Life Lately!

Brooke had her final band concert of the year back in May. Actually it was her only concert, thanks to Covid. They had it outside and they combined with the middle school. It was fun to watch. They have a whole lot of talented students! 

Caleb finished his last year of middle school! It was so bittersweet. I can't believe he will be headed to highschool in the Fall. I am glad he will be there with his sister, though. He has come a long way, become more confident, and learned a lot. He didn't do so well at the beginning of this school year, but ended the year with A/B honor roll! 

We had a cookout at Mom and Dad's for memorial day, which we usually do. They made ribs, which everyone in the family eats but me (I know I'm weird.) I usually just eat the sides when they have ribs. 

We watched the Friends reunion. It was pretty good! I know a lot of people said that it was boring but I didn't think so. I loved seeing everyone together again. They have gotten pretty old, lol, but it was fun watching them. I always loved the Ross and Rachel thing, and I was excited they spilled that David and Jennifer liked each other for real back then! :D I loved that they brought on some of the guest stars. I recently saw in the news that Gunther has cancer, so sad :( He wasn't able to appear on the actual set, but he showed up via video. I won't lie, the reunion made me cry!! It's just such a great show, filled with so many great memories. I watched when I was in highschool, and I remember watching the season finale in my dorm room at Western Carolina. I was pregnant with Joseph the same time Chandler and Monica were adopting babies. 

Arnold got Brooke and Caleb memberships to the gym him and his dad go to. Arnold has a lifetime membership, he has been going since he was young. Caleb wants to get some muscles lol and Brooke needs to be exercising more and getting fit for cheer. A lot of times Arnold's dad goes with them and he helps one kid while Arnold helps the other, to get used to the place and the machines. 

I had been having some long-term pains for quite awhile now, and couldn't figure out what was going on. I finally got in to see a dr and they did an exam and some tests and told me I had insistital cyctitis. It is a bladder condition that gives you horrible pain off and on and sometimes gets to the point where you are going to the bathroom all the time, and sometimes you have to rush there. It is basically like having a really, really long UTI. Not fun. The dr told me women who have had kids are more likely to get it, and that my c-section with Rachel could have caused it because its common after abdominal surgeries. Her exact words were "wow, your bladder is a mess." Well that's great to hear! Anyway, the good news is they have treatments to help the pain when you have flare ups. Unfortunately they have to put the "cocktail" of medicines in through a catheter... so its uncomfortable. But the medicine basically numbs your bladder and helps. The first dose I got really helped me. As a matter of fact, I haven't had much pain at all since then! The dr said itll go on a as-needed basis, I can call when I need a treatment. She said some people have lots of flare ups, and some don't They also have a whole list of foods and drinks you should avoid, that can be major triggers for IC. Of COURSE they listed chocolate and sweet tea, which are some of my favorite things! So far, they haven't bothered me much. I am hoping I am one of the lucky ones that goes throughout life without a ton of flare ups! 

Our sweet Sheldon turned 8! We love him so much, hes brought so much fun to our family. We got him back when Rachel was 4 years old and starting preschool. I was so sad all my kids would be gone and Arnold said he'd be my emotional support dog :P But really, he is amazing. We didn't know until several months in that he is deaf. He is a double dapple, which are more likely to have birth defects. But Sheldon uses his other senses and has always done great getting around! He is super cuddly and loves to bury under blankets and sit with someone all the time. He has a bit of anxiety and hates it when we leave him to go somewhere. He used to sleep in our bed but lately he's been sleeping on the couch by himself. It's like he thinks hes all grown up now! ;) 

Joanne and I went to the local theatre to see a play, Steel Magnolias! One of my favorite movies of all time. I always joked that if a movie was made of me, I'd want Julia Roberts to play me. She is so beautiful and talented. Anyway, I got an email saying the play was coming and I immediately messaged Joanne to see if shed go with me! We went to see Grease awhile back, and it was awesome! I am always fascinated with plays.. the people who act are so talented! I always wonder how they can remember all those lines and act really sad or mad at a moment's notice. The play was amazing... and of course there were tears at the end. You could hear crying all over the place! I cant wait until we go to our next show, I heard they are doing Mama Mia next year! :D

Brooke had been bugging me forever to get her nose pierced. We finally said we would let her. I said I would get it done with her. We found a local tattoo shop because I always heard they do a better job and use needles instead of a piercing gun. Brooke went first and did so great. It was over in a second.. she was brave. When he did mine, he said uh oh and it really hurt. Turns out I have small nostrils (who knew?!) and it was really difficult for him to do it. He had to poke around several times, and at the end I was bleeding and practically crying. I did like the way it looked, but sadly a bump of scar tissue or something started forming around it, and I just recently took it out. Some people dont react well to piercings and I guess I'm one of them! Man, even when I try to be cool, I cant! haha :D Anyway, now I'm using special medicine to try and get the bump to shrink. Has anyone dealt with something like this before? I looked it up online and it's apparently very common, but annoying.. because now it looks like I have a big zit or something on my nose!! 

I have been on quite a reading streak lately! Flying through a bunch of good summer reads! They had some sales on target and amazon and I might have bought a lot, haha. All my favorite authors came out with a new book this summer, and they have all been pretty good. 

We have been wanting to for years, but finally are able to get some major house work done. We are getting our roof worked on and a place fixed where there was water damage. Arnold also finally agreed we could replace the kitchen floors! So we've been out looking for what we want. He also painted the kitchen yellow, and got rid of that ugly wood paneling. Our house was built in the 60s and there are not a lot of things I really love! I am going with a farmhouse look, and I love what we've done so far. Everytime we go to Lowe's I take pictures of Arnold and I think hes getting tired of it ;) I am not a Lowe's type of girl, so being in there so much lately has been crazy! 

We also decided while we were at it to replace the old fan above the table with a farmhouse looking light fixture! I picked it out and it is gorgeous! Arnold installed it (with Calebs help!) and even installed a light dimmer for the eating area. When Caleb and Arnold were putting the globes over the lightbulbs as the finishing touch, one accidentally fell and shattered everywhere. Poor Caleb, you could tell he felt bad! Anyway, we have been on the search for a replacement globe and its so hard to find! I really love the globes it came with, so hoping we can find something. 

Brooke started her cheer practices! I was dropping her off in the mornings then picking her back up at lunch time. We had to take all her measurements and order all her uniforms and workout clothes, etc. If you think little kids are expensive, wait until you have teens in sports and activities! Sheesh! Anyway, Im so glad shes happy. Shes wanted this forever. I can't wait until the fall when we can go watch her at games. Actually the games start this year in August, so we'll have a long season! We will be going to Thursday night games to see Brooke cheer, and to Friday night games to see Brooke in band. We're going to be very busy, to say the least! 

My Friend Katie, the Miracle!

  

While I was growing up I had a very special mentor and role model in my life. Her name is Katie, and she became so important to me :) I already have a pretty awesome mom, but she became like a SECOND mom to me. I don't know if it's enough to just call her "friend." :) I grew up Methodist and we have a confirmation at age 13. She was the one who was assigned to me to teach me things and guide me and make sure I was ready. Over the years when I was a teen I'd go on road trips with her, youth trips, and spend evenings at her and her late husband's lake house. I was so shy and awkward growing up, and felt sort of scared and homesick when I went away on youth trips. When we went on a big trip one year and headed into the auditorium for our worship sessions, I'd hightail it down to the front and stand right beside her. She always made me feel safe, and like I could be myself. She would let me just sit in silence while we rode in the car, but eventually I got comfortable with her and talked her head off :) 

As I became an adult, I didn't see her as much, because I became busy with kids and family. But we still would talk all the time on social media, I'd send her Christmas cards, and we'd occasionally have lunches. Arnold and I were at her wedding when she married her second husband, Steve. She held my hand and gave me encouragement right before I went into surgery to have my gallbladder out. She showed up at my 80s themed birthday party when I turned 30. Our kids would go to her and mom's church when they were young, and got to know her as well. She even started hanging out with my mom and some other church ladies a lot. No, I wasn't jealous ;) Needless to say, she's always been a person I wanted involved in my life. 

Earlier this year I heard that Katie had unfortunately gotten covid. It was a bad case, and she had been admitted to the hospital. Mom is in a text group with her and several of their friends, so she'd keep me informed every day of what was going on. Arnold, the kids and I prayed for her every night. It seemed like she'd be ok eventually, but might have a long stay. But one day things really seemed to take a turn for the worse. She had to be put on a ventilator. She wasn't showing any signs of real improvement. Her kids flew into town to see her. The doctors were telling everyone when they took the ventilator out the next day that she likely wouldn't make it. I remember when I heard that news I was out to lunch with Arnold and just broke down. I cried all the way home. I was honestly thinking I'd never get to talk to her again. Never see her encouraging comments to me on facebook. Not get to invite her this summer to my birthday party. Things just seemed so unfair and hurt so much.

Then before we knew it, we witnessed a miracle right before our eyes. The doctors couldn't believe it, but Katie was actually hanging in there, and able to survive without the ventilator! Arnold, the kids and I kept praying even harder for her to recover. And after a while, they actually said that she would most likely be ok! That was the highlight of my whole year, to hear those words. The doctors had not been optimistic, but the prayers worked, and GOD is so much greater than any illness, and can choose to heal someone. God is still in the miracle-making business! I am so thankful he saved our Katie, because I don't know what I would do without her! 

Katie had to stay in the hospital for awhile longer, and do lots of therapy, because she hadn't walked or spoken in the longest time. On the day she came home, several of her friends, family and neighbors gathered outside her house and held up banners, balloons, and signs. We had her a surprise homecoming parade! Seeing her husband pull into their driveway made me very emotional. I was just so relieved to see her. A few weeks later, I actually got to go over to her house with mom and visit! Except for the oxygen she is on, you never would have believed she had been through all that! She was dressed in a cute outfit, looking beautiful, walking around, and talking and laughing just like the old times. I was so happy to finally hug her! :)

If this taught me anything, it is that you can't take people and time for granted. You never know how much time each person has on this earth. I just sort of assume people will always be around, and always be there for me. When we got close to losing Katie, I remembered that every day is precious, and you need to let others know how much you care about them and love them. I am back to seeing regular facebook comments on my pictures and posts from Katie. I even got to invite her to my birthday party that's coming up in a week :) I am in awe still of what God did. So, so thankful :)

Rachel's 12-Yr Interview & Letter!

 

***Rachel at Age 12***

Shoe size- 6/7

Going into Grade: 7th

Party theme this year: Frogs
Gifts this year: Frog blanket, frog stuff, money 

Favorite Color: Green and white

Favorite Game: Roblox and Genshin Impact

Favorite Animal: Frogs and cats and dogs 

Favorite Food: spaghetti 

Favorite Drink: voltage mtn dew 

Favorite Snack- pretzels

Favorite Dessert- popsicles 

Favorite Season: summer

Favorite Holiday: Christmas

Favorite Restaurant: Applebees

Favorite Tv Show- Demon Slayer

Favorite Movie: Silent Voice 

Favorite Book- Anime series 

Favorite Flower: roses 

Favorite Thing to do: Draw and play games 

Favorite Thing to do outside: swim 

Favorite part of school: social studies 

Favorite Thing to Wear: hoodies 

Best Friend: Mari 

What are you afraid of? Snakes 

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

What do you want for Christmas this year? Money

~MY LETTER TO RACHEL~

Dear Rachel,

I still can't believe its been 12 years! It feels like just yesterday that I held you in my arms right after you were born. This past year has been tough. We went through covid and quarantine, and had to wear masks all year. You started middle school, which was supposed to be an exciting time. But instead you had to do most of the year virtually. You didn't get to meet a lot of new friends. But we got through it somehow. This year you really started getting into anime. You like to watch anime shows on netflix, and wear anime shirts and hoodies. You still love to draw and you are GREAT at it. I guess you got that skill from your dad! ;) You started having trouble seeing well this year and had to get glasses. Turns out you have my near sightedness! I had to idea it had gotten so bad, and I'm glad now you can really see! Your glasses make you look so smart, and so much older. You usually hate to read, but since you got into anime, now you want to read all the anime graphic novels! That makes me so happy! Who knew we'd be strolling around Barnes & Noble one day together?! :D You are still really picky when it comes to eating, I hope you learn to expand your tastes soon! You are missing out on a lot! Your favorite foods lately seem to be spaghetti, chicken tenders, and shrimp. You finally hit 5' tall this year! I know you are always wondering why you are shorter than your brother and sister, but you have so much time left to grow! Everyone is different and unique, and we love you just the way you are! You have always been our spunky, funny one, always making us laugh. You do what you want, wear what you want, and and like what you want. I wish I had your confidence! :) You still sometimes fight with your sister (thats normal!) but I know you two are very blessed to have each other, and you can always lean on each other. Caleb likes to do things for you and help you.. he is a great older brother! I will have to get him to chase away the boys as you get older ;) We all love you bunches Ray Cha Cha, and I look forward to seeing how you grow and change this coming year as you start the 7th grade!

Love, Mom

We had a great day celebrating! Your bday fell on a Friday this year. Dad took off work for the day. We decorated the kitchen in greens, with frog banners and balloons. You are really into frogs! When you got up that morning we let you open your gifts. You got a lot of frog stuff-- a really soft frog blanket (that Sheldon already loves!), a frog plush, a frog sketchbook and pens, a new anime book, a Bob Ross bookmark, some white crocs, and some squishies. We also gave you some money, and you spent that right away at Barnes and Noble on some new books! Then we took you to lunch at Chick Fila. That evening we went out to dinner with ALL 4 of your grandparents! That was so fun. They all gave you money.. so you wanted to go shopping again. You found a bookcase for all your new books, and a new skirt. I ordered you green cupcakes with pink sprinkles, and we put little frogs on top we found on amazon. And of course we took your yearly pic in front of the tree that we planted in our backyard when you were born! :)

Our Trip to Pigeon Forge!

 

A week ago we took the kids away to Pigeon Forge for a quick vacation. We would have loved to stay longer, but we made it short due to Brooke needing to be back to start her cheer practices. It was probably a good thing, because everything there is SO expensive and I think poor Arnold was in shock! ;)

We left early on that Friday morning and got there around noon. The first place we went was called Parrot Mountain and Garden of Eden. A friend had recommended it. At first I worried it might be geared more to younger kids, but I was very impressed! All our kids loved it. You walked around the beautiful gardens and looked at all the birds. Some were in cages and some were right out in the open for you to look at. We found some right away that would talk to us. Some said "hello" and some said "I love you" and some even whistled! And they were all gorgeous, I took so many pictures. We went into a little area where they gave us each little cups of food and told us the birds would come to us. I don't think we were prepared for how quickly and how many! Four of them immediately landed on Rachel and she FLIPPED out. She was so scared, I felt bad. A few hung out on Arnold and one even stayed on top of his head. I think they really liked him ;) The last stop in the park was the baby bird nursery where you could go in and actually hold some in your hand. Caleb held several birds and joked around that he wanted one as a pet. You could actually adopt one if you wanted! Arnold said no way, no more pets. I was agreeing with Caleb until one pooped on me! Anyway, we had a great time and I would recommend it to anyone, of any ages. 

The next place we went was totally silly and tacky but I thought itd be fun. The Hollywood Wax Museum. Arnold and I went to one in Nashville with music stars, so we thought the kids would like this one with movie stars. We all went around and took pics with our favorite celebrities. I think caleb loved it the most. He got a hilarious picture with the Men in Black crew. They had a little hallway off to the side where you could go see horror movie characters and everyone went but me... I am NOT into scary stuff at all! They made fun of me but I don't care! 

After the museum it was about time to check into our hotel, so we went over there. We went in and put all our stuff away and changed since we had gotten kinda hot and sweaty. That evening we went to a place called The Island, it was one of Brookes top choices. It was a cool area where you walked around and there were shops, restaurants, rides, and even fountains that lit up. I don't think I was expecting it to be so packed! We stopped into a few shops and bought souvenirs, candy, and even found my dad a nice cigar for Father's day. Then we wanted to eat dinner at Margaritaville but there was a long wait, so we put our name in and sat outside in some lounging chairs. While Brooke had Caleb take pictures of her for instagram ;) The restaurant ended up being really cool, a cool floor that looked like water, stuff hanging from the ceiling, and lots of tvs up playing music videos. After dinner we went over to the huge Ferris wheel called the skywheel. We loaded onto it and it was amazing.. each seating area was a little pod, and it was closed in and air conditioned! Caleb doesn't like heights that much but he was trying t be brave. But when we got up to the top it was HIGH and he freaked out and wouldnt look out the doors at the view. I felt so bad for him. But the rest of us enjoyed it, it had beautiful views and it was fun. At night the light the wheel up and its so pretty to look at.

The next morning we got up, got ready, and went to brunch at a placed called The Old Mill. It kindof reminded me of Murrays Mill near us. It was a big beautiful place with restaurants and shops. We ate at their restaurant and it was like a very fancy cracker barrel. Then we went into town and did an escape room. It was our first time doing one and it was Caleb's suggestion! There were a few kinds to choose from, and we did the diamond heist. We were locked into a bank room and had to figure out clues to lead us to the back vault thing which was in the dark and then figure out more clues to get to the diamond. The guys took it very seriously and didn't listen much to us girls! Funny considering Brooke and I were the ones who figured out the first clue! ;) We had to do a few math equations which isnt really our thing, but overall the experience was really fun. We all worked together and the time was counting down so you felt kinda anxious. What I liked about this place is it was very family-friendly. Not scary at all, and they gave you more clues if you asked for them, because they want everyone to succeed. Id definitely be up to trying another escape room someday!

That afternoon we went to a few shops and a cupcake bakery. I had heard of a place called The Christmas Place, and wanted to go. I am BIG on Christmas, decor, ornaments, and all that. The outside was all decorated and when I walked inside I thought I was in heaven! Just rooms and rooms of very decorated areas, selling every theme and kind of Christmas decor you could think of! I could have made a whole vacation just in there! The place even smelled and sounded like Christmas! I looked around, tried to be respectful of time so Arnold and Caleb wouldnt go nuts, haha. I found just a FEW things to take home. They had an area where you could pick ornaments due to family size, and we found one with 5 bears to commemorate our trip this year! They had an area where ladies personalized them for free (they ask for tips!) and it just turned out beautiful! I WILL have to go back someday to visit this magical place again, maybe this time with some girls ;) And I HIGHLY recommend the place if you are someone who likes Christmas even a little bit! ;) 

That afternoon we rested and the kids went to the pool. There was an indoor AND outdoor pool and a hottub at our hotel, so it was really nice. That evening we went out and put our name down on the waiting list for a restaurant called Harpoon Harry's Crab House. I like to have seafood on every trip we take. The wait was an hour and a half (!) but we were able to leave and they texted us. So we went down the street to a popular place called The Three Bears General store. It was two stories and it was HUGE! They sold every kind of souvenir, tshirt, figurine, and decor you could think of. They even had a baked goods counter and the girls got some goodies. After awhile we went back to the restaurant and ate dinner. I had crab legs which I LOVE and Arnold got steak, and the kids got shrimp. Arnold said the steak was one of the best hed ever had (which is HUGE coming from Arnold!) So the wait ended up being long and the prices were high, but overall the food was amazing and it was worth the trip!! After dinner we found a place that stayed open til midnight.. it was called a Fun Zone or something. They had go kart tracks, a big arcade, and all that. Arnold took B And C to ride go karts and play blacklight mini golf, and Rachel and I played games in the arcade. Finally we went back to our hotel and it was already around 11pm so we were all tired. 

The next morning sadly we had to pack up our things and check out of the hotel. Vacations always fly by so quick! We wanted to eat a late breakfast/brunch so we went down the road to a place and I got an AMAZING Belgian waffle. The guys got western omelets. Everything was so good. After eating we thought about staying in town awhile longer and doing something else, but it was starting to rain, so we started the drive home. We got stuck in a lot of traffic and it took longer than expected, but we were so glad to get back home to our pets and our own beds! This was Sheldon's first time being boarded and he did great, although he didn't eat very much. We were able to board him with our vet, Mountain View Animal Hospital. They are so sweet there and the prices were very reasonable, and id do it again!