Loving: The Unbalanced Chronicles: July 2023

It's vacation time, and once again Darren took us to the West Virginia mountains for a surprise.

In true Sechrist fashion about 24 hours before we were to leave for vacation, Carlee got some kind of hellish poison oak.

#sechristfamilyluck

It started out mild but the more we treated it, the worse it got. It began to get painful because it traveled to her hairline, her scalp, and neck. I was getting worried it would travel to her eye.

Several of my pals advised me NOT to wait to go to the weekend clinic. I have very little experience with this, so I am glad that I did take her instead of waiting it out. The practitioner on call said that Carlee had one of the worst cases she had seen. She also told me that if a child has poison oak on the face, always take them to the doctor to prevent the rash moving into the mouth, eyes, etc.

Carlee did have to power through treatment. She got a shot and prescription medications before we left.

The nurse was from out tennis fam and was absolutely fantastic with
Carlee (who was in the middle of a panic attack).

The good news is the poison oak began to clear up within 48 hours. The bad news- Carlee was on prednisone all week. (Hyper on wheels!!!)

Once we avoided the poison oak disaster, we played a bit of Trunk Tetris (I was starting to miss my van) but we got it all in and then we HIT THE ROAD!

I'm a planned person, so I really HATE stops but guess what?

We made a few stops.

😞
For some reason Connor LOVES antique stores.

His taste runs so classy too.

Total Vintage Style

(At least he doesn't have a racing shirt under that fox fur.)

I don't care for antique shops but sometimes they are really cool.

Look at all these vintage finds-

I wanted to show Carlee some of the books I had as a kid when I lost her.

Where do you think she was!?!

(hint- not in the book section)

In the Vintage Hooker Shoes section

(not the official term)!

We don't even do drugs and we STILL give the Whites of West Virginia a run for their money with our style.

You might remember Darren's infatuation with bridges in 2020.

We revisited the New River Gorge Bridge, and I recreated this picture from three years ago.

This was during the COVID pandemic.

We removed our masks for this photo.

2023

Darren tried to say Connor was about four inches shorter than him!?!

No way.

Connor literally took a growth spurt in one year.

I love these sweet little peanuts!

This stop was unexpected but in order to recreate that photo, I had to climb twenty flights of steps in flip flops too big (I didn't know I would be doing mountain climbing people).

Connor had to turn back to make sure I wasn't dead.

I was wheezing like a smoker of 50 years butttt

I MADE IT!!

After hours of riding we reached our destination!!

The kids and I were a bit skeptical. There really appeared to be NOTHING around Stonewall Resort

(the Walmart was 20 minutes away).

The last WV vacation I deemed "Windy Poplar" from Anne of Green Gables. This resort I nicknamed "Kellermans" from Dirty Dancing.

I felt like we were in the Catskills.

I even rented the movie for Carlee during this trip but once I skipped past the good stuff she got bored. 😆

Kellerman's from Dirty Dancing

Stonewall Resort

All jokes aside, West Virginia is a beautiful state!

Stonewall is an outdoorsy place.

In other words there is no video gaming, iPhone(ing), and sitting in front of a screen. This was a 'get out and move' vacation and it was really good for all of us.

I can't believe it but I now love kayaking!

I want my own kayak.

The kids used a SUP- stand up paddle board.

I really wanted Carlee to do a double kayak with me because she is so young but she was not down with that plan.

She took off on her own (technically you are not supposed to go out on your own unless you are 16 years and older).

What can I tell you?

The Sechrist Fam are Kayaking Rebels.

Daddy O-

the only one of us that doesn't tan, poor guy.

There isn't swimming in the lake but we snuck in a bit on the edge. We asked the 20 year old boy "in charge" (who let Carlee have her own kayak), and he said "if you fall out and swim you won't get in trouble".

Basically we "fell out" and swam a bit.

Carlee enjoyed the non-chlorine swim with her poison oak.

I was enjoying the beauty and tranquillity.

Whennnn...

Carlee swore she saw a jellyfish (possibly a flounder) and then Connor told her the real worry should be the bacteria eating ameba that lives in fresh water and attacks the brain first...

and then fun was over for me.

We paddled back to shore while I tried to shield Connor's head from Carlee's oar

(prednisone don't play).

The indoor/ outdoor pool provided jellyfish and flesh-eating bacteria SAFE Swimming.

(They should put that on their brochures.)

The trails gave us a spectrum of magnificent views.

Each night the fire pit was lit. Families could relax, roast s'mores, or see all the dogs that came out.

There were so many sweet dogs.

This is Billy.

This MAN Child is Connor. 👅

Night Swimming

Our room was a mess of shoes, towels, wet bathing suits, sun screen,

and everything in between!!

Connor and Darren took some time together.

They really wanted to go to the Trans- Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.

You can read about it here.

As an EC teacher, I have researched about the HORRIBLE things that once happened in these asylums. It's truly horrific.

Medicine Cabinet

D. and C. did the historical tour of the Asylum. I know they also offer ghost tours in the evening. I believe the visit was enjoyed by them because they told me a lot about it.

Afterwards, they scheduled some time to play on the Arnold Palmer Signature Greenway.

Connor was really excited about this one (even though he is a tennis guy).

A dress code is required to play on this course.

I knew the Lunatic Asylum was a NO for Carlee unless I wanted her to sleep in my room until 8th grade.

We decided to stay at the resort.

Besides, we would rather watch paint dry than golf.

We spent the rest of the day resting, swimming, kayaking, taking pictures, and we enjoyed a lovely lunch at TJ Muskies together.

Like every place, the resort was short staffed. When Carlee and I went to the kayaks there was no one to help us get going. I was tasked with getting Carlee and myself pushed into the water. I know for a fact that many of the rooms face the kayaks...

and someone was getting a plus sized SHOW.

I was ever so gracefully falling on the shore, rolling in and out of my kayak while in the water, and tripping as I pushed Carlee off.

I got my shoes so muddy that I just threw them away when I got back.

I had planned a spa treatment on site for us both but they told me that Carlee was too young. They were so NOT cool like the 20 year old kayak boy.

It was Ok because I let her use the "spa" money at the gift shop!

Carlee takes such great photos!

I had two free drink coupons to use at lunch.

Carlee had a 'Shirley Temple' and I had a 'Cake on the Lake'. 😛

We were divas with matching sunglasses!

We really wanted to do a 'Taco Tuesday' dinner cruise but they filled up too fast.

We decided to reserve an outdoor table for the fam at Stillwaters.

Look- it's my lucky #3.

We enjoyed dinner as a family by the lake.

The meal did NOT disappoint.

This was a fantastic trip.

Move over Whites of West Virginia...

there is a new FAM in town

THE SECHRISTS OF STONEWALL

Vacation Video Here

I love summer!

I don't even care if it's 110 degrees outside, because I love the slow down.

No more homework, no more books......

I won't lie when I say that I love summer but this one has made me a touch weepy.

Y'all I have a middle schooler AND a senior!?!?

My favorite quote is

'The days are long but the years are short'

(one of the truest things ever).

We have been working so hard to get our vitamin D in this month.

I have been to the pool so much, I told Carlee I have to take a break before I get sun poisoning.

Even with 100 SPF and a hat, my skin really dries out after a pool day

(one of the great things about getting old).

The pool is just one of the few things that make me nostalgic lately. Each year I look out into the blue and review all the levels from 2 to 10 ft. It brings back so many memories.

I see the TIRED mommies with the babies, floats, pull ups, and fifty bags of supplies (the babies are precious).

I see the next phase of mommies with the kids who are learning to swim while they hold them up and down (in and out/ screaming over the sunscreen).

My Connor headed to the next phase of the pool.

The next level(s) are the mommies that are watching their children jump off the side, rope, and slide about a million times.

Finally the time comes where one can land the coveted spot of the "teen section". This is near the diving board, and this is where you finally get to read and relax and let the kids do their own thing.

(Of course, at this point one is old, tired, and wearing an XL bathing suit around the youngsters that have gravity free skin 😜).

Speaking of old...

Our boys have been driving, working, and kick-balling it this summer.

One of these fellows is getting ready to start his very last first day of school.

😢 I. Can't.

I started this blog in 2011- Connor had not yet began kindergarten. I had no idea how long I would document or what the journey would bring.

Back then the few pictures I placed in the blog were a little grainy with mostly stories and gosh awful grammatical errors.

I limited names and pictures of other kids.

Technology and social media made an impact, making it easier to share photos with quick notes of 'goings on'.

This was one of my very first 'blog' pictures of Connor (pre Carlee).

Documenting your children when they are young is a bit easier than when they grow as teens. I've shared the good, the bad, and the ugly through The Unbalanced Chronicles for 12 years.

I have found people really appreciate and relate to the humor even in the most serious situations.

babies

Now I have to be more cautious of my kids privacy as they grow while being mindful of how people may also interpret my words.

I've definitely been under fire for my honesty.

To that I say-

just wait until I retire people.

I will bring allllll the tea to my empty nesters. ;)

As time changes, so does my direction.

Do I want to continue to blog?

Without always adding the kids- should I share my writings? wonderings? hobbies for old people?

I'm just not sure but my creative juices must be expressed.

Speaking of change- at the start of summer I got a NEW CAR

(not new, but new to me)!!!

I decided to give up the mini van.

Even Brennan was sad to see it go! He said it was as much of his childhood as anything. He speaks the truth because despite the fact I haven't driven any boys in a while, I found like 8 balls, not to mention the ten complimentary nerf bullets left in the van. 🤣

Ole red was a good one.

Darren is the KING of looking for used cars. He can find the best deals and the best cars.

I wanted to downsize, since basically I'm Carlee's chauffeur these days. (Another nostalgic miss- talking to Connor in the car and getting all the info.)

I decided on the Mazda.