Disney 2008

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!

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!

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?

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

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!

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

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...

...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

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

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

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?

Popular

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

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

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...