The Best Summer Ever!!

> Somehow I can across this website, http://happyhomefairy.com/2011/06/01/free-summer-printables/ and thought it looked really cute and it has great ideas to keep the kids busy this summer. Sooo, we made our can, printed the "coupons" and today is our first day finally picking one :-)l

Happy 2nd Birthday Milo!

We are not quite sure when Milo's Birthday is but we do know it's sometime in February. Therefore the kids picked February 18th to be his birthday. Today the girls and daddy went shopping for birthday presents and ingredients to bake him a doggy friendly cake.

Jerry tried a piece and said it was not good. It is all ingredients that we would bake with but there is no sugar! Nothing is good without sugar!

Milo didn't seem to mind that there was no sugar! He grabbed that sucker and went running so no one would take it! The girls even brought pieces to the neighbors dogs.

Milo's banner that the girls made and his presents wrapped in the PET section of the newspaper.

Zebra Striped stuffed bone from Avery.

Doggy lollipops from Morgan

Brycen'ism

Brycen is full of random statements and conversations. He is rotten as they get but makes up for it with his humor. I can honestly say that there is not a day that goes by that he does not have me laughing. Tonight he was suppose to be getting into the bath with Avery. Avery apparently had to go to the bathroom and got to the toilet before Brycen, who also needed to go to the bathroom. So, Brycen being Brycen decided to pee in the trashcan!!! Now, we do have 2 other bathrooms but he said that he had to go too bad and couldn't make it to another bathroom. As a result, he was not allowed to take a bubble bath but instead was quickly scrubbed down and put to bed early.

While getting him ready for bed, I noticed that the dog had pee'd in his room!! It's a trend in our house of the men peeing in random places!!

Our conversation:

Brycen "Mom, I think we need to get rid of Milo since he keeps peeing in my room".
Me "Well, if we get rid of Milo for peeing in your room, don't you think we should get rid of you for peeing in the trashcan?"
Brycen "Well, how will you find another boy that speaks Spanish like I do?"
Me "You speak Spanish? Well, I'm sure we'll be able to find another boy that speaks Spanish so don't worry"
Brycen "Then I want a mom and dad that look like you and daddy but that speak Spanish"

It is always something going through that boys mind. He is so clever, it's scary sometimes!

Happy 40th Kerry!

We celebrated our good friend, Kerry's, 40th birthday in style! We took a limo downtown and hit the dance clubs! It has been so long since we have gone dancing and it was so much fun! Of course we had to hit the Waffle House on the way home and boy was it yummy! We didn't get home until 4am! Some of us weren't feeling so well the next day but we can all say it was honestly worth it!

No Girls Allowed

Brycen was invited to an all boys birthday party by his buddy Harrison. They brought their 4wheelers/power wheels and ran around in the woods with their (toy) shot guns! Brycen was in heaven! Poor boy is always around girls. I really need to make more of an effort to get him together with his buddies.

Look Mom - No Training Wheels

Brycen has been asking for his training wheels to be taken off his bike for a couple of weeks. Jerry took them off today and off he went! Only 4 years old and riding like a pro! I got a little teary just thinking that my last training wheels are gone :-(



The cul-de-sac crew

Belated Christmas with Nana & Papa

We weren't able to get together with Nana & Papa over the Christmas Break so they came for a long weekend to celebrate. I kept one of the trees up so that we could pretend :-)

Welcome William

The kids and I visited Allison & Kris at the hospital today to welcome Baby William who was born early this morning. He is soooo cute and tiny. It's been a while, you forget how little they are!
The kids with Big Sister Annie.....

Love my church!!!

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Summerville, SC

We started attending this church in September 2005. Jerry and I decided that we wanted to find a church to attend since neither one of us grew up attending church on a regular basis. Morgan and Avery attended the Christian Learning Center Preschool so we figured we would start here. I'll never forget attending our first service, just Morgan and I (because Jerry said, "if you like it, I'll like it so you go check it out first"). Afterwards, they have a meet and greet outside, we did not know very many people but several people came up to us, introduced themselves and said that they were glad we were there! I have NEVER been to a church that showed such hospitality. I have attended several churches in the past and it was always the same old, listen to a boring service and it was done. You didn't talk to anyone, you just walked out and went home. Pleased that you did your "duty".

I became very involved at St. Paul's but backed off once I started working at the Preschool. One thing led to another and we were coming up with excuses left and right as to why were not able to attend that Sunday. I would regret it every week. With the New Year, I made a promise to God that I would do my very best to truly worship him every Sunday whether it be in the church or at home. It is easier to worship him at church than it is at home with 50 million distractions so that is my goal. We started this morning, the kids and I packed up and went to church and it was so calming and freeing. I struggled this morning because I knew I needed to go but did not want to and the kids haven't been in so long, they did not want to go :-) We went and I got several slaps in the face! At least 3 couples made comments about how shocked they were to see me! I wanted to cry but it was tough love and I had to take it because I brought it upon myself. The kids and I also got to bring the food offering up to the alter which was fun and special. Mrs. Mary who takes care of that had asked us in the past but sadly I told her that I could not commit because of our track record :-( How sad is that! I am so glad that we made the decision to go and as my witnesses, I am not held accountable!

Jerry did not want to go (this is my goal, not his, although we probably need to discuss), so I did not get mad or upset. Over the years I have realized that everyone is at a different place in their walk and that's okay! I struggled for a long time that I was becoming closer to the Lord and Jerry was not. I resented him for holding me back because I did not want to go it alone. God has shown me that it's okay for us to be at different places in our journey and that my faith will eventually "wear off" on him. I believe this because there are certain people that just exude the Lord through their actions and it's like a drug that you want!

Thanks for listening to my ranting. I needed to release my thoughts and who better to release them to :-)

Have a Great Day!

Happy New Year 2011

MIDNIGHT! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!


Our 'group' is slowly dwindling with everyone moving so it's just us 4 left standing! That's okay because I love these girls! Jen, Lisa, me and Kerry. Great New Years Party!

Morgan passed out! We tried our best to wake her for the New Year but she wasn't having any part of it! Avery and Brycen took naps earlier in the day so they were able to stay up!
The 2 Men in my life..........

New Years Resolution Time..........................

-a healthier lifestyle for my whole family
-be more organized in my home and life
-LESS frivolous spending and more saving
-have a better relationship with the Lord
-patience with my family
-LESS TV (for the whole family)
-LESS phone usage (both Jerry and I)
-MORE family time.

MORGAN -"To be more Healthy. I have seen people and pets in our family have health issues and would not like that to be me".

*Awwhh, I love that! I'm hoping we can motivate each other because I would like that for myself as well. Love you Morgan for being so smart and so caring. You are truly a blessing to our family!

AVERY ~

"I don't want anything"

*Apparently she is perfect and has nothing to change about herself. Hmmm, I think I need to work on my teaching her that actions speak louder than words and all actions have consequences whether they be good or bad. Avery, you drive me crazy daily because you are so stubborn, but I pray that you never lose that strong-willed attitude! You melt my heart everyday! I do pray that you break out of your shy shell (when it comes to new adventures) and that your confidence continues to build everyday.

BRYCEN ~

Brycen just didn't get it. He thought I was asking him what he wanted so we could go buy it for him..LOL! Brycen you have definitely put our parenting skills (or lack there of) to the test and through the ringer in 2010. I'm thinking that it is because you don't get very much attention. You are always tagging along to Morgan's Horseback riding, Avery's dance, mommy's shopping, the girls having friends over and so forth.....I have realized that you do get pushed to the side and when you act up, I don't understand why. 2011 is the year that I will do my best to focus equally on you as I do your sisters. We need to have boy playdates while the girls are in school and you get to play soccer soon. You are my sweet boy and I don't want to miss this next year and a half we have together before you go off to Big Boy school!

I hope everyone has a Safe, Happy & Healthy 2011!