4 Thanksgivings

2008 - With the Pearsons - Castle Rock, CO

2007 - Castle Rock, CO

2006 - Rocky Mount, NC

2005 - With the Nadings - Rocky Mount, NC

May 2009...so now I'm wondering why I didn't originally post a picture of 2008? Who knows where my mind is!

hmmm.

i thought i'd post something for november. but i'm really not in the mood so i will say: happy thanksgiving! i love the food! can't wait to eat! see you in december....

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

...but I know I'll be home on Monday. I'm heading to NYC to visit my friend Sandra. I'm flying out with our friend, Malia, on Friday for a quick but fun visit. It will be nice to be together. I've already dug out old pictures (cuz I'm a picture freak). I just want to go and visit. I think Lisa and I did everything there was to do out there 3 years ago. This time it's to catch up and make sure Sandra is okay. She's gonna beat this cancer thing. I know it. See you when I get back (and you all can get up off the floor amazed that I posted twice in one month). :)

Fall is in the air...

Ahhh, I love fall. And not just because of the cool weather, changing leaves, nor the tons of decorations I have amassed over the years. No, I love fall for one reason and one reason only. pumpkin. spice. latte. Yep. We were introduced last year by a mutual friend, Rene. She's the one that told me just last week that they were already in the air. So yesterday Steve and I were heading to Safeway to grab some last minute dinner items (which is typically the story of our family and dinner making) when lo and behold the biggest smile came across my face because I knew right then and there that I would be drinking heaven. We walked into Safeway and I walked right over to the little Starbucks store and with pride ordered my first grande PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE (with whipped cream) for the season. $4.09 later I was walking the aisles oblivious to the chips and cookies calling my name. And all because I love fall and pumpkin spice.

Anybody home?

Ahhh, hello there in blogger-land...anybody home? Because apparently I am still on vacation according to this blog. Can't say what I've been doing. Or not doing. Just taking each day as it comes. And now that I am big-working-woman, who knows when I'll be back. Makes for a great New Years resolution. Maybe I'll write again before January. Maybe not. I'll decide. I TOLD YOU THIS WOULD BE HARD FOR ME! Did anybody listen? I, apparently, did not. And I like my title soooo much that I will not give it up. Not even for an instant. And now I am really babbling...

Time to hit the road

It's vacation time! And you know what that means in our household...pack up the car and let's drive a zillion miles!! It's the night before our big trek and do you think anything is packed??? Heck no!! At least the laundry is done. And there are a million (not a zillion) things on the dining room table ready to go into the car. And we have a full tank of gas, tons of snacks and I've already hit the ATM. Now it's on to Kansas, Indiana and Michigan. It will be fun to be with Steve's family for the 4th of July. Then it's home for a day and my family reunion down in Gunnison for a week. It's going to be a crazy 3 weeks but we'll make it. And we can't wait to start. Wish us luck and say a prayer for me (cuz you know it's me driving and Steve meeting us in Detroit...).

Keep your eyes on the road...

Well, yesterday it happened. Our 15 year, 9 month and 6 day old son received his drivers permit. I swear it was just yesterday that I had him!! So now starts the fun task of showing him the ropes, logging EVERY 5 minute trip we take and letting him spread his wings a little. We are hoping that this driving thing helps him with his sense of direction. Those who know Dear Son are probably laughing at the thought...but there are just some things that have to happen in life. And one of them is driving.

Yesterday was one of those days that you always dread - the trip to the DMV. We started off by dropping my car off at the dealers for service. And with the price of gas so high, I thought we would kill two birds with one stone and also go to the DMV since it was close. We called Dear Husband to come pick us up from the dealer and take us. Since he didn't want to have ANYTHING to do with Dear Son + Driving, he decided to have us drop him off to get his haircut while we went to the DMV. After sitting in traffic and going to the wrong DMV (that Dear Husband insisted because it was closer) we finally picked DH from the hair salon and made him go with us to get DS's permit. Time Lapse: one hour and fifteen minutes.

We walk through the doors of the DMV and our ticket says B513. They call B494. I think we are in for a wait since there are a million people sitting and waiting. Time Lapse: one hour and forty five minutes.

Our number is FINALLY called. I present the documents and DS stands there in a stupor from sleeping through the wait time. The clerk asks DS his address. DS looks at me. I ask him if he knows where he lives. "Uhhhhh....." I give the clerk our address knowing that she is thinking to herself that we really need to raise the age for drivers in this country. She then mentions a test...wait, a test???? I told DS there probably wouldn't be a test. He just slept for almost two hours waiting. Do you mean he could have been studying????? Oh no...I hear her say you can only take the test twice in one day if you score 51% or higher. I'm thinking, turn around and let's get out of this place. I'm done. He can't pass this test! He's only taken a three hour driving course through the fire department. He barely knows his right from his left! Does he even know what a stop sign is for? He doesn't even know his address! We are doomed.

But DS steps up and says he will take the test. He doesn't want his sleep induced wait to go in vain. He goes over to the testing area and takes about 8 minutes to complete the 25 questions. I'm thing to myself, "Great. We'll be here again tomorrow. Waiting. And waiting." DH and I are making jokes about the whole thing. DS takes the test up to the clerk and we watch as she scribbles away. She calls DS up and lo and behold, he passes. He missed THREE! I am laughing so hard because I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. That kid...if he would just do his homework....

We wait some more. DS pays for the permit ($14!) and then we sit and wait again. Then it's on to the picture. What? A picture? I wasn't thinking of that either so DS is wearing a nice (I say that loosely) Tony the Tiger t-shirt for his legal document. We are told we will get the permanent permit in the mail within thirty days. We leave the DMV with our heads held high. It was a proud defining moment that I am glad we shared as a mom, dad and a son (with little sister in the wings). Ahhh, a day in the life...

Pictures!

Our Hannah Montana wanna-be!

My tulips after our 6" of snow on May 1st

Mother's Day

Oh, how I love Mother's Day. There is just something special about feeling like I am a part of this exclusive club... I have special friends and a cousin that I have shared every one of my Mother's Day's with. It makes me realize how special those other mothers are to me - how they have helped me through these past 16 years. I am so grateful for all of the other women in my life - my own mother, step-mom, aunts, sisters-in-law and my grandma's who have passed on.

It's always an outdoorsy day for us - going to the park, planting flowers, working in the garden. I can't say that I am waited on hand and foot, but the kids do try to make it special in their own ways (especially the little girls - they love making me lunch). The gifts are usually hand made, and just hearing them say "Happy Mother's Day" makes my heart sing. My days are so filled with busy-ness that I am looking forward to this Sunday when I know that I can leave everything alone for at least one day, and enjoy my family.

Who knew!

Wow!  Where did March go?  And we are half way through April...I TOLD you it would be a challenge for me to do this blog!  Life has such a way of sneaking up on me.  I swear it was just yesterday that I was pregnant with my first child and now we need to look into getting him his drivers permit.  I don't think my husband is ready for that.  I look at new parents with such endearment - it's like I know a secret that they don't.  And I love to listen and nod my head because, hey, we've all been there and our kids have done all of the same stuff.  We need to stick together!  I am going to try to be better at posting my thoughts...my innermost, important thoughts...that you will get tired of reading...but I will force upon those who insist on checking this blog out.

I have to post a picture of my 6 year old daughter, Annie.  She just got a brand new Hannah Montana wig today from Claire's.  Too cute - I'm hanging on to these moments for sure!! (and I'll post once I'm back home from Wichita and can download the one picture she let me take).

Leap Day!

An extra day...more fun than an extra dollar!! I've already been to McDonalds to get my free McSkillet burrito...not my favorite but I love their coffee so it was a win-win situation for me. I'm trying to figure out more fun for my day. I'm sure the kids will enjoy Leap Day activities in school. Are there Leap Day parades? Probably not. We know one couple who were married on this day in 1992 - so it's their 4th anniversary. We almost had a nephew and a niece born on this day but instead they are turning 8 and 4 rather than the 2 and 1. I feel like we should be playing leap frog all day or let Annie go crazy with her Leapster. Fun fun!

I've got to start somewhere...

Okay, so as predicted, I haven't done well with my blog. I set it up in December, tried to write a post that wouldn't post, and then conveniently decided to see if it would start up on it's own. It's been 3 months and since it does need my help, I think I will post. Today. Maybe even tomorrow...but don't hold your breath. Is it really so hard to have one of these things? There are only about a million out there. Will anyone read it? Who knows...but I'm already feeling a connection and the peace of mind of being in my own little world.