Monday, December 17, 2012
Piano Recital
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Bedtime
Bedtime is so hectic sometimes. . .
but tonight it is beautiful. I walked down the hall and noticed that my P and A were snuggled up each on C and M's beds reading them stories in their respective bedrooms. What a blessing to walk down the hall and see such love and tenderness from my children giving to their brother and sister. I am so proud of them and so grateful for them each and every day.
but tonight it is beautiful. I walked down the hall and noticed that my P and A were snuggled up each on C and M's beds reading them stories in their respective bedrooms. What a blessing to walk down the hall and see such love and tenderness from my children giving to their brother and sister. I am so proud of them and so grateful for them each and every day.
Court of Honor 2
Some really fun pictures of the kids at the court of honor.
My sweet, sassy, girl!
Miss Ellie
I just like her hair in this one.
The two best buddies around!
Isn't that face awesome!
Love her smile.
Sharing secrets.
Davis and Chase. Best cousins (at least Chase thinks so).
He is really bummed, by the way, that his best cousin had to go off and move to China. We miss you Davis.
Court of Honor
Luke and Mason both received their Eagle's. It was neat to see two great young men receive this special merit of hard work and honor.
(apologies for all the rotten pictures. I need to work on my skills. . .)
(apologies for all the rotten pictures. I need to work on my skills. . .)
A dad and his boys.
"I'll be your candle on the water. . ."
Pretty lady!
Getting ready to send the candle's on the lake.
Luke telling about his eagle.
The boys and their parents. Way to go!
Jackson was really cute with his candle.
Best shot of this one. I had an awesome one of Kathleen and Luke but it was super blurry. Grrr.
Blake Family Picture Reunion round 1
We went to the Blake family reunion in St. George Utah. It was so much fun! The kids ADORE their older cousins and bask in their attention. There is quite a special connection between one Chase and one Davis. Makelle still prays that her cousin Kathryn (I don't know if I spelled her name right, sorry) will stop throwing up. So without explaining much just to get pictures up I will say no more right now.
Porter and Sean are buddies.
Aladdin show. Drew is AWESOME!
Getting ready for Aladdin. Glasses ready.
Matt & I climbed Angel's Landing in Zion's. Thanks Lindsey for being so upfront about "bouldering." It was worth it.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Life
This is how our life has been lately, how about yours? (photo taken at 1 a.m. on unpacking day 1).
Monday, May 14, 2012
Catch up list
From January to now:
1. Matt went to San Diego for the Annual AOA Meeting and had a wonderful time.
2. Porter turned 7. He is getting so big and helpful. He loves to make breakfast for us and will usually have it done before I ever get into the kitchen.
3. I ran a 1/2 marathon trail run, decided 13.1 wasn't long enough, got lost, had to retrace my steps and add an extra 1/3 of a mile. Go me.
4. I had a birthday. Man, I am getting old.
5. Abbie had a birthday. She is quite the nine year old. She is artistic and really enjoys nature. So much so that she catches fish with her own hands. If we are ever starving I'm sending her to find food.
6. Abbie has been through the rounds with doctors. Good news is she does NOT have: Turners, Shox, and a whole slew of other really not fun syndromes, diseases, and deformities. Bad news is she has what is called Madelong's deformity. Basically she was born with extra ligaments in her wrists and those ligaments pull on her growth plate and deform her arms. Good news: She is under Shriners hospital for care and Dr. Kozin is the really the best Ortho Peds. doc there is. Right now we are not doing surgery, probably will have to have surgery on both wrists in the next year or so. We will see.
7. Abbie is growing! We are really excited that at age nine she is finally into size seven clothes (well mostly, she can still fit in size 6 but we are hopeful).
8. We have spent several weekends traveling back to Richmond to find a rental as well as make permanent home decisions.
9. We had an architect draw a schematic for us and it is PRETTY!!
10. Matt is doing well in surgery and is anxious to be in charge of his own time. We are excited for that as well.
11. We have loved Philly and all of the great things here, and we are very excited to leave Philly and all of it's busyness.
12. Makelle lost her first tooth. NOT they way they usually come. She hit her tooth really hard about two years ago and it died. Finally last month because of lack of blood supply became infected and had to be pulled out. The tooth fairy was very nice to her!
13. Chase is continues to be the funny man. Right now his favorite is to imitate the aliens off of Toy Story. Go figure. What is even funnier is that he does it so he can laugh at himself. It cracks us up.
14. That brings us to now. Matt's birthday is this week and then he will be an old fogie like me. Lucky him. He is the number one hardest person on the planet to shop for. I have to start thinking at Christmas for his birthday and I still have come up pretty blank. I do have to say though last year I did pretty well (bought him an ipad).
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Chase
Me: (Trying to get Chase to eat sprouts in his salad) Chase, see, it's a baby. He is saying, "eat me, eat me."
Chase: No Mommy. I think he wants to stay here.
Chase: No Mommy. I think he wants to stay here.
Learning
So I am slowly, very slowly learning about photography. My subjects, poor them, happen to be my kiddos. Last week I was learning about lighting and snapped these two of the girls. I was really excited that they turned out good (for me anyway) and they are not even touched up. I love my girls' eyes!
p.s. don't mind the out of focus parts. So not liking my camera and waiting for my new one. . .
p.s. don't mind the out of focus parts. So not liking my camera and waiting for my new one. . .
My promise
So I am posting as a promise I have made to my dear, wonderful friend Kim. I will and should update this more often and so I will attempt to catch up over the next few days. Though, I doubt I will go in order.
That being said. As most of you know that we have moved to Philadelphia, atleast temporarily. Matt is doing his fellowship here. He, of course, is doing fabulous. He has learned a ton and feels confident in his abilities. I have the best husband ever. I am so glad that he has a job that he loves. I fear that many, many people do not get to get up everyday and do the job that they love.
What has been interesting about our move up here is that Matt has always loved living in the city and has been excited to move to bigger ones. However, last week he said, "I'm done with big cities." Um, what, could you please repeat that? Yeah, that is what he said. Yea! I grew up on a farm, I have not really enjoyed the whole city life. Don't get me wrong, it is a fun adventure, but people are just too close together.
I looked for a picture of Matt in his surgical garb. But I don't have one. I'll have to have someone take one for me. In the mean time you can enjoy this picture of the most handsome husband ever!
That being said. As most of you know that we have moved to Philadelphia, atleast temporarily. Matt is doing his fellowship here. He, of course, is doing fabulous. He has learned a ton and feels confident in his abilities. I have the best husband ever. I am so glad that he has a job that he loves. I fear that many, many people do not get to get up everyday and do the job that they love.
What has been interesting about our move up here is that Matt has always loved living in the city and has been excited to move to bigger ones. However, last week he said, "I'm done with big cities." Um, what, could you please repeat that? Yeah, that is what he said. Yea! I grew up on a farm, I have not really enjoyed the whole city life. Don't get me wrong, it is a fun adventure, but people are just too close together.
I looked for a picture of Matt in his surgical garb. But I don't have one. I'll have to have someone take one for me. In the mean time you can enjoy this picture of the most handsome husband ever!
Friday, January 6, 2012
The darndest things. . .
Matt was telling the kids about his trip to South Africa when he was a teenager.
Matt: Guess what animals I saw, but we didn't see them in the zoo?
Abbie: I know, a Platypus!
Of all the animals in the world or that you would even see at a zoo and she chooses the platypus.
Matt: Guess what animals I saw, but we didn't see them in the zoo?
Abbie: I know, a Platypus!
Of all the animals in the world or that you would even see at a zoo and she chooses the platypus.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
It's too DANGEROUS!
So tonight Matt was putting the boys to bed. Porter was trying to weasel a drink of water from Matt before bedtime. Chase pipes in "No Dad, it's TOO DANGEROUS! He'll pee the bed!" You also have to understand that they share a bed and he is the culprit of wet beds half of the time. Even though Chase is only three he cracks me up on a daily basis.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Who are you?
I have always been interested in who I am. Who the people were before me. I absolutely love my grandma who has worked so hard to find out who came before her. All of my life people have asked who I am.
I went to a running store the other day and was fitted for a shoe. I had never had it done before and it was free so why not. Actually, it wasn't free because I bought a pair of shoes. Back to the point, he said that by looking at my arches I was either Kenyan or Indian. Loved that. It made me think I was a really good runner. I have runner's feet. Yay for me!
Another case in point. Matt and I kind of laugh at each other when after YEARS of knowing me friends will pull him aside and ask where I came from. Some of their guesses are: African American, Mexican, Latino, Japanese, Chinese, Polynesian, Native American, and the latest to add is Eskimo.
I was talking to my dad a couple of weeks ago and mentioned that a friend had recently been asking where I came from. He told me that he was 1/64 Native American and that my mother was 1/64 Native American. Hence, I am 1/64 Native American. I'm kind of excited to actually know what percentage I am. Last night I even called my grandma to see who it was that is full blooded. She told me that her name was Nancy. However her CHEROKEE Indian name is, wait for it. . .
Trail kill
or
Yellow bird
I guess she had two names. Can I say AWESOME! I think I prefer Yellowbird.
It makes me wonder what my name would have been.
I went to a running store the other day and was fitted for a shoe. I had never had it done before and it was free so why not. Actually, it wasn't free because I bought a pair of shoes. Back to the point, he said that by looking at my arches I was either Kenyan or Indian. Loved that. It made me think I was a really good runner. I have runner's feet. Yay for me!
Another case in point. Matt and I kind of laugh at each other when after YEARS of knowing me friends will pull him aside and ask where I came from. Some of their guesses are: African American, Mexican, Latino, Japanese, Chinese, Polynesian, Native American, and the latest to add is Eskimo.
I was talking to my dad a couple of weeks ago and mentioned that a friend had recently been asking where I came from. He told me that he was 1/64 Native American and that my mother was 1/64 Native American. Hence, I am 1/64 Native American. I'm kind of excited to actually know what percentage I am. Last night I even called my grandma to see who it was that is full blooded. She told me that her name was Nancy. However her CHEROKEE Indian name is, wait for it. . .
Trail kill
or
Yellow bird
I guess she had two names. Can I say AWESOME! I think I prefer Yellowbird.
It makes me wonder what my name would have been.
Trees
I have been really disappointed that we will not be moving closer to family, less humidity, no mountains, and no trees.
Trees are my least favorite, because they cover the Sun. I am one who NEEDS to see the sun daily. If it rains for more than a few days I'm ready to stay in bed the whole day.
Funny, when we found a house here in Philly, it's in a forest. No, really, we live in a gully in a forest. . . go figure.
However, I have absolutely, unequivocally, fallen in love with the falls here in the east. The humidity has finally died down, the nights are cool and the days are also. But the awesomeness (is that a word?) are the trees. Yes, I know, I said it. I love the color of the trees. It's like a painter threw his entire pallet of warm colors all over. It is truly stunning. So much so, that people randomly stop at the end of our street to take pictures over the lake. So although I very much dislike trees most of the time and I will cut almost all of them down next time I buy a house, I am truly enjoying the grandeur all around me. This is what I get to see every morning (well an example of what I see, not my actual picture. I do not in any way claim rights, ownership, or responsibility for this picture)
Trees are my least favorite, because they cover the Sun. I am one who NEEDS to see the sun daily. If it rains for more than a few days I'm ready to stay in bed the whole day.
Funny, when we found a house here in Philly, it's in a forest. No, really, we live in a gully in a forest. . . go figure.
However, I have absolutely, unequivocally, fallen in love with the falls here in the east. The humidity has finally died down, the nights are cool and the days are also. But the awesomeness (is that a word?) are the trees. Yes, I know, I said it. I love the color of the trees. It's like a painter threw his entire pallet of warm colors all over. It is truly stunning. So much so, that people randomly stop at the end of our street to take pictures over the lake. So although I very much dislike trees most of the time and I will cut almost all of them down next time I buy a house, I am truly enjoying the grandeur all around me. This is what I get to see every morning (well an example of what I see, not my actual picture. I do not in any way claim rights, ownership, or responsibility for this picture)
Monday, November 7, 2011
"I just kept runnin. . ."
I love to run. I am NOT a natural born athlete, it is something that has come about over time. To give you a little background in high school freshman year I joined the track team. I wanted to be a sprinter. I was in a tryout with my good friend. She had a charlie horse and stopped mid sprint and I stopped with her. That was it. The coach wouldn't let either of us rerun. Instead this coach put me on the 800. The 800 is the worst race EVER. It isn't a sprint, but it is. It isn't long distance, but it is. I came in dead last EVERY single meet. I vowed never to join track again. Through out the next few years following I would jog/walk outside . . . sometimes. Then my junior year of college during Christmas break I saw a picture of myself. That did it. I started running. It was slow, oh so slow at first. Then day after day it seemed to get a little better. That was eleven years ago. Now I can run a 1/2 marathon without thinking about it in roughly 1 hour 50 minutes. Running clears my head, releases happy endorphins, and gives me energy, helps me be a good mom to my kiddos.
Some have told me it will kill my knees. This may someday be true, but every mile is worth it. I have had to modify a bit and run mostly indoors with our family schedule. In five years that I had my treadmill I have put 8400 miles on it. That was six months ago. I felt shocked that at one point I came in dead last and now I have run, a lot, and not all that slow. But I still feel sometimes like the picture. I just don't care how I look, it is how I FEEL that counts!
Some have told me it will kill my knees. This may someday be true, but every mile is worth it. I have had to modify a bit and run mostly indoors with our family schedule. In five years that I had my treadmill I have put 8400 miles on it. That was six months ago. I felt shocked that at one point I came in dead last and now I have run, a lot, and not all that slow. But I still feel sometimes like the picture. I just don't care how I look, it is how I FEEL that counts!
Friday, November 4, 2011
We promise it was cracked BEFORE we got here! (We blame the guy in the background)
We have been busy exploring our Nation's history. The kids have great memories so we can talk about the history and then come back to it several weeks later and they still remember most of it. We are grateful for the history and for those who WORKED SO HARD to provide us for the great freedom's we enjoy!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)