Project Time

Today, my Aunt Mary is coming to help me make cushion covers for my glider rocker. I am so excited to do this project! First for the satisfaction that will come with the accomplishment and second for the fact that the chair will look like it actually belongs in my living room. When Katy was born, I chose a glider that was covered in an ABC pattern (Darren said, don't buy that one, it won't go with house later) but NOOOOO, I just had to have it for my new baby's room! Dumb decision on my part. Now it looks aweful, it is stained, and ugly, so I will now re-cover it! One of those things I have to admit that I should have listened to him in the first place! Anyway, here we go! I will post pics of the finished product as soon as it is finished!

Today is February 4, 2012....I am updating this post to say that we finished the chair and it looks amazing! Just like I knew it would! Everything Aunt Mary does turns our well!!!! I love her and am so fortunate to have her in my life!!!!!!

Once Again...I have fallen behind!

Okay, so, it looks like it has been over a year since my last post! Wow, how things are changing and moving forward. Katy is now a second grader, Mason is in Kindergarten, and Adam is in Preschool! Darren is still working at Hinton Center, and Me, well I am at home right now. My job as an Early Learning Specialist (mom/child learning group coordinator) was not funded again afer 9.5 years because of budget cuts in NC. It has been a challenge financially, but I have also found many blessings woven into my life over the last few months of being home with my family. I feel like I am so much more connected with my kids, available for them and for Darren, a better mom and wife! I continue to look for a job, and know that I will go back to work one day (unless we win the lottery, then I am home for good, LOL)! I feel like I should give a racap of our past 14 months to catch everyone up to speed. Where to start????

Well, last Christmas was our first Christmas morning away from home. I thought it would be "lacking" because I always wanted the kids to experience Santa and Christmas morning in thier own home. I was wrong, It was great being with family who was excited to see them excited on Christmas morning! A pleasant surprise!

We went to Florida last January to visit Dad. The weather was nice! We had a great time! We went to the beach, found sharks teeth in the frigid water, went to the aquarium, and canoed down the Myakka River with the alligators (Papaw Cook threatened to take the kids away from us over that one, haha)! We love getting to go down there in January, it is alway a great trip for us!

We took the kids snow skiing in February! Katy skiied and Mason snowboarded! We were so proud of them! We had a lot of fun working with them and teaching them! It was an awesome day for everyone!

Katy turned 7 on March 16. She chose an Arctic animal birthday cake. Then we moved into a girly spa party where the girls made thier own lip-gloss and sugar scrub. They paired up and gave each other foot treatments with a foot bath and thier sugar scrub. The girls sang and danced and had a great time!

Adam turned 3 on March 21. We had a family party for him (and included the other two for family birthday time). Adam had a Pirate birthday party with a big Pirate Ship cake! It was super cute! He wore his big pirate hat the whole time and was all smiles. He loved the attention his birthday brought!

Mason turned 5 on April 18. He had a Bull Rider cake and a water gun shoot out in the back yard with his friends. This was Mason's first year to have a "friend" birthday party. He was so excited and had a really great time!

Darren and I went on a cruise with our friend Steve and Stacy and Craig and Jeannine! It was a lot of fun! We had never been on a cruise before! We enjoyed it, but I don't think Darren will go on another one, he doesn't like being stuck out in the middle of the ocean with no way to get to his kids. I agree with that part, but I would go on another one!

Our Spring was pretty hectic. Darren was President of our little league baseball/softball teams and that took a lot of time and energy! I am glad to say he isn't doing that again this year!

We changed churches in March. We just felt that we needed to be somewhere where we could be fed and a part of something that was alive and moving for God. We miss our friends at our old church and love the poeple there, but we love our new church and the people there and are exited about moving forward with them. They have so many opportunities to grow and learn and to serve. The kids love the programs they are in as well! It has been a good move for us!

We got a new to us boat in April and spent lots of time on the lake this year. The kids (Katy and Mason) learned to ski. All the kids wake boarded with Darren. We packed lots of picnics and spent lots of time on the water! I love the lake!

Austin and Kinzie came up for 2 weeks. We went camping and out in the boat a lot. It was great to have them here! We haven't had them for a summer visit in too long!

Once again, we had a great 4th of July here at home. Matt brought his firework display and it was amazing! Our 4th of July bonus was the newest addition to our family, Gracie Rose Best. I now am a GREAT AUNT! Really? I am getting old! She, however, is precious!

In late July Darren and I planned a trip without kids to Charleston SC. What a trip it was! Our truck was hit by lightening with us in it (we were parked on the off ramp). The lightening blew all the computers in the truck, all the electrical stuff... WE were towed on to Charleston where we dropped the truck at the Chevrolet dealership and rented a car. Aside from the stress of the truck, we had a GREAT time! I loved it there. We were told the truck would be fixed in a few days, so we opted to stay, the kids came down and we took them to the beach for a few days. As it turned out, the truck was not fixed in a few days, and Dad had to come pick us up and bring us home. 4 weeks later, we got the truck back. It still wasn't fixed! We continue even now to deal with things messing up and insurance troubles.....UGH!

We also had the opportunity to go to Myrtle Beach for a long weekend this summer right before school started back. We had a great time with Papaw Cook and John and Judy. Katy found a fairly large hermit crab and brought it home with her. We had a very relaxing, fun in the sun kind of time!

The kids went back to school in August. Summer began coming to an end. Where our days had been filled with sunscreen and swimming pools, they were now filled with school days and homework. The kids all like thier teachers and are enjoying and doing well in school this year!

Katy got a new dog in September, a toy poodle from some newly found beloved friends! He is black and his name is Cooper! He is super cute, and very hyper! We love him!

Katy and Mason both played soccer this year! We all enjoyed playing together and watching them play thier games!

Nana and Granny came to visit us for a week in October and we had a great visit with them. It was so nice to have them here and be able to spend that much time with them.

Darren and Papaw Cook took the boys for their first adventure to "The Cabin" in October. They loved it! They all had a great time! Katy and I enjoyed a girls weekend with a little shopping and movie time! It was a good weekend for everyone!

We went to Virginia to Granny's house for Thanksgiving this year. We had a great time there and got to tour the base which is right beside Granny's house. Jimmy made us some wonderful clam chowder and we had some fresh steamed oysters, yummo!

And now, back to Christmas again! We did our Burch Christmas the weekend before Christmas at Dad's house and enjoyed the most wonderful Prime Rib dinner you can imagine! Then we went to Mocksville for Christmas weekend. Christmas Eve at Vivian and Richards and Christmas day with Papaw Cook. It snowed on Christmas day this year and we all ended up snowed in at Papaw Cooks! It was fun! We spend the next day playing together in the snow!

And now that brings us up to date on the ins and outs of our lives for the past year! We are hoping that 2011 will hold many new adventures and blessings for our family and for our loved ones!