Kid Patrol

Changes in life are always chaotic

2011-09-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

Life are here has been crazy. For those who don't know, our "little" family has gone from a total of five to a total of six. That sad part is that this happen EIGHT months ago. I know what a slacker. What is even more sad than that is I haven't posted (other than the previous post) since about the time baby number three arrived. Yeah, well oh well, I will just pick up with what is happening now.

Ryan is still working for the state and loving every minute of it. He finally received his own vehicle which is such a blessing. He is enjoying being owner of some very fine ladies (chickens). He loves the excitement of all the eggs and getting to know all of their personalities. He also continues to take care of all the other outdoor animals. In may we added to that group by taking in an abandoned dog found by one of our cousins. Henry is the complete opposite of Harley, but both like each other and Ryan has his lap dog.

Nathan is proud to have started kindergarten this year. He absolutely loves it. His teacher is Mrs. Samantha Walker. He loves baseball, cars, and swimming. He has become the little fish over the summer.

Samantha is our little Miss Priss. She loves all things girlie. This year she has discovered the world of barbies. I am really glad I kept mine for she is really enjoying them. She is loving preschool very much. This is her second year and I think she wishes everyday was a school day.

Meghan is our busy body right now. She just turned two and is into discovering the world around her. She started her first year at preschool and is adjusting well. She is very close on the heels of her big brother and sister, wanting to do all that they do. She keeps us very entertained with all her funny faces and quirkiness.

Nicholas is the newest addition. Like his brother he came in weighing a bit over 10lbs. He was born in December and has been a joy ever since. He has a smile that no one can resist. You just can't help but kiss him. He is becoming more mobile by the day, crawling everywhere. It won't be long until he is up and running.

As for me, I have been given the chance to teach at the preschool the kids go to. I work only two days a week in the Preschool 1 class. All the children are two or will be turning two. It is fun so far but a challenge also. I love that it allows me time to be out of the house but not too much and to add a bit of spending money in the account. It really is the perfect job for me at this point in time. In addition to that I am still in primary teaching the eight year olds. Other than that, life is still the same.

I hope that this brief update lets you all know that we are alive and well and that things are going pretty good. Until next time...

Really...I still 29!

2011-08-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Can I deny it please. Thirty..I am too young to be thirty. The week is coming to a close and so far I'm lucky haven't had the chance to dwell on the fact that yet another year of my life has quickly vanished. Really though...I look forward to what my thirties bring me. I can say that I am blessed to have lived this long and have had a great life so far. Yes there have been mistakes but with those has come a greater knowledge of life and how to deal with it. So what am I doing these days.....There is the usual taking care of four awesome children(yes since I have last blogged yet another child has joined our family;pictures and other updates to come soon) I am also now working up at the preschool the kids go to and as always still in primary teaching the 8 yr olds, on top of all that I am able to help Gdaddy and Gmom by cleaning their house once a week(or when I get around to it doing the week). All in all lots to do and am working on using my time in the most affective way. So now on that note I must conclude this brief update. Look forward to telling all of you who may still be out there about more of our adventures.

Enjoying time with Grandma Re

2010-04-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

For the past week we have had the pleasure of having Ryan's grandmom stay with us. We are very excited about this because we don't get to see her as often as we like to and also this trip was also intended for her to go to Florida to find a new home to rent in prospects of moving permantly. The trip thus far has been a sucess. We are now actually in her new trailer that she is renting. It is in a lovely town called Inverness. We are only staying one night but are enjoying the short trip. In a little while we are going to take the kids fishing and maybe to a local park. We will just have to see what adventures we can find. Also, in the past week our little Meghan has decided that she is ready pull up on everything. Now, keep in mind, she has only been crawling for no more than 2 weeks.So it seems she is going to take after her big sister, and skip over crawling, and go straight to walking. We'll have to keep you updated. To be continued...

Long time no Post

2010-03-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

I know I am a total slacker. What can I give you all as a great excuse??? I guess none really. At least not any new ones. I do however feel totally guilty for not at least posting something. So I am here now, posting on what a busy week we have had. It is all do to Nathan. He turned four last Wedsenday and we were celebrating his birthday pretty much since then. He is very much into Spider man, so that is the cake and cupcakes design I made him this year. Yes, I made cupcakes and a cake. The cupcakes were of course for his class up at preschool. Then over the weekend I was going to make his cake for his "party" on Monday. Nathan and I had looked at different types of spider cakes to see what he wanted. He chose a Spider man bust cake. It was really cool looking and really didn't seem had to make. I was ready for the challenge. I had everything ready to go, cakes baked on Saturday ready to frost and put together on Sunday. With the time change though, we all needed naps, desperately. Nathan of course didn't want to and so he watched a movie. When I woke up I noticed he had chocolate all around his face. It took me all of two seconds to fear/realize where it came from. Yes, I found the cakes that I had made and put up (at least I thought I put them up well enough) half eaten and pieces everywhere. Needless to say, I wasn't very happy. So long story made longer, he did not get the spider man cake that he wanted, but I managed to salvage what I could. I think he could have really cared less what it actually looked liked, but I was looking forward to trying out this new design of cake. All in all we had a great time with family and friends enjoying hot dogs and hamburgers. Nathan received many nice gifts and had a great time. So once again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHAN!!!

Happy Birthday Sammie!!!

2009-10-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to our Sammie girl. She is 2 years old today!! At times it feels like 20!! We had the kids pictures done at Nathan's school today. They all did really well. Nathan was laughing at us and the photographer was just snapping away. I think she got some really good ones of him. The ones of all 3 kids together might be another story. We're hoping to get one where all 3 are looking at the camera and smiling. Meghan wasn't really smiling, but hey, she's exempt from that right now. We are having a little birthday celebration for Sam at our house in Brookfield on Sunday for those who would like to attend.

2009-08-11T10:58:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Meghan Kinley is here!

2009-08-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

So yes she is almost three weeks old but I do have three kids now....no computer access at home or a digital camera, so I think three weeks ain't that bad. On to the good stuff. Meghan arrived on the 21st of July, weighing in a mere 8 lbs 8.7 oz (for those of you who don't know us that well, Meghan is what we call our lightweight.) She has dark hair and looks like the perfect mixture of Nathan and Samantha. In case you were wondering, I am doing very well considering. Meghan is doing fantastic. She is eating well and sleeps like a dream, most of the time. Nathan and Sam both just adore her. They take turns smothering her with kisses. Sam is a great little helper when it is time to change diapers.Ryan and I still have a hard time believing that she is really here. This pregnancy went by faster than the other two, way faster. What a joy she is though and we love her very much. I am sorry that I don't have much more to say right now, but I will hopefully write more later, but enjoy all the pictures for now.

Tomorrow is D- Day!

2009-07-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

July 21st is here or least close enough. It is time for the baby to arrive and for all of us to find out what it is. How do I feel...is there enough time to describe all my thoughts? I mostly feel anxious. Not nervous so much, just ready to find out if we will have a boy or girl and what it will look like. I have to be at the hospital at 6 am so hopefully by mid morning we will have all the answers. Keep me in your prayers and I will be letting everyone know as soon as I can how everything went.

20 days and counting!

2009-07-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is hard to believe that in a few short weeks baby three will be here. I must say that this pregnancy is starting to get to me. I am hot and tired all the time. I am super uncomfortable and just don't want to move. I have stuff I want/need to get done but physically can't. I know to most of you out there...you completely understand. Ryan thankfully has given up his side of the bed so that I might actually get some sleep. Nathan is very happy about this. I have finally started to go through the baby clothes and pull out the neutral things. While doing this I of course pulled out Nathan's baby stuff and saw all of his little boy outfits which made me want this baby to be a boy even more! As I tried to explain to Ryan, I want a boy because it has been so long since I have seen our baby boy stuff, Sam is still so little, and lets face it...cute baby girl stuff is always around... cute baby boy stuff is hard to find. If Sam was more of the average size of girls her age, then maybe I wouldn't want a boy so bad. Don't get me wrong I will be happy with either. So anyway, July 21st is the date set for the delivery. So once again it is time for the baby poll.

So here are the facts from the previous children:

Nathan - born one day before his due date- 10 lbs 3.5 oz, 21 inches.
Samantha - born one week before due date - 9 lbs 9.5 oz, 20.5 inches.

(Gawdun- yes we still owe you, and we will get you your blizzard!)

So everyone have fun. (The winner is based on who is closet without going over.)

Our Sam girl!

2009-06-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Okay so these are just some totally random pictures of Samantha and ones of her very first french braids. Can I tell you that I am so excited that I have a daughter with hair that I can play with. I can't say this totally makes up for Jed not being a girl so that I could have a little sister to do this with, but it comes close. Anyway enjoy.

Family Reunion 2009

2009-06-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

So here are my additions to the Family Reunion pictures. As usual Nathan did not want his picture taken but all in all I think our family picture turned out all right. Ryan and I didn't win any of the jars this year but we did win big with the drawing for the front porch swing. We have needed a swing for years now and we have attempted to win it at past reunions. You might question as to why we didn't just buy one, well we haven't had the money to buy one. We ended up paying five dollars for the raffle ticket this year. All in all we have only spent 25-20 dollars over the years, so I think we got a good deal be just waiting. However, it is still sitting on our porch waiting to be hung. I have slacked in getting it painted so it is for once my fault that something has not been finished. Anyway enjoy the pictures.

More From Destin

2009-06-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

Here are a few more pictures to enjoy from our trip.

What an aMAYzing month!

2009-06-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Most of the time Ryan and I are really boring. We don't usually take trips (not that we don't want to, just can't afford to) or go anywhere that isn't more than 50 miles from home nor do we have any special events or such things happening. However, that was not the case for the month of May. Every week we had something planned.

The first weekend consisted of great time with Grandma Re. We all wore ourselves out going strawberry pickin' and to Wild Adventures. We didn't get to see to much of it but we enjoyed going to the water park for the first time. We all decided that we will ride the rides and see the animals first before hitting the water park. Both Sam and Nathan took a little time to get use to the water and not be afraid, but once they got it...they loved it.

The second week was our much anticipated trip to Destin Florida with Nonna and Papa Rich. What a fabulous time. I haven't been to the beach since Ryan was on the road truckin' and even then it was a 20 minute walk at sunset, while we were waiting for his load. The kids of course have never been. Nathan was ready for the water, but then turned a bit shy when the first waves came up to him. Sam it took another day to even get in the water. On the other hand both of them loved, loved the sand. We also had the fun time of going on a dolphin cruise. Nathan and Sam both had the chance to steer the boat. Here are just a few pictures. I'll make another post later with more.

As for the third weekend, well anyone who knows our family know that this is when we have our annual McGhee/Goddard family reunion. With that excitement we had cousin Corey,Nikki, and meeting for the first time Derek Preston. We haven't seen them since Sam was first born a year and a half ago. It was some nice to see them and talk and just have fun. The only downside was their trip was just too short. Once again pictures will come later.

The last weekend we had a great time cleaning from all of our guest and from us being gone. In other words we chilled out and tried to get oriented with the real world again.

We had tons of fun and enjoyed every minute of it all. Now the real excitement starts of the countdown to baby #3. Oh by the way...Ryan WILL be here for the birth! Thanks to all those who volunteered to go into the delivery room with me...I am sure I will still use your help in some was or another.

Easter Pictures!

2009-06-02T13:21:00.000-07:00

We had lots of fun this year. Nathan understood a little bit better the idea of "hunting eggs". I can't remember how much money we all found or the number of eggs we found. I just can't wait till next year and see if I can find the big prize egg!

I really should blog more.

2009-04-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

I always felt a post would be better with pictures. Since at the moment I have yet to develop any (I am old school, no digital camera) I guess I should overcome that assumption so at least y'all will know what is happening in our family. First let me tell you about our newest addition. NO, I am still pregnant and feeling bigger and more tired everyday. That great event won't happen until July. I am talking about Harley. Harley is our new puppy that we adopted from the humane society. We are not sure what kind of dog he is other than he is tan and black. They said he was a Carin terrier mix but the vet who kept him just laughed. I don't care what kind of dog he is as long as he doesn't get too big. We made sure to ask that at least. So far he is doing really well. He plays with the kids and loves to fetch. I figured that I didn't have enough to do with two kids, one that is potty training, another one on the way; that I would allow a dog to enter into the house. I know how happy it makes Ryan and I guess he needed some happiness in his life since he has to live with me. :) Speaking of Ryan...his job is still going great. He has finished training troopers to do what he does and now he has the opportunity to go through school to become a trooper himself. Which now I enter into the picture. This Trooper school is rumored to start on July 1st. Which under normal circumstances is fine, but seeing how I am to deliver our third child a few weeks later...well the story continues. Also to be rumored is the fact that normally the students (Ryan) aren't allowed to go home for the first 8(+/-) weeks. (This is the thing that scares me just a little.) I know there are hundreds if not thousand of women who give birth without their husbands, but that's them not me. Actually I am okay if he is not there, I'll be very sad yes, but I know I have tons of family around. My problem is not knowing for sure if he is or isn't going to be there. I have to have plans ahead of time. I have to pick who is to go into the delivery room with me, find someone who will be able to drive me to mine and the baby's appointments,help take care of me and the other two kids in case I don't recover well after the c-section and on top of all that, Nathan will start preschool a week or two after the baby is born. GEE WHIZ!!! I may just be over reacting but oh well, I am entitled to it for right now. I just what to know what is going to happen. The great news is Ryan, the kids and I are going on a vacation. A real vacation. This wonderful event is all because of my awesome in-laws. Nonna and Papa Rich wanted to take us all to the beach before the baby comes. So in about two more weeks...Destin here I (we) come. I have finally bought me maternity swimsuit (hopefully it will arrive before we leave) so I am ready. The week after that we have the annual reunion and my cousins Corey and Nikki will be visiting and staying with us. Very excited for them to come. I will get to see their son Derek for the first time. Oh wait! This weekend we get a visit from Ryan's Grandma Re. We are so excited that she will be here as well. The kids and us always get so excited to see her. So see at least I get to have a lot of fun before the new baby comes. As I said about Nathan, he will be starting preschool come August and he seems to be very excited about that. Of course I'll blog more on that as time gets closer. He is very much enjoying Harley and playing with him. He is saying new funny things everyday. Still working on potty training, but doing really well. Diapers are only used at night and he is starting to pee standing up. He is so excited about that. Samantha is sassy as ever. Attitude and sweetness all at the same time. She babbles a lot but hasn't said any real words yet. She loves playing with Harley too, even though he is almost bigger than she is. She is definitely in the monkey see monkey do stage where she wants to do everything Nathan is doing. Still she makes Ryan and I laugh with all her personality and mood swings. So as you can see we are all doing well and having as much fun as we can. As always I will try to post more often, but no guarantees.

I think the light has finally be turned on!

2009-02-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

How very happy and excited I am. Nathan is finally going to the potty. He actually goes when we sit him on it. He hasn't had an accident in at least a week now. He still doesn't tell us he has to go but he will go now. The funny thing is he has to wear his underwear backwards, of course that is where the picture is and where he can see it. I hoped that he would be potty trained by his third birthday, I didn't think that would happen seeing how I wished this just a few weeks ago, but I guess miracles happen.

Let's play Catch(up)!

2009-02-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

Okay so I know that it has been forever and a day since we blog, so here it is Valentine's Day and I figured why not. This will probaly end up being a longer post but hang in there.

First, I have know idea when these pictures were taken. It's has just been to long. However, I am pretty sure the pictures can speak for themselves. This is what happens when Ryan and I are just being lazy in the mornings and leave Nathan to fend for himself until we get up. Needless to say, after these two occasions, we have become a bit more active in keeping tabs on him until we are ready to get out of bed. So a word of warning to parents of young children...Don't leave them unsupervised, even inthe safety of your own home.

The next bit of ppictures is of poor Sam. She was just so tired. Need I say more?

I'm Engaged!

2009-01-15T08:47:00.000-08:00

I think that engaged is going to be my word. It means involved in activity,greatly interested. So because of those definitions I think it covers what I want. To me it is a bit more meaningful than just involved. It has more action to me. It came to me last night and it hasn't left my mind since then, so tell me what you think.

Three times a Charm!

2009-01-12T04:48:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry, but I have to laugh. Helen and I were talking the other day, and she was commenting on how rotten she is feeling. She was saying how she can't wait until this pregnancy is over, and on and on and on about having no energy and feeling sick all the time, and I did this to her. You get the idea. Before I continue, please don't get me wrong, I have a tremendous amount of compassion and sympathy for my wife and she is doing a much better job than I could ever think of doing with staying home with 2 YOUNG children and maintaining a home all while feeling the way she does. Anyway, what I was wanting to say was that while she is NOT pregnant, she is always saying how she misses being pregnant and how much she loves it. If she could only just STAY pregnant and not have to worry about giving birth she would be perfectly happy. Now that she's pregnant, she talks about how much she hates feeling like this and you know the deal. So, I just chuckled when she was telling me the other day, and then she asked what I was laughing at and I told her. Anyway, just my perspective. Bye.

I need help in finding the right word.

2009-01-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

One word to described my plans,hopes,dreams, for the new year. Please, i don't know that many words. I know what I want so Jen I will tell you and then you can tell me my word. I want to be more organinzed with my time, my home, my children. I want to be less stressed over nothing and learn to let things go...especially things that I can't controll. I want to laugh more with my family. Spend time on my projects and not feel guilty. I want to become better in all areas of my life and the different roles I play. So Jen in the incredible brain that you have I am sure you can find me my word, not to mention even if I did have a word...could I spell it?

Why did I choose do this a third time??

2009-01-08T12:51:00.000-08:00

I know I have no reason to complain. I did this to myself (well kind of). I just keep forgetting that things tend to get worse with each child. I would be okay if I was just tired or just nauseous, but not both.I feel like I am starving all the time but heaven forbid I actually think of food. Food in general just makes me sick to even think about it. As i have told several of you already, I can't even find one "go to" food. As for being tired. I think that I could sleep at least 20 hours out of the day and still want to sleep more. I hate feeling like this. I get nothing done throughout the day and it generally doesn't make me a pleasant person to be around. I did have my first emotional pregnancy breakdown the other day. I was so ready to put my lovely children out in the middle of the road,(just in case you are wondering...I didn't) Ryan did great in listening to my babble as all of you are pretty much doing right now. Sorry. I know things will get better and that pregnancy is only temporary, but I am so ready to be over the morning/afternoon/evening/all night sickness!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T11:01:00.000-08:00

So, as Helen said we went to Wild Adventures the other day with the kids, and had a pretty good time. As soon as we entered the park, one of the animal handlers came up to Helen, and put an alligator in her arms and told her to smile for the camera. She didn't even have time to say no. She asked Nathan if he wanted to hold it. He wanted nothing to do with the alligator. He was strapped in his stroller, so he couldn't get away. The festival of lights was okay. It's more exciting in Brookfield...not to mention cheaper. If you're thinking of going to Wild Adventure's just to see the lights, don't waste your time or money. You can see the same thing or better in any yard or subdivision in your neighborhood. Now, the rides was a different story. We had a really great time on the rides. We being me and Nathan. Helen and Sam did go on the ferris wheel with us. Nathan was too funny on it. As it came down, he would start patting his hands on his legs and tell me to pat too (this is how the rocket takes off on Little Einstein which he loves to watch), so we started going pat pat pat pat, then a little faster, then we raised our hands way up high and shouted BLASTOFF!!!! and up we went in the ferris wheel! We did that everytime it would come back down and then go up. I have successfully addicted Nathan to roller coasters. We went on everyone that he was tall enough for. He wanted to ride them all, but I had to explain that he wasn't tall enough yet. I can't wait until he is tall enough for them. On second thought I can wait. Him and Sam are both growing up way too quick. We also went on a big slide where we had to sit on blankets. He liked seeing all the animals too. It was a very good day for us all. It was good family time together. We had dinner in Valdosta, and went to the mall and looked around. Helen's post has the Santa encounters so I won't get into detail on that. That's all for now. Have a Merry Christmas!!! (the term "Happy Holidays" is offensive to me so I call it what it is).....MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Christmastime at Wild Adventures

2008-12-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

Well for the last time this year, we ventured down to Valdosta to Wild Adventures. Nathan loves Christmas lights and they are celebrating their Festival of Lights; So we thought it would be fun to go and see. Well needless to say the festival of lights isn't really that festive. We enjoyed the rides much better. We did see their live Nativity and that was nice. Ryan and I both agree though that is was a bit too enthusiastic. They needed to have the narrator tone it down a notch or two. The donkey did come up to us and Nathan got to pet it, so that was neat. Nathan and Sammie both had the chance to see Santa three different times throughout the day. At the mall,Texas Roadhouse, and Wild Avenutres. Nathan is defintiely going to be a rollercoaster lover. Like I said, we all had a good time despite how cold it was. This is all I can think of for now. Ryan might post something latter. BYe for now.

What a Week!

2008-12-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

Am I glad that this week is over...Yessss! It started off with all of us dressed and ready to go to church...on time even. Then Sammie decides to get sick. So I ended staying home with her. A bit later Ryan returns home with Nathan. Both begin running fevers. Sam isn't sleeping and Nathan is just cranky. We (Vickie and I) took them to the doctor on Tuesday. (Yes I have to have help when taking my kids to the doctor, or at least when Nathan has to be seen by one. I could not do it alone. Nathan for whatever reason hates doctors. He won't even let them weigh him. Vickie can tell you that I am not exaggerating.) Sammie has an ear infection and RSV. Nathan was tested for strep, negative though, but because Sammie has RSV, Nathan probably does too. So both are using an inhaler and taking some other medicines. Through this Ryan and I have caught the congestion part. I hate it. I can't breath and probably have the worst breath ever. Luckily Nathan and Sam are doing lots better. Yesterday we had the chance to see Ryan's dad Kenny and our nephew Gabe. We also ate lunch with them. He was passing through and dropped of the kids Christmas presents. Nathan was very excited. He was ready to open them when we got home. Later that evening Vickie, Sammie and I went to enrichment at church. We had I lovely time. I won a poinsettia. While there Vickie called Rich to see how things were going with Nathan. Needless to say Papa Rich was having a wonderful time. They were outside waiting for "Mater" to come and get Papa's truck out of the ditch. (For more info...please go to their blog.) Even later that I evening when we were going home...I discovered Chance our cat in the middle of the road. So once again we are now pet less. It was a sad moment. I guess Chance just wasn't meant to live a long life. I mean when we found him, who would of thought he would survive in the first place. Well at least Nash now has company in the back yard. Today if finally Friday and as you can see, I am so very glad about it. I can only hope that next week will be better, it has to be, right? Well anyway, I hope every one's week has been better than mine.

Blogged in Loving memory of Chance.

A long way to go and a shor time to get there

2008-12-03T20:44:00.000-08:00

Well, I made it back from Wyoming. It was a really nice trip. I left at about 2am on Thanksgiving day driving Carol and Joe's U-Haul truck w/trailer. I made to Kansas City,Mo. at about 8pm and got a hotel room close to the airport. I couldn't go any farther. I was starting to fall asleep. I only drove 1,000 miles the first day. I got up about dawn and started on the road again. I made it to Casper by about 9pm I think. Corey and I would have arrived at the same time, but he got lost in Casper and showed up about 5 or 10 minutes behind me. It was really great to go out west again. I truly love it out there. Thank you Aunt Carol and Joe for the opportunity to make the trip. I was more than willing to do it, even if it was Thanksgiving. Before I left I was kind of wondering if I would make it out there in a timely manner. I didn't think I could run like I did when I was trucking. After I made a thousand miles the first day, I realized I still had it. It was just dormant. Some people ask how I can drive for that long, I just get in a groove and go. I only stop to get fuel. I take care of everything else while I'm fueling or stop for the night. There is no need for me to stop just to be stopping. I don't know, a lot of people don't see it that way; they like to stop and walk around or go to the bathroom. That's what stopping for fuel is for. Anyway, It was very enjoyable. I got to meet Corey and Nikki's son Derek (I hope I spelled it right. If not, I'm sorry)!!! He was such a happy natured boy. I told Corey that he makes your cheeks hurt because you can't help but smile at him all the time. Corey and Nikki were very good hosts. Thank you guys for letting me stay with you.
That's all I have time for now. Bye.

I have Blogged

2008-11-04T17:42:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know...there are several new post. So keep scrolling down.

Our Little Pumpkins!

2008-11-04T16:54:00.000-08:00

The week after Samantha's birthday we decided to take Ryan's parents and grand mom to Mark's Melon Patch to pick out our pumpkins. The kids had a great time and it was fun to pick out and cut our own pumpkins. Ryan also got him some fresh hand picked peanuts to take home and boil himself. We ended up with four pumpkins...all in descending size. We didn't realize that until we got home. So each of us had our own pumpkin. We definitely are going to go back next year...although Ryan says we are going to get bigger pumpkins!

2008-11-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

Samantha Is Onederful!!!!

2008-11-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

I know that these pictures are a little late but hey later is better than never. First I would like to thank everyone that came to celebrate with us. Thanks too for all of Sammie's gifts. I can't believe that our little girl is one. I don't know if time has sped up or if it is that fact that she is my second, but I don't remember Nathan's first year going by so fast. I think maybe the fact that she looks like a nine month old factors into it. She is just too little to be one already. It has been a fun year though. It still seems like yesterday that Dr. Edmondson announce that it was a girl and Ryan I looking at each other in disbelief. I still don't believe it sometimes. Anyway, I hope that you all will enjoy some pictures.

P.S. Be careful if ever you ask Jennifer to take pictures...you won't know what you'll end up with!

The Target Family Picnic

2008-11-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

Back in September we all went to the Target Family picnic. Ryan and I had the privilege of his grand mom (Grandma Re) visiting us so we took her along too. I think we had all had fun. Samantha won her first contest...She was doing the Hokey Pokey. Her prize was a yo-yo. Nathan danced some too, but not really. His highlight of the day was to ride the train. We also all ate some ice cream later. Like I said, I think that we all had a good time. See ya next year!

Hair today, Gone tomorrow!

2008-11-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

I finally did it! I had the patience to grow my hair long enough to donate. Donating my hair was something that I had always wanted to do. I mean since I was blessed enough to have great hair, I figured why not share it. I started when I found out that I was pregnant with Samantha. People say you shouldn't make any drastic changes while pregnant, so I started letting it just grow. Ryan didn't want me too because he likes me with short hair so I told him I would get it cut after the baby was born provided it was long enough. Well it ended up being almost a year after Sam was born before it was long enough. Normally I would be aching to get my hair cut but when it got time to do it...I really didn't want to.

I had long hair, something I hadn't had in years. I loved it. I did it though, I didn't for Ryan. I ended up donatinf two 11-11 1/2 inch braids.The thing is now, I am not sure how to style it. While pregnant with Sam...my hair change from slightly wavy to curly. I don't know how to style short curly hair. I guess I figured it out well enough.

Scraper's Paradise

2008-09-27T17:58:00.000-07:00

I have finally created a space for scrap booking. It has only taken two years and it's not complete but it is a start. I started Nathan's album about two weeks ago and have been working hard since. I have completed everything up to the day he came home. I love scrap booking but my only problem is that I am slow. I have to make sure everything is balanced, color coordinated properly, and cropped just right. I mean the other night I worked on a layout for over two hours and still didn't complete it until the next day. It is frustrating but I just can't help myself. I am happy though that I am just finally getting it done. That is Nathan's album anyway. I still haven't finished my own or Ryan's or even our wedding album! Oh well that's another day, or in the words of Scarlett O'Hara....I'll just have to think about that tomorrow.

We have urination in the toilet!

2008-09-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

Finally we have a success with potty training. Nathan went tee tee yesterday not only once but twice! Can I just tell you how happy that makes me. I tried not to resort to food bribes, but I gave in and told him that if he went he could have some cookies. We called Ryan and let him know, then we called Nonna. Everyone was very happy. He has sat on the potty in the past but never would go. He only sit there and "play" with his penis. Do all boys go through that? He has actually begun to tell us that he has a "big penis". It is quite funny because he grunts when he says it. Once again, are all little boys like this, or do I need to be concerned? He does love to wear his big boy underwear and likes the fact that he keeps them dry (which is easy to do when he has a pull-up under them). Oh well, I am just so happy that he has gone in the potty. I hope he only continues going in the potty. I'll keep you posted.

We have struck gold...I mean Copper!

2008-08-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

After five days and three "withdraws" later, Nathan has finally emptied "his piggy bank". Yes it was me who had the lovely job of searching for the money that Nathan swallowed. I am just happy that we don't have to take him back to the doctor for another x-ray. It turns out that he swallowed just a penny. For all of you who are wondering, no we didn't keep it. If it had been more than a penny, we might have been tempted. I wish that he only could have made some interest on it! On a side note, Sammie just had her nine month checkup. She is very healthy and doing great. The only concern the doctor had was her weight. It's on the low side of the scale so she wants me to check to make sure she is getting enough milk. Just for knowledge she is 17.3 pounds and 27.5 inches long. She is getting more and more ambitious in taking steps and standing up on her own. Well I guess that is all an update that I have for you now.

"CHANGE we can beleive in"

2008-08-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

We had an interesting day today. Helen had went to town and I was at home with Nathan and Samantha. About noon or so, I was cooking lunch and Sam was sleeping, and Nathan was playing on the floor. All of a sudden he came to me and said "money". I asked him where "money" was, and he pointed to his belly and opened his mouth. I asked if he had eaten some money and he said "uh huh". Then he said "get it Daddy!" I told him I couldn't see it. He started crying a little and asked again for me to get it. So, I told him to open his mouth so I could see the money. He did, but I couldn't see anything. He wasn't having any trouble breathing or anything. I gave him something to drink, and he could swallow alright so I began to wonder if he had really swallowed anything. I called mom and asked her what she thought. She said we should call the doctor's office and ask them. Who would of thought of calling a doctor? That's why mom's are the greatest! They said that we need to take him to the ER just in case if he did swallow anything to make sure it wasn't lodged somewhere in his throat or belly.
The ordeal at the hospital was interesting to say the least. Let's just say that Nathan does not like doctors or nurses. When one of them would start to check his pulse, or blood pressure, or listen to his breathing, he would kick and scream at the top of his lungs and try to crawl over my shoulders to get away from them. He was like a wet cat that thought you were trying to put back into a bathtub. He pitched a fit like I've never seen. It was fun trying to get an X-ray of his midsection. He didn't want a picture taken of his belly. He flipped and flopped like a fish out of water and screamed as loud as he possibly could. We got the X-ray though. I held both of his arms while a nurse held his legs down and a third person actually took the X-ray. When the doctor came back in, they showed us the X-ray. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Vicars...you are the proud parents of a "walking piggy bank"!! He had certainly swallowed some kind of coin. It looked like it might be a nickel; we'll find out in a day or two when the deposit clears.
Life is never dull when you have a toddler, but I wouldn't trade him for anything.

My Famous Encounter

2008-07-31T06:42:00.000-07:00

The only close up encounter of a celebrity was when I worked at Disney World. I happened to be working at Dumbo the Flying Elephant and I was able to sit Alan Thicke and his son on an elephant. That is all. As far as seeing celebrities...I have got great pictures from concerts. Allison Krauss and Reba!

It's really not again

2008-07-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

We tried. The little kitty didn't make it. It passed away on Friday sometime while I was at work and Helen was in town running errands. It's sad, but at the same time it's okay. I said when we first took it in that if its going to die, then I'd at least give it a fighting chance. We did what we could, but it was just too weak.

Not Again!!!

2008-07-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

Well, our kitty count has doubled. We now have 2 cats. This one is even smaller than Chance was when we first found him. Let me back up and set the scene. On Monday, when I got home from work Helen stopped me in the driveway and told me to park right where I was and come inside the house. She called me back to the back door and had me look out in the back yard against the house. The only thing I could see was white fur. I'll admit for a brief second I thought it was AnnaBelle. Not getting my hopes up, I asked if it was a cat. Helen told me it was, and that it had 5 kittens at about lunchtime. I opened the door to get a closer look and sure enough, there they were, 5 tiny little kitties and their mama. We didn't want to disturb her so we closed the door and went back inside. A little while later, my curiosity got the best of me and as I went to park my motorcycle under the shop, I slowly walked up the back porch where I could see the babies. The mama saw me and started hissing. I just tried talking to her in a sweet calm voice, but she just hissed and hissed (just like a woman...always mad about something. I mean you can't even walk without getting in trouble!! Just kidding.). So, I went inside and left her alone.
Anyway, as I was leaving for work the next morning, I looked down to check on them and noticed that she had moved the kittens; all except for one. I didn't think anything about it. I just figured that she hadn't finished moving them all yet, so I went on my merry little way to work. I let Helen know about the lone kitty, and to check to see if the mama comes for it. I called about noonish to check, and she said it was still there. So I was wondereing if we should take it and feed it. Helen told me she had called Quailwood and they said to give till the end of the day. Okay no big deal then, it will be fine. When I came home, I checked again and it was still there. No sign of mama. The weather was starting to turn bad; Hurrican Dolly was in Texas, and was throwing thunderstorms at us. I told her that I'm going to get it and take care of it since the weather was getting bad. Still not wanting to touch it, I got a small hand towel and picked it up and started towards the car (we were going to Mom and Rich's) when mama cat came from the neighbor's yard. I laid the kitty down on the towel in the grass, and we all went back inside and watched so we wouldn't freak her out again. She walked up to her baby and sniffed it for a little while, and sat down beside it. After a few minutes, she walked away like it was nothing. So, we decided we'd put it in a box with some of Chance's food (for the mama) and see what would happen when we got back from mom's. It was still in the box when we got home, and I couldn't just let it die. I figured the mama abandoned it when she walked away from it, but wanted to give her every possible opportunity to take it. I figured if it was going to die, then I would at least give it a "chance" to live. I have never really been a fan of cats, but I won't just let it die either. I took it in the house and started the whole process over again the same way I did with chance. Although this kitt still has the umilical cord attached and its eyes aren't open yet. It's doing very well I think. It has survuved 3 days with us so far, and is looking good. I'll post some pictures when we get some.

Happy Independence Day!!

2008-07-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

As my grandfather so proudly stated last Sunday... It is Independence Day not the 4th of July. We don't celebrate the 25th of December or 31st of October, so why is it that we celebrate the 4th of July?? It made me rethink the holiday. I personally love Independence Day.

I am grateful that I do live here America. I love BBQs, eating watermelon, being dressed in Red, White, and Blue, and I especially love the FIREWORKS!!!. I wish every holiday celebrated with fireworks. I personally feel that the louder they are the better. This year I have to admit was a bit of a let down. We went to the Agrirama last year and had a great view,so we went again this year. We went early to make sure we found our spot again and ended up waiting a good hour and half for the fireworks to start. At about 9:35ish they finally started.

It was going good. Nathan didn't cry and Sam just watched in amazement. Then lots of fireworks went off...was is the finale already...couldn't be...it's only be going for 10! Sure enough it was, but I must add that at the point the finale began, a rocket shot off and started a fire in the woods. We all figured that due to safety reasons they ended the show early. That is what we are telling ourselves anyway. All in all we did enjoy the time together. So remember for next year...Happy Independence Day!

Potty Training 101

2008-07-08T08:11:00.000-07:00

So last week I decided that I would buckle down and introduce Nathan to the potty. He had gone on it before but that was awhile back and it was more of a fun thing as opposed to a necessary thing. So, I woke up eager and ready to start. Nathan has been wearing Pull-Ups so I told him that today he would be wearing big boy underwear. He was very excited. I put them on and a shirt to keep things simple. I set him on the potty and waited. Nothing happened, but that's okay he tried. I then set the timer for 20 minutes to help remind me to set him on it again. No sooner had 15 minutes passed when I discovered that he had wet his underwear. I didn't yell or scream or even scold. I just took him into the bathroom and gave him the potty talk while he sat on the potty again. I asked him him where does his tee-tee go and he responded, "In the Potty!" I gave him a high-five and told him that's right. I also reaffirmed the difference between wet and dry and that we wanted him to keep his big boy underwear dry. Of course he said in his most excited way "OH-Kay!" Off the potty and into his room to put on a clean and dry pair of underwear. Set the timer again. This time however, 15 minutes. Occasionally I would ask him if his big boy underwear was dry and he would say yes. However, in 2-5 minutes time, after we had changed him before, he had wet again. Oh ! I forgot to mention that while doing this with Nathan I had Sammie going around commando. She had woken up and had a terrible diaper rash, so I was letting her little rear get some air. Back to Nathan. So after this round of wetting I repeated everything as before. Third pair of underwear were on after sitting on the potty for at least 15 minutes to "make sure all the tee-tee had come out". Once again about 2-5 minutes later..."Potty,Potty," Nathan let me know that he had already wet. Repeat steps. All in all in about a hour and half time, Nathan had successfully gone through no less than 7 pairs of big boy underwear while Sammie had successfully peed on me and all in her bed while taking her nap.( I expected that of Sam though.) We ended the morning by putting on a pull-up to take a nap. I had even called Ryan and let him know that if he felt so inclined as to leave work early, today would be a great day. He just laughed at me. I couldn't believe he would do that. Anyway, day 1 of training did not go well,but hey try and try again. So yesterday I did that. Day 2 of training. I am pleased to announce that we only went through 2 pairs of underwear! No, no tee-tee entered into the potty though. I am just happy that he stayed dryer longer. So I will continue to try. In the meantime, please enjoy my funny story and I will keep you posted on the progress.

A Chance Encounter

2008-07-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

On Father's Day weekend, I was mowing Mom, and Papa Rich's yard as a surprise for Papa Rich. We are too poor to buy a gift, and I wanted to do something for him, so I figured he would be just as appreciateive for being able to go an extra week without having to mow (I would be). It was looking like it was about to storm, so I was trying to hurry and get the mowing done, also mom and Rich would be home soon and I wanted to have it done before they got home. I had made about 4 or 5 passes in the ditch in their front yard, and was coming up to the culvert and driveway when I noticed a movement in front of me. I looked and saw that it was a little kitty. It's eyes were just barely open. It was crawling towards the culvert as best as it could. I stopped the mower and picked him up. He had a really bad looking cut/laceration on his back at the base of his tail. I took him inside to show Helen. She just looked at him, and asked where in the world did you find that? I told her how I had found him in the ditch. I know he wasn't there when I started mowing because I would have either seen him or run over him. I believe someone tossed him out of their car since the cut on his back was so fresh. I told Helen we can't just let him die, we had to do something. I called Quailwood (a local animal hospital) and told the doctor what had happened. He asked if we wanted to keep him for ourselves or give him to the humane society. As any man in this situation would do, I said "hang on, I need to ask my wife." We weren't quite sure what to do, I mean we just found him and were thrown into the situation. After talking about it for a while, we decided we would keep him for now and see if we could "nurse him back to health". The doctor told us to put peroxide and neosporin on his wound and keep it clean. I went and got some baby kitty milk and a bottle from Wal-Mart. I had never bottle fed an animal before so it was definitely a learning experience for me and the cat. We both finally got the hang of it and he began to eat more and more. His wound wasn't looking so good though. I called the vet back and asked if we could bring him in for a check-up since I was off work until the evening. At his first vet visit, which was 4 days after we found him, he weighed 5 oz.!! The doctor put him on an antibiotic for 10 days and told us to keep cleaning his wound. He wasn't getting better after a few days, so Papa Rich took him back to the vet for us (I had to work). A different doctor looked at him this time, and said that his wound was infected pretty badly. He hadn't gained any weight, and it would be a struggle for him to survive. We needed to be prepared to put him down if it came to it because things didn't look good for him. The doctor put him on a stronger medicine and told us to keep him clean and fed. We needed to keep the kids away from him because they didn't know what kind of bacteria was infecting him, but it was dangerous. I thought about giving him to the animal shelter because I didn't want to risk my children's health to save a cat, but I figured I'd give him a few more days. He started looking better and becoming more active after a couple of days on the new medicine. He was also eating more. Papa took him to the vet again and the doctor was surprised at how well he was doing. His wound was healing nicely, and he was gaining weight. He now weighs 12 oz. We decided to name him Chance. It fits him considering the circumstances of how we found him. He is cute as can be and is becoming more playful. Sorry if I've rambled on too much. This is my first time blogging.

Tagged by Jen

2008-06-27T12:21:00.000-07:00

Can you tell how much I enjoy these sorts of games. It has taken me how long to respond, but hey it is a fun way to get to know something new about others. Well here it goes...

How to play this game. Post these rules on your blog; List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names....

The Joyful side of things...

1. Having my Kids
2. Not being Primary President
3. Having Family close by

My Fears...

1.Screwing up my kid's lives
2. Dying
3. Not being liked by other people

Goooooooals!

1. Get physically fit, before my kids discover that I am fat.
2. Finish all the quilts and scrapbooks that I have been working on for years!
3. Learn to play songs from the hymnal on the piano

Colletions/Obessions

1. Ebay
2. My IKEA curtains
3. Consignment shops or sales

Random Thoughts about ME!

1. I carry on conversations with myself.
2. I would like to climb Mt. Everest.
3. I can fit an average of 26-30 grapes or 13-15 large marshmellows in my mouth and still say "Fluffy Bunny".

Tag your it: Ryan, Teddi, Cory, Mom, James

Ken-tuck-eeee!

2008-06-24T13:43:00.001-07:00

Okay, Okay. I know once again these are way over due, but hey, isn't it the rule of thumb to start with the most recent and work your way backwards?

Back at the end of March Ryan and I had the chance to go to Kentucky to visit with some of Papa Rich's family. It was a short trip but fun none the less. Rich's dad,a.k.a. Grandpa Cox, was really excited because this would be the first time he had met Ryan and Samantha. Nathan and I had the chance to meet him before when we went to Texas. Nathan had a fun time with all the animals at Papa Rich brother's (Glen) house. He also played with Glen's granddaughter. Sammie was just starting to hold her head up really good so we took some pictures of her and the dogs. Of course it snowed either the day we left or the day after. We all had a fun trip, can't wait for the next one.

Let sleeping babies lie.

2008-06-24T13:29:00.000-07:00

Just some fun pictures of Nathan and Sammie taking a nap together.
Yes they are from a while back but I thought they were cute. I just love how they are in the same position. Enjoy.

These are from one day when I told Nathan to go and take a nap. I heard him crying for a few minutes but then he quit so I went to check on him and this is how I found him.

My White Knight

2008-06-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

Okay so Ryan will probaly kill me for this but I just had too.

These were taken at the Saturday festivities of the Reunion. Ryan was taking the kids swimming for the first time this year. I of course was wanting to take pictures. I needed to snap of a few to get the roll going so Ryan did a little posing for me. Isn't he so scrupulous! Bytheway, no he doesn't have a shirt on...he really is that white ;P Both Nathan and Sammie love the water. Nathan is trying to swim a little. He is getting to the point where he is jumping off the side without any help. Sammie is ready to go. I haven't dunked her under the water yet, she has had colds and other infections, but I can't wait. She is ready for it. They will both splash and kick and laugh the whole time. Amazingly with both of them being so fair skinned, neither has come out of the pool with a sunburn. I love Sammie's swimsuit and Nathan is loving his "Cars" trunks!

Reunion

2008-06-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

I know the Reunion was over a month ago. This way though I will stand out from the other family posts about the Family Reunion. I really do look forward to it every year. Although I have been attending all my life, I find myself still learning who everyone is. For example; It wasn't till I was a young teenager that I learned that Aunt Ruth was not a relative from dad's side of the family but in actuality she was grandmom's sister. You may be asking yourself what I was thinking when she would be at the reunions....well how many people come to our reunion that aren't related. See, I have a valid point. Anyway, I always loved the old games we would play; who drove the farthest, mother-daughter look-a-like, baldest man,etc. But I loved most of all the softball games. I always thought it was so cool to pile up in the back of some one's truck and ride to the ballparks. I remember too the time I had a rock launched into my face by the passing train, leaving a scar on my upper lip. Of course there was the FOOD! You all know about that though. So in the end I just love the reunion. So sit back and enjoy some pictures.

I'm Updating...well kind of.

2008-06-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

I told you in a earlier post that I would have more pictures for Splish,Splash. Well these are finally them. I just love Nathan and Sammie's expressions. They both love the water. I am really surprised at how Sammie tolerated Nathan spraying her in the face, but she just laughed. I also had to take a picture of Nathan from behind while he was watering the yard. How could you have a little boy and not take a picture like this. Anyway, enjoy.

Father and Daughter

2008-05-13T08:43:00.000-07:00

I just love this picture of Ryan and Samantha. It was taken while we were in Kentucky visiting Rich's family. There is a special bond that fathers and daughters share. It is just a beautiful sight to watch Ryan interact with Samantha. She will just light up at the first glance she gets of him. Ryan is a wonderful father and I couldn't ask for a better one for my children. Samantha has got him wrapped around her little finger.

Ryan is so funny to listen to when he talks about Samantha. He says that she won't date until she is 35 and she won't even be allowed to look at boys. Isn't funny how men change so much when they become the father to a little girl. I hope that Samantha and Ryan will always be close and have those special moments of bonding just like I did with my father.

Splish,Splash...Giving Sammie a Blast

2008-05-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

I needed to clean some plastic toy bins one day and so I had Nathan help me. He wasn't in the mood to take a nap so I didn't push the issue. We usually sit on the porch anyway to watch for Ryan but it was still going to be a couple of hours. I wasn't intending to have Nathan play in the water, but it happened and he had a great time. In the course of letting him play he started to "make his soup." I ran inside to grab the camera to take pictures. After a while though he started to get a bit mischievous and well Sammie ended up "playing" in the water as well. There were a few times Nathan tried to get me, but I wouldn't let him...since I had my camera. Sammie loved it. She would just laugh at Nathan and smile. Below is Nathan's recipe for his soup. The afternoon was one that I hope to remember for a long time. It was the perfect time of letting Nathan be a kid and me as a mom enjoy the moment. Memories were made that day.

P.S. I think there are more on a other roll of film so be advised, these pictures might change.

Shoe Soup

2008-05-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

Nathan wanted to share his recipe for Shoe Soup.

1. Add water to large tub.

2. Add Feet for seasoning.

3. Stir and Taste.

4. Add Shoes and stir again.

5. Share with Little Sister.

Don't forget to use proper gloves as not to spread germs. Eat often and enjoy.

Eating thru Osmosis

2008-05-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say about these other than they were just too cute.

Fancy Me

2008-05-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I celebrated our fifth anniversary on the 26th of April...and you all said it wouldn't last...by going to Wild Adventures to see Reba in concert. It was awesome. It was only the third concert I have ever been to. Ironically they have all been with Ryan. We originally were just going to sit in the non-reserved seats but it was way crowded. So Ryan went to check if there were any reserved left. Luckily for us there happened to be a lady selling some that she didn't need anymore. So we got the reserved seats for less than the full price. We were so glad that we splurged for the seats because they were really good seats. For those of you who may be wandering..Reba is a very funny lady and she can sing. She sounds the same in person as she does on the radio. It was very exciting. I have put together a slide show so I hope that you will enjoy it.

REBA!!

2008-05-12T15:33:00.001-07:00

The Cats are Starving to Death

2008-05-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

Once again Nathan is helping to bring a smile and a laugh to everyone out there that might need it. While Vickie (Nonna) and Rich (Papa Rich) where away on a weekend getaway, they asked Ryan and I to keep a watch on the cats. Well Nathan is used to helping Papa Rich feed the cats. While I was busy nursing Samantha and I think Ryan was in the bathroom...this is what happened. I think the pictures will speak for themselves. Enjoy a really good laugh.

Fore!...Par 2

2008-05-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

I just had more pictures developed and I had forgotten that I had taken more of the kids golfing with Papa Rich. I knew I had taken some of these but I thought that weren't able to get developed...you thinking that these frames were the ones exposed to the light. So anyway I hope that you will still enjoy these.

Grit and Bear It

2008-04-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

Once gain my wonderful two year old has done something to make me laugh and frustrated at the same time. All day I have been trying to get the house back into shape from being gone last week. So I have been doing laundry, dishes, and vacuuming. I was feeling pretty good about what I had done so far. It was time for lunch and I was making sloppy Joe's. Nathan was piddling around as usual. Running here and there,jumping,playing with his trucks. One of his favorite things is to hide in the pantry. I heard him and told to get out. In a perfect world he would have done so immediately. He finally did come out...carrying a bowl of grits. I first had to think where he found them, but then I remembered we had a small container of them. He was wanting to cook. So I let him sit at the table with his bowl and a spoon. He was just stirring and cooking as happy as could be. I turned back to finish up with the sloppy Joe's. As I turned back around, I saw grits all over the table and on the floor that I had already vacuumed. Nathan just smiled up at me and said "cookin',cookin'." How could i get mad. He was so cute and so proud of what he had cooked. I just had to wait until he was done and then vacuum my floor again. aren't kids the greatest!

GRRRRREAT!

2008-04-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

I have received the letter G. So here it goes.

1. Gummy Bears
2. Gymnastics
3. Grandparents
4. Green Grass (ooh, double points)
Man, this is harder than I thought it would be...
5. Golf (Tiger is yummy!)
6. Girls Night Out (haven't had one in a long while...any one up for it?)
7. Gerber Daises
8. Gap clothes
9. Graham Crackers (cinnamon is the best)
10. Granola

There I have done it. Ten things I like that start with the letter G!
Wait, I have just thought of some more...Grilled Cheese Sandwhiches, Gardens, Grapes,Grits, Games....Okay I guess it just takes me a minute to get going. I 'm done now, really I am.

Nathan's Birthday part TWO!

2008-04-28T14:19:00.001-07:00

As I finally finished posting all the latest news of our family, I had mom look it over and tell me what she thought. She got down to where I was talking about Nathan's birthday and I commented on how I didn't want to say to much and didn't know all that I should say. She then asked me why I hadn't talked about the cake. I told her I did and she said "No, you didn't mention the cake taking a spin." I immediately remembered what she was talking about, so he is the story that you all are now dying to know.

I began working on Nathan's cake the night before his party. I had baked it and was going to decorate it in the morning. So we got up early and headed to mom's with the cake ready to go. I worked all morning making the frosting (from scratch,with the help of Tabi) and coloring to the right colors for Lighting McQueen. My trouble began when I screwed up the red, making it brown (added to much black,trying to make a darker red). I then had to make a fresh batch with my time starting to run short. I was really starting to get frustrated when I couldn't get the frosting smooth and all the details the way I wanted them. I finally had to just call it quits with the details and left the cake how it was;which was still very good. I was taking a break and relaxing and nursing Sam and mom was in the kitchen. We were both apparently tired because we both heard a little voice saying "WHEEE, WHEE, VROOM, VROOM." We did nothing,then all of the sudden both of us turned and looked in absolute horror. There was Nathan sitting at the counter spinning the cake round and round. See, while frosting the cake, I put it on a lazy Susan so I could turn it easier. In my haste to sit and rest I didn't take it off. I think mom and I both had heart failure or was at least close to it. I would have died if the cake went flying off the counter after all the work I put into it. Luckily for me, someone was watching out because it didn't move a bit. So because of this, I have a great memory of Nathan's second birthday and hopefully y'all will find it a bit funny too.

Four...I mean FORE!!!

2008-04-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

As we all know, Papa Rich is a avid golfer and will take anyone anytime. He had been talking about taking Madeline and Isabella for awhile but the timing never was right. He even bought them a set of clubs to use. Well
when they were over here for Spring Break, the timing was finally right. So together, Papa Rich and I took them and Nathan to the golf course. It was a lot of fun. It took the girls a few swings at the driving range but soon they were starting to get the hang of it.

Nathan loved it too, but he was wanting to go golfing on the real golf course. The girls were eager to go too but Papa Rich said they would have to wait a little while later, after they had bit more training. We also went to the practice putting green where Nathan showed us that he can get the ball into the hole every single time, on one stroke. I had alot of fun too as it was my first time golfing. I think Papa Rich was pretty surprised how good I did. We all hope to go again soon. Look out Tiger, here we come!!

The Dress and Baby Blue Suit

2008-04-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

Easter was so exciting for me this year. I had a little girl to dress, which we all know is way more fun than a boy. I was really excited about Sam's dress. It was actually given to me at my baby shower for Nathan. A friend of Vickie's from work (Kathy) gave it to me in hopes that I was having a girl, but I didn't. I kept it however for when I would have one because I loved it so much. Well, with Sam's arrival, it worked out perfectly in sizing and time wise for her to wear as her first Easter dress. The problem now was finding an outfit for Nathan that "matched". So I had been keeping my eye out for something but wasn't finding anything. I finally thought about going to a consignment shop when I came across Nathan's blue suit. At first I was hello, the 70's are calling and they want their baby blue leisure suit back. As I continued looking around, I started visualizing the suit next to Sam's dress and the suit began to grow on me. I bought it but was still uneasy about it. When I showed it to Ryan and Vickie, they looked at me like I was crazy. They couldn't believe I had bought something like that, but I told them to look at it and picture it with Sam's dress. It didn't take long for them to at least consider it but both agreed they would have to see it on him. In the end they liked it and they both looked absolutely cute. Now getting them together for a picture is a whole other story!

It all Daddy's Fault

2008-04-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I for years wanted to get Madeline's ears pierced but Jen had always said "Not until she's eight." So we waited and waited until she turned eight and were very excited when that day came. It was so much fun.A few days after she had them pierced though, she lost a earring and the holes closed up. I was very sad about this and thought oh well. It was soon going to be Isabella's eighth birthday and so we waited. Luckily her and Nathan share March as their birthday month so when she was over for Nathan's birthday party, we took her to get her ears pierced. Ryan had been wanting to get Sammie's ears pierced since she was born. So he talked me into doing it today with Bella. Unknown to Madeline, we were going to have her ears pierced again. Ryan's mom and step dad (aka Nonna and Papa Rich) came along. They didn't know we were doing Sammie's too. It was really funny to Ryan and I when she jokingly mentioned that we should do Sammie's ears while we were there. She was surprised when we told her that that was what we were going to do. So all three of the girls had their

ear's pierced together. We all had a fun time and the pictures say how excited Sammie was as well.

Nathan's Birthday

2008-04-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I have a two year old. Really people, where does the time go? We had a small party with a few friends and family. Unoffically, it was a "Disney Cars" theme. He loves the movie, so because of this I made him a Lightning McQueen cake. I personally think I did a great job but I'll let you be the judge.

Here are a few more pictures:

Our Trip to Wild Adventures!

2008-04-27T11:30:00.001-07:00

We took this trip a little while back and finally had the pictures developed.Nathan had a great time seeing the animals and riding on the rides. It was our first trip to a "theme park" and he did very well. We hope that you all will enjoy the pictures.

The Family

2008-04-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

I guess you all know by now that this was mom's idea. Everyone seems to be starting with the family so I guess that I will as well.

Ryan and I met in high school on the first day of our sophomore year. It wasn't love at first sight(at least it wasn't for me...I don't even remember meeting him) but over the course of a few months it turned into a really nice high school love. It was really cool for me because I always thought that it would be neat to have a high school sweetheart. Long story short we have been together ever since. We are soon going to be celebrating our fifth anniversary! Ryan is working for the Georgia State Patrol in the Motor Carrier Compliance Division. He is loving every minuet of it. Right now is competing in the Inspector's Competition and had made it to the third round! It is funny that only a few years ago he was driving a big truck running from the law and now he is the law running after the big trucks. I am lucky enough to be able to stay at home with our children. We have two of the most adorable children, Nathan and Samantha. They keep me very busy and I absolutely love it. Well this is our family, at least for now.

Sam,Sammie,Samantha

2008-04-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

Samantha is our six month old little girl. How excited we were to learn we had had a girl. We were so excited that we asked each other several times, "What did he say?" and even then we just couldn't believe it. Also what surprised us was the she had a head full of black hair. So much so that it looked like she was wearing a wig. It just isn't fair how fast they grow. She is now rolling and almost crawling. She has the sweetest personality and a smile that will melt any one's heart. We have also learned that she is a thumb sucker. No pacifier for her! She loves to laugh at Nathan and wants so hard to run around and play with him. For now though, she is my baby girl.

Nathan

2008-04-02T09:43:00.000-07:00

Nathan is our two year old and is living up to the title of "Terrible Twos". Okay maybe not all the time, but is on the rare occasions. He is a great big brother and is in the stage of wanting to help and do everything himself. He is very big into the Disney's "Cars" movie. I think he has just about everything they make. He loves his family very much and is a big time Daddy's little man. He loves to play with Samantha and make her laugh. One of his favorite things to do is play outside. We have started a garden and he enjoys working in it with us. Nathan is getting smarter everyday and it amazes me how quickly he picks up on the things around him. He is just wonderful and he is my little man.