Merry Christmas 2015

It's been a while so rather than going back to my last post and catching up, I'm going to start with today!

Christmas Morning!!!

After a week of travel we were exhausted and welcomed the late start to our morning. That's right...our kids slept in...until 9:30! They probably would have slept later but we stopped being quiet in hopes that we would wake them up! Gavin does NOT like being woken up. We wanted to have a good day and not start it with a 3 year old meltdown!

Gavin was ready to see his loot from Santa! 

This kid is a nut! When I went in to get him out of his bed, I asked him if he wanted to see what Santa bought...his response "I know, lots of cars!" Well ok buddy, lets go see!

Santa didn't disappoint! Remote control car and a line of matchbox cars!

The girls were slower to get into the living room but just as excited.

Sweet little Riley!!

A Slinky!

Our big girl!

She kept saying "look at this! look at this!"

I love these 3 so so so very much!!!

Her raincoat and boots were her favorite gift! She wore them all morning!

 After the kids had looked over their Santa stuff and opened the gifts from us, we realized that Gavin and Emory's big gifts from us were missing. We did however find a letter from our Elf, Reindeer...

Emory and Gavin,

I've enjoyed the last month! I've had so much FUN!
But now Santa is here and I have to run...
He must wait a moment for I have one more little trick!
I've taken presents from your parents and hidden them real quick.

The first clue:
If you are watching a movie and need a break you can pause it,
To go get a blanket, to keep you warm from the _________.

New BIKES!!! 

Meet Sir Gavin!

Our sweet little family!!!

We've had a wonderful day! After having a very laid back morning, we headed over to Brian and Melissa's house for Christmas dinner! Living in a military town has given me a whole new perspective on family. While we LOVED being able to drive to visit our family and spend Christmas with them early, some people don't have that opportunity. We have been very fortunate to make wonderful friends who are just like family! Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!!

Family Road Trip

Our friends know we travel. It is just part of our life. In our second year of marriage we moved away from both our families (something I strongly recommend for all young couples). We are the only children in both of our families to move away. Whichs means when family functions happen, we travel home. When we lived in Nashville it was a short 3.5 to 4 hour drive. Easily done after work on a Friday afternoon. Now that we are in North Carolina it's a 10 hour drive on a good day! However, we have managed to get home for most events. When we aren't traveling home we are always going somewhere. We drive to Raleigh on the weekends sometimes because we now live in a small town with not much to do. Well, not as much as we were use to, being from Nashville. This weekend was no different. We decided Gavin was ready for a big boy bed. He has rocked the potty training thing and was ready to be a big boy. I found one I really liked at Ikea. Only problem...the shipping was more than the cost of the bed!! SOOOO...we loaded up this past Saturday and drove to Charlotte. We made a first stop in Durham at REI to make a return and get Lily and Chaco collar and leash. Yes, even our puppy came along for the ride. She is a decent traveler, plus we need to break her in for the longer travel times! Our next goal was the US National Whitewater Center. This place is pretty cool! It is an Olympic training site and has so much to do, from hiking to whitewater rafting. Not to mention great food and drinks! We went for the hiking and discovered that Emory wants to zipline! Who knew?! We told her we would have to go back one day when it was just us and her and we could spend the day there. There is so much to do that you could easily be there all day and not participate in all the activities!

We ate lunch outside by the "river" so we could watch the whitewater rafters and the kayaks. 

Well, we also ate outside because we had Lily with us.

Isn't she the cutest?!

Emory trying out the climbing rope.

Gavin had to try it out too!

A little help from sissy!

Sitting by the "river" watching the rafters!

So cool! I would love to spend the day here!!

Riley loved being in the carrier like a big girl!

Lily found a nice shady spot to rest.

After spending most of the afternoon at the whitewater center, we headed to Ikea to get Gavin's big boy bed. So we had checked the Ikea website to double check if Lily would be allowed inside. It said yes as long as she was in a carrier. However, the sign on the door says "service animals only." So long story short, I ended up going through the maze that is Ikea with 3 children! Gavin felt the need to try every sofa in the store! I thought I was going to go crazy! I located the bed we wanted, took pictures of the tags so we could find it, and got out. Chase went in and got the boxes, we loaded up and headed out! It was a very long day but so much fun!

A Part of Life

It always happens when I'm really busy and rushing to get things done...my kids give me a reminder to slow down and savor the moment. Yesterday it was driving Emory to school. I don't usually get emotional about school starting or moving up in a class, but yesterday was a reminder that they really do grow up fast and before we know it they will be out of our houses and in the real world! As I was posting the usual first day of school pictures on Facebook, a friend posted a picture of a jar of marbles. Odd, yes, but the meaning behind it was this-- When your child is born you are given 940 weeks with them before they turn 18 and leave your home. Nine hundred and forty weeks!! Seems like a lot, but start taking the marbles out and it isn't a very large number anymore. I'm excited about what the future holds. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared but growing up is a part of life. I love watching my kids discover new things, learn new tricks, and accomplish milestones. It makes me smile and makes my heart have a happy sigh. I pray that while my children are in our home that we can give them what they need to be in the real world. I pray that we can be an example of Christ's love for them and others. There are many things I want for my children. I want them to grow up to be leaders and not followers. I want them to find someone to love and grow old with. I want them to know how to get back up when they fall down. I could keep going but I hear those sweet babies over the monitor which means my day is beginning. I leave you with another reminder I had the other day to slow down...

Gavin and Riley refused to come inside when we got home. I found them playing in the rain. Soaking wet.

They were having so much fun, I grab my camera instead of making them come inside.

She was so dirty!

This might be my new favorite picture of them!!

My big girl getting in on the puddle jumping!

This was the weekend Chase's parents came to town. Fishing in the backyard. He was practicing for Saturday morning.

They both actually did a great job!

My girls!

Princess Riley!! 

Looking very dapper and maybe a little nerdy!

King, Queen, and Princess!

This sweet girl LOVES spaghetti!!!!

And hats!

 I take these pictures so I have them for the future and for wedding slide shows! But I also love to see how much my children have grown and matured over the years. Sure I will look at these,sigh, and say "When did they grow up?" But I hope to look back at all these memories with a smile and not tears of time gone by!

Summer comes to an End

Technically summer has a few more weeks but today marked to end of our summer fun! Emory started 2nd grade today at Wayne Preparatory Academy! I really don't feel old enough to to have a second grader, but I guess I am!  She was so excited last night she could hardly go to sleep...either that or it was the cherry coke we let her have, oops.

Our Second Grader!!

Gavin and Riley had to have their picture taken  too. Gavin did move himself up to the big classroom today at MDO!

Me and my babies!

I love this man! He is a wonderful daddy and an amazing husband!

 Wednesday night we were able to go to open house and meet Emory's homeroom teacher, along with the other 3 teachers in the 2nd grade team. All four teacher are new to Wayne Prep this year and they all seem very nice.

 Emory's homeroom teacher is Mrs. Walls. She has 4 children and seems very organized and on top of things. I'm excited to see what this year brings! Can't wait for her to get home and share!

New Chapter

Monday my parents closed on a new house...

My parents have lived in the same house for 26 years. It's crazy to think it has been that long. I remember the day we moved in. The house was built in 1979 and it looked like they hadn't done anything to it since that decade! Over the last 26 year they have done many renovations. Finished the basement, renovated the 2 upstairs bathrooms, renovated the kitchen, and built a sun room. So many memories have been made in this house and this neighborhood. It is where we grew up! It was the 3rd place I remember living, 2nd place Cole remembers living, and the only place Katie has ever lived!

So strange to see this sign in my parents yard!

So many memories in this house...so many people backed down this driveway only to get stuck off the edge! 

Many Christmas's, Thanksgivings, Easters, and birthdays spent in this living room. Emory's first birthday was celebrated here and her fist Christmas morning. The blizzard of 93 was spent in this living room because we had no power and it was the only room with heat due to the gas fireplace!

Gavin learned to walk down this very hall...and I ALWAYS hit that string as I was coming down the hallway...even as an adult!

And we spent MANY afternoons and summer days in these woods and many games of  H.O.R.S.E. were played on that goal!

We had our last family gathering the first weekend in August. Just missing Mom and Chase!

It was ridiculously hard to get everyone looking at the camera and the kids from making funny faces! Mom was in Philly and Chase stayed back in NC for work.  :( 

My sweet girls. Riley was "reading" Goodnight Moon to her big sissy.

Emory wanted to take a picture of Riley and me.

River Run has been a great neighborhood. So much so that hardly anyone ever leaves! Over the 26 years that we have lived in that neighborhood we have only had new neighbors 3 or 4 times! The Coleys still live in the house behind us. The Rutsteins and Coxs still live across the street. The Lowers and Blairs still live down the street. The Duffy's still live in the first house in the neighborhood the Ryans in the very back of the neighborhood. Some things have changed, kids have moved out and some neighbors have lost their spouses. But it's such a great neighborhood that some kids have even moved back into the neighborhood into houses of their own. We will miss this place and it's people but I'm excited for my parents and the new adventure they are starting. I honestly wasn't sad pulling out of the driveway for the last time. Strange, yes...sad, no. We moved into this house 26 years ago a family of 4 and my parents moved out on Monday as a family of 15! I'd say this house has been good to us!

This is where our new memories will be made and I look forward to every one of them! Change can be scary but it's not always bad! Home is where your family is! Welcome home Mom and Dad. Let the new adventures begin!