Some catching up to do.....

   What can I say, I use to be really good at keeping up the blog.  In fact, I found enjoyment in coming up with things that I could put up, taking pictures when I could and praising my kids whenever I wanted to.  Let's just say that I have been pretty busy and finding the time is a lot harder then it use to be.  Many things that I usually have had tons of time for has not happened.  Anyway, I had a few minutes today and so I thought I would sit down and try very hard to catch up without boring everyone too much.

First up is Megan.  A few months back, like right after Christmas, I received a phone call from Megan's art teacher at Discovery.  She said that Megan would be receiving an award she sent in to the Reflections program for some drawings that she had entered.  Her drawings would be going on to compete against the whole state of Alabama.  Megan loves to draw.  She always has, but she has a definite style of her own.  She is probably influenced most by the Anime world, but what she does is quite nice.  I try to encourage her to branch out and maybe someday she will, but for now she does very well and is very creative in the style that she has.

Emilee has been taking Taekwondo for some time now.  It started with Hunter, then Megan and Emilee soon joined not long after.  Megan was the first to quit, then Hunter, but Emilee has stayed with it and seems to love it.  She does really well and many times I am quite impressed with what kind of kicks she produces.  Well, she has had her yellow belt for a very long time.  Mostly because the class seems to do more of their testing on Saturday morning and Emilee's mom can't quite always get there.  Though many times we do have things on Saturday morning that we have to do as well.  

Well, we were there.  Emilee had two green stripes and usually you need three green stripes to promote, but she was hoping so much to go up the belt because of how much time she spent on yellow belt.  Woo-Hoo!  Congrats Emilee you made it!  Green belt it is.

Next up for Emilee in the Taekwondo world is a tournament in June.  It is the Alabama Sports Festival that takes place in Birmingham.   It is like going to the olympics and opening ceremonies is even televised through out Alabama. Last year Emilee placed third in forms and sparring.  I am so excited what she does this year.  I am sure she will do fabulous.

On to DI News.  Destination Imagination.  It has been a fun year.  This year they called their team Creativity Creators.  I am still the team manager over her team.  I think I am stuck.  As long as Emilee wants to do it.  I am probably still always going to be the manager.  They have improved tons this year.  Emilee's team this year chose the improv challenge.  It was very competitive.  When we went to Regionals there were nine teams competing.  Emilee's team got first and were moving on to State.  

Megan is now at Discovery Middle School, but her team is pretty much the same as well.  Their team this year goes by DMS Disco Divas. They did the challenge that we did last year.  Challenge B which usually has to do with some science energy thing , creating a device that goes with that and creating a skit around it.  They also got first and went to State as well.  

Next up:  EASTER

 We have been here now in Alabama for five years.  It has been awesome.  Awesome people, most the time some good weather and I would call this home.  Jeremy thinks he is putting in for a position in Atlanta.  Though I want to support him and hope for the best with him, if he gets it, it will be very sad to leave.  I went through all the Easter pics I took while we have been hear and put them together.  My beautiful children are growing up so fast.

Megan is almost 13 now.  Can you believe it.  Next month she will be 13 years old.  I swear it went by so fast.  She is so beautiful and has so many wonderful qualities.  I know now that the next 5 years will go fast and that scares me.  I suppose this is why I don't mind taking and picking her up from school these days, instead of the bus.  More time for me to talk to her.

Emilee looks very retro to me here.  She is so funny and so easy to tease.  She makes me laugh all of the time.  She has some good friends and they seem to love her so much.  Again, she is going to be in sixth grade soon.  Unbelievable!  I have always said that Emilee has the best qualities of my other two kids.  She kind of is like a little of both of them.  And she loves to shop so me and her together are a little dangerous.

Hunter is my baby and will always be my baby.  He is very lovable and he loves to trick me all of the time.  He is going to be nine soon and going into the fourth grade.  WOW!  I mean, how can that be!  It is not possible.  He is so goofy all of the time, which makes me laugh and he is the one of mine kids that is always on my side first.

 On to DI again.  Since it has been so long since I have blogged anything, our DI team was due to go to state at University of Alabama Huntsville.  Since Emilee's team came in first at the last competition, they had high hopes of coming in first this time and going to Globals in Knoxville TN to compete against the whole world like last year.  They came in third this time.  They were very upset, but they have a lot to be proud of . It was the most competitive challenge this year and they do so well.  In fact they had one score (Instant Challenge Score) that was the highest of 100.  So, no globals for Emilee this year.

Megan on the other hand will be going to Globals.  Her team came in first this year.  (They only take first place winners to Globals)  It has been a long time coming for this time.  Though Megan has only been with the team for two years, the team has been together for four years and this is the first time they get to go to Globals.  Hooray Disco Divas!!  I watched their challenge/skit.  It was Hilarious.  They did awesome!!

(I know that some of you may not know what Destination Imagination is.  I have talked about it in other posts from last year.  It is a creative problem solving competition that runs through out the world.  First you compete against your area, then state, then against the world.  If you want to know more about it, just google it and the Destination Imagination site will come up)

I think that is it for now.  I will try and not wait so long to post next time, so it won't be such a long post.  Until then........

The days before Christmas!

This might be a long post with lots of pictures.  I use to be good at doing these posts right when these events happened, but for some reason, I forget a lot.  So, let's start with the week before Christmas.  First up....  Emilee's choir performance.  This is the second year that Emilee has been in the school choir.  I find this funny because she really hates singing in front of people, but she does like to talk in front of people.  The show this year was, "SnowBiz".  She had the part of the translator.  She translated for a snowboarder who had his own language of talking.  She did a good job of course.  She looked like she was upset at times.  Come to find out, she had what she called her "nervous pee" and had to use the bathroom the whole entire time. LOL...You gotta love Emilee!

Next up....Ice Skating once again.  We had so much fun ice skating last time that we had to do it again.  This time though we would bring friends.  Emilee brought two friends and Megan brought one.  So, we had ice skating, Christmas music in the background and even a small snowball fight with the ice that was kicked up from the skates.  

Emilee and her friends were hilarious.  I think they felt big staying out late and hanging around the old ice skating rink.  I know I had a blast watching them.

 Megan is really into the cosplay thing.  Her and her friend were "My Little Ponies".  And I thought they lost interest when Megan turned about 8.  She tells me they are different now and much cooler.  What do I know.

Every year we see Santa.  This has been going on since Megan was just a little baby.  Usually we do it a little earlier, but things had been really crazy this year so we got there just a few days before Christmas, but Santa was still taking orders.

Megan tells me that she is too old to sit on Santa's lap.  She did not want to go, but I told her I needed one more picture and then next year she could refrain.  I did compromise with her.  This particular Santa, if the child is so upset about seeing Santa, will come around the back and look in the window.  Then a picture is taken of the child with Santa in the picture.  I told Megan we could do this for her then I still get my last picture of her with Santa and she doesn't have to sit on his lap.  I think the picture turned out real cute.

 Of course Emilee and Hunter still don't mind sitting on Santa's lap and are excited at that.  Every one told Santa what they wanted, now all they have to do is wait.

Christmas Eve!  I was out most of the day.  I still had shopping to do.  Nothing like waiting 'til the last minute.  I told you that this was one of those seasons where things were just nuts.  So, usually we start making cookies for Santa around 1 pm.  This Christmas Eve we waited to start about 6 pm.  Crazy, I know!  It got done anyway and we had a wonderful Christmas message and thought about our Savior before they got to open one present.  Then off to bed they went with dreams of  sugar plums dancing in their heads.

Christmas Day!  I have to hand it to the kids.  They waited until 6:30 am to wake us up.  Usually it is a lot earlier.  It started with Hunter.  He noticed that he had the biggest present under the tree and had to open it right away.  It was very heavy as he pushed it to the couch and he was glad to see that it was an electric scooter.  Can't wait to charge that baby up.

I have always said that my children will not have a cell phone until they are 16 years old and driving.  Woops!  I guess I have changed my mind.  It is a different world now and I find that I worry a lot more then I thought I would.  So many times I have wanted to get a hold of Megan.  Now I can.  She was excited to see it.  Now, it is not a smart phone.  Defiantly not ready for her to have one of those, but it does have unlimited text and can get on facebook.  She does have rules that go along with the phone, but I am sure she can deal with it.

Emilee thought for sure she should get a phone too.  Sorry Emilee.  Not yet, but my guess is you don't have to wait until you are 16 so just be a little patient.  Your time will come.  She has wanted a camera though and was very excited to get that plus a Hermione wand, Taekwondo shoes, Hello Kitty lava lamp and even a doorbell for her room.  I think she will be OK.

It was a very nice morning with fun presents to open, a great breakfast, a very relaxing day which I took full advantage of and a fantastic Christmas dinner.  We are so blessed and had a very wonderful Christmas Day!!

Hoping that you all had a wonderful Christmas Day and will have a Fantastic New Year!!

Ice Skating

The other night, I took the kids ice skating.  Emilee had gone once before with a friend, but Hunter and Megan had never been.  I think for the most part the kids had a blast.  They had some ups and downs, but they had fun doing it.

Hunter had a lot of fun at the beginning.  He just took off.  They had these walker thingys to help them learn balance on their skates.  He just took off slipping and sliding along.  He fell sometimes, but he would get right back up.  Then he fell once and just couldn't get up for anything.  He kept sliding too much.  Megan had to help him to the side of the rink.  By then, he had enough.  I should have been prepared to skate with them, but I did not have the socks on my feet to get skates.  I wish I would have gone.  Anyway, Hunter has decided that ice skating just isn't for him.

Megan and Emilee on the other hand had a blast.  They started out a little shaky but they were old pros by the end.  They took my camera out on the ice and took pics of themselves trying to look like official ice skaters.  It was very funny and very cute.  I had so much fun watching them.  

I want to take them again, but next time I want them to bring a couple of friends.  I think that it will be so much fun.  And hey, maybe next time I will even skate myself.  It has been years, but why not??

That's Right!! Halloween in December!

So, I might just be a little slow in getting these Halloween pictures on.  What can I say, but sometimes life is just like that.  The kids are getting older, but they still love Halloween.  They weren't at all what they said that they would be in September.  Each chose a very different costume, but they look good, don't they??

Megan had said she wanted to be Katniss from "Hunger Games".  After thinking about it, she decided that if she was Katniss, that was one to many.  Her and her friends decided to be Gangsters.  Funny.  I think though that she made a very cute Gangster.  

She went Trick or Treating with her friends again this year.  I think they were hoping to go by themselves, but us parents followed closely behind, trying not to cramp their style.  

Emilee was suppose to be a policewoman.  Now last year, I saw this costume a lot, but couldn't find it.  Saw the adult version, but that is highly inappropriate for a 10 year old I would say.  (Though I think it was inappropriate for a 25, 35 and even a 45 year old.)  We were just getting ready to make something up when we saw this costume.  Emilee loved it instantly and she made a very pretty Japanese princess.  She followed Megan and her friends.  She tried to stay back with Hunter and me, but I think she liked hanging around her big sister and friends and they were all good to her anyway.

Hunter was suppose to be so many different things.  He changed his mind all the time.  It started out as a banana, then an alien but then we came across the Grimm Reaper and he was sold.  He said he wanted to be scary.  Death just might be scary enough.  

Poor Hunter didn't get to Trick or Treat very long.  He had been suffering from some bronchitis and it acted up that night.  He wanted to go home, but we did manage to get him some candy anyway.

Well, that's Halloween.  Done and over with until next year.  Hope you all had a fantastic Halloween.

Lyons Farm, TN--2012

 Aw!  The feeling of fall.  I love it.  If it could be fall for six months and then spring for the other six months, this would truly be a perfect place.  The last three years, we have taken the kids every October to Lyons Farm.  This is just barley over the TN line.  Many people around here usually go to Tate Farms, but my kids like Lyons better and so that is where we go.

 The Corn Maze is always the big hit.  They usually have two mazes inside.  One easy and one more difficult.  Of course Hunter just likes getting lost in the maze on purpose.

 Every year it seems like a few more things are added.  The chair was a big hit this year

 It was a beautiful day.  You couldn't have asked for a better day.  

 The pigs are always a big hit.  Hunter says he wants a pet pig now.  Hmmmm....I will have to say no on that one.  They were cute though even if they do smell.

 And of course the rat races.  This makes me laugh every time.  The kids get going so fast in those circles and then their feet come out under them.  It is the funniest thing to watch.  I love it.

 It really was a great day.  They got their pumpkins, played a ton, ate some funnel cake.  It was a beautiful day!

New York City 2012

Ah, New York City!  The place that they say never sleeps, where fashion is at the utmost important, the home of many of the rich and famous, the theater and food, food and more food.  In August, I had the chance once again to go to New York City.  Jeremy had yet another class there for work that he needed to take and of course, I needed to come.  This time though, I invited my cousin Joanna to come with and enjoy the sites with me while Jeremy was in his class.  I did have a good time, though I will admit that it was not as exciting as the first time that I went.  It was much hotter and the people.....where did they all come from?  Oh ya, the US Open happened to be going on while we were there and the end of summer.  I know that Manhattan has a ton of people living there, but there were more crowds this time then when we went in the middle of September last year.

 I did get to do some different things though this time.  We got to go to the 9/11 memorial this time.  I have to say the fountains where the twin towers were, were amazing.  Like before, being down there was humbling.  It must have been so terrible to be there while it was happening.  Me, who was clear back west in Las Vegas, can't even imagine.  It is for sure a place to reflect and remember those that were effected. 

Last time I was in New York, I wanted to walk the Brooklyn Bridge and didn't get to.  Jeremy does not get why I even care.  I really can't tell you why, except it is a famous old bridge you can walk across and it's free.  Joanna got it.  We took the subway over to Brooklyn and ate at a pizza place underneath the bridge which always has a line in front of it.  Finally, I found a great pizza in New York City.  Last time, I honestly didn't see the big deal.  I liked this pizza.  It was yummy!  Melted Mozzarella cheese melted all over it and topped with fresh basil.  So Good!  After that, we walked back to Manhattan across the bridge.  It was quite pleasant.  So many things to see I might not have seen before.  If you are ever in New York City, I recommend it.

Let's see what else did we do.  We saw a show, "Peter and the Starcathchers", which comes from a book that I have read.  It was pretty good, though I don't like how they portrayed Peter.  They made him the exact  opposite of how he is in the book.  We ate tons of food, which I have to say I think I might have had the best gyro from off the street and the most delicious big cupcake.  We walked a ton and we even got to see a taping of the David Letterman Show in which before we could go into the studio, they gave us laughing lessons.  Now I really am not a huge fan of the guy, but it was cool to see a taping of the show.

I think Joanna had a good time.  We saw some crazy people on Time Square, including the naked cowboy, topless grandma and even a man taking his goat for a walk.  Jeremy says he is done with New York.  He has no desire to go back at all.  He has to take one of these classes every year and can choose various places to take it in.  He says next time that it won't be New York.  Me, I don't know.  I always like the big cities.  I wouldn't mind going back, but I do like the fall better then the summer there.  Who knows when I will make it back, but if I do, I am sure I will have a great time.

First week of school 2012

It was the first week of school this week.  This I feel is always an exciting time.  How could it not be.  New school clothes, lunch boxes, back packs, and all the essential materials to make it a fantastic school year. The kids would never admit it, but I think they were just as excited.  

 Hunter is going into the third grade this year.  Can you believe it??  I hardly can.  I mean he is my baby and I swear I feel like I was in the hospital the other day having him.  He so doesn't seem like he is in third grade, but he is.  Third grade and up is upstairs in the school so that makes him feel big.  He is one of the big kids now.  I think I may cry.  

Oh Emilee.  She is a big fifth grader this year.  She gets to switch classes each school day.  She has three teachers.  One for reading and language arts, one for science and history and on for math.  This will be a different year for her, but she came back the first day loving it.  I hope she keeps that momentum.  I have already heard from one of her teachers how much they just love her.  That is how it always is with Emilee.  Her teachers always stop me in the hall just to tell me how much they enjoy her in their class.  I have good expectations for Emilee the year.  She will do awesome.

Emilee and Hunter are at the elementary school while Megan is at the middle school this year.  It sure is different to see them catch the bus at different times and come home at different times.

This is the one that really makes me crazy.  I just cannot believe that Megan is now in middle school.  She is my big 7th grader.  12 years old and has the attitude to match.  She has grown up to be a beautiful girl, even though I try really hard to imagine she is still little.  It is hard for me to let go.  She seeks for so much independence and I try to keep her from it.  She for sure has found her individuality and even though I may shake my head and even roll my eyes, I love it.  I am so proud of her and I hope she has a wonderful year.