SO GRAPEFUL

Point....Not Taken

2012-02-06T19:29:00.003-05:00

There is something about these two. There's a bond there already. They don't even realize that the other is making the SAME expression in the pictures. Mckinley has been so congested today. It kills me because I want to say so bad "Just Blow" when I put a tissue to her nose and it's even harder that she can't understand "Just open your mouth and breathe". She's been a trooper. Tonight I took her into Brax's room and laid her on the bed and she immediately began laughing. Brax got next to her and she started talking. And then he started talking. He went to a little friends birthday party yesterday and he had a blast.
He told me that Luke's daddy had to tell the boys and girls not to jump on the furniture. Here's how the rest of the conversation went:
Me- "Were you jumping on the furniture?"
Brax- "Yes, but all the kids were".
Me- (Can't believe I said it) "Well Brax if all the other kids jumped off a building would you?"
Brax-"Nope"
(Pause)
Brax- " I'd stay on the building and wait for the rope!"
Do you think he understood what I was saying?

So....What's for Dinner?

2012-01-28T21:11:00.003-05:00

We took our girl to the doctor yesterday for her 4 month check up and we knew what was going to happen. The doctor "signed off" on her starting food. I wasn't surprised, we knew it was coming but honestly I can't say I was ready. Dr. told us to take it slow, don't rush things, and if she wasn't interested then wait.
Mckinley is growing so fast. I love watching both of my babies interact with one another. They both light up when the other enters the room. I've said it before but of all the things I give and provide for my children having each other is what I'm most proud of.
I went to the store this morning and picked up a box of yummy rice cereal. I had no plans of when I was going to begin but thought I'd just have it in the house. We made her a small bowl tonight and the girl LOVED IT!! She was opening her mouth when she saw the spoon coming her way.
Looks like we have a big girl on our hands. (sigh)

Where's the Party At?

2012-01-20T19:43:00.003-05:00

4 months ago today I awoke very early. I had gone to bed the night before thinking the next morning would be my last day at work before I had my daughter. She surprised us and decided to come when she was ready! Mckinley turned 4 months old today. She's getting so big. This morning when I went to get her up I walked into her room and turned on her little light. That little head popped up and she began to look around. Precious.
She absolutely adores her brother and he, just for the record, adores her too! I think in a few years they're going to be a great team.

I'm a Big Kid Now

2012-01-06T21:45:00.003-05:00

Did you gasp when you saw this picture? I had a lump in my throat while I was sitting next to him the other night. I can not believe that my baby is holding a pencil and writing his name!
Where in the world have the years gone?

Beach Bums

2011-12-29T08:56:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we took everybody down to the beach for a walk. We feed the seagulls and Braxton had a good time chasing them away. It was quite chilly and really windy. I had to be quick but I got some really cute pictures of the kids! Mckinley wasn't quite sure what to think.

Christmas

2011-12-27T20:14:00.003-05:00

Our 3rd day of our Christmas adventure and we can't believe how different things are at the beach in December vs July. We love that we can go do things and aren't fighting a crowd anywhere. We took Braxton to the aquarium yesterday and he's been asking about piranhas all day! (Why didn't he see their teeth?)

Today we went swimming in the in door pool. Mckinley LOVED it! She looked absolutely adorable in her bathing suit but she was like a fish kicking and splashing about!

Twas the Night Before Christmas....

2011-12-24T20:59:00.003-05:00

As I sit and type this I am listening to the ocean crash behind me. Because we can't all be together this Christmas we decided to do something totally different. We left this afternoon and came to spend Christmas and the week at the beach. Dad and Allyson left at 6:30 this morning and by the time we got here the tree was up and cookies had just come out of the oven.

Mckinley is asleep and Braxton has just come up from sprinkling his reindeer food on the lawn. We're excited. Merry Christmas!

Look Who's Talking Now

2011-12-06T20:42:00.005-05:00

Here are my babies. Not a fabulous picture but their together. I really think they love one another. Brax and I left before Mckinley woke up yesterday and when we got home last night she was asleep on the couch. Tonight he just couldn't get enough of her. And she loved it! I'm looking forward to being with them both in another week or so. She has the sweetest personality and will smile and "talk" all the time.
Brax's buddy at school just turned 5 last week so a lot of conversations lately have been about age. Every time he asks "when am I going to be 5?" I respond with "Never. I want you to be 4 forever!". Yesterday, very early in the morning, on our way to meet dad for the drop off out of nowhere he said "Mama I'm going to be 5 soon. And it's ok because 5 is just a little bit bigger than 4". (and imagine him taking his index finger and his thumb showing me just a little).

Another First

2011-11-24T21:57:00.004-05:00

We have a tradition in our family. Every Thanksgiving we go around the table and before we say the blessing we say what were thankful for. It never fails that year after year I always say the same thing. My family. Look at these pictures. We had dinner at Aunt Lisa's like so many years past. Braxton had a great time with baby Zoie (who's a trip!) and Mckinley was loved on by her Grandaddy and Aunt. Again, I am reminded of how lucky I am. I am so fortunate to have a husband that I love and love being married too. I am reminded everyday of how lucky I am to have healthy children.
Last night we had dinner at church followed by a special service and since Brandon was helping
prepare the food, the kids and I drove out by ourselves. Mckinley does NOT particularly enjoy the car seat. She can handle it better if I'm sitting in the back with her but last night she screamed the entire ride and Braxton was sitting on the other side of the car singing "Humpty Dumpty" (but his always comes out sounding like Huuuunty Dunty). She's screaming, he's singing. And I'm up front chuckling. My children are healthy. They scream, they cry, and they sing.
I am so thankful!

What I'll Miss.....

2011-11-18T22:51:00.006-05:00

On Monday I return to work. I had my baby girl almost 8 1/2 weeks ago and I can NOT believe that it's time.
Ever since I had Braxton I've said that I'm a better mother because I work. Not only does work help my family financially but I get to be "me" for a couple of hours and my children have space to be who they are. They get to play with other children and interact with other adults. Not to mention spend time with their grandparents! I honestly think we're all better. But over the past 2 months I've spent some quality time with my babies and this time I really took time to take it all in. I didn't fret over things like laundry or about unloading the dishwasher. I knew it would be OK if I spent ALL day in my pajamas and I found myself laughing at some of the things that made me cry when Braxton was born. I've realized how fast time goes by and that each and every day truly is a gift. In the motions of the day, I paused to look at my sleeping babies and realized that both of them were no longer "just mine". Life has for sure changed around here.
My return to work is bitter-sweet. I know I'll never have this time back. I have so enjoyed taking my little boy to school, picking him up, rocking my daughter for as long a she wants, resting on the couch with her on my chest and listening to her breathe, smelling her breath as she yawns, and stepping back and watching the two of them interact, smile, and love another. It's the little things..
As I make my way back to the classroom where 22 children that don't belong to me will greet me on Monday I'll have my 2 children on my mind. I'll miss them terribly. Think about me....thank goodness it's a short week!!

The Latest

2011-11-05T22:54:00.002-04:00

Halloween was different this year. I had class and although my professor said we could miss I had already missed two for having Mckinley and felt like it would be more "responsible" of me to go. I thought about Brax all night. Ever since he's been born we've been home and have gotten a picture of him in the candy bowl. We had to start the same tradition with her.
I decided Brax was too big to sit in it with the baby and plus he'd squash the peanut butter cups! Brax helped me put her in the bowl. We had to lay her down and Brax began putting candy on top of her. She didn't make a sound. Poor girl. She must take after her mama and will probably love sweets as she gets older!
I'm still not sure why my photos won't rotate so I couldn't include one of the two of them (Brax sat beside the bowl!). I did want to include a picture of Braxton's "rilla" that he drew this morning. It's so cute. It even has hair on the top of his head! I remember drawing like this when I was a kid. Why do kids never seem to want to draw a neck or body?

My Little Babies

2011-10-28T15:31:00.004-04:00

This time around at the hospital I had some really good nurses. They were personable and during their shift I felt like some good conversation took place between us . One of the nurses I had the day after Mckinley was born asked how "Big Brother" was. I told her that he wouldn't have much to do with me or the baby and that I hoped he'd come around. She told me that the same thing had happened when her children were born and now they were best friends. Although I'm very close with my own siblings, I asked her what she did to see that that would happen. She said she simply told them all the time that they were best friends. They grew up hearing it and believed it.
Braxton has continued to do really well with the baby. I started telling him that they would be best friends one day. He keeps asking when we can teach her to crawl, what he'll do when she plays with his cars, and that when she starts talking he wants her to call him "BB" (?).
We were in the car earlier this week and he was talking about his friends and I asked who his best friend was. He said "Mckinley"(!)
As you can see, it does appear that way!

Very Special

2011-10-14T09:59:00.003-04:00

(I can't rotate the top one for some reason. I'll keep working on it!)
Braxton has REALLY come around. He loves helping and is constantly wanting to touch. I think I've already started saying the phrase I'll say most often for the next 15 years or so; Leave her alone! It was as if one day he just woke up and realized she's not going anywhere. He's been so sweet.
Last week, however, Braxton woke up and was feeling a little neglected. I felt terrible and so guilty. Brandon told me to pick him up form school and spend the afternoon with him. We went to get ice cream, Monkey Joes, and to have a snack afterwards at Chick Fil A (he was "starving"). I told him we'd have to eat there because I can't eat in the car. Here's how the conversation went.
B-Why can't we eat in the car? Daddy does.
Me- Well I can't eat and drive.
B-Why not?
Me- I'm just not that special.
B- Why are you not special?
Me- I am special. I meant that that's one thing I can't do.
B- Am I special?
Me- VERY special.
B- Is daddy special?
Me- VERY special.
B- Is Baby Sister special?
Me- VERY special.
B- Why is Baby Sister VERY special?

Already a Fan

2011-09-26T21:59:00.007-04:00

To hear the story correctly, it starts off with a 4 year old little boy who finds himself a big brother to a little girl. That's when all the trouble began!
That's what my big brother wrote in his 1st grade autobiography that we found years ago. I think about him saying that and I laugh.
I remember playing with my big brother and wanting so bad to be included. He had the best tree house ever and on the outside he posted a sign that said "No Girls Allowed". This wouldn't have been so bad except that almost all the neighborhood friends he played with were girls. It should have just said, "No Sisters Allowed". He was always so much fun and regardless of how many times he'd pinch our shoulders, push our pinkies back, or how hard he tried to "ignore" us, I still could never get enough.
I find myself many years later wandering if history is again about to repeat itself. My little boy is now a 4 year old that has found himself a big brother to a little girl too. This afternoon she had just woken up and it was time for me to get him up so I took her with me. As I sat there and looked at both of my babies, I began to have visions of all the fun that they would have together, the memories that they'd make together, and of all of the times they'd need each other with the ups and downs in life and have one another. I began to hope that out of all of my memories of growing up with my big brother she gets just as many to experience too with hers. I laid her in his bed and thought about my big brother. I realized that no matter how far away someone is there as close a you want them to be.
A sibling is much more than someone you grow up with. It's a friend that you always have. I want my children to grow up to be friends. Of all the things that we can provide, I think it's the best gift I could ever give my children!

Introducing Our Daughter

2011-09-22T10:40:00.008-04:00

Here is proof that no matter how well you think things are planned, anything can happen. I woke up on Tuesday morning, one day before my planned c-section, at 2am having contractions. I "thought" I knew what was happening but as I moved from the bed to the couch I kept telling myself that if I ignored them they would just go away. I had one more day of work to get through and it was cousin Zoie's first birthday! After 30 minutes of timed contractions every 10 minutes I woke Brandon up and told him I thought I was in labor. We called the doctor and were told to wait another hour. We went ahead and took showers and finished packing our bags. I woke Braxton up and he was up and we were gone by 3:30. We dropped him off at Maw Maw's, went by Dad's to drop his bags off for the next few days, and were walking through the front entrance of CMC by 4:30. They admitted me at 4:55am and at 7:16am we heard the cries of our baby girl for the first time.

Mckinley Grace was born weighing in at 7lbs, 14ozs, and was 19 3/4inches long. (Big Brother weighed 7lbs, 15 ozs, and was 20 inches long.) We had discussed names that we liked but hadn't decided on anything for sure. After she was born while in the operating room someone asked Brandon what her name was and he responded by saying "This is Mckinley Grace." (Braxton picked her middle name)

Mckinley and Daddy are doing fabulous. Big Brother is adjusting. Last night's visit was much better than Tuesday night's. Hopefully, he'll want to hold her tonight.

"Tuesday's child is full of grace". We feel so blessed.

School Days

2011-09-15T20:21:00.004-04:00

My little man had his first day of preschool last week. This year, because of Baby Sister's arrival, he will be going 5 days a week. It's been an adjustment for us all but he loves it. I am so thankful that Braxton has been able to spend so much time with all of his grandparents. I hope he remembers his time at his Maw Maw's and the time he gets with his Grandaddy when he's older. Not a lot of children are that fortunate. And not all parents are that fortunate. I've said since he was born that I have never worried about him while I work. I would listen to stories that others would tell about their kids in daycare and I would just count my blessings.
Tonight we were looking at some of his work he brought home and it looked as if he had drawn a bunch of"lines". Brandon and I were complementing him on how straight they were and he said, "No, No those are ones!"
He also went to choir practice at church for the first time this Wednesday. He really enjoyed that. I'll let you know when he sings in big church!! That will be something to see.

Big Brother Bear

2011-09-10T19:19:00.005-04:00

I had heard years ago from a friend about getting a recordable device from The Build-A-Bear Workshop to record the heartbeat of the baby at a doctors appointment. I have been wanting to do this for this pregnancy but kept putting it off. We went last weekend to get the recorder after realizing we only had 2 more appointments if we wanted to do it.
We took Braxton to the mall this morning to make his bear. Baby Sister's heart beat is tucked safely in the foot. It was really a cute experience (Done it. Need to no more) and he had a great time watching the process of being stuffed and giving it a "bath". When it came time to pick a name, for the birth certificate of course, he decided on Busch! We talked him out of that and he settled on a very original name: Big Brother Bear.
We have one more weekend. It's so hard to believe she'll be here in less than 2 weeks.

Drum Roll, Please

2011-09-04T17:51:00.005-04:00

Here you have it. Baby Sister's room is now ready. I've been doing laundry all weekend just washing 0-3 month clothes, blankets, cloths, and bibs. We're really excited with how it turned out. I was even able to rock my Baby Boy in the new rocker this morning. I told him that when it came I would rock him in it before she had a chance!

THIS is what little girls are made of....

2011-09-03T09:34:00.004-04:00

B-day is quickly approaching. We still have no furniture (hopefully this changes today around 3) and as you can see I have EVERYTHING still to wash, organize, and put away. I had to just look at what we have around us now. Pink, purple, hair bows, and dresses. We're so excited. I have to finish picking up Big Brother some things for his goodie bag this weekend. He keeps asking "When is baby sister gonna be here?" The other day he threw his hands up and said "You said after the beach!" But it's now September and she'll be here very soon. If all goes well we'll have her in our arms on September 21.
The other night I sat with him on the couch and started asking him his thoughts on some names. I told him three and he told me the one he liked best. So I said, "Alright, ________ and Braxton it is" (We're still undecided so we're not saying anything yet). He said "Yea. No, how bout Braxton and Sweet Pea!" So for the time being we have a Sweet Pea.

Just Like a Pro

2011-08-28T15:04:00.008-04:00

Yesterday was the sibling class at the hospital. It was to help older siblings feel more at ease about "where mommy is" and it went over what will happen when the baby is born and when they come visit the new baby at the hospital. We took "Busch 2" and one of the first things the nurse did was talk about how they weigh and measure the new baby. All of the kids had a chance to put their stuffed animals on the scale. Busch 2 weighed 12.5 ounces and was 17 inches long. She went over how to hold the baby (sitting down) and went into some discussion about the soft spot. He even got a diaper to bring home and to practice putting on and taking off of Busch 2. Brax really listened and just looked around the room. Afterwards she took us down to the nursery and showed us the new babies. There was a banner over the nursery window that said "Class of 2029". You can see part of it in one of the pictures. It was really cute even though I think because of the recent change in the cut off date she'll be class of 2030!
Afterwards we went back downstairs and all of the kids were given a certificate. It was a cute class. Brax definitely felt like a Big Brother and in the car on the way home asked if he could change into his Big Brother shirt when he got home!!

Showered with Love

2011-08-27T17:37:00.006-04:00

The past two weekends have been busy. The day after we arrived home from the beach my childhood friend Stacy and her mom threw a shower. I had many close friends there and the food was great. We received a lot of great gifts for our baby girl and Big Brother walked away with somethings too. It was almost surreal opening pink and purple things.
Last Sunday I had a shower at my good friend Tina's house. Family and church friends attended. I had representation from my mom's family, my dad's family, and Brandon's family. It was great having everyone together for such a special time. I know that everyone is going to love this little girl.
We're down to about 3 1/2 weeks and we still have so much to do. Work wise I've gotten a lot done but I still have things that I have to do before I will be able to relax about not being there. And around here....we still don't have any furniture. We have gotten the car seats, bassinet, bouncer, and all the little things out and in her room on one side. The other side is filled with clothes and other accessories waiting for a permanent home.
I go back to the doctor this week and begin going every week from then on. I have my surgery scheduled. I suppose I'll start packing my bag soon. It's hard to believe it's almost time!!

Last One

2011-08-14T21:03:00.004-04:00

Alright, really forget how lousy I look in this picture. Look at my little family. Two of the gorgeous men I have in my life. We always take a family shot while we're at the beach. We waited a bit too late this year and had to settle for what we could get. As we were walking in I couldn't help but think that the next time we're there we'll be a family of four.

We're Here!!

2011-08-08T09:03:00.003-04:00

After months of planning, preparing, and WAITING we have arrived for our annual family vacation. We decided to do things a little different this year and that was before we realized that I would be 7 1/2 months pregnant when we got here. We are staying right on the beach. The walk to the ocean is literally downstairs and we can walk out on our balcony and see and smell the ocean anytime we want! Braxton has known nothing but walking a bit and crossing the street to get to the ocean. He's loved being right here and first thing he asked to do when we got up this morning was to "see the ocean".

Yesterday we were down by the waters edge. It was just Braxton and I, and as I sat in the chair by the water's edge (that is the way to do it) andc watched him play I couldn't help but think about how this is our last little bit of being just a family of 3. In a few weeks, changes are going to take place and as much as I'm excited about them and as much as I think about holding our baby girl it makes me a little sentimental about giving up "these" days. Braxton has changed so much since we were here last. He loves playing in the ocean and is venturing to do things (all under a watchful eye) that he would not have done last year. I'm trying to savor these moments. I realize everyday that they are precious!

A Little Secret

2011-07-19T17:31:00.005-04:00

We went "venturing" today. As hot as it was going to be, I have been wanting to take Brax to Dan Nicholas Park in Rowan county. My aunt used to take us during the summers and it was a great time. But now it has so much more and I knew that Braxton would have a ball! I invited my dad to join us and so we headed out about 11am with our picnic lunch in tow. I took all the country roads that we took for years to get to the farm and it was bittersweet driving by. We stopped briefly just to look at the changes and to reminisce a bit. We took Braxton up there a couple of years ago but he doesn't remember it. Anyways, it was neat heading back up there and I was looking forward to going back to the "park".

Once we arrived we went to the picnic area and had our lunch. We finished up and walked over to where the action was. We rode a little train, the carousel, saw the animals in the petting zoo, and reptiles (live might I add) in the aquarium. After all of that fun stuff Braxton played on the playground equipment for about 30 minutes. There was miniature golf, a water zone, and paddle boats that we didn't do. It was a great day and we will be going back this summer. It's a great trip and very inexpensive. A well kept secret just right down the road!

Daddy's Helper

2011-07-14T20:13:00.003-04:00

The boys began painting "Baby Sister"'s room. (Really we don't have a name yet!) Braxton was so excited about helping. Braxton kept telling me to get out and after I took a few pictures I walked out and shut the door behind me. No sooner had I gotten to the back of the house to get together some laundry and I heard the door open and Braxton say "Mama I'm done. Can I have an apple?" That was the end of his painting for the night.

The room is looking good. I think it'll be real cute when it's all finished. I'll keep you posted.

It's Starting!!

2011-07-06T12:05:00.005-04:00

We purchased the furniture for "Baby Sister" 's room last night. When we ordered the furniture for Braxton I don't think we had any idea how fast time would go by and so all of his furniture, as much as we loved it, would not convert or grow with him. Plus, we had a bedroom suite already in another room that we knew would be his when he outgrew his crib. We don't have another set this time so we decided to go ahead and get one that would grow with her. Brandon says this one will go with her to college!
Expected arrival date is August 28-September 26. My due date: September 24.
We're not stressing. That gives us plenty of time to get her room done. I'll let you know the progress of that as we work!

Fun Times

2011-07-06T11:51:00.004-04:00

We headed to the mountains last Friday morning. With Bible school lasting all week we weren't able to head up earlier than that and as the weekend approached we started thinking that we would be crowded out. We had wanted to take Braxton to Tweetsie but had already discussed the possibility of it being too crowded so we didn't say much about it until we pulled in. We practically had the place to ourselves and Braxton had a great time. I think back to the first time we took him and how small and timid he was and that was definitely not the case this time. He loved driving the car and Brandon and I got a kick out of watching him as we drove behind.
On the fourth we had a quiet afternoon at home. We started the day by going to see the parade and then we came home and played in the new pool and grilled out. The boys had a great time!

Busy, Busy

2011-06-28T22:22:00.004-04:00

We've had a busy week. Today we went swimming with a good friend of mine from work and her daughter. We had lunch by the pool and played for a couple of hours. Braxton was very well behaved and was so sweet to Savannah. Good practice, I think, for what awaits him towards the end of September.

At night all this week we've been going to Bible school. This is Braxton's first year attending and he has LOVED going. When he woke up on Monday I was telling him what we'd do and I said something about going to Bible school and he looked at me and said, "We get to go again?" His buddy from school has been there and they have such a great time together. I took some shots of them tonight doing the Hokey Pokey.

Summertime?

2011-06-27T11:18:00.003-04:00

We love summer. Brax has always loved being outside and even more than that, heat! When he was a newborn and would cry inconsolably, which was often, we would take him outside in the hot and he'd stop. This morning he wanted changed out of his sleeveless, Spiderman, short pajamas and wanted a more appropriate outfit. He picked out a long sleeve shirt and long pants. When it came time for him to go outside he assured me that he wanted to keep his chosen clothes on "in case of bees." I even went so far and told him that if he kept that on he'd have to come inside in just a bit to cool off. That bit of reverse psychology didn't work for him. He said, "OK, but when I cool off I'm going back out!"
Shortly after I went back in (way too hot for me) I was folding clothes and came across this new Diego shirt from Grandaddy and took it back out. He was willing to change shirts but insisted he keep his pants on. After all, he'd just seen "a black bee!"

What a Mess!

2011-06-16T08:10:00.003-04:00

The garden has started to produce some things. Brandon picked the above this morning. He was excited but when I showed Braxton he was really excited. It's really done well and as you can tell from the first picture it's much bigger than it was when I first took pictures. Next year we might have to go a little bigger!
(Side note about the second picture- The first one I took he moved as soon as I took the picture so it was all blurry. I said, "don't move." After I took the second one he said "Mama, I moved my finger. But you didn't see it!")

A Monkey Joes Celebration

2011-06-11T09:20:00.004-04:00

I think last night was a success. Brax is in the beginning stages of getting a cold and that made me nervous but as soon as we walked into Monkey Joes his shoes were off and he was ready to go play. All of his little buddies came and they played almost non-stop. There was crying when it was time to eat pizza and cake and I had to practically beg Braxton to wait until all of his little friends had eaten before he went back out to play. (The picture of him crouched over was while we were singing Happy Birthday, of course).

4 years old already!!

2011-06-09T19:47:00.002-04:00

Be strong in the Lord and never give up hope
You're gonna do great things I already know
God's got His hand on you, so don't live life in fear
Forgive and forget, but don't forget why you're here
Take your time and pray
These are the words I would say

On this day, 4 years ago, I received the greatest gift of my life. Happy birthday big boy!!
(party is tomorrow. I'll be sure to post this weekend)

This Little Light Of Mine

2011-05-14T08:08:00.003-04:00

Last night was Braxton's first big stage performance. He was so excited and once we arrived (early to get good seats of course) he kept asking "is it time now?". I was a little apprehensive but he did so good. He sang loud and did all the little motions. He looked liked he was having a good time.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2011-05-10T20:31:00.005-04:00

We have life!! As we pulled in the driveway yesterday afternoon Braxton told me he wanted to go "check on his garden". I let him in the gate and was getting my stuff together and he stopped dead in his tracks and just stared. I thought for sure he had come up on a snake and heaven help us all if I was going to have to go down and rescue him with a snake right there. Fortunately, there was NO snake but when I asked what it was he pointed at and he said "a plant". His first plant bloomed yesterday. He was so proud and when I wouldn't let him water it he asked if he could water "the bugs?" He had a good 10 minutes of playing with the hose before I convinced him the puddle was big enough.
Today when I got home I saw that a few more had sprouted. Not sure if we have enough to feed us through the winter but for a first time garden I think we're doing pretty well!

A Reason To Celebrate!

2011-05-09T17:59:00.003-04:00

I can still remember my very first Mother's Day without my mom. I've written about this before and how sad it was. Yesterday was our first Mother's Day without Grandmama and a first for my dad and his sister without their mom. After spending the morning at church my dad decided he wanted to go to his mom's favorite restaurant for lunch. It was fantastic.
As sad as the day was I couldn't help but reflect on her life and celebrate all that she gave to our family and to this world. For starters, what a wonderful lady she was. Always willing to help in what ever capacity she was needed. It could have been giving advice, holding a baby, or cooking in the kitchen. And even if the advice she gave was unsolicited, it always made you think.
She was a beautiful woman inside and out and graced any room with her presence.
But I couldn't help but think about the bigger picture. She raised a wonderful boy that grew up to be my dad. He respected and loved his mother so much. He would have done anything for her and couldn't wait to retire to spend some quality time with her. It's exactly the way I want my son to be when I'm older. Although his time these past 9 months have not been spent with her, my son has had some quality time with his Grandaddy. I laugh at the stories he comes home with and chuckle at the ones that begin with "Well Grandaddy said..." and I'm so thankful for the opportunity that Braxton has had with him and the opportunity to build a relationship with him.
A sad Mother's Day because she wasn't here with us but I'm so thankful for the mother that she was to my dad. And for the gifts that my son is receiving because of her hard work!

The Farmer and the Dell

2011-05-04T18:03:00.004-04:00

The boys are trying the garden thing out this year. Brandon and his dad constructed this cute little raised bed and Braxton is SOOOO excited about planting. I do have to tell you that Braxton helping with the planting lasted about as long as it took me to take these pictures. Hopefully, the interest in what grows will last a little longer.

And This I Know Is True....

2011-04-11T20:45:00.006-04:00

It's not a secret that for years, many years actually, I was angry and hurt that my mom "left" me. I couldn't understand why she wouldn't take care of herself better and how she could just give up. I always heard that you can't begin to imagine a mother's love until you become a mother yourself. I now know how true those words are. I've been thinking about all of this lately because of the new baby on the way. One thought leads to another and like many things my mind always goes back to my mom. I'm reminded that the path was chosen for her and she didn't chose the path. I want to cry when I think about how angry I've been at her. When I think of Braxton and my love for him I feel confident that the love I have for him can be compared to the same love she had for me. Greater than life. Bigger than death. It's taken over 13 years but I think I'm finally at peace. I would never choose to leave my children. I don't think she would have ever willingly left us. I know the choice wasn't hers and if it were she'd be here with us today.

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!

2011-04-06T21:54:00.003-04:00

Our little Violet was in desperate need of a hair cut. Her winter coat wasn't falling out quite like it should and it was clumping. She had huge knots all over and we decided she needed to have it all shaved off. Poor Cat.

Brax keeps asking when she'll "get big" again?

Request= Granted

2011-04-02T14:35:00.005-04:00

Okay I guess it's time to let the cat out of the bag. I'm pregnant! Braxton started asking for a baby back in November and come the end of September his wish will have been fulfilled. When we first told him a few weeks back he had a sudden change of heart. He told us he wanted to be the "only baby". But if you look at the picture above he's trying NOT to smile. He's coming around and occasionally he'll ask "when's September?"

I'm 15 weeks today and MUCH bigger at this point in this pregnancy than I was with Braxton. I was very sick this time for about six weeks and am so glad that all of that is behind me. We went back to the doctor yesterday and everything sounded great.

Wanted you all to know. I'll keep you posted!

March Madness

2011-03-20T16:18:00.003-04:00

Since Grandaddy and Uncle Steve have decided to go to the beach for the entire month of March( this is where you groan) we decided at the very last minute to head down for a quick weekend visit. You would have thought by the amount of bags that we took that we were going for the week but that wasn't the case. I actually didn't pack outfits "just in case" the weather changed and once I got down there I remembered that you should ALWAYS do this no matter how short the trip. I packed for an 80 degree weekend and when we pulled into the condo's paking lot the themometer in my car showed 61 degrees!

We had a great quick little visit. We were able to spend a few hours on the beach on Saturday (it was 80 degrees then) and we were able to take Braxton to play putt-putt for the first time. Good thing kids under 4 are free!! He played (his own version) for about 11 holes and then decided he wanted to keep score and told me I could play his turn!!

Although it was quick it was nice to get away. Only 5 more weeks until my own spring break!!

Proud To Be An American

2011-02-23T19:37:00.002-05:00

My three year old informed me while we were out walking last weekend that they take turns with "the United States of America flag" at school . I wasn't sure what he was meaning but I didn't press it. When we got home he broke out with the Pledge of Allegiance. Not sure what you think but I was rather impressed.

Game On

2011-01-12T21:37:00.004-05:00

Ever heard of cabin fever? Well I haven't just heard of it I've LIVED IT. Today was another snow day and last night after a LONG day inside (remember when you have a 3 year old that wants to play in the snow you spend 20 minutes getting dressed to go outside only to spend 10 minutes outside because it's cold!) it was almost bedtime and we were all sitting in front of the fire exhausted from......well just exhausted. I pulled open the "game drawer" and found one of my most favorite games: Mancala. If you have never played you should start. Its a lot of fun. I admit I haven't played in a while. As soon as I opened it up Braxton saw the "pretty rocks" and was all for learning to play. He actually played really well and won the first round without me even trying to let him. I have to tell you some funny things he said though. He was putting the marbles aka "pretty rocks" around the game board and I decided I'd start explaining what we were doing. BIG MISTAKE. I forgot who I was playing with and when I told him not to put one on my side he looked at it and said "No your side has more!"( See the bottom picture). He asked a million questions before I convinced him that I knew how to play. When he actually won, I told him to take his marbles out and count them and he said, "Mama I don't want to count".
Brandon said while most three year olds are learning Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, my son is learning Mancala. And I thought a Toy Story 3 Memory game would be appropriate for Christmas!

Snow Day(s)!!

2011-01-11T09:57:00.004-05:00

Our second snow day this week. We got a lot this round starting with snow and turning into frozen stuff last night. Looks like it might stick around for awhile. Who knows when we'll go back to school. My semester was supposed to start back tonight. They just canceled for the evening.
I decided that the one thing I hate about snow days is we have to make them up!!!
I've turned into adult!! Scary.

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T21:40:00.004-05:00

2011 is here. The holidays are over and on Monday I return to work. I can not believe that the holidays are completely over!

We went over to a friends house last night to bring in the new year and Braxton could take the suspense no more and passed out at 11:45. He had so much fun with the kids and I actually witnessed him giving Miley a kiss!! She's always been crazy about him but just in the past few weeks he's started to really come around.

This evening we went over to Dad's to take part in our traditional New Years dinner. As I'm sure you can see, it was absolutely delicious. And even though it was 55 degrees we ate our dinner by a roaring fire.

A Christmas Miracle?!

2010-12-27T13:02:00.005-05:00

You never know when you're doing something if it will be the last time youre doing it. Or very rarely do you know. My life is full of examples. I can remember the last time I did somethings in my life and most of the time I'm glad that I didn't know it would never happen again. That makes the memories more special. One of my most fondest memories of growing up was playing in the snow with my brother, sister, and my dad. My mom would get us all dressed in warm clothes and she would stay inside while we played outside. Daddy would go sledding with us and together we would have a great time. In the good old days most of the neighborhood would congregate out at the top of the hill with sleds in tow and we would take turns going down.

This Christmas, they were calling for snow! For the first time in over 10 years it looked as if we were all going to be "home" for snow.

So my Christmas miracle this year was getting to play in the snow again with my brother, my sister, and my dad. We didn't know all of those years ago that the days of us playing and sledding after dark were coming to a close. We didn't realize that life was about to kick into high gear and our childhood was wrapping up. This year Braxton had a blast building a snowman and having a snowball fight with everyone. It took me back a few years and I thought about my mom as I dressed him in warm clothes as he anxiously awaited the opportunity to get outside. Our good time quickly came to a close when our adult instincts took over and we started getting things together to come home and Chris started thinking about the mess that awaited him at the airport.

Now if only Chris could get back home I'm sure he'd say he had a Christmas miracle too!!

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-25T14:48:00.006-05:00

It's so very hard to believe that today is Christmas. Chris made it home last week and he is scheduled to fly out tomorrow afternoon. We all made it to church last night for Christmas Eve service at church which we hadn't been able to do in several years. We came back to Dads afterwards and enjoyed just being together. Santa made a visit and brought Braxton everything he had asked for. (I had no doubts!)

I can't help but reflect on how life has changed since last Christmas. I do that every year and always wonder where we'll be in a year and the experiences that we'll have gone through. This year was full of experiences that were painful and difficult. Somehow, in every thing painful or not, we grow and learn from them. It's sometimes hard to see the joy in some things.

Here's to family and good memories in 2011. May we continue to grow, continue to laugh and love, and continue to hope.

Of all the things in life that offer no guarantee, family and memories are two things that never fail us.

My New Favorite Thing....

2010-12-13T17:28:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I went into Costco after church to pick up one thing real quick. Well, you all know how that goes. I walked in past a sample and OMG!! Chex Mix has a new flavor: Muddy Buddies!! Did anybody else love these as a kid (or even more so as an adult)? They were so darn good but so much work to make!!
After trying them and getting Braxton's approval I had to pick up a bag.
They are so delicious. I think I'll have to go back and pick up a few more bags because it seems that they are around only for a limited time. Let me know if you pick up a bag for yourself!!

Christmas Pleasures

2010-12-13T17:07:00.004-05:00

Braxton has been so excited and into Christmas this year. We were going to go get our tree from the mountains again this year but with everything else going on we came to the conclusion that was going to be one thing we had top let go of this year. I kept telling Braxton we were going to get to a tree lot and pick one out and don't think he didn't remember. Every afternoon he'd ask, "Are we going to get our Christmas tree?" Finally, we got all set up and decorated this past week and Braxton told me he wanted to sleep under it! I told him we'd sleep under it on Saturday and after getting my dad's queen size blow-up mattress blown up (I don't think I could handle sleeping on the actual floor!) we were all set and he was SO excited. I thought it would be neat for him to fall asleep with the lights on the tree on but after about 45 minutes of him staring up at the ceiling and blowing I decided we'd have to go old fashion and cut the lights out. He slept great. I, on the otherhand, was kicked and slapped and rolled all over ALL NIGHT. At 5am he informed me he was "stopped up and needed his nose blown and some juice!" I ignored his demands for as long as I could. We finally got up about 7:30. I wouldn't have had it any other way~~

Amazing Grace

2010-12-02T21:44:00.006-05:00

Today was Brax's big day. He had three little hernias right in the middle of his stomach that we noticed about 7 months ago. He had been complaining of his "tummy hurting him" and after taking him into the doctor and being referred to a surgeon the concensus was that they should be corrected now while he was young and were essentially causing no problems.

We arrived at the georgeous Levine Children's Hospital this morning at 6am. I was so very impressed with the facility but even more so with the staff. After we got in our room and he changed into his gown (which he hated because it was too big) the doctors and nurses started coming in. But what was so wonderful was what they did for him! They brought in crayons and markers and let him color on his bed sheets which he loved. We had to have a quick talk about not doing that at home! They gave him a little mouse looking doll that had all kinds of bracelets, a blood pressure cuff, heart monitors, and bandaids on his belly so that they could actually show and talk him through what was about to happen. They also brought in a beautiful quilt that was handmade by a lady for him to cover up with during surgery, recovery, and to bring home.

Brax has been in a great deal of pain today but I'm hopeful that it will subside tonigt after a good nights rest. Thank you to all that have called, texted, and prayed for our little man today. I included a picture from tonight. He's enjoyed hanging out on the couch.

I'm also so very greatful for having such a wonderful facility close by and for the amazing medical teams that work within.

Amazing Grace.

Big City Venture

2010-11-27T21:57:00.009-05:00

I Wuv Dis City!!

2010-11-27T21:29:00.009-05:00

These were the words said by my son on Wednesday morning as he sat in an apartment over looking New York and New Jersey. We just returned from an amazing trip up to visit with Chris and Ali for the Thanksgiving holiday. With all of the changes that took place in our lives this year we thought it would be a good idea to do something different for Thanksgiving. Brax did great for his first plane ride and was a real trooper as we hustled and bustled though the city. He walked almost the entire time and absolutely loved the subway.

After arriving on Tuesday morning we walked into Times Square and saw various sights in the city. On Wednesday we went to Radio City Music Hall and saw the Rockettes perform their incredible Christmas performance. We went to FAO Schwartz and retrieved a new "Busch" (that is NOT to replace the old one per Brax) and even walked on the BIG piano from the movie Big with Tom Hanks. (click on the link to see what I'm talking about) We ventured into China Town and Little Italy later that night. We found some fabulous finds and ate real good too!

On Thursday we all went to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and we watched from Central Park. Our most favorite balloon was Spiderman! We enjoyed Thanksgiving lunch at Gracie's Diner. We had chinese food for dinner that night. Would it be hard for you to believe that hardly ANYTHING is open on Thanksgiving day?
We had a great trip and look forward to another visit real soon. Special thanks to Chris, Ali, and Mark for making our time so memorable!

Enjoy the pics!!

A Request

2010-11-12T19:33:00.005-05:00

Braxton has been asking for a pretty big gift lately: A baby brother. The other night he told me he wanted a baby brother "right now!" I wrote about Zoie and how I hadn't gotten over to see her yet. Zoie is now seven weeks old and since yesterday was a holiday at work I thought it would be a perfect day for us to go and visit. She is absolutely adorable and was awake for a little bit while we were there.
Take a look at the pictures and you decide how Braxton felt about her. I had to get a real quick picture of him with me and Zoie. He was a little more cooperative when I wasn't the one holding her.
Later in the afternoon Allyson asked him if he still wanted a baby brother. He said, 'Yeah, just not at my home!"

How is it Halloween Already?

2010-10-31T15:17:00.004-04:00

How can it possibly be Halloween? Last night was "Halloween" out here. We hope (only by the amounts of candy that we still have) that some people will actually come and Trick or Treat tonight. Spiderman had a blast. At first he didn't want to wear his mask and I had to convince him to put it on just so I could get a picture. After that he didn't want to take it off. The town we live in had it's first Fall Festival last night and there was a huge turn out. We walked up expecting a few people but it was really crowded. He jumped in the Bounce House (without one of us and with other kids!) and did some Trunk or Treating. When he said he had to go to the bathroom we headed home because it was a little chilly out and the costume had to come all the way off for something like that to happen.

We had a fire in the fireplace and Brax was so excited when people would come to the door. I was even able to get a picture of him in the candy bowl. A tradition we started his first Halloween and almost was unable to get him to pose for last year. This year he climbed in happily and posed!

Happy Halloween!!

A New Addition

2010-10-03T15:50:00.005-04:00

Meet Zoie Eleanor. Braxton's new cousin. I, unfortunately, haven't had a chance to run by and meet her but these are some pictures that my dad took.

She was named after her mother, my cousin Rachel, and her great-grandmother Eleanor. Braxtons's G.G. Zoie is wearing the dress that G.G gave to Rachel this past May for Mother's Day.
I know she would have loved her so.

First Day. A Mere Memory.

2010-10-03T15:33:00.004-04:00

Brax is a big boy no secret. But now we have the picture to prove it. Last month he had his first day of "school", preschool that is. Being that my school had just started a few days prior there was no way I was going to be able to take off to go and Brandon had a meeting so we made my dad swear that he'd get a picture.
For over a year my dad talked of retirement. The one thing that he kept saying he wanted to do was keep Braxton and do things with him. I convinced him that 2 days was plenty and that way he'd still have time to do things for himself. After the way summer turned out in a number of events, I was really looking forward to him being able to do that.
The boys have had a fabulous few weeks. They've been to the park, to the nature museum, and panning for gold. I know my dad has lot's of other things planned. Be sure to tune in.
I apologize for not posting in such a long time. Again, I promise to do better. The beginning of school is always so hectic. I feel like I'm on the run all the time.

Last Call

2010-08-26T21:27:00.002-04:00

I had big plans for the summer for Brax and I. We were going to go to do all sorts of things. But with G.G getting sick and everything else my plans, like usual, fell to the wayside. Two of the things I had wanted to do was go to Carowinds and to the zoo. I had some tickets to Carowinds so several weekends ago we went for the day.
This past weekend Chris came into town and we took a trip to the zoo. Braxton walked almost the entire time and from the time we entered starting asking about the crocodiles. Wanna guess where they were in the zoo? Our last stop as we were leaving the other end.
I really think they were his favorite part. I kind of liked them myself!

Slow Down A Bit

2010-08-09T09:48:00.019-04:00

Lately I've been feeling "that way" everybody with kids says they do. It's going so fast. I feel like I've blinked and Brax has just grown (don't laugh I know he's 3) into a little boy. I had a few things I wanted him to accomplish this summer.
Poop in the potty= Done
Sleep in his big boy bed= Done
Undress by himself completely= Done
I guess what I wasn't expecting was the way I'd feel when those things were "done".
Yesterday was another milestone that we had been waiting for and it went off without a hitch. He has now moved on from the nursery at church and goes to big kids church. Nursery is a straight 2 hours in one room and big kids church is an actual Sunday School class and then we'll pick him up and take him into the sanctuary with us where he'll stay for 15 minutes or so until the children's message. He'll then go down for children's church where they read a story and do a craft while the adults stay for the sermon. We had prepared ourselves to have to go down stairs with him the first day. I walked up to the front with him for the children's message and told him that when it was over he would go with another mommy and daddy but HIS mommy and daddy would be down to get him as soon as he finished his craft and listening to his Bible story. When the time actually came I told him to go with the others and we'd be down in a little bit. HE WENT WITH NO PROBLEM!! I have been waiting for the day when he would feel at ease at church so it was a relief that he went.
My parents always told me that you raise your children with the goal and intention to set them free. It's a testimony to the kind of parent you are. I know my job is not through, not by a long shot thank goodness, but my heart does a little dance every time we complete another milestone. I may have tears in my eyes and it may be hard to watch but I know it has to happen. I have a good partner helping me. We're having fun. And we have an amazing little boy. For these things I know we're lucky.
Big Boy Church= Done
Last night as I was putting him to bed, in his big boy bed, we were talking about his day and he started asking where his picture was from church because he wanted me to put it on the refrigerator. He then proceeded to tell me about David and Goliath. I was amazed at what he was telling me. Where did he hear that? Children's church....and it was his first day!

Another Reminder

2010-08-06T22:33:00.004-04:00

Once again I'm reminded that life is too short. Cindy, a friend from college with 3 young children, died last week from a brain tumor. It's got me down and I went home today and plundered through old pictures looking for pictures of her and of all of my great friends from way back.
Life is busy. We know that without a doubt. But what is it that makes it so? A couple of weeks ago just this summer a few of us got together, with our children, and visited and it was fantastic. It's something that I wish we could manage to do more of with more of the group.
The pictures above were taken on a spring break trip with a few of my buddies and then at college when we went to ECU to help move some friends in. Cindy is in the top picture, far left.
My hope is that I continue to reconnect with friends. Life is busy. Life is too short. But friends make the journey, however long we're given, all worth it!

Too Much To Take

2010-08-05T10:15:00.007-04:00

I'm not one to follow the parenting books precisely. I generally read up on all the "advice" just so I'll know what to expect and then seek help from family and friends if I have questions. One of the things that I had wanted to do this summer was transition Braxton from his crib to his big boy bed. He had never attempted to climb out and other than the first year (ha ha) of his life loved his bed. We could put him down and he'd go to sleep on his own. Even this summer when we'd be away he'd say, "I miss my baby bed". The boy loved his bed.
However, he did turn 3 this summer and he is getting really tall and besides all of that it needed to be done before I went back to work. With the way summer has worked out it didn't get done when I had planned and I had actually told Brandon at the beach that I was going to buy the bed rails this week and start it this weekend. Yesterday, out of nowhere, Braxton proclaimed he was going to sleep in his big boy bed last night! So we went out bought the rails and while I was at a meeting at church the boys built "the ship" (as Braxton called the bed). He was so excited when I came home. I pulled out a car/truck nightlight that I had bought a while back and showed him what it was and what it did and everything was all good.......until bed time. He became a little apprehensive and told me he didn't like that room etc. etc. I had to lay down with him. He told me to close my eyes.(It took me back to my own childhood) After about 5 minutes, he could see that the nightlight DID work, I kissed him good night and left the room.
As I walked out I stopped by his old room and just stood there. Dark, quiet, and now empty. My mind went back to 3 years earlier, when it was empty the first time and we were anxiously waiting for him to arrive,and I couldn't believe that the years had gone so quickly and he was was sleeping in a BIG bed. This summer has obviously been full of changes. Sometimes we're not always ready for them. And they aren't always good. Whatever the change they bring just that, change.
I guess it's a way for our hearts to make room for new memories.

Cake Boss

2010-07-16T08:35:00.003-04:00

Tonight after dinner I asked Brax if he wanted to help me make a cake. He was so excited and I pulled out several boxes (I know my dad is SO disappointed) and let him pick the kind he wanted. He chose a yellow cake and chocolate frosting.

He loved pouring the ingredients in the bowl and mixing and I'm sure you can tell that he loved even more tasting the batter before we poured it into the pans.

It's important that you remember that I just wanted to make a cake. There really was no reason behind it. The sweet part of this story is while I was icing it Braxton started singing Happy Birthday. I asked who he was singing to and he said "my birthday is over". He started singing again and so I asked again and he said "G.G" He looked at me and said "We sing Happy Birthday to G.G and I eat her cake?" I got the candles out and let him put the candles in it (21 of them) and we sang Happy Birthday to G.G. Then he asked me about her presents!

The weird thing that Braxton doesn't know is her birthday is coming up on July 29! We just celebrated a little early.

The Sign Says It All

2010-07-09T10:26:00.003-04:00

Thursday was the service for my beautiful grandmother. This is the sign going into the church parking lot. It says how we all feel.

The other is a picture of Braxton having a tea-party with his Grandaddy and his G.G the night before she had her stroke while we were in the mountains.

Life is too short

2010-07-06T08:13:00.004-04:00

It's weird the way life works out. My dad just retired after 36 years and couldn't wait to begin spending some time with his mom. We took her with us to the mountains two weeks ago. Braxton had tea parties with his G.G. We went and got ice cream. We took her shopping. And we took naps. The last morning we were there we couldn't get her awake and had to call the paramedics. So for the past week we've been at the hospital everyday praying and hoping that she'd wake up. After being told on Friday that she'd had a major stroke, we called my brother home and after he made it we all gathered around her bed and prayed for her to make the journey to a better place.

She went to Heaven Monday.

We took a picture of this lilly from our yard. We received it one Easter and it's never bloomed before. It reminded me of my Grandmother. Beautiful.

Can he really be 3?

2010-06-19T12:10:00.009-04:00

Geez, where has the time gone? My little baby is 3 years old now! This birthday was tough. (Don't laugh, I know he's still little) I just think there is a huge difference between a 2 year old and a 3 year old and what really gets me is when I stop and think that next year he'll be 4!! Everyday is amazing with him. We took him to the doctor on Wednesday for his well visit and we had to do the 3 year questionaire to make sure he was doing ALL the things he should be. Some of things require you to ask him questions and write down his response or ask him to do things and write down what he does. We had some ladies in the waiting room rolling. He's just so funny. You never know what he's going to say. Which is another reason we all have learned to watch what we say around him!

Friday was his birthday party. I had it here and invited a few of his friends over. I prayed for no rain and God obliged and along with no rain gave us a little heat! Actually, it was a lot of heat. The kids had a ball complete with Giga Ball and a bounce house. We had a few of Braxton's favorites from Chick Fil A and partied into the night!

So Long, Farewell.....

2010-06-16T16:12:00.011-04:00

.....After 36 years the best Nuclear Medicine Technician hung his coat up for the last time.....finally! My dad, finally, did I say finally, retired!! His last official working day was May 28 but Chris and Allyson and I (with much help from Ali, Brandon and Braxton) had a heck of a party on June 5. I just got the pictures and I'm so excited about them.

The theme was wonderful. We had pictures at every table that coordinated with a movie. The table names were movie titles that had some meaning to dad's life. It took 9 months but after a lot of planning,lots of thinking, and coordinating we pulled it off. Over 100 people came out for the event. Some as far away as California (Uncle Steve) and as far back in his life as kindergarten.

Long Time, I Know!

2010-05-11T19:51:00.014-04:00

........................................................................I could have really posted some great pictures and happenings over the past 3 months.

I've just been really busy and too much has happened to go back and catch up.

I often talk with a friend of mine about blogging and we both agree that we enjoy it but it takes time. And who has extra of that?

What I will promise is that I will TRY to not ever be gone that long again. The most current happening has been Mother's Day. I've posted some pictures that my good friend Lisa took of my boys. Brandon had it done for me as a gift for Mother's Day. I can't decide which is my favorite. She did a great job and I will be calling her again in the future.

There is so much coming up for me to post about. Stay tuned....you're not going to want to miss it.

Who Doesn't Love a Party?

2010-02-20T22:07:00.006-05:00

Another birthday here and gone. You all know how much I LOVE having a birthday on Valentine's Day (can you read my sarcasm?) so this year we celebrated Valentine's Day on Sunday and planned on doing my birthday on Wednesday.

I met the boys at home and then we met Dad, Allyson, and GG at a restaurant in Concord. We had a nice dinner. Brax had fun putting the coasters on Grandaddy's head but other than that he sat and ate and was very well behaved. Since it was a school night and I turn into a pumpkin by 10 we hurried back to Dad's house for cake and ice cream and presents. Like always Dad made me the most beautiful cake and it was delicious too. One of the gifts I received was a neat cookbook for kids. Dad thought it would be fun for Brax and I to work through it together.
The next night Brandon fixed dinner and he knew Brax wouldn't eat what we were having so he used one of the ideas in the new cookbook. He made a hot dog look like an octopus. We had no trouble getting him to the table. Getting him to eat it AND not play with it was another story.

I had made the mistake of telling him (awhile ago) about how an octopus has eight arms (legs whatever) and it'll use them to wrap around you and squeeze you, like a hug. It was from one of my favorite movies when I was kid but Braxton remembered me telling him so when he wasn't picking it up showing us the "octopus" he was telling me it was going to squeeze him! I think he ate 2 or 3 bites and when I would go to cut one of the "legs" off so he'd eat, he would scream.

Maybe there is a reason we were told not to play with our food!