Brrrrr! Cold!

23 degrees......and snow! It's been snowing this morning, though it has stopped for now. We are supposed to have more this afternoon and evening, mostly sleet and freezing rain. Tonight we are celebrating Jen's birthday! She turns sixteen tomorrow but being the busy teen she is, she has other plans for tomorrow so we will celebrate tonight. We are having her favorite meal, salmon and Alhoa salad. Should be yummers.

Duchess is growing bigger by the day. Her puppies are due at the middle or end of February. Should be some excitement around here for a while(like there's not enough already!)

Well, I better get back to birthday prep. I also want to start knitting a cap...we gotta keep our heads warm now!

Happy MLK Day!

Today there is no school, which I did not realize until about 3:00 yesterday afternoon. We could have gone somewhere! Of course, Tim is not off, so that wouldn't have worked out too well, would it? He is off tomorrow. We may go have lunch together. That would be fun and a change of pace for us both. I really wish we could go to a movie as well. My choice would be "Phantom of the Opera". I have the soundtrack and have been listening to it everyday. Sad that I can't get out to the movie theater. I guess I'll get it on DVD. Jen has been singing along to it and I swear I think she could do that role. As it is, she is trying out for Maria in West Side Story at the high school. I'll let ya'll know if she makes it. She really wants to do the singing, just not too jazzed about the acting part. I think she is just afraid to put it out there, in front of everyone..KWIM?

Well, off to the days chores, and hopefully a little knitting if I'm lucky! Ta ta!

Another Day at Home

Another day at home in a row! These are so rare! DD's hair looks fabulous. She is happy with it, I think, but who knows, she's 15! Ha! She started a new semester yesterday and she hates change more than anyone I know, always has since she was a wee one. I still remember her at about 4 years old saying, "I wasn't expecting that!" about one thing or another. I thought that was hilarious, such a grown up phrase coming out of such a young child. To this day, she still uses slightly odd phrases. She cracks me up, even when she doesn't meant to do so. DS#1 had a bunch of algebra homework that she helped him with. She loves algebra and I hope he learns to like it as well. He makes wonderful grades but doesn't seem to really like any particular subject. I guess time will tell. DS#2 came in with a homework sheet with about 6 problems on it and it took him about an hour. He just hates to buckle down and do it. He's in 2nd grade. What will he be like in 8th? DD and DS#1 have always been very self-motivated. DS#2 has to be cajoled all afternoon into completing assignments. It is frustrating. DS#3 is too young for homework, thank goodness. I'm sure we will have challenges ahead of us with him as well, as with all kids.

Well, tomorrow is a run day...run DS#3 to preschool, run to the grocery store, run to wherever. Hope I can knit a bit! Until next time....

After the Holidays....

Well, I'm here in the house and it is so quiet, save for Michael. I am stubbornly resisting the school rountine. Today I hope to clean up the house, though I'm not doing so well yet, eh? My main goal is to save all the photos of this goofy computer so I can reboot it to get off all the glitches. I can't get it to synch with my smartphone. :( Plus, there are other problems which I won't bore you with here.

Watched almost all of the Auburn game last night but my eyelids couldn't handle it. I did read that they won, which my Auburn friends will be happy about, as are we. What a great season they've had.

We had to turn in the motorhome we rented for the week last week. It was so much fun and something I know we will do again. One day, we hope to buy one, but I think we will most likely have to wait until retirement and by that time we'll probably have to live in it! Ha!

It was so wonderful seeing all the family in Mississippi last week. We really miss them all. The kids enjoyed seeing all their little cousins, aunt and uncle and grandmother. We got to also have lunch with extended family and that was awesome. It is sad we don't get to see more of everyone. Then it was on to Brandon to visit my Mom and Dad and brother Chuck. It really is hard to leave. We really wish we could pack everyone up with us and bring them here.

Well, I've got to get these photos organized and on to organize and clean the house. Lucky me! :) Then I get to run dd to Charlotte for a hair cut/style. I enjoy the moments we have together as I know there aren't too many years that she will be at home. Okay, enough sad thoughts. Tomorrow is another day....;)

My Big Boys & Girl

Finally I am getting the October birthday pics on here. This is Davis and Michael. Ten years and 100 pounds separate them. Aren't they cuuuute?

Sonday

Church today and boy was it nice. Dedicated the new sanctuary which was so exciting and the place was packed. Time to build a new one? What a nice problem to have. Both services met at 10 so we had twice the amount as usual. Music was great, especially the Hallelujah chorus....a glimpse of heaven, truly.

Well, thought I'd share a couple more pics of the half-pipe. Almost done. Tim is going to enclose the base so the little boys have a fort and then I think he is going to start on a tree house. What a good Daddy he is. I love that man, I do.

Half-Pipe

I thought it was time to show the building of the half pipe in the backyard as it has monopolized Tim's spare moments as of late. It is almost ready. These pics show the beginning stages. He has put a lot of sweat into this. Davis and some of the neighborhood kids have really pitched in too. I think we should put up a ferris wheel next, dontcha think? That way kids from all over Cabarrus county can stop by our house. LOL!