The Lemmings' Family

Our Visitor

2011-09-05T18:12:00.002-04:00

Sercy discovered a little visitor in our backyard yesterday. Thankfully, it was a friendly little turtle.

We let the kids take a good look and then Brian packed it up and sent it on its merry little way outside our fenced yard. Not sure where it came from, or where it is going, but hopefully it gets there!

The kids loved learning about the turtle. Brian's past life as a science teacher came to good use as he was able to teach the kids a few things about turtles.

Morgan is 6!

2011-09-05T17:57:00.003-04:00

I can't believe that our little girl is now 6!

We started off her birthday with opening presents and birthday cinnamon rolls. Yumm!

A few days later Morgan had a cupcake wars birthday party! Morgan and her friends made and decorated cupcakes and played games.

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Thanks everyone for all of the birthday wishes!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-18T07:56:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday America!

Over the 4th of July Weekend, we had a neighborhood block party at my parents house and were able to visit the Nunnally family. At the block party, we enjoyed music, games, and fireworks. And of course, lots of food. The kids had a great time playing with waterballoons and watching the fireworks.

Sharing ice cream

Uncle Jim visited us!

Alyssa and Matty with the hula hoop

My patriotic beauty

Water balloon toss

The next day, we joined the Nunnally's at their house for some fun. Our kids are the same ages, so they always have a great time. The daddies rigged a water slide (using old fashioned daddy power) and the kids flew down the water. Thanks to Amy for sharing the video!

The kids had a nice nap in the car after we left - they were exhausted

Notice the sweat and slobber :)

Cave of the Winds

2011-07-16T11:55:00.005-04:00

While we were at Colorado, we visited the Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs. Before we headed to the mountain, we stopped for some great BBQ (what is more perfect than spending the 4th of July weekend with family and eating BBQ?!)

A sign at the cave entrance - we thought with three kids 5 and under that we may be escorted out. Thankfully, they all did great.

Mimi-waiting for the tour

Amma, Alyssa, and Harper waiting for the Tour

Brian and I inside the cave

Matty and Mo playing in the cave

So beautiful!

Family Updates

2011-07-15T21:43:00.004-04:00

Whew...what a summer! The kids were gone for four weeks and we spent the last week of their summer camp at Mama/Papas with them with my sister and cousin (http://www.jagdfelds.com) and his wonderful family! Pics are coming soon.

We have had a crazy week settling back in the swing of things. The weather has been HOT and HUMID and just plain awful. The temps dipped into the 70s this evening with a cool breeze so we headed outside to play. Morgan hasn't had much time to ride her bike this summer but we spent about an hour or so tonight practicing and practicing and she finally did it (dress and all)!

She is proud to say she has a loose tooth* AND she can ride a bike - she had quite the week!

*the loose tooth is according to her dentist - we really can't feel it but she did say that it was loose. Morgan was thrilled to hear that even if she can't really wiggle it yet :)

And so Matty doesn't feel left out, here is a picture of him being Matty (silly and goofy). He is also wearing his sister's shoes which added to the silliness.

Montreal - Our Final Stop

2011-06-27T07:44:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, we drove from Quebec City to Montreal which we stayed through Thursday.

Jen attended her conference on Wed so we explored the city Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night before we left Thursday am.

While in Montreal, we walked through downtown and explored Old Montreal. While we were there, we visited the Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal. It is an extraordinary church that is absolutely gorgeous.

Sites in downtown Montreal

The Waterfront in Old Montreal

Lunch on a rooftop cafe by the waterfront in Old Montreal

The Last Supper in Notre Dame Basilica

This is the wedding chapel which is a separte part of the Basilica

The organ within the Basilica - it has over 7,000 pipes within four stories

GORGEOUS! By the way, this is where Celine Dion was married (if you care...).

Such a beautiful sight

Outside view of Notre-Dame Basilica

Those are the highlights of our vacay! We definitely recommend a trip to visit our northern neighbors. It is a wonderful European experience without the expense of flying overseas. It is also neat to see the history that is a part of these two wonderful cities.

Quebec City - Day 2

2011-06-26T08:43:00.000-04:00

On day 2, Brian and I headed on a day trip from QC. We first stopped at Montmorency Falls before we headed to Ile d' Olreans.

Montemorency Falls is 27 stories high - twice as tall as Niagra (although not nearly as wide). It is a quite a hike from the top to the bottom. There is also a bridge that allows you to cross over the falls.

You can see the stairs that take you down the cliffside to the bottom of the falls - trust us, there are a lot!

At the bottom of the falls, there is literally a log jam - someone people are able to spell out their names or names of special meaning (such as Jesus above)

This is Brian and I walking along the bridge that takes you over the falls

This is the water right before it heads over the edge - it is surprisingly calm

At the base of the falls you can see the tram that takes you from the top to the bottom (if you don't want to walk)

In the winter, the Falls freeze to form a giant loaf shape cone known as the Pain du Sucre (Sugarloaf). Thankfully it wasn't that cold when we were there, but we saw pictures and it would be amazing to see in the Winter.

This is a nice subdivision right outside the falls - Brian and I had to drive through it once we saw the incredible views these homes have

From Montmorency Falls, it is a short drive to Ile D' Orleans which is full of century old homes and churches and road side stands selling maple syrup and fresh fruit. On our drive around the island, we stopped for fresh bread and jam before we headed back to QC (for a nice nap before dinner).

After dinner (I ate more Italian in Quebec than I have had in a long time!) we continued our tour through QC. We stopped to admire the view the St. Lawrence River and to walk around the fortifications and Le Citadelle. Le Citadelle is the largest British fortress built in North America and is still an active military post.

Our hotel - in the midst of Old Quebec

Le Citadelle

Views of other sights as you walk along the walls of the Citadelle

An incredible view from the Plains of Abraham

Hmm...which way should we go?

Brian wanted me to take this picture specifically so he could say "My guns are bigger than yours...."

Next stop....Montreal.!

Quebec City - Vacation!

2011-06-25T15:08:00.001-04:00

Vacation! I had a work meeting in Montreal this summer so Brian and I were able to sneak away for a few days of sightseeing, exploring, and relaxation. It was just the two of us and it was a much needed romantic getaway.

We left late on a Friday night (thanks to a weather delay) and landed late (or should I say early) and crashed at the Marriott at the Montreal Airport. Since it was right in the airport, it was very easy to find our beds for the night.

The next morning we headed to Quebec City (Ville de Québec). Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America. The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only remaining fortified walls that still exist in the Americas north of Mexico. Thanks to Wiki for the brief history lessons:)

We spent the afternoon exploring Old Quebec. The primary language spoken is French, although many people speak English. Because it feels so French, it feels like you are strolling up and down the streets in France. There are cafe's everywhere - trust me, we didn't go hungry. There is also many streets, so we walked quite a bit (ask Brian - he kept track using his pedometer).

This is on our way to QC. We stopped and picked up a few essentials at the grocery store and found these wonderful little donuts. They were AMAZING. They didn't last long.

Brian and I exploring QC - yes, it was quite chilly (from the perspective of Southerners who are used to 90+ degree temps) so we were thankful for the layers.

This is the funiculaire (hillside elevator) that connected different parts of QC. We only used it once - the rest of the time we walked up and down the hillside.

Saint Lawrence River

The wonderful little cafe we had one our first night in QC

Our favorite family store

Stay tuned for more pics!

Random Musings

2011-06-23T08:48:00.001-04:00

Summer is already well under way here in the South.

School ended at the end of May. Morgan is now officially a 1st grader. She came a long way this year. It has been wonderful watching her grown, learn, and absorb everything they teach in Kindergarten. Plus, now that she can read, it is less work for us as she can read Matthew the bed time stories (although she still loves for mommy and daddy to read to her).

Below are pictures from her end of the year school party.

Morgan and Abby
Morgan and her buddy George
This Spring, Matthew played baseball with Davis and William. Matthew lost interst during most games and by the end of the season, he really had no desire to play. However, he did look forward to the snack at the end :) These pictures are from the final game (yeah!) of the season.
The cheering section - Morgan and Jax
Matthew receiving his trophy. It lasted about 7 minutes before he dropped it and the baseball broke off.
A few weeks ago my friend Amy brought her kids down for a short visit on her way to see her family. I met Amy before I knew Brian so it was so much fun to have our kids get together to play.

Sarah and Morgan quickly became best friends
We decided to attempt a garden this year - things are coming along slowly. It has been so hot so soon that it has been difficult to keep the vegetables happy but we are doing are best. Our tomatoes seem to be the happiest - which works out great for me!
The flowers that Peppy helped us plant are doing beautifully - it sure warms up our yard

Finaly, Morgan has continued to play tennis with Jackson and her friend Molly. Because my tennis matches usually conflicted with her lessons, I missed watching her for a couple of months. I was impressed how much she learned in the last couple of months. I hope she enjoys tennis as much as I did in high school and continue to now.
Such cuties

Morgan serving - although I am sure this counts as a foot fault!
That's it for now!

Warrior Dash

2011-05-24T11:38:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we ran the 5K Warrior Dash. Mimi was in town, so while the Grandparents watched the kids, we drove up to N. Georgia and ran 3 crazy miles full of mud pits, trails, tires, junk cares, rope bridges, and scaled 20' walls. And yes, we willingly signed up for this! We survived and can't wait until next year. Because of an impromptu trip to Walmart - we were able to throw a crazy costume together at the last minute. Next year - we will be far more prepared :)

Photo Time!

2011-05-23T11:34:00.000-04:00

We took new family photos at the beach last month - and these are my favorite!

Spring Break Fun

2011-05-22T11:21:00.004-04:00

Last month we spent Spring Break at the Norris Family Condo (THANKS!) for fun filled days filled of carefree fun! The pics below are from one of our nights out and the kids enjoying the beach!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-09T17:50:00.002-04:00

So, I didn't take any mother's day pictures, so I have a few from a few week's ago.

Morgan received a butterfly garden for Christmas a little over a year ago. I finally ordered the caterpillars and we kept them until beautiful butterflies emerged! The kids had a great time watching them fly away :) The timing was perfect - Matthew is learning about caterpillars and butterflies at school the last few weeks.

Morocco

2011-04-27T14:47:00.013-04:00

I guess the first word to describe this should be 'finally'! I have been back for two months and I have barely looked at the pictures. I guess that is what happens when your family keeps you busy!

In February, I headed to Marrakesh Morocco with pit stops in Brussels Belgium and Paris France (woo hoo!). It was a work trip, but it wasn't work and no play. Thankfully, the weather was fabulous and Moroccoo is a realatively safe place to explore (considering what was and is still happening in the Middle East and North Africa). First, in case you don't know, Morocco is in North East Africa. It is so fun to be able to say 'yep, I've been to Africa!'. It wasn't the Africa I thought I would get to (I think an African Safari would be awesome), but it was still an incredible place to visit!

Below are many pics of our trip - yes, this is a long post! I didn't take my nice camera (only my purse camera) so the picture quality varies.

The sunrise over Europe as we were flying to Belgium - gorgeous!

The Atlas Mountains in the background while flying in to Marrakesh

Ohhh, the food. Being 'public health minded' I had a hard time enjoying the food as I was worried I was going to see it later (if you know what I mean). Thankfully, I didn't get sick while I was there (I saved getting sick until I was back home) and tried to enjoy the local cuisine.

I think this was eggplant, french fries, and many other vegetables. You are served french fries almost everywhere (a little touch of home!). You can also see my new favorite drink - Orangina. Thankfully, you can find it in the States!

One of the first sites in Morocco after leaving the airport - CAMELS!

The view at my hotel pool - didn't spend much time there, but I did enjoy some R&R by the pool with my iPad. Gotta love technology.
View from my hotel

We enjoyed a lot of Tangine. And when I say a lot, I really mean a lot.

Colleagues and Meeting Participants

One evening, we went to watch a Moroccan cultural horse show - Fantasia. Basically, it is a lot of singing/dancing, food, and horses. Quite the touristy thing to do while you are there.

While we were there, I got to actually ride a camel. I brought a duplicate of Matthew's 'Tucky' (AKA Lovey) on my trip. I took several pictures of monkey throughout my trip so I can make a special book for Matthew and his monkey. A camel ride is one of monkey's adventures.

More food - Couscous

At Fantasia, we had group after group after group of people come to your table to sing and dance. Lucky for me I was on the edge so I was able to dance with them. And, I got to tip each dancer for the opportunity :)

The actual horse show after dinner

This was right outside Club Med on the edge of the Djemaa Fna (see link for more info). This is an AMAZING outdoor market that we visited a few times while we were there. A true culture experience.

A man with a monkey with who knows what type of diseases

Moroccan spices were everywhere

There weren't very many dogs, but we saw a lot of kitties walking around.

Reptiles and freshly slaughtered meat

tPlenty of fruit. At meals, plates of oranges were your dessert

I wish my camera captured the true size of this nest - it looked like the size of a mini cooper. HUGE nests were everywhere near the market!

Lunchtime at the market

BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS!

The market came alive at night with food vendors everywhere and all sorts of mini shows (like snake charmers, etc.). It is a great place to be once the sun goes down.

At the end of the week, we found ourselves with 'Tangine' fatigue. We needed a sense of normalcy so we found a great pizza place. The next night - we found a restaurant right outside our hotel that had Capresee Salad (which is one of my favs!) It was a delightful break from Morocco Cuisine!

On the way home we had a short visit in Paris - it is hard to take a pic of the Eiffel Tower at night with a crappy camera, but here it is. And I can say I have been there!

Hmmmm....what is he thinking?

2011-04-24T22:27:00.000-04:00

I thought this pic deserved a post of its own....

Such a cute face - I wonder what he is thinking? If I had to bet, I bet it is something mischievous!

Easter Fun

2011-04-23T22:09:00.007-04:00

We hope everyone had a wonderful Easter celebration!

We started the celebrations last week and I don't even know where to start. The kids have had fun hunting for Easter eggs at a nearby park (and then subsequently hunting eggs all week in our living room - they are everywhere!), dying Easter eggs, making resurrection cookies, and going to Church.

Granddaddy and Nene with the kids after church

Quite the pair!

Tonight before we went to bed, we made resurrection cookies with the kids. My close friend Amy brought these to my attention a few years ago, but the kids were still young. If you would like a play by play, you can see how they are made here. BTW, She has a great blog - and a great family so I highly recommend adding her to your google reader. Our church included it this year as a great way to teach young kids the true meaning of Easter so we decided to try it.

Tomorrow morning the kids will open the tomb to see what they discover. The rest of the day will be filled with joy, love, pancakes, hunting more Easter eggs, and Tennis!

Happy Easter everyone!

Happy Easter 2011!

2011-04-23T22:04:00.003-04:00

Wishing you many Easter Blessings!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

PS - Alyssa, do you like the dress? :)

Happy Birthday Brian

2011-04-21T00:01:00.000-04:00

Today - Brian is 36. Yes, he is one step closer to 40. Now I am starting to feel old!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband, best friend, and most amazing father. I love you. The kids love you. Your family loves you. Even though growing old sucks, I don't know who I would rather spend these years with. So here is to 40 more!

Love you always!

e

How does your garden grow?

2011-04-20T17:00:00.000-04:00

Brian and I have been excited about growing a garden this year as soon as we moved into this house last June (we finally have a yard big enough!).

Now that Spring is here, we decided to finally get going on this project and we completed it last night. Hopefully in about 50-60 days, we will have tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, squash, snap peas, and spinach!

Matthew helping us prep - before we realized we need A LOT more dirt

Brian hauling dirt - we didn't have a wheel barrow but thankfully our wagon did the trick

Morgan by the finished project

The kids helping us move the plants

Hamming it up for the camera

We planted a mixture of seeds and plants that have already developed. Hopefully, we did everything right! I guess we will see :)

Happy Birthday Matty Matty Moo!

2011-04-13T09:24:00.005-04:00

Last month Matthew turned 3! I can't believe our 'baby' is now 3!

We had a jammed pack weekend with friends, family, and of course a birthday party. We went to a nearby sports complex and let the kids jump their pretty little hearts out!

Thanks everyone that joined us in this special day!

Matthew wearing his birthday cape and celebrating with family at home

In the words of Aunt Mimi, such a goober!

Me and my two favorite kids!

Peppy with her grands

Mimi and Mama

Steph and Brian

Lily and Maggie

Brian and Peppy

Morgan E. (the 'other' Morgan)

Lily, William, Morgan, and Maggie

Make a wish Matty!

Adorable little Sara

School Dance

2011-04-08T10:07:00.003-04:00

Morgan and Jackson had their FIRST school dance a few weeks ago. Thankfully, they aren't embarassed to be around their parents so Christy and I were able to stay and witnesses the fun.

Morgan and her favorite dress

George, Morgan, and Jackson

Getting her hair colored

January Snow

2011-04-03T10:25:00.001-04:00

In January, we had a HUGE snow storm hit the South. It may have only dumped about 5-7" of snow, but it closed work, schools, roads, etc for about 5 full days. We did get a little stir crazy, towards the end of the week. The storm hit Sunday night and by Thursday we had to bust out of the house. Pretty much everyone else had the same idea as the restaurant we went too was running out of food. However, the snow allowed us to spend a lot of quality time with the kids playing in the snow and watching some football (Go AUBURN!!!). We also had a slumber party at the Norris house - thank goodness for four wheeled drive and only living up the street from them.

Auburn Day and digging out

Building a snow man

Jackson

Matty

After a while, the snow wasn't so fun anymore (Maggie and Matty!)

All dressed up and ready to outside!

Sercy bear loved it too!

Picture perfect snow

Moving on up!

2011-04-02T10:17:00.000-04:00

In January, we moved Matthew to his BIG boy bed. It is the first time in many years we haven't had a crib/toddler bed set up in the house!

It is so much nicer to have real bed in the house because it allows us to snuggle together at night while we are reading books - so much better than sitting on the floor!

The kids playing while we are taking down his toddler bed

Matthew enjoying his new bedding

As for a March update, Matthew turned 3 this month! He sure is quite the little boy - he loves to run, play, jump, climb and EAT. He is never full - I don't understand how he is so small! He loves his Thomas the Trains, baseball, Buzz/Woody toys, and playing dress up. An by dress up, I mean princess dress up. Oh well, I guess that is what happens when you have a big older sister!

He is also potty training - finally! He has been peeing in the potty for about a month or two, but he finally gave in and is going #2 in the potty! Yes!! Because he is doing such a great job, and staying dry at night, I think we may have just purchased our LAST pack of pull ups!! Hip Hip HOORAY!

Spring Training

2011-04-01T01:28:00.000-04:00

So, in the spirit of opening day of baseball, I thought I would post some pictures of Matthew and William playing T-Ball.

Our little slugger

Team Photo

Maybe we should play too?

Bring it home Matty!

Bring it home William!

Sometimes it is just easier to pick a winner...

First Game!

I know...I am behind!

2011-03-31T09:51:00.001-04:00

I promise to get back to the blog soon! The posts probably won't be in order, but at least I am getting them up. I should get credit for that! :)

Congratulations Lauren

2011-01-12T10:03:00.001-05:00

Last month Brian's cousin performed in the Nutcracker Ballet. I wish I got a picture of her, but I did capture some pictures of our sweet little girls all dressed up! Who knows - maybe one of them will be a famous ballerina?

Merry Christmas Y'all

2011-01-11T09:38:00.000-05:00

We are blessed to have spent so much time with friends and family throughout December into Christmas.

I have so many pictures I want to share, which are below.

Merry Christmas (ok, this is a little late) to all our friends and family. We are blessed to have all of you in our lives!

Peppy baked treats with the kids to deliver to policemen, firemen, and constructions workers on Christmas Eve

Morgan delivering goodies

Santa's little helper

Christmas Eve Service

Me and my babies

Matty and his new baseball helmet

Nana and Morgan

Megan and her nieces/newphews

Peppy and Morgan reading a Christmas Eve book

The kids put out cookies for Santa, carrots for the reindeer, and sprinkled reindeer food on the lawn

Christmas morning - Matty loved his bike!

Morgan and one of her new princess outfits

Jackson and Matthew - Christmas Dinner at Grandaddy/Nene's House

Morgan and Jackson

Matty

Morgan - opening her favorite gift - the Easy Bake Oven

Morgan and Granddaddy

The cousins - it isn't wise to take a picture right before presents. They were too excited to care about pictures!

savesave

Cousins

2011-01-10T09:32:00.000-05:00

Spending time with family is what Christmas is about....

Happy Birthday Lily!

Hudson

Ryan making us cookies - a fighter pilot that can bake!

Stephanie - she so desperately wanted to get rid of those green beans

Lily and Hudson

...and it doesn't hurt to have a beautiful Lake View

Thank you to the Howlands for hosting us this year :)

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Happy New Year! and Bring on the Snow!

2011-01-09T21:56:00.001-05:00

Although I haven't posted about Christmas yet, I felt I should wish everyone a Happy New Year.

The pictures below were taken the day after Christmas...yes, we HAD A WHITE CHRISTMAS! Living in the South doesn't bring this treat very often (for you trivia buffs, the last white Christmas here was in 1882!). Although it was COLD we loved having snow on Christmas. It even lasted four days before it melted - another unusual treat.

Today is Jan 9 and we are expecting several inches of more snow/sleet/ice tonight into tomorrow. We even have a winter storm warning. The funny thing about the South is that everyone runs to the grocery store to buy milk and bread. The stores were crazy yesterday but I am happy to report I have plenty of food in case we are stranded for a few days :) We just hope we don't lose power - Auburn plays in the national championship game tomorrow!

Berry College

2011-01-09T09:20:00.005-05:00

Right before Christmas, we visited Berry College where Brian attended for a couple of years before transferring to Auburn. It is located in N. Georgia outside of Rome and it is probably the most gorgeous campus I have ever visited (sorry UWYO). Although the campus itself is rather small, the land it sits on is vast. I hope to visit in the spring or fall when the leaves are blooming or changing next year - I will also come better prepared to take photos. The architecture of the buildings is also beautiful - full of stone and history. It is a gorgeous place and definitely worth visiting if you are in the area.

2010-12-23T20:22:00.000-05:00

As part of the Thanksmas fun, we visited Lake Lanier Islands and their Magical Night of Lights. The big kids (AKA Jen, Brian, and Brea) went on a zip line tour. It was FREEZING out - but we warmed up roasting marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate!

Thanksmas

2010-12-22T19:54:00.000-05:00

Every year my family celebrates Thanksgiving - which is Thanksgiving and Christmas rolled up in one fun filled week!

Matty and Santa

Morgan and Santa

Morgan and her new luggage - A girl with her own frequent flier card needs her own luggage right?

Morgan and Matty at Morgan's school party

Trimming the tree and watching the train

Playing with the train and Papa

Florida Part II (AKA DISNEY!)

2010-12-21T19:38:00.005-05:00

After we wrapped up a great visit with Kara and Aunt Cindy, we headed to Disney World and met up with Brian's family.

After four jam packed days - we were EXHAUSTED! But we had a wonderful time!

Florida!

2010-12-12T12:14:00.006-05:00

We spent Thanksgiving in Florida this year visiting friends and spending time at the Magic Kingdom with family.

On our first day, we met up with my Aunt Cindy and David for an afternoon at Downtown Disney. Because we haven't seen Aunt Cindy since Josh and Alyssa's wedding and Morgan's first birthday, we loved being able to spend a few hours with them.

Morgan, Aunt Cindy, Matty

Morgan, Aunt Cindy, and David

Downtown Disney

Our second stop was to visit 'McKara' (as Matty puts it!) at her wonderful home. Thankfully the weather was quite warm at times so we were able to enjoy the beach, manatee watching, and a rocket launch! It doesn't appear we will ever make a shuttle launch, but it was pretty cool watching the rocket launch. Thankfully the rain held so we didn't get soaking wet while we waited!

Day at the beach

Manatee Watching

Rocket Launch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_IV)

Brian, Kara, and I enjoyed a night out for my birthday

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Chinese

2010-10-31T22:32:00.003-04:00

At Matthew's school - he learns Chinese ones a week. His teacher told me this week that he knows his colors and was able to count to seven all by himself (he even did it in front of the class - which Matty usually doesn't do as the shyness factor usually kicks in!). I guess I can justify letting him watch as much Ni Hao Kai Lan as he wants! Honestly, we don't know if he is right - but he sounds quite convincing :)

Ponyrides

2010-10-30T22:23:00.002-04:00

We found a cute little horse farm near our house. We were able to let the kids take a pony ride on a path in search of the Great Pumpkin! The kids loved riding a horse - I guess we will have to go on another pony ride next summer we when visit family in CO.

They also were able to play games. It was a great Fall weekend!

Posing for a picture after feeding the horse an apple

Such a cutie!

A morning ride on a pony

Family

2010-10-20T18:34:00.009-04:00

Mama, Papa, and Mimi visited us last week and we kept ourselves BUSY! From a train ride through the civil war era to a Halloween light show/carnival to an Indian Summer picnic at the lake, we had lots of fun!

Sharing some love in front of the sugar shack

Riding the Ferris Wheel

Mimi with Matty (with Marshmallows on his face)

Roasting Marshmallows

Mmmmm....Doesn't this look appetizing.

3 tickets. $9.00. 30 second ride. 3 happy kids = priceless

Ready. Set. Slide!

Aunt Jen and Maggie

Happy Cousins

Fun at the Lake

Mama and her babies

Mimi and Mo

Mama and Matty

Showing off her skills

Playing in the yard

At a Civil War Battlefield

Waiting to reboard the train in Chittamauga (or something like that)

Our cozy train seats

Ready to go!

Excited to board!

Happy Fall Y'all!

2010-10-20T18:27:00.002-04:00

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Family Night Fun

2010-09-11T21:00:00.000-04:00

Picnic dinner at the park + family night at Morgan's school = Great Family Fun!

Fun with Friends

2010-09-11T08:50:00.003-04:00

Last week we had a special visit from some of the King family. Collin and Katie were in town for Payton's surgery. We didn't get to see Grayson and Abby, but we had fun for a couple of days playing with Payton!

It was great seeing you all!

Vote!

2010-09-03T12:30:00.002-04:00

Vote here: http://www.refresheverything.com/chemo101

You can vote every day! It is an important charity and cancer affects us ALL!

If you are in reader, click to the actual blog so you can see more information (it doesn't show up in reader)

THANKS!

It's Limbo time!

2010-08-29T20:24:00.004-04:00

We had Morgan's 5th Birthday Party at our house with a Luau theme! We are thrilled to have a yard large enough to accommodate everyone.

Of course we had cake!

And a pinata..

Matty loved pin the tail on the donkey
And, what is a Luau without Limbo?!?!

Happy Birthday Morgan!

And thanks to everyone who came...I don't have a group shot of everyone, but a couple cousin pictures are below.

Jackson

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Maggie

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William

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Matthew

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Morgan

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I think this last one deserves a special caption - any ideas? Maggie seems to be checking out Morgan's tatas!

Best Cousins...

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...and Best Friends

Kindergarten Party

2010-08-26T20:32:00.000-04:00

Peppy put together a special party for Morgan and Jackson as a celebration that they were going to start Kindergarten! She made all of the kids feel ultra special and created a memory they will remember forever. Thank you Peppy!

Gone Fishin'

2010-08-25T20:02:00.004-04:00

Lake Vacation

2010-08-25T20:01:00.006-04:00

Our last hoorah before school started was to spend a week at the Lake with Brian's family. Stay tuned for some pictures of the fun we had! We already shared a sneak peak here.

Blondes really do have more fun!

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Brian's mom really taught the kids a thing or two during our vacation a few weeks ago :)
For the full effect, I recommend clicking on the picture

Thank you Peppy for being a great sport and letting us share the picture!

DONE

2010-08-24T19:49:00.002-04:00

We're finished!

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Ready....Set....BUILD!
Our next project is to put the playset together that Mama and Papa sent to the kids. I think it came with 100o pieces (yes, I am not exaggerating).

Plus, it is HOT and HUMID out.

Despite the heat, we are having a great time working on this family project. It doesn't seem like your typically date night, but Brian and I are really enjoying the time together hanging out, talking, and just being together.

Even though sorting through the boxes was intimidating (see Brian below)....

We know it will be worth the work! And yes, I really am helping. I never knew there were so many different types of screws, bolts, etc and I am pretty good with a drill now :)

Final pics - coming soon!

FIRST Day of School!

2010-08-09T09:35:00.004-04:00

Well, the time has arrived (tears). My baby is off to school. Wow - how time flies. It is such a happy and sad day for me. I am so proud of her and how excited she was to move into the next chapter of her life. I guess I should rejoice that she couldn't wait for school (I am sure when she is a teenager, I will have to push her out the door to go to school!). I hope the next 12 years slow down some - I am thankful college is still a few years down the road :)

l

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Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out to the crowd,

Buy me some ~~peanuts and cracker jacks~~ popsicles, I don't care if I ever get back.

For it's root root root for the Padres

If they don't win it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes you are out

At the old ball game!

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Soccer

2010-07-24T18:58:00.004-04:00

Mimi joined us for a few days before she went to Haiti (http://aHomeInHaiti.org). I hope you will visit their website - they are doing some great things in Haiti and it is awesome she is going to be a part of it!

Anyway, Mimi kept the kids busy while she was here - and I am exhausted!

While she was here, Mimi got to watch Matty play soccer. He is in a class with the Norris twins and most of the time he really enjoys it (the rest of the time his two year old self is in full force).

Morgan comes along to cheer him on - except when she is distracted by the candy machines they have nearby (hence the monster jawbreaker in her mouth!)
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Life's a beach

2010-07-22T22:15:00.007-04:00

well actually, a swimming pool!

As you can see - the pool has been our favorite activity this summer. Morgan can swim the length of the pool all by herself. We had a few lessons the beginning of the summer but she has worked hard every time she went to the pool to learn how to swim without her floaties. Her hard work and persistence has paid off!

And what about Matty - as you can see Matthew has learned how to do cannon balls - just like his big sister!

Duck time

2010-07-16T22:19:00.004-04:00

Our new neighborhood has a family of ducks - that includes about 12 baby ducks. They are adorable. Oddly we haven't seen them in a couple of weeks - we hope they are ok. We are glad we were able to see them when we did!

Colorado

2010-07-16T22:13:00.005-04:00

I can't believe I forgot to post pics of our trip to Colorado in June! We have been so busy I haven't taken many pics (gasp!) and I haven't had time to organize them.

Daddy stayed behind this trip, while I took the kids to Colorado and headed to my conference on the West Coast. The kids are always in great hands with Mama, Papa, and Mimi! Amma joined us too - what a treat!!

Playing games

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Morgan and Matthew are learning how to play hopscotch this week. Matthew did a pretty good job for his first try :)

T minus 3 weeks...

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Then lift off!

Our oldest will start kindergarten in just a few weeks. She spent this week at kindergarten camp learning how to blast off into kindergarten. Thursday was spirit day - and they all wore their camp shirts.

Jackson and Morgan had a great time - even though it feels like summer is just getting started, school is right around the corner.

Where to start?

2010-07-12T08:42:00.004-04:00

Wow - we have had a whirlwind of activity since my last post - I really don't know where to start.

First. We moved. Finally. Actually, the moving part was easy - it was the sale and purchase of the new house that was the difficult part. Just as we thought we hit the last hurdle - we hit a new one. There were several times that we were planning to move in less than 24/48 hours, and things were postponed. Again. It was difficult living in a constant state of boxes. Finally on June 25th we closed on our old house and purchased our new house - something we didn't think we would get to see - especially on the SAME day. We are settling in nicely. We have most boxes unpacked, but we still need to work on the final touches that really make a house feel like a home. Our new neighbors are Brian's sister and her family so it is great to have our family nearby and it makes it so easy for the kids to play together.

In June, Brian went to Haiti. Did I mention he was out of town when I closed on both houses, finished packing, and moved all of our belongings from our old house to our new house? A big shout out to our family who helped me get all of this done! I hope he writes a blog post soon (hint, hint, hint). He took quite a few pictures and I know he has a lot to stay. I am so PROUD (PROUD PROUD PROUD) of him for doing this. My sister is off to Haiti next week - I am glad he partly inspired her to go. Brian went with our church but my sister is going with the organization ahomeinhaiti.org. A home in Haiti is a fabulous organization that I feel has made more headway in Haiti than any other organization in the world.

I really can't remember what else happened in June. I am sure we had some fun - but it really is just a blur. For the weekend of the 4th - we spend a day with Brian's Mom, Kim, and Sister's fam hanging out in their self proclaimed 'redneck water park' (kids loved it!), eating food, and playing a game of family baseball. We spent the actual Holiday with his Dad and friends at the pool, cooking out, and watching Fireworks.

We love the simplicity of a back yard. Our new yard isn't the biggest you will find, but it feels like a football field compared to our last yard. We now have a yard in which the kids can play baseball, run, and play in the sprinklers. Such simple fun, but we are so thankful for it. We eat outside several times a week and just love it (minus the bugs)!

Morgan started baseball and she is on the same team as Jackson. This is the first time Morgan has played and she is doing very well. She has made it to base after every one of her hits (it is modified pitch/tball) so we are very proud of her for jumping in with the 'big boys' (and a handful of girls). She is probably the youngest and shortest so she really is a trooper.

The summer is sort of winding down for us (finally). Brian and I are looking forward to school starting and getting into a routine again. With every week comes a new schedule. We are routine people so the countdown to school has begun at our house - only four more weeks! Morgan will be starting kindergarten (can you believe it???!!!!) so this is actually very bittersweet for us.

Until next time - have a wonderful summer. We plan to spend the last few weeks of summer enjoying the pool and just enjoying hanging out!

Beach time!

2010-05-31T09:42:00.005-04:00

We spent Memorial Day weekend at the beach! It was a nice family getaway and we loved it. The kids had a wonderful time playing in the sand and splashing in the pools. The older they get the more fun they have and the easier it is on us.

Last summer Matthew really wasn't too fond of the water. What a change a year makes! We couldn't keep him out and he loved swimming around in his swimmies. We just finished the first round of swim lessons and I think we will sign him up for more. He loves the water and loves paddling around!

We have a busy June ahead of us so this was a much need pre-vacation. We are all traveling different places this month and will spend most of the month apart. We are also moving into our new house. We've been ready to move since early May so we are really looking forward to unpacking!!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-15T16:25:00.001-04:00

So, I am a week late posting (we've been busy!). BUT - Happy Mother's Day!

If I needed to name something right now...

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...I would name it Toby.

Simply because I LOVE it when Matthew says the name (you can hear it for your self here).

She is easy to love!

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This melts my heart:

Colorado Fun

2010-04-07T10:46:00.002-04:00

Morgan spent Spring Break in Colorado - she had a blast in the snow!

Aren't they cute?

Fun with Cousins

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Morgan and Jackson learning something from their parents!

Youtube looks funny when I embed it - click on the actual video to watch in youtube!

Spring has sprung!

2010-03-20T16:16:00.004-04:00

It is time to dust off the flip flops,

and get out doors because

SPRING

HAS

SPRUNG!

Happy First Day of Spring!

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It is fun to be TWO!

2010-03-07T20:33:00.003-05:00

Today is Matthew's second birthday, I feel like my baby is no longer a baby. Yesterday we celebrated with friends and family for his birthday party. Although all of our family wasn't there, we had a wonderful time. I am pretty sure the only thing Matthew ate yesterday was cupcakes!

Over the last few months, Matty has had several bursts of language growth. I feel like we are going through one of those times right now. He talks constantly and his sentences are getting longer and more clear. I love hearing his sweet little voice. He loves balls, books, coloring, art, and slides. Morgan and Matthew get along great (most of the time) - I hope they grow closer and closer as they grow up. His favorite foods are bananas and most fruits, fruit snacks, vegetable juice (strange I know), chocolate milk, and cheese. He sleeps almost twelve hours a night. We are not even close to potty training but we aren't pushing it - it will come when the time is right. He knows most of the main colors (red, green, blue, red, yellow, and white) and can count to ten (although he needs some help with 5 and 6). We are working on our ABCs and he knows segments along the way.
Matthew has had an ear infection for the last 6-8 weeks and we just can't seem to beat it. We have had two shots of antibiotics last week and we get our third this week. Since we had this problem last year, we most likely are on our way to tubes. Hopefully, this will take care of the problem.

We are so thankful for the sweet, loving, handsome, wonderful, precious boy we have been blessed with.

Happy Birthday Matthew - We Love You!!

-Mom and Dad

Finally...we can play!

2010-02-12T21:28:00.002-05:00

Watching and Waiting

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Let it snow....

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Florida

2010-02-12T21:00:00.000-05:00

Last month we attended a wedding of one of my closest and dearest friends. We used it as an excuse to play in Orlando.

We visited Sea World....

Animal Kingdom....

AND Walt Disney World!

We of course met Mickey - we couldn't go to Orlando without meeting Mickey!

Breakfast with Cinderella, Arial, Belle, Aurora, and Snow White was like a fairytale.

Matty even made a wish!

Oh! Let's not forget about the wedding.

The bride was beautiful and the groom was handsome.

The flower girl - well she brightened the room better than any bouquet of flowers.

We had a wonderful time - with family, friends, and enjoying life.

Ok..back to the real world now.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E....

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We spent last week at the Mouse House among other places. Here is a sneak peak of when we met Mickey!

Lots more to come :)

Twas the night before Christmas....

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*UPDATED*

and all through the house, not a creature was stirring....except maybe a four year old!

Merry Christmas - hopefully we are all snuggled in our beds and sound asleep soon!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T13:38:00.003-05:00

For unto you, in the city of David is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord!

Note: Matthew made a face because he just KNEW I was going to digitally add a cartoon image of a Santa hat on his head.

Making Gingerbread Cookies

2009-12-24T13:35:00.002-05:00

Morgan had her FIRST official sleepover this week. As part of the fun, we made gingerbread bears! These will be a tasty treat for Santa!

Colorado Pics

2009-12-17T13:49:00.002-05:00

We just spent a few days in Colorado playing in the snow, looking at Christmas lights, playing at the Children's Museum - and overall having a great time. A few pics are below:

Happy Thanksmas!

2009-12-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

Because we have family in multiple parts of the country, we spread the Christmas Season throughout the month of December. We just got back from 'Thanksmas' in Colorado. We had a great time (see the video below - especially the last 30 seconds!).

Mama, Papa, and Mimi - Thanks for the visit - we love you!

Fall Pics

2009-12-16T16:21:00.001-05:00

I figure I better share the fall pics as I already have winter pics and Christmas pics piling up!!

Happy 5th Birthday...

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to our first nephew, Jackson!!

'Tis the Season

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Merry Christmas

Morgan wants to be a chicken...

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Morgan wants to be a chicken...Morgan wants to be a duck....

Playing in the bird nest at the zoo

QUACK QUACK QUACK!! (hopefully now you won't have this song in your head the rest of the day! If you do, you may want to keep the butt shake to yourself)
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32

2009-11-22T20:25:00.003-05:00

I turned 32 last week - at least I can say I will always be younger than my husband! To celebrate, we went to the zoo with the kids and family on Saturday. It was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful time. My husband and mom spoiled me with flowers, but my real gifts are my family and friends.

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!

Pics from the zoo coming soon....

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Happy Fall

2009-11-18T20:20:00.004-05:00

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Fall is here

2009-10-22T08:49:00.003-04:00

We finally have put the shorts away and filled our drawers with pants and sweaters

We even were able to break out our new favorite jackets from Amma

Plus, the kids look adorable in them!

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Family

2009-10-19T20:13:00.006-04:00

Isn't it great to have our cousins nearby?

Otherwise, how could our moms make us sit in silly poses to take pictures when we rather be playing at the park!

Maybe some day we will understand?

But until then, I bet our moms will keep making us take pictures when we rather be playing!

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Fearless

2009-10-19T20:11:00.004-04:00

Hmmmm....should I walk down the slide?

Yes, I think I will!

Weeeee...that was fun!

I think I will do it again!

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Our own little monster mash!

2009-10-06T11:53:00.000-04:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Creativity

2009-09-28T15:38:00.007-04:00

All this painting makes a boy hungry for a nutella (yummy treat!) sandwich. Although, he probably has more on his face than in his tummy. Seriously, where has this stuff been my whole life? Is this stuff new or did my parents deprive me of this growing up???
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In case you live under a rock...

2009-09-28T15:25:00.003-04:00

It has rained here...a lot. However, things have dried out.

Thankfully, there is a lot less of THIS going on...

Thanks to everyone who has called or emailed to check on us - we are fine and dry!

Sadness

2009-09-23T20:23:00.004-04:00

I guess sad things happen in our lives to remind us not to take things for granted. Unfortunately, we were reminded of this today. A mother of Morgan's classmate was killed in the floods earlier this week. It was just a few short weeks ago that Morgan's classmate, her brother, and her mother celebrated Morgan's birthday with us. It is with tears in my eyes and sadness in my heart that I write this. We pray for her classmate and family during this very difficult time in their lives. We ask that you do the same. Thank you all.

http://www.ajc.com/news/lawrenceville-mother-pleads-for-144738.html

If anyone knows what we can do to help this family, please let us know.

Compassion

2009-09-19T20:52:00.003-04:00

Special greetings and thanks to you from your child Olupot. He says, that he is doing great at school. He says that last month he welcomed gifts that you sent to him. He says, that he was able to buy 3 turkeys. He says, that by Christmas time those turkeys shall have grown so big that he will sell it and buy a cow so that he is able to get milk out. He says, that the weather is not good and that there is drought and likely to be famine. He is requesting you to pray that the lord provides them with rain.

This is our child Olupot from Uganda. We received this letter today but it was written in April. We ask that you pray for him and his family.

We encourage you to sponsor a child in need. Brian used his birthday money to sponsor Olupot - We have had him for a year and a half now. This year for Brian's birthday, my parents sponsored Aziza from Tanzania. For more information, go to Compassion International (click here). We would love for our Compassion Family to grow!

Morgan's First Soccer Game

2009-09-19T16:43:00.008-04:00

Today Morgan had her first soccer game. And by first, I mean first time ever playing soccer. And I use the term 'playing' lightly.

Because the weather has done nothing since rain since Tuesday, the outdoor fields were drenched. Thankfully, instead of canceling the games, we were able to move the first practice game indoors!

Game time prayer

Morgan made 6 goals before the game started

Let's go!

Below is a video of the 'game' - another term I use lightly. The girls really didn't know what to think at first-and none of the girls on our team seem to be any bit of competitive. Thankfully, when she played with the boys later on in the game, she stepped it up and started getting into it (a little bit anyway!). We look forward to the rest of the season - and a little more action!

The real family photos

2009-09-15T19:01:00.004-04:00

I find it interesting that you never see 'real' family photos. The family photos that you always see are the 'perfect, happy, everybody is looking at the camera' type photos. Our photographer sent us her favorites, which are here. I received the full CD of portraits today. Well, if you are wondering what a typical day for us includes, just look at the photos below. These better capture 'who we are' than the perfect ones. I thought they were worth sharing!

*no babies were dropped or harmed in these photos