Our Summer, so far!!

So Summer is about half over, the kids will start back to school August 28th. Brooke is starting middle school this year, and I STILL cannot believe it! It is giving me flashbacks to her starting Kindergatern, we were both nervous and I wanted to cry! Anwyay, we've had a pretty good summer so far. Thankfully I only have to work half the summer at the preschool, so its 2 weeks on and 2 off. I've gotten to spend a lot more time with the kids this year and I'm thankful for that! 

Around the first of Summer, my mom had a major surgery down in Charlotte. She had a total hip replacement. For a long time she has had a tough time walking, and it was rough seeing her like that. She is a breast cancer survivor, and due to some meds shes been on in the past, it has made her bones weak and brittle. Unfortunately during the surgery the dr. broke one her her bones and it has made her recovery longer than anticipated. But other than that, the surgery went well and we were relieved to see her done with that and back home after a few days. She has a physical therapist coming out to see her and help her do exercises every few days. She is getting stronger, I can tell. I had to watch her go through some of them, and you could tell she was in  pain, and it was rough, but I know its necessary. She is using a walker to get around, and isn't driving or doing much yet, but she has walked some now by herself, which is great. Rachel and I spent the night with her one night when Dad had to go out of town, in case she needed anything. Since then lots of family has been in town to help her out, and lots of friends have brought by food for her and dad and we are all so very thankful for all the prayers and support! 

Arnold and I drove down to Charlotte to see her the afternoon after her surgery. She was pretty out of it, but doing ok. We got stuck in a big storm while down there too! 

Brooke got on her BOTTOM set of braces this summer. Which added a whooole bunch to our monthly payment for the orthodontist, yikes! But it will be worth it, she has already improved so much and you can tell her jaw is shifting and looking better. She is wearing a headgear every night and I hate seeing her in pain, because it makes her mouth sore. I remember when I had to do that when I was younger! 

Caleb got to shoot guns with his Daddy and cousins at my Grandpa's house. He thought that was pretty cool. 

We had CPR training at work. I became re-certified! All I could think of during the class was the episode of THE OFFICE where they take CPR and it goes way downhill. Ha! Any Office fans out there?! Our teacher even started singing "Stayin Alive" for the beat, and I about lost it! 

We've seen a couple of movies this summer. Captain Underpants-- which Arnold and I didn't care too much for because it was soo silly and so much gross humor, but Caleb loved it! That's a little boy for you! The kids loved the books so naturally they wanted to go. More recently we went to see Despicable Me 3. I usually don't like sequels, but it was pretty good. They want to see The Emoji movie next! 

Arnie and I have been watching a LOT of netflix at night. We made it through The Ranch Season 3 already. I made it through Orange is the New Black. We are now going back through all the seasons of FRIENDS! My all-time favorite show. I can just about quote most of the episodes. I know a lot of people hate Ross but he's my favorite. He's just so awkward and nerdy and funny and I LOVE him! And here I am wearing my new shirt.. gotta show the GOLDEN GIRLS some love too! ;)

A Pelicans Snowballs stand opened up near us and we have been like 20 times this summer, no lie. We go just about every Friday night, and sometimes more. We mostly stick to the same flavors, even though they have like 100 different options! My faves are wild cherry and watermelon. The kids like how they can get gummy animals added to theirs. We haven't been as much since Arnold and I started our diets! 

We celebrated our sweet Sheldon's 4th Birthday at  the end of June! He is the sweetest little dachshund and was a great addition to our family. He has grown a lot. I just can't get enough of those cute floppy ears! The vet did confirm he is deaf, which we assumed, but its ok. He gets along great, just gets startled pretty easily and doesn't care for strangers! 

The kids have been swimming a LOT this summer. They like to go to the pool in my parent's neighborhood, they have special things go on at holidays like a DJ, music, food, and lots of fun. My dad usually goes in with them, because everyone knows I do not swim!!!!!!! I know how, I just hate it! Our neighbors across the street also have a pool and let the kids come over whenever! The kids LOVE it and they have gone so much that seriously Caleb is a whole darker shade than when summer started. I can't get over it! 

Brooke looking so grown up in her new Crazy 8 Bathing suit!(Love that store!!:)

We have gotten to see a few fireworks shows near the Crawdads stadium. I love summer nights where you just hang around, talk, watch the lightning bugs and wait for fireworks! 

We have helped mom out some this summer, so she asked us to go do a Sams trip one day. The kids helped me find everything and put it in the cart. Then we got them treats, which is their favorite part of Sams! I resisted and I was proud of myself!!!! 

We have hit up the Morganton library, which is pretty big and nice. I picked out some new books to read and Caleb did too. we had to persuade the girls too.... they don't like to read as much as us. I'm ashamed at how low my list of books Ive read this year  is! I need to step it up!! 

Another Trip around the Sun...

Well it's official. On July 1st I turned 32. I didn't really feel like an  "adult" until my 30's I think. Just recently has it hit me that I'm not that cool anymore, especially when my 10 year old daughter begs me to stop dancing to the music while we're driving... ha! But anyway,  I had a pretty great birthday this year. Got to spend time with my family, friends, and my good friend Amanda even chose my birthday as the perfect day to have her wedding! ;) 

A week before I always go out to dinner with girl friends and have dinner at Ocharleys. We started going there YEARS ago and have made it a tradition. I didnt get pictures with everyone, which I hate, but I did get a pic with 2 of my very best friends at the end! I have been on a diet (more about that later!) And I "cheated" that night by getting my favorite chicken tenders, but I evened it all out by getting water and not eating any of the delicious rolls they bring out! That took some willpower! Anyway, I had a great time eating and chatting with friends.. and most of the dinner I got to hold my BFF Jess' new little guy, Hayden! He just slept away in my arms-- everyone knows I'm a natural with babies! ;) My friends also got me some of the sweetest gifts, which was so thoughtful, and Joanne even paid for my dinner! I'm a blessed girl! I'd like to say we went off and had adventures after the dinner, but I was back home by 8pm! Lame, I know! The movie we had thought about seeing didn't even start til nearly 10pm! The horror! ;)

My friend Erika makes things, and she MADE me this awesome shirt. Pineapples are totally my "thing" these days, and so she did one with the saying thats been going around lately. The front has my monogram on it in green glittery letters! I think it may be the first thing I've gotten with my married initials. It spells ADS so its kinda silly, but oh well! ;) 

Joanne ordered me these Golden girls POP figures, and I was just so excited when I saw them! Rose and Sophia are two of my favorites! I LOVE that show and have all the seasons on boxset around here somewhere! I now need to find Blance and Dorothy and complete the collection! 

The kids surprised me and made me pretty cards complete with drawing and sweet sayings. Notice the pineapple Brooke did for me! ;) She's really into drawing these days. I'll need to save these to show them one day when they are teens and hate me!!!! ha! They also surprised me with a few little things, I told them not to buy me anything but it was nice. AND hubby cleaned the living room carpet! I told him cleaning or experience are waaaay better to me now than material things! 

So like I was saying, our friend Amanda got married on  my birthday! Her and Kyle go to our church and Amanda is in charge of the kids and technically is my "boss" since I'm on staff sunday mornings with the babies! I have loved working with her over the years and she is so sweet and fun and I am so glad she found Kyle!  They seem really great for each other. Their wedding was at the Crossing at Hollar Mills and it was pretty fancy so I made Arnold wear a tie... we had to get one because he doesnt even OWN a tie! Ha! Thankfully his work isn't very formal, except on special days. I hardly ever wear dresses, I don't even like to! But my mom had gotten me a new one and thankfully I had it lying around to wear! It was nice to go the wedding and have a date on my birthday! We hung around at the reception for awhile and got to see them dance.. they had even taken dance lessons and coordinated a first dance and it was awesome!  Arnold and I had a hard time turning down all the delicious appetizers they were handing out (again-- the diets!) 

I walked into my classroom the day before my birthday and my co-teacher Jenn had decorated the room for me! It was a total surprise! She had come in the evening before and done it with her boys helping her! It had me smiling all morning! The babies LOVED it and one of my toddlers even walked over and pulled down some streamers-- should have thought that one through better! My work also gives everyone a card and Cornerstone cupcake for their bday, and I ate mine because HEY it was my birthday and I deserved it! haha! It was delicious and totally worth it! ;)

One of my friends, Chasity, knows how much I love to paint at Freckled Frog, so she took me for my birthday! We went on open studio day, just happened to be ON the day of my birthday, and I painted.... guess what... yep, a pineapple! I didn't want to do the traditional yellow so I did coral and blues and it turned out really nice! I had a great time and it was so sweet of Chasity!  It's now hanging on my front door. I need to go back in a few months and paint something for Fall! 

the kids and Arnold took me out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Once again  I resisted the bread, and drank water, so it wasn't so bad. The waiter wanted to have everyone sing and bring out the saddle and Arnold had to tell him no. He thought we were joking at first, but he has nooo idea how embarassed I get over things like that! yeah I'm a great tipper but he wouldn't have gotten one if he did that to me! Thankfully he didn't! We had a nice dinner together and ended my birthday day on a wonderful note. 

EVERY YEAR my mom makes me her famous homemade lasagna for my birthday. Well she had a total hip replacement surgery in June and has still been recovering. Dad totally surprised me and said HE would make the lasagna so he did and we went over Sunday night to eat! I was so impressed. My parents are both great cooks, I was a very lucky girl growing up! And no that skill did NOT get passed on to me unfortunately. I am NOT a great cook and I do NOT enjoy cooking, much to their dismay, but oh well! Even Caleb says hed rather eat at Grandmas but now I just roll with it and say yeah... I agree! ;) 

Dad shared with us some EXCITING news that same night.. and I can't wait to tell yall all about it, but that'll have to wait til another day, another blog ;)

Rachel's 8th Birthday and Yearly Interview!

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 Can't believe our baby girl is 8 already! My friend Christy made this cute shirt for her to wear to her birthday festivities! 

We went skating, that is what she wanted to do. But her and her friend Kenzie both ended up falling and crying while we were there! We ended up leaving early ! I felt so bad she didn't have more fun! 

We met up with her grandparents to eat at Mellow Mushroom, before her actual birthday, because my mom was having surgery closer to her birthday. She picked a Moana cake, of course. We got it from the new Publix down the road from my work.  It was expensive but delicious! 

Rachel with her brother, sister and BFF! 

She got lots of cool stuff for her birthday, including lots of American Girl accessories! 

The day before we went to Charlotte and went to the Cheesecake factory. Brooke and I had been there before but Arnold and the others hadnt. Unfortunately we didn't have the best experience.. we waited for a table over 45 minutes and then we ended up with just blah food and a huge bill, but oh well. Rachel picked the Hershey cheesecake for her birthday dessert and it was to die for!!!! 

We made a trip while down there to the American Girl doll store! We had been once before. The girls love to look at everything and it was a little overwhelming though, so   Rachel didn't end up picking out anything in there, she just couldn't decide! You should have seen Arnold and Caleb's faces in there though, they were soooo bored and ready to go! At least they were nice about it, ha! 

We went to the Lego Store and she picked out a new set there instead! When we got back home later she had Caleb help her put it together! 

We love our sweet Rachel and can't wait to see what this year holds for her! 

***Rachel at Age 8***

Clothes Size- 10

Shoe size- 2

Going into Grade: 3rd

Party theme this year: Moana

Favorite Color: red

Favorite Toy: Barbies

Favorite Animal: otters

Favorite Food: corn on the cob

Favorite Drink: pepsi

Favorite Snack- gummies

Favorite Dessert- chocolate icecream

Favorite Season: summer

Favorite Holiday: christmas

Favorite Restaurant: chillis

Favorite Game: 

Favorite Tv Show- Phinneas and Ferb

Favorite Movie: Moana

Favorite Book- elephant and piggie 

Favorite Flower: roses

Favorite Thing to do: watch youtube and play with puppies

Favorite Thing to do outside: ride bike

Favorite part of school: lunch

Favorite Thing to Wear: dresses

Best Friend: Allison

What are you afraid of? being alone

What do you want to be when you grow up? Teacher

What do you want for Christmas this year? Hello Dreamhouse

What do you want to be for Halloween this year? Moana

What do you sleep with everynight? blanket

February Recap!

The kids got some awards at their school ceremony. I couldn't make it so Arnold and his dad went to see them. Thankful they step in when I'm too busy!

We celebrated some friends' birthdays. Got to go to a camping themed party at a friend's new house on the lake. They had lots of  fun stuff to do and it was a beautiful day! 

Rachel celebrated her BFF Kenzie turning 7! She went to her party and picked her out the very thing she had been wanting-- a little live pets hedgehog. What will they think of next?? ;)

Arnie and I had our date night for Feb-- went to Mellow Mushroom for dinner. Then we went back to pick up the kids. We were tired. We are getting so old!

I went with some church friends to Freckled Frog to paint!  This has become one of my new favorite things to do! I am not artsy at all but they really touch up your piece and add details and it comes out beautiful! I knew I had to do the birdhouse when I saw it-- It really looked like it said "Spring." I've already hung it  up on our door! 

Daddy took his girls to our church Father/Daughter dance! They had a blast. The girls love dressing up and going out with their daddy. They had dinner, danced, and were silly the whole evening. AND Arnie let them eat waaaay too much sugar. Poor Rachel came home with a tummyache!

Got to catch up with my besties... we are all busy and never see each other anymore! :( 

We took the kids to the mountains one weekend. We wanted to play at the park but it was raining when we got there! We had lunch, stopped at the outlet stores, and got icecream! It was a blast. 

Brooke started what we call "Phase 2" of her braces. We now have more intensive stuff going on in her mouth and to the tune of double the monthly payment we have for it now, yikes! But it is definitely improving her mouth and we can see changes! 

After 11 years of marriage, hubby got me this beautiful wedding set, for our anniversary! I never really had my own wedding set since we got married so young and didn't have a lot back then. But it was worth the wait. I picked it out and its exactly what I love and it's so beautiful and sparkly! I stare at my hand like I was just engaged, ha! I have gotten lots of compliments on it! It's fun showing it off, even if we've been married a while ;)

Ive REALLY enjoyed my weekends home with the family! Rachel loves to snuggle with me in bed some saturday mornings! I love having a set schedule with my new job! 

Caleb and I went on a mom/son night.. and of course he picked going to the bookstore! He is just like me! He talked me into buying him a  new book... and later getting him a video game rental. Books, video games, and legos are his life these days! We also got some pizza and then came back home. He is very easy to please! 

Weve been breaking out some of our new spring clothes! The weather has been REALLY weird in NC lately.. the 70s most days for awhile... and this past week it got cold again! 

I got to go visit Erika and the sweet twins! I hate I haven't gotten to visit them more often! The girls are really growing, and smiling, and I loved snuggling Reagan! She even took a little nap on me! 

We celebrated Valentine's Day with all the usual stuff-- class parties, cards for friends, hearts on our clothes... etc. etc. 

What does this Mama get her kids for Vday gifts? new books of course! ;)

Books I read in 2016

Books I considered GREAT

(I love all of Karen K's books-- I've come to know the Baxter family well!)

Not what you'd expect, I really liked it.

I think just about everyone read this one. Suspenseful. 

This really is amazing in teaching you how to be organized and get rid of so much junk in your house. It really motivated me to start getting rid of stuff-- I think that made Arnold happy ;)

This one was somewhat sad and touching, and I really flew through it quickly. 

Mostly through the eyes of an African American woman and really puts certain aspects of racism and unfair prejudices front and center. 

Everyone knows Nic is my man-- and I love how his latest wasn't just a love story, but talked about the aspect of his child too, and some heartbreak in there. 

Loved reading one set back in the day.

Books I considered GOOD

I love Steven Curtis C and this was written by his wife-- true story of the heartbreak they went through when they lost their daughter. It was tough to read at times but I'm glad I did. 

I know these books are YA but I read the whole series and loved it!

Suspenseful, upsetting at times. Def not a light read, but I love this author! 

Another one by the author who wrote "The Good Girl." I think Mary Kubica is one of my new fave authors! 

Written by a marriage speaker we went to see one night at church-- talks about marriage advice and the "healthy" way to argue with your spouse.

Really liked this about being more intune with your life and the people in it. Hands Free Mama is also good.

I always loved the show The Little Couple (I miss it!) So I had to read this story about their family! They have the two CUTEST adopted kids in the world! 

I love anything about babies/midwives... and this one has a twist!

Of course making you feel better about your mothering and like you're not alone and crazy ;)

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Another book about getting rid of junk-- you'd think by now my house would be empty! ;)

Books I considered FAIR

I really have loved all the books Allison Scotch has written, but couldn't get into this at all! 

I DID like this story, but the format it was written in was a little hard to get into. 

I never finished this one, but what I read of it was good. I quit reading because it was depressing-- dealt with some pretty crappy/abusive parents and I could never get the heart to pick it back up again and finish. 

I read this because I found it free on Kindle-- It was just so-so.