New Posts, But into the past...

New Posts, But into the Past...

As the years go by and we and our kids seem to get older and older I want more and more of what has gone before. As Scrap booking has become somewhat something of the past (we love the ones we have, but to keep up with them- Really?), our family blog has become our priceless Scrapbook, Journal or Family Record and it needs to be complete.  I don't know when this will happen for sure, but two more years have just been added and it makes me feel positive that the rest will come at some time.  It is only a picture or two a month and some simple words but it is a start to reach into the past.  So Go and have fun looking back at 2007 and 2006, I now I did! 

Kitties... Again!

Kitties... Again!

 Our resident wild cat Socks (AKA: Ho Tramp) has come by the house to show off her new litter.  They are very cute as you can see, but Daddy is starting to wonder, how many cute kitties that turn into cats do we need running around the neighborhood?

As you can only tell, Brenner, Cayden and Mia are very excited that they are around and I am not sure that any of them have even feed, watered or thought about their bunnies since the kitties arrived.

Socks needs to be fixed- Where is Bob Barker when you need him!

End of Summer

-Summer Comes to an End-

 Well all good things seem to come to an end in one form or another and so to comes an end to our "Summer of Traveling FUN".  We saw all kinds of neat "Southern" stuff, and it turned out to be just a lot of fun.  Many great memories were made and lots of special family time was had that is just priceless to us.  We saw everything we set out to see except South Carolina and we will pick that state out in the future.  This is a picture of the kids with the Taylor's up at the lake and was the last trip of the summer!

 The Kids and the Dads out in the water.

 We have been watching lots of Olympics and here the kids are watching and getting their school supplies ready for the first big day back.

 The Kids on the first Day of School.  Brenner is in Middle School and seems to like changing classes, his locker, and no recess.

The kids also had their Swimming Banquet recently and all came away with lots of ribbons and hardware.

FAMILY SUMMER TRIP #5

North Carolina

 Gatlinberg and Pigeon Forge

The kids in front of the border sign.  They did not want to get out of the car so I am surprised I got them to half-smile. =)

 The Smokey Mountains are very beautiful, not quite the height and rocky feeling as the Rockies out west but Green, and thick with foliage of all kinds and did I mention GREEN! The "smoke" that you see in the background never seems to go away and they are truly a sight to see!

If you squint, you can see an Elk in the background of this picture.  Below Daddy got a little closer for a better picture, soon after a ranger came buy and kept everyone far back.  Um- Alta Smith and a broken shoulder anyone?

 As close as I dared to get- Very impressive!

We also saw a Black Bear cross our path about 50 feet away, all except for Mia who did not see him before he ran into the trees.  She was very sad for about 5 minutes.

 The Smokies are truly beautiful!

 On the state line between North Carolina and Tennessee.

 The Appalachian Trail covers 14 states and goes from Georgia to Maine. As you can see, Maine is almost 2000 miles from where we were.  We talked with someone who had hiked the whole thing and it took him more than six months! We hiked about 20 minutes of it!?!?

 The kids and "Water".

Mia loved the "Fuzzy Moss" that seemed to cover just about everything.

 In Gatlinburg and the indoor water park, the kids loved it! 

 In Pigeon Forge and go-cart time!

 The speed racers- Mommy and Mia!

 

Brenner and Cayden pushing the gas!

 Mommy and Mia on the elevated tight turn.

Get your tongue back in your mouth!

 Brenner and Cayden on the bumper boats. Mia was too short by an inch and a half.

Does that make our six year old "small" still?

 In one of Daddy's favorite spots- the Christmas Store! It was huge and went on and on.  Think Modern Display on Steroids! As big as it was, I did not find Our Ornament here. As ornaments go, I find that I am getting very picky, they have to be just right in every way. In a latter shop I did find a very cute wooden bear that will be perfect once I add a little tag of where and when and I even found the perfect blown glass hot air balloon for our Alabama trip that I was missing! Yeah!

 That night we caught a show at the "lumberjack Feud". It was allot of fun and Cayden even got one of the "cookies" which were the ends of the wood that the lumberjacks cut during the competition. He also got it signed by the lumberjacks at the end.  The kids favorite part of the whole show- the dogs! Go figure!

 Pigeon forge and Gatlinburg are very similar to Jackson Hole but much much bigger.  There must have been eight or ten playhouses, someone said 17 Pancake Houses, all kinds of shopping and all kinds of things to do and spend all your "Extra" money on. Dolly Wood is also there and as we have been to Disney several times and all three kids have passes this year to Six Flags over Georgia, no one wanted to go. Cayden also asked if it was only for girls- Dolly Wood. 

 The Smokey Mountains are truly beautiful and a place I would for sure go back to see again.

Fourth of July

Fourth of July

2012

We had a wonderful Fourth with Great Family, Nice Food, and some Spectacular Fireworks.

Happy Fourth of July to all our family near and far!

Summer Trip #4- Florida

Summer Trip #4

Panama City Beach, Florida

 The Traditional beach "foot photo".

 All of us out on the best balcony we have ever had- 19 stories up!

The view was just amazing!

 The Kids and the sunset. Very pretty the first and last day, Stormy the two in between.

Cold slushie drinks- Cheers!

 Feeding the birds off the balcony. It came to an end when we got a knock at the door telling us it was against the law to throw anything over the rail. Ops- but it was very cool while it lasted. 

 Brenner and Daddy in the ocean.

 The kids in a big hole that Cayden dug.

 Brenner buried in the sand.

 All of us with the sunset in the back the last day.

 Daddy with a plate of one of his favorite things at the all you could eat buffet.

Mommy and Mia enjoying everything the beach has to offer!

Summer Trip #3

Lake Oconne, Georgia

 Nikki and her connections- One of her friends from work has a beautiful Lake Home on Lake Oconee and we were invited to go for the weekend.  Although Georgia was not originally in the plans for our "summer vacations", it made for a nice weekend trip close to home.

 Brenner jumping from the Water Trampoline into the Lake- SPLASH!

 Mom and Dad on the Jet Ski.  We don't get pictures of just us often as we are always the photographers, but Cayden took this one and did a great job, we may need to hand over the camera more often!

 Mia and Brenner fishing.  I don't know where that boy gets his love for fishing as I know it did not come from his mother or I.  But none the less, He loves it! 

 The kids loved the kayaks, especially Cayden.  He could be found out in his yellow kayak most of the day.

 Doing his thing!

 Cayden on the tube on the back of the Jet Ski- FUN!

 There was a room full of vintage video games, pin ball machines, air hockey and the like and this is where Brenner could usually be found, he loved it!

The kids just hanging around down by the lake.

What fun we all had and so close to home!

Next week is Panama City Beach in Florida and we all can't wait for this one- Check back!

Swim Team

The kids are all on the local swim team this year and are loving it!  They all swim with kids that have been swimming for several years and all do very well, even coming in first and second in most of their heats.

Mom and Dad love the good family atmosphere, Cayden loves the socialization and being in the water, Mia loves the attention from all the "Big" girl and boy (yes- it starts early with this one!) coaches and her swim Buddie and Brenner loves the competition, even swimming a lap with his goggles pushed into his mouth and never stopping to adjust them (and he got second place!).  I have posted several heats below for everyone to view, make sure you see Mia's- Too Cute!

Brenner's Backstroke

Mia's Backstroke- Too Cute!

Cayden's Backstroke

MIA'S 6th BIRTHDAY

What better than a pool party with all of your best friends, lots of Pizza, Cheetos and Watermelon and a mound of presents for for your Birthday!

 Our little baby turned six on the 5th on June and lets just say that as the thought of it makes me want to cry.  I truly love our kids and their ages right now, they are so much fun.  But the thought of our last being six makes me sad.  Even though she promised me she would, nothing stays small forever!  She is still small to me and most likely will be forever.  

Mia- We love you so very much! 

 Mia and many of her BFF's.

 Mommy holding her "Baby".

Six years ago she would have fit in her arms, now- Well!?!

 And the Birthday Surprise of the year-

"Bunnies"

The kids all wanted something "alive" for a pet and Daddy finally caved in and decided that Bunnies would be a good outside pet.  Not to big, very cute, and the poo is very small (although very plentiful).  I worked on building a great cage with three cozy compartments, three water bottles and food troughs and it was done.  We all went out the the country and picked them up the day before Mia's Birthday- and they have not put them down since.  They are all Lion heads and very fluffy as you can tell.  Mia named hers frosty (After the Wendy's treat and some coaxing from Daddy), Cayden went with Snuggles (a throw back to Mommy's Bunnie as a kid) and Brenner decided on Bandit, very appropriate for a black Bunnie we thought.