Monday, May 31, 2010

Happy Birthday to ME!

I had a great "birthday weekend" and partially a great birth"day". The part that wasn't great was working on U-Scan for 8 hours...need I say more? And the basement flooding because of all the rain and the sump pump (something they have in old houses to suck up the water if it rains)not being able to keep up with the water, and finding out that the dehumidifier in the basement hasn't been working for a LONG time (there were cob webs in it...). Luckily everything in the basement is raised up for just this type of thing...Well, everything except the load of towels I had Anika throw down to the bottom of the stairs when we were picking up as they were packing to go home (have I mentioned my sister and her family are back in America? And that they live in DC now? And that they came down for the weekend???!!!). I was going to put them in the washing machine when I got home from work...They were drenched! But other than those two things happening my birthday weekend was great! I have TONS of pictures but I am going to start with the ones from our "B-day 5k". Really we walked and jogged (I jogged 2 times for like 2 minutes) 3.4 miles (it was actually like 3.65 according to Allen's GPS) in honor of me tuning 34. I am so glad to be back to an even year! The odd's sound so much older to me. 30 and 32 were no problem but 31 and 33 seemed to sound so old. But any way. Tina, Anika, Ben, and I finished the whole thing together. Technically Ben won the race since he was being pushed in the stroller that crossed the finish line first. Aaron and Allen took turns hanging out with the boys who wimped out on us. :) Just kidding. But they did. Jake made it 3 loops (it took 5 loops in the neighborhood for the whole thing) and Sam and Saku make it 1 (but they started the weekend in a hotel room not sleeping much because Ben was getting over the croup and still had a cough. All 3 big boys also stayed up late every night and got up early every morning and played all day like boys do. I get tired just watching those 3 boys play together!) We had a great time! Thanks for coming and sharing my birthday weekend with me! And here are tons (seriously TONS) of pictures of our race:

Here we are making our t-shirts. Everyone except Aaron and Allen made them. They both had those special exercise shirts that wick away your sweat.


No that isn't a bald spot on my head, just a crazy part. I hadn't brushed my hair yet. This was like 6:45 in the morning!

Here is Ben in his shirt. He is going to be 18 months old next month and will be going to nursery at church on Sundays soon! He is always smiling his little grin. He doesn't like to cuddle but he tolerates all the hugs and kisses you give him with a smile and pushes you a way when he has had enough.

The Jakester:

Saku's (he was born in Finland and his name is this Finish version of Zachary. Saku is the nickname for it, kind of like Zack) in his race shirt. Saku turned 6 in March and is all boy. He though I was turning 15. What a sweet boy!

The back of my shirt:

The front of my shirt:

Tina's shirt (we looked at Allen's real 5k shirt and based ours loosely on it. That is where Tina got the idea for the long number. She had to put 600 in it because Jake put a 34 on one of his selves in honor of me and a 600 on the other. We asked him why the 600 and he didn't have a reason, so he convinced Aunt Tina to include it in her number so it could be in honor of her.

Anika is going to be so much taller than me! She is only 11 1/2! She brought some of her books for me to borrow since she knows I like kids books better than grown up! Thanks Anika I think I am going to start with "It's Raining Cupcakes"! The front of Anika's shirt:

And the back of Anika's shirt:

Sam in his shirt. He is 2 1/2 months younger than Jake and they are good buddies. He is always ready for a hug whenever you need one and loves to collect elephants.
Allen and the kiddos:

Me, Tina, and the kiddos:

Me and Tina. (I told you there are a lot of pictures...):

The Powell Family:

The Harmon Family:

At the starting line ready to go. Right after this picture the kids took off like little cheetahs and left me in the dust and as I ran my pants started to fall down (not all the way, just a little bit). They sprinted for maybe 100 yards.

The next couple are the beginning of lap 2.


Aaron ran a couple of laps (3, I think and then switched with Allen watching the boys)

Anika and me walking.

Tina and I walking. Don't let this picture fool you I wasn't leaving people in the dust.

Here we are almost at the finish line. Anika and I had a plot against Tina to act like we were going to just walk to the finish line, but at the last minute sprint and beat her, but we decided we would be nice and finish together. :) We only had that little plot because she was making us tired walking so fast. Girl power!

Crossing the finish line!

Our official Start/Finish line.

Ben was such a trooper. He sat in his stroller as happy as can be the whole time. The last few minutes he started to give up on us but we won him back over when Tina pulled out the goldfish. Good Job Ben!

Some post race pictures:



Allen ran the whole thing in a couple of parts (Daddy breaks) but crossed the finish line the wrong way. I don't know does that even count? Just kidding it totally counts in my B-day race! In an actual 5k they may disqualify you or something...

Thursday, May 27, 2010

EOG's are over and Jake is such a smarty pants!

So, Jake is almost a 4th grader...How is this possible? He is 8 3/4's...That is almost 9 people!!!! Where does the time go? And how is it possible that Jake is so sarcastic and witty? His teacher keeps saying he does the bare minimum in his reading journal. I won't get into it too much but he is way above a 3rd grade reading level and he is loving reading. He is about to finish the 2nd Percy Jackson book and is also reading the 4th Harry Potter book. He asks if he can read while he eats breakfast and sometimes in the car on the way to school. So, why is he getting a B in reading? Because he doesn't push himself when writing in his reading journal. Could it be because he is reading large chapter books at home but isn't at school because there are kids who can't read large chapter books in his class and if those who can do it at school it makes the other kids feel bad? That is seriously what his teacher said to me when I asked if he could read books at school that challenged him a little more. So, they read these little books that Jake was reading in first grade and his teacher wonders why he doesn't have a whole lot to write about it!!!! What kind of sense does it make to hold children back so the other kids won't feel bad?!! Jake loves math, science, reading, history...All of it EXCEPT writing. It is like pulling teeth to get him to write more than a paragraph. ESPECIALLY when he it is on books that took him 10 minutes to read! Okay. I feel better I have vented. My child is not Einstein but he is pretty darn smart. And I am smart enough to know that it is not smart (IT IS STUPID. There I said it) to not get an A in READING because of writing. I think a B is great but try telling that to a boy who loves to read and is really good at it and keeps getting a B in it. (Believe it or not that really is my version of not getting into it too much....)

But any way that whole point of that was to tell you this: On Jake's last report card his teacher said Jake isn't reaching his academic potential because of his reading journal, in which he does the bare minimum. We told Jake we were so proud of his report card and he should be too. But, if he really wants that A in reading (which he SO does, remember the "the B might as well an F" comment he made?) he is going to have to figure out how to push himself in his reading journal and give it his all. So, Jake takes the EOG's (end of grade tests, for those who have kiddos that weren't tortured all year by the upcoming event) and gets 4's on everything. Basically a 3 shows that you learned all that you needed to in the 3rd grade and you are ready for the 4th. 4's mean you are AWESOME and SO SMART! (That is my version of above average and going to rock the 4th grade!) Aaron told me on the way home from school Jake said "I guess I didn't do the bare minimum on the EOG's." My first thought is that's my boy, such confidence in himself...Sniff, sniff (that is me with a tear in my eye). And then my thoughts turn to: I really hope he doesn't go to school and say that to his teacher.

American Idol...

...Is officially over. Simon is done, so as far as I am concerned the show is done. YIPPPEEEE that Lee won! I think he is great and that makes 2 seasons in a row the person I wanted to win actually did. But am I the only person that missed the cheesy, especially written for American Idol song? You know, both the finalists sing it and then that is the first song they release? Actually I probably should be asking if I am the only person who is still watching the show at all!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Blogging clears a cluttered mind...

More random thoughts that clear my mind so I can sleep...when all I really want to do is not sleep...but I have to get out of bed in the morning, so I need to sleep.

1. Do you ever blog in your head? I don't write anything out before I blog. Do you blog girls? I just start typing and go with it. That is why most of the time it makes little sense and goes on forever. I find when my mind is going a mile a minute, I start to organize my thoughts as if I were blogging them. Is that crazy or what? Something that I spend time doing, (when I should be doing something else) actually helps me focus better...Interesting...

2. Mom you really need to get that blog up and going. You are like me and sometimes (all the time for you, just some of the time for me) can't stop doing whatever it is we feel the need to be doing. Blog and it will clear your mind. Seriously try it. Plus I am really hoping to see pictures of Seattle before you get home...

3. Do you ever re-learn things over and over again? I do it ALL the time. Basically every time I move. I assume that the people that I was great friends with and talked to all the time are going to forget all about it me as soon as I am gone. I don't forget them, but for some reason I assume they will totally forget about me. I say I will keep in touch and as soon as I leave I think people just move on and forget about me. I feel forgettable. (I am not saying this to make you feel bad for me or anything, I swear, it is just how my brain works.) But then I get the reminders that I am missed. A friend from Jake's old school left me a message the other day saying it just wasn't the same without me...She actually remembers me? When we moved here I was looking for a job and decided to call Dr. C a member of the church that I used to work for. But I was scared to call because I was worried he wouldn't remember me. (Even though my mom worked for him too after I did.) He did remember me. Aaron saw him a little while later and told him I was worried he wouldn't remember me and he just laughed. I guess he thought it was a joke. Another one of those times was at "Time Out For Women" a few years ago. We were living in Asheville at the time and my friend Melissa (she is my friend that blogs "Moments That Matter" on my blog list. If I was computer literate I would put one of those links that would take you right to it...but I am not. She is AWESOME and you will love her blog so check it out), was fairly new so we were sticking together. The strangest thing happened. Every where we went in that building I bumped into people I knew from Charlotte, Monroe, Spartanburg, Greenville, etc. A girl from Greenville I only knew for 3 months before moving a way wanted me to come and visit because everyone there missed me...I saw people that I hadn't seen since high school and they remembered me! It wasn't until Melissa made a comment about me knowing so many people that I realized, this is how it could be in Heaven. What a great reunion it will be! And people will remember me. It all really just makes me feel like a slacker because if people really remember me I should be keeping in better contact with them!!! I re-learn this lesson every time I move...I am going to try to remember it this time.
4. I am really glad I re-named my blog a little while ago because I think it is a good description of me and how my mind really works. I always have one more thing, that is probably just babble, that I want (need really) to get out. I don't know if the title and its description even make sense but they do to me. Plus it is a line from a really great John Mayer song...
5. ...Did I mention we are going to see John Mayer with Ranee and Jeremy in July?!!!!! It is my Mother's Day/Birthday gift!!!! I AM SO EXCITED! I can mark it off my list as the last of my favorite musicians (that are a live. Sadly Elvis passed on and so have some of the Beatles...) to see in concert. My favorites (pretty much in the order listed are: Dave Matthews Band (seen them...I lost count how many times, but in the double digits), John Mayer (can check this off on July 16th), Veritcal Horizon (seen them numerous times also), Matchbox Twenty (1 time), NKOTB (5 I think...3 the first time around and 2 for the reunion), Harry Connick (why can't I remember how to spell that right now?... 1 time) Jr.....I could go on and on (I used to love concerts. I have been to a million-I have seen MC Hammer people! I am talking tons of concerts...), but those are my favorites.
5. It actually works. I am getting heavy eye lids and I am ready to hit the sack. Luckily I cleared the bed off from my closet re-arranging...Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite. (We say that every night when Jake goes to sleep...see I couldn't help myself! I had to say just one more thing...)

Why do I do these things? I need a lesson in time management...

I have dishes to do and a living room to pick up and it is 9ish...And I choose to do this:

Put all my clothes one white hangers, spaced a finger width apart (give or take a little). They were all facing the other way on the hangers so I had to switch them all any way! (I put all mine on the left side and Aaron gets the right so I wanted to be able to look at the front of them when I am getting something out. Plus I am left handed and Aaron is right...It only makes sense...Right?) Don't my clothes look so pretty?


I put all of Aaron's clothes in my closet, on navy blue hangers (no I didn't go out and buy any of these hangers. We also have some green and pink, but I needed them to be the same color and look pretty in the closet...And I didn't bother put his in any order because he would just pick on me and mess it up any way!) to show who's are who's. I know we aren't going to confuse each others clothes but it gives a nice line of division...that is not exactly in the middle...I'm a girl! I am supposed to have more clothes! I am going to hit the linen closet that is over flowing and use his old small closet to organize better.

...Where are we going to sleep? There are a few things that don't really need to go back in either closet. I also got out all my necklaces to see which one looked good with which shirt. I feel the need to step it up a little and stop being a slob who on occasion (a lot...) sleeps in the clothes (I take my bra off and I am talking about the clothes I change into after work!) I wore that day...As long as I didn't leave the house (besides taking Jake to and from school) or clean the bathrooms. That would be gross right? And I only sleep in them if I was wearing comfy clothes (which is EVERY day) like t-shirts and crop kind of yoga style pants...I need some real pj's obviously...And no I didn't make my bed today...I got back in it for about an hour after I dropped Jake off at school...Don't judge me I worked 6 of the last 7 days. A long 39 hours last week standing on concrete and putting peoples "beer suitcases" (that is what they actually ring up as and they are huge!)in their shopping carts. (It's tiring, but fun, besides U-Scan of course) And 10 of those hours were on Saturday! (But that is better than last Saturday-I worked 11 1/2 hours.)

So, I should be doing the dishes,but I am blogging, while in the middle of a organizational project! This was more fun and it is my day off! Plus, Aaron is playing basketball...I take that back, he seriously just got home. Good thing he doesn't mind a messy room because it looks like the rest of this project is on hold!

The Sun Room

I just realized I forgot to post pictures of a room we use every day! My parents call it the Sun Room. It is a dining room/den/study/computer room...etc! It is a room off the kitchen and we use it everyday so I don't know how I forgot to post about it! We are going to paint it eventually. Mom loved the color of our playroom at our house in Fletcher and wanted to paint this room that color but didn't get a chance so we are going...at some point. (I will have to post pictures of our house in Fletcher. I loved our house!) In the mean time my picture above the mantel doesn't really match but it will eventually!

A view of the right side of the Sun Room from the door way of the kitchen.

This is the left side of the room. That is were Aaron spends a lot of his time studying! It paid off he got all A's and one B last semester.


This is a view of the room if you were standing in front of the french doors. My Grampa Smith (Mom's dad) made all of these on the vacation I mentioned before, when he put the glass in the kitchen cabinets.


The view standing in front of the TV cabinet and book shelves I just showed you. It is the view into Mom's "secret garden".


This is my desk where I do all my blogging.


Just another view!

Friday, May 21, 2010

The good news and the bad news

The good news is I had a doctors appointment today and my blood pressure went from really good to awesome (102 over 60 or something like that) and that she is very pleased with my 16 pounds weight loss. That is part of the bad news too. I am stuck any where from 16 to 19 pounds lost depending on the day. So, needless to say I am not going to reach my goal of 40 pounds lost by my birthday. But the my doctor thought that was great considering I had to put Emily to sleep and started working. I wish it was more but she reminded me that hormones make it hard to lose and the fact that I have and kept it off even when being under more stress is a good thing. She also told me she didn't think I should be running a 5k (more bad news, but I get it)...Another goal for my birthday. She told me between my asthma and my weight it isn't a good goal in the long run. She said my focus should be exercising at my level and not trying to do anything that will damage my joints in the process. She told me to try that goal in about 50 pounds or so. I agree because I can walk a 5k easy but I still haven't even been able to run a mile. Another bit of good news is that I do NOT have diabetes, which I have been paranoid about for a while, because last season on the Biggest Loser someone had diabetes and didn't even know it. I have also had my period 4 times since December which is as many times as I usually have it in a year. And that is obviously a good thing! Another good thing is my "crazy pill" (as I like to call it) or "happy pill" (as Aaron likes to call it) seems to be working a little so we are headed in the right direction with it. Have I mentioned that my doctor confirmed that I actually do have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)? No surprise to those who know me well I am sure. I also have what she called anxiety and depression. It is all completely related to my mixed up hormones. She is increasing my dose (I was at the lowest level to begin with) so that it will continue to help. I have honestly thought for years I needed medication but never went because I heard someone at church say they used to take depression medication but they stopped when they realized they just needed to pray more and read the scriptures more. So, I beat myself up a few more years thinking yet again I wasn't doing enough, until I finally realized I couldn't pray my PCOS away and have completely normal hormones. I have known that for a while but still not done anything about it. But I am sick of wasting time and ready to feel better. And I am starting too. Because lets face it how we feel emotionally directly effects how we are in every other aspect of our lives. So, long story short: good news I have made some serious progress. Bad news: not as much as I would like. I am still patting myself on the back because it is more progress than I have made in years. I guess this is really good news then right? :)

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

I know it is almost summer when....

Jake goes from looking like this...

In progress...



To this! The "summer do" as we call it. We have been doing it ever since he had head lice the end of kindergarten and then realized how much easier and cooler it was for the summer! What a cute kiddo. I wonder if his teeth are ever going to grow in? :)

Mother and Son Sports Jam

On Friday May 14th (Dad's birthday! Happy Birthday Dad!), Jake's school had a Mother and Son Sports Jam night. They had all sorts of fun games set up (dribbling a soccer ball, throwing footballs, tennis ball races...etc.) and Chic-fil-a (how do they spell it? I can never remember!) We had a lot of fun and met up with Jake's good friend Corey, who hung out with us most of the night. One thing that it reminded me was...how much I miss Glen Marlow Elementary in good ole Fletcher NC. How much I miss being really involved at Jake's school. I actually felt lonely. Even though I chatted with other mom's I knew. At Glen Marlow the parents at Jake's school were some of my really good friends. Here a few are acquaintances. It is a different culture in the mountains. Your school is your community. It could be because we aren't really in the community that Jake goes to school in (we had him transferred to his school because weren't thrilled with the school he was supposed to go to), or that I am not in the middle of all the planning and know everyone at the school. I knew all the teachers at Jake's old school. I know his teacher and assistant here. I knew his principal very well-I saw her every day because I was there almost every day. His principal here seems nice but she doesn't know us. She doesn't even know Jake. I am going to have to figure out this whole new routine so I can feel like I am a part of something again!...That sounds so depressing...But it is how I feel and that is supposed to be what blogging is all about right? It really was fun I swear! Here is the proof:

Jake and Corey


Me totally kicking Jake's butt in the tennis ball carry!


Jake in action!


Me with one of my favorite people in the world! Thanks for taking the picture Corey.

Friday, May 14, 2010

A Yankee at heart...

I always say I am a converted Southerner because I love it in the South. I always say I would never move back up to the cold New England winters. I like my snow for a few days and then it melts. Actually I don't mind at all if it stays I just don't want to have to drive over it! Can you tell I am going to follow that with a but?...BUT, I have realized after leaving the mountains (that remind me so much of VT and NH) that IT IS SO HOT DOWN HERE! As I sat in the car waiting impatiently for the AC to cool me down (it was in the low 90's today), I realized I am not a huge fan of heat and humidity! I have known this for...ever, but I am just now admitting it. I like it if I am sitting by the pool...no if I am IN a pool but other than that I am not a fan of the hot (HOT!) summer days in the South. It gets so hot you can't really be outside at all or risk heat stroke. I love it here but that is one of the parts I would trade if I could. I thought after almost 21 years in the South I was a Southerner for sure but I guess there is still some Yankee in me. (I can tell already I am going to regret these words...Maybe Aaron won't read this...)

I am still waiting for my Paula Dean accent to kick in, but it hasn't yet. I decided last summer since it had been 20 years since I moved here (and I love it!), I should try to start saying y'all (I seriously just had to spell check that because I didn't know how to spell it...), but I still don't think it sounds right coming out of my mouth. I am really trying to say it though and nobody looks at me strange so it must not sound too bad to them. Sir and Mam came much easier (we don't say that in the north), but I don't really say them around other Yankees. One of my first days at Bi-Lo the store manager (who I hadn't met yet) came over to me and said "You must be a Yankee" with his strong Maine accent (that's right there is a difference in Yankee accents-just like SC's accent is different than GA's). I was surprised by it and secretly a little proud another Yankee could still spot me as one. It turns out I had said have "you guys"blah, blah...(I can't remember now what I was saying...other than the "you guys" part). A term Yankees use just like Southerners use y'all and he heard me and knew I was a Yankee. Aaron claims when I get mad my Yankee accent comes out, but I don't know if it is true or if he is trying to make fun of me so I will stop being mad. Jake even informed me the other day that he is part Yankee. I told him he was really a Southerner since he was born in the great state of North Carolina. But he said nope, he is part Yankee since I am a Yankee.

So, I guess it is true I am still a (little bit) Yankee. And I guess you really wouldn't have to twist my arm for me to move a little more north. But...(did you see that but coming?) the South is my home so I will still claim to be a converted Southerner...And I am going to keep working on my y'all.

Bug Bombs

It is hard to believe, but some how after 12 years of having a dog (or dogs) and never (seriously) having a flea problem with either of them (one time I found ONE on Daisy and flipped out), we now have found fleas in our house...We have no pets and we have found 4 or 5 fleas in the house...How does that happen? Who knows!! I think it somehow started in the truck. Since there is no air conditioning in the Jeep, I have been driving the truck and some how there were fleas in it. I know this because I saw a couple and had smalls bites on my feet after wearing flip flops in the truck...So, I guess they came in from there?! That really creeps me out...The part that REALLY freaked me out is that we have come across the fleas in 3 different rooms...That is so not okay with me! So, I put off 6 (yes that maybe over kill, but I am okay with that) bug bombs on Wednesday. I actually called the customer service number to make sure what I got was going to work. I have today off so I will be vacuuming every inch of this house and cleaning like crazy. I realize that fleas don't come into your house because it is dirty, but it makes me feel better...I have I ever mentioned what happened when Jake got head lice in Kindergarten? I WENT CRAZY. That is what happened. Laura and Dean can back me up on that one. They actually came over (we were still neighbors back then...sniff, sniff..we miss you guys!) in the middle of me spraying and vacuuming the whole house for like the 10th time...I think at that point I had already shaved Jake's head...Yep, I said shaved. And then I threw the clippers a way. Every piece of cloth (everything in every closet, dresser, curtains-EVERYTHING!) in my home was taken to the laundry mat. I actually called Aaron and made him come home from work (which he did, he had no choice) so I could clean and wash EVERYTHING. I am not exaggerating. I am not a fan of bugs. Fleas are the pet version of lice in my book...If I see a flea today I will probably go insane...I am keeping my fingers crossed. You may want to say a prayer for my family that I don't go any crazier than I already am...I am itching all over just thinking about it...

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Mother's Day Weekend

That is right, I said weekend. I believe in taking full advantage of holidays that celebrate me and milking it for all it is worth! (In fact last Monday we had Mommy's choice FHE since it was the one before Mother's day weekend. We watched family video's from when Jake was a little guy.) And of course I was not disappointed! On Friday Aaron and Jake decided not to go to the camp out because it seemed no one else was either. Instead we went to the drive-in movies with the Gariety's and for $12 got to watch How to Train Your Dragon and Iron Man 2. You can barely go to see one movie by yourself for that price. It was so fun! It was the first time Aaron and Jake had been to the drive-in. I loved How to Train Your Dragon! It was so cute, I would seriously love a dragon as a pet...if they were real and as cute as they are in the movie! Iron Man 2 was pretty good also. There were some long parts in it and I have never seen the first one, but I liked it. And of course I took pictures!
Here we all are, with our awesome set up!

Elizabeth, Cole, and Morgan.

Jake made his own row at first. He ended up moving back to sit by me.

Our little family!

Jake with the credits rolling from How to Train Your Dragon behind him. I didn't want to disturb people by taking pictures during the movie...although I was tempted.

Jake playing with the Gariety's flash light.

Jake and Morgan running around while we waited for Iron Man 2 to come on.

Saturday I had to work (on U-Scan) from 9-3:30 and it was HARD getting out of bed. We got home from the drive-in at a little past 2...I don't see that hour very often unless I am waking up to go pee!.. But I was actually less tired than I thought I would be and U-Scan could have been worse than it was, so I survived. :) Jake and Aaron came to Bi-Lo to decorate a cookie cake for me in the bakery so I got to see them for a couple of minutes too. Saturday I went to bed early. On Sunday I was awoken to breakfast in bed. It was delicious! Thanks guys for the yummy pancakes, eggs, and bacon. They also got me a corsage to wear to church (which I am wearing right now! I have to get all the use out of it I can. Besides it makes me feel special.). I got to go to all of church (since I didn't have to work-YIPPEE! I really do like it I swear! The people are so nice and I basically get to talk to people all day-I just didn't want to work on Mother's Day!) and help out in nursery. I was all ready to go to Relief Society for the first time in...a really long time-I have been helping out in Primary and Nursery (which I love to do by the way!). I even told Aaron I really wanted to go to R.S. so if they asked me to help I would just tell them not this week. But I couldn't stop myself when they asked me. What can I say Primary/Nursery really is the best place to be. Sweet kiddos that love you no matter what and free hugs! I love the nursery in Monroe-they are such sweet little ones and I get to hang out with my great friend (and nursery leader) Elizabeth! But any way...Back to Mother's Day celebration. I took a nap...It was sooo nice. And Aaron made me shrimp and grits for dinner. It was a nice relaxing day...

Aaron forgot (or so he says) to take the camera to Bi-Lo and take a picture of Jake making my cookie, so I made sure I reminded him to take them when they were making me breakfast! Jake made the pancakes all by himself.


Aaron picked roses from the yard to put on the tray.

Jake showing off all their hard work.

I really can't believe I am posting this picture...

Here we are after church. Jake took a picture of me, my corsage, and Aaron. :)

Jake and I matched!

Before the movie the guys played Frisbee and then the kiddos colored. Jake colored me this beautiful picture.

This is the card he made me at school. (the word in blue is supposed to say corsage)

...and this is the inside.

My corsage...

My two cute guys with the cookie they made.

A close up on the cookie...

Me and my cookie cake

Aaron cooking...

...these yummy shrimp and grits!