Charleston

Brendon and I headed to Charleston for our anniversary a few weeks ago.
There are some pictures below. It's always beautiful there! There were tons of weddings taking place at every church in town that weekend. It was so sweet and romantic! We ate at Fig on Friday and it was yummy! We took a walking tour one day and went to Middleton plantation another. The house you see is not the plantation, that was destroyed mostly by fire in the war and finally an earthquake took it totally out. The house is the gentlemens place. Poor things, I really have no idea how they managed in such tight quarters. We toured the house and gardens and also took a carriage ride around the estate and Sir Ian McKellen was on our carriage (Gandolf in Lord of the Rings!) I will confess I had no idea who he was, but when we got off the carriage Brendon told me! Of course I had to call and check on the rascals when I got the chance! It was a nice weekend!

Update coming soon!

This is the last week of school and we are running around trying to tie up loose ends. I'm the room mom in Joseph's class and so have some xtra things going on with that as well.
Brendon and I went to Charleston a couple of weekends ago to celebrate our 11th anniversary.
Last weekend we were up at Mom and Dad's lake house.
We are looking forward to having some unscheduled free time this summer!
I will soon have time to post some picutres.

Mothers Day

Thank you Brendon, Isabelle and Joseph for everything!
Breakfast was yummy! The coffee delicious! The cards so sweet!
I love the tulips!
I love and adore you! Y'all do such a great job of making it
a pleasure to be a Mommy!

Thanks to all the Dad's who put on a great lunch yesterday!

Joy of Reading

I have two readers now and they both love it!

Here, Isabelle is reading to Joseph.

Family Fun Fest Day in the Park!

We went to Family Fun Fest today which was put on by the school. We stood in line

FOREEEEEEEVVVVVVVVEEEEEEERRRR

to have our faces painted! (like 1.5 hours!)

It was worth it! They look awesome and the kids are thrilled!

Take a look!

!

Dog Delinquents

Our two lovable hounds have really gotten into some bad behaviour lately! On Monday morning at about 5:20AM the phone rang. We were dead asleep, but when the phone rings at that hour it is worrisome. I jumped up and answered it and was suprised when Officer "soandso" from xyz County police department wanted to know if I knew a black lab named Sarah. Um..yes..she's mine. Well, she's out here in my car on the corner of this street and that street, which happens to be right across from my house. So, since I was wearing a night gown with tea cups on it Brendon went out to get them..both dogs were out, but Mavis had managed to loose her collar as well. There were two patrol cars out on the street chasing down my dogs! These guys were young and chatty and if I had been dressed and awake I would have made them coffee. After we got the whole story of my lunatic dogs we started the day.

Yesterday two neighborhood boys came knocking on my door after school and told me the dogs were out again! I went and got them back in the fence.

This morning as I was drinking coffee and getting ready to leave the house I heard voices talking and it was very close, so I looked out the window and there's a neighbor and his daughter dragging my Border Collie to the fence and putting her in. She promptly ran to the hole and got out again along with our lab.

They have somehow managed to escape several times this week and we are not sure how or why. They may have spring fever. They are literally chewing the pickets off the fence and climbing under. Right now they are locked in the screen porch and will REMAIN there until we can figure out what in this world to do with them. I literally have to lock the door because they actually know how to push the handle down to get out if I don't lock it!! Not even kidding! I'm about to pull my hair out!!!

This is the latest picket they have chewed off.

They crawl through this hole! See the new picket we

put on there two days ago! They will not be stopped!!!

Brand new pickets. See how they already

started chewing it?

See the huge beam we had to put behind the fence? See

the hole they are digging? They are insane!

Mavis and Sarah! Do they look BAD???

Birthday Party

Teresa and I put together a nice birthday party for Mom and Aunt Becky here at the house. You can see pictures here.

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Make a free ecard - it's easy!

Isabelle's Birthday Day!

Isabelle woke up early and could hardly wait for Joseph to wake up so she could open her presents! Her Mommy and Daddy finally gave in and got her a Webkinz. In the late afternoon Olivia came over and they played Webkinz together. Isabelle requested Mexican food for her birthday supper and that is what we had! Later we had the birthday cake she picked out. It was very cute! Then we finished up the evening by watching American Idol together. At bedtime we all said a birthday blessing for our sweet honey! Happy Birthday Isabelle!

Happy Birthday Isabelle!

A slideshow of our angel Isabelle on her 8th birthday!

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Joseph's Birthday Party!

Joseph started off his day snuggling in bed with his Mommy and Daddy and Sissy! Then he opened his presents from us! He really wanted breakfast in bed and had asked for this especially for a few days. So, we cooked and he got in Isabelle's bed, where he prefers to sleep. We brought breakfast up, with fresh apple juice as requested! We had a fun day playing and hanging out. Later his good friend Nicholas, from school, came over with his Mom and brother. Joseph wanted pizza for dinner so that is what we had! The boys had lots of fun running around and playing. We finished up with cake and ice cream. (Mommy did not bother with laborious homemade creations this year!) We all said a birthday blessing for Joseph at bedtime, and he is now sweetly and peacefully sleeping! A lovely day for my 6 year old!

Happy Birthday Joseph!

Here are a few pictures to celebrate joyful Joseph on his 6th birthday!

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Fun Run

The school held a fun run yesterday, and it was really nice being in the fresh spring air and sun all morning!

Baseball

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Flower Quiz

This is my answer. Isabelle picked the square with all the roses and Joseph picked the Gerber daisies. Just some of the quizzes we just had fun doing. Good thing these things aren't for real! Unfortunatly I do forget names! Faces I do better at. I did wave at someone this week who I thought recognized and realized as soon as I did it that it wasn't who I thought it was!

What These Carnations Say About You

You have a distinct style... one that many people find fascinating. You are charming and alluring. People are drawn to you - and you are very popular. You never forget a name or a face. And the people you love are always on your mind

What Do The Flowers You Pick Say About You?

Sandwhich Quiz

The kids wanted to do some quizzes. This is my answer on the sandwhich quiz. Sounds kind of boring!

You Are a Ham Sandwich

You are quiet, understated, and a great comfort to all of your friends. Over time, you have proven yourself as loyal and steadfast. And you are by no means boring. You do well in any situation - from fancy to laid back. Your best friend: The Turkey Sandwich Your mortal enemy: The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

What'>http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofsandwichareyouquiz/">What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

Ok..I did the questionair!

1.MAYBE I SHOULD..get off the computer.
2.I LOVE...coffee..ok seriously...I totally love coffee
3. PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT I'M...in love with my family
4. I DON'T UNDERSTAND... algebra
5. WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING...I like to drink my coffee
6. I LOST...lots of sleep with the time change (why do we need to change time?)
7. LIFE IS FULL OF...experiences
8. MY PAST IS... part of me
9. I GET ANNOYED WHEN...I have to deal with govt officials!!!!
10. PARTIES ARE...fun. I love hosting them and attending parties.(ditto Shelley)
11. I WISH...that life would slow down
12. DOGS...I love my dogs and I couldn't live without them
13. CATS...can stay outside..I"m allergic
14. TOMORROW...is Thursday
15. I HAVE A LOW TOLERANCE FOR...negativity
16. I'M TOTALLY TERRIFIED...of my kids being orphaned
17. I WONDER...all the time!
18. NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I...been to a hockey game
19. HIGH SCHOOL WAS...hell
20. WHEN I'M NERVOUS...my hands sweat and I want to run away
21. ONE TIME AT A FAMILY GATHERING...gosh there are so many!..who can say
22. TAKE MY ADVICE ABOUT...enjoying your family to the fullest
23. MAKING MY BED...is something I recently started doing most days
24. I'M ALMOST ALWAYS...sleepy and groggy in the mornings
25. I'M ADDICTED TO...coffee and the computer
26. I WANT SOMEONE TO...clean my house daily and do the laundry!

Happy Easter!

I did not get a picture of us dressed up, but we were just so tired yesterday. We had a half day of school on Thursday and were busy all weekend long. Some friends convinced me to get up early and run a women's race on Saturday morning. I'll admit, it was fun!
The kids have a day off today and I'm so glad. I ate sugar and cake and bad candy (I don't even really like candy!) this weekend and I'm having a sugar and bad food "hangover" today. I wish I could blame it on something or someone else, but...!

Early Spring Blooms

This is in my backyard. It's really big. Do you know what it is? Please tell me if you do!

Up close of blooms.

Vinca in the backyard. The dogs don't actually eat these!

Garden update

This is our little garden in the backyard so far. The kids love to help plant and water. It's really fun for all of us!

Do you see that trail behind Joseph? That's Mavis's (our border collie) track. We have fenced off that area and she is not happy! She "patrol's" our yard all day long and now that corner is blocked off and she is really worried! Since we moved to this house Mavis has lost a lot of weight because she is so busy and our yard is so much bigger. There are geese and birds, possums and who knows what, plus lot of children around. She has a big job keeping us safe! Our lab Sarah, is getting older, but she is much happier here too and she can't stand the cat next door who sits just on the other side of the fence licking her paws and driving our dogs mad!

Storm

This was our crazy hail storm on Saturday. It beat up Joseph's lima bean plant, but I think it'll survive anyway.

Carefree day!

Here are some cute pictures of the kids playing on the swings over the past weekend!

First Garden Plant

This is Joseph's lima bean. He started it in Sunday school as a seed and it outgrew the paper cup and so right now it's in the pot. Later we will transfer it to the garden.

Beginning a Garden

This is the first stage of our garden. Look for updates! LOL

Little Love Notes

Isabelle and Joseph are always writing me little love notes. This one is from Isabelle. She writes

less often, but they are more elaborate.

Joseph writes me little notes all the time. He's learned how to fold paper

and make hearts and he writes to me on them. This one isn't a heart, but

is one that he used stickers to tape two pieces of paper together.

Swim Lessons

We are still taking swim lessons. It's fun and they are swimming now.

My appointment

is today for finishing up the root canal! Aren't y'all excited? I know I am (not)! They called yesterday and wondered if I would mind moving it up from next week to today?
So at 11AM this morning please think of me lying back getting shots in the mouth gripping my hands together and trying to to act like a big girl!

Normal Week!

We are going to try and have a normal week after being sick for a week and a half! Everyone was up and out the door on time this morning! We have been sleeping like crazy just trying to get ourselves back to normal. It will probably be another week. Joseph starts baseball this week. The kids have been swimming twice a week for the past two months, but we are cutting that back to once a week. Isabelle still has dance once a week too. It's going to be crazy on Tuesdays because of course Joseph's baseball is on the same day as Isabelle's dance class. What can you do? He's going to have fun!

New Haircut

Toothfairy visited again!

This tooth!

We are all sick. Joseph and I are on the upswing, but Isabelle is still really sick and Brendon is in between of either getting worse or getting better. Anyway, just to make things fun here's a picture of Isabelle's current loose tooth. It's just barely hanging on!

Flowers!

Brendon sent me flowers for Valentines day!

Happy Valentines Day!

The crud has hit the kids school and it's crazy how many

are absent with it right now!

Anyway they were so excited to get up this morning!

We had a piece of candy before breakfast even!

Joseph isn't feeling well at all and was up and down last

night, but that didn't stop him this morning!

Joseph and friend at Valentines party (both are sick)

Isabelle and friend at a valentines service project

Deorating stage two.

Those chairs have been around for many sticky hand years and it was showing big time.

They have stood up well to little ones sitting on the arms and all that. But, it was time for them

to get a facelift. Simple was the only way to go with the mantle and it

works for now. I hope to get another lamp for that little round table

at some point. We painted

about 2 months ago and have slowly put together

a few things. Anyway, I said I'd update on the progress

and this is it.

Of course it's always this tidy!

Decorating

Why buy expensive rugs? Tinkertoys add that touch of spice in seconds!