Steph and The Boys

There Is No Way I Could Catch Up...

2010-06-28T08:21:00.012-04:00

...so I won't even try! I thought I would post some photos of the past 6 months, in no particular order, and then I'm going to really try and post weekly. This is our family scrapbook, so I guess that it shows that our family has had a busy 6 months!

One of my favorite shots from Christmas. Davis, Drew, and Hayden love trains and they had such a great time playing with Hayden's train around the Christmas tree.

We hate snow now. I'm sorry. We just hate snow now.

Drew had a great time playing basketball again this year. And, Kevin had a great time coaching! This is not a great picture - I haven't figured out how to take a good action shot in a gym!

Davis took a spill and had to have his two front teeth pulled. He did great with the dental surgery and he looks cute as a button!

We had the best time at my cousin Robert's wedding in April. It was lakeside and it was a beautiful day. A perfect opportunity to have a picture with the girls. Just as an aside, I am holding the most precious baby girl in the whole world.

My sweet boys are growing up way too fast! We were celebrating my birthday at the Biltmore Estate, so they were obligated to pose for pictures for Mom!

We spent our Spring Break on our first Disney Cruise! I can't even begin to describe how much fun we had. We had been stuck inside all winter with snow and yucky weather, so we loved the sun!

We loved the beautiful beach at Castaway Cay.

Drew and Kevin at dinner on the cruise. The food was delicious!

There was so much more to the past 6 months. Davis just graduated from 3K and Drew finished 3rd grade and had such a great year and a fabulous teacher. Kevin and I visited Philadelphia. My grandmother turned 89! My niece, Ella, turned one! Davis started going to the bathroom by himself! And the list goes on...

I promise to do better with keeping up our family scrapbook!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T18:23:00.000-05:00

Snow 2009

2009-12-22T14:36:00.003-05:00

This past Friday, we had the biggest snow I have seen in a long time. We missed the last day of school before the holidays and lost our power in the afternoon, but we really enjoyed watching the snow fall all day. We had a little over a foot of snow when it was over.

I took some photos from our back door on Saturday as the sun was coming up...

Our refrigerator while the power was out!

Christmas at Biltmore

2009-12-04T06:14:00.004-05:00

Every year, since we've moved to Asheville, we take the boys to see Santa at the Biltmore Estate farm. There are never the lines that there are at the mall and there are games to play and ice cream to eat. It is a wonderful, new Asheville tradition and a great way to start the Christmas season.

Here are a few photos from our afternoon...

Posing for photos after our lunch at the Deerpark Restaurant.

Davis was really serious about his list.

Photo by Drew.

Cutest (and the sweetest) boys I know.

Our New Friend

2009-10-29T09:11:00.003-04:00

In a few weeks we will bring home a new friend. His name is Scout and he is so cute! We picked him out a few weeks ago, but he is only 5 weeks old now, so he needs a little more "mommy time" before he can join us. Scout is a chocolate cockapoo.

Photos by Linda with Sugar and Spice Cockapoos

The boys are thrilled and so are we! Wish us luck - we hope we're ready for another infant!

It's the WET Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

2009-10-29T08:42:00.008-04:00

A few weekends ago, we visited Bryson City for the "Great Pumpkin" train ride. It was such a gross day! Wet and mushy with strollers and a pumpkin patch! But, we had the best time. I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time!

Of course, my camera battery died about 5 minutes into the trip, so I only have a few pictures. But, I thought I would share what I could...

My Mom Rocks!

2009-10-12T22:55:00.002-04:00

It's no secret how crazy I am about my family. But, my mom. Well, she's who I want to be. She is the most caring and loving person I know. She always know the right thing to say and she listens to all of my ramblings. She never speaks poorly of others - she always finds the best in a person, no matter what.

And now, as my own personal proof that cancer isn't fair and doesn't discriminate, she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She'll have surgery in a few weeks and then begin her treatments. She's ready and she tells me, "Whatever it takes to make this go away." She's ready for her fight and we are ready too.

Courageous and strong are the newest words that I use to describe my Mom.

She has so many friends and family that are praying for her right now, and I invite you to pray too. Even the dentist that she works for part-time is helping her fight. Every Monday, Dr. Ben Daniel in Greenville, South Carolina and his staff are wearing pink in honor of Mom. He's also donating a portion of his profits to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in honor of her. I love that! So, if you need a dentist in the Greenville area, I would highly recommend Dr. Daniel! Go see him and tell him you are there to honor Susan's fight.

Thank you for your prayers.

Soccer Boy

2009-09-19T13:15:00.006-04:00

Davis is our newest soccer star! He loves the clothes and he loves kicking the ball around at practice. He is not so in love with doing what his coach wants him to do, but he'll come around. He is having a terrific time and we got the funniest start to our weekend in a long time.

Here's our little star showing off his new jersey after practice.

Lining up to "warm up" before the game. These little ones are tiny!

Getting a little coaching.

This is about the extent of Davis' play today. Sitting down. Checking the shoes.
The ball? We use a ball in soccer?

Wait! Stop the presses! Nana and Papa are on the sidelines! My team can survive a few seconds without me!

Look how cute I am when I'm not contributing to my team, Nana!

Man! They are making me play again!
Should I be concerned that my team is nowhere to be found?

Cool! This is more interesting than chasing a ball!

And Mom is taking my picture again!
Well, let's give her something to work with!

How do you like my precious face?

This is my "peek-a-boo" look.

Did you get enough shots, Mom?

Ok, ok. I'll kick the ball. But, just this once.

Is it over yet?

This is bor-ing!

This would have been a complete waste of a Saturday, but I got look really cool in my soccer clothes and I got some snuggles from Nana. All in all - a good day!

Beach Trip

2009-08-29T07:46:00.010-04:00

I am very behind in posting pictures of our summer, but I promise to catch up soon! Drew has started school and Davis and I will start in about a week. Life is very good and very busy right now.

This year, we went to Wild Dunes for our beach vacation. It was so wonderful and relaxing. So relaxing, in fact, that I didn't take nearly the amount of pictures that I usually do. One night, after dinner, we walked down to the beach for a "photo shoot". I had one little uncooperative subject, so we didn't get THE family shot that I wanted, but the photos are great reminders of our week.

The boys.

Cheesing with my babies.

Nana and the boys.

I can't believe how big they are getting!

Davis

The Flemings

I finally released them and they RAN!

They loved swimming at the pool.
Drew made new friends everyday.

We also took a little side trip to the aquarium in downtown Charleston.

This little guy was just begging to have his picture taken.

This bald eagle was so neat to see up close.
His wing was hurt and now he lives at the aquarium.

Drew checking out the hermit crabs.

My Three Year Old

2009-07-29T09:08:00.007-04:00

My baby turned 3 yesterday. And, let me tell you, that kid knows how to party! He had the best day and asked if we could do it again as he was getting ready for bed last night. Everyday would be his birthday if his stick-in-the-mud parents would just let him!

In honor of his big day, I wanted to share a few things that I love about my sweet boy...

Davis is so cuddly! He'll crawl up in my lap with a book and snuggle up to me, put his arms around my neck and ask me to read with him. Did I mention that he, at the ripe old age of 3, has perfected the art of "kissing up"?

Baby Davis, about one month old

Davis loves being a brother. Drew (or Drewy, as Davis calls him) has had a shadow since Davis learned to crawl. I always worried that with nearly 6 years between them that they wouldn't get along or would just ignore each other. That has never been the case, though. Drew takes care of Davis and Davis worships Drew. They are quite the pair!

Drew and Davis, Disney World 2008

Davis is now officially and full-time wearing (now, imagine this in the most southern drawl possible) "big boy undapaaaaants"! Woo Hoo!

Davis at his 2nd birthday party

Davis is obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine. He even hums the tune as he plays. My child is his own walking soundtrack.

Davis checking out his reflection at his 9 month check-up.

Davis says the best prayers at night. We have a nightly routine where we tuck Drew into bed first (just a ploy to get Davis into bed without a fuss), we say our prayers together and then Kevin and I tuck Davis in. Lately, Davis has been interrupting whoever is praying and finishes the prayer for them. He has his own agenda he needs to speak with God about, I think.

Here's Davis' prayer from last night:

Me: Praying and thanking God for blessings, especially for Davis on his birthday....
Davis: (interrupting)...and thank you, God, for Drewy and Davis and Mommy and Daddy and Hayden and Melissa and Walter and sweet tea. Amen.

I think he might have a future in the ministry! Most nights, it's all we can do not to burst out laughing!

Davis' first birthday

Davis is truly a blessing to us and, it's so much fun to watch him grow!

Happy Birthday, baby boy!

Last Day of Second Grade!

2009-06-30T07:47:00.001-04:00

This is a picture of my baby on his way to school for his last day ever as a second grader. Yep, I chased him out of the house with my camera! I have to record the memories, no matter how much I embarrass him. It's my job and I take it seriously.

Drew had a great year. He learned so much and made so many friends. His teachers were terrific and we wanted to make sure that the end of the year present was a good one. I really liked what we came up with!

Popcorn boxes from the dollar spot at Target, filled with movie candy and a movie gift card. Thought they turned out cute, if I do say so myself!

Davis and Daisy

2009-06-29T07:44:00.000-04:00

Davis has a new favorite toy. We were wondering when it would happen. Drew loved his Thomas trains and we saved them all, convinced that Davis would someday thank us. And now, that day has come. Davis is obsessed, to put it mildly. Our train table is a trundle table that technically fits under a bed. But, for us, it just sits downstairs and Davis loves it because it can sit on top of it to play with his train friends.

All of the Thomas trains have names - Percy, James, Edward, Emily, etc. But, today, I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to my favorite train. Her name is Daisy and she is my hero.

Several weeks ago, when we had just gotten back from our trip to Nashville, Kevin took an extra day off to spend with us. He was going to help me run errands, clean my classroom, and just hang out. But instead, we spent the day in the ER with Davis and a gaping hole on his cheek. Our first stitches. It was a traumatizing day, but Daisy was there the entire time. He never let her go - not during the exam or the stitches. Davis was a brave boy and we were so proud of him. And we have made him promise - he will never trip and fall again. Ever.

Quick Getaway

2009-06-26T07:46:00.000-04:00

We tagged along with Kevin on a trip for work to Nashville a few weekends ago. We had a wonderful time just hanging out together. It really was a "do nothing" weekend for me and the boys, but Kevin was in class for most of the weekend. Poor Kevin.

Here are a few pictures from our weekend...

See? Kevin was really working. Solving problems from 5 hours away!

We stayed at the Opryland Hotel which has the most beautiful gardens and fountains and even a little river that runs through!

Steph and the boys!

Kevin and Drew

The boys and the Opryland's horse!

The boys!

P.S. I edited these photos at Picnik, a free photo editing site. I added the frames and adjusted the color and stuff. It was really fun to play around!

Baby Ella

2009-05-28T20:56:00.005-04:00

I have a new niece and my sister, Melissa and her husband, Walter have a beautiful daughter! That's right, folks - there is an actual baby girl in our family now!! She is precious and round and pink and I love her!

I am pleased to introduce to you (drumroll, please) ...Baby Ella!

I'm thinking she favors her Aunt Stephanie. Maybe?
Oh, all right. She looks like her mommy(who incidentally looks a lot like me - I'm just sayin').

Check out the look of adoration my niece is giving me!
Don't laugh, she's very advanced for her age (which is 12 hours old right now!).

Sweet! Here's the happy Mommy and her baby girl!

Hayden (the big brother) is giving Ella her first doll!

Nana is holding Hayden while he is checking out his new sister.
Shortly after this picture was taken, Ella began to cry. Without missing a beat, Hayden leaned in to ask, "You need a paci?".

The proud big brother!

Sleep tight, Baby Ella!
Aunt Stephanie will be back tomorrow with her camera!

Yikes!

2009-05-16T22:58:00.003-04:00

I received an email yesterday from a neighbor warning of a bear sighting on the road that runs behind our house. A 400 pound bear. Near my house.

So this is what I've been seeing in my mind ever since...

I sure do love living in the mountains!!

Blake

2009-05-05T15:59:00.003-04:00

This is my cousin Blake. He looks very serious in this photo, but he is one of the sweetest kids I know. I babysat him and went to his t-ball games and I've watched him grow up into this handsome soldier (I'm the oldest grandchild and he is the youngest).

Blake is headed to Afghanistan now. He'll be caring for the wounded and being the compassionate, sweet guy he has always been. I am proud to know him and proud of the serious work that he will be doing.

I am praying for him, and I would appreciate your prayers, too.

Prom Night

2009-05-04T08:30:00.007-04:00

A little over 16 years ago, Kevin and I attended our first prom together. We were so lame.

Here's evidence of that...

Yes, my dress is completely made of sequined fish. Not sure what I was thinking, but I LOVED it at the time!

This past weekend, we got to see, firsthand, just how lame we really were. We went to the Grove Park Inn to see our babysitter extraordinaire, Sarah, with all of her friends as they had their pictures made for the prom. I have to say that I loved seeing all of the girls in their beautiful dresses and watching the boys trying to act comfortable in tuxedos! It really took us back to the days that we were cheesing for pictures before the big dance. Ahh...memories!

Davis and Sarah

Sarah and her date, Dale.

Sarah and her pretty friends. They had planned to wear black Converse sneakers with their dresses, but I think that the Moms intervened at the last minute. They were all stunning and tall in their heels!

Tried to get Drew to smile the entire night, but I think that he was nervous about being around the big kids. His way of acting cool was to roll his eyes and refuse to smile in pictures!

Rocking on the porch at the Grove Park.
Davis is making, what he calls, his "precious face". Lord help his prom date one day!

Sarah and the boys.

Thanks for including us in your big day, Sarah!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T15:44:00.006-04:00

We couldn't have asked for a more wonderful day! We woke up early to make it to the early service at church - our own, personal Easter miracle! We were so blessed by the service and music.

After Sunday school, we headed to the Biltmore Estate for their egg hunt and lunch and ice cream. We ended the day with a wonderful visit from the Nanas and the Papas (they really should start their own band - it would be an awesome name!).

Here are a few pictures of our day...

The baskets! I promise Drew had just as much as Davis, but Drew's basket is ginormous!

Checking out the loot!

Holy Cow, I love them!

They are so grown up now!

Drew agreed to letting me dress him in seersucker pants and white bucks! He even agreed to a bow tie, but I didn't have any luck. Davis didn't have a choice, but he looks really cute, too!

Sweet boy.

At the Biltmore Estate on the front lawn waiting for the egg hunt to begin.

Posing for mom.

Climbing in Drew's basket. I told you it was ginormous!

Could eat him with a spoon!

Me and my guy.

Davis hunting for eggs.

Brothers.

Checking out their prizes!

A little post-egg hunting treat!

Biltmore tulips! Beautiful!

The Search for Balance

2009-03-30T15:48:00.007-04:00

Balance - or my personal quest for balance - has been a major theme in my life lately!

Two years ago this May, I worked my last day in a full-time job. I became a stay-at-home mom for the first time ever and found myself with extra time, so I started a family blog. I have loved documenting what is going on with the boys, telling their funny stories, and showing off their cute little faces as they grow. Then, a year and a half later, I went back to work part-time. And my weekly blog updates slowed to one every once in a while. Then, I realized when I got a comment from a friend (Hi Brooke!), that I hadn't updated the blog in over a month! So much for balance!

We have done a few things in the past few months. I thought I would share a few pictures and I hope to update with a few more posts next week while we are on Spring Break.

Drew finished up a really great basketball season at the YMCA. He had such a fun season.

This is Drew's "Enough already with the pictures, Mom" look!

Drew's biggest fans - Davis and Hayden!

The boys helping Papa Tony blow out the candles on his cake. Now that I see this picture, I'm a little concerned about eating it! Looks like Hayden and Davis added a little something special!

It snowed a lot this winter! And Drew got strep throat each time! This is a picture taken in the 3 minutes that I let him out!

My other snow bunny!

Just a random sweet picture of Davis!

I promise there is more to come next week!

P.S. Hope you and your family have a blessed Easter!

The Joys of Boys

2009-02-12T15:53:00.004-05:00

So, Davis has been very interested lately in his, ahem, parts - if you get my drift. Not interested in potty training, the little stinker, but very interested in the, well...the plumbing, so to speak.

We haven't actually given him the name of that part, because he is a very verbal two year old and I'm just not ready to have him tell complete strangers about his penis. I'm sorry - I'm just not ready. And if you know my child, you know he will! The only information we have given him is that "the pee pee comes out of there". We're so lame, but that was the best I could come up with the first time he asked!

So, Kevin was giving Davis a bath a few nights ago and the question came up again. According to Kevin, the conversation took a new turn and went something like this:

Davis: What's this?

Kevin: That's where the pee pee comes out. (I'm sure at this point Dad is praying that the conversation will end here! Hehehe!)

Davis: Well, where does it go in?

Kevin: (silence)

That stinker! He found the loophole to our explanation!

How Have You Been?

2009-02-02T15:51:00.004-05:00

So...how's it going? I'm sorry I haven't been updating the blog much lately, but I have very good excuses, I mean, reasons for being so absent.

1. I have a job now! I'm teaching 4K at our church 3 days a week now. I have enjoyed the little ones so much and it has become such a fun, creative outlet for me. I am technically the director of the preschool also, but I don't feel like an administrator right now because I'm still learning the ropes. Plus, I'm not working 50 hours a week. Amen, Brooke and Michelle?!

2. My children have been sick. Drew had strep one week and Davis ran a mysterious fever for 3 days the next week. Of course, Kevin is sick with a cold now!

3. We are so boring right now! There is just not much going on with the Flemings. Drew is playing basketball on Saturdays, I'm planning lessons for 4K, Davis is being a typical 2 year old (you know what I mean?), and Kevin is hard at work, as usual. See? I told you - boring!

Then...today I won a contest! I am jazzed! I love reading the Simple Mom blog and she was having a week of giveaways. I usually don't enter because I am not very lucky, but I did this time and won a Neat Receipt scanner. Very cool!

From what I understand, you scan your receipts and keep "paperless" records. I'll let you know how it works when it arrives in the mail!

So, how have you been? I hope your life is more exciting than mine lately!

Snow Day!

2009-01-20T14:03:00.003-05:00

We've been having a lazy snow day today! It has been snowing for almost all of the past day but we've only had about an inch of accumulation. Aren't I the weatherman?!

I took a few pictures of the boys yesterday as the snow began to fall. And, then a few today of Davis. Drew isn't feeling great and hasn't wanted to venture out today.

I am still in my pajamas and have enjoyed watching the Inauguration of our new President so much.

It's a good day.

Drew the Basketball Star

2009-01-17T16:33:00.002-05:00

Drew has been playing basketball for 3 weeks now and is having the best time! He is taller (and that helps) and the coach's daughter has a crush on him (which doesn't hurt, either!). And, we love being his fans! Here are a few photos of his first few weeks. I haven't had much luck with the action shots - they are really blurry, so sorry about that!

Drew bringing the ball up the court - he's so serious! They call walking and double dribbling at this age and he was determined to play by the rules!

Davis and Hayden playing their own game!

A little flirting on the sidelines!

Playing a little defense.

A Little More Christmas...

2009-01-09T09:34:00.004-05:00

I know these photos are really late, but I just had to share a few more pictures from our Christmas. These are from Kevin's family get together. We had a great time and the kids love being with their cousins!

Davis and Papa Frank

Jackson and Nana

Amber and Drew working on a Star Wars Trivia book. This book has traveled with us everywhere!

I wonder how Drew really feels about his present from Nana and Papa?

The annual attempt (and failure) for a group shot.

Bunny ears never go out of style!

Hello 2009!

2009-01-01T07:14:00.004-05:00

We made "Mom-approved" fireworks!

We had a great New Year's Eve! We partied until the wee hours of the morning...just kidding! We stayed at home and I was asleep by 10:00!

Drew and his festive hat!

How Davis felt about his festive hat.

We had a "Fleming Family Snack Supper" last night - which we LOVE! I don't do this very often, but last night was a special occasion (we were HOME and didn't have ANYWHERE to go!!). Drew picked shrimp and Yoo-Hoo, Kevin asked for sausage dip (the cream cheese and Rotel kind), Davis wanted Cheetos, and I decided that the only things missing were pigs in a blanket and chocolate covered strawberries! Oh yes, folks. We are culinary experts, let me tell ya'!

Then, we all piled into our bed for "Horton Hears a Who". Drew saw most of it by himself, bless his heart, because the rest of his family was asleep! Kevin woke up to see the New Year and put everyone into their own beds!

We hope you and your family have a very happy and blessed 2009!

P.S. I've still got more Christmas pictures! I'll post them soon!

Holiday Traditions

2008-12-26T16:08:00.015-05:00

I love that Christmas, for our family, is just like the Energizer bunny! It keeps going and going and going...

For me, this is wonderful. Sometimes hectic, but really great to be able to spend time with our extended family!

This year, Christmas began last Saturday with a get-together at our house. We had a great time and the kids were more than happy to get a jump start on the gift getting!

It is hard to get a good picture of the kids opening gifts because once the tissue paper starts flying, it's hard to see anything else!

Then, on Monday, we helped to move my parents into their new house! The house is so great and it already feels like home! You may remember from a previous post, I was a little worried!

Then, my Mom hosted Christmas Eve lunch at her house 2 days later! What a woman! When we arrived, I laughed because all of the presents were sitting under a floor lamp! So, we turned on the lamp and tied on a Christmas towel and it became our Christmas lamp! Who needs a tree to celebrate?!

We had a wonderful lunch of beef stew and cornbread - how Southern are we?! And then the boys had a great time opening gifts!

My cousin, Heather, couldn't make it this year, but she hit the nail on the head again with her gifts for the boys! They always love what she gives and this year was no exception - they had a ball with their new firetrucks!

Walt and Kevin helping themselves.

Drew and Papa Tony

Hayden and Davis trying out their new Doctor Kits!

Then, came the big day and Santa did not disappoint! Davis loves his new kitchen - he's been making us lots and lots of coffee! And Drew has a new Flip video camera. He's been recording everything, so I really have to be careful now! An 8 year old with a video camera is a dangerous thing!

We always have Christmas Day lunch at my grandparent's house with all of my aunts and uncles and cousins. It is always one of the highlights of the holiday season for me.

Hayden and Davis had a great time running and playing outside.

Davis snuggling with his Nana.

Drew snuggling with his Nana.

My sweet husband watching over the boys in the front yard.

My Papa and Drew in deep discussion. Papa Luke has been teaching Drew all about coin collecting!

And now, my cousin, Adam, would like to demonstrate what happens to the men in my family after a really delicious Christmas lunch...

Out like a light!

And, believe it or not, Christmas is not over yet! We are looking forward to a day of celebrating with Kevin's family on Sunday! I told you, Christmas keeps going and going and going...

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T10:37:00.002-05:00

Sweet Boys

2008-12-18T16:28:00.004-05:00

Today was Davis' Christmas program at preschool and he certainly redeemed himself after the Santa fiasco. He was precious (and he proved me wrong - I predicted a total meltdown and no singing) and sang with all of his friends. We were so proud!

Davis' class sang the sweetest little Christmas song and it was so simple! I love that because I have tried to teach Christmas carols to preschoolers and it's not easy (right, Ms. Brooke?)! I thought I would share it with you although I'm not sure about the title -

Sung to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb":

Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy
Mary had a baby boy
And his name was Jesus.

Joseph loved that baby boy, baby boy, baby boy
Joseph loved that baby boy
And his name was Jesus.

It melted my heart to see Davis "rocking" the baby Jesus.

Clapping for everyone!

One of my favorite moments.
They were singing "My God is so BIG, so strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do!"

Now, my other sweet boy came home from school yesterday (public school, no less) with a birthday card for Jesus. He showed it to me and then told me that he wanted to give it to Jesus. I thought that he would put it in his Bible to take to church. But, he didn't.

This is where I found it...

...by the nativity in the foyer. Gotta love that kid and his heart!

Visit With Santa

2008-12-15T13:49:00.009-05:00

On Sunday, we went to the Biltmore Estate to visit with Santa. Drew had prepared his letter for Santa very carefully and, like the good big brother he is, helped make a list for Davis.

We had been looking forward to this day for weeks - we had set aside this day for the boys. We had really talked up Santa to Davis and we expected him to love seeing the "Big Man". But, little did we know, that Davis would decide that Sunday would be the day that he would become, well, evil. Really. He was evil - as hard as I try, I just can't think of another word to describe it. And he screamed about seeing Santa. Not because he was scared, but just because he wanted to scream.

So, while Drew did this...

Davis did this...

Good times. And the icing on the cake was, that as we were leaving, he kept saying how he wanted to see Santa. Aaaaaaahhhhhh!

After Drew met Santa, Davis was a little happier and I was determined to get a picture of the boys together. They are so hard to photograph together! Our Christmas card picture was nearly impossible to get this year! They are never both looking at the camera. Drew makes weird, "I'm trying to be cool" faces and Davis {sigh} just never cooperates. If anyone has any tricks for taking photos of 2 (or more) children, please let me know. Here is our attempt on Sunday...

Take One

Take Two

Take Three

Take Four

Take Five

Take Six

Take Seven

Take Eight

Take Nine

And Mom gives up...

Christms is Coming!

2008-12-05T08:51:00.004-05:00

Christmas is in full swing around our home now! I love the holidays and we are so excited for the coming month. Here are a few pictures...

We have two trees this year - one in the den and this one in the keeping room. It's all gold and silver and it really sparkles!

A few decorations in the kitchen.

Let's play a game - can you spot the Stephanie? Did you find her?

I have had the hardest time taking a good picture of our trees. But I wanted to show some of our favorite ornaments. We love this Santa - he's just so jolly!

Drew picked out these guys on our trip to Richmond. He loves sharing all he knows about North Carolina and he loves that the state bird is the cardinal.

Here is the den and our red and white tree. I love my new "Believe" letters!

Our basket of Christmas books sits by the tree and our goal is to read one a day. So far, we are a little behind, but we still have plenty of December left to go (at least that's what I'm telling myself!).

Our beautiful nativity was a wedding gift from my Aunt Lynn and Uncle Rocky and it's still our favorite Christmas decoration to put out. This year it's in the foyer.

Thanksgiving in Pictures

2008-12-01T09:05:00.005-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Richmond this year. Here are a few pictures of our trip...

The Kids' Table

Kevin and his Dad. They look nothing alike. It's hard to tell they are related, really.

The Little Maestros - Davis and Jackson

Davis performing solo.

Amber and Jackson - I cropped out the bunny ears she was giving her brother!

After lunch, we played with Drew's new remote control airplane.

Nana and Davis

Jackson and Brian - trying to rescue the airplane (or was it the boomerang?) from a tree!

Davis and Papa Frank

We loved seeing the tacky Christmas lights on Thanksgiving night! There were two houses side by side - I've never seen anything like it!

Tacky House Number Two!

We've been decorating for Christmas since we've been home! I'll be back with some pictures soon!

Thankful

2008-11-27T05:05:00.003-05:00

I am so thankful today for so many things - the list could go on and on. But, I am most thankful for my boys. I am so grateful for the love and laughter that they bring to my life.

I am so thankful that my boys have such a wonderful example of a husband and father to watch everyday. I am grateful for Kevin because he helps with math homework and takes care of bath time - even after a long day at work. And he's not mad that I saved those duties for him!

I am so grateful for Davis' outgoing personality and the way he makes everyone smile. I love his laugh and the way he tries to shove me out the door when I drop him off at preschool - "See you later, Mom!" He makes me feel so loved!

I am thankful for Drew's sweet spirit and the way that he takes care of his little brother. I am thankful that he is growing up (even though I tell him he should stop!) because I love watching him learn and explore and discover new things.

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Up, Up and Away!

2008-11-14T09:18:00.003-05:00

One of the perks of living in the mountains is waking up to this on Fall mornings. Hot air balloons in the sky!

This picture was taken from our front porch about a week ago. And what a difference a week makes! Now, the leaves have just about all fallen. So sad! But, I'm still hopeful that snow will cover those bare trees very soon.

Have a wonderful weekend! We will be helping my parents move from our, I mean, their home. {sigh} I am so excited about their new house, but I'm feeling very sentimental today. Who knew that so much happiness and love and comfort and family could be contained in a little ranch house? Well, my parents must have known when they bought our little home 31 years ago. I am so grateful to them today (and everyday) for all the things that "home" means to me - the most important of which have nothing to do with bricks and mortar.

Catching Up

2008-11-11T15:35:00.000-05:00

Well, "eventful" doesn't even begin to describe our life lately! It's been a whirlwind, so I wanted to catch you up in one HUGE blog post.

Starting with Drew's 8th birthday party. It was WILD with children in costumes running all over the house -and that was before I gave them any sugar! I haven't included many pictures because of other children, but I do want to show Drew blowing out his candles from his party - he was Harry Potter this year (without the glasses in this picture).

I also wanted to show my fun afternoon with the boys on Drew's actual birthday. After I picked him up from school, Drew wanted to "jump" at the mall. Our mall has a trampoline-bungee-thing (can you tell I have no idea what to call it?) and so Davis and I watched Drew jump, we had soft pretzels for our snack and they both made bears at Build-a-Bear. Drew wanted to dress his bear in a Navy dress uniform - he's so proud of our cousin, Blake who is in the Navy! Very cute! Then, we picked up Dad from work and went to Fun Depot (no pictures - dead camera battery!) and played and played and played. It was a great weekend!

Oh, and Drew got the all important "bike with no training wheels" that weekend, too! He bought it and lots of cool bike gear with his birthday cash! I think he enjoys shopping as much as I do sometimes! He has also been having a blast making some of his Lego toys that he received! Good grief, he's rotten!

Then, after the birthday whirlwind was over, the Halloween whirlwind began. It was quite the week!

I had a great time volunteering in Davis' preschool class on the day of their Fall Festival! He was great and actually agreed to wear his penguin costume - something he would NOT do at his brother's birthday party! They made pumpkin pancakes and had a costume parade - it was the best!

Then, on Halloween night, the grandparents came to town and we had potato soup and mummy dogs and we had a blast trick or treating! Drew is a pro already, but Davis really got the hang of it by the end of the night! That child will eat some candy! We knew he loved his "Dem-a-dems" (Davis-speak for M&Ms!), but he kept asking for peanuts! I knew we didn't have any peanuts in the house - I couldn't figure out what he meant. Then, he brought me a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup! That's my kind of peanuts!

Then, the next day, the cousins arrived! I don't know if I've ever mentioned it on the blog before, but Kevin's brother's children are really close in age to our children. They'll realize one day how lucky they are! Amber and Drew were born about 8 weeks apart and Jackson and Davis are 5 weeks apart! We couldn't have planned it better if we had tried!

We had a wonderful time hanging out and playing over the weekend! I am sorry to say that I didn't get even one picture of the grown-ups, though.

Then, on Tuesday, our week came to a screeching halt. No one has ever told me that kidney infections are that painful! So, I've been out of commission for a week, which has been no fun. But, thanks to my mom and Kevin, we made it through and are looking forward to everything getting back to normal - right before the holidays begin! Ha! Never a dull moment!

Do you want to take a survey?

2008-10-29T16:38:00.003-04:00

Have you had about enough of campaign phone calls? The recordings are driving me crazy! Ellen Pompeo from Grey's Anatomy even called me the other day. So now, when I answer the phone and it's a recording, I yell into the phone, "I've already voted!" just because it makes me feel better! And it's not rude to yell at a recording!

So, today when I answered the phone, I was fully expecting to find out why I should vote for so-and-so and getting jazzed because I would get to yell (I'm telling you, it's a great stress reliever!), but instead I was asked to take a survey by a real live person. A short survey, I was promised. Boy, she didn't realize just how short her survey would be!

Her question to me: How many times have you been to a movie theater to see a film in the past two months?

My response: Bwahahahahahaha! Hehehehehehe! Hahahahahaha! Um...none.

Her response: Oh. Ok. Thank you for your time. Click.

So, I didn't get to yell, but I sure did get a good laugh! God bless the telemarketer lady today cause I'm still grinning 30 minutes later!

P.S. If by some chance I get to see a movie in the near future, what should I see? Seen any good movies lately?

Look What We Woke Up to This Morning!

2008-10-28T07:48:00.003-04:00

Snow!! I can't remember ever seeing snow before Halloween...can you?

Drew and I were just discussing how much we wanted "good" snow this year and no slush! You are welcome to join us in our campaign against "bad snow" - Just Say No to SLUSH!! (We're a very political family this year! HA!)

Hope you have a great day...and stay warm!

Happy Birthday, Drew!

2008-10-24T08:12:00.010-04:00

Eight years ago today, my baby boy was born. He was a little over 8 pounds and he gave this new mom a run for her money! We soon found our rhythm and life with Drew has been wonderful. There are so many things that I love about my son and I wanted to tell you all about it on his big day.

What I love about Drew...

He slept through his first 3 days. How silly of me! I thought I had to do all the hard work!

He loves his family and they love him - our family looks a little excited, don't you think? Papa Tony is grinning ear to ear from behind the camera in this one! This was taken right after they met for the first time - Kevin was allowed to carry him to the nursery from the operating room back then!

He's a Daddy's boy.

And a Mama's Boy.

He's silly!

And sneaky!

He's always willing to pose for a picture!

He's a manly man!

He's thoughtful and kind.

He's always smiling!

He's my superhero!

He's a wonderful brother!

Just an all-around Terrific Kid!

We love you so much, Drew! Happy 8th Birthday! But, you might as well get used to it, kiddo, you will always be my baby!

A Little More Halloween...

2008-10-21T04:18:00.000-04:00

We're having a great time getting ready for Drew's 8th birthday. He is having a costume party at our house! We are so excited about having room to invite family and friends over for his big day. Drew and I have been planning for this day for some time. He has helped me shop the after Halloween sales for several years in preparation for the day when we have a big enough space for everyone. And we are so excited that the time has come!

I am trying my best to focus on invitations, cake, decorations, and treat bags so that I will forget that he is turning 8 and that he only barely fits in my lap now. Because that would make me sad and I might just tear up a little. Kind of like I'm doing right now.

I thought I would share some more of our decorations - nothing too original, but fun nonetheless! And a lot of stolen ideas! If I can remember where I found the idea, I'll be sure to give a link.

You may remember my Spray Paint Addiction? Well, this is how we used one of our black urns. We borrowed an idea from Susie at Bienvenue and made a not-so-spooky Halloween tree. We spray painted (again!) the branches black and added some ribbon and our friend, the crow (Drew named him "Freedom" - still not sure why!). The glitter pumpkins were inspired by Martha, of course!

Here's our other urn holding one of our glitter pumpkins.

This is definitely our weirdest Halloween decoration - the finger candle. Drew saw these several Halloweens ago on the clearance table and we bought them. But, ewwwww...! When we got them out this year, we realized that they are much less creepy in the package than in a candlestick!

I covered some napkin rings in cheese cloth and added googly eyes for our mummy napkin rings. I got this idea from Matthew Mead's Halloween magazine.

This project was never intended to be for Halloween, but it was a craft project that went wrong, so it became part of Halloween. I was attempting to make a variation of Martha's monogram wreath, but mine turned out looking spooky. So, we spray painted it black and hung it up! Now, hopefully, it looks like it was supposed to be spooky!

We made a fun Halloween banner after I saw this project. It was made from painted newspaper!

I've had such a good time making our home just a little spookier for Drew's big day! I'll be back with photos soon!

Hey Kevin!

2008-10-17T12:53:00.003-04:00

**This was a message left for me on our kitchen counter one day. I just wanted to return the favor!

The Boys

2008-10-16T17:14:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday, I was dressing the boys for church and realized that they were going to be a little more matchy-matchy than I usually like! Then, when Kevin joined in on the fun, I just had to take a picture! Davis is wearing his first "big boy belt" and he was so proud. As usual, Drew was wasn't pleased about having to tuck in his shirt, but he relented and they look so handsome together!

Davis and the Baby Pumpkin

2008-10-07T10:06:00.006-04:00

We have two pumpkins that are sitting on our front porch - a mama pumpkin and a baby pumpkin! That's what Davis calls them. Isn't that how all things big and small are labeled when you are a preschooler?

Big = Mama. Little = baby. REALLY BIG = Daddy!

I love watching how the minds of little ones work. You can almost see the wheels turning! Wait a minute - I think I might have just remembered why I was an early childhood major in college!

Anyway...back to the pumpkins. I was taking pictures on the front porch and trying to get Davis to cooperate. Not happening. He needed (NEEDED) to move the baby pumpkin. I decided to catch the process. Here he is - so determined and, well, precious.

Step One:

Step Two:

Step Three:

Step Four:

Step Five:

Step Six:

Success!

Countdown to Halloween

2008-10-06T06:45:00.001-04:00

I keep seeing Halloween countdown calendars that I love and my favorite is from Just a Girl, a blog that I just recently found. I LOVED her project and I knew the boys would get a kick out of opening a new box every morning. But, I started this project a little late and didn't have time to make the boxes. So...here is our version.

I used little brown paper bags that I found at Michaels and decorated them with stickers and my leftover Halloween ribbon. Really quick and no painting involved which saved me a lot of time.

I put two small trinkets or pieces of candy in each bag (mostly from Dollar Tree) and hung them from a ribbon on our mantle.

I could only fit about 10 bags at a time on the ribbon, but this worked out for me because I still need a few more treats to fill up the rest of our bags! I think that on the 31st I will put some of those fun glow sticks and bracelets in their bags for trick or treating!

Oh, I almost forgot! I still haven't given up on the countdown calendar with boxes! Don't you think that would make a great Christmas advent calendar? Me too!

"Mums" the Word!

2008-10-02T19:14:00.003-04:00

Oh wow. That was really terrible. I apologize. Truly.

Moving on...

I think mums are the loveliest fall flower. There are lots of color choices, they are pretty inexpensive, and I have a tendency to kill them. I get maybe one week of blooms before they turn brown and flaky and fall off. But, in addition to being a mum killer, I am also an eternal optimist. So, I am trying again.

We went out a couple of weekends ago and bought 4 mums and 2 planters - I was thinking I could get 2 plants in each pot. Nope. So...I spent a week looking for larger planters and gave up when I couldn't find anything that I like. I put one mum in each pot and kept the others in the black plastic pot that they came home in. But, of course, I had to dress them up a little! They both received matching burlap dresses and black gingham belts. Very fashionable!

Here is my mum in casual clothes...

And here she is in dress up clothes...

And here she (of course she is a girl plant!) is with her other fall friends by our front door...

Happy Fall, Ya'll

2008-09-23T07:19:00.000-04:00

I am so excited that it's Fall! I am ready to enjoy crisper weather (not cold, but just right for jeans!) and Halloween and Thanksgiving and the leaves and ... the list could go on and on!

I have also enjoyed decorating the house a little for Fall. Here are a few things that we've done to help us enjoy the season even more! Pumpkins, pumpkins EVERYWHERE!!

Little faux (sounds classier than fake, don't you think?) pumpkins on some pillar candlesticks.

More pumpkins on candlesticks! The larger pumpkin was from the dollar section at
Target - I added the green ribbon.

Bowl of gourds and mini pumpkins - this time all real! Sam's Club
has bags of gourds for under $5.

Candy Corn!

And a little before and after for you...

Before - I bought a cute pumpkin to hang on our front door, but when I got it home, the brown color of the pumpkin did not work with my burgundy front door. The pumpkin kind of got lost.

And after - I painted it a creamy white and added another green ribbon and it shows up much better now!

Have a great day! And Happy Fall, Ya'll!

Blessings

2008-09-18T08:37:00.004-04:00

There are a lot of blogs that I read that have something called "Thankful Thursday" where they list things that have been blessings in their lives over the past week. I have also heard of people doing this every night in a journal.

I have to admit that I have never actually done this. And I should. I have a tendency to take control over my own life - even taking control from God - and take credit for the good, the bad, and the ugly in my life. Not a good thing.

So, this morning, I was looking through my reader (if you follow blogs, you should use Google Reader or any other reader. It makes your life so much easier - thank you Brooke!) and I began to read a post that I needed to read so badly. I know that it was written for me today. This blog, called "Stretch Marks" is so funny and I always am touched by reading what Melissa Lee has to say. Today was no exception. She wrote a wonderful post about letting go, being still, and allowing God to take control in your life. Click here to read the post. I especially love how she turned the lyrics to "Jesus Loves Me" around - Jesus knows me. This I love.

I have to say that this blog is my "sunshine and roses". So many wonderful things have happened in the life of my family this past year, and I wanted to document them here in this blog. But, I have to admit, that moving and the changes that have happened in my life have been so difficult for me. I am a control freak and having no control over circumstances and just life in general has been tough. But rather than just floundering, like I've been doing, I'm going to be still and let go. Today.

So, today I am thankful for...

Davis' ginormous smile and giggles, his boundless energy, and the fact that he's at preschool right now.

Drew and his love for all things Captain Underpants (he reads all the time!).

Kevin and his heart.

Watching my little sister being such an awesome mom to her little man.

Blogs posts that touch my heart.
My home.

And I am thankful for you! Have a great day!

Funny Story...

2008-09-16T19:59:00.002-04:00

Kevin usually doesn't get a whole blog post dedicated to him, but I thought this story was truly deserving...

So, since I have been staying at home, I have tried to take care of the shopping (I am REALLY good at this job, by the way). I pretty much run errands for our family - including buying gifts.

Kevin tells me that he needs for me to buy a shower present for one of his colleagues who is having a baby girl any time now. Not a problem. In fact, I LOVE buying for girls! So, I buy the gift and have it wrapped and all tied up in pink ribbons. So cute!

Anyway, he will miss the shower because he will be out of town. So, he delivers the present early to his colleague. Normally, this would be great because he is thinking ahead (and as much as I love him, he is still a man, and he does not "think ahead" on a regular basis). But, not this time! He delivered the gift the day before her SURPRISE baby shower!

Hahahahahaha! Good one, sweetie! His face in the photo, by the way, is similar to the look he would be giving me if he knew I was writing this!

Spa Saturday

2008-09-13T07:51:00.002-04:00

I know it may sound silly to get excited about spa products, but I was jazzed when Arbonne introduced Sea Source, our new line of spa products earlier this year. Really, really jazzed! This may sound crazy to some of you, but I do not love going to the spa. I'm always by myself when I go and it's just not that relaxing to me. I worry about EVERYTHING - where I put my clothes, how gross my feet look, how much to tip...

I know it sounds goofy (and I realize that now that I'm typing this all down), but that's just me, I guess. Now, you may understand a little better why I was so excited about Sea Source. You can have a spa day AT HOME!!! Hooray for not having to tip!

Here are two of my favorites - the Rescue Wash and the Re-Mineralizing Lotion.

Plus, as I have begun to learn more and more about our products lately, I have realized that these products are not just a luxury. These products were created to detox and re-mineralize. And when I say detox - I mean DETOX! If you would like, you can email me and I will tell you a really gross story about a detox bubble bath that I had not long ago. Let's just say, it wasn't pretty!

I also have to share that I visited a dermatologist recently and he told me that there was nothing that I could do about the PK (little red, raised bumps) on the backs of my arms. "This is as good as it gets," he said. Well, obviously he does not know how vain I am! I was determined to make it better and I have used the Sea Source products religiously and, I am happy to say, he was wrong. HA! I love proving doctors wrong!

I would love to host a spa party at my home (or yours!). Let me know if you are interested! Arbonne hostesses earn LOTS of free stuff - you could earn the entire Sea Source line of products!

Click on the Arbonne button to visit my Arbonne website.
You can shop from there or visit the Arbonne website to learn more about Sea Source!

Hope you have a great weekend! I have a lot of home projects that I can't wait to show you next week!

See you soon!

Farmer Davis

2008-09-05T08:20:00.003-04:00

Tuesday was Farm Day at Davis' preschool. So, we dug through the box of Drew's old Halloween costumes to find the only pair of 2T overalls that we have (he was a train conductor that year, but we do the best we can)! They fit perfectly and we stuck a red bandanna in his back pocket too. I know I don't have to apologize, 'cause this is my blog, but, I'm sorry - have you EVER seen a cuter farmer?

When I got him dressed, I said, "Well, hello Farmer Davis!" And Davis said, "Hewwo, Faamah Mommy!" I could just eat him with a spoon!

And I had to include this picture - I'm not sure what this look is, but he gives it to me all the time. Hmmm....

We also had snack duty that day and we made haystacks for his class - sticking with the farm theme, of course! Davis' teacher said that the kids really enjoyed them, but they just kind of sat there looking at them for a minute until she started breaking them up into more manageable 2 year old bites!

Waaay too Early for Halloween!

2008-09-03T07:05:00.000-04:00

Oh, well! I just can't wait! I wanted to show a few Halloween projects that I have been working on. Both projects were inspired by other bloggers.

I bought a grapevine wreath not too long ago with the intent of creating a Fall wreath for our back door. I never could decide how to start and what I wanted to put on it, so I changed directions. Drew and I have been checking out all of the new Halloween decor as I drag the boys around Home Goods or Target or Michaels or...well, you get the idea. I drag my children through a lot of stores that they have no interest in!

Anyway, I had been buying up some orange and black ribbon from the dollar ribbon bin at Michael's and it hit me one day that I could tie ribbons onto my wreath kind of like how the Nester and her Ragamuffin Garland.

I could make a ragamuffin wreath! I thought I was so original and creative until I went to Etsy and searched "ribbon wreath" and came up with a hundred or so examples of what I had done. Oh, well. I still like it and I think it may get to grace the front door come October! By the way, the wreath was from Wal-Mart for about $3 and the ribbon was stuff I had or from the dollar ribbon bin - in all I think this project cost about $10.

I made this after Joy at Joys of Home encouraged her readers to use some other Wal-Mart craft finds. I used 3 round, unfinished wood plaques and bought 3 letters to spell out BOO!

I decopaged some scrapbook paper, roughed up the edges with sandpaper and used a black ink pad to distress the edges. Then I painted the letters orange, sanded them, and used the ink pad again to make them look old and spooky and attached them to the plaques. That's it. Took about 30 minutes total, but 20 of that was drying time. This little project was about $6.

I've never decorated much for Fall, just Halloween, but I have a few really good ideas from some of my favorite blogs. I'll share some pictures if I can get motivated!

Have a great day!

Clemson Football

2008-09-01T07:19:00.005-04:00

2 Football Tickets: $134

ESPN Game Day Bottle of Water: $6

Watching Alabama "roll" over Clemson: PRICELESS

I hope you can feel the sarcasm here! I still love my Tigers!

Gooooooo Tigers!

2008-08-28T22:07:00.004-04:00

We're headed to Atlanta for the Clemson/Alabama game on Saturday! Kevin and I graduated from Clemson in 1998 and we haven't been able to get back to a football game yet.

Daddy and Our Future Tiger @ Kevin's MBA graduation in 2006

Some of our favorite memories of childhood were at Clemson games with our families. Then, in college when we worked ALL THE TIME and we didn't join sororities or fraternities, the football games that we got to attend made us feel like real college students for a little while! We love Clemson football for the excitement. Don't get me wrong, we've been disappointed plenty of times with the outcome of games, but this weekend, we'll be happy no matter what. It will be great to spend time with friends (even if they are Alabama fans!) and have a little grown up time!

Also, I am picking up my camera, so I'll have lots of pictures on Monday! Have a great weekend!

Missing You

2008-08-27T07:42:00.004-04:00

I feel like I have lost my best friend!

My camera. My beloved. Ok...maybe that's a little melodramatic, but I have been without my camera since Saturday night! I left it at Melissa's house after Hayden's party and there are pictures that I need to be posting! And photos that I need to be taking! I am lost, I tell you. Lost!

So, I guess I will have to wait to post pictures of my precious nephew's tractor birthday party...(Sigh!)

Instead, I will share some new scrapbook pages that I created over at How Fast They Grow. Have I mentioned how much I love that site? Oh, I have? A few hundred times? Sorry.

It is just so easy and I love just being able to open the package when it comes in the mail and slide them into the scrapbook! I know...I'm really lazy! What I've done lately is save my pages on their site until I get a coupon by email and then I order. I know...I'm cheap, too!

Here are a few of my latest pages...

This one is actually featured in the Gallery at How Fast They Grow (with about 40 other children)! It always makes me feel so special when they feature my boys! Now everyone can see how precious my children are! Oh. Wait. That's why I blog.

This one is a surprise (not anymore, really!) for my sister. She has the most photogenic child I know and I am always in his face snapping pictures! He used to avoid me, but now he's used to my snapping and just ignores me! This page is in honor of his 2nd birthday (of which I have no pictures, yet- arghh!).

Hope you guys have a happy Wednesday! Hopefully, I'll have my camera back soon - when I'm not too lazy to drive 45 minutes to go and get it - and I'll show you some pictures of a few new projects that I have been working on.

Spray Paint Addiction

2008-08-25T07:10:00.000-04:00

I think I may have a problem!

It all started so innocently. My childhood rocking chair needed a little TLC so I tackled the project myself with a can of black spray paint. I was proud of my work and an obsession was born! Many cans of black spray paint later, I have completed a few more projects and I am always on the look-out for more!

Before
It may not look terrible in this picture, but it had lots of chipped paint that had yellowed.

After
Better, right?!

I am enjoying finding others out in "Blogville" that share my addiction. Joy at Joys of Home is hosting a party for us all - all the spray paint addicted, that is.

Here is my first spray paint project - brought to you by the letter "F"! I don't have a before because I never really thought I would blog about this stuff, but it was just a plain white letter from Michael's. Nothing fancy.

I loved how it turned out, although I have to admit I didn't plan for it to have the texture that (I hope) you can see in the picture. I was painting on a plastic tarp, and since I was new to spray painting, I forgot to weigh the plastic down when I went inside. I came back to the plastic laying on top of the wet black paint. But, when I pulled the plastic back, it had this cool texture. Everyone that has seen it thought that I either bought it that way or that I meant to do it!

Here is my latest Michael's find - this ceramic urn was 90% off the other day. Yep. I had to look twice too. 90% off!!! I got 2 of them for $4 a piece!

Before

Now, here is where I have to give credit where credit is due. I would have never, EVER thought about buying something to change it before I was enlightened by some wonderful designers who blog (see my blog roll!). I would have passed right by. I probably would have said something like, "Wow! Those are really tacky!" or "No wonder they are 90% off!". But, instead I thought, "I might be able to paint those black and use them for Halloween!" Maybe like this project?

After

I have a few projects that are going to take actual sanding and priming that I'll be starting soon. I'll let you know who they turn out! I am really looking forward to seeing what other bloggers are painting! Hop on over to Joy's party to see!

More Mistreating

2008-08-24T07:03:00.000-04:00

I am so excited about my new-found confidence in mistreating! And I learned through so many other posts from The Nester's Mistreatment Party that it doesn't just have to be windows!

One talented blogger, Carrie from Buzzings of a Queen Bee, mistreated pillows! Imagine...no sew pillows! I'm going to have to try this one because I can't find any pillows that I like lately. I also need chair pads for my breakfast room table and I can't find ones that I like. Hmmm...maybe I can buy cheap-o chair pads and mistreat them! I'll be sure to take pictures!

See?! The ideas just keep coming!

Another really cool idea involved making window cornices from Kimba at A Soft Place to Land. I think I'm going to try this one in the Laundry Room! And maybe in the garage, too! Can you believe I have windows in my garage! You can tell what a country bumpkin I am when I am surprised that garages can have windows!

But, my favorite example of mistreating came a few weekends ago when Kevin took me to the Southern Living Idea Home near Asheville at Davidson Gap. That's right! The Southern Living Home was mistreated!

View of the house from the hill we had to walk down to get to the house!

This is the kids room. They tore (or, knowing Southern Living, made it look like they tore) long pieces of coordinating fabrics and hung them on a curtain rod. These pictures are of the window, but they also did the same kind of treatment in a doorway. I think I'll steal that idea for the playroom! They sewed pockets at the top of each strip, but I think it would be really cute to tie the strips to a rod!

So, you can tell that mistreating has really been on my mind! So has decorating the rest of our home. I'll be sure to post pictures as things start to progress!

Spa Saturday

2008-08-23T08:12:00.001-04:00

My half-empty bottle of Virtual Illusion Makeup Primer!

Mmmmmm...primer! My new best friend! I had been hearing a lot about this new phenomenon when, low and behold, Arbonne, developed their own!

This stuff feels great - no kidding, like satin on my face. It's not heavy, it's not like wearing another layer of makeup, I promise! And, my makeup stays on better and longer!

You know where to click if you want to try some for yourself!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Be Our Guest!

2008-08-21T19:57:00.000-04:00

We keep begging people to come and stay with us and, finally, Brooke and Hannah and Michelle got tired of our whining! Yeah! We had 3 of our favorite people to come and test drive the guest room this past weekend!

I am sorry to say that they came at night and got lost...cause we live in the country now! And we didn't have much planned for them to do. We really need to find more fun stuff for people to do when they come to visit. Anyway, we slept as late as the children and Miss Michelle would let us! Then, we ate a really yummy lunch and Davis went down for a nap and we all sat around and talked while Drew and Hannah played. Not all that exciting, but REALLY good company!

Thanks for coming to see us! We love you guys!

My friends.

Hannah and her Mom

Hannah and Drew

Drew and his Michelle

First Day of Preschool

2008-08-19T21:39:00.004-04:00

Today was Davis' first day of preschool! It was a day full of emotions...for me! I was excited for him, I was nervous for him and for me, I was worried about drop-off, and the list goes on. Davis, on the other hand, was just plain happy.

But, as usual, all of my worrying and nervousness was, as Kevin would say ('cause I certainly wouldn't), all for naught. Our little man talked about going to "scoo" to play all morning. He wore his backpack - or "bap-pap"-into his classroom and went right to playing with play dough. He then waved from his seat at the table and said, "Bye, Mommy! Bye, Daddy!"

That little booger. Not one tear! I know, I know. This is a good thing.

Davis had a great time today! On the way home, he told us all about "payin" in the sandbox (his school has a great playground for toddlers) and "gapes" (I packed grapes in his lunchbox). Then, he zonked out in the backseat. He was so tired!

I have to say that I am so proud of my little boy. Here are a few pictures of his day...

Happy boy going to school

Posing with his lunchbox.

Walking in with Daddy and his dinosaur "bap-pap"

School is so tiring!

Spa Saturday

2008-08-16T10:18:00.002-04:00

I wanted to announce to everyone that reads our blog that I have started my own business! I will be selling Arbonne skin care products!

I have been using Arbonne for 3 years since my Mom started selling the products - which is really a miracle because I used to change what makeup and skin care I used every 2 weeks! I became a Consultant back then to get the discount, but I recently decided to make Arbonne my business, as well. I tell all about it on my Arbonne website. Go over there and check out my story!

Here on my blog, I will be hosting a Spa Saturday each week. I want to highlight one of my favorite products and tell you a little more about why I think Arbonne products are so great. I promise I won't preach or be pushy! :) I'm just so excited about the possibilities!

I have also added a link in my sidebar where you can go to my Arbonne website to learn more anytime you would like. I hope you'll take a minute to read through and, if you want to try the products, you can shop on my website too! Although, I can always order for you OR you could host your own Arbonne presentation (just a few friends and a very short presentation, I promise!) in your home and get lots of free stuff !

Thanks, in advance, for your support of my new adventure! Please feel free to email me if you have any questions!

So here's my favorite this week...

By the way, the pictures that I am using on my blog are photos of my own products so they may look a little used. And by "used", I mean, "well loved"! Also, notice the picture of the Kay girls in the background! It was taken before Melissa's prom - about 9 years ago!

It all started with a little gold bag and little orange bottles...

This is the first Arbonne products I tried and I became hooked! This is the Nutrimin RE-9 Set. It is part of Arbonne's anti-aging skin care line. I began using it when I didn't feel like I needed anti-aging skin care! But, it prevents aging, too! AHA! And helps with the dark circles under my eyes that I have from being a mom of boys! Just kidding about the cause of my dark circles - there has been no clinical proof that raising boys causes dark circles!

And I may not have mentioned before, but, all of Arbonne's products are botanically based, so I love that I am not putting anything on my face that isn't pure.

Anyway, thank you for visiting my Arbonne website, too!

Have a great weekend!

First Day of School

2008-08-14T07:57:00.003-04:00

All smiles!

Can I go, already, Mom?!

Today is the first day of second grade! And I miss him already! And it's only 7:45!

Drew is so excited about his first day and made it very clear that Dad was NOT to walk him in this morning. He is a big kid who knows where to go. We met his teacher yesterday and she seems so nice and Drew already knows a lot of the kids in his class.

So, here's to a successful year in second grade! (Dear Lord, please help him listen and follow directions!)

Next week...PRESCHOOL FOR DAVIS!!

Sunny Days

2008-08-12T16:13:00.004-04:00

A few years ago, we decided to go to London for our 10th anniversary.

That didn't happen.

Then, we decided to have a romantic weekend in Asheville and stay at the Inn at the Biltmore Estate to celebrate 10 years of wedded bliss.

Nope, that wasn't it either.

Then, a few weeks ago we decided that we liked our home so much more than the trouble of packing up all of our stuff and driving a few miles down the road and paying waaaaaay more than we should on a hotel room.

So, we had a weekend at home (without children, of course)! I know it doesn't sound all that exciting, but it was the most perfect weekend that I have had in a very long time. Even though we didn't do anything memorable really - no Big Ben or Parliament - we relaxed, we talked, and we did not work. And we went to Krispy Kreme at 10:00 in our pajamas. You can't do that in London! Or maybe you can, but you'd have to use a map and take a cab - it wouldn't be nearly as spontaneous!

We did go to the Biltmore Estate because we haven't actually seen the inside of the house lately - it's nearly impossible with a stroller and I'm not letting Davis loose in there! On the drive out, we stopped to take some pictures of the biggest sunflowers that I have seen this year. Beautiful, all bright and sunny. Just like our anniversary weekend!

Crazy Eights!

2008-08-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

I married my best friend ten years ago today. Kevin is truly my soul mate, as corny as that may sound. We are perfectly matched. We are blessed.

But, that's all the mush that you are going to get out of me today! Yep. This post is practically mush-free! I thought it would be WAY more fun to celebrate by pulling out all of our embarrassing pictures and show them to you! Because, even though TEN YEARS is a big deal, we actually have been a couple (Kevin and Stephanie sittin' in a tree...) since our Junior year of high school. FIFTEEN YEARS! So, you know there are some really bad pictures of us floating around!

So, without further ado, may I present...

Kevin and Stephanie:
Through the Years

Pretending to pin on Kevin's boutonniere (thank you very much, spell check) before our Senior Prom. Mom actually had to pin it on!

All of these pictures are in black and white except for this one. I thought you deserved to see my bling-bling dress in full color! I couldn't find a picture of us at the prom as Juniors in high school - that dress was even better! Just picture really short and lots of sequined fish. I thought I was so cute...

Eating seafood on our honeymoon. Just to warn you, all of the pictures from our honeymoon were taken at restaurants, so it looks like all we did was eat. But, really, the only people I would ask to take our picture were waiters!

At the Luau at Disney World in 2002.
One of very few pictures of the two of us after Drew was born.

Eating on our honeymoon again.

High School Graduation.
Did you know that my smarty-pants of a husband was our class Valedictorian? Awesome speech, honey!

Kevin's graduation from Clemson.
My hair was especially poofy and proud that day!

Kevin graduates with his MBA in 2006.
I promise I went to college and graduated, too!

Snuggling. This was our first Christmas as newlyweds.

On Choir Tour with church in 1994. I think this was in Maine or Rhode Island.
Kevin would know. He remembers everything! That's why I married him 4 years later.

Eating again on our honeymoon..

Hilton Head.
This trip was before we were married. I remember because Kevin's Mom and Dad let us tag along on their beach trip and my future Mother-in-Law got the pleasure of sharing a bed with her snoring, thrashing future daughter-in-law. She must not have warned Kevin (thank you, Jan!) because in 10 years of marriage he's never slept on the couch!

More eating on our honeymoon...

At my baby shower at Chandler Creek Elementary School.
Kevin had just flown in from New York when he was on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" Another fun fact about my husband (sorry, there are no fun facts about me - I married well!) is that he loves trivia and it paid off for him about a month before Drew was born. He won $64,000 and got to meet Regis!

Declarations of love in the sand. I love the beach!

Signing yearbooks in high school.
I just want to point out that Kevin is wearing a gold chain! Hehehe! And that the shirt that I am wearing came with shoulder pads.

Snuggling as newlyweds again.
We still snuggle but it embarrasses Drew so he won't agree to take our picture, so there are no recent snuggling photos.

Posing with Minnie Mouse.
Have I mentioned we like to go to Disney World?

Happy new parents.
In recovery after Drew was born. Boy, that kid was hard work!

We had only been parents for 2 months here. The bags under our eyes aren't too bad!

At my future brother-in-law's college graduation.
Kevin and I were freshmen in college and we were still skinny. Good times...

Me and Santa in 2000.

Disney again. This time in 2002.

Proud parents of our curly-headed boy.

At Davis' first birthday party in 2007.

Christmas 2005

With our boys.
2008

Love our family. Love my husband. Love my life. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - We are blessed! Happy Anniversay, honey!

Still Learning...

2008-08-05T16:45:00.004-04:00

I confessed earlier this year that I stink at scrapbooking. And, although it's hard to believe (Ha! Yeah, right!), I stink at home decor, decorating, interior design...whatever you want to call it, I really need help. I have a hard time "seeing" a room finished - I don't even know how to get started, much less have a vision of what a room will eventually look like.

So, you can imagine how stressed I am to have lots of empty rooms - blank canvases, really - and very few ideas on how to fill them. I have been reading a lot of decorating blogs lately and I added some to my blog list on the sidebar in case you would like to read along. There are a whole lot of really smart, creative and frugal women out there who like to decorate. And, they use really great photos - 'cause I'm a visual learner! And, I am copying them shamelessly...ahem, I mean... I am using their creativity and homes as inspiration for my own!

One of my favorite home decor blogs is The Nesting Place. "The Nester" is such a funny writer and she has great pictures and great ideas. One of her favorite sayings is "It Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful". How great is that? Sometimes my perfectionism gets in the way of my attempts to make our house a home. I don't even try if I know it can't be perfect.

So, I've begun to try and embrace this attitude and I have created my first set of window treatments for the boys' playroom. How sad is that? I wait 10 years to try something besides blinds and I start with the playroom! But, I decided any mistakes wouldn't matter so much in the playroom! The Nester calls what I have done (and what she does) window "Mistreatments"! She uses beautiful fabrics, decorative trim, upholstery tacks, and lots of hot glue to create window coverings in her house. No sewing involved! And that is a good thing since I don't sew!

Here is my first attempt:

Not too bad, right? This was what I did:

I picked out cute vintage firetruck fabric after about an hour (or two) of looking through the fabric store - I was struggling with finding a print that wasn't too baby or too grown up since the boys share the playroom.

I bought denim panels at Wal-Mart and hot glued the fire truck fabric to the bottom. I covered the seam with some red ribbon. Yep, I glued it on too!

So, I am making some progress with my perfectionism problem, because I am actually happy with how they turned out. Now I just have a few hundred more decisions to make - thank goodness we'll be living here a while! It may take the next 20 years!

P.S. I also shamelessly borrowed the idea for using our old shelves from the entertainment center in the playroom as storage!

Two Years Ago Today...

2008-07-28T15:30:00.004-04:00

...we welcomed a 9 pound 7 ounce baby boy (yep, you read that right) into our family. Our sweet Benjamin Davis arrived and we couldn't have been prouder.

Our first photo together

Our first kiss

We had known that July 28th would be his birthday for several months and I can still remember the strange feeling of walking into the hospital that day knowing that in a few hours I would meet my son. And what a wonderful first meeting! He was crying and puffy and, as mentioned before, ginormous! But, besides my first baby boy, Davis was the most beautiful child I had ever seen! I spent my days in the hospital napping and cuddling and watching movies. Kevin and I kept saying we had never had a better time in the hospital!

The first picture of "My Boys"

Davis is my joy. He is so full of personality and curiosity. He is strong-willed and determined. He loves his family and especially his big brother. Lately, he has become a little parrot, repeating everything that is said.

Brothers

It's hard to believe he is two today, but if I forgot, he would remind me - "It Dadis birfday!" and "Dadis twoooooo!" Silly Goose!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!

We Have Flowers!

2008-07-23T23:17:00.002-04:00

I am no gardener, but I plan to learn. Really. I will learn. But, for now I get to enjoy what was already planted...and pretend I had something to do with it! I love black-eyed susans and I was so excited to discover that I had some in my front yard (confession: I was not 100% sure of what they were until they started to bloom!).

I have always loved the pictures of children wearing white and posing so sweetly in front of the beautiful yellow and black flowers. In a perfect world, I would have dressed my children and taken their picture early in the morning when the light is perfect. But, you and I both know that sometimes you have to take what you can get! :) So, we snapped a few pictures at about 8:00 a few nights ago in our very best play clothes.

Drew did a great job posing for Mom - I have trained him well! But, Davis. Sweet Davis. Precious Davis. Davis of the "I Never Stop Moving Tribe". We did the best we could. Kevin finally caught him "sniffing" the flowers as we were on our way inside! I really do love those pictures - the candid ones - the best anyway, but really, couldn't he give his Mom a "Cheeeeeze" every once in a while like all the other 2 year olds?!

Happy Birthday Everyone!

2008-07-18T01:55:00.006-04:00

Last Saturday was a birthday celebration at the Fleming house! We had such a wonderful time celebrating Mom, Melissa, Neil, and Davis. Well...there was a lot of Davis celebrating, actually. You'll see the evidence in the pictures. So, it's official - my child is rotten.

Davis had a blast in his new kiddie pool and he loved playing in the sand and water table with Hayden, Carleigh ("Yah-yee", in Davis-speak), Sadie, and Drew. Kevin grilled some awesome hamburgers and hot dogs, and I just had so much fun hanging out with everyone!

Davis' favorite part of the party was (no surprise here) the presents! I knew ahead of time what Melissa had gotten him and I was so excited! Melissa's favorite toy as a little girl was her "Cozy Coupe". She loved that thing! Some of my most vivid memories of Melissa when she was little involves that Cozy Coupe! So, it was perfect that she got Davis his very own car - actually, his is a little fancier than Melissa's model. Davis has a Cozy Coupe firetruck! He has been having so much fun with all of his new presents this week!

Here are some party highlights...

Our Birthday Boy!

Cousins in the Kiddie Pool

A boy and his firetruck.

Happy Birthday Everyone!
(Although Davis chose the cake - told you he was spoiled!)

Blowing out candles for everyone!

Nemo cake is delicious!

A boy and his scooter.
(Not as cool as a firetruck, apparently.)

So funny. He really loved "reading" his cards!

Hooray for Birthdays!

The firetruck was so popular that the kids got really resourceful and sneaky to get a turn! I actually got pictures of one attempt! We laughed so hard about how smart 2 year olds can be when they really want something!

"Hi! So...I've got this really cool tractor if you want to trade!"

"You're getting out?! You must want to trade! You are so generous!"

"I'll just put my arm right here to help you get out. Really. I'm just helping."

"Thanks so much for sharing!"

Tooth Fairy Time!

2008-07-11T09:31:00.004-04:00

Drew FINALLY lost both of his front teeth! He lost one of his front teeth a couple of weeks ago, but I just couldn't bring myself to post any pictures because the other one was loose too and it was just hanging there! It really was pitiful looking - for 2 weeks!

Finally, I ordered Kevin to "Get that tooth out!" last night. He was successful and now Drew keeps saying that they feel SO WEIRD! He is adorable without those teeth, but it won't last long because I can already see the grown up teeth peeking through.

The tooth fairy did visit last night and we put both of the front teeth under Drew's pillow. He decided that she could take them both at the same time, although I don't think he would have waited if he had known he would have to wait two weeks!

I too, Davis!

2008-07-04T21:07:00.002-04:00

We were sitting at dinner tonight and my little boy put his arms around my neck and said, "I too, Mommy!" Then, he said it again and again. It took me a few minutes, but I realized he was telling me that he loved me. Then, I started to cry. I know you moms and dads know exactly what moved me so. I know he loves me - I can see it in so many ways - but, today he told me that he loves me (unprompted, by the way). Davis also "toos" Daddy and his Drewy. He has told us all many times tonight. We feel loved.

We're Home!

2008-06-30T10:34:00.003-04:00

We just got moved in this weekend! I love our new home - and so do the boys! Anytime Drew is asked how he likes his new house, his response is, "IT'S GREAT!" in his most enthusiastic voice! Davis wasn't sure at first, but yesterday when we went by the apartment to pick up a few things, he started crying and crying for his "how", which is Davis-speak for "house". He did NOT want to be there! I know how he feels.

We are still waiting on a few things - a dishwasher that needs fixing and Direct TV that needs to be installed. We also do not have enough furniture to fill up our rooms, so it looks a little empty now. But, I have to say, I feel very patient right now, which is very unusual for me. I guess I'm just glad to be home.

P.S. We have a guest room now! When can we expect you?!

Drew the Camper

2008-06-19T02:43:00.004-04:00

Drew just got home from camp last night and he hasn't stopped talking about it. Putting it simply, Drew loves camp. More specifically, he loves going to Camp Buckhorn with all of his friends (and mine) from Pelham Road Baptist Church.

He actually got to go to camp for the first time last summer. He was really too young to spend the night, but I've got a few connections and they let him go. :) I think he did just fine, but he didn't take a shower all week long! Really, really gross! I even have proof...

Ewwwwwww!

So, this year we had a plan. We told him that Miss Brooke would be at camp all week and she would let us know if he didn't take a shower this year. Kevin even threatened to come and get Drew early if he didn't bathe! So, on the second day of camp, Brooke found Drew and asked him the million dollar question - "Have you had a shower, Drew?" This was Drew's face (captured by Brooke's phone)...

How priceless is that picture?! Also, it shows how well Brooke knows my kid. She had her phone ready because she knew the reaction would be great. Drama, anyone?

Drew finally took a shower on the last day of camp (he claims he took 2 - I'm a little skeptical). But, most importantly, he made a fishing pole from a stick, yarn, and a borrowed fishing lure. He swam in the lake. He slept in a cabin full of stinky boys. He heard some really great Bible lessons this week. And he didn't miss his Mom even once. God Bless Camp Buckhorn and God Bless Pelham Road Baptist Church!

Disney 2008

2008-06-18T08:23:00.017-04:00

We're back from our vacation! We have been planning this trip for so long and it certainly was worth the wait. We spent 9 days at Disney riding monorails and roller coasters (way to go, Drew!), meeting all of our favorite characters (no princesses, though, apparently they are "for girls"), swimming, and just having a wonderful time being together. I think I took about a thousand pictures this past week at Disney World. Really. I think I was obsessed with catching every moment.

I can't even begin to describe how special our family vacation was, so I'll just post as many pictures as Blogger will let me upload...or is it download?...I can't ever remember! Enjoy!

My sweet little family

Not the best picture, but proof that Nana and Papa are their first choice... always!

A sand person (I think - I always get Star Wars characters wrong) and Drew.

Meeting the Mouse.

Minnie and my boys.

It's really hilarious if you try and steal your Dad's hat - especially if you do it over and over!

Our friends, Pooh and Eeyore.

Riding in the front of the monorail!

This ride looks tame, but it spins you around and around and around...

Me and my boys.

Riding "It's a Small World" with my Drew.

Walt, Melissa, and Hayden posing in the lobby of our hotel.

Loving the goggles. And the effect they have on the ears!

Kevin's awesome safari shot.

Drew and Rafiki.

Lovin' on Timon.

Never both looking at the camera!

Aren't they cute?

And they are, too!

Nana and Davis snuggling.

Walking on the beach.

Daddy is so silly!

But I don't want to wear a lei!

Drew's best pirate face.

Making sure the little ones can see the fish (which were all "Nemo", by the way)!

Sort of both looking at the camera.

Trying out Dad's milkshake.

Hmmm...Coke sounds good, too.

One last pose before the flight home.

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T15:24:00.006-04:00

I am one lucky girl. I am Tony's daughter.

My Daddy (yes "Daddy", not "Dad") is truly my hero. I can think of a thousand words that I could use to describe why my Daddy is so special to me - he's funny, loyal, giving, thoughtful, unselfish - the list could go on and on. But, I think the most special thing about my Daddy is how he loves. He loves me unconditionally and he makes sure I know how much I am loved - and he always has. I hope today, on Father's Day, that he knows how much he is loved and cherished. Also, my Daddy made sure that I knew that he liked me, too. He told me what a great kid I was and that he enjoyed being around me.

So, Daddy, I think you are great, too, and I love spending time with you! I think you're even more fun now that I'm grown!

Papa Tony and his biggest fans.

My children are lucky, too. They are Kevin's sons.

Drew and Davis have a dad who jumped into parenthood head first. He changed the first diaper (when he had never changed one before) and then, he was there for every first that followed (and he'll be there for all the firsts to come). He is patient and understanding with his boys. They adore him. He talks with them like they are little people, not children. They love his sense of humor and how silly he can be with them. He tells Drew and Davis how much they are loved everyday. Kevin shows his boys, through his example, how hard work and persistence and faith pay off.

Kevin, you are a wonderful father! Thank you for being my "partner in parenting"!

We're Off To See The Mouse!

2008-06-06T08:30:00.000-04:00

We're leaving! Today! To go to Disney World! Can you tell I'm excited? We haven't had a family vacation in so long! Just look at how little Drew is in these pictures (and Davis wasn't even an idea yet)! I thought that as we headed out, I would post a few pictures of our last trip to Disney - Drew was almost 5.

How Do You Say Thank You Enough?

2008-06-05T07:51:00.003-04:00

When we moved to Asheville last year, my biggest concern was how Drew would adjust to a new school and new friends. I was so worried about how the move would effect him - academically and emotionally. As it turns out, that should have been the least of my worries. Drew has LOVED going to Hominy Valley Elementary this year and I wanted to introduce you to the two biggest reasons for that.

I believe that God puts people in your life for a reason. And He gave Mrs. Teague and Mrs. Bratsch to Drew (and to us) this year. They welcomed Drew (and us) with open arms into their classroom this year - and we needed that, because we were new to the area and nervous about every new experience. They are funny and relaxed (two things that I never was as a teacher!) and professional and kind. They have watched out for Drew this year when I worried. They are moms and they understand. They do a really great job teasing Kevin when I send him in with boxes of stuff to deliver in the mornings. They have challenged Drew to do better and be a better kid. What more can you ask for in a teacher? Also, they make really great oobleck!

So, we hope they have a relaxing summer with their own children (because that's one of the reasons to become a teacher, right?!) and we can't wait to see them in the fall. Well, we hope we see them before then, but I've already promised them that we wouldn't be stalkers! If we see them before then, it would be a total coincidence!

Thank you, Mrs. Teague!

Thank you, Mrs. Bratsch!

Field Day

2008-06-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

Here are some highlights from Field Day last week. Drew had a great time and we really loved the weather - a little overcast and about 70 degrees - gotta love living in the mountains! Davis even stuck it out in his stroller - I actually got to watch Drew and didn't have to chase the Littlest Fleming the entire time!

We have enjoyed Drew's new school so much this year! He only has 4 more days of first grade and they should be really great days - he'll have water play day, sports day, and game day this week. Sounds like a fun way to end a terrific year of first grade!

Shooting some hoops.

Peace, Mom!

I know I'm biased, but really, is there anything sweeter than this face?

Taking some time out for the little guy.

The monkey bars - we've almost mastered them!

Having a blast at field day!

Action shot!

The weirdest field day event ever - finding marbles with your toes...

in a kiddie pool of flour!

Only 5 Days 'Til Disney!

2008-05-31T19:20:00.003-04:00

This is what our chain looked like in April....

And, this is what it looks like today...

WoooooooHooooooo!!!!

Drew's Field Trip to Emerald Village

2008-05-28T10:27:00.001-04:00

Drew's last field trip in first grade (makes me so sad, by the way, that first grade is almost over) was to Emerald Village. He has been so interested in rocks and minerals ever since his class began studying them, that Kevin and I both planned to go with him. Davis came along for the ride, also. Drew was so excited about rocks when we got there that he and his friends immediately began analyzing the gravel in the parking lot! I had to have them empty their pockets every 5 minutes to get rid of all of their parking lot "treasures". Emerald Village used to be a working mine, but now it's a museum. The kids had a great time - especially when they got to "pan for gold". Drew kept telling me that his gems were worth MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!

Looking for the million dollar gems...

Davis loved the water - could have cared less about gems!

Drew and friends looking into the mine.

Still my baby -even when he's a second grader!

Finally...

2008-05-26T12:49:00.003-04:00

...we are moving into a house! A real house! With a backyard and a basement and a guest room and a bonus room and a garage and a lot of other rooms, too! We just signed our contract today and it will be ours by the end of June. This is truly miraculous news because I was about to lose my mind in our tiny apartment. And that is not an exaggeration - just ask Kevin!

So here it is (drumroll please)...

And just to warn you, if there is not much blogging in June or July, you'll know why. I am either on vacation, moving, shopping for the house, moving furniture around the house or just hanging out by the kiddie pool in my NEW BACKYARD!!!

Papa Luke

2008-05-12T12:31:00.006-04:00

Update:

Thank you for your prayers. Papa had a rough first week after surgery - he just wouldn't wake up! Apparently, he is really sensitive to the anesthesia and pain medications and no one knew this because my 83 year old Papa has never been put to sleep for this long before - I think that fact is pretty remarkable! He started waking up on Friday evening (4 days after his surgery!). Once he woke up, he started recovering very quickly. He is now at home and happy to be in his own bed.

Please keep my Papa in your prayers today. He is having open heart surgery early this afternoon. My Papa just can't sit still for long, so please pray for a quick recovery!

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T07:55:00.004-04:00

Drew, Mommy, and baby Davis

2006

Today I am feeling so blessed and thankful. I am so thankful to be a mom to 2 wonderful sons. Drew and Davis are, as Mary Poppins would say, practically perfect in every way - most days, anyway! I love them with all of my heart and I'm so excited to watch them grow.

Melissa, Mom, and Me

As thankful as I am to be a Mom, I am even more blessed to be my Mother's daughter. I loved growing up hearing that I look just like her. To me, it was the ultimate compliment. I still hear that compliment, but now people ask if she is my older sister. You should see her gloat! She is beautiful, but her inner beauty is beyond compare. She is the kind of person who never says an unkind word about anyone. "Kill them with kindness" was my Mom's advice when we had a problem with a friend or collegue. My mom sees the best in everyone - including me, which was especially helpful when I was a teenager! She loves her family and she tells them often. She is always right - about being kind and so many other things. During my first year of teaching, I laughed at myself almost everyday because I could hear my Mom's voice coming out of my mouth so often! She is my best sounding board. If I ever have a problem, she is the best listener. I could go on and on... I love you, Mom!

Confessions of a Scrapbooking Failure

2008-05-07T11:04:00.004-04:00

I stink at scrapbooking. I make a mess. I spend too much money. I start projects that I don't finish. I can never decide on which paper to use or which decorations to buy. Scrapbooking is a craft that I want to do, but I've failed everytime I try.

I think it's important for my kids to have a documented history. So, I started this blog as my way of "scapbooking" special times in the life of our family. I even found a website called Blurb that can turn my blog entries into a scrapbook if I wanted to spend the money (maybe one day when I stop blogging).

But, I still wanted to scrapbook. I discovered digital scrapbooking when I was online one day. Was this the answer? Nope. I read and read, but it just looked too complicated for me. So, I gave up on scrapbooking again.

Then, I came across How Fast They Grow. It's a scrapbooking site where you upload pictures, pick out a template (they are so much cuter than anything that I could design), drag and drop the pictures into the template, add some text, and you're done! When you order your pages, they are printed in the 12x12 typical scrapbook size and you just slide the page into your scrapbook. Hallelujah! I know I sound like a commercial, but I am so excited! I just designed a few pages last night and I was really pleased with the way they turned out. What do you think?

I have been so popular lately! My phone rings off the hook all day long! My friends Barack and Michelle have called. My other friend Hillary called, too! Bill didn't call, but I know he's busy. Then, they had their friends call to check on me too! They are so concerned about me - do you know where to vote, do you know when to vote, do you need a ride to go and vote? I told you - they really care. Mysteriously, though, they haven't called today. I wonder if they are ok - maybe I should call 15 times today to check on them. Because that's what friends do...right?

The Windy City

2008-05-02T08:53:00.004-04:00

Kevin and I just got back from Chicago earlier in the week. I got to tag along on a work trip, but it was ok because we stayed on Michigan Avenue - lots of shopping for Stephanie last week!

We did have a little time to do some "touristy" things, too. Kevin took me to the Art Institute of Chicago which was so exciting for me! I realized, as we were walking in, that I had never been to a museum - unless you count the art museum in Greenville (and I don't). I loved being so close to such famous paintings. I have to admit, though, that modern art still throws me a little. We even had the nerdy headphone things that tell you about the style, period and other interesting facts about the paintings and sculptures, but I still couldn't see the meaning behind some of those contemporary pieces.

We also got to see "Wicked", which is a wonderful Broadway musical. It was so uplifting and sweet! We took a pretty scary cab ride afterwards, though - think dark alleys and a rainy night while the song "Obsession" is blaring on the radio. Really, really creepy. When we got back to the hotel, I bolted from the cab while Kevin threw money at the driver and ran. Kevin didn't wait on change and said that the driver deserved the large tip for letting us live! It's the little things that count in customer service...

Anyway, we had a wonderful time away, but we were also glad to be home to our boys.

Here are a few pictures from our trip...

A dragon from the Chinese exhibit

One of my favorite paintings - sorry I don't remember the artist!

The view from our hotel room window

Kevin and a view from the top of the John Hancock building

Terrible Twos

2008-04-21T07:54:00.004-04:00

I am afraid that the Terrible Twos are here to stay for a while. Our first clue was the unwillingness to sit in the stroller for any extended period of time. Then, the refusal to sit in a high chair or booster seat. Just recently, we have left restaurants with a screaming child in tow. Now, the unwillingness to be carried anywhere has begun (although I usually carry him kicking and screaming up the stairs of our apartment). So sad. I decided that I needed to remind myself that Davis could be sweet and loving and cuddly sometimes. So here is the proof...

Loving on Dad

So cute!

Learning to spread weeds.

So innocent...

Ok. I feel a little better now. This too shall pass...

Down on the Farm

2008-04-12T08:36:00.008-04:00

We had a special after school trip to the farm on Friday. Well, we went to the Biltmore Estate Farm. I know, it's not much like a real farm...but they have ice cream. I think the kids had a great time - I know I did!

First, we checked out the animals in the barnyard...

Drew and Carleigh with Bert and Ernie (the huge horses)

A cute calf that found the shade (smart cow)

Posing with a sheep

Then, we played some games on the lawn and crawled on the "vintage" tractors...

How cute!

Please let me out to play!

Lawn bowling

Carleigh teaching Davis the bean bag toss game - he escaped his stroller!

Having fun with the animals.

We had some ice cream (of course)...

Yummy strawberry!

Last, we churned some butter...

Ladylike churning...

...Not so ladylike churning!

It turned out to be such a beautiful spring day and I was so glad to be outside! I immediately started begging for a back yard! Oh well, I guess we can always go over to the Vanderbilts' house (we're really close) if we want to spend some time outside!

My Drew

2008-04-11T14:03:00.006-04:00

My very first post on this blog was about how my baby has grown so much lately. Well, I'm feelin' it again today. Not sure why. It may be because we got out Drew's old autograph books from Disney World and it's blowing my mind to see how little he was 3 years ago (and so cute!). It may be because he's reading chapter books and is such a fluent (geeky early childhood major term) reader now. It may be because he's growing out of everything that I dress him in lately and that he's making more and more clothing choices himself. I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that he's a confident, self-assured boy who loves his family. Drew is the best big brother Davis could have ever hoped for. I love my Drew. He's making me so proud lately and I just wanted to share.

Here are some of Drew's latest soccer pictures...

Running for Mom...and the water break.

Precious brothers

Tough guy pose

Birthday Kidnapping

2008-04-06T08:23:00.007-04:00

So...this is what I saw when I answered the door at 9:00 on Saturday morning.

*WARNING: YOU MAY FIND THE FOLLOWING PICTURE DISTURBING. I KNOW I DID...*

My friends Michelle and Brooke had come from Greenville to "kidnap" me for my birthday!!! My sweet husband was in on the surprise, too. I opened our door (thinking who in the world is banging on our door at 9:00 on a Saturday?) a tiny bit and saw Michelle with panty hose on her head and I screamed and slammed the door! I was laughing so hard when I opened the door again and saw Brooke and the signs. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard!

Then, I find out that we are going to breakfast! Hooray! I'm on a diet and haven't had eggs in 3 weeks! Breakfast is followed up by manicures and pedicures here...

You're jealous by now, right? I know! We had a wonderful time just sitting and talking and relaxing. Then, we went to the Southside Cafe (my favorite) for lunch. Did I mention my diet went out the window on Saturday?

Michelle and Brooke used to be my co-workers at the Child Development Center, but they quickly became my friends (and Kevin's too.) They are my friends that can tell me the truth because I know that they aren't being mean, just honest. I have read lots of definitions of what a true friend is, and Michelle and Brooke definitely meet all of those criteria. But, now I have something new to add to the definition - a true friend is someone who plans (a month ahead of time) to drive over an hour to your house early on a Saturday morning, show up at your door with laminated signs and panty hose on her head to celebrate your birthday. Even when your birthday is a week and a half away.

Countdown to Disney!

2008-04-03T12:02:00.008-04:00

Anyone that knows us, knows that we LOVE Disney World! We have had a really busy couple of years (a baby, a Master's Degree, a new job, a move, etc...), so we are thrilled to be going back to the happiest/most crowded place on earth this Summer and taking Davis for his first encounter with "The Mouse". Drew (um....Mom) is so anxious that we decided to make our own "Countdown to Disney" chain of links. This morning, we took off the first link - only 63 more days to go!

And...have you noticed something is different? I found a really great blog designer that gave me a "blogover"! Her name is Rebecca - you can click on her link in my new, handy dandy side bar to see examples of her work. She is redesigning blogs as a way to raise funds for her international adoption - her son will be coming home from China very soon.

A few new photos...

2008-04-02T08:50:00.001-04:00