Additional Link Just in Case- Blogger is SO finicky!

https://picasaweb.google.com/102306683465539559487/Disney2014?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKHW7oft-JG7OA&feat=directlink

Disney 2014 - Slideshow

Woo hoo - been trying to get these downloaded and posted for a month!  What an INCREDIBLE experience it all was.  Too many highlights to recount. Pictures are worht a 1,000 words.  Have a looksie for yourself.

https://picasaweb.google.com/102306683465539559487/Disney2014?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKHW7oft-JG7OA&feat=directlink

White Collar Crime

Hard not to feel suffocated by the incredible amount of bullshit emanating from Washington these days.   You want to read something that actually matters?  Read this.  White collar crime at it's finest.  Until we collectively grow a pair and do something about it - ain't nothin' gonna change in this country; including our rapidly eroding position in the world economy .  What an amazing, fulfilling career to have had.  What a cool guy.  Marty Sullivan for president!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/26/marty-sullivan-figured-out-how-the-worlds-biggest-companies-avoided-billions-in-taxes-heres-how-he-wants-to-stop-them/

Labor Day 2013 - On Tiki Time

Soo...apparently Google has rebranded Picasa into Google+ Photos.  I love how they just change their products whenever the hell they want without warning and disable features you use all the time - arghh.  And, I actually pay for this account!  Anyway, here are pics from Labor Day weekend in Kure Beach.  We rented a new house - The Tiki House - and it was so charming - we may have a new favorite.  It was definitely a very tiki weekend - lots of time with friends and family.  Hope this works - if not just paste the link below into a browser and it should take you to pics.

https://plus.google.com/photos/102306683465539559487/albums/5919940948144259121?authkey=CJO7xa7x29W8xAE

Lake Winni 2013 - Photoganza

Lots of pictures : ) One suitcase unpacked, one to go. Miss everyone!

New dining room :)

Love it!  Can't wait too see it with the new floors :)

Snow Leopard

Shoot - I forgot my favorite one!  Thx for the reminder Auntie Jamey! 

He drew this on the way to Wrightsville for July 4th :)

More of DCU's Art

I just can't get over Devlyn's drawings lately.  Here are some recent sketches. He's so into it.  I love it.  I pasted a little something from Weebsie in at the end :). He sees Devlyn drawing all the time right now so he's filling up notebooks too - so cute!

Camper of the Week

Guess who was voted Camper of the Week in his huddle at Y Camp today?

New Beginnings

Devlyn's class had their end of year party today.  There was a Hawaiian theme and a "red carpet".  Each student was called up and walked up and down "the carpet" while the teacher read a little bit about what they're looking forward to in 2nd grade.  Devlyn's said he's looking forward to learning about Geology.  Devlyn was recognized as the class "Writing Wizard" this year for his stories.  Charles will love that.  As usual, both teacher's commented on how smart he is : )  So proud of him.  We're headed back up to the school in 15 minutes for "Meet the Teacher" where we'll learn who he'll have for 2nd grade.  Incidentally, ran into his kindergarten teacher from last year in the hallway as we were leaving the party.  I heard she was leaving and asked her where she was headed.  Her husband has been transferred and they're moving to Connecticut.  Of course I had to ask where, never in my wildest dreams imagining what her answer would be.......Newtown.  Hard for me not to make about a million connections in my head after hearing that.  I explained that it's a beautiful area and she'll love it.  What a time to move there as a kindergarten teacher.  Wow.

Time to go learn who Devlyn will have for second grade!

The Look

Devlyn still loves to use this look.  This picture represents the beginnings of it.  It was taken in April 2008 PW (pre-Weebsie).  3 days left until Devlyn is a rising 2nd grader.  Doesn't seem possible :)

Devlyn the Poster Boy

Does this face look familiar?  Tweetsie Railroad (a client at Charles' agency - FWV) used a picture we sent them from our visit in a recent promotional post they put up on Facebook.  They were kind enough to give us free tickets so we made out well in the deal!


https://www.facebook.com/Tweetsie

Bubye Dusty Red

When we bought this house the ONLY room we didn't mess with was the dining room. Aside from changing out the cabinetry hardware, new curtains and switching out the light fixture, it remained as is. I'll admit the dusty red color worked well for holidays. It was perfectly festive and made for great pictures :) The other 10 months of the year it was just red and aside from the hair of the "men" in my life, I don't care for red. Especially dusty, almost maroon, SO early-2000 Southern dining room red. Ew! The red got primed today. Next up, charcoal gray.

Devlyn the Budding Artist

One of the best things about kids Devlyn's age is watching their true interests and talents develop. Devlyn has always enjoyed drawing and art but he's really taken that interest to the next level this year. He's always drawing - it's so cute. He takes his sketchbook on the bus and draws every chance he gets. Favorite subjects are superheroes, game characters and animals. He's just starting to branch out into drawing people. His peers and some teachers have recently started to take notice and you should see the twinkle that puts in his eyes. The best part is how much he enjoys doing it. Here is a recent self-portrait and a drawing of a bumblebee bat that he wrote a report on.

From Facebook Today

Nothing bothers me more than when a distressed parent finds our advocacy groups desperately seeking information b/c their child has been injured by fluoroquinolone antibiotics.  Knowing the pain and suffering an innocent child is going to battle for years on end b/c of these drugs shakes me to the core.  I don't understand how this happens and why noone does anything about what, to me, seems like something that should be so simple to eradicate through education.  It's so evil and wrong.  I'll be silently begging the universe to help this woman's daughter.  

Tina Cudworth GilsinnFluoroquinolone Antibiotic Toxicity (Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Floxin)

My daughter (then 8) took Levaquin in 2011 for almost 30 days due to an infection that she had in her sacrum bone. Before we started taking the medicine I called the doctor to verify i wasn't poisoning my baby. We stopped taking med because her knee swelled to the size of a grapefruit and her joints kept making a popping sound. She was then sent on to Rheumatologist because the Infectious Disease doctor couldn't explain her knee swelling, but put her on clindamycin and rifapin. She ended up getting a steroid injection to reduce swelling, which it did UNTIL almost a year later her knee swelled up without explanation and she had another injection. The Rheum Dr has now diagnosed my daughter with arthritis. Over the weekend her knee gave out from her and she is in a brace to stabilize it. We are on our way to yet another dr today, ortho, but I feel like all of this is a root from taking levaquin. She still has the issue in sacrum bone, but that has become secondary to the knee situation. Can anyone offer me any advice? Like · · 112 · June 4 at 8:45am near Geneva, IL ·

Tina Cudworth Gilsinn My daughter was just diagnosed with deteriorating cartilage in her knee, I am beside myself! What in the world can I do to reverse all this mess!

Like · Reply · Sunday at 10:12am

Hmmmm

These pics r really bothering me - sorry!

Upside Up Pics

And by the way don't mention this in front of Devlyn when you see him. He's MORTIFIED.

School's Out For Summer!

Well, in our case, not really but from what the teachers have been telling us....everybody is acting like it anyway! We had our first call ever from a teacher this week (and second - ahem). Apparently Devlyn has been goofing around a bit lately. I found these in his daily folder today. I love that he signed them "Love, Devlyn". Aww....

Kure Bound

It's become a tradition - the boys dress like superheroes to kick off the holiday weekend :)

End of the Line

Another sign we're a house full of big boys :(. I've been packing both boys' up for vacation in this small duffle bag for the past five years. I do believe this is the last time that's going to work. Onwards and upwards to individual bags! I feel a visit to LL Bean.com coming on...