A One ~ A Two ~ A Three

New Love

2010-06-27T16:15:00.000-04:00

We have a new love in our home. Her name is Lucy.

The kids and I have been searching for a family dog of late. It's taken a while, but she joined our home this weekend.

She's 3 months old and we're completely in love with her.

She's a black lab mix (not sure with what--possibly a little bloodhound).

She's good at fetching.

And sleeping (the kids thought she might be cold and wrapped her up in a blanket).

She's leash trained, crate trained and under our care has learned to sit. She's also learned to sit and wait for us to enter the house first--no bolting and running through our legs to get in first. We think she's pretty smart!

Summer

2010-06-21T06:00:00.001-04:00

The calendar says it's the first day of summer. The thermostat has been reading mid-July - August. Wow! It's been hot!!

What Do You See?

2010-06-17T14:25:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the only thing to do is to start looking at everything again until you forget what you're supposed to see & actually see what's there ~ Story People

Reasons for Celebration

2010-06-14T12:13:00.000-04:00

Last Wednesday was game one of the soccer tournament for Andrew's team. They earned the first seed in the tournament. His team won Wednesday, Friday and headed to the championship game on Saturday morning. At the end of regulation, the game was tied 2-2. At the end of overtime, it was still 2-2, and they had a shoot out. Andrew moved to goalie and stopped every shot!! One of the girls on our team scored a goal, and we won 3-2.

Flying High!

Turning the ball around.

Holding his breath on a goal kick.

Intense look during the throw-in.

Celebrating his goal on a throw in. He intended to throw the ball in, have it hit another play and bounce into the goal. He was successful!!

Stopping the ball during the shoot out.

His 1st Place Medal. Also notice the missing tooth. I pulled it right before the game--in the parking lot. It was just hanging there and I was afraid he was going to swallow it or choke.

Way to go Supersonics!!

Another cause for celebration was Abby's birthday. She's actually 8 today, but is away from home. We celebrated her birthday on Friday.

I found these fun Happy Birthday Sunglasses for her.

She chose an iCarly cake.

This one and the next one were taken while we were
singing Happy Birthday to her.

Making a wish.

And blowing out her candles.

Happy, happy birthday Abby.

Twenty Minutes

2010-05-26T09:45:00.001-04:00

Last night I asked each kid to spend twenty minutes in his/her room cleaning and straightening up.

Out from under Adam's bed came all of this:

Approximately one hour and thirty minutes later, he was still there.

Mother's Day Picnic

2010-05-13T17:00:00.003-04:00

Last Friday I attended my final Mother's Day Picnic at the park with the school's kindergarten classes. It was a gorgeous day. The kids went on a scavenger hunt with their mothers and we traipsed all over the park looking for the items on our list. Andrew and I were down to one final item--an acorn. Andrew thought perhaps we could find one under the trees by the creek. As you can imagine, the rocks in and around the creek were too tempting and several of the kids were jumping from rock to rock. Not surprisingly, Andrew fell in--up to his waist. We had to make a quick trip home for a change of clothes and some dry shoes.

That's my boy!

We had free time before lunch was served to play.

After lunch all of the kids sang songs to the mothers. It's so cute. They had practiced and practiced and did such a good job.

Andrew has a special friend, "T." He asked her mom if it would be okay for them to have their picture taken together. "T's" mom has a folder that she calls "The Andrew Loves "T" Folder." It contains all of the things Andrew has written, colored and drawn for her. It's so cute.

You can see some of the moms reflected in Andrew's glasses. His teacher told the kids they had to take their sunglasses off for the songs so the mommies could see their eyes.

It was a really fun day. As soon as we got home Andrew made his teacher a thank you card.

Here's Adam from my Mother's Day Picnic with him in 2006 (he's in the middle).

And Abby from my Mother's Day Picnic with her in 2008.

Ability, Motivation, Attitude

2010-05-07T12:00:00.001-04:00

Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it
Lou Holtz

Nature

2010-05-06T14:00:00.000-04:00

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. ~ Anne Frank

Glasses

2010-05-05T10:07:00.000-04:00

There was no school yesterday. After an appointment in the morning, we had the rest of the day to play. We decided to go see How to Train Your Dragon -- in 3D. Let me say it never occurred to me that it would be more expensive than your normal "way too expensive" movie. We were going to the same theatre after all; we were just going to receive a pair of glasses to see the movie in 3D. When the lady at the ticket counter told me how much, I almost fell over. Adam said, "How much?" I muttered a number slightly less than $50 -- just slightly. I laughed and said, "What a bargain." To which the ticket lady replied, "Awww, thanks for saying that. Almost everyone is complaining about the price." Too funny!

I have to admit it was money well spent. The movie is so cute and it was so fun for me to sit and watch the kids reactions to it. There were several times where I saw them reach out to touch what they thought was right in front of them.

Another good day...

Field Trips

2010-05-03T22:47:00.002-04:00

Last week, Adam had two field trips. The entire fourth grade class went to Reed Gold Mine where they were having Carolina Heritage Days. Reed Gold Mine is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States. There were several special exhibits set up for Carolina Heritage Days. Like this guy ...

The bucket was used in a fire brigade.

As soon as Adam saw this guy, he said, "Look, a pirate!" and he was serious. To say his class was not prepared for what they were going to see on the field trip is an understatement.

And this ...

...this sufficiently scared one of the girls in my group...the one who had wondered off every time I turned around. The one was not dressed appropriately and only wanted to stand in the sun.

We did pan for gold.

We learned that all of the gold that has been found would fit inside the elementary school gym. I was surprised by that. Adam found a fleck of gold.

A teeny, tiny fleck.

Adam and a friend.

We also toured the mine. My favorite parts of the tour went something like this, "This is an air hammer. It wasn't used at this mine." and "This is an escape ladder. It wasn't here during the time they were mining." Um, so the escape ladder is for our benefit? Great.

The next day the fourth grade AIG kids went on a tour of Historic Concord. They had just finished a study on architecture. The teacher had prepared a scavenger hunt for the kids. They were to find certain architectural features on the houses and buildings. Each feature was worth a certain amount of points and the group who had the most points at the end of the day won a pizza party with the teacher.

The kids took the scavenger hunt very seriously.

We also had a geocaching riddle to solve. My group worked together very well. Instead of finding a treasure, the kids were led to historic markers on the sides of buildings.

We took a tour of the Old Courthouse. The first floor of the courthouse had been converted into an art gallery and the second floor into a theatre. We toured the Museum and the Memorial Gardens where the roses were in bloom.

After a trip to the Creamery for ice cream and the Chocolatier, we were all to meet in front of the library. The teacher was collecting everyone's responsibility slips, scavenger hunt sheets and geocaching information. She did all of this right under this sign.

Too funny.

At the end of this week, I head out with Andrew. Every year the kindergarteners take their mothers to a local park for a Mother's Day Picnic.

Soccer, Kites, Bubbles, Ice Cream

2010-04-20T11:18:00.004-04:00

Spring has been glorious this year--except for all the pollen. The pollen has been quite rough on the allergies. This past weekend was filled with more soccer. I'm loving being a soccer mom.

Andrew's team had another victory on Saturday. The score was 4-2 and Andrew's team scored all 6 points. Oops. At least we scored more for our team than for the opponent.

I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching Andrew's enthusiasm for life.

We bought a kite and took it to the park on Sunday. We tried and tried and tried, but had no luck getting it to fly. I overheard Adam telling someone that the kite tried to attack us. That's pretty accurate. It would start to fly and then do these crazy spins and plummet to the ground. I'm not sure we had it together correctly. The kids had also received some tiny kites for Christmas. We didn't have any luck with those either.

After we gave up on the kites, we tried some bubbles. The sun was terribly harsh (for pictures at least), but I like these anyway.

Andrew was laughing at something Adam did.

We made bubbles for the kids until our arms hurt. They loved chasing them and trying to pop them with their "swords."

We then headed into town and were treated to some ice cream at the Creamery.

Mint Chocolate Chip for Abby

We really had a great time together this weekend.

On a sad note, I hit a cardinal on the way to taking the kids to school this morning. She got stuck on my windshield wipers. She did not die immediately. She looked right in the window at me and blinked. TWICE. And just sat there. I screamed and then started laughing hysterically. What? You don't think that's the appropriate response? I had no idea how to get her off and Adam suggested that I turn on the windshield wipers. So I did. And she rode back and forth across the windshield. Adam told me to speed the windshield wipers up. I figured it was either that or stop and pick her up by her tiny little legs. The latter didn't appeal to me. So I turned the windshield wipers up on high and she finally "flew" away.

Celebration

2010-04-13T12:09:00.004-04:00

We've had a lot to celebrate recently. My parents came to town for spring break and they brought my niece, Jami, with them. She hasn't been to our house in quite a while and it was so fun to have her here with us. My kids love to stay home, and they were beyond thrilled that Grandma and Grandpa came to stay with them during spring break so they wouldn't have to get up and go to camp.

These are my parents' grandkids minus one. Their oldest grandchild didn't make this trip.

Easter was another great cause for celebration. Celebrating Jesus' rise from the grave -- what could be greater? Of course, we had to dye eggs (where did this tradition begin--I need to look that up) and have an Easter egg hunt.

Andrew also had a soccer game while Grandma, Grandpa and Jami were here. His team won 6-2, and Andrew scored 5 goals. After the 4th goal, his coach put him on defense. Andrew wasn't very happy about not being able to "cross that line." When I told him it was okay, he told me it wasn't because it meant that he couldn't score another goal. Needless to say, he crossed the line and scored again. It was just too much for him to resist when the ball came across the line. His coached told him, "No more." I think that's a good thing. Andrew ~ not so much. He'll learn.

This is what it looks like after Andrew scores a goal.

The direct look to the sideline was extra. He had a pretty big audience there and wanted to be certain that everyone saw him score. He also celebrates this way when one of his teammates scores.

Another cause for celebration - Maylin and Pearson. My cousin, Traci, and her husband, Adam, are recently home from adopting two children from Tawain. I was able to spend some time with them at the park over the weekend.

There are some new kids in town, and we can't wait to spend more time with them.

Smile

2010-04-05T10:59:00.002-04:00

Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.
Mother Teresa

Spring Has Sprung

2010-04-02T10:10:00.002-04:00

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ~ Albert Einstein

Ten

2010-04-01T11:58:00.002-04:00

In February, Adam turned 10. Andrew loved to remind us that Adam was in double-digits. When I picked the kids up from school yesterday, it hit me that Adam looked so grown up and not so much like a little boy any more. When we got home I asked him if I could take his picture.

I really wanted a full body shot to show how tall he is. The other day he came up to me to get a hug, and I could rest my chin on the top of his head. Oh.My.Word! Anyway, he started out a little stiff.

I asked him to goof around a little bit, and I got the "Boom, Boom, Fire Power" move.

Which led to more muscle poses.

Ahh, 10 year old boys...

King Snake

2010-03-26T14:27:00.003-04:00

This morning was kind of crazy at our house. Instead of getting ready for school, the boys were wrestling. After a friendly reminder to stay on task, they failed to do so. This resulted in more wrestling and Andrew believing that his arm was broken. He cried some. He refused to move his arm. He believed that he needed to go to the doctor. After no less than three conversations reminding him that it was a big deal for mommy to miss work, a big deal for him to miss school and I was quite certain there would be x-rays involved, Andrew was unwavering in his belief that he needed to go to the doctor. So, we dropped off Adam and Abby at school, and went to directly to the pediatrician's office. We were told that they could do x-rays on site, but that the first available appointment was 10:00 a.m. It was currently 8:30. Andrew then believed it was in his best interest to proceed to the emergency room. After weighing my options and observing that he was in no visible pain (although continuing to not use his arm), I decided to take him home and wait for the 10:00 appointment. During the approximate 15 minute drive home, he was miraculously healed. He asked for breakfast which he had refused to eat earlier and asked if it was okay if he went to school. {sigh}

On the way to school, we had this conversation.

Andrew: Mommy, we’re reading this book at school called Whose Garden Is it? The worms and snakes and things fight about who owns the garden.

Me: That’s interesting. In the end, whose garden is it?

Andrew: It’s everyone’s garden. In the book the snake wears a crown and a scarf. I know it’s “imagination” because snakes wear crowns, but they don’t wear scarves.

Me: Really? I’ve never seen a snake wear a crown.

Andrew: What about the King snake?

Soccer

2010-03-22T13:55:00.002-04:00

Soccer season has started and Andrew is playing this year. He's the first of the three to show an interest in soccer. His first game was on Saturday. It was so much fun!! This kid is intense and serious about his sports.

Warming up before the game ~ kids in this age group (5/6) are so funny. I'm not sure why that kid is sticking his head between his legs.

I'm also not sure what these two boys are doing (other than not paying attention).

Here he's taking the ball down the field and is really close to the line. You can tell he's really concentrating.

In this series, he was trying to get the ball from the gold team. The little boy in the gold got tripped up. Andrew was careful not to step on him, but was focused on keeping control of the ball.

Andrew scored both goals for his team and they won 2-1. Here he is celebrating one of his goals. This shot doesn't do his celebration justice. After each goal he ran the length of the field, jumping and pumping his fist. It was quite comical.

A sweet shot of him in the huddle post-game.

Saturday was so beautiful here. We were out and about from 9 a.m. until almost 8:30. Yesterday we were EXHAUSTED.

I still need to catch up on the basketball season for both boys. Hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later.

Recap Part I

2010-03-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

I want to go back and post about a couple of things that happened in the past few weeks, mostly for my own memories.

We've had a couple of bad snow days around here--meaning the snow wasn't really fit to play in and we were "stuck" inside for a bit. On one such day in early February the kids had no problem entertaining themselves. They got together a little game of good guys/bad guys.

Adam built a fort to protect the good guys.

The good guys line up for attack. Notice the ruler sticking out of the front of the Mustang as a weapon.

There's a last minute meeting before the attack.

Andrew receives some encouragement from his older brother.

The attack.

Abby "bombs" the bad guys with these cards.

I'm not sure how they got to be bad guys. How bad could a purple hippo be?

Green Hat Day

2010-03-17T09:42:00.003-04:00

Last Friday Abby came home with a project to decorate a green hat to be worn to school on Wednesday, March 17th. To say that she was less than thrilled about the idea is an understatement. Abby doesn't want to do, let alone wear, anything out of the ordinary. We did, however, make a trip to the dollar store, purchased a hat and some ribbon and decorated it.

Fast forward to this morning. I say to Abby, "Good Morning! Happy St. Patrick's Day!" to which she replies, "Is that why today is Green Hat Day?" Yes, Abby, that's why today is Green Hat Day.

Discombobulated

2010-03-12T10:26:00.002-05:00

perplexed
confounded
befuddled
bewildered
mystified
mixed up

It's the way I've been feeling the past few weeks. Nothing has been "out of the ordinary," but things have seemed more difficult. Staying organized has seemed nearly impossible. I'm ready to feel less discombobulated.

I'm ready to feel less like this:

And more like this:

It Never Stops

2010-01-08T09:18:00.004-05:00

They're growing. It never stops. This morning Abby discovered that she can reach the buttons on the microwave that is mounted above the stove. She was so happy.
I was too... {sigh}

A Record?

2010-01-06T08:56:00.004-05:00

So I heard a rumor that a record was set on Sunday for it being the coldest home game in Panther history. Crazy! It was cold, but it didn't stop us from having a good time. Adam had been to a pre-season game before, but for Abby and Andrew this was a first. It was so fun to see their wide-eyes taking everything in.

<

I had what I believed to be a nice picture of Grandma at the game. When I asked her if it was ok to post it on my blog, she wanted to know if I had life insurance. Hmmm...I interpreted that as a "please don't."

Boxing

2009-12-31T19:37:00.005-05:00

Andrew has been boxing on the Wii. He boxes so enthusiastically that at times he has to take a break to get a drink or wait for the pain in his side to go away. It's hysterical.

I took a video of him boxing, but it's going in the wrong direction when I upload it. I'm sure there's a way to rotate it, but I have't been able to find it.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T14:02:00.002-05:00

We will open the book. Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

What We've Been Up To

2009-12-30T14:23:00.004-05:00

We went to a PTA meeting to watch the 2nd graders (Abby) sing ~~Christmas~~ holiday songs.

Abby had her class holiday party. One of the activities was to make a gingerbread house.

Andrew's kindergarten class performed the Gingerbread Baby. Andrew's main job was to run the smartboard. He also had a small part in which he was part of a crowd that was shocked to see the gingerbread baby in crumbs on the floor.

Andrew's class also had a holiday party. They did their own version of a gingerbread house and made Christmas pins.

Adam and I spent a day at the Biltmore which you can read about here.

We baked and decorated Christmas cookies. One of us may have eaten too much icing and vomited shortly after decorating said cookies.

We also unwrapped some gifts.

The kids' main gift from me this year (they spent Christmas day with their dad and Santa dropped his gifts for them off there) was a Wii.

We have been playing a lot of Wii!

Next up, Panthers vs. Saints. Please pray it warms up. It's supposed to be 18 Sunday morning and mid 30s in the afternoon. That's a wee bit cold.

The Biltmore

2009-12-17T16:23:00.004-05:00

We had a great time at the Biltmore yesterday.

It was a little cold at times.

But the skies were Carolina blue.

I never got a picture from the front of the Estate (no photos allowed on the inside). I couldn't get Adam out of the gift shop. I may have a daughter who hates to shop, but I have a son who LOVES it.

It's Drawing Near

2009-12-15T23:54:00.004-05:00

Can you believe how close it is to Christmas?

Look...they're all touching and no one is crying. Miracles do exist.

Tomorrow Adam and I are heading to the Biltmore. We're both very excited. It's going to be a fun (and long) day. We've been told the bus won't arrive back at school until 6:30 or 7:00.

It's been a whirlwind of activity around here. Christmas programs, a birthday party, Abby sang at the PTA meeting, the boys have started playing basketball--there are practices and we've had a couple of games, a sleepover, another birthday party and book reports. We've also cut out, baked and decorated Christmas cookies.

Tis the Season...

This Girl

2009-12-11T17:47:00.006-05:00

This girl never ceases to amaze me. She has the sweetest personality. She's loving. She's funny. She's sensitive.

She's always landed on the shy side. Never caring to draw attention to herself. When she was telling me about the second graders performing at the PTA meeting this week and how she was excited about being on the stage and singing, I was a bit surprised.

When she told me that she wanted to wear her pajamas to school yesterday for their Polar Express party, I was more than a bit surprised.

When I learned today that she received the Principal's Award for showing self control, I was not a bit surprised. I couldn't be more proud of her.

I love This Girl!

A Trip Uptown

2009-12-04T10:49:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday morning the kids and I put up our Christmas tree. It's quite the experience with six little hands. Each of the kids have their own box of ornaments. They really had a good time pulling out their ornaments and hanging them on the tree.

In the afternoon, we headed Uptown to explore and enjoy the Christmas lights. An unexpected surprise was that Santa and Mrs. Claus were at The Green. The kids loved talking to them.

It's almost as if Andrew cannot believe he's actually touching Santa.

After we had walked (and ran) until we were tired, we headed to Fuel Pizza for dinner and to watch a little football.

Quite a fun day!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T10:30:00.002-05:00

Things have been busy here, but nothing too blog worthy. Our Thanksigiving was pretty quiet. We spent the afternoon with a good friend and the evening with my aunt, cousins and their families. The kids spent the morning doing Thanksgiving word searches and other Thanksgivingish activities.

[I tried to white out our last name on Andrew's hand turkey.]

Andrew brought home a rather interesting art project from school.

And who do you think he chose for his wife?
That's my boy. I wonder what Ashton would say about that.

A Cause for Celebration

2009-11-19T21:36:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday there was a shower for my cousin, Traci, and her husband, Adam. They are in the process of adopting a precious girl, Maylin, and boy, Pierson, from Taiwain. Pierson and Maylin are brother and sister. You can go to her sister's blog to learn more about them.

In an effort to defray the costs of bringing Pierson and Maylin home, Traci is using her talents to make jade bracelets, t-shirts, journals, artwork and other items to raise funds for their upcoming trip to Taiwan. She is also setting aside a portion of her profits to donate in order to assist other families in completing their adoption dreams. Please check out Loved By Choice Designs and get some of your Christmas shopping done while sitting in the comfort of your own home!

Fall Fest

2009-11-14T00:06:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday we headed to the Fall Festival at the elementary school. We climbed and disappeared into the mouths of strange alien-looking things.

And then slid out the back of them.

We did some jumping.

We played basketball with some friends.

We threw some baseballs ~ 32 mph.

And one of us became a ladybug.

Andrew's in the ladybug class at school.

This was the first year that Adam ran around on his own~that takes some getting used to on my part. I'm finding that this growing up thing is difficult for me. It's hard to let go, even if it's just a tiny bit.

Outtakes

2009-11-10T17:00:00.001-05:00

I have 83 pictures almost exactly like this one.

So I put them behind bars and wouldn't let them out. (not really)

Birthday Part II

2009-11-06T17:00:00.000-05:00

Last night pizza was the choice for the birthday dinner, and I didn't end up at that crazy kid place with the person dressed up in a big rat costume...know what I'm talkin' about? I don't like that place. We had a great time at dinner with lots of laughter, then headed home for a game of Exago and more cake.

We love you Andrew!!

Six

2009-11-05T11:50:00.002-05:00

Today Andrew turns six. My youngest child is SIX. It hit me last night how big all of the kids are getting. I was thinking about how when Adam sits on my lap now his legs seem almost as long as mine. Before long, it will be like that with Andrew too. So, I scooped him up and held him last night. {sigh]

We had a little family birthday party for him while my parents were in town. There was cake of course.

There was also a whirlwind of present unwrapping.

This morning before school Adam, Abby and I gave him his presents from us.

Adam and Abby gave him Exago.

I gave him his photo book for the 2007-2008 year. It was a big hit. He'd asked about it for quite some time because obviously I was behind. He'd given up asking the last couple of months so he was pretty surprised this morning. I love this series of photos despite the fact that they are kind of hazy.

Before the kids had looked all the way through Andrew's book, Adam and Abby had gone to get theirs.

For dinner tonight, he's gone back and forth between wanting pizza and going to Quaker Steak & Lube where he's gone for the past 5 birthday dinners. We'll see what wins out...

Halloween Recap

2009-11-03T09:26:00.013-05:00

The past week feels as though it has been a constant blur. My parents were in town. Yeah!! The kids had a half day of school on Thursday, and they didn't go back to school until today. What a nice break for them! My parents actually arrived a day early. I didn't tell the kids about the change in plans, and they were so surprised. The boys were outside playing, and they came flying into the house yelling, "GRANDMA AND GRANDPA ARE HERE!!!!" Abby was squealing, jumping up and down and turning in circles. They really enjoyed spending time with grandma and grandpa. My dad had a lot of practice being a horse.

He also spent some time getting his hair "fixed."

On Thursday evening we thought we'd carve pumpkins. My friend Dawn and her two kids came over to join in the fun.

Notice the plastic bag taped to Adam' hand. He and Abby also tried wearing rubber gloves in order to avoid the feeling of pumpkin slime.

We took pumpkin mess...

and turned it into this salty, yummy goodness.

We also ate pumpkin cream cupcakes and pumpkin pie. Thanks to mom for baking those!

The kids did dress up for Halloween. Abby wore her Christmas dress from last year and became a princess. The boys were both Duke from G.I. Joe. I had never heard of Duke before...not being a G.I. Joe fan myself. And despite the looks on the boys' faces, they were happy and having a good time. I'm not sure why it's not reflected in this picture.

The boys also posed with this monster thing at the end of our street.

Abby wanted no part of that. She was more content swinging her candy bag.

It rained Halloween night...just as the kids were getting ready to head out the drizzle began. By the time we reached the end of our street, it was pouring. They still had a good time despite being quite wet.

I did carve pumpkins, but haven't captured a good picture of those yet. I'll have to try again.

A Getaway

2009-10-28T15:06:00.002-04:00

This past weekend while the kids were visiting their dad, I was able to get away with a friend. We stayed at a cabin at Lake Lure and went to Chimney Rock. Aside from the torrential downpour while driving up the mountain in total darkness Friday night, the weather was gorgeous.

In front of the cabin Saturday morning.

The view from the top of Chimney Rock. We climbed our way up. After reaching the three-quarter mark, there was a small part of me that thought the elevator may have been a better choice.

Lake Lure

I also have good news to report. Abby told me that she saw Julia at school yesterday. Thanks to all who prayed!

Lapse in Judgment

2009-10-26T16:00:00.003-04:00

Last week I had a momentary lapse in judgment and let the kids play with their food. Surprising to me was the fact that this was started by Abby and not one of the boys--although suffice it to say that Andrew has always been more about eating his food and not playing with it. He did take one little piece of tortilla and shape it into an eyebrow which he stuck to his head. I wasn't quick enough to capture that. These pictures still make me laugh. The kids had a blast and were a little shocked that I let this game continue.

Is Your Mama A Llama

2009-10-23T13:11:00.005-04:00

Is your Mama a Llama?

Why yes, yes she is!

Yesterday I had the privilege of being a chaperone on Andrew's field trip to The Lazy 5 Ranch. LOVE that place! This little llama was three days old. We also saw baby peacocks, a baby giraffe and a baby zebra.

I am happy to report that this year, I was not sneezed on by one of these. That happened to me in a past year. And unfortunately for me, the thing had a mouthful of feed. Gross! I was a little fearful at times yesterday. The rule at the ranch is that if an animal has 4 legs, you feed it from your hand (or run the risk of having it snatch your bucket). If an animal has 2 legs, you feed it from the bucket (lest you be pecked by a sharp beak). If the animal is a zebra, you don't feed it at all. They bite. However, please feel free to pet the zebras. Huh? We did. Not a one of us were bitten. With the buffalo you can just drop--or dump--the feed into their mouths. Some of the kids had a difficult time telling the difference between a mouth and a nostril. I was sure a sneeze was inevitable. Thankfully, we were spared from the spraying of wet, slobbery feed.

I must confess that I have a fascintation with the backside of zebras. They are incredibly symmetrical.

I love this picture of Andrew and one of his classmates. They also went to daycare together. I like the way she is looking at her mom and Andrew is looking at me.

It was another beautiful fall day here. Lots of warm sunshine and Carolina blue skies.

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-21T15:10:00.003-04:00

Last night we went to the Pumpkin Patch with some very good friends. The weather has been beautiful here for the past couple of days and yesterday afternoon was no exception. This particular pumpkin patch is run by my friend's church. We stayed there for over an hour picking out pumpkins and letting the kids run and have a great time.

At the pumpkin patch, Abby learned that one of her classmates from last year is in the hospital in ICU and on a venilator. This girl has H1N1 and from what I understand the doctors are uncertain what else is going on with her. Would you please pray for Julia?

The Vine

2009-10-20T09:40:00.003-04:00

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

One Dollar Fifty Cents

2009-10-19T09:26:00.002-04:00

Last night was Crazy Hat Night at Awana. Abby and Adam did not want to participate. I had purchased a hat at Good Will for 99 cents and in an effort to get Abby to participate at Awana, I put it on her head and tried to take a picture of her. She was not going for it. So, I bribed her. These shots cost me $1.50. I think it was money well spent.

She still didn't wear it to Awana.

After looking at the hats at Good Will, Andrew decided to create his own crazy hat.

He had also drawn a picture during the afternoon. I noticed that he was carrying it into church with him. When I asked him what it was for, he said he was going to give it to the person who announced that he won the Crazy Hat Contest (if he did win). Like an acceptance speech..sort of. It wasn't a contest, but something done just for fun. No acceptance speeches or gifts were needed.

Cupcakes = Craft

2009-10-14T10:41:00.003-04:00

It seems as though it's been work, work, work around here. We've been getting home from school/work and it's been dinner, finishing up homework, reading, baths and off to bed. Last night I decided to break the monotony, and we baked cupcakes. We had three different icings and sprinkles. Each of the kids had their own cupcake to icing and decorate.

Andrew went straight for the chocolate icing and eating.

Abby also chose the chocolate icing and decided to use a little creativity with the sprinkles.

Adam chose the vanilla frosting. I thought for sure someone would chose Strawberry Mist, but it wasn't to be. They all wrinkled their noses when I told them what the pink icing was. Adam was all about the sprinkles. At one point he was licking them off the table.

All too quickly it became less about the cupcake and more about the craft of decorating. Between breaking the monotony and the sugar, bedtime was a little more difficult to achieve than normal. Good times!

Small Things

2009-10-13T14:07:00.006-04:00

This past weekend Abby and I were able to spend some time with family and celebrate Caleb's third birthday. Kylie and Abby thoroughly enjoyed spending time together, and it was a beautiful fall weekend.

our lives are made
in these small hours,
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain — Rob Thomas

Fall is in the Air

2009-10-02T12:27:00.003-04:00

Fall is in the air and that means Halloween is right around the corner. Are you ready?

I've been working on a project and came across these images from last year. They've had me laughing all morning.

One of the flyers from a local party store came in the mail this week. The kids have been perusing it trying to decide what they'll be this year.

What about your kids? Have they decided yet?

Testing

2009-09-30T11:39:00.002-04:00

A friend has let me borrow one of his lenses to play around with...the problem with that is it has been getting dark quickly at night, and I can't seem to get dinner cooked and everyone outside to play before 7. Fall is in the air around here. It's cooler, the humidity has disappeared and the light has been fading way too fast in the evenings. We did head outside last night for some street soccer. Because of the light and my struggle to learn this new lens, these images are a bit (ok, maybe more than a bit) blurry. I was having a hard time staying far enough away from the kids (it's a 300mm lens). Anyway, I still thought these were fun enough to share.

On the Attack

Where did everyone go?

Down the street to play with a neighbor.

Please tell me when her legs became so long...

Our Deepest Fear

2009-09-28T16:05:00.001-04:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.- Marianne Williamson

Little Miss Sassy Pants

2009-09-22T10:49:00.002-04:00

This was taken last night during the jump rope fest. It really shows the sassy side of her personality.

Where was Adam you ask?

His love affair with the lawnmower continues. He's always asking if he can cut the grass. I almost feel guilty...

Helicopter

2009-09-21T20:46:00.002-04:00

Helicopter

Helicopter

Over

My

Head

The Box Turtle

2009-09-15T11:22:00.002-04:00

With the start of this new school year, I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed. There are three lunches to pack this year instead of the one last year (Adam has decided to pack his lunch instead of buying it this year). There are three book bags to look through, three sets of papers to keep track of/organized/returned to school. There are three kids talking simultaneously when I pick them up at the end of the day. There are three kids who want/need my attention all at the same time. Awana has started back and there are Bible verses to be learned. And there is still the laundry to be done, dinner to be cooked and the house to be cleaned. There is still only one of me. In addition to this, there is the stress of an ex-husband who wants to reduce child support. There is a person from my past who refuses to go away...despite repeated requests for this person to do so...to the point where I am considering changing my email address. Last night, was particularly stressful. There was an AR test at school that didn't go well. There was a spelling test for another that didn't go well. There were boundaries to be set and help to be given. And there was still only one of me.

And then this happened.

Adam sat down and read books to Andrew for his required reading.

And after Abby and Andrew had been tucked into bed, I saw this.

Adam had become a box turtle, and we laughed. Most importantly, I see Adam growing into a fine young man. Loving, compassionate and intuitive. One who loves God and his family.

And the night ended well.

2009-09-11T15:55:00.002-04:00

everything has rhythm. everything dances.
- Maya Angelou

A Dilemma

2009-09-09T14:36:00.002-04:00

These garden spiders are prevalent in our neck of the woods this year.

We've had a couple of them reside in the exact same spot for most of the summer. The kids and I have enjoyed watching them work on their webs, catch their prey, wrap their pray and well, you know, eat. Now we have several of these hanging out.

What, you want a closer look?

I've Googled the spider. Apparently, she'll die this fall and her babies will appear next spring. Do we leave the sac and wait for the babies or tear them down (after she dies, of course)? It is fascinating. Don't you agree?

Fun with Water

2009-09-08T13:35:00.004-04:00

Do you think it looks as though she's up to something?

Do you think this was the end of her mischief?

It was, in fact, just the beginning...

Ian was dubbed the Underwear King by the Pretzel King.

Andrew had some fun of his own.

I believe there may have been a minute or two when Abby and Kylie were not joined together as one, but most of the time they looked something like this.

Adam spent a relatively quiet day at the pool. He thought the water was a litle cool. Oh, that kid's eyes...

Hope your Labor Day was without labor...

Group Shots

2009-09-02T11:02:00.003-04:00

Does anyone else struggle to achieve a nice group shot? I'm not even talking "perfect." Just nice. When we took the kids bowling last week, that's what I wanted. A nice group shot. Instead, I came away with the following:

After a couple of meltdowns by the kids, Dawn and I discussed why it is that we take the kids bowling. She suggested that it was for the fun and for the bonding. Right. Mission accomplished.

Playing in the Rain

2009-08-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

For some time the kids had been asking to go to the dollar store so they could purchase their own umbrellas. We were able to do that last Friday, and on Saturday we woke to a soft rain and no thunder and lightening. God is good like that! Naturally, the kids headed out to test their umbrellas.

And bubbles are always fun when it's humid.

You Know It's Hot

2009-08-28T10:22:00.003-04:00

at the pool when you see this

and this

and Whoa! maybe it's time to go home

These pictures were taken on the day The Pretzel King was crowned.

It was HOT that day. However, we did find other ways to cool off.

Maybe, just maybe, I'd taken one too many photos.

I was able to take 6 days of vacation to be at home with the kids before school started. We had lunch with some friends, did our school supply shopping, went to see a movie, played at the pool, went bowling and played some basketball. What a blessing to have some days off to enjoy time with the kids.

And So It Begins

2009-08-26T11:22:00.002-04:00

The First Day of 4th Grade

The First Day of Second Grade

The First Day of Kindergarten
Thanks Grandma for the Dirt shirt. :)

And questions like this:

Abby: "Mommy, what was it like back in the day when you were in school?"

Me: "Pretty much like it is now."

Adam: "Oh, you had all of these cool things?"

Me: "Okay, not so much like it is now." Geez. No Smart Boards or anything like that Back in the Day.

Adam: "Well, you had those cool phones back in the day. You know the ones with a wire connected to it?"

Me: "Right, the wire." I won't even go into how he proceeded to explain that the phones we used Back in the Day were the kind where you talked into the mouth piece which you held in your hand and the part you dialed looked sort of like a triangle.

How old do they think I am anyway?

Major Breakthrough

2009-08-23T21:22:00.002-04:00

Major breakthrough at our house this weekend. Adam was able to cut the grass by himself. Yay for Adam! Yay for me!!!

Nothing is Impossible

2009-08-21T22:04:00.005-04:00

For with God, nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37

The Pretzel King Has Big Guns

2009-08-19T23:39:00.004-04:00

The kids came home from their summer travels Sunday evening. A special meal was requested...Tyson chicken strips, macaroni & cheese and green beans. It was further requested that this meal be followed by a movie and popcorn. That I could handle. It was nice to have everyone at home and around the dinner table (such that it was). It was even nicer to snuggle into the love seat with all 3 kids to eat popcorn and watch a movie. Monday was spent shopping for school supplies and lunch with a good friend and her son. Tuesday we puttered around the house in the morning and went to see G-Force in the afternoon. It's been incredibly hot here so it was a relief to sit in a dark theatre and wear sweaters and jackets. Does anyone else wonder why they have to keep it just a few degrees above freezing in those places? My goodness. It doesn't seem very cost effective, does it?

Today we headed to the pool to keep cool. Adam declared himself the Pretzel King. The Pretzel King with Big Guns.

Yet another use for the noodle.

Bubble

2009-08-18T23:36:00.002-04:00

The theme at I Heart Faces this week is Bubbles. This is an image of Abby I took earlier this summer where the Bubble is the focus.

Click here to view other images of bubbles.

Reflection

2009-08-14T11:24:00.002-04:00

"...all things were created by Him, and for Him. Colossians 1:16

After 'talking' with one of WPT's contributors, I'm linking up with this reflection image. This was taken as the sun was beginning to set on a recent evening at the beach.

Settings were as follows:

Canon Rebel XSi
Aperture Priority
1/800
f/4.0
Lens: 55-250 f/4-5.6IS
Focal Length: 55mm
ISO: 100

I'm really wanting to learn more, so any constructive criticism is welcome. And, Cindy M., I'm looking forward to learning lots of great things from you!

Click here to jump over and check out other images of relflections.

Joy

2009-08-12T11:38:00.002-04:00

<
Joy is not in things, it is in us. ~ Richard Wagner

I spent a few days at the beach, and it was joyful.

The kids continue to be away, but will return this Sunday. I can't wait. They've been away too long this summer.

Imagine

2009-08-03T14:03:00.001-04:00

Call upon me and I will answer thee and show you great and mighty things you cannot even imagine. Jeremiah 33:3

I Am Weary

2009-07-31T15:22:00.004-04:00

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Blossom

2009-07-23T12:13:00.003-04:00

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~Story People

Kids Are Back - Part II

2009-07-21T11:45:00.004-04:00

After spending Saturday at the pool, the kids wanted to stay home on Sunday. We went to church and then the rest of the day was spent playing outside. My parents arrived from Ohio in the afternoon and brought my nephew with them. The kids knew Grandma and Grandpa were coming, but Colt was a surprise. They were thrilled to see him! After dinner they spent time jumping rope (Grandma and Grandpa love to twirl), playing basketball and eating homemade ice cream. The picture of Colt jumping rope cracks me up. He didn't last long~said he was too tall.

I love this picture of Adam. He's starting to look so grown up.

Andrew has a serious conversation with Grandma and Grandpa about taking their bikes to Ohio. My parents bought a bike rack to take the kids' bikes with them. They want to ride some trails. That sounds like a lot of fun!

Adam disappears behind the pole.

Last night Colt was having a little bit of fun with the mulch. He told me that if this photo appeared anywhere, I would be in trouble. Shhh, don't tell him!

Saturday at the Pool

2009-07-20T11:47:00.003-04:00

The kids came home late Friday night. It was so good to see them again. After a haircut for Adam Saturday morning and a quick lunch at home, we packed up and headed to the pool for the day.

Andrew appears to have a few issues with his goggles, although he never complains about them. He looks like an older person looking over their reading glasses to see at a distance. And I'm not sure why, but he always seems to get his ear folded under his strap. I would think that would hurt, but again, he never complains.

Abby enjoys the quieter aspect of the pool. I love her dimple!

After giving the kids the 5 minute warning that it was time to go home, I looked up to see Andrew run down the diving board, jump and do a front flip. I almost fainted. If you remember, he just learned to swim a couple of weeks ago. He's not entirely comfortable in the deep end yet, so he likes to wear the life jacket. (Make that Abby's old jacket ~ he's quite comfortable in his boyhood.) Adam had never done a flip off the board either, and he was not to be out done by his little brother.

Adam kept landing on his back so he asked Andrew if he could borrow that "pad thing." Unfortunately, the "pad thing" was a little short for him and didn't offer much protection.

More to come on the rest of the weekend...it is so good to have them home!

Hope

2009-07-15T15:58:00.003-04:00

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,
for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

The Well

2009-07-13T13:36:00.003-04:00

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

The 4th

2009-07-07T11:27:00.006-04:00

So, I haven't been blogging much lately. The kids left on the 27th to visit their father, and they don't return until the 17th. I'm seriously missing them and ready for them to come home.

Just a funny picture from May.

No kids = not much to photograph = not much blogging.

I've watched a few movies, met friends for dinner and spent a lot of time at my aunt's pool.

Kristi and her family came down for the 4th. Kylie and Caleb are so cute and so fun to be around.

Love the smiles on their faces!

On Sunday, we spent some time on the driveway with sidewalk chalk and did a little face painting.

It was so good to be able to spend some time with them.

So...until my kids return...

Love is in the House

2009-07-01T10:25:00.002-04:00

This is Andrew singing Love is in the House by Toby Mac. My kids want to listen to this CD over and over and over again, and it's just fine with me. He has great messages on the CD we have...for both the kids and adults. Listening to this CD has started some good conversations with the kids. Things like what it means to "gain the whole world and lose your soul." I love that they are thinking about these things at such a young age and that they understand that this is not just fun music, but as Andrew calls it "Church Music."

Be Blessed.

End of a Chapter

2009-06-29T09:10:00.002-04:00

Friday was Andrew's last day of daycare/preschool. I left work early on Friday to spend sometime with him and his friends. We took a special treat of ice cream for him to share. When I got there, Andrew was sleeping--a rare occurrence for him during the day. Usually it's not something I want to happen because he then has a hard time going to sleep at night. Abby spent the night at friend's house though and the boys and I went to a movie that didn't start until 7:50 so it worked out great on this day.

There were lots of goodbye hugs. To say that Andrew likes to be the center of attention is an understatement.

I tried to find pictures that didn't show the other children's faces.

And a final trip to the Treasure Box.

I remember saying something about it being difficult to cry when Andrew is around. I didn't think I'd be emotional about him leaving daycare/preschool, but when we left there I was in tears. And while the end of this chapter is a good thing, there are times when it's hard to watch your kids grow up.

Traumatic & Ecstatic

2009-06-25T09:34:00.002-04:00

Last night we went to a friend's neighborhood pool. It was a beautiful Carolina evening (read no humidity). Beautiful! The kids were having a great time on the slide, and I walked over to pick up my camera. I heard some commotion and it appeared that a woman was choking. We called to the lifeguard, and I ran over to see if I could assist. I hate to admit it, but even though I am CPR/First Aid certified, my mind was having a hard time recalling what to do. As it turned out, she was not choking and was breathing. We think she may have been having some type of seizure. While her husband and others tended to her and were on the phone with 911, I tried to keep her children calm and occupied and sent another child to a neighbor's so someone could look after them when their parent's went to the hospital. What a scary thing for them to witness. I'm praying that she is well today. I woke up several times during the night thinking of her and her family. I believe it was traumatic for all who were there.

On the flip side of that, Andrew started swimming last night and we were ECSTATIC! The little bugger just took off! He would come flying down the slide, go under, pop right back up and swim over to the edge of the pool to do it all over again. How exciting!

This is my favorite image from the night. I love it!

And For the Wordless Part of My Wednesday

2009-06-24T12:07:00.001-04:00

Skull Cap

2009-06-24T11:06:00.003-04:00

What do you think of this little accessory? Goes right along with being shirtless and working out. I'm thinking that the Gatorade mustache makes him look a little less tough.

He actually received this right before his surgery to fix his broken arm. One of the volunteers at the hospital makes these for the kids to help calm their fears. The kids like to "match" the surgeons.

Andrew Works Out

2009-06-23T13:45:00.003-04:00

My kids have a new infatuation. He lives down the street. And when I say it's okay for them to visit, they practically knock me over trying to get out the door. Their bikes sit in his driveway.

Andrew is particularly smitten. He no longer wants to wear a shirt and he's learning how to lift weights in the neighbor's garage. Last night when I called them home, he showed me the muscles he had been working.

Then he demonstrated his new technique for doing sit ups.

I have no more words.

Pondering

2009-06-22T14:43:00.005-04:00

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about how tough life can be. The current economic situation, relationships, single parenting. One thing I keep coming back to is this. No matter how tough the situations, God is Good. All the time. And all the time, God is right on time. He's never late. His timing is seldom my timing (because for those of you who know me well, you know that I'm not a very patient person), but He is never late. There are so many times that I would have liked for Him to arrive more quickly. But in hindsight, I know that I would not have learned the things God wanted me to learn if things had happened in my timing.

It's so amazing how even in the darkest storms, God reveals His beauty to us every day.

From the simplest weeds

To the more delicate blossoms

To the prickly thorns

God is always good. God is always on time.
Sometimes, we just have to be still and KNOW that He is God.

A Post That Has Nothing To Do With The Kids

2009-06-19T09:11:00.003-04:00

Keith Urban and Sugarland were in town last night. Sugarland and Keith Urban IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME!!! Can I get a Woot! Woot! (Cassie, that was just for you--love ya!)

These images have quite a bit of noise, but hey, it was dark in there and I was using the point and shoot.

It was seriously HOT in the arena last night. I think Cassie said it was a zillion degrees in there.

Just me being goofy!

And Cassie just sent me this one of the two of us with Keith.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T15:49:00.002-04:00

Weekend in Pictures

2009-06-15T15:58:00.004-04:00

I haven't been taking many pictures lately, but here are some of my favorites from the last several days.

This is Andrew with Ian. Ian is my cousin's husband, and he's an amazing Christian man and a wonderful influence for my kids~especially the boys. He has even taken time away from his family to take my boys to the Raptor Center and then back to his house to dismantle a clock (or something like that) AND he let the boys bring the pieces home. I think they're still in Andrew's closet somewhere. Remember this?

I love Andrew's farmer's tan in this picture.

Andrew on the patio while we were making ice cream. More often than not he has this "up to something" look on his face.

This is Adam on the patio while we were making ice cream. I still think he has the most amazing blue eyes.

In the last several weeks, the boys have formed some sort of alliance. More and more they are enjoying spending time together. Don't get me wrong, they still have their fair share of squabbles, but it's been much improved~as you can see here.

The kids also spent some time jumping rope. I love the expression on Andrew's face here. He takes all things sports-related pretty seriously.

Andrew and my dad played some one-on-one this weekend, and Andrew talked some serious trash to my dad~evidenced by the look on his face in these pictures.

This is Kristi and Ian's son, Caleb. He slept through Abby's birthday party and had cake when he woke up. I believe he enjoyed it!

And a coneflower from my yard.

Abby is continuing her aversion to the camera. Everytime it points in her direction, I get something like this.

So there you have it, some of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

6 Years and 365 Days

2009-06-14T22:18:00.002-04:00

On Saturday we used this

and this

to make ice cream to go with this

and Abby had fun doing this

and she and Kylie had fun licking icing

but most of the weekend was spent making this go around and around

and this weekend was HOT, which explains the hair stuck to Abby's forehead in the above pictures.

oh, and there was also plenty of lovin' from Grandma

Happy Birthday Abigail! We Love You!

19

2009-06-13T21:48:00.002-04:00

She said she would do it when she was 19.

Instead, she did it when she was 6 years and 364 days.

A Little Wobbly At First

Yep, today she agreed to take the training wheels off her bike. We were all so proud of her, and more importantly she was proud of herself. She started out on her brother's bike ~ the brother who took his training wheels off when he was four.

The boys really encouraged Abby, and Andrew was very patient while she practiced on his bike and decided whether or not she wanted the training wheels taken off of her bike. It didn't take her long to get the hang of it and she rode her bike on and off all day today.

Just Because I Like Her Curly Pony Tail

After conquering the bike, she said all she needs is a two wheel scooter (she currently has a three wheel scooter).

Stay tuned for an update on her birthday celebration.

It's My Party

2009-06-07T23:16:00.002-04:00

Today is my birthday. I threw myself an impromptu party, and it was great.

There was ice cream cake.

A birthday cookie.

And birthday flowers.

And of course, there was Andrew eating icing out of the box.

There are no pictures, but there was also lunch with a very special friend.

Thanks to all of you who helped me celebrate!

I Should Be Doing Things More Productive

2009-06-06T21:50:00.002-04:00

Moving On

2009-06-05T23:11:00.003-04:00

Thursday night Andrew had his preschool graduation ceremony. I've been asked if I cried, but honestly, it's hard to cry when Andrew is around. He's so excited to be heading to Kindergarten this fall. Heated discussions have begun about who gets to walk him to his class on the first day of school, and I have not been involved in those discussions. I believe he'll have plenty of help getting to class without me. It's nice to know that his siblings are watching out for him.

Singing "I Am A Promise"

I have no idea what he's saying, but this is so Andrew.

Receiving his certificate. He said, "I thought it would be rolled up."

These feet are going to be taking him great places. I just know it!

Fun in the Sun Day

2009-06-04T16:25:00.003-04:00

Today was Fun in the Sun Day for the first graders. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of sun. Historically, it has been very hot around this time of year and the teachers actually had some things planned for the kids inside today so they could cool off. It really wasn't necessary. Yesterday at this time it was almost 90 degrees and today it's 72.

A new use for noodles -- the limbo!

Playing Mancala with a classmate.

And now we're off to preschool graduation...

Ahhh, Summer!

2009-06-04T12:34:00.002-04:00

Earlier this week we met some friends in Harrisburg for a carnival of sorts. Honestly, I don't have any idea what the celebration was about. It was not well attended which was bad for the sponsors but GREAT for us! They had some games for the kids, a train to ride, one of those bouncy things and FREE ice cream.

Andrew & Abigail

This Abigail is one of Andrew's friends from school. She also has a brother named Andrew who, thankfully, is called Andy. That could get really confusing--two Abigails and two Andrews...!

WORD{less}

2009-06-03T09:16:00.001-04:00

Thanks for making me smile!

Free Time for Me

2009-06-02T09:09:00.003-04:00

Last night was relatively calm at our house. The kids wanted to know if they could just have sandwiches for dinner. Um, sure! That left me with time to sit on the patio and watch the hummingbirds.

This is from this morning backlit by the sunrise.

Can We Fix It?

2009-06-01T12:47:00.002-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I caught the boys "fixing" their bikes. Don't worry Grandpa, no bikes were actually harmed by the use of these tools and to my knowledge all of the tools made it back to the toolbox.

Bowling Fun

2009-05-25T11:50:00.002-04:00

Saturday afternoon we headed off to the bowling alley with some friends. It's so much fun to watch the kids bowl and see their different techniques and varying degrees of competitiveness.

And the agony of a gutter ball.

Adam helps David and they wait for the ball to reach the pins.

Abby plays with the air on the ball return. I love this shot.

Abby checking out the score.

And the rare picture of me... (and since this was taken Abby has lost another top tooth--that's 4 in a row missing).

Great Light Friday Night

2009-05-23T21:35:00.002-04:00

It seems as though we were really busy this past week, but I don't really know what we did. I do know that we all just wanted to be at home Friday night and enjoy some time outside. The boys, as usual, were playing basketball and Abby was playing with bubbles and drawing with sidewalk chalk. The weather was wonderful and the light was great.

I decided to attempt silhouettes for the first time. They're not perfect, but I was pretty pleased with the results.

And I just liked these of Abby.

Wordless Wednesday - Poppy Style + Honeysuckle

2009-05-20T07:00:00.002-04:00

Beauty Unexpected

2009-05-17T22:25:00.002-04:00

Rebecca at beloved the M family journal has a post called Beauty Unexpected and she's asking others to link up with photos of beauty they've found in unexpected places. Last month when Adam and I were at the botanical gardens, I found this spiderweb in the corner of one of the older buildings. I really like the little bit of architecture, the wonder of a spider web (I'm amazed at how those little creatures create such a beautiful piece of art), the rust on the building and the bokeh.

Day at the Park

2009-05-16T21:17:00.004-04:00

Today we went to the park with some friends. Adam and Abby had been to this park before but Andrew and I had not. This was no ordinary park. Along with the usual playground, it had a carousel, miniature golf, a train, gem mining and a couple of other things that we didn't get to see because of the rain. Our plan for the day was to meet at the park for a picnic lunch and then let the kids play. Just as lunch was finishing the rain began to fall. And boy did it rain. A few of us were soaked by the time we made it back to the cars, but we waited it out. I'm glad we did, because the rest of the afternoon was really fun.

I think by far the gem mining was the most popular event of the day.

Trying to figure out what types of gems we had found.

After we were finished mining our buckets, we discovered that you could purchase buckets to mine for shark teeth. I think that Adam could have done this for hours.

Andrew and Abby had some fun on the monkey bars.

I'll leave you with my self portrait from today...

Happenings

2009-05-14T11:37:00.006-04:00

I've been pretty busy lately. Actually, the kids always keep me busy, but I've had a few personal things in the works as well. I had my first "paid" shoot on Saturday. I was both excited AND nervous. I learned a lot and realized that I really have a lot more to learn. It was really fun though, and I did enjoy myself. Here are a couple of shots from that day.

This little girl is seriously cute and loved being in front of the camera. She also informed me that her hair is auburn. Love that!

This little boy was so much fun...right up until the point that he announced he was ready to go home and then he was done.

And he has twin 18 month old sisters. They were dressed when they came, but quickly got wet in a fountain and their mom stripped them down. LOVE the cheeks!

And then there was this family. The mom is my good work friend (actually she's one of the people I work for) and she graciously set up the shoot for me.

One of the major things I learned was that 4 separate sets of kids to shoot is too much for me in one morning. It was a ton of fun, but I was EXHAUSTED after it was over.

In addition to that major happening in my life, I've also been asked to participate in a silent auction to benefit a local charity and that happens tomorrow night. I was asked to donate a photography session. I'm seriously nervous about that. I ordered my first gallery wrap to be put on display at the auction and it arrived yesterday. Very Cool! If you think about it, please say a prayer that someone actually bids on the session.

Hats

2009-05-14T09:46:00.004-04:00

The theme this month over at WPT is Hats. I was planning to sit this month out because my kids, for the most part, only wear hats with a purpose in mind, meaning my kids don't wear hats for fashion. Ha! But then while I was looking through some past images I found these and thought I'd post them. I know there is such a contrast to everyone else's spring-like posts, but hey, it's what I have.

We don't get a lot of snow here in the Charlotte area and this early March snow started in the evening. Andrew's hat definitely has "purpose" in this shot. Not only is it keeping his head warm, it's also keeping it dry. Click on the image to enlarge it and notice the ice that has formed on the corner of his hat.

I really prefer that my pictures "tell" a story and aren't so posed. I think this last one really does that. There cannot be snow without a snowball fight, especially when you have boys. It also explains why Abby chose to go in early, eat popcorn and watch a movie. Unfortunately for Andrew, he was on the losing end of this fight.

Head on over to WPT and jump back into spring with the other moms and the wonderful pictures of their kids.

What Would You Do

2009-05-06T21:33:00.002-04:00

What would you do if it had rained A LOT and you wanted to play basketball without getting your hands wet?

Would it occur to you to wear rubber gloves while you play?

Week in Review

2009-05-04T11:06:00.004-04:00

I didn't have my camera out much last week which results in not much blogging for me.

Early last week I took Adam and Abby to have their hair cut. Andrew wanted to know if he was going to get his hair cut too. As you can imagine, after cutting his own hair and looking like this immediately after, I opted out of the hair cut for him at this time. His hair is starting to grow and he's now looking like this. You can almost see some hair in the front.

Andrew also loves his basketball t-shirt, and he's thrilled that there are several floating around the house. He wore one to school on Monday. On Tuesday, he comes out dressed and wearing what appears to be the same t-shirt. When I questioned him about wearing the same shirt he wore on Monday, he replied with, "Yesterday I had a 1 on my back, today I have 10." I'm quite certain that everyone noticed the subtle difference a Zero can make.

One morning last week when we arrived at daycare I noticed that Andrew had a chocolate milk smile. He tried to rub it off himself and it just wasn't coming off. I started to help him by giving him a dreaded spit bath. He shook his head no and said, "Here use mine" while sticking out his tongue. So I did.

Abby was invited to a birthday party Friday afternoon at a local indoor waterpark. I took some time of work, and we all went. We had never been there before, and we really had a good time.

Neither Abby nor Adam had any interest in the big slide. Andrew said he'd go down it with me (big surprise), but you have to be 48" tall and he's not quite there yet.

Abby in the Vortex. This was really fun...until Andrew climbed in on his own without a life jacket. He was fine until he came to the break in the wall and realized the water was moving too fast for him, that he couldn't stand up and that he couldn't reach the other side of the wall. Thankfully an older boy rescued him.

I like how the boys look so much alike in this picture--the way they are standing--their hair...they are becoming more and more like two peas in a pod.

Please Mom, can you give a girl a hand?

On Saturday, we attempted to participate in the community yard sale. I'm not quite sure what happened, but there was basically no turn out. We were quite disappointed after the turn out last year (when we didn't participate). To entertain themselves the kids decided to get out some bubbles.

I've always thought of bubbles as calm, sweet, innocent fun. After Saturday, I have a different view. Unfortunately, I didn't capture any pictures of my boys shooting bubbles with their Nerf guns.