Through the Angel's Eyes

Resolute

2017-12-25T23:36:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to you! Can you believe next week is 2018? First, I am wondering where 2017 went to so quickly! Seems we were just ringing in the new year and now, we are about to see the next one come in. 2017 was a great year, it brought us much happiness, but also quite a bit of uncertainty. I often feel as if I am doing my most important job incorrectly.

My kids are getting older...we are now outnumbered by teenagers. And, with teenagers comes a whole new mindset. I hate that we ever introduced smart phones to our kids, YouTube, Snap Chat, Instagram...you name it! It is hard having a conversation with them or to sit down and watch a movie as a family without their phones in their hands...Adam included. How do you unhook after you have allowed them to immerse themselves into today's technology? I struggle with this.

On one hand, there are so many things they need access to for school. They check their grades and assignments online and also do a fair amount of research. However, on the other hand...too much information is too much. The amount of time they spend online is staggering and only a small amount of time is school related. Do I cut them off completely? Do I set a limit for them? If so, how do I monitor that? I am away from home a bit in the evenings running to get kids back and forth from school, practices, bible study and just time with friends. Technology has become my babysitter! But, I am ready to fire my babysitter. Gone are the days of popping Barney into the VHS and when it was over, we were done. Netflix has made it so easy to continue watching...and they are kind enough to check-in to see if you would like to continue watching.

I "divorced" cable TV about 2 years ago. We only use an external antenna and subscribe to, you guessed it, Netflix & Hulu. We are a completely web based family. This makes my decision making even tougher. I have begun thinking about what resolutions I would like to make for 2018 and taking the kids off their phones is at the top of that list. Guess I better start brainstorming how to make this happen.

I am making my list here, because I will hold myself more accountable because everyone can see it.

Limiting internet services as a family.
Lose another 40 pounds. I've already lost 40 in 2017...YAY me!
Blog life so my family can someday look back and read about themselves and maybe have a good laugh/cry.
Say yes more than I say no...which will make #1 difficult!
Save more money and cut out frivolous spending.
Patience! (have more of it!!)

I would love to hear how you have handled phone limitations with your children. I hope 2018 is full of great times and wonderful memories for you all!

Also, if you would kindly add my very special uncle to your prayers, i would very much appreciate it. He is having a lung biopsy Wednesday due to a growing spot on his lung. I trust the Lord will see him through any obstacle!

Turn around and drive!!

2016-01-14T15:51:00.001-05:00

I have a pinched nerve in my shoulder! It had been bothering me for months and finally started feeling better. Then one day last week at the grocery store, I turned to take the buggy back and must have twisted just right! I don't like going to the doctor, so I am just treating it with over the counter pain medication. It hurts the most when I drive. This morning after dropping off Alex and Aaron at school the thought crossed my mind "boy, I'm glad the kids aren't babies anymore because I wouldn't be able to reach them!". I started thinking about just how much I have done, while driving, with one arm completely behind me. They say how dangerous texting and driving is. Well, they never saw me tending to my kids either!! **knee on the steering wheel, twisted completely around looking for something** Scary thought!! I can't tell you how many bottles I have held with my arm cranked behind me, how many lost pacifiers I've had to dig for, how many hands I have held, legs I have patted to calm them down, heads I have rubbed to try and get them asleep, shoes I have taken off; the number of tissues I have passed back could win some sort of award! Heck, I have even crawled back (of course, I wasn't driving) to test Ethan's blood when he was too small to do it himself. But, when you hear the words "I feel low"...you move!!!

I miss those days! I love the young woman and men they are becoming, but sure miss those days when they relied on me for everything. Momma was right, time sure flies!!

I've posted this before, but I sure love my rear-view mirror view!

Goodbye 2015

2015-12-31T23:37:00.000-05:00

WARNING...Long post ahead...Turn back now!!

2015 was a great year for us! We made lots of wonderful memories, the kids all achieved wonderful accomplishments & we were all happy and healthy and that's all that counts.

There is always some sort of action at our house. Having 3 rambunctious boys and a very active daughter, there is never a quiet moment in our house. AND, if there is...you better go check what is going on!

January

Aaron broke his foot in December 2014 and was in a cast for 6 weeks, then was moved to a boot. He and Alex were pushing each other in Wal-mart one afternoon (yes, I'm apparently THAT Mom in Wal-Mart!). Aaron fell on the corner of a clothing rack and broke his elbow! So, for a while in January, he wore a boot and a cast. I was sure Child Protective Services would show up at my doorstep. Aaron has broken each of his feet twice and each of his elbows! I had a long conversation with the doctor regarding his bones. They feel like he is just a normal boy and aren't concerned with his constant breaks...I'm putting my trust in them!

We celebrated Emma's 13th birthday...how can I have a teenager?

Happy 13th birthday Emma!

Another broken bone for Aaron!

February

February was COLD! We got quite a bit of snow. Our town shuts down at the mention of snow or ice!

Kids trying out their new sleds!

These pictures were from the first snow in February. We had an even bigger snow 1 week later (6"). I love snow, but even I was sick of seeing it all! We live on a good size hill. There usually isn't too much traffic on it, so the kids slide down the street. It goes super fast with a little ice on it, the kids would stay out all day if I let them, especially Aaron!

March

March was quite the opposite of February. It was warm and we spent lots of time outdoors. The boys had baseball tryouts, Alex tried out for the tae kwon do demonstration team and was accepted as a member, Ethan was on the Science Olympiad team from school and competed at UNCG & Ethan got his new insulin pump and CGM.

Nice afternoon to ride bikes and go for a long walk.

Don't all ninjas match their shoes to their belt?

Ethan up bright and early for Science Olympiad.

We celebrated my Mom and Aunt's 69th Birthday!

Ethan's new pump and CGM...well worth the $7,000!!

April

April was the start of our busy season. Lots of baseball! Ethan and Aaron are on different teams, so we were at the ballfield several evenings a week. We celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ with family. I had to fly to Dallas for work and enjoyed the time away, but sure missed everyone.

Emma got a selfie stick in her Easter basket.
She quickly took a selfie with Jack!

Instead of using regular baskets, I made the
kids baskets by gluing boxes of candy together!
The kids loved them and traded out candy.

I love watching my boys play. They really
enjoy the game and are pretty dang good!

My view from my window seat!

More selfie stick fun!

May

Guess what we did this month? Play baseball!! Aaron's team won the season...he was a part of a great team this year. He pitched this year and did great...love watching my leftie! Ethan's team came in second place for the season. There is a player on an opposing team that has Autism. When Ethan pitches to this player, he refuses to pitch hard to him. His coach really gave him a hard time about this towards the end of the season. But Ethan refuses to listen about this. He knows to always listen to his coach, but this time his coach is telling him to strike him out. One game, Ethan threw slow enough that the player got on base. When he got to first base, he threw his arms in the air and jumped up and down. Ethan beamed! Some of the other players picked up on what he was doing and they also started going easy on the player. They look like the Bad News Bears throwing the ball around so this player can get on base and even score. One of the fathers came over to Ethan and shook his hand...told him that he was "a class act"!! I'm so proud of him for realizing the importance of everyone to be able to enjoy the game.

We surprised the kids with a camping trip to the Outer Banks over Memorial Day. We had a great time. It was really cold the first night, but warmed up! We got home in time to celebrate Ethan's 12th birthday. May was one great month!

Go Ethan!

My view most evenings!

Season champs!

Emma at her school dance recital

Makes sense that we find a heart shaped
shell as much as we love the beach!

I love this picture of me, Aaron and Ethan

Happy 12th Birthday Ethan!

June

I told you this was going to be a long one!!

Summer camp season is starting! I started applying early for camps for the kids and they seemed to have back-to-back camps. There was a 6 week stretch that we didn't have all the kids home at the same time.

Aaron's team won the year end tournament. We were so proud of him...considering he did even want to play this season. His coach called and pretty much bribed him to join his team!

Alex is ready for a demo!

Alex was accepted into Victory Junction
Gang Camp again this year. He ended up
missing the last week of school since
we had so many make up days.

My tournament champ!

Last day of 7th, 6th and 4th grade faces!

We watched a very dear friend battle and win his fight against brain cancer!
Way to go Reuben!

Emma was accepted into a camp held at WFU
for students that want to pursue a medical career.
She lived on campus and did college level
classes. Here she is in the lab coat and stethoscope
she got for attending. She will attend this camp every year
until she graduates from high school...and, it's
free because of her grades.

Emma & Ethan were accepted into Camp Weaver based on their grades!
I was so nervous about sending Ethan to a non-medical camp. One of
Emma's counselors is type 1 and she took him right under her wing!
That was an answered prayer!

July

We were invited to my aunt's beach house at Ocean Isle Beach. Ethan was scheduled to go to Victory Junction Gang Camp that week and Adam couldn't get off work. I took Mom, Emma, Alex & Aaron down for a few days. We get to visit with my Mom's family from Pennsylvania. We just love going! I hated to leave Adam and Ethan...I hate when we go in 2 different directions.

My beach bums!

Adam and Ethan went to see a WS Dash
game on the 4th. They have a great firework
presentation.

How Emma feels about the beach!

We just wouldn't be us without taking a selfie!

Ethan at VJGC dropoff! This place is amazing!
If you have never heard about, take a look
at their website: http://victoryjunction.org/
Please consider donating to this
wonderful organization!

These 2 cuties went to 4H camp together!

We picked up Alex and Aaron on a Friday and left for our family vacation to Edisto Island, SC. We have never visited this beach and really had a nice time. This is a family oriented beach and not commercialized at all. After looking through all the pictures I took on that trip makes me want to do a post just on that.

All the kids! My nephew, Pete and his friend were able to come along.
Love spending time with that young man!

We did lots of fishing and crabbing!

We then left the beach on a Saturday and Ethan had to be checked into yet another camp on Sunday. He attended Camp Needle in the Pines, which is a diabetes camp. All the campers and most of the counselors have Type 1 Diabetes. I love seeing all the type 1 kids together. Makes Ethan realize he doesn't fight alone. This camp is held at the coast and they camp out the entire week. I wasn't sure how Ethan would like that, but he absolutely loved it. His first statement was "Can I please come back next year?"..how can you say no to that?

Ethan's living arrangements for the week!

August

Vacations and camps are now over...the kids had a great summer break. the kids were able to a go to Carowinds with church. I took the day off and tagged along. We had a great time!

Kids are in 2 places at 1 time!

Alex started rigorous training for his
black belt testing in November!

Kids having fun with the water hose
and sidewalk chalk! They were stained
for several days!

First day of 8th, 7th and 5th grade!

Emma was selected to be on her middle school
softball team! Practice has started!!

Alex's demo team put on a pre-game show at the WS Dash game. They were
all amazing! They worked really hard for this night!

And some familiar faces were put on the big screen and asked
to announce "Play ball"!!

September

We were given tickets to the first Wake Forest football game of the season. We had never been to a game before and really enjoyed the evening.

Emma was finishing up softball when cross country began. Her and Ethan ran and really enjoyed it. You can read about their first experience Here.

My spectators

Wake Forest wins

My beauty playing first base

Grandma helped Aaron organize his baseball
card collection

We are on to cross county season!

Go Ethan!

October

We supported a friend at the Domestic Violence Awareness walk. He lost dear family members to domestic violence this year and the walk was in remembrance to this family.

Shocking, yet another selfie!

Alex's artwork was chosen to be displayed at our local fair.

Demo team tryouts...he made the team again!

Aaron has developed flat feet and has been experiencing serious foot pain. He was finally referred to a Podiatrist and they had him fitted for orthotic soles. They have worked out so well for him. He is no longer having any foot pain.

Getting his foot molds done.

Emma at the Softball banquet.
She looked so beautiful!

We created cute pumpkins for Halloween!

Alex and Aaron turned 11! You can read about our celebration here.

Another fun evening at WFU football.

Happy Halloween from my tacky tourist,
Army soldier, baseball player and mummy!

November

This is much longer than even I expected. I would apologize for the length of this post, but I have enjoyed reliving the last year! But you surely get a gold star if you have gotten this far!!

November had more volleyball! Emma enjoyed being a part of the team. They finished off the season with 5 wins and 3 loses. Once volleyball was over, she tried out for basketball and was selected to be on the team! GO Emma!

Alex and Aaron's school had a skate night for the students. So, I took the kids roller skating. I love seeing them around their friends.

Ethan was on the Robotics Team again this year. He had to be at the
yearly competition at 7:30 on Saturday morning. They didn't place, but
he loves being a part of the team.

We finally found a book series that Aaron likes to read.
It is an older series that I found on Amazon. If you have
a picky reader, who enjoys sports, you should check
out this set.

After 2 years of training, Alex became a first degree black belt! You can read about his journey here. Way to go Alex! I'm so proud of you and your dedication! Next up? Second degree!!

5th grade had a Thanksgiving day feast. Grandpa and Aunt Kelly
were able to attend.

Our yummy turkey!

We went with Grandpa to a huge Army Navy store.
The boys (even the older boys) loved it!

We took our family Christmas pictures. You can see more from our
photo shoot by clicking here.

December

We had a busy December. Lots of school programs and performances. We also participated in our city's Christmas parade. My office created a float and we all were able to ride on it.

Parade selfie! Why yes, we do take a lot of selfies!

Ethan participated in the 7th grade science fair. He actually won 1st place and has advanced on to the county science fair! He came up with this idea all on his own. So proud of you Ethan!

Elfie came back for Christmas! Click here to see what he has done in the past few years.

Gotta support our Panthers!

Someone is a Star Wars fan!

Ready for bed! Come on Santa

Thank you 2015 for being so good to us!! I hope you all have a wonderful 2016!

Say Cheese!

2015-12-28T17:07:00.001-05:00

Christmas pictures each year are a real treat, I sure hope you read the sarcasm in that! It never fails that there is at least one crying, one ready to go, one that doesn't want to stand by the other and one that has that "I'm trying too hard" smile! I enjoy photographing my kids, but I am usually the first to throw in the towel. This year, I just grabbed something out of the kids closets and took them to a local wooded park area. I tried not to pose them, because they always seem to do the opposite of what I would like!

Before leaving, I grabbed my good camera. I don't use it often, but love the photos so much more when I use it over my cell phone. I've become that parent that does everything with my cell phone. Any woo, we get to the park...kids are laughing, acting like this isn't a photo shoot. I take 3 pictures with my camera and it quits...memory card full!!!! You have got to be kidding me??!! I knew if I ran home to get another card, the moment would pass, so I grabbed my cell phone. I just upgraded to an iPhone from an Android and wasn't sure how well they would come out. Surprisingly, they weren't too bad!

My sweet family!

Sweet Emma

Ethan looking so handsome!

Alex looking cute as ever!

Sweet Aaron

You would never guess they are twins!

I used this one for our Christmas card.
I love they way they automatically line up
in birth order!

When your 13 year old gets your camera!

We can never pass up on a group selfie! Selfie sticks are the best!

Overall, I was please with how they turned out. Maybe since I didn't put up a big fuss this year, it went much smoother.

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas! I am out of work with the kids this week and will try to blog about our Christmas joys!

Until then...

Decade of Diabetes!!

2015-12-20T13:16:00.000-05:00

A decade! That is Ethan's response when he is asked how long he has had Type 1 Diabetes! A decade...how is that possible?

He came into this world at a whopping 10 lbs 2.5 ounces and was 23 1/2' long! I gave birth to a toddler! To say I was as big as a barn, would not give my belly justice! He was my only baby that came on his own. I had to be induced with my others and they were 3 weeks late. Ethan was a great baby! He ate well, slept well and enjoyed entertaining himself. Even as an infant, Ethan wasn't a big cuddle baby. He was quite content to just lay and people watch! He loved music and The Wiggles. As he got older, he was WIDE OPEN! There was no stopping him. He rarely cried, we got him potty trained right at 2 years old and he was a big helper with his twin brothers.

In December 2005, when he was 2 years old, he started acting strangely. He started wetting the bed, he would get up 4-5 times a night asking for something to drink, wanted to be held and often cried over nothing in particular. One evening, the kids had their Christmas program at their daycare. I remember this with such sadness. Ethan wouldn't do as I was asking him to get ready. He was very upset and wouldn't listen. I was frustrated with getting all 4 of them ready (Emma was 3, Ethan was 2 and the twins were 1) and their Dad was working late. Ethan just wouldn't listen. And, I did something I will never forgive myself for...I popped him for not listening!!! I look back now on that little pop and feel so incredibly guilty.

At the program, Ethan's class was dressed up as farm animals surrounding the manger. Ethan was a sheep. I take way too many pictures of my kids and was so afraid that if he saw me, he would come off the stage. All the other kids were up walking around and there sat Ethan. Not moving, no expression and the color of paste! He spotted me and raised his little hand and gave me this weak wave. I cried instantly!

My sad little sheep!

I talked to our pediatrician the next morning. Of course they ask "whats wrong with him?" and all I could say is that something was off. They agreed to see me, I'm sure they thought I was a crazy mother. We were lucky enough to see our doctor and she agreed, that he didn't seem like himself. A nurse came in the draw blood and quickly left. We sat in that room for what felt like hours. In walked the doctor and said she told me to start getting him dressed that the children's hospital was expecting us. She said the words that I will never forget..."Ethan has diabetes!" She took the clothes out of my hands and started getting him dressed...I was frozen! We were given a few minutes to make calls to family and get home to pack a bag. I don't remember driving home! I do remember looking in my rear view mirror and Ethan was smiling at me!

The children's hospital was definitely waiting on us. We walked through the door and was asked if he was Ethan and he was taken right back into the ER. He was hooked up to machines before I could even grasp what was going on. He was crying, I was crying...time stood still! We were told that his blood sugar level was over 500, as the meter only went to 500. So, there was no telling what his actual level was at that time. He was in ketoacidosis. We were told that if we had waited 2 more days, that Ethan wouldn't have survived...that was tough to hear!

He is finally getting some much needed rest!

We were in the hospital for 3 days learning how to care for him. He was given insulin shots 4 times a day to keep his levels down. He would cry every time a nurse walked through the door!

Page from his Diabetes scrapbook that I have made for him.
Since it was Christmas time, there were beautiful trees in his unit!

More pictures from his stay!

We were ready to get him home, but so scared! We were given the green light to go home on December 23. Driving away from that hospital was tough. We second guessed everything we did and were so fearful that we would make a mistake. But, here we are 10 years later! Ethan is a wonderful role model to other children with the same diagnosis. He has had so many wonderful opportunities because he has Type 1. He is not ashamed of what he has or who he is. He does not hide the fact that he has diabetes. We didn't want him be afraid of what others would think about him testing his blood or wearing an insulin pump...and he has held true to that.

10 years later!
I love that you can see his pump hose!

Ethan, you make me so proud! I thought I loved that little boy, but I love the young man you are becoming more! You are so sensitive to others that are different. I hope that you keep that understanding and strive to make a difference in their lives. You keep your head held high, keep smiling, stay positive and always know how much you are loved!

Easy Peezy Popcorn Balls

2015-12-18T22:14:00.000-05:00

If you know me, you know that I can not cook! I am embarrassed to admit just how many times I have pulled things back out of the oven to add ingredients that I missed. I rock at opening cans and can make a mean box of mac and cheese! The kids are used to the smoke detector going off and I often hear "Mommy, something is burning!"!!

I can usually make sweet treats without messing them up too badly...except that one dreadful banana bread incident!! I like to make things for the kids to give their teachers for Christmas. I've made the same thing for the last several years and decided to switch up. Maybe not my best thought, but it turned out great! I follow the blog Mennonite Girls Can Cook. I enjoy looking through their blog as some of the recipes they showcase reminds me of my family's cooking in Pennsylvania. I come from a great family of cooks, but it has obviously skipped over me!

This week, they blogged about popcorn balls. I read through the recipe and it seemed easy enough, even for me. So, that night, we got out the ol' popcorn maker and set about making them for teachers, coworkers and friends.

So glad I had this popper on hand!

Movie anyone?

One of my helpers

This step is the one that made me nervous! I could just hear the smoke detector going off mid process, but it didn't! The marshmallows cooked down easily. **Whew, what a relief!**

The marshmallows have been added to the
popcorn. The kids decided to make
them festive and added sprinkles!

We made them smaller than suggested. They were quite sticky to form into balls. The only thing we did differently was spraying a little cooking spray on our hands to keep them from pulling apart.
My taste testers give these popcorn balls 2 thumbs up! If you are interested in making them, I have added the link for the recipe here. We will be making more of these while we are out on Christmas break.

XC (Our Cross Country to us first timers!)

2015-12-15T16:46:00.001-05:00

I talked Emma and Ethan into joining their middle schools cross country team. And, when I say I "talked" them into...I actually made them join! They both are pretty shy when it comes to joining clubs or attending events, so I have to give them that little push they need!

We decided early on that they would attend 2 different middle schools. As the crow flies, they are about a mile apart. But, the schools are fierce competitors when it comes to sports.

After the first few practices, they were both asking to quit the team. But, me being the good Mom explained that they were now part of a team and they were being counted on. Of course, I got the ol' eye roll and tears, but they kept at it. We went to the YWCA a few times for extra practice. I was very impressed with them both. I am not a runner, so to watch them do it made me very proud!

Since Ethan is diabetic, I went to all of his meets. I was able to attend 2 of Emma's and they ran against each other for another meet. They were both very concerned with coming in last. I wasn't concerned with how they finished, just ask them to do their best and to hold their heads high when they crossed the finish line.

Go Emma!

Strong finish for Ethan!

My cup runneth over!

This sums up Emma!

Emma and her friends waiting for Ethan to pass!
They cheered and cheered for him!

And, there he goes!

Tired, but she finished strong!

Still smiling!

I love watching the kids with their friends! They are so concerned about me standing around alone, but I'm usually taking pictures and just watching them interact. They cheer each other on and really do encourage one another.

One day I asked them what they think about when they run. Ethan says he thinks about not throwing up...typical 12 year old response! Emma on the other hand likes to imagine the biggest grilled cheese sandwich waiting on her at the finish line...with lots of mayo!! She loves her grilled cheeses!!

The season seemed so short. They were both glad they joined the team and hated to see the end of the season. I will definitely "encourage" them to join again next year! Way to go Emma and Ethan! I'm so proud of you both for stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something that was really difficult for you.

I'm having a "senior" moment!

2015-12-14T16:44:00.000-05:00

I only have 1 nephew, no nieces. Before Adam and I had children, Pete was the only child in our family. He was 4 when Emma was born, so he was the center of our world. He and my sister lived in Augusta, GA so we didn't get to see them all the time and we packed plenty of memories into our visits. Pete would come up to NC and spend the summers with us. It was a nice break for my sister and we could shower him with love and attention. I took so many pictures of Pete, we often laugh that if you thumb through them you can see him move! We were, and still are, crazy about him! He came along when our family needed it most! To say he was a blessing to us would be an understatement!

Sweet Pete with his puppy, Sophie

Fast forward...that sweet little boy is a senior in high school!!

Pete has worked really hard the last few years in school. And his hard worked has paid off! He found out this week that he was accepted to Louisiana Tech University! And, he received the Presidential Scholarship, which will pay for most of his tuition! Just when I thought I couldn't be more proud of him! Way to go Pete! Guess we will be going to Louisiana for visits. Good thing I don't mind driving 14 hours to see him.

Pete, always remember how much you are loved! Keep your head held high and always keep smiling. I love you buddy!

These are a few of my favorite things!

2015-12-09T12:17:00.000-05:00

You have to sing the title the correct way!! Christmas has always had such a special meaning to me. As a child, we would travel every Thanksgiving and Christmas to my Grandmother's home in Pennsylvania. Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around those trips. We always opened our gifts a few days before Christmas and would head north to see the most amazing Grandmother that has ever blessed this planet and all of our cousins. I often feel bad for my kids, because they don't have 12 cousins like I did. I tell them all my stories, but they don't understand how wonderful it is to have lots of cousins!

As we were putting up our tree this year (and all the past years!), I love remembering where we got our ornaments and the special story that goes along with it. So, I thought I would show you some of my favorites...pardon all the pics!!

I cross stitched each of my kids a stocking.

Twins first Christmas!

Alex and Aaron's first Christmas ornament

These are spoons that are bent and
painted. We got them at a local shop
that only sales items made by
senior citizens!

Alex's 1st grade ornament

Raise your hand if you had one of these
growing up! Ours was very large and green. I
found this at our local Goodwill and
just about cried in the store when I
found it! Couldn't wait for Christmas
to come around!

Ornament from my Grandma from 1989

My Aunt made these for us

Emma's first Christmas ornament

Another made by my aunt.

Looks silly, but it's an insulin vial that
Ethan requested to be hung on the light.

Snowman that Adam bought me while
we were dating. His eyes and smile were
made up of little black dots, but they
have all fallen off. Pretty sure his
nose is held on with super glue to!

Ethan made these while he was in the
hospital at diagnosis! They are
so very special to him!

Our selfie ornament, cause we take
lots of selfies!!

I just love the way these sparkle in the evening!

There are so many things I love about Christmas. I hope that my children will be able to look back and remember what a special time it was and think of all the happy memories we have created.

Elf on the Shelf

2015-12-07T16:04:00.000-05:00

Yes, we are one of those families. So, if you just can't take the cuteness of Elf of the Shelf, you might want to turn back while you can!

My kids received "Elfie" from a dear friend of mine several years ago. The kids have enjoyed searching for Elfie each morning and finding out what he has been up to overnight.

Here are some of the shenanigans (I love that word!) that I captured last year.

Elfie must have been feeling under the weather! He made a real mess!

Is that Elfie of Taylor Swift?

How sweet of Elfie to make a sweet for my sweets!!

Elfie has been contained, soldiers!

Elfie got his yellow belt, just like Alex did!

I was in charge of making costumes for a school
program, Elfie must have thought he
needed one to!

Elfie left the kids "magic oats" and instructions
how to plant them.

The next night, they grew into candy canes!

Looks like everyone enjoys a slinky!

Someone stole the Liv Dolls scooter!

Hey Elfie, this ain't the tropics! You can't set up a hammock just anywhere!

Someone got into the crafts and made a self portrait!

The kids like to never found him hiding amongst the balls!

Giddy up Rudoloph!

The kids got these foam friends that get bigger in the
water and Elfie wanted to join in!

The whole group!

Elfie got in on the Minecraft fun!

There is no telling where Elfie shows up! If you have little ones, I highly suggest getting an Elf on the Shelf. They really do enjoy him and look forward to locating him each morning.

Meet Rufus!

2015-12-04T10:01:00.000-05:00

As some of you already know, my oldest son Ethan was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the young age of 2. His "anniversary" is coming up in a few weeks. It is a day that we actually celebrate, because it's the day we got our sweet boy back. He was days away from having a different story than what he has today! So thankful that we picked up on the fact that he wasn't himself. I'll post more about that dreadful day later this month. His decade anniversary is this year...WOW!!

Rufus the Diabetes Bear

Ethan was given many gifts from his hospital stay. But there is one that he has loved since he was diagnosed. Say hello to Rufus the Diabetes Bear! All newly diagnosed T1D kids at Brenner's are given this bear. It has patches on the areas that can/will be used to test their blood sugar levels & insulin injection sites. He even came with a medical alert bracelet on his right wrist. When Ethan first got Rufus, he was the fluffiest, softest bear. As you can see, he has been well loved on! Rufus is a constant companion. He has been on vacations, multiple summer camps and sleepovers. Ethan does not like leaving Rufus at home. I would have never thought that a stuffed bear would be so meaningful to Ethan. This past year, Ethan was able to attend several summer camps and guess who tagged along? That's right, Rufus! You would think that a 12 year old boy would be too embarrassed to take a stuffed animal along with him, but that is typical Ethan. He is not concerned with what others think of him!! I love that about him.

So, thank you Rufus for giving comfort to Ethan the last 10 years! I often tell him that Rufus will be going off to college with him one day and he always responds with "Oh yeah!"!!

11 Times 2 does NOT equal 22!!

2015-12-01T16:43:00.002-05:00

This is a little late (I know, shocked face!!) but I wanted to share with you one of my favorite sets of twins.

**Family history time**

My Mom is a twin and my Maternal Grandmother was a twin. When my boys were born, my Uncle John called me from Pennsylvania to congratulate me. He informed me that my boys were the 9th set of twins in the family and that there were also 3 sets of triplets that they were aware of! Thank you Lord for not giving me twins. I'm pretty sure my belly would have exploded!!

So, these 2 handsome fellas turn 11 years old on me! When I was a kid, my Mom would often tell me "Time sure flies" and I would look at her and just think that she had lost her mind. Well, I know exactly what she was talking about! How in the world are my 2 babies turning 11? This is their last year in elementary school, they have developed into 2 fine young men and I couldn't be more proud to say they are mine.

Here they are in the school drop off line..can't you just tell that Alex was SUPER excited about having his picture made?

I usually make them cupcakes of their choice for their school parties. This year, they both requested a cookie cake. Alex wanted a pumpkin shaped cookie and Aaron requested a baseball! So, I delivered! They enjoyed sharing with their classmates. Since they are in different classes, I had to make enough to feed almost 60 kids...we cut it close. But, I may have been giving big pieces to their really good friends!! :)

Instead of eating lunch with them at school, I decided to take them out of school after their party and go wherever they wanted to eat. (Emma and Ethan raced against each other for Cross Country, so I took the day off work!) They decided on Mi Pueblo for lunch...I was thrilled because I knew the employees would sing to them..hehe!

Aaron's expression (orange shirt) in the video just sums him up! Alex doesn't embarrass easy and Aaron can turn red in a second.

We opened presents at Grandma's house so she didn't have to get out. Always happy with Twizzlers!

Aaron loves baseball cards. So, I think he was pretty excited about receiving 1,000 for his birthday. Sorry for the blurry pictures.

I sure love my boys! I know you both were an unexpected gift, but I just couldn't imagine my life without you both in it! I thank God for placing you both in my world!

And the customary hold your fingers up for your age shot! Hard to think those 2 young men are actually twins, right?

This is something I have seen on other blogs and think its such a cute idea and would like to start.

11 things I love about you Alex:

Your incredible sense of humor
You are not afraid to speak to strangers and ask questions for yourself
The fact that you have worked really hard the last 2 years and became a black belt in tae kwon do!
You will still hold my hand in public
You can still crawl up in my lap and not squish me!
You are very complimentary
You tell me that you love me over and over during the day
You are so strong! You have dealt with extreme eczema your whole life and often have open wounds, but you don't complain about it!
I love your silliness! You are our little Jim Carey.
I love how close you are to Grandma! I hope you realize how much you brighten her day!
You are concerned for the well being of those less fortunate!!

11 things I love about your Aaron:

You are not one to jump into anything. You are cautious about everything you do.
You are my little protector. Always look out for me and making sure I'm ok!
Your incredible laugh! The one that when I hear it, I better come see what is going on!
Your love to all animals. You have always been drawn to critters
The fact that you are left handed like your Daddy!
I love that you are concerned for others less fortunate!
Your knowledge of baseball and football
The fact that I hear "Aaron is such a good kid" from all his teachers and other parents.
You are an amazing baseball player! You could put yourself through college it you keep it up.
If I ask you to do something, you always do it! I can always count on you to follow through and take direction from me.
I love that you are always singing! Even has a toddler, you loved music and would dance and sing.

I love you boys so much! Always keep your heads held high, be leaders and not followers, set good examples for others and keep God in your lives and ya'll will be fine!!

My Cup Runneth Over

2015-11-26T01:00:00.000-05:00

I can remember hearing my sweet Grandma say "My Cup Runneth Over" quite often. As a kid, I didn't understand those words. But, as an adult, I completely understand her sentiment. I look at my children, listen to their laughter, feel their arms around my waist as they give me tight hugs, the squeezes of their hands when we say our blessing or nightly prayers and the silly duck face lips they give me when they give sugar. I know exactly what Grandma meant. Because, my cup does run over with love!

I have so much in my life to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! And, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a little Adam Sandler - Thanksgiving Song!

My 60 lb Ninja!!

2015-11-24T12:16:00.000-05:00

**Alert! Alert!** Bragging session will start in....
3,
2,
1!

My son is now a First Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do!!!!

Let me first start out in saying that Alex is the older twin (1 VERY important minute if you ask him!). But, he has always been the smaller twin. He was diagnosed with severe Eczema at birth and has been on steroids cream over time his entire life. This has slowed his growth down considerably. His pediatrician assures us that he will catch up with his twin, we are hopeful!

The baseball player and the mummy are twins, big difference in size huh?

As you can see, he is very small. He doesn't get picked on about his size, but I know it bothers him. Not as much lately, but he used to ask often when he would grow. His self esteem wasn't great, he wasn't an organized sports kid...in fact, I have pictures of him hanging on the goal during a soccer game, that was the highlights of his soccer career! So, he started watching a karate show on Disney and quickly picked up some of their kicks and chopping moves. I contacted our local Tae Kwon Do center and they were offering 30 days free. I talked with him about it and he was over the moon thinking about it.

He was a little excited about his uniform and his belt

And here we are, 2 1/2 years later with him earning his black belt!!! I just couldn't be more proud of his accomplishment!

The change in him has amazed me! His confidence soars as high as some of his kicks! He has tried out and made the demo team twice. This group travels to local venues and preforms for large groups. He does this with no hesitation!

I hope he continues with his training and achieves many more levels of black belt. I'll leave with more pictures from his graduation.

Alex, I love you and hope that you know just how proud I am of you! Keep up the good work and continuing being an example to others!

God's Eye

2015-11-20T12:54:00.000-05:00

Often times, the world around me is moving so fast. Having 4 kids keeps me very busy and I'm constantly running to school events, working on school projects, endless sports practices and games, homework, housework and all while having a full time job. I forget to just look around me and see God's attention to detail in all things. Sometimes it hits me that God has created such amazing things around me and I'm too busy to notice or be thankful for them. I was going through my pictures on my cellphone and I have "noticed" his attention to details over time and wanted to share some of those things.

The sweet hands as well as the millions of shells we saw at Edisto Beach this summer, simply amazing!

While out fishing one evening, this sunset over the water was breathtaking.

Not a big fan of spiders, but this one caught my eye one afternoon in my Mom's yard after a short rain shower.

This was stuck to my car window and look at all the veins and ridges, again His attention to detail in the small things

Beautiful orchid that sits in our office.

This resting butterfly (or is it a moth)...I couldn't pass up a picture of it. Again, the details were all planned out by Him!

Amazing sunset while going into a school event last night. This is the picture that made me realize I hadn't been thankful for all the beauty around me!

I couldn't believe I was able to catch the lightning bolt! I was pretty proud of myself...I only took about 100 pictures to get this one, but well worth it! LOOK AT THAT!!!

And, God's promise to us!
12. And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature with you, for everlasting generations: 13. I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth . . . and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. (Genesis 9:12, 15, HBFV)

I need to always remember to look around me and see the beauty in all things!!

Until we meet again...

Go Deacs!

2015-11-17T16:43:00.001-05:00

I was lucky enough to win tickets to the Wake Forest University football game against Louisville. We had been given tickets to an earlier season game and surprisingly, the kids enjoyed it. I was worried that Emma wouldn't have fun, but she wants to go to college at WFU and that made it more exciting for her. The boys haven't watched too much football and were unsure of the rules of the game. So, it was funny to see them watch their Daddy's reaction to calls and just followed his lead! After that first game, they have been hooked. Even so far as watching football EVERY Sunday on TV...lucky us!

Anyway, back to my original story (I'm easily distracted!!)... I entered a contest with the local newspaper and was chosen to be the fan of the game. I had a chance to win some hard cold cash with the opening drive of the 3rd quarter...I had to Google what that meant!! If the Deacs scored a touchdown, I could win $500; if they scored a field goal, I could win $250; and if they did neither, I would win $100. So, we were pretty excited to have won at least $100! That would surely help buy a Christmas present. We surprised the kids the day of the game. I knew I would have to go out onto the field for the check presentation. After breaking the news to the kids, I asked who wanted to go with me. Aaron decided he would really like to go. Alex said he would, but would let Aaron go since he was enjoying football. The closer we got to our seats and Aaron realized what he would have to do, he quickly backed out. NO ONE wanted to go with me!!! And, I'm sure a big chicken, I didn't want to go by myself!! Ethan finally said if no one else would go, he would go with me...Thank you Lord!! We didn't have to go down to the field until the end of the 3rd quarter, so we did get to enjoy quite a bit of the game.

I loved seeing all the WFU praying in the end zone before the game began!

Ethan and I made our way down to the field...we wouldn't be "us" if we didn't take all the necessary selfies and us posing by the field.

When did my little boy get this big??

Wake Forest wasn't able to score a touchdown or a field goal, so we won $100!!

We had a great time and I am so thankful for winning the tickets and the money. The kids were VERY upset that we didn't get to keep the big check...HA!

I think these smiles say just how much fun we had that evening!

Walk like a rock star!!

2013-10-30T11:34:00.000-04:00

For the 8th year, our family has walked for Ethan and his battle against Diabetes. Our team, Ethan's Angels, weathered the cold (28 degrees) and got out to support Ethan and so many others that are affected by Diabetes. Every year, Ethan likes to come up with his t-shirt ideas. Some of his ideas are just plain impossible to understand or even pull off. But, we always decide on the perfect design that really shows his personality. This years shirt design...

Ethan's shirt won a medal...so he was thrilled! I don't know about you, but my kids have been crazy about mustaches for the past six months! We have gone through 875 packages of stick on mustaches!! They are BIG fun in our house. So, it stood to reason that we mustache you to help cure diabetes! Ethan decided that we should all wear fake mustaches to the walk. Do you know how much attention you get for wearing a fake mustache in public? Do you also know how weird they feel after about 15 minutes? Adam was the lucky one! He got out of wearing one because he has the real McCoy...lucky boy! Last I heard, $304,000 was raised for our areas walk. JDRF is such an amazing organization! We know that one day, Ethan and so many others will be cured. Until then, we will continue to walk and come up with t-shirt ideas that represent our sweet boy! Scenes from the walk.

Ethan's medal

Sweet Alex...don't you just love the hat my sister knitted for him

Aaron broke his arm the beginning of October. Then just a few days before the walk, he broke his foot at church. So, he had the luxury of riding in the wagon for the walk!

Our reason for walking!

Aunt Kelly always comes out to support Ethan.

Ethan, I love you more than I could ever explain to you! Always stay positive about your disease. You may never know why you have been chosen to battle this disease, but you can and will do wonderful thing because of it. Always know that others look up to you. You never know who is watching you and consider you an inspiration or a hero. You're my hero!

Well, would you lookie there!

2012-02-08T22:24:00.000-05:00

Holy crap! We have broccoli!!!! We planted these broccoli seeds Sunday and this is what they have done by Wednesday. I am just blown away by how much they have grown. We also planted 80-some tomato plants...no dropped jaws please...our family does NOTHING in moderation! So, we are going to have broccoli and tomatoes coming out of our ears! Send any recipes! Something tells me we might need them.

My kids couldn't be more excited about our garden. Ethan is definitely the green thumb child. He is watching over them like a Momma hen! I caught him taking pictures of them tonight. He said he was going to take a picture everyday to show how big they are getting. Too bad he hates broccoli...oh AND tomatoes!

Double Digits!

2012-01-21T00:02:00.002-05:00

Growing up, Mom used to tell me "time sure flies". I have to admit, I thought she was full of it. It seemed like time just dragged by...not sure what I was waiting for, but in the case that I was waiting...nothing happened quickly. Fast forward to my life today and it pains me to say this, but Mom was right! My head is hung in shame! Alright, alright...I said it...she was right. Time sure flies.

My oldest child turned 10 years old today. Seems just like yesterday we brought her home from the hospital. We were scared to death! We knew nothing about having a baby and I do question the nursing staff for allowing us to leave. Totally kidding, but that was a scary first few days. I don't think we laid her down for more than 5 minutes! If she made a noise, we jumped to pick her up. Could that be why she didn't sleep well?

She was perfect!! Emma Grace came into this world with a head full of black hair (could explain my NEVER ENDING heartburn), with a birth mark on her side that looks like a set of lips kissed her and did I mention she was 2 weeks late? I thought she would never make her debut! By all rights, she should have come into this world addicted to chocolate milk and knowing all the words to Mr. Roboto by Styxx. Not sure why I loved that song so much while I was pregnant, but I did!

Emma wasn't sure if she wanted me to come to school and share cupcakes with her class. This makes me kinda sad, because I have always been very involved with my kids birthdays and loved celebrating with their classrooms. Her brother has checked out a book with cupcake ideas from the school library (ok, ok...my kids are addicted to The Next Great Baker on TLC) and she went through it to see if she liked one. She chose a sunflower design and we set out to make them. She really liked the finished product and I have to admit, I did to!! **Insert a pat on the back**

The finished product

I had the cutest lunch date! She never quit smiling!!

Happy, happy 10th birthday sweet girl! May you always have a smile on your face and know that you are loved by so many!!

City slickers are going country!

2012-01-17T19:19:00.020-05:00

I was raised in the country on a working farm. We had every animal imaginable and always had a garden. I can remember working endless hours (it seemed like it then, but I'm sure we didn't work ourselves to death!) in the garden. Mom & Dad would leave for work during the summer, leaving me and my 2 sisters at home. We had a list of chores to do before they would get home. We always put it off until the last minute and then we probably did work like crazy. We had to go to the farm, feed & water the animals, pick rocks in the gardens (which usually ended in us throwing them at one another!), water the garden, weed the garden and pick anything ready. It was hell then, but looking back now...it was an awesome childhood. Mom always canned our veggies and I love watching her get everything done and hearing the center of the lid pop when they were done. Mom always got this smile on her face. I think she was proud of herself!!

This past summer, we talked about wanting to learn to can. So, we bought books and researched online what you would need. My kids LOVE golden delicious apples. So we went to our farmers market and got 2 bushels. I ended up making and canning about 12 quarts. And, I had the same smile on my face that Mom had all those years ago! I am not much of a cook, but I really felt like I had done something impressive by making and canning that applesauce. We eventually moved on to tomatoes. Mom and I canned about 30 quarts of tomatoes. And, let me tell you, those canned tomatoes have made the BEST vegetable soup this winter. Adam and I got a wild hair and made salsa one Sunday afternoon! YUMMY!!

Our families have decided to have a garden this summer...well, actually 2 gardens. This weekend we borrowed our brother-in-law's tiller to get the backyard ready. Adam has never had a garden, so I'm sure he is thinking "What am I getting in to?". But, overall, he is just as excited as I am. The kids thought playing in the dirt was awesome! They were introduced to grub worms!! An old container had to be fetched to save the worms and grubs for our fish, Oscar.

Adam first pass...I was holding my breath!

This became dinner for Oscar! Hopefully, we will get more food out of the garden than he did!!

Adam let the kids help out with the pushing. The tiller is self propelled, but they thought they were really pushing it up the hill!

Jack even got excited about our newest endeavor. His paws were as muddy as the boys!

Here are my lil' city slickers looking for treasures. I heard lots of "oh, I found a worm", "look Mommy, a new rock for you" ( I have containers of rocks the boys have brought home for me!), "Happy Birthday to Oscar, another grub"! I can't wait until something starts growing in this patch.

Adam even got out to re-till it the next day. The tiller broke a bolt before he could go to my Mom & Sister's house to get their backyard ready.

Next step, horse manure! Bet my boys & girl won't think that is too cool! I'm so excited about getting started and seeing how much we can get to grow and can or freeze to use through the winter months. Lots of work, but I am up for it!

Memory Lane called

2010-06-01T10:14:00.003-04:00

It's funny what you can see, hear or even smell to bring back memories. Saturday was the day I decided to clean out our playroom. I don't know why we call it that, because that is the one thing the kids won't do it in! They have NEVER played in it. We keep the toys in there, the kids go in and pick what toys they want and then they take them to the living room to play with them. Maybe we should change the name? Anyway, Saturday was the day that I was going to clear out all of the old school work and art from years past. I didn't want to turn the TV on, needed to stay focused, so I turned the TV onto the 80's music channel. Love those 80's songs. I was VERY busy making my choices of what to keep and what to discard and a song came on that instantly made me smile and think about my Grandma. Kelly and Frankye, I know you probably know the song I heard. It was "Come on Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners. Grandma loved this song. I can remember her tapping her foot and singing along. I never hear that song that I don't think of her. Whenever I see 11:11 on a digital clock, I think of Grandma and smile. She once told me that she liked seeing that on the clock because it was the "longest time". That has stuck with me and I now think of her everytime I see it. Emma came home from school the other day and said she noticed it was 11:11 and she thought of me. So, I guess I passed that tradition onto her! I can still hear Grandma's feet on her bedroom floor. I can still smell her rice & raisins. I can still hear her screen door slam from us running in and out. I have so many fond memories of her. She was a great lady and a wonderful Grandmother! I sure miss you Grandma.

It's time...

2010-05-26T12:50:00.003-04:00

I have become fascinated by the new show about hoarding. I just sit and watch it and can't be torn away from it. I know plenty of people think it is pure laziness, but it is a sickness. And thankfully, there are professionals out there to help. I find myself thinking that my house is perfect after watching the show. Far from it! I love to clean, but with 4 kids (5 if you count my husband) it doesn't stay that way very long.

I have saved just about every piece of artwork that my kids have made since they started daycare. I have boxes of artwork. I have 1 file cabinet that each child has a drawer for all their work...I have long since passed the point of organizing. I have GOT to let some of that go...heck, I've got to let most of it go. So, this evening, after the kids go to bed I will get a box and start sorting through it. I have long since forgotten who's is who's if it is not written on the back...so why keep it?? How many pieces of paper do I need with "Mommy" written on it? Did you know that rice doesn't stayed glued to construction paper very long? Macaroni tends to breakdown over time as well! I had planned on making a scrapbook for each of them with their artwork in it. HA! That will never happen, so it's time to take charge of the arts! Wish me luck, I'm sure I will get weepy looking through it all!

I wonder if the people featured on the show started with hoarding artwork?

Celebration!

2010-05-24T09:27:00.009-04:00

I know I will be busy tomorrow, so I want to share a celebration that will occur tomorrow. My son, Ethan, will turn 7 years old! It doesn't seem possible that he could already be 7 years old and be going into 2nd grade. Ethan was a very good baby from the beginning. I had a great pregnancy with him, aside from being HUGE! He was born at a robust 10 lbs. 2 oz & 23 1/2" long. We thought we were going to have a baby, but he came out the size of a toddler. When he came home, he slept & ate...repeat! Emma adored her little brother, "Ethay" and was so good with him. Our family was complete.

Ethan is one of the bravest kids I know. I know I probably say that allot!! But, he is! He has been battling Type 1 Diabetes for almost 5 years. His carefree childhood was taken from him and he still has a huge smile on his face. If I can be thankful for 1 thing regarding Diabetes is that he was diagnosed at such a young age. I know that sounds odd, but he will never know a time that he didn't have it. Diabetes defines him. I'm sure he will always be known as the "Diabetic kid", but to us...he is a loving son, caring brother, precious Grandson, precocious nephew, fun-loving cousin and devoted friend to many. He is the apple (which is 24 carbohydrates...diabetic humor!!) of our eye!

Ever since the kids were able to hold up their fingers, I stand them in front of a certain wall at home and make them "show the camera" how old they are. Last year, Ethan was very excited that he was turning 6. Only because when we did his fingers, he got to use 2 hands instead of 1. He couldn't wait. He talked about that more than anything else. Funny, he hasn't said anything about it this year...guess the excitement of being "2 hands old" has worn off!!

Ethan at 2 months old with a pink pacifier strap!

Ethan at 6 months. Love the bib!!

Ethan at 2 years old.

This is my favorite picture of Ethan. This was taken October 2005. He was diagnosed 2 months later.

Ethan at, you guessed it, 5 years old. Or as he likes to call it, his last year with 1 hand!

Ethan, 6 years old, at the beach last summer.

So, here's to you Ethan. May you see many, many more! Ethan, I love you more than words can say! Please stay as happy as you are today. Never forget that we love you!! Oh, and...you have the softess skin!!! (private joke between Ethan and I).

Be prepared!

2010-05-21T10:26:00.005-04:00

These are some of my favorite pictures from visiting Cape Lookout last summer. It was our first time going and it was a spur of the moment trip. We went with no drinks, no hats for the kids, no bathing suits, no bug spray...in August! I think they grow the bugs bigger on that island! We know we will go back this year, but we will be prepared!! I really liked the way these turned out. I have to say, my favorite is the first one (courtesy of Adam). It could be a postcard!! I don't know what I like best, the clouds or the lighthouse. It is just so peaceful to look at. I can almost hear the seagulls and the waves crashing!
Look out Cape Lookout, we will be back. I will have my new camera and get some great shots of you!!

Rear View

2010-05-17T16:15:00.003-04:00

I was going through some pictures on my computer this afternoon and came across this one.

This is what I see in my rear view mirror everyday...wouldn't change a thing. (We were at a stop light, so don't think I was going down the road trying to get the perfect shot!) This was taken on the first day of school this year. Emma was going into 2nd grade, Ethan was going into 1st grade and Alex & Aaron were starting their last year of daycare (Pre-K if you want to be technical). We had just gotten back from the beach the previous weekend.

Now, it is just 3 weeks until the school year is over. I'm so excited for it to be summer and for them to have a break from school work. Now, we will be on ballgame duty, reading program for the summer, field trips for daycare, "graduation" for the boys, readiness for Emma going into the AG program for 3rd grade, etc. I enjoy seeing my kids grow, but it sure seems to be going quickly. My sweet twins, who it seems like were just born, will be starting Kindergarten in a few months! That just blows me away. It shouldn't be possible for them to be that old. Alex is going to be the class clown and Aaron will be the quiet one taking it all in. I have already been told they will be seperated and that makes me a little sad!! In fact, that makes me incredibly sad!

I need to sit back and enjoy every minute of my kids. We tend to take advantage of the time! I'm sure when August rolls around, they will take the transition better than I will. I wonder if Mom felt this way when all of her girls were finally in school? I'll have to ask her.