "new" movies) and we were on our way.
The boys did great on our first 5 1/2 hour leg, with just one stop at a McDonalds to eat, get a new toy, and run around. Of course the playland was 10x the fun with 2 crazy aunts to play with!
By the time we got to Deland the boys were ready to combust. My Nona's tiny, one room retirement home (chocked full of breakables!) was no place for the boys, so Dana & Lindsey hung out while the we checked out a local park. They could have run around for hours, but after a few minutes, we all met my Uncle Bruce & Aunt Kitty for dinner. It was great to see them, though near impossible to visit much and keep the boys entertained/sitting still/eating & drinking without spilling, etc.. I did my best, but did end up rushing their hyper bodies to the car before the check even arrived. After all of those hours stationary in the car, can't really blame them, I guess. 
Here we are with my Nona. This picture cracks me up. Miles looks like he's sitting on a tac. I look like I have the neck of a giraffe (and look like I'm worried I'm about to be cut out of the picture..haha). Griffin is being squished and has some funny sideways face. I really don't care through, we're all with my Nona. I love this woman. Down to my core. I can remember adoring her as a little girl and wanting to be just like her. She collected elephants, so I started collecting elephants. She loved to needlepoint, so I asked her to teach me how to cross-stitch. She loved to cook and I loved being in the kitchen with her, just to be where she was. I especially loved when she made her canella cookies and nuts and bolts. Yum. Now, I just wish that I had more time with her. In our quick, 24-hour trip to Deland, I really didn't get the chance to talk to her at all. Or listen. I love listening to her stories. I was so sad as I hugged her goodbye, because it was so amazing to be right there with her, yet I missing her at the same time. 
My Nona has always stayed busy with her hands. When her vision was better, she loved to needlepoint and make quilts. These days, she knits blankets....and blankets....and blankets. She let each of the boys pick one out, which THRILLED them. They took turns laying them out on the floor and folding them up (over and over). They curled up with them immediately in the car and they've been snuggling with them every since. 
And we're off again....next stop: Pompano Beach to see Grandma T, Aunt Phyllis & Uncle Mike! 
