THE LONG LETTERS

2011

2012-02-02T07:30:00.001-06:00

I officially took a solid year off of blogging. It wasn't intentional, it just worked out that way.

2011 brought crazy changes to our lives. Darin changed jobs, and I started one. His takes him around the world, living mostly in India for 3 weeks out of the month. I'm working for Massage Envy. I love my job and it's variety of responsibilities, along with it's obvious perks!

We've been so grateful for the blessings we experienced last year, and for the friends and family that have been a part of them.

Here is a 2011 rundown:

January - We spent the majority of the month at wrestling! Drew lost his first tooth. Allie & Mom dressed up as pirates for New Beginnings. Allie & Mom went to the symphony.

February - Watched Evan's wrestling team take 3rd in the state. Nathan participated in the "news crew" at school, recording the daily news for the school.
March - Spring Break! Went to Naples, Florida and spent time with great friends - Newsomes and Chatfields.
April - LaRee came to visit. We had a great week playing tourist. Well, I played tourist, she really was one! Darin took his first trip to India. Nathan went to JA Biztown, very cool experience. Nathan broke his arm playing outside in the neighborhood. Evan gets his drivers license.
May - the last month of school, always crazy! Evan started playing Rugby. Darin & Christine did the Muddy Buddy Race. Drew played baseball. Allie makes 2nd chair in the top band for next year!
June - Summertime!! Pool fun. Encore camp for Nathan & Drew. Kings Island with Knepley's and Dottie. Trip to Indiana to see family. Christine started working. Allie turns 15.

July - Girls Camp - always the best! Youth conference for Evan, Allie & Mom. EFY for Evan and Allie. Evan turns 17. The Winters family came to visit from West Virginia. Grand Ole Opry to see Loretta Lynn. We all went to Indiana to Darin's sister's wedding. Band Camp for Allie.

August - and here we go again with school... Rugby for Evan, band for Allie. Middle School for Nathan. Drew finds himself alone at Nolensville Elementary for the first time. Nathan turns 12. Cutest deacon ever to pass sacrament.

September - Band competitions begin. Drew participates in his first primary program ever!

October - More band. Nathan gives wrestling a try. Evan's rugby 7s team wins STATE!

November - More band. Wrestling begins again for Evan. Thanksgiving with the Knepley's and Grandma & Grandpa Hulet. Played Dicecapades and made Grandma do sit ups. Darin & Christine went to Ironman in Florida. We just watched this year, but Darin signed up for next year!

December - Allie is in the Nashville christmas parade with band. Grandma & Grandpa visit right before Christmas. Drew was in the school's 50's Christmas program "Jingle Bell Rock". Drew turns 8.

And now you have it.

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING ALL THIS TIME?

2010-12-11T23:19:00.000-06:00

Good question. Football and Marching Band season completely consumed the fall.

It was fast, furious, and so much fun. It was great to see 2 kids at the same activity for once! Evan played punt return for Varsity football, and Defensive Linebacker for JV. It was a disappointing season, but he had fun playing football anyway! The marching band performed well this year. They travelled to exotic places like Louisville, KY, Jacksonville, AL and Indianapolis, IN. It was the first time to compete at a Grand National Championship. It was a bonus that they marched at Lucas Oil in Indy!

Homecoming parade

Band camp

In October for Fall Break, we took advantage of a break from activities and camped at Camp Tugaloo state park in Georgia. It was relaxing, fun and cold! We're pretty sure Riley enjoyed it the most.

The fire was a bit smokey because the kids burned these all weekend:

and Allie took about 150 pictures of the fire close up.

Isn't he so cute?

The kids all took a turn trying to cut firewood:

Thankfully, no one lost a toe.

SQUIRREL!

Evan and Allie whittled sticks:

Drew played catch with Dad. A lot.

Darin spent the weekend (his birthday) hiding from the camera.

Mostly he was chopping wood.

That's it for September and October.

November was IRONMAN.

Post forthcoming.

Nathan is 11

2010-09-16T12:56:00.000-05:00

Nathan

Happy 11th Birthday!

Aug. 29, 2010

Nathan at 11:
Boy Scout!
Chess club
Math Club
Loves to read
Swim Team
Spiritual
Sensitive
Kind (extremely kind)
Loving

I love this boy. He'll be the one taking care of me when I am old.

We celebrated his birthday a week late so Grandma & Grandpa could be there, too. He had a party at laser chase. Here are some pictures from the party. It was hard to get pictures. Every time I turned a corner in the giant maze, a kid would shoot me and zip by so fast I couldn't get any pictures.

The Volcano Cake

Drew

Evan

Allie

The Crew

Then on Sunday, we celebrated Grandma's Birthday!

It was a Cake kind of weekend.

First Day of School

2010-09-04T09:26:00.000-05:00

School is in full swing, with all of it's projects, practices, homework and activities! Here are the first day of school pictures.

Evan - Sophomore

Allie - Freshman

Nathan - 5th grade

Drew - First Grade

They are all off to a great start. Nathan has Ms. Robertson, and Drew has Ms. Jones. They are amazing teachers! We love them. Most days Drew would really like to stay home, but likes it once he gets there. Nathan already completed his edible animal cell project.

Funny side story: We made a "rice krispie treat" animal cell and made the parts with candy and icing, including skittles. We made an extra pan of treats for the kids to eat with the extra. The next morning, I came down and the cell pan was empty with a few skittles remaining in the pan. I just about had a stroke. Evan was the last one downstairs... Then I saw the pan on the stove slightly hidden. Evan played ANOTHER practical joke on his mom, and it worked! I could hear him laughing in my head all day.

Nathan is swimming on the swim team, Drew is playing fall baseball, Allie is in marching band, and Evan is playing football. It stays busy here, but it's such fun!

Summer, la deuxième partie

2010-08-17T17:02:00.001-05:00

Girl's Camp. Love it. Can't wait until next year.

3 1/2 days of pure hair braiding, dancing, laughing, singing, eating, laughing, service, hiking, cooking, climbing, zip lining, girly fun. I love to watch how the girls unwind from the world and just settle into being themselves. Oh how beautiful these girls are!

Survivor was the theme. Allie actually stuck her hand into an aquarium of crickets! That's huge for her.

I cried, I laughed until I cried, and I made some amazing new friends. I hope all the girls felt the same way.

Old Hickory Ward YW & leaders, aren't they awesome?

Yep, that's Allie cleaning.

Allie climbing, she loves rock climbing.

April, our fearless leader.
I love this image.
The reason we are at camp is to bring the girls closer to the Savior.
She was really good at this!

The day after Girl's Camp, we packed up the family and headed to Indiana. We spent 2 days there, then headed to Chicago with Dottie. We had tons of fun.

Evan & Allie picked out their dream cars:

Navy Pier, we took a boat tour on the lake, Evan, Allie, Darin, Drew & Nathan rode the giant ferris wheel. Dottie & I kept our feet firmly planted on the ground, thank you very much. Darin, Allie & Evan rode the giant swing. Again, no thanks on the spinning around in a circle. Nathan & Drew rode the carousel.

I waved.

This view is from the top, which explains why I didn't ride it.

I love this picture, I can't explain why.

Skyline from the boat.

The kids climbed (and were pushed) upon the giant macaroni noodle.

Then we saw this:

Um, well, we weren't the only ones.

We went to Wrigley Field, the boys ran the bases after the game.
Not sure who liked it the most, them or me.

The Imax, and the priceless picture of Dottie in her big glasses.
Why does this look so familiar?

We took a fascinating Pizza history walking tour through downtown.

We got to sample pizza at three deep dish pizza joints.

You can find the information here. I actually found it on Groupon!

I highly recommend it (the tour, and Groupon).

Last, but not least, the Long Family took a quick trip up to the top of the Sear's Tower (I know it's not called that anymore, but it will always be to me.) Dottie drove around the city putting her life at risk so she wouldn't have to to to the top and.... put her life at risk?

It was beautiful, but I just refuse to step out on the glass. Can't do it. Here is my brave little Allie, taking pictures.

The view straight down:

The boys, out in the glass cube.

This picture makes me nauseous.

Allie's feet. Again, feeling a bit sick.

I'm stopping there, this post is ridiculously long. There is more. You will see it later.
Oh, the title, "la deuxieme partie" means part 2 in French. I just like to use the handful of French phrases I remember from high school and college on occasion.

Summer, now that it's over

2010-08-12T15:30:00.002-05:00

So what did we do all summer? Well, let me just tell you. It was the craziest summer yet, and so much fun. It really started with Memorial Day weekend. Darin & I went to the Indy 500. I haven't been since college. It was a disgustingly hot day, but more fun than I remembered!

We spent long days at the pool, back when we thought it was hot outside. Now it's 110 degrees.

We played board games and crossed our eyes.

Evan, Allie & I went to Western Kentucky University for our Church Youth Conference.

It was three great days with great teenagers!

Allie, Leah & Hannah

Savannah, SuZann, Lindsey and Hannah

Yes, Evan went, he just hid from me the whole time.

Tuesday, June 29th was Allie's 14th birthday.
We had a Twilight themed party in the barn.
Darin took Allie and all her girls' camp friends to see the midnight premiere of Eclipse.
What a great dad!
What a great daughter!

The Girls

The Cake

The Birthday Girl

That is all for June.

On to Girl's Camp the next morning!

I think Girl's Camp deserves a post all it's own. Please stay tuned.

JROTC

2010-05-01T12:22:00.000-05:00

Evan had his military ball this weekend. He learned a waltz to perform with a staff member. He also had a fencing exhibition. It was fun to watch. They learned this waltz in about 4 hours, impressive! He's got potential as a fencer. Never saw that one coming.

I can't seem to upload the videos :( I'm too frustrated, so I will try again later!

Longest Make-Up Post Ever

2010-04-16T17:50:00.011-05:00

I can't believe I haven't written down all the amazing things in our lives since January!

I couldn't possibly break it into small posts, even though it pains me to lump it all together. It may pain you more to actually have to read it all. Feel free to glance at pictures and move on.

For no other reason than I adore her, I'm including my sweet Riley girl.

Love this dog. She brings joy to everyone.

We had a very cold winter (relative to TN winters!). I think we had 6 snow days this year! Every morning Drew would sit on the heater vents to warm up. I remembered doing the same thing at his age. It made me happy.

This picture is here to provide proof to my kids' therapists that I did indeed do nice things for them for holidays. Happy heart day.

Wrestling. Evan wrestled around 50 matches this year. I sat through almost all of them. I loved it. He got his Varsity letter this year and the Most Improved Season Award. It was so much fun. The team was really close, and the parents all got to be great friends.

Meeting Jenette McCurdy, a.k.a. Sam on iCarly. She was in Nashville Jan-March recording an album and came to church with our ward. She is a Laurel (16-18 year old girls at church).

It was lots of fun to get to know her. She's super sweet and talented and the boys have big crushes.

Cake decorating. Allie made this beautiful cake. Of course, she added that to her list of things she loves to do. She's so creative and has such a great eye.

LaRee. My dearest friend LaRee came for my birthday in January again. I love, love, love her visits. We did tons of fun stuff. This is from the Nash Trash tour. We laughed so hard our stomachs hurt the next day. Of course, we do that anytime we're together, but this tour his hilarious.

Cheez Wiz and cracker snacks on the pink bus.

Photography class. This is a picture from Allie's photography class. It's pretty cool. She takes pictures constantly, of everything. Again, one more amazing talent for my girl.

This is that talented, beautiful girl I've been mentioning.

SPRING BREAK

We went to Gulf Shores again this year with Mom & Dad. We shared (squatted) in their beach house. Brandi & family stayed a short distance down from us. It was a beautiful week to be there. Weather cooperated much better this year. Darin fished and fished and fished. Evan got burnt. Sun poisoning and the med clinic. Lambert's for dinner. Drew loved catching the rolls.

Evan's deep hole. He's standing straight up inside of it.

Allie's sand sculptures.

Motley Crew.

This was the day they made forts out of umbrellas and played under the house in the cool sand.

Allie's ocean pictures.

I love to do puzzles with the kids. We usually put one out when snowed in, or on rainy days.

Darin has never helped put one together. Ever. He's usually just not home to do them. This is our 1,000 piece "Can you find it" puzzle. He was hilarious. It became an obsession. Just like everything else in his life. A mission - gotta get it done. I love that about him, I really do.

Glasses.

Last but not least, Nathan gets glasses. Poor kid had been having headaches for awhile. It finally clicked for me one day. Sure enough, he can't see squat. He looks darling in them. After a rough few first days, being accused of being a nerd, and every one paying tons of attention to them, I think he's getting used to them. I think he looks dashing, and loads smarter.

I know, I am biased.

Pasta Night

2010-01-14T15:40:00.005-06:00

Be jealous. This is what I did yesterday. I made pasta and lots of it. The Laurels (and Holly) came over and we made more pasta. We made fresh tomato and basil sauce - which is just tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic and salt - and we ate it. Yum.

We started with the dough.

Ran it through this awesome machine.

A few steps later, we had these beautiful noodles. Fresh pasta smells amazing.

We then ~~played with~~ ate the pasta.

Then we assembled the sauce to eat on the pasta.

Pretty girls, always makes dinner more fun.

Nathalie & Sammi with their beautiful creations.

Aside from having fun with the girls and eating yummy pasta, I loved the whole process. I felt very domestic and creative. That is a feeling I would like to feel more often.

Family Pictures

2010-01-13T05:48:00.008-06:00

This is officially a "2009" post, last one for the year. We had these pictures taken in October - Halloween to be exact. My sister, Brandi, and her family were here so we took the pictures as a Christmas present for my parents. Obviously, I couldn't post them before. I just love these pictures.

Both Families

Our family

Cutest picture - big and little boys

Very favorite. We did this in poster for Mom & Dad.

Mitch & Drew. I love these two pictures. If you've met them, you get it.

Only girls, poor girls.

The "middle" boys as we call them.

Aw. You'd think they love each other.

All the boys, there sure are a lot of them.

Ha, caught you smiling.

Thanks to Mandy Bradley for taking these great pictures. Maybe we'll all get together and do it again - in 5 years.

Drew's 6th Birthday

2010-01-02T11:41:00.004-06:00

Drew turned 6 on December 10th. What a miracle this little guy is to us. Weighing in at 2 lbs. 7 oz. at birth. He's now a healthy, energetic, charming little boy. He keeps our family on our toes and immersed in laughter (most days). He got a Razor RipRider for his birthday. Sad part of December birthdays - a little too chilly to play outside a bunch. We're hoping he masters it come spring.

Here he is with his Birthday present, wrapped in Christmas paper, sorry buddy.

And the Night Vision Goggles.

Easy to please, he requested Krispy Kreme as his classroom snack.

Okay, I can do that.

The Birthday Crown.

Sweet little friends. Our neighbor/classmate Amelia.

Happy Birthday Drew. We love you.

December & Christmas

2009-12-29T18:05:00.005-06:00

I love all things Christmas.

From the decorations, the shopping, the wrapping, the parties at school, stocking stuffers, delivering trays of goodies, muddy buddies, all the way to the unwrapping.

This post is loaded with pictures. Sorry. It's just so fun. I didn't even get all the pictures I wanted. Like the ones of the trays of goodies brought to us. Cookies can be so pretty.

Here is the reindeer Drew made at school. I adore it.

Decorations for the gingerbread houses.

Red, green and white makes me happy.

Candy makes my kids happy.

Gingerbread houses. Fun to make, especially with friends who feel like family.

I really love all things Santa. I mean really love.

Love my nativity set. But love even more the spiritual feeling I have for an entire month. I could honestly cry at any given moment during Christmas. I think it's because I'm so aware of the real meaning of Christmas, and all that it means for my family.

Um, yeah, love this tree. I talked Darin into a live one this year. I love it. I love the smell of pine all over my hands when I decorate it. I love the white lights. I love the matching ornaments. I love my other tree, the one with colored lights and kid ornaments that makes me feel melancholy.

I love giving gifts, and I love being surprised by them as well!

I got a lot of cool stuff, here are a few.

Silicone lids that fit any bowl. They really work.

I got the Pioneer Woman cookbook. To die for.

Here is a fun gift I found for Nathan - Dude Diary. It has all kinds of weird boy questions and stuff to write inside, equipped with a lock which is just cool.

Could have died when I saw this one, had to have it. Remember the post where Nathan had made a birthday list? You can read it here. Well a flipbook was on that list!

Evan & Allie got these cool sets. Remind you of anything?

Nathan & Drew got similar kits, Nathan's has faces stencils, which he draws all the time.

Drew's has animal stencils.

They all really love these.

You know your kids are growing up when they ask for shoes for Christmas.

Allie - scored in the jewelry and art category this year.

Nathan in his "mountain" of gifts. He's usually my hardest to buy for, but not this year.

I had a blast buying for this kid.

P.S. These aren't all from us, Grandma & Grandpa are the culprits.

Uh, gift for Drew, but a big family hit apparently.

Dad's hat on his head, new coat and hat, playdough hamburgers.

Aahhh... it's over now. Down come the decorations, gone is the Christmas music. We are left with board games scattered around the house, moon sand all over the floor, bodies in need of exercise (well, mine), and lots of love and family time enjoyed to last until next December when we start all over again.

November

2009-11-30T15:13:00.003-06:00

November always seems to sneak by too fast. I loved November this year. The weather was still amazing here, the leaves were beautiful, and best of all, Darin was HOME! It's been great to have our family together! Thanksgiving was so easy this year. Mom & Dad came to visit, no pressure, just food and fun. We went to see the Rockettes Christmas Show at the Grand Ole Opry Thanksgiving Day. It was just the event to put me in the Christmas spirit. We put up our tree Friday and I love it!! We have our sentimental, kid's tree upstairs and a live tree downstairs. I love the way it smells. Here are a few pictures. I need to carry my camera with me more often!

Evan wrestling - he's the guy on top!

He wrestles varsity, 189 weight class.

Drew's Thanksgiving Day program - it was incredible!

My little Pilgrim.

HALLOWEEN 2009

2009-11-02T06:34:00.004-06:00

Knepleys joined us for Halloween and fall fun this year! The kids loved being together. We spent Saturday morning enjoying the beauty of fall at Percy Warner park, followed by a great day of college football, baking and playing. We made sugar cookies and "eyeballs" on a fork for our Halloween party that night. Darin was in charge of face painting - transforming beautiful children into scary/funny looking characters for trick-or-treating.

Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of Halloween. Well, I'm not a fan of getting ready for Halloween, but I have to say, I really love the fun of costumes, creepy stuff, trick or treating, sorting candy, and all the other fantastic fun. We went to Newsome's for some food and friendship Saturday night. She went all out, with mad scientest decorations, ~~cabbages~~ brains in green water in glass jars, gooey eyeballs, and all manner of Halloween "horror".

Here are just a few pictures from the fun.

Nathan - I see a black and gold future.

Shannon, Me, Darin & Brandi (well, she's behind the camera.)

Mitch & his decorated caramel apple. That was so fun for the kids. They got to pick 3 gummy items out of a bucket without looking - eyes, mouths, brains. They turned out so cool.

Evan didn't trick or treat, just dressed up as an army guy - looked awesome - and scored some candy anyway.

Erin & Allie aka Zebra & Elf.

Vampire & Pirate. I love this age at Halloween!

Nathan & Ty were Purdue/Ohio State fans, keeping in the spirit of College football day.

Goodbye to the facepaint, spiders, witches and ghosts until next year!

Fine Motor Skills

2009-10-06T12:41:00.007-05:00

The letter H. It all seems innocent enough. However, armed with sharpie, a certain child of mine can make an H seem very bad.

It started with the letter H. He would write them in the dirt on the van, the fog on the window, and well, everywhere...

This was his first (well, technically second, as the first time washed out) artistic endeavor on our couch. Yes, our couch. Repeated HHHHH. They all ran together, sharing the crossbar, or whatever you want to call it.

This particular piece below is two fold in process. First step, paint hallway with paint roller from freshly painted bedroom. Second step, write several letters. I truly appreciate his efforts in marking through the letters, as if to hide them.

More recently, he's decided our new bedroom set seemed a little boring and needed decorative enhancement.

He's finally moved outdoors with his Sharpie. (I hear you all saying, "Why does she let him have the Sharpie?" As if I haven't tried hiding them!) This is the railing on the porch. Darin will be seeing this for the first time on this blog, sorry honey.

Apparently, he practiced on the glass table first.

But here it is, the crowning glory of his work. This is a professional picture taken by a professional photographer that lives next door. Unfortunately, it's taken from INSIDE her house looking out onto her porch. Yes, it's her front window.

werD.

In his parent teacher conference last week, Ms. Martin proudly described Drew's exceptional fine motor skills. No kidding.

The Weekend

2009-10-05T19:44:00.003-05:00

It wasn't anything special. Just a normal weekend here, but I guess normal is relative.

Friday night we went to the Ravenwood football game. It was "middle school band night" so Allie played her saxophone with the pep band. It definitely served its purpose, because she is really excited about marching band next year. Evan had to get up at 4:20 Saturday morning for a JROTC Raider team competition, so he opted out of the game in favor of sleep. Nathan stayed home with him and I took Drew to the game. We lasted through half time and he was done. He asked about 1,003 questions about the game, the goal posts, the players, the team, the field, which team we were "for", who is winning... you get the idea. I was exhausted by the end of the first quarter.

Saturday was a strange day. Allie spent the night with a friend, and Evan was gone (see above) all day. It was just me and the little boys. It was a glimpse into my not so distant future. I took the boys to see "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" at the children's theatre in Nashville. Love that place. Nathan really enjoyed the show, understood the story, had a great time, wants to read the book! Yay! The story was a bit over Drew's head, but he came away with two impressions:

1. It was cool when Huck Finn jumped off the balcony.

2. He saw Tom kiss Becky - ON THE LIPS!

Hmm... I will be rethinking the selection next time.

August and September

2009-10-03T19:26:00.009-05:00

I was told to update my blog. Apparently I'm boring some of my friends!

So here is the scoop for September.

Well, frankly, there's not much scoop.

We had about 14 or so straight days of rain, felt like 3 weeks! Drew just couldn't stay inside any longer. He was soaked, but had so much fun playing in the rain. It brought back some great memories of Brandi & I playing in the rain as kids.

First day of school pictures. Seriously late, I know. Here is the first day of school for Nathan, Allie and Evan. Drew started a few weeks later. I'm trying to find his pictures to post. They were taken with a different camera.

Nathan is in 4th grade this year. He is a great student and a hard worker. He recently started going to chess club once a week after school. He is also doing swim team this year. He swims twice a week and a meet once a month (or so). He loves it. I think he will be following in his father's triathlete shoes, only time will tell.

Allie is in 8th grade, so she's enjoying being the upper class in middle school. She still plays the saxophone in band, and is really excited to give marching band a try next year. She has great friends and a very active social life. She is still drawing, and coloring, and drawing and creating...

I can't believe Evan is in high school. He is absolutely loving it. He's doing a lot, but it's really good for him to stay busy. He is still playing trumpet in concert band. He is a member of JROTC, which is a blast for him. He plays football -defense, middle linebacker - on the freshman team. He started seminary this year, forcing a huge adjustment for mom - good morning 5 a.m.! He seems to like his classes, even though the workload is heavier than he's used to having!

We had a surprise party for Kathy Newsome's "#*th" birthday. By "we" I mean Gary thought of it, her friend Amy made all the plans, and I helped execute a small portion of it! It was so much fun to see her surprise, to know she felt loved. I took Nathan with me, here are a few pictures from the party.

The party was actually held on Nathan's birthday. Kathy, always willing to give the spotlight to others, had everyone sing Happy Birthday to Nathan. You can see the little grin on his face.

You can see the little lights in his pocket. After the party, he and Reed dug the lights out of the center pieces and put them to good use.

The party was at a beautiful home/party facility in Franklin. They had a lovely outdoor area where the party was held. Here are Nathan and I by the pond.

It's officially October, and I have a feeling it's going to be a great month!

Nathan's Party

2009-08-24T17:35:00.004-05:00

We had Nathan's party a week early since Darin was in town and could go, too.

We had a pool party at the YMCA, my favorite, low maintenance party for boys!

Pictures from the party:

He had a great day. As of Saturday, he will officially be in the double digits! 10 years old.

THE BIRTHDAY LIST

2009-08-01T21:16:00.002-05:00

Nathan's birthday is at the end of the month. I've started asking him to think about what he wants. I find it hard to buy gifts for him. Here is the list he made tonight, translation follows:

He color coded it for me!

Orange - Please get it

Blue - It's okay if you don't get it

Purple -You have to get it

Orange

Two baseballs

A lego set

A homemade flip book (not sure what he means!)

Blue

A star wars ship

A skateboard

Four pikse Stix (pixie)

A D.S. i

Purple

Air Hogs Plane

A football

A football cake

A sprise presint

No pressure.

Evan's 15th birthday

2009-07-28T09:11:00.005-05:00

Evan's birthday, July 14th.

Is it possible I've had this great kid in my life 15 years?

He was at scout camp for his birthday. He had a cake (thanks Matt!) and they sang to him in front of everyone.

Darin was home the weekend after and we had a family celebration.

Here are the pics:

Blocking my picture!

Allie's attempt at a birthday hug :)

Checking out his new Fossil watch.

What Evan is like at 15:

He is an avid reader.

Loves playing sports.

Has a GREAT sense of humor.

He loves history and the military.

Watches History channel, Sci-Fi and Discovery.

He's really big! Tall and handsome.

He's nice to other people, though quiet at first.

He likes to talk to adults.

We love him more than words can say.

Allie's birthday

2009-07-09T16:51:00.005-05:00

Allie's birthday. We were in Indiana with family the week before her birthday, so we had a little party for her.

13.

I really can't believe she's 13, but then again, I really can.

She's turned into this beautiful teenager this past year.

Allie, she is:

kind,

thoughtful,

helpful,

funny,

artistic,

easy to be around,

nurturing,

and the list goes on...

I love her more than words can say.

She's a gem.

Katie & Allie with her cake.

Girls' Camp 2009

2009-07-05T16:21:00.004-05:00

Allie & I just got back from Girls' Camp! (for church)

It was 4 days/3 nights at a great camp on our own Percy Priest Lake not far from here. The weather was magnificent - hot but not unbearable. The food was delicious thanks to our camp chef - my friend Leigh! And the girls were SO much fun!! I'm still tired.

Everyday was something fun for them. Crafts (scrapbook and yarn angels), canoeing, zip line, swimming, and boat day where they tubed/wakeboarded/or whatever for about an hour per group. We had flag ceremony each morning and evening. Oh, and did I mention the singing and dancing, skits and campfires?

Here are some pictures from the week...

The mess hall - known as the cafe- where we had our meals together.

Food for about 200 - crazy huh? It was sooo yummy.

Allie & Hannah, gettin' ready for some zzzz's.

Our cabin was the Cosmo's. I wish I had taken a picture of the whole cabin as we decorated it. Michele, the other cabin mom, is super creative. She made matching black and white sheets trimmed in ribbon for all the beds. She embroidered the girls' names on pillow cases. She cute up noodles to make the flowers you see here to hang from the ceiling. She made a canvas sign trimmed with the same ribbon to hang outside, Holly Anway painted our cabin name on it. The crowning finish was the matching wrap towels with their initials embroidered on them. The girls' loved it all, and so did I!!

Sierra and Allie before dinner.

Love this picture, except we are missing Hannah Randall! Aren't they the best looking girls ever??

Pictures from Allie

2009-06-21T19:29:00.004-05:00

I plugged Allie's camera into the computer to grab a few pics, and look what I found! She took some pretty awesome pictures on our trip. In no particular order:

Maggie & Drew with his panda in the back seat on the way home from the zoo. Allie made him his little hat that he insisted on wearing even though it was sweltering hot that day. (He didn't wear into the zoo.) He has a great little black and white theme going, and some beautiful blue eyes if I may say so myself.

She took this from inside the bean in Chicago. What can I say? This is a cool picture.

Super cool shot of a jelly fish at the Shedd Aquarium.

Architectural shot, intentional or not?

I think the girl as an eye.

A Boy and his Dog

2009-06-17T07:47:00.002-05:00

Mornings are the best. The peace and quiet. Riley patiently waits with me until she hears the footsteps upstairs and then greets the kids on the stairs. It's her favorite place. We sit down, and she gets behind us to give us doggy hugs. We love Riley!

This is Drew's favorite part, the kiss.

Doggie hugs.

Chicago 2009

2009-06-15T08:44:00.003-05:00

Chicago! First trip of the summer. Dottie & I took Evan, Allie & Nathan to Chicago for a fast and furious first time to the big city for the kids. It was packed with everything we could possibly fit into 3 days! Here it is, our trip in pictures:

First stop in Indiana at the Fair Oaks Dairy Farm. It's not about an hour or so from Chicago, so it's a perfect stop for lunch. We took the dairy tour. I have to say how impressed I was by the whole operation. They have about 30,000 dairy cows. It was actually quite pristine for a farm, smelly of course, but clean. It's a fascinating process. You can read about it at their website, Fair Oaks Farm. They have a little hands-on center and bus tour where they tell you everything. They have a birthing barn, where we got to see a calf be born. It was absolutely amazing!

Allie & Nathan practicing their milking skills:

Dottie, determined to beat the maze.

It really was a dairy good time.

We had a delicious lunch, grilled cheese of course, with their homemade cheese. Yummy ice cream was our dessert. We also watched them packaging their cheeses while we ate. Highly recommended for all our Indiana friends!

Then it was on to Chicago.

We walked around the night we got there, ate dinner at Gino's pizza, yum, and took in the city at night. Early the next morning we went to the museum of Science and Industry. The real purpose of the trip was to see the Harry Potter exhibit there. It was just fantastic. It was mostly all the movie props, costumes and scenery. So much fun for us huge Harry Potter fans. I think we will be having a Harry Potter marathon movie watch, just in time for the next Harry Potter movie in July!

Cool moment for Nathan - he got to sit on the stool to be "sorted" by the sorting hat. He was so thankful he was put in Gryffindor!!!

Here are some pictures from the museum, no pictures aloud in the exhibit itself :(

Nathan by the anchor of the U505 submarine.

The "mini" Chicago skyline.

The Shedd Aquarium.

The Art Institute.

Outside the Shedd, best shot of the skyline!

Walking back from the Art Institute: Giant American Gothic.

Millenium Park "Bean". This is just the coolest place!

This is just a snapshot of the week. I'll post an entire album later!

Hula Hoops and Graduation

2009-05-24T21:07:00.006-05:00

The school year is finally done! I can't wait to enjoy the summer, the heat, the long days, no early morning alarm clock (well, at least for some of the summer). We are so excited to start our summer vacation with a bang. Chicago & D.C. - check back for pictures soon!

It was a milestone year at the Long house. Evan graduated 8th grade and will be starting high school next year, and Drew finished Pre-K and will be entering Kdg. next fall. It's hard to believe how fast it flies by. I know it is cliche, but it is so very true. I remember vividly sending Evan to kdg. Here are some pictures and a video from our last few days of school. I apologize in advance for the sideways video taping of the hula hoop. I forgot, again.

Evan and Darin at graduation

Drew blowing bubbles

Drew & punching ball

Drew & the Hula Hoop

Straight A's

2009-05-09T15:11:00.002-05:00

Scene: In the van, coming home from Evan's baseball game.

Characters: Me (driving obviously), Evan, his friend Adam and Drew.

Evan & Adam were talking about school, and said that anyone could get straight A's if they really tried.

Drew asked Adam, "Have you ever gotten crooked A's?"

Laughter, loud laughter.

Orlando/NAPO Conference

2009-05-05T17:38:00.004-05:00

There is so much to say here, where to begin?

At the beginning?

I am the proud owner/founder of the company:

It was a decision I came to after pondering long and hard about the next phase of my life (the one where I don't have children home all day). After much research I decided to open my own business, and become a professional organizer. Never heard of it? Well, all your questions can be answered at the NAPO website.

(National Association of Professional Organizers.)

I started this journey last fall, and started officially working (slowly growing) in February of this year. I have big dreams for this business of mine.

Last week I attended the NAPO Annual Conference. I came away feeling motivated, challenged, and overwhelmed by the amount of information I took away. I met some AMAZING women who share similar dreams for their lives. I had so much fun learning, but mostly from meeting such outstanding individuals.

I've posted some of the pictures from my trip.

And if you feel you need some help organizing any aspect of your life, you know who to call.

Yes, that is an arrow balloon on my head. We ate dinner the last night at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville at Universal Studios City Walk. I couldn't resist the indecision picture.

Here is the group: Diane, Elizabeth, (crazy restaurant singer guy), Stacey, Meulitta and Debbie. All these gals are from the Seattle area. I hooked up with them on the first day of training. They were so much fun!

This is my new friend from Montana, Kelly. We hit it off right away and have very similar personalities. We shared many, many good laughs.

This is Michelle, from Park City (via Michigan). Such a great person, so fun and nice - thanks again for the ride to the airport!

Legoland. This really made me miss my kids, as we were just here as a family a year or so ago. I missed them so much, it's good to be back home.

I was reminded of a very valuable lesson while I was gone. You just can't get through life alone. I could never have gone if it hadn't been for Kristen taking such great care of my kids! No words can express thanks enough for it. My Mom & Dad, always there for me! And I learned it translates over professionally as well. NAPO is full of great people, there to support and encourage everyone in the profession. It was a very valuable experience!

Just for LaRee (stolen from Calli)

2009-05-04T20:32:00.003-05:00

Spring Break

2009-04-12T19:50:00.006-05:00

We went to Gulf Shores, Alabama with my Mom & Dad for Spring Break this year. Brandi and her family, along with the Stout family were in another house a mile down the beach from us. It could have been hotter and sunnier, but we still had a great time. Darin renewed his love for fishing while the boys skim boarded and boogie boarded. Evan dug another giant sand hole (see ironman post for previous hole!). Allie & Erin were attached at the hip. It was a relaxing week, and I was sad to see it end, even though it's always nice to be home. Here are some "highlight" pictures of the trip.

Allie, Erin K., Evan, Tyler K. and Nolan Stout

Drew and Mitch racin' go carts.

Allie & Erin throwing Drew into the waves.

Nathan and his skim board.

Evan and the skim board.

Drew working up some courage.

Best friends, Allie & Erin

Getting away from the howling wind in the giant sand hole!

One seriously cool dude.

Jedi Master

2009-03-19T15:20:00.004-05:00

Darin put the little boys to bed last night, so when I went in this morning to wake them up, I was surprised to see Drew sleeping in his Jedi robe. To say this kid is obsessed with Star Wars is an understatement! So I said to Drew, "Wake up Jedi Master." Rolling over and looking at me like "Oh please" he said, "Mom, I'm just a plain kid in a robe." I thought to myself - Drew, you are many things, but a plain kid isn't one of them!

Cardinal Pride Award

2009-03-11T11:59:00.003-05:00

We're so proud of Nathan.

He received the Cardinal Pride Award at school assembly today. It means he goes above and beyond what is expected. It was a surprise for him, so it was fun to see his reaction.

Baseball and Band

2009-03-07T10:32:00.005-06:00

I have finally transitioned to new computers, so I can blog more consistently now. Phew. I'm so excited about our new Mac. It's the most amazing computer. I can't believe how much easier it is to do everything from blogging to scheduling the family calendar! I should have done this years ago!

March is going to be a great month. Baseball begins, spring is coming, I can feel it. I have my dearest friend LaRee and her family coming to visit, and then spring break is right around the corner. Nathan is playing flag football, which is turning out to be a great experience for him, he loves it. I will tape a game (I promise, Mom!) Here are the pictures/videos I have so far. The first are pictures of Drew at his first ever baseball evaluations. He did a great job, hit the ball hard on his first try. What he is lacking in skill, he absolutely makes up for in enthusiasm. He's been counting down the days since last weekend.

Here is a few video clip of Evan's band performance. It's not a competition, but they are graded. His band received a I in sight reading - superior, the highest score, and a II on stage - excellent. It was a fun day.

Just an update

2009-02-22T18:05:00.002-06:00

No pictures. Sorry. We are in the process of switching computers and I don't have any pictures on my laptop yet. Yes, you heard me right, laptop. Love it.

So this is what we've been up to:

Darin - working hard.

Christine - busy with church stuff, kid stuff, and business stuff.

Evan - wrestling and football, band concert, scout cave trip, and watching the History Channel.

Allie - looking cute in her new dress, hanging out with friends, helping Mom.

Nathan - playing flag football, playing with his friends, working hard in school.

Drew - playing with Star Wars Legos, playing with Star Wars Legos, playing with... well, you get the idea.

We all have spring fever. It's time for warm weather, open windows, late nights of playing, and tired out kids.

The Month We Missed

2009-02-12T12:07:00.009-06:00

I've been neglectful, I'm sorry. My mind and body are completely occupied by various other big projects going on right now. However, if I get behind, it's too hard to catch up, so I'm going to be a dedicated blogger.

Here are all the things we've done so far in January/February.

Allie's Valentine's dance (with friends, no date!!!) dress:

This is a bit unsettling to me, she's getting very grown up!

Evan's Sunday nap:

A little bonding for Drew & Riley:
It has always amazed me how long a five year old can play with a bowl of flour and a measuring cup. Drew was the star student (which means he was very cooperative and helpful and kind, big deal for Drew!) at school and got to bring home "Buddy Bear" for the weekend. He was so excited! We played lots and lots of games of Sorry (or "thank you" as Drew calls it). I had a birthday. This is the cake Darin got me, he always makes sure my birthdays are special. He's the best.

Nathan had his 3rd grade program. He auditioned and got a speaking part. He was the happiest guy on the stage.

December

2009-01-27T12:09:00.004-06:00

Christmas came and went, no post from the Longs. Sorry.
Christmas was great for our family this year. We felt so much love from our friends, family and ward family. I am so thankful to the Lord for the people He has chosen to place in our lives. It was one of the most special Christmas' I have personally experienced and will always be one of my favorites.

Here are a few pictures from Christmas morning at our house.

We drove to Indiana later that day to be with family for the week. It was great to see everyone, it has been too long. The kids missed their cousins, grandparents, and dear friends who live there.

Crazy Dog

2008-12-15T18:24:00.006-06:00

I have to say, I just love having a dog. It took me awhile to really warm up to the idea. It wasn't "my timing", so it wasn't an immediate attachment. She has won my heart. I watch her with the kids, I see her loving, accepting eyes looking at me, and it just makes me feel such joy. Here is a picture and some videos. She's slightly afraid of just about everything until she understands it. One of her dislikes is the camera. It makes scary sounds and flashes light. Scary stuff. That is what she is barking at in the video, just me and the camera. The other videos were shot by Nathan while he was playing with her.

P.S. You will have to scroll down and pause the blog music to hear the audio on the videos :)

Turkey Bowl 2008

2008-12-14T20:20:00.002-06:00

The guys played football Thanksgiving morning. Here is a slideshow of the pictures. It looks like they had a great time! I can't believe there were no serious injuries, these guys are crazy.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2008-12-11T19:04:00.002-06:00

First snow of the year...SOOOO exciting! The kids ran for the sled, Darin got the boots down (haven't needed those for awhile!) and off they went. It's snowball fights and sledding for us. It hasn't snowed this much since we've lived in Nashville, this is a real treat. Looks like no school for us tomorrow!

Thankful for...

2008-11-27T20:12:00.003-06:00

Well, I can't let Thanksgiving go by without posting what I am thankful for! It's just hard to think of a way to condense it, post it, prioritize it, etc.
I think I'll just have a little stream of conciousness so forgive me if it is hard to follow.

I'm so thankful. I'm thankful for all the temporal/worldly blessings I enjoy in this life. On a light note, I'm thankful for sports and recreation, movies, books and such that bring us relaxation and entertainment. My house, my van, the food in my fridge, for the comforts of abundance we have in our country. I'm thankful for this country, for the men who formed its constitution and led us to independence, for the men and women who defend it in all of our armed forces. I'm thankful for the religious freedom we enjoy, the ability to worship God in the way I believe is right and true. I'm incredibly thankful for my health, my family, immediate and extended, for all they have taught me continue to teach me. I love my husband and kids, and am thankful the Lord trusts me with these relationships. I am thankful for the amazing friends who have come into my life over the past several years. I can't imagine how I could get through this life without amazing women who are set such an example to me - how to be a great mom, courageous, strong, humble and reverent, loving, kind and thoughtful. I treasure them all.

I could go on, and on, and on. It's always surprising to me to stop and think about the things that matter most. I have them in my life. I have been blessed beyond measure, and I thank God for it all.

I hope you all have the happiest of Thanksgivings.

Christmas

2008-11-25T21:04:00.002-06:00

I have a strict rule about Christmas. No tree, music, decorations, etc. until AFTER Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving so much, I feel like it gets pushed aside for Christmas every year.

That being said, I LOVE CHRISTMAS. I couldn't wait to change my blog for the holidays. My favorite (secular) part of Christmas is the music. I LOVE Christmas music. I especially love the classic songs. So enjoy my new holiday playlist. I hope it puts you in the mood to celebrate the holidays, spend time with family and friends, spend time thinking of others, and just generally having a superb holiday season!

TWILIGHT Premiere

2008-11-23T20:00:00.003-06:00

Thursday night at 10:00, Allie & I and about 600 screaming girls saw the premiere of the long awaited Twilight movie. I have to say it was just a great time! I love the faithful following of the Twilight fans. It was cool to be a part of it all. I thought it was fabulous. Honestly, I had low expectations as I always do for "book made movie" movies. I thought they did a great job, staying true to the story. They left out some parts as I expected. (Like Charlie & Bella's relationship.) But all in all, I loved it. I'm anxiously awaiting movie #2...maybe I'll have time to reread the series between now and then. In the meantime - GO TEAM EDWARD!

Here are some pictures from the night...

Here are Allie & some of her friends helping sort food for Second Harvest, the movie admission included a canned food drive.

For those of you who don't know her, this is my crazy friend Stacey posing with Edward, I stole this from her camera!

More can sorting...

Sammy and her bloody lips...

Allyson & I waiting in line...

Ironman finish

2008-11-14T19:20:00.005-06:00

Well, my deepest apologies to all those that were left hanging...
That night was so crazy and I just really didn't have anything left to finish posting. Since then, life has been, well, interesting.

We are settling back into our lives and I'm going to finish posting some pictures from the Ironman. I cannot express to you the love and admiration I have for Darin and the way he finished this race. He shaved 3 hours off of his time from last year. He was amazing. He had every reason to do poorly or not even do this race, but he has such a tremendous ability to see things through, to finish. It's a great example to me of how to face life's challenges with a positive attitude. I love you Darin!
(You can turn music off/on by clicking on left hand bottom corner speaker :)

The Bike/The Run

2008-11-01T18:24:00.002-05:00

So, it seems like last year I had more time to post between events. The reason for that is that I did! Darin is rockin' it this year! So his swim time was 1 hour, 24 minutes. His goal was 1 1/2 hours. Check.
His bike was 6 hours and 1 minute. His goal was 6 hours. Check (close enough). By the way, he shaved 1 hour and 47 minutes of his bike time from last year! AMAZING.
His run goal? I can't remember! All I know is that he ran a 2 hour and 22 minute first 1/2 of the marathon. He just finished the 3rd leg (6.55 miles) of the run in 1 hour and 21 minutes. He's slowing down a bit, but still doing great. He should be done in about 1 1/2 hours. He is definitely doing much better this year.
We are all so proud of him.

For you tri girls following Kim, she is doing a really consistent job, plugging along.
Her swim time was 1 hour 23 minutes. her bike was 7 hours 14 minutes. Both of these times are within 2 minutes of her times last year. Her running pace last year for the first half of the run was 12:35/minute and this year so far it is 12:58/minute. So she is doing great as well.

We're getting ready to go down to see Chris Duncan finish. Then soon after that we'll see Darin come in probably right along side Steve. They are together right now. We will post the final times later!

THE SWIM

2008-11-01T08:54:00.006-05:00

Okay, so all of "my people" are on their bikes, pedaling away on their bikes into a fairly strong headwind. It made me cold just to watch all the swimmers shivering out of the water. Here are some pictures from this morning, and a video from the transition, it's insane. Just wanted you to get a feel for the excitement.

Darin at the swim to bike transition:

Kim at the swim to bike:

Steve, Kim, Chris, Blake & Darin before the race:

Kim getting ready to go before the race:

Darin & I before the race:

Crazy transitioning:

IRONMAN - Take Two

2008-10-30T13:12:00.005-05:00

Okay, so we arrived in chilly, sunny Florida yesterday afternoon. It was exciting pulling into town, seeing everyone out on their bikes and running. We got to relax last night and most of today. it's been perfect weather, chilly in am, warm in pm.

Darin swam this morning and is out on his bike right now. So, I'll show you what we are up to been up to during the lazy days leading up to the race. (Mostly we've just been at the beach and pool.) Evan and Nathan got haircuts (finally). Darin is napping as I type, before the banquet for the athletes tonight. Evan dug the deepest hole I've ever seen dug with two bare hands. He started around 9:00 this morning, didn't even come in for lunch. When I went back down, he was in the hole, which was well above his waist. Crazy. The kid can focus when he wants to! Nathan caught some hermit crabs, brought them to the room and decided to release them. Okay, I did do some small amount of encouraging, reminding him that they would need to eat, and they would miss their friends. He relented willingly at the thought of hungry, lonely, dead hermit crabs in a water bottle.

I have done several Sudoku puzzles, read a few chapters of a book, took a walk on the beach, and just generally relaxed, mulling over the things of life that weigh heavily on my mind right now. I walked down to the Ironman start line and gazed out at the final buoy, so very far away. I'm amazed that anyone in their right mind would willingly swim that far, on purpose.

I'm getting so excited about the race.

Two Wheeler

2008-10-28T14:14:00.006-05:00

Here is a video of crazy Drew showing off his new skills. He got on our neighbor Sophia's bike and just started riding. Unreal. He's really good at it, too. The greatest part is the turquoise and purple bike with the baby seat on the back. The bike he has is a little too big without training wheels, he can't stop on it well enough yet. He keeps reminding me - "I'm not a girl!". I'm proud of myself for remembering NOT to turn the camera sideways!

IRONMAN - here we go again!

2008-10-25T07:31:00.002-05:00

I don't know why, but I woke up today SOOOOO excited about the Ironman! We leave on Wednesday and the race is 1 week from today. I've had dreams about it already, I've felt anxious, excited and nervous, and I'm not even racing! Ha. Imagine how Darin feels. He's so ready. Here is a little motivational clip to get your own adrenaline pumping!

Two of a Kind

2008-10-24T16:03:00.003-05:00

As I was uploading my pictures to Snapfish today, I realized how behind I had gotten on posting some pretty great pictures. So, here are some pictures of Drew and his little friend (neighbor) Amelia. They are truly so much alike. They are cute, the two of them, trotting around the neighborhood together. A few of these are just so darling.

My personal favorite:

Notice the cleats. He wears them all the time.

I'd like to know what they are plotting. I know they are plotting something!

Sick (and tired)

2008-10-23T19:30:00.002-05:00

Okay, so this is one of the rare posts that I'm going to allow myself to whine a bit. This week has been such a pain, literally and figuratively. The elementary school Harvest Festival is this weekend. As a room mother for 2 rooms (don't ask), I have to organize 2 auction baskets and seek volunteers to man 2 games from 9-3. Sounds easy enough. It would be if I hadn't come down with some wierd virus Monday. Literally knocked me out. I've had a terrible sore throat - severe - it's not strep! Chest congestion, etc. You get the idea. Well, everyday after I get the kids to school, I've gone back to sleep. I'm in bed by 7:30 (or at least wish I were). Finally, today, I've felt a bit better. Funny thing though, I've lost my voice completely. So here is a funny visual I'd like to leave you with this evening...

My kids are running around like little animals (mostly just Drew), arguing (just a little) and basically needing direction from a parent. Now envision me madly snapping my fingers, clapping my hands, pointing and making meaningful faces, all to be ignored. Well, there you go. If I survive this week, it will be amazing.

A very silent good night to all!

Newest Family Member

2008-10-18T14:23:00.004-05:00

I would like to introduce you to Riley. She's the sweetest chocolate lab! She came to live with us a few weeks ago and it's been such a blast. She is 5 months old now and is actually well behaved. You've all heard the lab puppy horror stories. None here yet. She chews her toys like crazy, but leaves all else alone. She does try for the occasional stuffed animal that doesn't belong to her, but no victims yet. Most importantly, she and Drew get along like best pals. It's so sweet. Here are a few of the pictures...

The Suite Life of Reed & Nathan

2008-10-16T08:18:00.004-05:00

Nathan's birthday party was such a blast! Kathy & I took the boys and 2 friends each to the Embassy Suites hotel. (For those of you who have never heard of Disney Channel...this is from the Suite Life of Zach & Cody.) I must give credit where credit is due - it was all Kathy's idea. The boys had pizza, swam, rented a movie and just had a fabulous time. They had their "own room", connecting to ours, of course. They ate breakfast at the buffet the next morning, with eyes much bigger than their stomachs!

Peaceful Day

2008-10-02T18:04:00.002-05:00

It is so beautiful here today, 69 degrees this evening. Usually our cul de sac is bursting with boys playing outside, but for some reason tonight, no one is home. It's so quiet. Nathan was filling a bag with snacks. I said, "What are you doing?" He replied, "I'm going to sit outside and enjoy the peaceful day." What a great idea, I think I'll join him.

Kids say the darndest things...

2008-09-26T16:08:00.003-05:00

Nathan, talking about studying tall tales at school:
"Mom, we have the book! You know, the one about Tacos Bill?"

Wait for it...have you gotten it yet? Took me a minute...

Pecos Bill

My Mom

2008-09-23T15:37:00.005-05:00

On September 5th, I went to Indiana to celebrate my Mom's 60th birthday. I know we'll celebrate many more, longevity runs in her family! It was a little bittersweet, since the first few hours of my being there were in the hospital visiting my dad. Mom & I went back to her house where we met Brandi (my sister) and Mitchell (my nephew. We had a "mini party" for Mom, cake, slumber party and all. The next day the three of us visited Dad during the day then went to lunch and endulged in some much needed retail therapy. It was such fun. Here are some pictures from the "mini party".

Poor Brandi tried so hard to make it perfect, and dropped the cake. Actually, you could barely tell and it was fabulous.

I love this picture of Mom because I caught her laughing.

Licking the candles like a little girl.

Happy 60th birthday Mom. I love you!

Future Aspirations

2008-09-18T11:37:00.002-05:00

Nathan woke up the other day and made the following announcement:

"When I grow up I want to be a putt-putt architect."

We're looking into architect colleges.

Preschool

2008-09-18T10:33:00.003-05:00

Drew had his first day of Pre-K on September 4th. It's at the elementary school where he will go to Kindergarten next year, so it will be great for him to be there. This is his second full week and it has been a little hard for him. It's a longer day than he is used to and he really likes to just be at home. He gets to eat lunch at school which is fun for him. He is mad that I won't let him buy from the cafeteria, so I met him halfway and will buy him chocolate milk everyday. He has only lost a cookie from his cookie jar twice so far. He has brought home a few pockets full of toys he lifted, those had to be returned. Here are the sweet little pictures of him in his backpack. You can tell he finally got sick of having his picture taken in the last picture!

How Well Do I Know My Husband?

2008-09-14T16:49:00.004-05:00

Saw this on Tara's blog, thought I'd give it a try! I'll see if Darin agrees with me later.

1. They are watching TV...What are they watching?
-Football, but rarely watches TV
2. You are out to eat. what kind of dressing do they get on their salad?
-Ranch
3.Whats one food this person doesn't like?
- Can't think of much he wouldn't eat! Not a big sandwich fan.
4. You go out to eat. What drink does he order?
-Lemonade
5 .Where did he go to high school?
-Northview High School
6.What size shoe do they wear?
10.5
7. If this person were to collect anything, it would be-
Deer Antlers
8.What is their favorite type of sandwich
Please see #3
9. This person could eat _________ everyday.
chips and salsa
10.Favorite cereal?
Does it have sugar? He likes it. Lucky Charms?
11. This person wouldn't be caught dead wearing-
There are a lot of things he wouldn't wear.
12 Favorite sports team?
Purdue Boilermakers
13.Who will he/she vote for?
McCain
14.What is their sign?
Libra
15.What is something you do that he wishes you didn't?
Watch TV at night.
16.How many states has this person lived in?
8-Indiana, Tennessee (3 seperate times), Idaho, Montana, Michigan, Massachusetts, Virginia, West Virginia
.17.What is his heritage?
Not sure, Probably Native American.
18.What kind of cake would you bake them for their birthday?
Robert Redford cake (it's a pudding cake concoction he loves)
19.What did he drive in high school/college
a jeep cherokee
20.This person could spend hours?
-working out (he does that) or hunting

Staples

2008-09-13T08:19:00.004-05:00

I got a call from Nathan's principle on Wednesday at about 2:00. He had fallen on the playground and hit his head, resulting in a very bloody, but not bad, head wound. Heads bleed profusely! He was covered in blood. What a trooper. He didn't cry until he saw me. 1 1/2 hours and 3 staples later, he was feeling fine. Here are the pictures. Sorry, I have to share them. The most ironic part of the entire ordeal? Nathan had on his "lucky" t-shirt. Remember it from here?

Blog Slacker

2008-09-12T14:06:00.004-05:00

What a crazy, wonderful life we have. Lots going on in our neck of the woods. I'll update the events of the last month to get us up to date. Then I promise I won't be a blog slacker again. (I almost beat you Diane).

July - finished with a bang.
Sad news for July: Darin's dad, Paul Michael (Mike) Long died. He had lung cancer that was being treated, but died of a heart attack. It was actually very sudden, but not terribly surprising. Darin went to Indiana for the week to coordinate the arrangements and take care of his belongings. It was a difficult week for him. I'm sure as time goes on, Darin will feel the loss in many ways.

Good news for July:
Evan finished his summer fun with an amazing High Adventure trip with his boy scout troop. (Darin was supposed to go on this trip, too, but missed it to be Indiana.)
He had a fabulous time hiking for 3 days - apparently in a lot of rain, camping and ended with a great white water rafting trip on the Ocoee River. Let's not forget the dinner at Outback Steakhouse compliments of his fabulous scoutmaster - Geoff Lifferth! He raved over the steak! He came back in one piece, more experienced, and very, very dirty. We're so grateful he had this opportunity.

July quickly turned into August, which marks the beginning of school for the kids. Ugh. Usually I'm much more ready for them to return. I wasn't quite there this year. I could have used a few more weeks. Don't get me wrong - glad to have a routine back, just wish we could have had more family time.

I made a quick trip to West Virginia to visit friends (thanks Jen for giving me a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and fabulous entertainment.) Other than visiting with people I love and miss, the highlight was my trip to Mt. Vernon. So much so, that I will be making a seperate post on the whole event.

The same week the kids started school, my dad had a triple bypass. The surgery went well, but we ran into some serious complications afterward. He was diagnosed with ARDS. You can read about it here ARDS. It was a very scary 3 weeks we spent wondering if he would survive. He was ventilated, put into a coma, and placed in this crazy bed.

I didn't actually see him in it, but saw pictures. It's scary, horrifying and miraculous all at the same time. I have to say, it probably saved his life. Apparently the point is to help do what his lungs could not, oxygenate his blood. He was in the hospital 30 days, released to a rehab hospital yesterday. He has to undergo A LOT of physical, occupational, respiratory and speech therapy.

Through the entire ordeal, I must say, I found great peace in knowing that the Lord is in control of all things. I was worried, and scared, and all the other stuff that happens in these kinds of situations. I'm just glad I could find peace. I pray the peace continues for me, but also for my mom and dad. It's going to be a long recovery and I'm sure this will be a long road for them. They will need continued support - which they have received from loving friends.

I have some great pictures to post on other subjects, but I'm tired just reliving the events over the past month. I promise to post more soon...

July Update

2008-07-22T15:19:00.008-05:00

I CANNOT believe we are more than halfway through July! My kids start school in 2 1/2weeks. I'm not ready this year, not at all! Here are some highlights from the month for us...

Fourth of July

We had such a nice 4th this year. We didn't do much, but had an amazing view for the fireworks. We watched them from the 10th floor balcony of the ALMOST FINISHED Nissan building! Yippee, it's almost over! So it was just our family, and it was quiet, front row parking, and no crowd. It meets all of Darin's requirements, hee hee. Allie and I got decked out in red, white and blue, even though no one but us could appreciate it.

Friends
The Patience family from Virginia came to Nashville for a visit. It was sooo fun to see them and how much their kids have grown. The kids had a great time playing. I don't have any pictures of Genia on here, but she was here, too! We had dinner at Rainforest Cafe, spent the day at Nashville Shores water park, and had a great dinner at the FABULOUS local BBQ joint - Martin's BBQ and Auto Repair. No, I'm not kidding, that's the name. It's a must for all of our company.

Here is the video of the music city racers:

Cynthia and Michaelyn had a nice nap in the "shade".

Mike, Graydon and Michaelyn

Allie

Bentley crossing the lily pads

Nathan and Veika

Trip to Indiana Evan went to EFY in Bowling Green, KY for a week. We drove him up ON HIS FOURTEENTH BIRTHDAY :), dropped him off, and headed to Indiana for 5 days. We played with cousins, swam and had a great time. It went really fast. We brought Erin back with us to visit until her parents head south on their way to Florida. Evan left Monday morning to go on a high adventure trip for Boy Scouts. They are doing a 30 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail, and white water rafting the Ocoee River on Friday. Indiana - sewing lessons, dart guns and fudgesicles.

Mitchell

Splash Into Science

2008-07-12T15:06:00.004-05:00

The absolute highlight of Allie's summer has to be the trip to the Florida Keys. She went with a group of kids from school and her home room teacher, Ms. Hughes, from last school year. The trip was loaded full of amazing activities...airboat ride through the Everglades, hiking trail through Everglades National Forest (lots of gators seen here!), snorkeling, sea turtle hospital, dissecting a squid (then tasting some cooked, ew), and the highlight by far - SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS. We're so thrilled that she had this opportunity, she loved it! Here are some pictures from the big event.

(Sorry, these pictures are out of order.)
These first two pictures are the sea turtles.

These are of Allie and her friends at the airport the day they left.

Here is Allie with her new dolphin friends, Bella and Fiji.

My personal favorite (it's so Allie) - giving her dolphins a smooch goodbye.

The Frist

2008-07-09T11:17:00.003-05:00

Nanette & I took Allie & Maddy to see an exhibit at the Frist in June. It was fun to get dressed up and have a girl's day. We had lunch at the museum, walked through the exhibit which was very nice - I love the impressionists. We went up to the kids center where the girls painted their own impressionistic painting and made relief prints.

RC Cola & Moon Pies

2008-07-06T17:09:00.004-05:00

On June 21st, we attended the 14th Annual RC Cola and Moon Pie festival in Bell Buckle, TN. Yes, you read that right! It was just your basic small town festival celebrating the south. The kids had a great time. Drew exclaimed at the end of the day..."This was the best, best day!"

One of the highlights for the little boys was the balloon guy. He taught Nathan how to make a dog. Drew tried, but never quite got the hang of it. We came home with a black poodle, a white poodle and a long green straight balloon.

Cubstronaut

2008-07-06T17:07:00.002-05:00

The second week of summer was Nathan's Cub Scout Day camp. The theme was space. He had so much fun, working and playing hard. It was a really hot week - in the 90's everyday. I am so thankful for the awesome, hard-working volunteers that taught the boys all week. I have these great pictures of him in a NASA outfit, but can't scan them in due to technical difficulties. I will come back and add them later. I do have pictures from the "space ship race". They built space ships on pallets and raced them at the end of the week. They had to race them down the parking lot, jump out, plant a flag, hit a golf ball, get back in and hit the finish line. Nathan's den won "Best Design", and it was well deserved! No detail was left undone!

Preschool Picnic

2008-07-06T16:56:00.003-05:00

Drew's preschool had an end of the year picnic at Cane Ridge Park. It was fun for all the kids to play together while the mom's reminisced about the year.

Indiana Cousins

2008-07-06T16:44:00.004-05:00

So...It's been FOREVER since I posted considering all that we have done this summer. I have to say, it has been a really fun summer this year. Compared to last year (moving) I guess it's not hard to beat!

I'm going to post several different posts for the sake of keeping things organized. It may take awhile to catch up!

Here are some of the pictures from our Indiana trip in May. We did a lot of hanging out with the cousins.
I have this funny picture of Nathan and Tyler. I'm not sure what the face is for, but it's funny.

The best part of going to the Crebo's for Allie is definitely the DOGS! There are plenty of them...

This is Allie and Hannah...

Here is Allie and Boomer...

Erin with Boomer and Dakota...

They loaded up Big Al, Dottie, Erin, Allie, Grethel the Berner, Hannah the lab, Boomer and Dakota the beagles and headed to Starbucks. It's a traditional little outing they take after spending the night.

Road Trip to Indiana

2008-06-04T07:47:00.004-05:00

Unlike last summer, we got to make our trek north to Indiana already this year to visit family. It was just the kids and I (Darin is almost done with Nissan, so he was working.) It's about a six hour drive - give or take an hour depending on the kids... you know how that is.

The kids had a great time. It was a fairly relaxed weekend, aside from the staples in in niece's head. She had a little accident. She seems a little clumsy, but never has had a bad accident. I said on Saturday, "I can't believe you guys have never had her in the ER." Thirty minutes later we were applying pressure to a heavily bleeding head wound. I will never be forgiven.

My sister has a trampoline and her husband put up a bounce house in the back yard. It was kidtown. Beautiful weather and great cousin time equaled a great weekend.

This is a picture of Drew and Mitchell. They are being super silly.
Drew has a new "pose" for every picture. He sticks out his tongue and does funky stuff with his hands. Sometimes it looks a little rude. He doesn't really understand the whole 'middle finger' thing. Sorry.

Drew's Imaginary Friends

2008-06-02T12:19:00.002-05:00

Drew has 3 babies that ride with us in the back seat wherever we go.
One boy, two girls: Truman, Sarah and Allie (not to be confused with his sister.)

Everytime we get in the car he climbs in the back and "buckles in his babies."
It's so cute, time consuming - I add 10 minutes to our start time now, but cute.

Preschool Performance

2008-05-30T07:45:00.002-05:00

Drew had his preschool end of the year program at Jacob's Ladder last week. It was hysterical, as all preschool programs are. All the kids were soooo cute and funny. Drew was Drew...

He did finally warm up at the end and sing. When I watch these sweet little children, up there, singing their hearts out for their parents, I'm reminded of all that is good in the world.

Happy Anniversary

2008-05-16T08:23:00.004-05:00

Sixteen on the 16th. Sixteen years ago today, Darin and I were married. I have had such fun this morning remembering that day. It's brought back all the feelings of new love and the hope of a new life together I felt that day. It's an amazing feeling to look back over the past 16 years and realize it's not exactly what I had imagined, it's truly so much better. I can't express in words how incredibly wonderful, difficult, fabulous, fulfilling, joyful, and all those other words, that marriage really is. Nothing compares to waking up with the person you love everyday. I can't imagine my life without Darin. He is my life, truly. He's a part of me.

16 reasons I love being married to Darin (and why I love him):

1. He's completely, 100% loyal and committed.
2. He is the best possible Dad he can be. He tries to do it right, all the time.
3. He loves me, and that's not easy sometimes.
4. He is the hardest worker I have ever met.
5. He makes me feel completely safe, physically & emotionally.
6. He is stubborn. (This can actually be a good thing!)
7. He is an athlete, an Ironman. This is really cool.
8. Thanks to #7, he has great legs :)
9. He is a fabulous dancer. Yes folks, he is.
10. He is funny. You really have to get to know him.
11. He is a do-er. Anything that needs to be done, he pitches in and does it.
12. He is forgiving.
13. He is extremely handy. If he doesn't know how, he figures it out.
14. He's a man's man. Testosterone is his middle name. Strong and sturdy.
15. He is so slow to anger. Never loses his temper.
16. I love him because he is Darin. He is who he is to everyone he meets. He is always himself. There is nothing fake about him.

The Month of May

2008-05-14T20:46:00.003-05:00

I love the month of May. I can't believe how much I still get spring fever as an adult. It's time for a change of pace. I'm ready for long days and late nights, warm sunny weather, cooler evenings, pool days followed by exhaustion. I'm just ready for summer. We've been busy at our house. Lots of fun stuff has happened, so I'll do a little recap since my last post.

First of all, we have 2 cats. Not really sure how that happened. I'm not particularly a cat person, but I'm really liking these two. Short version - stray cat showed up with 3 kittens at our house the night of a storm. Of course, the mother in me immediately connected with the instinct to protect the kittens, so I helped the mama out by letting them live in our garage until they were old enough to relocate. We are now down to mama cat (we've named her Gypsy) and one kitten (he is Thomas O'Malley). Here is a picture of the sweet kitten, we are officially attached.
So, here we are, cat people, well sort of.

The other really exciting news is that Nathan finally learned to ride a bicycle! It's one of those things that wasn't worth the trauma to him to force him to learn. He basically refused to try last year. This past week he asked me to take the training wheels off for him. I didn't say a word, just did it. Evan and Allie taught him to ride. It's one of my more fun parenting moments. I've learned to sit back and let things happen on their own more. It was a great experience for all of them! No picture yet, sorry. It's great though - we can't keep him off his bike!

There is more to say, but the family is home, and I need to help them get to bed!
More to follow!

The Job List

2008-05-01T09:40:00.003-05:00

This weekend Allie gave Dottie, Katie, & I "spas" to earn money. She rubbed our feet and hands with lotion, and I have to say, it felt great. Nathan saw a great opportunity to get some cash, so he came up with his own list. I've posted it in his handwriting, because it makes it much cuter! Translation below the picture.

Translation:
back scratch
arm tickle
unload dishes
load dishes
unload just silverware
set up table
clean my room
clean the table

Either he finds the job of cleaning the table very difficult, or he thought it was then end and he better jack up the prices.
Anyone need their loud dishes unlouded?

Marathon Weekend

2008-04-28T18:55:00.005-05:00

This weekend was the Country Music Marathon here in Nashville. It's such a fun Nashville thing to do! The weekend started with Allie and Nathan doing the Kid's Country Music Marathon "final mile". They run 25.2 miles over the course of a few months, then race the last mile like a marathon, finish line and all. It was one of the cooler parts of the weekend for me. I love watching my kids do the things they love to do. Allie was a little nervous before the race, it was cute. I have video clips at the end of this post.

Here is Allie with her medal.

Here is Nathan with his medal.

Dottie & Katie Crebo came to do the 1/2 marathon with me. It was such fun. We went to dinner Friday night. We stayed at the Loew's Vanderbilt because it's right by the start line. Makes for an easier morning.

I love the adrenaline rush you get before the race, the crowds, the "feel good" atmosphere, and the feeling of accomplishment, knowing you did something kind of hard. I can't wait until next year's race! Wanna come run with me?

Here are the pre-race pictures:

Katie & Christine

Dottie & Christine

Here is the post race picture with the Loew's Lions. They dress them up for all occasions. LOVED the marathon lions!

Here are the quick video clips of the kids running.

Patterns

2008-04-16T09:59:00.002-05:00

I've been going through some photos to scrapbook from several years ago. Funny thing, I'm recognizing patterns in my life.
For instance, this is Allie in 1998:

And this is Drew in 2005:

It's all coming back to me now. The only difference is Allie did it once, Drew did it about 6 or 7 times. I gave up lipstick in 2005. Every tube I bought ended up like this. Why bother?

Injured

2008-04-10T07:48:00.003-05:00

Well, it's been almost a month since Drew last had stitches, you can still see the scar on his lip. I guess he's trying for a record. Last night he fell and hit his eye on a wooden toy trailer. I'm on the porch, I hear him scream, look up and see him coming toward me head tilted back, blood dripping down. Lovely. No stitches this time! Good old butterfly bandages will do the trick. All I can think is, here we go again. Poor guy, the eye is all swollen this morning. He's going to be the toughest looking kid in the neighborhood with all his scars. It's all Darin's fault. The first time he got stitches (9 on the tip of his pinky, yes 9) Darin said, "It won't be the last time you bring him to the ER." Thank you Darin.

Haircut and a T-Shirt

2008-04-05T11:30:00.005-05:00

Drew finally got a haircut. He hates them so much, that I put it off until I can't stand it anymore, then I bribe him like crazy to sit nicely while they cut it all off. He actually does a good job sitting there. He protested the haircut by "falling asleep" on the floor. That is his method of choice for avoidance. He really doesn't like it though. He said it looks "ridiculous". The next morning he asked me if I thought his hair had grown.

As a side note:
I bought this T-shirt for Drew this week. I couldn't resist. :) It counters his "My Dad is the Man" t-shirt!

Lucky Boy

2008-03-31T06:57:00.002-05:00

Nathan. No, he didn't do a face plant into a field of clover as his soccer coach suggested. He had his face painted at the school carnival Friday night. The clover was his idea. He uses the word lucky all the time. "This jacket is unlucky." (Because something didn't go his way when he wore it yesterday.) "Today was my lucky day, know why?" (He goes on to tell us of something great in his day.) I love these little "Nathan observations" into his life. He is my sensitive one. The one who feels it all deeply. Little does he know, we're the lucky ones. Lucky to have and love him, lucky to be loved by him.

The List

2008-03-28T06:36:00.002-05:00

Got this on a tag, thought I'd give it a try. :) Please feel free, even if you're not tagged, I would love to see your list!

the list

A- Attached or single: attached
B- Best Friend: truly, too many to count!
C- Cake or Pie: i'd take cake anyday, but love a piece of pumpkin pie
D- Day of Choice: monday, feels like a fresh start
E- Essential Item: cell phone/ipod
F- Favorite Color: umm..green i guess
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: don't care much for either, but gummi bears if they are soft
H- Hometown: kokomo, in
I -Indulgence(s): dark chocolate
J- January or July: july - january, another fresh start
K-Kids: evan, allie, nathan, drew
L-Life is incomplete without: my family and friends that make it worth living
M- Marriage Date: may 16
N- Number of Siblings: 1, brandi
O- Oranges or Apples: Apples
P- Phobias or Fears: not too fond of heights
Q- Quote(s): All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen - Ralph Waldo Emerson
R- Reason To Smile: our family is happy and healthy
S- Season: love 'em all, spring for newness, fall for calmness, summer for fun, winter for rest
T- Tag Five: I will, but you don't need to feel obligated:)
Joy, Diane, Tara, Chantelle, Nathalie
U- Unknown Fact About Me: I'm not sure there is much people don't really know :)
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: I eat meat, but not much
W- Worst Habit: I'm a bit of a slob in my bedroom
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Not sure i care
Y- Your Favorite Food: seriously, anything
Z-Zodiac: aquarius

Scrapbook Blog update

2008-03-27T15:20:00.001-05:00

I've added some new posts to my SCRAPBOOK blog. I'm trying to post more frequently, so check back!

EASTER

2008-03-27T07:55:00.006-05:00

Easter came and went so quickly this year. We had a great day on Saturday coloring eggs and having an egg hunt afterward. Here are some pictures from the big event. Easter itself was a quiet day for us. Drew was sick, so I stayed home while everyone else went to church. We had a nice family dinner together that afternoon. I always miss family the most on holidays, as I'm sure everyone does. I remember Easter from my childhood - going to my Great Grandma Allie Ronk's house to have dinner and an egg hunt. She had this great attic room with toys for all the kids. There were tons of us cousins, 2nd cousins, etc. there for the fun. It's such a great memory.

Mom & Evan

It's all about who finds the most eggs!

The Loot - I love this picture. I don't know if you can tell, but Drew got as much mulch in his bag as he did candy. He walked in the house and just dumped his whole basket right in the entry.

Baby Chicks, they were so cute to hold!

The Bike Ride

2008-03-19T21:12:00.005-05:00

So Drew pulls out Nathan's "big bike", and it really is too big I might add, out of the garage. He has no fear. He goes all out while I watch, cheering him on, silently praying he doesn't crash and injure himself yet again. I can't help but cheer.

You can see it in the video, such absolute joy in a simple bike ride. He pushes the bike up the hill beside our house, then rides down at top speed. In the video he actually brakes, usually he just keeps going and takes the turn going that fast. It honestly scares me and thrills me equally to watch him.

Tennessee Snowman

2008-03-10T12:04:00.008-05:00

Here is a picture of Drew right before he pelted me with the snowball. He thought it was so funny that he threw one at me everytime I walked outside to take a picture. Notice the gloves, one of them is mine, it's all we could find.

The making of a "Tennessee Snowman".

First you collect all the snow from the front yard.

You make three balls out of it, add eyes, a nose, and buttons.

You quickly take it inside and put it in the freezer or it will be melted by noon.

I'm not sure who enjoyed the snow the most, the kids or Darin!

Drew's sled ride

2008-03-08T09:05:00.007-06:00

Finally, a real snow day! Is there anything better than a Saturday snow day? Pancakes for breakfast, then out to play. You can't imagine how we had to dig for snow clothes! We haven't used them in a very long time.

I can't believe this is Drew's first sled ride, at 4!

Here is a video of the sled ride (on the sidewalk, lame I know, but we don't have a hill.) Sorry, you'll have to tilt your head to the left, I always forget you can't hold the camera sideways for video.

Invisible Mother

2008-02-26T15:35:00.002-06:00

As I drove by Darin's jobsite today, I marveled at how amazing it is. My husband built that building (well, with A LOT of help). But really, after three years, he can look up and see this building and know all his hard work accomplished something. I've been thinking lately how everything I do gets undone. Finally, after a few weeks I'm feeling at peace with that knowledge (again). I go through this same thought process every so often.

I was reminded by a friend of an e-mail we received regarding this subject. I'm sure many of you have seen it. For those of you who have not, I'm posting it here (it's a little long). I'm hoping you will read it and feel encouraged. I'm hoping you'll feel reminded that life is a process, and sometimes we are not able or meant to see the end product. I've decided that the surprise in watching life unfold around us is one of the greatest blessings we have. Honestly, I would just mess it up anyway!

So here is the Invisible Mother:

I'm invisible.
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"

Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a Clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please." I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude, but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it.

I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would Discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
1. No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
2. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
3. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
4. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees." I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there." As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

The Girls

2008-02-16T21:27:00.002-06:00

I love this picture of Allie & Me. I can't believe how blessed I am to have this beautiful girl in my life. Being the only girl may seem hard, but for her everything just seems effortless. I'm amazed by the enthusiasm she has for all she does. She is turning 12 this year and I feel the years slipping through my fingers. I wish, just for this moment, I could make time stand still.

Tag Questions

2008-02-15T14:15:00.002-06:00

Okay, so I was tagged by Jessie Williams to answer these questions...so here goes. If you don't want to read it all, check the bottom to see if you got tagged!

TEN YEARS AGO - February 1998
1. I had two kids, Evan (4) and Allie (2), pregnant with Nathan (barely).
2. I was working part-time teaching pre-school at the YMCA where Evan went to school. (Very part-time - one afternoon a week.)
3. We were living in our first purchased home! I loved that house because it was ours.
4. I was 30 years old.

5 THINGS ON MY TO DO LIST TODAY
Day's almost over....but here was the list.

1. Meet Darin for breakfast at his office for the "spouse appreciation breakfast", very nice by the way. (done)
2. Run 4 miles. (done)
3. Have a church presidency meeting. (done)
4. Cut up kits for the card class I'm teaching tomorrow (not done yet!)
5. Go to Darin's basketball game tonight.

THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE SUDDENLY MADE A BILLIONAIRE
1. Pay tithing right off! (Sorry to copy Jessie, but that's too important NOT to do)
2. Pay off our house, my sister's house, my friend's houses....
3. Take my kids on some amazing European vacation, buy an RV and travel the US.
4. Send Darin on a Canadian hunting trip.
5. Put the rest away to pay for college, missions, etc.

BAD HABITS
1. Leaving stuff in my van.
2. Eating sweets too often.
3. Leaving my dirty clothes on the bathroom floor.
4. Checking my email instead of doing the dishes.
5. I'm sure Darin could share many more than that, even though he never complains.

5 PLACES I HAVE LIVED.
Okay, I've lived in way more than 5.
1. West Lafayette, IN
2. Ririe, Idaho
3. Grand Blanc, MI
4. Worcester, MA
5. Nashville, TN (3 times and currently)
6. Chattanooga, TN
7. Charles Town, WV
And Indiana, before and in between some of those!

5 Jobs I have had
1. MOM!!!
2. Waitress in college
3. Receptionist
4. Preschool teacher
5. Scrapbooking/card making teacher

5 things most people don't know about me
(I'm not sure there is much that people don't know, but here goes.)
1. I love all different kinds of music, jazz, blues, rock, country, classical etc.
2. I love to shop at office supply stores.
3. I love folding laundry (even though it may not seem like it!)
4. I love technology (email, ipod, blogs, etc.)
5. I really want to run a marathon.

5 things that make my life Superfabulous right now
1. My family
2. My church calling
3. My friends
4. My new dog, Maggie
5. Running

Okay, feel free anyone to chime in and fill out your own list! I'd love to read your list on your blog....not that I have that many fellow bloggers - Chantelle (when the twins are finally 2 and you have time), Joy, anyone, anyone?

Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T16:31:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Darin & I went to the Predators v. Red Wings game Tues. night with Dottie & Al Crebo. Dottie took this great picture of Darin & I together. I never realized how few pictures I have of us together (that I actually like). I really like this one. Darin is almost smiling!

Brotherly Love

2008-02-08T08:02:00.000-06:00

Oh, my bookends, Evan and Drew. They are so much alike, two peas in a pod. It's truly a love/hate relationship (mostly love). This is the daily activity in our house. Wrestling. The size difference may make it seem a little unfair, but Drew can truly hold his own. These two are a great match for each other. Drew mostly wants to be "just like Evan". He wants his hair like Evan's, we had to buy a watch like Evan's...you get the picture. He thinks Evan is way cool. So do I. Someday I'll have peace and quiet in my house. I have a feeling it will come a lot sooner than I want it to :)

Maggie the dog

2008-02-06T11:18:00.000-06:00

Meet Maggie the rescue(d) dog. We finally took the giant leap into dog ownership. I've been wanting this for awhile (not as long as Allie). We found her on www.petfinder.com . She was rescued from a local shelter, pregnant. Critter Calvary, the rescue organization, saved her from a certain end. They let her have the pups, adopted them out, then put her up for adoption. She is the sweetest thing. She's a lab mix???, about 35 lbs. and about 2 or 3 years old. She's completely house broken, stays with you off leash, walks great on the leash, and is completely mellow. Just what I was looking for! We all love her and she seems to be adjusting to all of us, well, except Drew. She's a little bit afraid of him (as many people are), but we're hoping she warms up to him very soon.

Snow Day

2008-01-31T18:57:00.000-06:00

Well, not really a snow day. It was a "we might or might not have freezing rain sometime today" and school was cancelled! Of course, it did nothing all day, we didn't either.

It has been an exciting, crazy last few weeks (more on that later.)
Today was not very fun. I hate snow days when there is no snow to play in!

Two funny things did happen today which is why I'm even bothering.
1. I came into my office to find out to my suprise it is actually February 11th! Actually, it's not, but Drew ripped off all my desk calendar sheets up to that day. He said they were his "checks". I couldn't be mad, it was kind of cute. Too bad they aren't real checks. He needs to start pulling his weight around here. :)

2. Overheard in the shower between Drew and Nathan:

Drew: "Stupid water!"
Mom (from the hallway outside): "Drew Long, did you say stupid?!"
Drew: "No, mom! I said Cupid."
Nathan (with a disgusted tone): "Drew, Cupid is a planet." (as is he were so silly not to know this.)

Oh, the smiles they bring.

Geography Bee

2008-01-15T06:44:00.001-06:00

Way to go Evan!! He made it into the final 10 students (out of 600) for the National Geographic Geography Bee. He did great, making it to the fourth round in the finals. The question that got him out was a question about the red river valley. Unfortunately for him, we've been to the lake in Alabama for the last two summers where the mud is red clay...guess what his answer was - Alabama! oops. It was fun for him and he hopes to have a repeat next year.

January/Resolutions

2008-01-11T19:29:00.000-06:00

Here it is, the second week in January already. I want it to slow down. I love January. I think it's because it's like having a clean slate, starting over. I have an excuse to implement change in my life where I need it (and where my kids need it). The best thing I've done yet this month is eliminate the TV during the week completely. I used to do this when the kids were younger, but somehow it took over my home. So even if their homework is done and there's "nothing else to do", we don't turn it on during the week. It's brought so much peace and togetherness to our family. I had forgotten how nice that rule really is. Honestly, they didn't even resist it that much. How nice.

We've started the year with a bang. Wrestling, basketball and swimming started right away. Evan is going to continue wrestling through the winter. We're glad, he loves it and it's great exercise, not to mention it's fun to watch! He's also playing on the Y rec league basketball team. It's really laid back and fun. Normally we wouldn't do two sports at once, but we're from Indiana, so he has to play b-ball.

Nathan and Drew are taking swim lessons twice a week. At the same time as lessons, Allie is having swim team practice. It's a great schedule (so far). Allie loves swim team and she's showing promise, Nathan loves lessons, and well, Drew is just Drew. He loves it and hates it all at the same time :)

A thought on resolutions:
I think they're out of proportion with reality. I've decided my only resolution is to keep in mind all the things I want to get done and work on them day by day. I'm hoping to stay focused on the things that really matter...family, friends, relationships, and my physical and spiritual well-being, and those of my family's. Putting those first should allow everything else to fall in place. (At least that's my theory!)

So good luck with your own personal resolutions if you made them. I'm looking forward to an amazing 2008. I have lots of things to look forward to this year.

God bless.

Disney

2008-01-04T10:47:00.000-06:00

Disney. What a place. What a great vacation. We were there 7 days, 6 nights. We went to 4 parks in various combinations over 5 days. It was such fun. It's especially magical with kids. We discovered several things about the kids:

Drew hates fireworks, shows, and standing in line.
Nathan isn't afraid of any roller coaster.
Allie screams louder than anyone.
Evan loves Stitch. (Personality connection perhaps?)
Oh, and just for the record, mini golf is not a fun family activity!
Favorite parks:
Evan - undecided, liked MGM and Magic Kingdom.
Allie - likes them all.
Nathan - Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
Drew - the water ride and Buzz Lightyear (Magic Kingdom).
Mom - probably MGM, Magic Kingdom a close second.
Dad - The one with the shortest lines and smallest crowd on any given day.

Some of our favorite pictures:

First Day there, first purchase was the hats.

Swimming was a daily break from the park crowds and heat.

Drew friendly rides...Triceratop Spin.

Waiting for the buses...our least favorite part of the trip.

We'll be going again for sure, probably not during Christmas. It was worth it once, but the crowds are really bad, and we want shorter lines for the awesome rides!

The Perfect Moment

2007-12-20T07:42:00.000-06:00

Do you ever have a brief moment in your day where you think "This is it, this is a perfect moment."? (They are too rare.)

I had one a few nights ago. The little boys were in bed, it was finally quiet. I was making peanut butter balls, listening to Christmas music. Allie laid out her blanket (so lovingly made by her Aunt Brandi for Christmas) and made about 10 bracelets for her friends as gifts. I looked at her and was overwhelmed by the love I felt at that moment. I knew everything was right in the world. It was such a gift.

Nathan's Famous

2007-12-20T07:35:00.001-06:00

Way to go Nathan! He won 2nd place out of grades K-1-2 in an essay contest for the local newspaper, the Nolensville Dispatch. He got a $5 Sonic Card, kids meal at the local BBQ place and a certificate. Here is the picture of the winners. It's a little crooked, scanned from the paper. He was pretty excited.

Question: How could I help children in need to make a difference in their lives?

Here is what he wrote:

"I could help people in need by giving food like pizza, dounuts, pretzels, bread. And I could give them drinks like water, milk. And give them toys that are fun. And give them some of my money, like a dollar bill."

That dollar bill thing is cute, because it just so happens to be exactly what he has in his spider man wallet, a one dollar bill.

Drew Turns 4

2007-12-10T15:44:00.000-06:00

We had a birthday party for Drew at the gymnastics place by us today. Unfortunately, most of the pictures are too blurry to post, photographer error :(

This picture is perfectly Drew. He refused to wear the T-shirt they gave him. He has some serious clothing issues. We're still trying to convince him he cannot wear shorts anymore. Of course, it's 65 degrees here today, so he's not really buying the "it's too cold for shorts" routine.

We had a "Drew moment" during the birthday cake/song tradition. He was so happy, then the sweetest little girl had the audacity to blow out one of his candles...

Luckily, I stopped recording right before he called her "stupid" and pointed rudely at her. Needless to say, there was much crying and an apology that followed before the cake was served :) Oh, Drew.

I really can't believe he's four. I remember so clearly the day he was born (3 months early). It was a day of anxiety and worry. (Geez, it's still the case today!) He's still a miracle to us.

We are so blessed to have this amazing kid in our lives. He has such a big personality for such a little body! He brings so much happiness and laughter to our family.

Happy Birthday Drew!

HAPPY DECEMBER!

2007-12-05T09:19:00.000-06:00

It's finally December! I love Christmas. I love coming downstairs in the dark to a lighted tree. It's one of my favorite Christmas memories, the lighted tree. It's easy to get caught up in the craziness of Christmas. I'm determined to make the most of the Christmas season, baking for friends and neighbors, making cards, wrapping gifts, thinking of others.

These are a few older pictures found on my memory card. This one is of Drew and me at his Thanksgiving feast at school. He goes to a great school, Jacob's ladder, at the local United Methodist church in town. We love his teacher and the staff there. Of course, he wouldn't put the head band with feathers on, or participate in their little presentation, but he still had fun.

This may seem like an odd picture to post, but I needed to get it written down! This is an H. Drew writes them EVERYWHERE. I drive through construction 3 or 4 times a day, so my car is always dirty. (I'll be glad when they're done!) On any given day I come out to an entire row of "H" across my van. He has to write one before he gets in the car, everytime. It's a hoot. He loves H. He picks it out of everything, and shouts it out loudly, "Mom! An H!"

This is Evan, in case you couldn't tell. The real Evan, who loves to make a joke.

We've had such fun this year watching Evan wrestle. He's big and strong. He has grown about 3 inches this year alone. He's as tall, if not taller than Darin. We last measured him at 5'10", weighing in around 165 (that's more than Darin weighed when he graduated from college! hee hee). Evan thinks that's hilarious. He had the county tournament this past weekend and took 3rd in his weight class. Here is a picture of him holding the weight class sign, getting his medal.

He has one more meet this weekend, and it's over for awhile. He'll be playing basketball for the YMCA again this year. It's a great recreational league. While he enjoys playing, it's probably not his favorite sport, but we are from Indiana, so basketball isn't really optional :)

I'm ready for Christmas break! Ready for a break from the schedules of school, work, etc.

We are soooo excited to be taking a trip to Disneyworld this year for Christmas. The kids have been diligently reading their Disneyworld books, making lists of rides to ride, attractions to see. We'll be there for 7 days and 6 nights. We'll spend 5 days in the parks. I can't believe we're actually going. We've never taken our kids, so this is going to be a great experience for us all.

We will miss seeing family and friends this year for the holiday, but know we are thinking of you all.

I hope to get our Christmas cards out soon! Please, feel free to leave comments. I never know who is popping in to say "hi".

Thankful from you

2007-11-19T15:38:00.000-06:00

What are you thankful for? Post your answers in comments! I'd love to hear.