Good books

These are 3 books that are really speaking to me now. Check them out asap!

What gives?

October, November running was going great: 25-30 miles a week, 7 miles just about every run. November 20: broke foot~ no exercise at all for 6 weeks! What happens? I lose about 8 pounds. I know some of that was muscle, but not 8 pounds!!! Then, 2 weeks ago I started running again. Guess what? Gained all that weight back. I'm so frustrated. So for now I'm hanging up my running shoes and pulling out the dvd player. I'm gonna try p90x and see what happens.

Counterfeit!

Henry is so proud. He photocopied both sides of a $2, cut them out and glued them together. Nate told him he would probably go to prison for doing this and I could too for taking a picture of it. Henry didn't care.

Happy 90th birthday Granny!

Today was Granny's 90th birthday and we celebrated with a party in the church fellowship hall.

We missed Mark, Denise & Silas and Adam, but we did enjoy some yummy punch (just ask Marlowe!)

Talking to Adam, doesn't she look pretty!

Happy Birthday Granny! We love you!

First run of 2011 Pinewood Derby

Florida vacation!

I have a secret and I have to tell someone! Bryan and I

have planned a surprise Florida vacation for Nate, Henry & Luke for the middle of March. We are going to visit Mark & Denise & Silas and stay at the Nickelodeon Hotel. We decided to wait until the morning of the trip to tell the boys. They will be so excited to fly on an airplane and to get to see their cousin Silas!

Grand Bohemian Hotel

Bryan get to go to a planning session every January with a team of managers from Duke (and he gets to take his wife)! This year it was in Asheville at the Grand Bohemian Hotel just outside the gates of the Biltmore House. We had a great time! All 4 grandparents worked together and took excellent care of the boys. The hotel was so beautiful and we had the most delicious food! Last nights dinner was Sea Bass for me while Bryan had beef aged for 38 days. This morning I ordered room service for breakfast and watched the entire Today Show without interruption! It was nice, but I miss these guys so much when I'm gone.
Thanks MeMa & Papa and DeeDee & JohnDaddy for watching after our boys while we were away. They enjoyed being with all 4 of you!

8 Years Ago Today....

8 Years ago today, after 40 1/2 weeks of pregnancy, 13 hours of unproductive, induced labor and an emergency c-section, I met this precious boy. He has brought me so much joy! Happy Birthday Nate! I love you!

Scenes from the snow

Notice how dark it is outside in these first few pictures. Nate & Henry were up at 5am ready to play, 15 minutes earlier than they got up on Christmas morning.

Even though Luke was sick he had lots of fun in the snow. I brought a bucket of it inside for him to play with then he went out a little later. Living in a neighborhood with lots of kids is so much fun on days like these.

Luke absolutely loves snowmen. He said here "I love you Mr. Snowman."

our neighbor Mr. King let the boys borrow his flexible flyer sled.

Tomorrow will be Day 4 out of school and we're getting a little restless. Nate & Henry decided to get out the pottery wheel this afternoon for a little art.

That was exciting!

The snow of the Century! (so far)

In just a few short hours the snow will begin to fall....so John Cessarich says. It may be the biggest snow since 1988 (which was 12" for the Upstate). I have 5 1/2 gallons of milk, 2 dozen eggs, 2 loaves of bread, 90 diapers and a few other essentials to get us through the snow & ice. Boots & gloves are located (which was no minor task). Only one thing holding us back from winter wonderland fun: poor Luke is sick. He's had a fever since Thursday and I finally took him to the Dr. today. Luckily it was a virus (no flu which I was worried about since we haven't had flu shots in the past few years) that was turning into an ear infection. Guess I'll be bringing a tub of snow in the house tomorrow for Luke if he still has a fever. Hopefully he will be much better. We have 3 new orange sleds ready to ride!

Shirley Temples make you pucker

Playing games

We've been playing board games like crazy this Christmas break. My favorite is Blokus, Bryan & Nate love Creationary by Lego and Henry's fave is Apples to Apples (when he gets to be the judge of course). We have to play while Luke is napping or after he goes to bed but I have a feeling that very soon, he will be playing with us too!

New Years Resolutions 2011

Well I have made my New Years Resolution and thought I's share it here just to make me accountable. I'm going to read this One Year Bible daily. It breaks the bible up into daily readings that include some Old & New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs. So far so good, but it is only January 1!

Merry Christmas

What a great Christmas holiday it's been. Spending lots of time with friends and family was the highlight of it all. My Nana really surprised me and my Mom this year by finishing a quilt Mama had been making for me. Mama started this quilt in 2008 and it was almost finished when she had to stop working on it because of problems with her hands. My Nana had it finished and gave it to me as a Christmas gift. Mama was just as excited about it as I was and we were all surprised that Nana had kept it a secret.

Luke sings Jingle Bells

Luke and the potty

December (so far)

Be sure to double click on this picture of Henry in front of the tree to see Nate sticking his tongue out. I didn't even see him when I took the picture.

So far it's been a good December (did I mention I broke my foot before Thanksgiving???) aside from being slowed down by a minor injury.

We enjoyed seeing lots of family over Thanksgiving and we're in full holiday gear with Christmas parades & parties.

Nate & Henry's karate class walked in the Clemson Christmas parade. They stopped in front of the announcers to do some "moves" (see post below)
Luke rode with the Subway man (driven by John Daddy).

Nate sledding down the bank. He finally hit the ramp you see in this picture.

Clemson Christmas parade 2010

Pumpkin Chunkin

Pumpkin Chunkin part 2

Back to blogging

I'm going to make myself blog in hopes that I will want to do it again. I'm out of the blogging mood. Halloween was lots of fun. Nate was a pirate, Henry a vampire and Luke was Superman. We trick or treated in the neighborhood and got lots of candy! The next day, I decided to put my Christmas tree up! If you drive by my house at night, you will still see 4 pumpkins sitting on the front porch with lovely Christmas lights in the background!! I'm almost embarassed to turn the tree lights on at night, afraid the neighbors will think I'm crazy, skipping right over Thanksgiving. But, I guess I am. The boys really wanted to put it up. Especially Luke. He kept asking "how we build a tree in our house, Mama?" It's too much trouble to put up for a couple of weeks, and when Christmas is over, I'm ready to take it down.

Mama had a great idea for a Christmas present for Brent. We dressed Shelby up in different costumes and made a calendar on Snapfish. Here is the June picture. So cute, but so much work.

Tomorrow is the Cub Scout campout at Camp Old Indian. Henry isn't old enough to go yet, so he is inviting 2 friends over the spend the night. Hope they go to sleep....

Henry's Itsy Bitsy Spider

I especially love "out came the sun" part!!

Toodie Tah

Skate party for Henry

Even though Henry didn't feel so good Monday, he had a pretty good time at his roller skating party at Skateland USA in Anderson. He had lots of friends, old and new. Happy 6th birthday Henry! We love you!

Happy 6th birthday Henry!

Count Luke

No new posts

I have taken a little break from blogging. But, I would like to ask you to remember my cousin Faith, her husband Danny and their family in your prayers. Faith just lost her baby boy at 37 weeks in her pregnancy. Please pray for the whole family and especially for Faith during this very sad time. Case Jim Hedden was the most beautiful baby boy, born October 9, 2010, 19 inches and weighing almost 5 pounds.