Eric, Tricia, Sean and Avery

Sean the Chef

2010-12-01T11:01:00.003-05:00

When Sean turned 8, he joined the cub scouts. He has already earned his Bobcat and is working hard to achieve his Wolf. For one of his achievements he was supposed to plan and prepare a meal for the family. He chose to make barbecue chicken sandwiches and he did an amazing job. He cooked the chicken in the crockpot with the barbecue sauce and then shredded it when it was finished. It was delicious and best of all he did it all by himself. It was so yummy! And best of all, he is one step closer to the Wolf. :)

Harry Potter!!!!!

2010-12-01T10:52:00.004-05:00

In keeping with tradition, some of the young women and I went to see the midnight premiere of Harry Potter. We do this for all of the Harry Potter and Twilight Saga movies. It was so much fun! We bought our tickets weeks in advance, then got to the theater a few hours early and played games while we waited for the movie to start. As always, we had a TON of fun and the movie was great! The only sad thing was how fast the movie went by. I felt like it had just started and all of a sudden the credits appeared! I can't wait for the last and final part of Harry Potter! Hurry up July! :)

These two girls are really a part of our family and I love them dearly! The last time they came over, I told Sean that some of the girls were coming over and when I told him it was Sydney and Maddy, he said, "Mom, those aren't girls, they are family". He was so right! :)

The Math Genius

2010-12-01T10:45:00.003-05:00

Sean's school has an awards ceremony twice a year and the first one was in November. Sean was given the Math Award! He was so excited! He loves and is really good at math (something he gets from Eric, definitley not from me)! Eric and I were both there to see him get his award and we were so proud of him! He loves school and works hard at everything he does. We love you Seany!

So much catching up to do...

2010-12-01T10:36:00.003-05:00

I have been so busy and haven't blogged in almost two months, so I will try and do a few posts to catch up. :) These pictures are from the state fair in October. After living here three years, this was the first time we acutally made it to the fair. :) It was CRAZY! It took us two hours just to get there from the exit ramp (a distance of about two miles). I have never seen so much traffic in all my life. But, once we were there, it was fun. The kids won goldfish, stuffed toys, rode lots of rides and we all ate like pigs! It was great! We will definitley go again next year, but I think I will pull the kids out of school and go during the day so it is less crowded.

A Howling Good Time

2010-10-18T13:37:00.006-04:00

For Labor Day, we went to Great Wolf Lodge for three days and as usual had a blast! We did all of the usual things, like play in the waterpark, but this trip we did a few new things...they had a new program this year in Cub Club (the kids area) and they called it Camp Cub Club. Basically, they offer a camp (babysitting) for a few hours in the evening each weekend. During the two and a half hours of camp, they learned about bugs, made lots of crafts and had yummy treats. Eric and I were thrilled with this idea because it meant we could leave the kids in good hands and run away to do things like ride the Tornado slide (which the kids are too scared to ride). We had an absolute blast and so did the kids. We missed them and went to pick them up a little early, and when we peeked in the windows we saw Avery reading a book with one of the cub club workers, and Sean making yet another craft. They had so much fun they didn't really want to leave when we picked them up. We decided that if they have this option next visit, we will definitely do it!

They also had a special Labor Day carnival, complete with petting zoo, inflatables, rock climbing, etc. It was so much fun and best of all, completely free. Did I mention that I love Great Wolf? :)

Also, this time Avery decided she was big enough to do MagicQuest and wanted a pink wand and cape so she could play too. It is so much more fun now that we can all do MagicQuest together.

Like we always do, we had a fantastic and relaxing time at Great Wolf. We love this place!

Growing Up

2010-10-18T13:23:00.004-04:00

In August, Sean learned to ride his bike for real!! We have been trying to get him to do this forever, but the motivation just wasn't there. However, this summer, Sean watched all the other kids in our neighboorhood ride their bikes around together and decided that it was time for him to learn. Amazingly enough, as soon as he had made his mind up to do it, he hopped on his bike and rode off down the street. You would think he had been riding for years. We bought him a new bike (he had already outgrown his other one before he even learned to ride it) and now he rides it as much as he can. One more milestone reached...and one more bittersweet moment for me. So proud of him but sad at how big he's gotten and so very fast.....

Girls Trip to the Beach

2010-09-21T21:05:00.006-04:00

Last week I did the most AMAZING thing ever....I went to the beach WITHOUT KIDS!! :) Some of my friends and I rented a house right on the ocean at Topsail Island. It was BEAUTIFUL! :) We left behind kids and husbands for a week of fun in the sun! There are no words to describe how wonderful it was. We are already planning our trip for next year.

We sat on the beach all day, swimming and reading in the sun, then we would eat dinner together at night, and play games laughing so hard there were often tears rolling down our faces! :) Then some of us night owls would take our beach chairs out to the surf and lay back looking at the stars and talking.

Everything was perfect about that week except two things....my good friend Erica got stung by a stingray on our third day there. She was such a trooper though and persevered through the pain and still managed to have a great rest of the week. The other thing is that there were lots of SHARKS!! There is nothing like looking next to you and seeing a 6 ft shark swimming around! I have seen sharks before but usually from the bow of a ship, not while standing in the water. After the second day of swimming amongst the sharks, we didn't go in the water much. :)

I am so grateful for the amazing week that I was able to have. It was so nice to have a break and spend some time with some great women. I can't wait till next year!

Erica and I

The Ladies

My Cub Scout

2010-09-21T20:58:00.002-04:00

When Sean turned 8, he joined cub scouts and became a Wolf scout. He is loving it so far and this week we are hosting the Pack Meeting at our house. We will be using our fire pit to learn how to build a fire and then cooking s'mores over it...YUM! Ever since we bought our house, Sean has been wanting to have an activity or party here, so he is verrrrry exited about Thursday! :)

Here are some pics of our handsome cub scout...

My Big Girl

2010-08-25T11:47:00.004-04:00

Last week, Avery started preschool. I can hardly believe it! She goes Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays for three hours. It is hard for me because it is the first in many steps of her growing up. Next year, in July, she will start Kindergarten and then both my kids will be in school all day.

Avery is outgoing and loves to play and socialize. She has wanted to go to preschool forever and she is really enjoying it. She has two great teachers and lots of nice kids in her class. On the days she doesn't have school, she still asks if she can go. Why are kids always ready to grow up before parents are ready for them too?

I can't even imagine what a mess I will be on her first day of kindergarten! Oh my.....

The best two weeks :)

2010-08-16T14:31:00.012-04:00

Our old friends Damon and Shanna came to visit us this month. We had such a blast! We hadn't seen them since before Avery was born so a visit was definitley in order.

We did lots of fun things together...we went to Bush Gardens and Water Country USA and had tons of fun, ate at Friendly's(YUMMMM), went to the beach, and just chilled out.

We plan to do it all again next year. We definitley can't let 5 more years pass between visits!

These are pictures from the best night ever at Busch Gardens! We had come back to the park early that night to ride more roller coasters, and literally as soon as we scanned our tickets in, the skies just opened up and let loose. It was quite the storm with heavy rain and lots of lightning. We had so much fun running around the park in the rain, playing the arcade games soaking wet, and riding the haunted house ride with a real storm outside. Awesome!!!

Shanna teaching Sean to crochet.

Damon playing a game with Avery.

Eric and Damon at the beach.

Sean's 8th Birthday

2010-08-16T14:15:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago, Sean turned 8. I can hardly believe he is really that old!! Where has the time gone? On his actual birthday, I brought in treats for his class party and then we had dinner at Red Robin and then cake and ice cream at home. Sean had wanted a Kirby cake and so I decided to go all out and make one for him, complete with fodant and all. It was so much fun to make and by some miralce, it tasted yummy too! :)

Then, on Saturday, the day after his birthday, he had a bowling party with his friends. It was great! All the kids had a good time and the best part for me was that someone else did all the work. :) I think we might do it again next year.

2010-08-14T21:10:00.001-04:00

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First Day of Second Grade

2010-07-09T09:31:00.004-04:00

I don't know how in the world it happened, but it did. I am now the mother of a second grader! Last night was Meet the Teacher night and we all went to see Sean's new classroom and meet his new teacher. I was so worried about what kind of teacher he would have because his last teacher was AMAZING and had set the bar high. But I needn't have worried. His new teacher is going to be just as amazing. I was so impressed with all the things she had in the classroom as well as her high emphasis on loving and caring for each other. I think Sean is going to do very well in her class.

When it was time to leave, she gave each student a bag filled with special things and a note about what each thing was for. I was so impressed and touched by it, I want to post it. :)

This is what it said:

An eraser to let you know that it is OK to make mistakes.

A shiny gem because each one of us is valuable.

Smarties to show that everyone is smart in their own special way.

A piece of gum so that we can all stick together.

A star to remind you that you will always shine and do your best.

A heart to show that my class is a safe and caring place.

A team pencil because I am lucky to have you on my team.

I am so excited for the year ahead and feel so grateful that once again, Sean has been blessed to have an excellent teacher.

A Special Day

2010-07-09T09:24:00.003-04:00

Last Saturday, Sean's best friend Connor was baptized. It was such a special day and we were so glad that we were able to be there. After the baptism, we all went to Sunny Skies, the best ice cream place ever to celebrate.

Here are Sean, Connor, and Trevor (Connor's brother and also Sean's friend) on the special day!

So Proud of My Boy

2010-06-29T20:03:00.008-04:00

What an amazing day! Sean's last day of first grade is this week and today his teacher threw an end of the year party and awards ceremony. My Mom and Dad came with me and went to Sean's classroom where we enjoyed a yummy lunch of pizza, fruit and treats. :)

The best part though was the awards ceremony. A few weeks ago, Sean's teacher had each kid draw a name and they had to write an award for the person whose name they drew. It was so touching to see the amazing things the kids wrote about each other. Sean's was about how he was a math wizard who always raised his hand in class. :) Clearly, the math wizard got his father's genes, cause we all know that's not my special talent. :) Then Sean's teacher said a few words and was very emotional as she talked about how much she loved the kids and would miss them. There wasn't a dry eye in the room by the time she was done. It also meant a lot to Sean (and to me) to have Grammy and Grandpa there to share the experience with him.

It was a fantastic experience and I feel so grateful that Sean was blessed to have such an amazing teacher. He has grown so much under her care and she's really set the bar high for his next teacher.

Sean and his AMAZING teacher, Mrs, Romines. :)

Out with the old, in with the new....or is it old friends are the best friends?

2010-06-23T20:12:00.006-04:00

We have been talking about getting a van forever and finally decided to just do it. Everything just sort of fell into place and we knew it was the right time. We traded in our Honda CR-V that we've had for 7 years and replaced it with a Toyota Sienna that can seat 8. I have to admit that even though I love our new van and we desperately needed the extra seats, I am missing my old friend, Hondi Hondi (the kids named it that years ago). It was our family car for 7 of the 9 years that we've been married. Sean grew up in it and Avery rode home from the hospital in it. We have taken so many vacations and trips inside it. It protected us when we were in an accident. It sounds silly to miss a car, but I found myself tearing up as my new van was parked next to it at the dealer. I just couldn't help but think of Hondi Hondi as an old friend that I was saying goodbye to. Laugh if you will, but I do miss my old friend. But in the interest of moving on, here's to all the new memories we will make in the new van. No doubt they will include a million trips to church, tae kwon do, preschool, carpooling, etc...

Race for the Cure

2010-06-12T12:25:00.004-04:00

Every year since we've moved here, I've been involved in someway with Race for the Cure. It's an important cause for me for more reasons that I can name. This year, I was able to go with just my Dad and support him as he raced. I am so proud of him. He is my hero in so many ways and it was a pleasure to be with him on such a great day! I feel so blessed to call him my Dad! :)

REAL MEN DO WEAR PINK!! :)

Cone of Shame

2010-06-11T16:30:00.002-04:00

Poor Emma! She was spayed yesterday and because she keeps trying to lick her stitches we had to put her in the protective collar. Now, since my kids have seen UP about a million times, the only name they call it is "the cone of shame". Everytime they see her, they say "Poor Emma, stuck in the cone of shame".

I really hate that we have to put her in it, but everytime I take it off, she goes right to lick her stitches. Poor Emmy! It's going to be a long 7 days for her.

Disney Magic

2010-06-10T10:24:00.013-04:00

Last month we went to Disneyworld for a week. This is our absolute favorite vacation spot and we would live there if we could. :) This time, we drove to Florida and it went great. The drive was about 9.5 hours but it went by pretty fast. The kids did great and had plenty of things to entertain them. It was easier and less stressful than flying in some ways.

Our favorite way to do Disney is to stay at a Disney resort and let Disney take care of everything while we're there. So, we stayed at one of their resorts and just hopped on a Disney bus or monorail anytime we wanted to go anywhere. It was wonderful. And perhaps the best part of staying at a Disney resort is Magic Hours. It's the best way to see all that Disney has to offer without the normal crowds. This time, we also did the two waterparks and those were amazing!

We all loved different things about the trip. For Avery it was breakfast with the princesses in the castle, and riding Peter Pan as much as possible. :) For Sean, it was all about the mountains....Splash, Space and Everest. :) And he was finally big enough for Rock N Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios. He LOVED it! That's my boy! For me...well, I love everything. I have too many favorites to name. I love the mountains and the classic rides (like Peter Pan and Small World). I think Eric's favorite part was the food. Disney is truly amazing for people with allergies. He was able to go anywhere and get gluten-free food. Even the little food stands and small quick service places had gluten-free buns, fries, pizza, burritos and even dessert. He was sooo happy!

The only bad part about going to Disney world is leaving. It took all our willpower to pull away and watch it get smaller and smaller in the distance. Eric even talked on the way home about moving to Florida so we could be closer and go more often. But we decided that North Carolina is just to awesome to leave. :) It is the best place we have ever lived, hands down.

Ay-ya!!!

2010-06-10T10:16:00.003-04:00

Sean has wanted to take Tae Kwon Do for a long time and about two months ago, we finally signed him up. :) Better late than never, right? He goes to classes three times a week and he is loving it. And so am I. He is learning so many important values and skills and the focus has really been good for him. Here are some pics I took on his first day...

A Day at the Farm

2010-03-25T09:48:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, we went to Farm Days put on by NC State. They do it once a year and it's a chance for kids to come and interact with farm animals. It was amazing! Avery and I spent almost three hours there just petting and holding animals. :) She is so my girl!

Avery was able to get in the pig pen and pet and chase piglets, pet a one month old kid goat, touch horses, cows and sheep, and hold rabbits and baby chicks. The highlight for her (and I) was definitley the baby chicks! It was so amazing to be able to hold those sweet fuzzy chicks and feel their soft downy fur and hear their little cheeps. Soooo cute! I think if Avery could have smuggled one out she would have.

A Saturday that was out of this world!

2010-03-25T09:33:00.005-04:00

This past Saturday was the best ever! We spent the whole day outside! We worked on the lawn, played lots of games like tag and hide and seek, enjoyed time with Emma, and last but not least, shot off a really cool rocket!

Sean is big into outer space! He has wanted to be an astronaut for a long time and loves anything that has to do with space and the solar system. I found a great rocket that converts water and citric acid into hydrogen. It's a hydrogen rocket. We love it! It can launch 100 times off one tank. We put it right smack in the middle of the yard and then when it told us it was ready, we pressed the button to launch it. It was SO much fun! The rocket went at least 100 feet in the air each time. It was hard to tell who was more excited, the adults or the kids. :)

The rocket was so fast and my camera was so slow, that I could only catch the rocket on it's decent. :) But you can still see how high it was even coming down. I think we will be enjoying it for many Saturdays to come.

And then there were THREE....

2010-03-24T19:37:00.006-04:00

Well, we have finally done it....we've adopted a dog! Our crazy two cat household has now turned into a crazy two cat and one dog house! To quote one of Sean's friends "You're house is a now an animal zoo". :)

The kids have wanted a dog forever and we promised them that when we had a house with a big backyard and a fence, they could have a dog. Well, not only does our house have all those things, it even came with a doggie door built in the screened-in porch. As soon as the kids saw that, it was all over. They were convinced it was a sign from the heavens declaring that we HAD to get a dog.

After lots of looking online and visitng shelters and the local SPCA, we finally found the right dog for us. Her name is Emma and she is WONDERFUL. :) She is just a year old and has the sweetest face and soulful brown eyes I have ever seen. When we first met her at the shelter, she came right in and put her head on my lap and looked up at me with those brown eyes and that was it. I was hooked and so was the rest of the family. She is calm and gentle and lives to make us happy. She is the perfect fit for us becasue we have never had a dog before and she has the perfect temperment for a family of novices. We are all learning together, but Emma is very patient with us.

We love her dearly and look forward to many happy years with her as part of our family.

Catching Up....Take One

2010-03-24T19:26:00.004-04:00

It has been well over a month since the last post. Life has been busy and time has gotten away from me, yet again. Here's is the first of many posts to catch up the blog. :)

One of the things we have been busy with is helping Sean learn to ride his bike. He sees all the other kids in the neighborhood ride without training wheels and has finally decided that he is brave enough to do it too. We tried to teach him over the summer a time or two, but he wasn't really into it. He is getting better everytime and it won't be long before he can ride without any help from us at all.

Avery turns 4!!!

2010-02-05T11:21:00.004-05:00

The Princess Cake

Wednesday Avery celebrated her 4th Birthday! It is so hard to believe that four years have passed since Avery joined our family. Where did the time go? I just can't believe it! Her main present was her princess room but she did get a few little things to open and a super cute princess cake. And I took her to get her nails done for the very first time ever. She has been wanting that forever and I told her when she was 4 she could. She held very still and did a great job. I was so proud of her! (They have a great kids salon here that does haircuts, maniucres, special hairstyles, etc... )

Eric took the day off and Sean was off school still because of the snow/ice storm so we were all able to celebrate together. And Grammy and Grandpa came over for pizza, cake and presents. It was a great day! :)

The Dangers of Hide N Seek

2010-02-05T10:58:00.002-05:00

North Carolina doesn't often get snow, and when we do, it doesn't often stay on the ground. Last Saturday, we were hit with a snowstorm that dumped 5 inches on us and then some freezing rain/sleet came and put a thick layer of ice over the snow. Because we get snow so rarely here, the whole world shut down. They just don't have the equipment or manpower to deal with the aftermath. So, we were basically shut in from Saturday until Tuesday. The reason I tell you this is so that you'll understand that we were all suffering from cabin fever, especially the kids. :) One of our favorite things to do as a family is to play hide n seek. So, on Monday, after the kids had their jammas on and were ready for bed, we agreed to play just one more game of hide n seek. Big mistake.

Eric was counting and I had just hidden. Avery was chasing Sean because she wanted to hide with him. Sean decided he didn't want Avery following him and slammed the door which hit her right in the face. As soon as I heard her cry I knew something really bad had happened. I rushed out of my hiding place and found Avery crying with blood gushing from her nose. To make a long story short, I took her to the ER where they told us her nose was broken. My poor baby! The miserable thing is that they can't do anything for a broken nose until all the swelling and bruising goes down. And Avery's nose is really swollen and bruised. They expect it to take two weeks to a month for her nose to lose most of the swelling. At that point, we will see how it's healing. If it doesn't look 100% normal and perfect like it was before, she will have to have surgery to correct it.

So for now, all we can do is wait and watch her beautiful little face turn more colors everyday as the swelling and bruising continues. Right now, it has spread so that one of her eyes is black and her cheek is starting to discolor. It looks so bad and I know it hurts. My poor little girl! I just wish there was more I could to for her. Waiting is so hard....

A Room Fit for A Princess

2010-02-04T10:37:00.005-05:00

For Avery's birthday this year, we gave her a princess room. She has wanted a Cinderella carriage bed for over a year and we decided to give it to her for her birthday. Since we moved into the new house and her room needed to be re-done anyway, we decided to just lump it all together and give her a princess room. She choose the color for the walls (it was called Cinderellas Glass Slipper, go figure) and I painted it last week. Then, her carriage bed came for her birthday, complete with new bedding, and I added a castle, flowers and new curtains to complete the transformation. Avery loves it and spends lots of time in there playing. And I have to admit, it is nice to have one more room in the house done. I still have many left to go.... :)

Dinner....without the kids!!!

2010-01-22T20:47:00.002-05:00

Last weekend, Eric and I got a sitter and went to dinner with my Mom and Dad. It was such a great thing to be able to sit and enjoy adult conversation without the kids around. :) We all chose Outback which is a family favorite....yummmm! Our waitress was kind enough to take this great picture and even gave us a free dessert to celebrate the occasion! Awesome!

We get to see my parents a lot since they are only 10 minutes down the road, but we seldom see them without the kiddos. We decided we need to do things like this more often so we can do things like see a movie, have a nice dinner, things like that. My mom was teasing me because I dressed up and put on high heels and all for our date night. Hey, sometimes it's nice to feel like a woman and not just a mommy, right?

O Holy Night

2010-01-05T11:43:00.006-05:00

In our family, we celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve. We have a family Christmas Eve program where we read the story of Jesus' birth from the bible and make a nativity. We also sing songs, read stories, and spend the night focusing on the true meaning of Christmas, which is the celebration of our Savior's birth. This year, I bought a special Christmas star and gave one each to the kids. It was to remind them of the Savior and the night he was born, and I told them that just like that star guided the wise men and shepherds to Jesus, if we follow Jesus and his example, it can lead us back home to live with our Heavenly Father. The Savior and his life, teaching and example, are our guiding star. It was so neat to be able to share my testimony with them on such a special night.

I am so grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. For His life, for His love, for His sacrifice. And I am thankful that Christmas Eve gives us a chance to really reflect and be thankful for the miracle that is His birth.

Santa Came!!

2010-01-05T10:56:00.015-05:00

Sean had asked Santa for two things this year, Bakugan stuff and a talking Zurg action figure. He was thrilled to come down the stairs and see that Santa had delivered!

Avery really wanted a "big girls" doll house so that she could put her princesses and barbies in it. She gave her old dollhouse to a little girl that needed it and so Santa was happy to bring her what she wanted. She LOVES her new one and plays with it all day everyday.

Eric did so well shopping for me this year and I LOVED everything he bought me!! He picked out a whole bunch of shirts at old navy and they were totally things I would have picked myself. :) I also got a pair of boots I had wanted forever and the big surprise gift was a chandelier to go over my bathtub. I have always wanted one and he picked out a beautiful one all by himself.

Eric's big gift this year was a ping pong table. He has wanted one for 8 years (at least) and I stayed up all night on black friday to get one at a great price (it was sooooo worth it). I had it at my parents house until Christmas Eve when I snuck it back to our house. He was so surprised on Christmas Day to find it with a big red bow on it. We all love his gift and have been playing everyday!

After we opened our family presents, my parents came over for our annual Christmas Day breakfast feast! We cooked up a yummy spread of breakfast goodies and ate until we couldn't eat anymore. Then we opened presents to and from the Grandparents.

Sean had been saving his money up since July so that he could buy his presents for everyone with his very own money. He did an amazing job! Not only did he buy thoughtful useful gifts but he also found some great bargains and really stretched his money far.

This year, we had the kids' picture made and framed it for my parents. It turned out really cute!

Christmas Traditions

2010-01-04T15:13:00.004-05:00

In keeping with our annual family tradition, the week of Christmas we went to Great Wolf Lodge. It was the perfect way to kick off our two weeks of family time and prepare for Christmas. Great Wolf is an amazing place to be for the holidays and it always helps us get in the holiday spirit. We especially love storytime by the fireplace, the christmas show at the clock tower, and the real snowflakes that fall every night in the lobby before bedtime. It is so beautiful! We spent lots of time in the waterpark, making crafts at the kid club, playing magicquest, and games in the arcade. The time at Great Wolf always passes way too quickly and before we knew it, it was time to go back home. We are so thankful for a wonderful trip and all the special memories we made!

2010-01-04T15:08:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T10:08:00.005-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We held it at our house this year and Grammy and Grandpa came over for the day. It was perfect! Thankfully, the food all turned out good and no major mishaps occured. This year, I cooked three of the side dishes in crock pots and it really made things easier. And the best part was that it all tasted great! I don't know what I would do if hadn't found Stephanie O'Dea and and her website!

After the feast, we enjoyed the great weather on the porch and played with the kids outside. Sean and Avery really loved having Grandpa home!

We also have a family tradition that we started about four years ago and every Thanksgiving, while the food is cooking, we gather round the table and make a thankful tree. We write on each leaf something that we are thankful for and then put them on the tree. It is a lot of fun and a great way to start out Thanksgiving, by reflecting on all we have to be grateful for. The kids really love this and it's neat to see what they write on their leaves.

I hope that all of you had a great Thanksgiving also and were able to spend it with those you love!

The Crock Pot Lady

2009-11-05T15:22:00.005-05:00

Okay, so I have a new obsession...the crock pot lady! She is AMAZING! Her name is Stephanie O'Dea and awhile ago she set out to make a meal in the crockpot everyday for a year. I ran across her blog one day searching for some new dinner ideas. And the truly amazing part was that a the all her recipes are gluten-free! Wow! That is huge! I have had a hard time finding good recipes, let alone ones that were gluten free! And then on top of those two things, they are all crock pot recipes. I feel like I hit the jackpot when I found her blog.

I have used one of her recipes everyday for three weeks now and I LOVE IT!!! All her recipes turned out perfect, and I put dinner in the crockpot every morning, then clean the kitchen, load the dishwasher and poof! No more work and dinner cooks itself. It is so nice to not have to worry about cooking dinner at 5 of clock with both the kids underfoot and while homework is being done. Thanks to this aweosme blog my life has lost a lot of stress. :)

So, if you are looking for dinner ideas that are yummy, delicious and happen to be gluten-free check out her blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2007/12/alphabetical-listing-of-recipes.html

Did I mention that she was recently on the Today show because of how awesome her blog is? :) And she also just released a cookbook of even more awesome recipes. :)

And as I write this, I can smell the steaks, corn on the cob, and potatoes, all cooking in the crockpot. Yummm! Who knew you could make a whole dinner in the crockpot? The recipe I am making tonight is this one: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/08/crockpot-layered-dinner-steak-potatoes.html

Thank you Stephanie for being so brillant and making my life soooo much easier!

Fall Fun

2009-11-02T22:11:00.007-05:00

In between battling the flu, ear infections, and bronchitis, our family has managed to have some fun. :) We went to a wonderful pumpkin farm and corn maze close to home a few weeks ago. We all had a great time and loved being outside. I think my favorite part was watching Avery lead us through the corn maze. She had decided early on that she was going to be the leader and boy, can that girl run. It was all we could do to keep up with her as she navigated her way around the maze. Sometimes she would lead Sean lead too and they would hold hands and run. Sooo cute!

New House Pics

2009-10-12T12:19:00.008-04:00

Part of the deck and backyard

Our screened in porch off the deck

This is our kitchen. I love having a little desk area in the kitchen for the mail and keys, etc... Ignore the mess....also a work in progress. The first picture is of the pantry, also a mess right now, but it is one of the reasons we bought the house. I love it! It has matching drawers from the kitchen and a countertop. It is a dream pantry!

This is our new living room, it is still a work in progress...I have painted and started to decorate but it is not done yet.

We did it!!

2009-10-11T19:44:00.003-04:00

After almost four months of house drama, we finally found and bought our new house!! :) We have always wanted a huge yard for the kids and a house with plenty of room for friends and family and our dream has finally come true! We have close to an acre of land, fenced in backyard for the kids, screened in porch, deck, all the things we have always wanted. It has been well worth the wait. I have been so busy and haven't taken many pictures yet, so I will have to add those in another post.

We look forward to having lots of friends and family come to visit. :)

Goodbye to my Gentle Giant.....

2009-08-26T09:23:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, my sweet and precious kitty Addison, was put to sleep. He got sick so suddenly and without any warning. On Monday, I saw that he was very lathargic, wasn't eating or drinking and just looked really sick. I took him into the vet and they weren't exactly sure what was wrong with him. They thought it could be diabetes, his kidneys, a virus or infection....basically anything. They took some blood and gave him fluids and then I took him home to wait for the lab results. He was so sick and I knew whatever it was, it wasn't good. I spent as much time with him as I could, Eric even slept on the couch so that I could have Addison in bed with me. Early the next morning, the vet called me and told me that it was really bad....he was in renal failure and she had never seen numbers that bad. He had days to live. It was either hospitalize him for the last few days of his life and have him alone in a cage, or put him down and end his suffering. I chose the last option so that he could leave this world being held in my arms, knowing how very much he was loved. It was a horrible miserable day and it was so hard to let him go, but I knew it was what was best for him. I held him for a long time, told him everything I wanted to tell him, and then as I held and kissed him, the vet ended his suffering.

Those of you who are not animal people, won't understand just how painful it is to lose a pet. Our animals are so much more than pets, they are a part of our family and we grieve their loss like we would a good friend.

I was in college when I adopted Addison. I went to the humane society to pick out a cat. I remember looking at all the cats and wondering how I would ever choose between all those sweet kitties. Then, I heard a gentle meow and a small black and white paw came poking out of one of the cages. That was it for me. I like to think that Addison chose me first. :) I went over to the cage and the purring began. Decison made. I was hooked. I couldn't get him home fast enough. Addison became my truest friend who sat on my lap and purred, through heartbreaks and hard times. My tears fell many times on his beautiful black fur and his purr helped heal many wounds in my life. He never did anything bad. Never! He was one of those special cats who is always obedient. I have only known one other cat like that in my life, he also died far too young. Why does that happen?

Addison would always come running when he heard my voice, or when I entered a room. He was fiercely loyal and loved me no matter what. I am so very thankful for the 13 wonderful years I was able to share with him. I only wish there could have been more....

Sean turns 7!!!

2009-08-06T22:09:00.006-04:00

As crazy as it is to believe, my little man just turned 7! Where does time go, really? It seems like such a short time ago I was calling him my little bug and rocking him to sleep with his binky! Now he's a first grader!!

The day started out with Eric taking Sean out for a very special Daddy and son breakfast. Then off to school, where I later brought in cupcakes for his classroom party. Then, afterschool, we had the family party. Sean loves all things Mario and so we had a Mario Birthday party, complete with amazing Mario cake (which a very talanted baker made, not me). :)

Race for the Cure

2009-07-28T12:17:00.003-04:00

This is old, but I am still behind on catching up the blog. Last month, my fellow leaders and our young women volunteered at Race for the Cure. We have done this every year since I've been here and it is the most wonderful thing ever! My aunt Mary and my grandma Carrie Lee were both survivors of breast cancer so this is a cause dear to my heart. It is so amazing to go and support the runners as they go on a grueling physical and emotional journey to fight breast cancer. This year the girls and I did transportation so we directed the buses carrying the runners to where they needed to go. We had walkie talkies and all it was so cool. And I have to say how very proud I am of our amazing group of girls. To volunteer we have to get about around 3 am to get ready and get there by 5 am. The girls never complain and are always soooo excited to go.

My First-Grader!!!

2009-07-08T19:25:00.003-04:00

I can't believe the day has come.....I am the mom of a first grader! My little boy started first grade yesterday!!! Grammy brought over McDonalds for breakfast and after making some pictures, I dropped Sean off at school. He told me that first graders don't need there moms to walk them in. He said "Mom, that would be sooooo embarassing". Sigh. Are we at the stage already? Wow!

Uncle Paul

2009-07-07T09:36:00.008-04:00

At the end of May, Eric's brother Paul came to stay with us and he was with us until this past Sunday when he went back to California. While he was with us, we had lots of fun and went on a few trips together like to Great Wolf and Myrtle Beach. He was an awesome help around the house and in fact, Monday was the first time I have loaded the dishwasher myself since he's been here :) The kids loved having their Uncle around and I enjoyed having the company during the day. Thanks for the great visit and fun memories Uncle Paul! :)

Fourth of July Fun

2009-07-06T19:22:00.008-04:00

This year for the Fourth of July weekend, we headed down to Myrtle Beach. We left Thursday night and returned Sunday afternoon. We rented out a little house while we were there and it made the trip that much more enjoyable. There is so much to do in Myrtle and we had lots of fun visiting the amusment park, aquarium, and especially the beach. It was a great weekend and the only downside was how quickly it went by.

Disneyworld.....without kids!!!!!

2009-04-27T09:47:00.004-04:00

This was Eric driving in the car behind me on the Autotopia car ride. This was taken in the wee hours of the morning on our magic hours day.

This is us having lunch inside the Sci-Fi resturant at Disney's Hollywood Studio. It was designed to look like a drive in and you sat in little cars to eat your food and there was a big movie screen playing old sci-fi clips in the front. Awesome!!

Last week, Eric and I went on a five day trip to Walt Disney world, WITHOUT THE KIDS!!! We haven't been away alone together for four years and that was only overnight. This was the first REAL trip we went on alone since our honeymoon, so it was long overdue!

We had a blast! It was so nice to actually hop on a plane and physically leave the state. It made it easier to leave the kids behind and just focus on us. Plus, my mom was watching them so I knew they were in good hands. :) Disney truly makes everything magical and from the time we checked our luggage, we didn't have a care in the world. We stayed at a Disney resort, so once we arrived at the airport, all we had to do was go to the Disney Welcome Center and get on the bus for our resort. They took care of claiming our luggage and brought it to our room when it arrived. It was amazing! I have never been on a trip where I didn't have to worry about hauling bags around. The whole trip was full of Disney magic! Whenever we wanted to go to one of the parks, we just took a bus, monorail, or boat and we were there. No worries!

Some of our favorite memories of the trip are:

-Staying in the magic kingdom until 3 am. It was like a ghost town with only a very few people scattered here and there. We were able to walk on any and every ride we wanted to. It was amazing! They had the extra magic hours that night for resort guests, so the park closed at midnight for everyone else, but resort guests could stay until 3 am!!! And we actually managed to stay awake the whole time. We loved it!!!

- The animal safari at Animal Kingdom park. Wow! We were able to really get close with some of the animals. At one point, a baby giraffe, came right up to the truck where I was and if I had just stretched out my hand, I could have touched it. It was really hard not to!!! And the rhinos kept circling the truck and crossing the road in front of us. A few of them got close enough to touch as well. But I woulnd't have dared to try that. :)

- Eating at some of the five-star resturaunts Disney has to offer. Wow! Our favorite one was Citrico's inside the Grand Floridian Resort. It was sooooo good!

- Celebrating my birthday at Disney!!! It was amazing! I was treated like royalty all day. I was given a special fast pass for my birthday that allowed me to immediately walk on any ride for the whole day!! And at every meal, I was given a special dessert complete with candles. :) And they make you wear this button that has your name on it and says that it's your birthday and so the whole day, people kept saying Happy Birthday! (I actually didn't like that part) I was spoiled and it was one of the best birthdays I have ever had. :)

There are really too many to mention, but it was an amazing trip and it was so nice to enjoy Disney and all it had to offer from an adult point of view. We love going as a family too, but it was nice to determine our own schedule and do what we wanted without having to worry about strollers or extra bags full of snacks, diapers, etc. Eric and I definitely plan to again sometime!!

Easter Sunday

2009-04-27T09:35:00.002-04:00

It has been a crazy long time since I have added anything to my blog, so I have a lot of catching up to do. This is a picture from Easter Sunday. Sean and Avery have matching colors on. They were so cute! Unfortunately, none of the pictures turned out that great, but hey, something is better than nothing. :)

We had a great Easter weekend and this year we tried something different. We asked the Easter bunny to bring the baskets on Saturday so that on Sunday we could focus only on the Savior and the true meaning of Easter. It was wonderful! On Saturday, we had an Easter egg hunt, colored eggs, and enjoyed our Easter baskets. Then on Sunday, we were able to focus all our thoughts on the Savior and his magnificent sacrifice and gift of eternal life for all mankind. It was the best Easter we have ever had and this is a tradition that we will definitely continue every year.

Snug as a bug in a rug....times 2

2009-03-03T09:13:00.008-05:00

The other night, I went in to check on Sean before going to bed and this is what I found....I couldn't believe it! Avery had snuck into Sean's room and gone to sleep in his bed with him. It was the cutest thing ever! I called Eric upstairs and he couldn't believe it either. This is one of those moments that makes motherhood worthwhile, when all of those hideous, bad and crazy times are forgotten and all you can think of is how incredibly cute your kids are! :)

The Circus

2009-02-18T16:28:00.005-05:00

Eric has been slaving away at work (what else is new)and because he has had to put in so many hours (some on the weekend) his boss decided to send our family to the circus so we could have some quality time together. So, two weekends ago, we went to see Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. It was great fun! We went early so we could attend the pre-show and meet the performers. The show was great and we all really enjoyed it! Seany had bought binoculars so he could see it in the greatest possible detail and he was enthralled the whole time. Avery did great and I think her favorite parts were the animals and the yummy treats we all ate. :)

Avery turned 3!!

2009-02-11T12:34:00.007-05:00

How did this happen? My teeny-tiny baby has grown up into a beautiful little girl who likes dollies, strollers, cars, and all things princess. Where did the last three years go?

Her birthday was last Tuesday and we decided to just have a low key celebration because life is always so busy. For those of you who know us well, you know that this is a huge change because usually we go all out and make a big production of things. We are the NC Griswold Family....

We started out the day by taking Avery out to breakfast, followed by some errands for young womens (those never end, not even on birthdays) and then after we picked up Sean from school we had McDonalds, followed by a princess party and presents. It was just perfect and I even had time left over afterwards to play with her before I had to leave for mutual.

More IS coming....

2009-02-11T09:58:00.001-05:00

Lots has been going on...birthdays, outings, etc...but our main computer is still broken and I can't access my pictures, so I haven't posted anything. My goal for today is to get the pics off of my camera and onto my blog. So hang in there, more will be coming. :)

Mystery Revealed

2009-01-27T10:55:00.003-05:00

Okay, now that all the tests have been done and the results are in I will put everyone's curiousity to rest regarding Eric's medical drama. :)

Eric was diagnosed with skin cancer a few weeks ago and we have been going through a lot of tests and procedures since then. Today, we got in the final labwork and the news is good! They were able to remove all of the skin cancer and it hadn't spread to his lymph nodes, which is what we were worried about. So, basically, the cancer was removed and he has stage one skin cancer. That means that he is fine for now, but that it has a high chance for re-occuring so we just need to be dilligent in having him re-examined. He has to go a lot this first year, and then it starts to be less frequesnt every year after unless more comes back.

We feel so grateful that it was caught in time and hadn't spread! Thank goodness for aweosme doctors (having Duke nearby sure doesn't hurt) and the power of prayer.

Hopefully, now we can go back to life as it was and be done with the doctor circuit for awhile. :)

Superwoman....we all know at least one

2009-01-23T14:51:00.004-05:00

Do you ever have those people around you that constatly amaze you? They are literal Superwomen who manage to do it all and make it look easy. They might as well have a constume complete with cape because everyone can see that they are heroic. :)

Things are a little crazy in our family right now. Eric is having some medical issues (more on those later) and I find myself unable to juggle all the balls that have been placed in my hands. Yet, when I see this Superwoman, I see her deal with the exact same things (medical issues and all) and still be everyhing I'm not right now....organized, patient, on task, etc...

I don't know how she does it, I only know she does. I celebrate her, I admire her and....I want to know how she does it!!!!!

Snow

2009-01-20T21:44:00.002-05:00

So we thought that when we left Chicago we also left behind the snow. :) Apparently, some followed us here. We awoke this morning to snow everywhere and more coming down. Of course, since this is the south the whole world shut down. Offices were closed, schools and government places were closed, everything was closed. Turns out it was for good reason since they have hardly any snow plows and can't do much to improve the roads. Snow is such a rare occurance here that they are totally unprepared for it when it comes.

So, all in all we got 7 inches and the schools and offices will be closed tomorrow also because things will turn colder tonight and everything will ice over. It was so fun to turn on the TV this morning and see not only Sean's school closing, but also Eric's company closing. That NEVER happened in IL. Eric always had to go to work no matter how bad the snowstorm was. And another great thing, is that here, there is no wind and no wind chill. It felt warm to me! I loved it! Who knew snow could be like this?

Christmastime at Great Wolf Lodge...

2009-01-08T19:46:00.003-05:00

We have been going to waterpark resorts during December for the last four years and even though we moved we decided we couldn't break the tradition. The closest one to us for now is the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg so during the week before Christmas, we packed up and headed to Virgina!

It was so wonderful and well worth the 4 hour drive! The whole family had a blast at the waterpark and everyday, the first thing Avery would say when she woke up was, "waterpark please". It was so great! This Great Wolf also has a MagicQuest adventure built in the resort, so we got Sean a wand and did a ton of quests together. It was awesome! One of the best things about going during Christmas time are the extra special activities they have. Every night during storytime, it would snow in the lobby!! And on one of the nights we were there, some of Santa's elves came to bring the kids hot chocolate and coookies.

We made special memories and are so glad that we kept our tradition going.

So, it's been awhile.....

2008-12-31T11:04:00.002-05:00

Okay, so our computer is broken and until we get it fixed I won't have much chance to blog. I also can't get off all of the cool pictures from our Holiday adventures. So hang in there and hopefully within the next week, you will see pictures and blog entries coming your way! :) I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and has a great New Year's Eve tonight!

...and the Mamba's win the Tournament!!!!

2008-12-11T19:21:00.003-05:00

This week we had our leauge volleyball tournament and our team, the Mambas, was undefeated! That's right, we took the tournament title! Yes! It was a blast playing on a leauge and I had the most wonderful people on my team. The Y is an amazing place to play and when life settles down a little, I will play again!

Families are Forever

2008-12-01T12:58:00.004-05:00

This weekend, Eric's Dad passed away. He had been diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year and unfortunately all the treatments were unsuccessful. Although this is a really tough time for the family, we feel so very grateful for so much. We were blessed to be able to take the trip to California in September so that the kids could meet their Grandma and Grandpa Williamson for the very first time. They had some special moments with Grandpa Bob even though he was very sick and we are so grateful for those moments and the memories we have of them now.

I feel so much gratitude today for the blessing of eternal families and the knowledge that I have that this is only a temperary seperation and that when this life is done we will be together with all those we love, never to part again.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T12:25:00.004-05:00

I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone! Where is the time going? This year, I hosted Thanksgivng dinner and my parents joined us. It was fun and I really enjoyed cooking and thankfully, everything turned out great! Phew! :) It was so great for the kids to share the day with Grammy and Grandpa. This was our first Thanksgiving all together!

Twilight

2008-12-01T12:20:00.002-05:00

On opening day, I took our young women to see Twilight! It was so much fun to be there and share the experience with the girls. There was a lot of screaming and laughing and fun was had by all! I have to say, the girls liked the movie a lot more than I did. I just didn't think it was enough like the books, the characters were a little too stoic for me. That being said, I'm sure I'll be lined up again to watch the next one when it comes out. :)

I'll be posting pics as soon as I figure out how to get them off my phone! :)

Nothing is Everything

2008-11-13T19:43:00.003-05:00

As I've said a lot on my blog, things have been very very busy for us lately. It has been a long time since we have had a day where NOTHING is written on the calendar. Well, today, we were blessed with a day like that and it was wonderful! The kids and I played, got McDonald's and brought it back home where we had a picnic with it in the living room while watching a movie, played some more, had popcorn and just enjoyed being home together. Sean is in year-round school and he is tracked out for the rest of the month.

It was so nice to be at home, relaxing with the kids, and having absolutley nothing that HAD to be done. Nothing really is everything!! :)

Family Fun Day

2008-11-13T19:24:00.005-05:00

It has been so long since my last post. Life has been a whirlwind of craziness and I haven't had much time to call my own as of late. :) Anyway, last Saturday Sean's school held a family fun day fundraiser on Saturday and so we all went to have some family fun. They had a lot of great things for the kids to do: games, rides, bounce houses, rides on the fire truck...and a raffle. Just for fun we entered the Tae- Kwan-Do raffle which was for a free two month class and we won! So Sean will be entering Tae-Kwan-Do very soon! :)

Since I'm a room mom I felt obligated to help with the fun day so I ran a game for an hour and baked a cake for the cake walk. :)

The Great Pumpkin Patch

2008-11-02T09:03:00.002-05:00

We have been soooo busy lately that we haven't had a Saturday together as a family in over a month. So yesterday we decided, come what may, that we were going to have some family fun! :) We loved going to the apple orchard in Illinois and went often and after much searching we finally found a pumpkin patch here. It was awesome! They had train rides, gem mining, bounce houses, pony rides, a 60 foot slide (no joke), a fort, a hayride to the pumpkin field, etc....you get the idea. We ended up staying four hours and would have stayed longer if we could have. The best part (other than being together as a family) was the weather. It amazes me that in November it can still be in the mid-70's. I love that! We can enjoy the beautiful colors of fall and have none of the cold weather!

Here is the only picture we have for now. The camera battery died early on the trip so I bought a disposable one at the pumpkin farm. Will scan some of those in when I get them developed. :)

Chewy Louie

2008-10-14T11:14:00.006-04:00

This past weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting "Chewy Louie" Sean's kindergarten class pet. He is a stuffed dog taken from one of the books they've read this year. Every weekend, a child in the class gets to take home Louie and make him a part of their family. He goes everywhere and does everything that we do. And then, at the end of the weekend, we record in Louie's journal everything he did and document it with pictures. Here are some of the things that Louie did with Sean this weekend: made crafts, slept in Sean's bed, made a pizza from scratch (and it was yummy), went to the mall and rode the carousel, attended church and met all of Sean's friends, played Wii....you get the idea.

It was lots of fun to have Louie with us and Sean took excellent care of him. Avery loved him too and could often be found trying to sneak him away so she could have him all to herself. She would grab him and run saying "My Chewy Louie". :) Here are the pictures we put in the journal:

We'e back!!

2008-09-30T11:16:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! We are finally back from our super long trip! We went to see the California Williamsons and then on to Disney!

The kids and I really enjoyed spending time with and getting to know the family. They are very excited to have lots of aunts and uncles and another grandma and grandpa and they were spoiled rotten with lots of attention and fun. Sean was able to go to the park and play baseball and make cool things with his uncles, and have treasure hunts with his Auntie Kris. One of his uncles even went with him on rides at a little amusement park. I just wish the time hadn't gone by so fast!

We finished up the trip by spending 5 days at Disneyland...and that was a blast! The kids are at a fun age and were able to enjoy all that Disney had to offer. Sean is so like his mom and dad and loves roller coasters and thrill rides. We spent a lot of time on Space Mountain (the family favorite), Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and things like that. Eric and I were the biggest kids of all. We couldn't wait to get to Disney each morning when it opened! We proudly wore our mouse ears and smiled so big our faces hurt. :) Avery really loved Peter Pan, Monsters Inc., and Pirates of the Carribean. But what she loved most of all was Buzz Lightyear. She LOVES Buzz and I mean LOVES Buzz!! She had to hug and kiss him multiple times per day. The princesses are next in line and after she was able to hug and kiss her Buzzy, we went to see the princesses. Avery was so excited to meet them and was even able to get her hair done just like a real princess. She loved that!

The only sad thing is that I dropped and broke our camera early in the trip, so the only pictures we have of Dinsey are the ones they took for us. I have to order those (of course) and so I won't be able to post them for awhile.

On Vacation

2008-09-16T21:16:00.000-04:00

Will post next weekend! :)

Who knew?!?

2008-09-12T22:33:00.002-04:00

You Are Cinderella!

Dignified and hard working. With a gentle and soft-spoken manner you have something many people don't. Patience. Even through the moments of heartbreak you're still able to hold onto all of your hopes and dreams. Bide your time; your dream will come true.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

I have to say, I wouldn't have guessed it! :) But it is right about one thing, I never stop believing that my dreams will come true!

Day from Hades

2008-09-11T20:59:00.002-04:00

I was reading my friends blog entry (kaylynn) and I had to laugh! I thought it was going to be about how great motherhood is and as it turns out, it was about how bad it can be at times. I have just had the day from hades! Really! There is just no other way to describe it. I throw in the towel and admit defeat. This job is too hard! :)

Sean got in tons of trouble at school (which he never has before, and while I was on the phone Avery got into the cats litterbox (EWWWWW) and dumped the entire contents all over the office...on the floor, on the furniture, on my papers, I mean everywhere. As if that weren't enough, I spent over an hour talking with Sean and sharing scriptures and stuff with him and nothing got through. I feel totally and utterly exasperated. Sometimes, we try and try and just see no results. At least it's that way at our house right now.

I am taking a bath and going to bed! Please oh please let tomorrow be better! :)

I've been Tagged!

2008-09-11T14:38:00.003-04:00

Tag!! I've been tagged by Cindi!

20 YEARS AGO...
1. I was 11 years old and I hadn't found the church yet.
2. I was living in Illinois and attending an all girls college prep school.
3. I was listening to the Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives Me Crazy" and Phil Collins "Groovy Kind of Love". :) Those are the songs that I always associate with that time in my life.
4. This was the year that I discovered my love for volleyball and earned the nickname "mitochondria" because I was our class powerhouse on the court (and we were learning biology that year). :)

10 YEARS AGO...
1. I was 21 and living in Salt Lake City.
2. I was in my third year as a Big Sister for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and loving it.

5 YEARS AGO...
1. I had been married for two years. :)
2. I was the Mom of a very cute one year old boy named Sean.
3. I was working nights and taking care of Sean during the day. I was tired!!
4. We had decided we were going to buy a house and started the search.

3 YEARS AGO...
1. We were still in Illinois, but living in a different town in our very first house!
2. I was pregnant with Avery and very sick. This month three years ago marks the first of many hospital visits during my pregnancy.
3. My Mom came to stay with our family to help take care of Sean and me. :)
4. I was serving in the primary presidency in our ward.

1 YEAR AGO...
1. We decided to leave Illinois and move the family to North Carolina.
2. I was in Illinois by myself with our two kids trying to sell our house.
3. Eric was in North Carolina working and waiting for the house to sell so we could be together.
4. We were in limbo limbo limbo :)

THIS YEAR...
1. Is the best year yet! We sold our house early in the year!!!
2. We packed up and moved to North Carolina and we were all together again! Yes!
3. Sean started kindergarten!
4. I was called to serve in the young womens presidency my second week here! Yikes!

YESTERDAY...
1. Was a very bad day to be a mom! Avery got into the litterbox, Sean got in trouble at school, and Eric had to work very very late!
2. I started packing for our trip to California ( we are going to see Eric's family and then to Disneyland)!
3. I did a ton of laundry and wished for a maid!

TODAY...
1. I went to a friends house to make candles! It was fun and I learned a lot.
2. I am doing more laundry and trying to get things ready for our trip.
3. I am working on the young women's lesson I have to teach Sunday.
4. We were going to go to the temple but Eric has to work late, so I will try to get the kids to bed on time and enjoy the quiet.

TOMORROW...
1. I am getting my hair done! Yes! Finally, some time for me! :)
2. Running a ton of errands!
3. Taking Sean to a friends birthday party.
4. Playing Volleyball

NEXT YEAR...
1. Sean will be in first grade
2. Avery will start preschool
3. I will have more free time! Yes!

Updates

2008-09-08T12:14:00.002-04:00

Hanna came through last week and she was about as dramatic as a thunderstorm. :) We had a little wind and a ton of rain, but we didn't lose power and all was well. A few flooded places here and there but nothing too severe. Ike is the one I'm worried about now. It's headed for Florida and that's where my Dad is right now. We plan to keep an eye on it and hopefully it won't strengthen as it heads for the U.S.

Now for the volleyball update...well, tryouts were nerve racking (I hate doing that kind of thing) but in the end it was worth it because I made the team! Yeah! So, now I can play once a week at church and once a week competively. I'm excited! I always feel so good after playing and it keeps me in shape which is becoming more important as I climb the hill towrads old age! :)

Bracing For Hanna

2008-09-05T19:58:00.002-04:00

Okay, so this is offically our first North Carolina hurricane experience. They are really taking this thing seriously and the temple and church have been closed for at least today and tomorrow, maybe Sunday depending on what Hanna brings us. In the past, hurricanes that have hit NC have really caused problems and the last major one that occured was Fran who left people in our area without power for 5 plus days. I went to the store to buy a few more things and boy was it crowded.

Hanna is expected to hit us in the wee hours of the morning and stick around most of the day tomorrow. Hopefully all will be well. We have a ton of tall pine trees in our yard and we will be watching those closely. Will let you know how things turn out!

More Volleyball

2008-09-04T13:17:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I've been bitten by the volleyball bug. It has always been my favorite sport and since we've moved here I have had the chance to coach the young women as well as play every week with the men/women. I love it and I look forward every week to my volleyball night. As if that weren't enough. a couple of the women and I decided to try out for a real league so we could play even more. :) So, Saturday, I will put myself on the line and try out for a real team! I am nervous and excited! I always wanted to play in high school but I was too shy and wouldn't try out. I feel like this is my second chance and I am going to take it. :) We are getting together this afternoon to practice/hone our skills some more. Wish me luck at tryouts and hopefully I can stay injury free (especially since we are going out of town for a week and a half later this month).

Labor Day Adventure

2008-09-04T10:36:00.003-04:00

We have all been so very busy lately and we really haven't had much time as a family, so we decided to go away for labor day weekend. We went to Charlotte because they have a six flags type amusement park there and also a great childrens museum. We spent Saturday at the amusement park and had a blast. They had a ton of rides the kids could go on and even scaled down versions of roller coasters like batman. Sean is like his parents and he loves roller coasters. He went on every ride he was tall enough for. Avery, our giant girl, was tall enough for most of the roller coasters (and she's only 2)but we decided that we wouldn't put her on them. Even though she's tall enough, she is still young and I wasn't sure how she would handle them.

Anyway, things were going great and we were having a blast when things took a turn for the dramatic. :) I had given Avery some childrens sudafed because she was congested (like the rest of us) and while I was in the restroom, she got into my purse and found my pillbox. I came out to find her mouth covered in red and my adult sudafed bottle totally empty!!! Yikes! Not only did she have her own dose of sudafed she had eaten about 8 of the adult ones! After a quick call to poison control we were off to the ER. Scary as it was, things turned out fine. Avery was given lots of "halloween juice" (charcoal) to drink and she did great. She drank it all and most of the medicine was absorbed. She had an acclerated heart rate and her eyes were really dilated but she came through everything just fine and after about 5 hours we were able to leave the hospital. The hospital we took her too had a childrens ER and they were amazing! She had the best doctor and nurse and we couldn't have been happier with all that they did.

We are so thankful that she is fine and everything is back to normal.

Dad/Grandpa Came Home!!

2008-08-20T14:49:00.008-04:00

As you can tell, it's been a long time since my last post. Things have been so crazy busy here. The most exciting thing that has happened lately was Dad/Grandpa's visit home! We all miss him and were so excited when he decided to come home to celebrate his birthday!

The kids LOVED seeing their Grandpa and each had time alone with him. Sean and grandpa did lots of projects together (including cutting down a dead tree in the backyard). Grandpa was able to help Avery ride her bike and she in turn showed him all her dollies.

Here are some pics from the visit:

We all had a great time and it was so wonderful to see our Dad/Grandpa!

Family Fun Night

2008-08-06T17:00:00.003-04:00

Last night our town put on a Family Fun Night where families could come and enjoy some fun. :) Hence the name. :) Anyway, Avery was so tired and wanted to go to bed, so Seany and I just went. It was great. Everything was free!! They had Domino's Pizza, Chick-Fil-A, Sonic Hamburgers and drinks all for free. I couldn't believe it!! For entertainment they had bounce houses, games, tractor rides, fireman and firetrucks, face-painting (provided by our friends, GOOD JOB GUYS!!!)and lots of other stuff. It was really nice to get out with Sean and have some fun together and I was blown away that we could have dinner, entertainment and activities and we didn't have to spend a dime. I love this town!

By the way, the black things on his face are storm clouds that he had requested during his turn at the face painting booth. :)

The wait is almost over!!!

2008-08-01T19:28:00.003-04:00

Tonight at midnight, the new and final Twilight book will be released! The bookclub girls and I are heading out to the bookstore for their release party where we will be until midnight when we get our own copies of Breaking Dawn! Woo-hoo! :) Party Party Party...

Sean's TV Debut

2008-07-24T10:53:00.004-04:00

What better birthday present can a kid have than being on TV. Sean and his t-ball team were filmed a few weeks ago for the weekly NBC 17 news segment, Pint Sized Sports. It was so great that the air date ended up being last night, on his birthday. It was a perfect end to a perfect day. Sean is on the Mudcats and is number 5. He is in the video twice, once as he trys to get away when anotehr kid trys to tag him with the ball and at the end givng high fives as the game is over. It is too cute and we were thrilled for him!

Sean turns six!!!

2008-07-22T21:51:00.007-04:00

Tomorrow is my Seany's sixth birthday! It just blows my mind how 6 years ago tonight I was in labor and our family of two was about to turn into a family of three! Wow! Where did the last 6 years go? Now, he is a big boy/little man who goes to school all day everyday. Here are some pictures from a long time ago, when he was still my little bug.

Memory Tag

2008-07-14T17:47:00.001-04:00

I saw this on Vivians blog and thought it was a great idea. I think we should all do it.

Here are the rules:
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. I can't wait to see what people remember.

Sean's First Day of School

2008-07-12T19:46:00.007-04:00

This Thursday was Sean's very first day of school! I can't believe it! He was so excited and wanted to make sure his hair and clothes were just right. :) I drove him to school and walked him inside and as I went to give him a hug, he just kind of waved at me instead and said "Bye Mom"! What!?! He apparently was much more ready for his big day than I was. :) I tried to act cool about it and just waved bye back, but I was tearing up before I even got out of the school. I was so excited for him but all I could think of was how a chapter had closed in our lives together. I will never again be at home all day everyday witb Sean. The time I had to teach him and protect him is gone and this would be the first of many steps in letting him go. Dramatic, but true!

The hug goodbye

Hair Cut Day

2008-07-05T18:44:00.004-04:00

Today we got the kids haircuts. It was Avery's very first one. Her hair was a little past the middle of her back and it was time for a trim and a little shaping. She did great! We took them to a great kids only salon and they loved it. They were spoiled and pampered and even got a free toy each. You can't beat that!

Sean got a cool new style for school...can you believe he starts this week? I can't believe my big boy is going to school! He will be gone all day everyday. I'm not sure I'm ready for this! I am excited, scared and sad all at the same time, just like Sean. :)

Back from Florida

2008-07-01T14:51:00.013-04:00

Only at Disney do they give your kids chalk to write with while they are waiting in line. I love this place!

My Dad had bought a really neat kite shaped like an airplane and it was waiting for Sean when we arrived. Sean and Grandpa wnet many times to fly the kite out on the beach.

This is what it looks like from the sky.

We just returned last night from our trip to Florida where we went to spend some time with Dad/Grandpa. My Dad is currently doing some consulting work there and has a condo so we were able to stay with him. It was so beautiful there and we were very close to the ocean. We went often to the ocean to play and pick seashells and enjoy the peaceful quiet. And, as an extra special thing we went to Disneyworld while we were there. You can't go to Florida and not go to Disneyworld. :) It just wouldn't be right. It was so much fun to take the kids and see there reactions to everything.

Avery LOVES two characters right now: Buzz Lightyear and Princess Belle! It was so amazing to watch her as she met both of her heroes live and in person. I will never forget it! Sean's favorite part of Disney were the "awesome" rides. :) His two favorites were Splash Mountain and Space Mountain. They were my favorites too. Along with Pirates of the Carribean, Small World, Peter Pan...you get the idea. I loved them all!

Thanks so much to my great parents for a wonderful trip that we will never forget! :)

By the way, if you're wondering about the song choice for this blog, we have a family tradition that whenever we are driving to Florida we have to play Cat Stevens and this is one of my favorite songs that he did. For me, it brings back special memories of my childhood. :)

Back from Girl's Camp and off....again

2008-06-22T21:12:00.004-04:00

Girls camp was awesome! I loved the chance I had to spend so much time with all the girls and get to know them even better. We were able to do lots of fun things at camp this year: swimming, kayaking, jumping off the inflatable blob into the lake, a high ropes course, archery, and even shooting air rifles. There was also a mini-golf course and sand volleyball. The days were full of fun and the nights were full of giggles and talking. It was a special treat to just get away and be a girl with the girls.

Despite the fact that this video totally embarasses me, I am posting it. :) One of my girls took it of me shooting archery for the first time. :) I love it though because the girls personalities show through in the tape (they are so super cool) and you can hear all their zany comments. Anyway, here is just a little taste of the fun that was to be had at girls camp....

Now that camp is over, it's off to Florida in the morning to see my Dad and enjoy some time at the beach. The kids can't wait to see Grandpa and neither can I. :) Sean's teacher told me today that he talked about it during the whole class. Avery keeps saying "See Grandpa" so I know she's excited too.

Vacation to Myrtle Beach

2008-06-16T15:26:00.017-04:00

Hey everyone! We had a wonderful long weekend at Myrtle Beach! It was our first time ever going there and it was a blast. The weather was perfect, the ocean was warm and there were a ton of things to do. Here are some of the things we did:

Played at the Beach

Went to the Aquarium (which was totally amazing)!!!!

Went to the Family Amusement Park and rode a ton of rides

And our brave Sean went in a plastic bubble on the lake! As you can see, we had a ton of fun and made a lot of special memories. Thank you Myrtle Beach for showing us such a great time! Woo-hoo!

R.E.M. comes to town

2008-06-11T08:32:00.004-04:00

For Eric's birthday, I bought him concert tickets to see R.E.M. He loves loves loves them and always has at least one of their CD's in his car at all times. :) The concert was last night and despite temperature being over 100 degrees and the amphitheater being outside, it was an awesome event! The concert was totally sold out; I can't remember the last time I saw so many people in one place! :) The band put on an awesome show and it was utterly priceless to see the HUGE grin on Eric's face as he watched them perform.

This week has been so very busy with two really late nights in a row, but the things we've done have been worth it all. The rest of the week is booked solid too and then we leave on vacation. And right when we get back, it's off to girls camp for me. :) I'm going to need a solid week of sleep in July!!

The Mudcats meet the Mudcats!!!!

2008-06-10T10:03:00.007-04:00

Last night was so amazing! Our little mudcats went to meet the REAL mudcats! Thanks to our amazing coach who set it all up, we took our team to watch the Carolina Mudcats(who our team is named after)! They sat behind the team before the game and then they were invited to run out onto the field with the starting line-up. Our mudcats stayed (hats over hearts)on the field for the national anthem, shoulder to shoulder with the REAL mudcats! It was amazing and it is something that I will never forget! I video-taped the whole thing and took some camera video and pics as well. And, as if that weren't enough, Sean got a baseball from the players and the shirt right off one of their backs! Sean loves the Mudcats so much he wanted to stay and watch the whole game and you know what, he did! He cheered and clapped with the best of them! We got home after midnight and he was still bright-eyed with excitment from all the fun he'd had! Thank you Carolina Mudcats for such a special and unforgettable night! Woo-hoo!

Vroom Vroom

2008-06-05T17:02:00.002-04:00

I'm a Ferrari 360 Modena!

You've got it all. Power, passion, precision, and style. You're sensuous, exotic, and temperamental. Sure, you're expensive and high-maintenance, but you're worth it.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Darcy had this on her blog and it looked fun so I took the quiz. Ferrari! Wouldn't you know? Well, my Mom's always said that I have expensive taste. :)

First Book Club Meeting!!!

2008-06-04T09:48:00.003-04:00

Last night, the girls and I had our first book club meeting! It was great! We talked about what books we wanted to read and then made a schedule through the end of the year. I am having the girls take turns doing different things (conducting, treats, phone call reminders, etc...) to help them learn leadership skills. They seem excited by it. Afterall, this is their club and I'm just here to help and of course, read lots of good books! :) I had a lot of fun and look forward to even more to come. One of the things we have planned, is to go to Barnes and Noble the night the next Twilight book comes out(Breaking Dawn) for the party and of course, to get our copy of the new book! I can't wait!

I read the first Twilight book and couldn't put it down! I ended up staying up really late/early to finish it. And then, I rushed out to get the next one, New Moon. If you haven't read them yet, I HIGHLY recommend them. I haven't loved a series this much since Harry Potter. They are awesome! Stephanie Meyers writes so well that you feel as if you are present, watching everything unfold before your very eyes! Love them! This afternoon I will be buying Eclipse, the last one (for now) of the series. I can hardly wait to get started reading it!

Young Women's Book Club

2008-05-28T15:17:00.002-04:00

So, the girls have been begging to have a book club and I decided to just bite the bullet and do it. We are going to meet at my house once a month and discuss the book and have yummy treats. I am excited to do it and look forward to seeing the girls every month outside of church. Next week is our first meeting and we are going to be making our schedule for the year. Any good suggestions? Right now, the girls are really into the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyers. I just got mine and can't wait to read it. Let me know if any of you have any books that are good for this age to read.

Happy Birthday Eric!!!!

2008-05-27T10:12:00.001-04:00

My handsome husband is celebrating his birthday today! Happy Happy Birthday Eric! We all love you! We will be having a family b-day party tonight and will post pics later!

Woo-Hoo!

2008-05-24T20:19:00.001-04:00

Today, my girls had two volleyball games and they won both of them! I was so proud of them! We are undefeated and are in first place heading into next weeks tournament! Way to go girls! Woo-hoo!

The Blue Flash Company

2008-05-20T16:15:00.003-04:00

I have been meaning to post this forever and for once I remembered while I was online.

Sean has started his own company, The Blue Flash Company. The logo is, of course, a blue lightning strike. He has always been into making craft things like signs and cards, picture frames, and anything else you can imagine. Well, being his Daddy's boy, he decided he needed to make an offical company under which to manufacture these things. You could see the visible gleam in his Daddy's eyes as Sean told him all about it. Eric said "You know Sean, I made companies when I was little too". It was too precious to see and hear them talking about business. :)

Sean has all these things he wants to do, including make a catalog and having a place where kids and parents can come and make things at his company. He has an entrepenuers spirit and it will be interesting to see where he takes it in life. We are so proud of and love our Seany!

Volleyball

2008-05-19T08:25:00.002-04:00

Ever since we've moved here, I've been playing volleyball every week with the women from church. It has been so great! We have a lot of fun and laugh, sometimes until we are rolling on the floor (literally). :) There are times when someone will take a spike to the face or gut and we all just collapse from laughing so hard. I always come home feeling energized and renewed. I love it! And because I love it so much, I am also coaching our girls for their team. It makes life a little more crazy busy, but it's so worth it to spend that time with them and do something that I love.

Right now, life is wonderful and rich, but it is very busy. Being in young women's requires a ton of time. Mutual, Sunday lessons, coaching volleyball and going to the games, service projects, preparing for and going to camp, etc. Then, there's family life; Eric's job is still requiring a lot of overtime and he is working late almost every night, Sean is in t-ball and has a few games a week, then there is trying to catch up the kids on their Dr's appointments and get Sean all set to start school in July! (They are on year-round school here). I know that all of us are busy, so please don't think I'm saying it's just me. I know that every one's life is crazy! :) That's part of being in the church, isn't it? :) For those of you who keep trying to reach me, hang in there. Things will get better in a few months. Sean will be in school, I'll be done coaching volleyball, t-ball will have ended, etc.

Mother's Day..A New Tradition

2008-05-08T14:23:00.003-04:00

One night, driving home from mutual I came across this song and I couldn't help but cry. I think the words are so beautiful and true. I know what we all want is to be a safe place to fall for our kids. Here are the lyrics:

Your baby blues
So full of wonder
Your Curly Que's
Your contagious smile
And as I watch
You start to grow up
All I can do is hold you tight
Knowing

Clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Story books
Are full of fairy-tales
Of kings and queens
And the bluest skies
My heart is torn just in knowing
You'll someday see
The truth for lies

Clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Castles they might crumble
Dreams may not come true
Cause you are never all alone
Cause I will always
Always love you

Hey I
Hey I
Will love you

Clouds will rage in
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

In my arms

The song is by the artist Plumb and she is actually a Christian artist which makes it even more amazing. She wrote the song to her kids but said they could also be from a Loving Heavenly Father to his child.

I have always disliked Mother's Day. I feel like it's turned into too much of a worship Mom day and I always feel miserable every year when it comes around because all I can think of are all the things I do wrong. :) I have been really trying to think of a new tradition we can start for Mother's Day to make it better for all of us. And not make me feel so guilty for my shortcomings. I decided to make it a celebration day between the kids and I. We will do something special, just us, and have a chance to share special memories and such with each other.

This year, I'm kicking it off by showing a video I made to the beautiful song that Plumb wrote. The video is of Sean and Avery and our lives together. Just them and I. It was a pleasure to put together and I can't wait to surprise them with it this Sunday. I hope they love it as much as I do.

I hope everyone has a Wonderful Mother's Day and that you all listen to this beautiful song. I hope it touches you guys as much as it has me.

First Swim of the Spring/Summer

2008-05-06T21:47:00.004-04:00

Yeah! The pool is open and we are so excited! It opened last week, but today was our first chance to go. The kids and I got out the floaties and had fun in the sun. Sean was such a brave boy and swam all by himself in the deep-end (with the help of his floatie). Good job Seany! You are so brave! :) Avery decided to spend the day in the shallow end playing with her water ball. We had a blast and hope to go again tomorrow.

I'm a Big Girl Mommy!

2008-05-06T21:39:00.003-04:00

Our once little Avery is turning into a big girl! She kept trying to ride Sean's bike so we decided it was time to get her one of her very own. And of course it had to be princesses! That is her new obsession...all things princesses. But, I digress...These are pictures taken of Avery's very first ride on her new bike! She did a great job and we were so proud of her! I have to admit though, I'm having a hard time with these milestones. She's our last one and she's just so anxious to grow up. Slow down Avery, Mommy isn't ready! :)

Time...Could I Have Some More Please????

2008-05-01T00:19:00.000-04:00

It amazes me how little time there is in a day and how very much I have to get done! I have been on the go since early this morning and still I didn't get everything done. The house is a mess, the laundry is piled up, I have things to get ready for Mutual tomorrow night, I still haven't been to the grocery store, and on and on and on.

Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to get more time? It would be cool if we could buy or earn more hours somehow. Or better yet, have maids and chauffeurs and nannies. Then, maybe, just maybe, I could stay on top of it all. :)

Even now, the only time I could find to update the blog was at 12:30 am when I should be sleeping!!! :)

2008-05-01T00:09:00.000-04:00

This is our boy in his uniform on his first T-Ball game day. We were all so excited! Sean looks like he's 8 years old in his uniform!! He did a great job on game day! He was able to bat 4 times and did a great job hitting and running to the bases! He even played 2nd base when it was his turn in the field. We are all so proud of him and love to watch him play every week!

Mormon Mecca

2008-04-30T23:43:00.000-04:00

Did I mention before that we live in the mormon mecca of our ward? :) There are about 10 member families that live in our neighborhood. It's amazing! We have never had that before and I'm starting to see the advantages of it. I have a friend who goes walking with me a few nights a week and she lives just down the street! And, we also play on the volleyball team together so we carpool. And I realized just this past week, how wonderful it is to have so many members nearby when emergencies arrive: One day last week my friend and I were on our night walk when we saw an ambulance pull into another members driveway. We were able to lend assistance and help notify the bishop and home teacher. It made me realize that if we ever had an emergency, I would be blessed with lots of help and kindness.

Finally, a family picture!!!

2008-04-22T09:10:00.000-04:00

It is so rare that we are able to get a decent family pic so I wanted to post it. I love that we are all together again and this has become my favorite picture to date.

A Crazy Day at Chick-Fil-A

2008-04-21T09:51:00.000-04:00

A week or so ago, we went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner and to let the kids play. While we were there, their mascot the cow, came around and made everyone laugh. He was the coolest mascot we have ever seen. He did the tango with Eric (true!!) emptied our tray for us, and even chased Sean inside the play area. We couldn't believe the cow could fit through the play area and climb around, but he did! Check out the picture of him sitting with his legs crossed next to Sean! It was too funny!

Earth Day Fun!!

2008-04-21T09:26:00.000-04:00

This Saturday there were tons of earth day festivities and we went to one of them at the park owned by the power plant. It was a perfect day, 85 degrees, and the park there is just beautiful. Everything was free and Sean did it all! He went on the mechanical bull, the rock climbing wall, and we all went on the tractor ride tour around the park. It was a great day!