Fly Birdie - Fly!

Today was a bittersweet day. As you may have noticed, I've been gone from 'blogland' for a while. To say my two "teenagers" have been keeping me busy is an understatement. Driving me flat-out insane & draining every ounce of energy from my soul is closer to it. Through this, I have realized that my two oldest birds are stuck in the nest. In order for them to grow, blossom, and take that next step into adulthood - they're going to need a little nudge. Actually, a huge kick in the tail feathers. So, I sat them down and said - "Mama's tired, the nest is a wreck, and you're never going to learn to fly this way. You know that I love you with all my heart, right?" To which they nodded. "Well, then," I said ..... "Get out."

OK, it really wasn't quite that easy, there were many steps along the way ... finding a job, learning that once you have the job - you have to actually go to it, etc. - but today - Mackenzie & Bailey officially signed a lease for their first home of their own together - TA-DA!!!!

Will I miss them? Will I miss feeling I'm living in a never-ending episode of The Hills? Will I miss being all soapy in the shower, reaching for my razor only to find it's been 'borrowed' again? Will I miss trying to get dressed for work and not being able to find my favorite black shirt/straightener/hairbrush/sanity?

Of course not - are you crazy? The way I see it, I've got two years of 'no teenage drama' before Chase turns 13. These are going to be the best years of my life! :-)

Doggone funny

Mackenzie made this to cheer me up since it's been raining here for two weeks straight! It made me laugh. It made Boston laugh too! (Click on link below)

http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/FjTa6nZcVTiAlj2v

Snow Days

We've been snowed (more like "iced") in for three days now!

The kids are having a blast!

The neighborhood kids have been "hanging" with us, we've been eating good food, drinking lots of hot chocolate, attempting to sled, watching movies, playing video games, having pillow fights, etc.!

(Of course, Chance would come up with some sort of "ballgame" to play.)
I now have 36 loads of laundry because the kids come in and change clothes every ten minutes when what they're wearing gets wet. It's been fun, but if the school even thinks about closing tomorrow - I'm fully prepared to get my shovel and clear a path
to the school's front steps myself! :-)

Chase Rocks the House!

We all headed to Chase's piano teacher's living room last week for her first piano "recital"!

She rocked! Chase's piano teacher, Ms. Doreen, tells me Chase has really got a gift & has just flown through the books. She really brags on her - the fact that I'm handing her a check when she does this doesn't have anything to do with it. :-)
Notice Kaden's sparkly, sequined patriotic flag purse. She is obsessed with it! I don't think there's actually a single thing inside of it, but she insists on carrying it with her everywhere because, as you can see, her ensemble is just not complete without it.

Below, are some of the other pianist's parents - far more technologically advanced than we are!
Ms. Doreen is such a sweetheart! She made the girls a cake, had a big spread of punch & treats for them, and they got a beautiful certificate commemorating the day!

Chase - "You Rock!"

Our Thanksgiving '08

This Thanksgiving morning, Chance came into the kitchen and asked for Dad's socket wrench. Curious, we followed him outside and see that they are taking the training wheels off Kaden's bike and teaching her how to ride like a big girl!

I think she likes it.


We kicked the soccer ball around to Pene.

We watched Dallas play a little football.

We made our "Gratitude Tree".

And of course, we ate lots & lots of pie.

I am so very thankful for all of these small moments that to me, are what life & family & holidays are all about. And I'm especially thankful that I get to witness precious little scenes like the one below almost every single day of my life.

And the pie. I'm thankful for the pie.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

"Ohh, I wish I hadn't had seconds on the turkey."

Just a Typical Tuesday Night...

When standing at my kitchen counter cooking, my view is of the entrance to our kitchen from the hallway. Last night while I was cooking, Bailey says - "Mom - look!" Then, two of my children flew airborne through the opening. I thought it was funny, so I grabbed the camera off the counter and said, "Do it again!"

Thus, an evening of cheap family entertainment was born.




I decided it looked like so much fun - I wanted to try it.



Then, Jack gets home from work & complete with paint and dry-wall on him, had this to say about the situation:

Then, Mackenzie gets home and says "What are you guys doing?"

And then, because she shares the same looney gene pool we do, immediately has this to add:

Then Chase comes home with her friend Tybee

And, you guessed it.......

Sister Act

A true teenager (although she's 20!) - answering her cell phone mid-jump!

This is me re-inacting when Bailey jumped into the wall. It's OK to laugh at your child jumping straight into a wall, isn't it?

*Notes: Regarding my outfit - I was cleaning house all day so Fashion Divas - please do not judge me. Oh, who am I kidding. I dress like this 90% of the time. Nevermind. Also, we just recently painted, so we still need a light switch cover. (And tile. And the cabinets painted. And hardware....but I digress.)

Is he "The Man", or what?

"See ya!"

Mother/Daughter Day with Chase

Isn't she gorgeous? Chase looks cute, too - ha! I've always wanted to have a big plantation house with a wrap around porch filled with comfy rocking chairs, nestled on enough open land where I could have horses! I would sit on my porch, sip sweet tea, & watch the horses play. I am just smitten with them.
For one of our Mother/Daughter days, we went on a trail ride at the Lake with Chase's Girl Scout group.

Chase rode Dolly & I rode Dixie (Aren't those awesome names!)

Below: "The Three Blondes"

I think I'm saying "My butt really hurts. I'm loving this....wheeeee!"

So - ya know when you have a really rough day and you come home to this:

It makes me sooo glad to be a Mom.

(Me - "What are you doing Kadi?"

Kadi deadpans - "I'm SuperBunny.")

Halloween 2008

Mackenzie says "I'm not sticking my hands in that goo!"

My Hero

Here are the little darlings ready for trick-or-treating and you didn't even have to wait till Valentine's Day to see them!