First Day of School

Not very good lighting but this is Parker, Maryn and Emma's first day of school. This year they are all going to Sonshine so I will have two days a week when I don't have any of my children. So far it has been great! The past two weeks were an "ease-in" period for Emma and I had to pick her up at 11:30 instead of 1. Needless to say I have been at that preschool A LOT. It's a little sad to not have a day where we can just be lazy in our pjs. They are all doing well, loving their teachers and making lots of friends.

Seattle with the Big Kids

Joseph and I took these cuties to Seattle at the beginning of August. (Warning- lots of pictures) We had a very rough start in the Atlanta airport- a 3 1/2 hour delay that got us into Seattle at 2 am. The kids were really good considering we spent about 7 hours in the airport since we wanted to get there early to wear them out walking around, riding the moving sidewalks and the train. And then they slept the entire plane ride. We didn't intend to take the red-eye but did and it worked out pretty well.



We did a lot of fun things- the Space Needle, went to see the Blue Angels take off, Space Museum, the zoo... but one of the kids most fun activities was to work in Dede's garden. The boys spent hours digging in the yard and Parker loved working in the garden. He pulled weeds and helped her plant flowers. One of my favorite parts of our trip was hanging out with Joseph, my dad and Debbie after the kids went to bed. There's just something about eating dinner without having to coax bites, be the referee, fill cups and plates that is so nice. We had a wonderful trip. Thanks Dad and Debbie!!

This is so Maryn. Ford worships Parker but he and Maryn play well together too. They spent a lot of time coloring.






You can't see her face very well but check out those feet. Try not to tell her how cute she is. It's going to her head!


Future gardeners


The Space Needle on a typical rainy Seattle day. But the temperature didn't get above 63 or so. I couldn't have cared less about rain coming from 95 degree weather with 100% humidity. It was glorious!


Starbucks for everyone! They even have it at the top of the Space Needle!


After checking out the Blue Angels- don't know why I don't have pictures of that- we went to the Boeing Air and Space Museum (not sure what its called exactly but you get the idea). Ford in a plane


Playing in a helicopter


So typical


Our last day we went to the zoo.




oops... from the museum and out of order



While I had Parker and Maryn in Seattle Emma spent the week with Grandma. They had a blast. Uncle Greg was there and he and Grandpops read Miss Emma lots of books. They went to visit friends and family; she was a social butterfly but didn't go far from Grandma!







Thanks Mary Sue for keeping her!!

another new post below...

Greensboro Children's Museum

Last week Grandma came!! With two weeks of summer left (yes, our school STILL hasn't started. So excited for Monday!) we were in need of some help and another adult face besides Mommy. When Grandma comes we like to do little day trips that I wouldn't be able to do with the kids by myself. Last time we went to Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC and this time we decide to go to the Greensboro Children's Museum. It's only about an hour and a half from Huntersville and the kids had a great time. You can pretend to be a doctor, vet, mailman, go to the grocery, camping, pizza parlor, and put on a show. There is a real firetruck, police car, and a race car. You can climb a rock wall, pretend to drive a train and build with cardboard blocks.

















We had a blast!! Thanks for coming Grandma! We had such a great time.

Looking at Old Pictures

Feels like an eternity ago but really just two years...

Graduation!

Parker's teachers, Ms. Sherri and Ms. Lisa


The program- they sang a few songs for us and there was a video with pictures from this year. Obviously I need a lens for my camera so I can get closer! Birthday present?? Parker is on the first row, second from the end.


My graduate :)

My Little Boy is 5!!

I can't believe Parker is 5! Maybe having the girls practically right after him has made it go by fast... or maybe that's just how things go. I will never forget being in the hospital lying on my right side for about 5 hours because his heart rate would go down and have trouble coming back up every time I had a contraction- and that's the only way he did well with. I should've known how sensitive he was going to be from that moment on!


We had a very small party at a park this past weekend. What do you think about his rocket cake? I have to give Mark a lot of the credit. He cut out all of the pieces and talked me through the icing. Thanks honey!


Notice her pink cheeks. It was HOT!


Presents! He loves his night vision goggles.


Today on his actual birthday we also had his school's Mother's Day Tea.


They sang the moms a couple of songs- and Parker actually participated this time! I just wish I had gotten it on video. They also the kids questions about their moms and post them in the hallway. According to Parker, and Maryn actually, I am 22!! My favorite food (Parker) is chicken pot pie (which is actually his favorite thing that I make?? not so sure its MY favorite) and eggs (Maryn- one of HER favorites!). And my two favorites- Maryn said my favorite thing to drink is wine! Just what every mom wants posted about her in preschool for all to see!! And she also said that while she is at school I "go out and buy things." She knows her mom well!!


After school today Cam came over and the boys played palentologist with a stegosoraus fossile my mom sent. They loved it! Thank goodness they spent awhile doing this and had a lot of fun because it made a BIG mess!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARKER!!!!

New Nephew!

This is a picture of Joseph and Sarah when they came to visit Martin Luther King weekend with the boys. Isn't she cute pregnant?! My newest nephew was born March 18th- a Thursday just like Ford and Luke. He was early and ended up in the NICU in Montgomery. Needless to say this was very difficult on Joseph, Sarah, Ford and Luke. He was there for two and a half weeks and Sarah and Joseph spent a lot of time in the car driving back and forth.

Parker, Maryn and I went to spend a couple of days with them at the beginning of spring break- Emma was in Dothan- and I was lucky enough to get to go with Joseph to visit Duncan. He is precious!! Thankfully he is home now and they are enjoying him a ton. Check out Sarah's blog for more pictures.



Duncan obviously enjoys his fingers!

Discovery Place

Joseph and I grew up going to the Discovery Place in uptown Charlotte with Dad and Debbie. We always had fun and they still have a lot of the same activities. It didn't matter because we were too old to have enjoyed it, but they now have a room for preschool age kids and toddlers. Our kids had so much fun! One day when the kids were out of school we met Mark there- its right next to his office- and enjoyed a couple of hours of fun with Daddy! There is a huge water table- seen above- where kids can stand and play in the water. It's even short enough for Emma to enjoy plus it has a seat- kind of like a high chair with water around it- for babies! So fun!!

Parker is playing on the giant Lite Brite. And they have tons of other stuff for them to do and explore.

Parker Riding His Bike

Parker learned to ride his bike without training wheels this past weekend. Mark worked with him a lot on it. He was starting to get the hang of it on Saturday and by Sunday he was pretty much doing it on his own. Today Mark and Parker rode about 1/2 mile around the block.

Short video:


Longer version:

An Old Picture

aren't they cute?!

SNOW!

We finally got a really good snow! It started Friday afternoon around 4 and didn't really stop until some in the night. We woke up Saturday morning to sleet but it wasn't enough to keep us indoors. The paper said Huntersville got 6 inches. I don't think it got out of the 20's yesterday (Saturday) so there wasn't any melting. Church was canceled and I haven't been out of the house since Thursday! Yikes! It's warming up today so the snow is beginning to melt. I am hoping we have school tomorrow or at least that the roads are clear enough to get out of the house!

Today was so sunny that we needed sunglasses!



Parker eating snow.


Emma really enjoyed playing in the snow and stayed out longer than Parker and Maryn.


We don't have a sled so a piece of cardboard worked. Today we upgraded to a Rubbermaid lid to a storage bin. I think we may need to purchase a real sled.