The 4th of July

We had a great 4th this year! We went over to the Beadles along with the Hatch and Lane families. The kids had fun on the slippin' slide and we had fun watching and chatting! We had a great cook out and then of course ended the evening with fireworks at the Beadles and then at Lake Julian. Thanks for the fun night guys! We need an excuse to do it again!!
Waiting patiently to slide

Jake on the way down!

Fireworks in the street, always fun!

Our annual family picture in our Old Navy flag shirts.

Sawyer and Jake getting ready for the fireworks.

It was a great fireworks show. I love the 4th!

Soccer

Another season of soccer is over...I forgot to post this when soccer ended in May...Remember the whole month of May posted all at once? I forgot a few things and this was one of them. I love this face. What a sweet little face.

The fruits of our labor..

Well veggies actually! Our garden is being good to us. We have enjoyed spinach, green beans, and now squash! The peppers and tomatoes are next!

Working in Spartanburg

A couple of weekends ago when headed to Spartanburg on a Saturday. Aaron's little brother is getting married in 24 days and they are trying to get the house they are going to live in ready and we went down to help. I only know that they are getting married in 24 days because I was texting my future sister-in-law and my former beehive (I was one of her youth leaders at church when she 13! I feel so old but I was pretty young when I was her leader I swear...I am 10 years older..) yesterday and she told me how close it is. Aaron helped tile the sun room and kitchen and it looks great!

Jake, Riannon, Addie Kate (Addie Cake as I like to call her), and Della. Cousins rock!

Matt working hard!

We made a Lowe's run for supplies with Nana and got lucky. It was build and grow day!

Papa supervising the project and Aaron laying tile.

Bugged eyed Jake and Nana

When I am bored...

..I do really dumb things. Aaron got a phone call from his boss last Wednesday saying they needed him in Florida the next day to help with a project that just started. He left at 5:30 in the morning the next day and won't be back until this coming Friday-hopefully...This has made me remember that I do not look good with bangs!...I was bored and watching the show "What Not To Wear" on Friday (only day 2 of Aaron being gone) and the girl that was having the makeover got her new haircut. They gave her bangs. Well, I decided I needed a change and proceeded to cut some for myself. I do this every few years-forget how horrible I look with bangs. How my hair has this natural wave and body. I forget temporarily that even when I use tons of product and a straightener it doesn't stay straight for long. Which means my bangs will curl in funky directions 30 minutes after I leave the house. I forget that even though my nose seems a normal size, with bangs the truth is revealed-my nose is huge! So, now I have bangs. You will never see them because I will be wearing a head band for the next three months, but they are there. These are the things I do when I get bored! I am hoping that I can keep my bored impulses to a minimum while Aaron is gone. I have been wanting to cut my hair to my favorite haircut (I do it every year or 2. The A line bob. I know I am at the hair chopping point when I wear my hair in a pony tail every day-for months!) but now with these stinking bangs it will have to wait...Maybe...

Father's Day Weekend

We took the Friday before Father's day off and headed to Monroe for the weekend. We actually left Thursday night so Aaron could go to UNCC and get his schedule already for classes in the fall. We are on the right track-now we just need to sell our house!!! If the house doesn't sell 3 of his classes are online so he can still get started. I am trying really hard to be patient and have faith that it will all work out...I am not so hot at the patience part...which I guess means my faith is not as strong as it should be in this area!

Jake did a great job planning a surprise Father's day party for Aaron and my Dad. He even had the great idea of putting ribbons on the fan. You can see it a little in one of the pictures. It is very a very cool touch to party decorations! Great party Jake and here's to great Dad's!

Our neighborhood pool!

We have been waiting for a year for our neighborhood pool to open and it finally did the middle of June! They said we would have a pool last summer and it didn't happen. We were all starting to wonder if it would happen this summer either. These are a few pictures we took of first time we used it on the day it opened.

Jake was excited as we walked to the pool. We were trying to get a shot of him jumping up and down but after a few tries we gave up. We were too excited to swim!

What a great big pool! We have figured out the best times to go, to get the pool to ourselves, and when to go when Jake wants to play with friends.

Here is Jake jumping in!

The thumbs up that the water is nice and well worth the wait!

The last day of 2nd grade

I can't believe that the last day of 2nd grade has come and gone...Where does the time go? It was another great year in Marlow Mustang Country and a bitter sweet last day. We couldn't really tell everyone goodbye because we very well could still be there when it starts back up in the fall! I love Jake's school! Jake loves his school too. He has grown so much in the past 2 years at Marlow. Where else can you get out of the car in the morning to all the "parent volunteer car door openers" wearing bunny ears the week before Easter. Or have "Captain Veggie Man" (a parent that is also a local Youth Pastor who has a hysterical costume he made...) come into the cafeteria and loudly remind them all to eat there veggies! Or have a "moment of silence" every morning right after the Pledge is said to take a minute to think of those who are less fortunate or are sick. Everyday when Jake got into the Jeep, I would ask how his day was and he would say "Great!". Music to my ears! Jake has made great friends and memories at Marlow.
Jake wanted me to make him breakfast bed on the last day of school and this is what I openned the door to find! Starting summer vacation early! (for the record he has not slept in at all yet this summer!)

Usually breakfast in bed is a little more exciting than cereal, but my alarm clock didn't wake me up that morning (Jake is my alarm clock). When I realized I had over slept a little I just knew Jake was waiting in the room for breakfast, but as you saw from the picture above that was not the case...

This is Mrs. Prescott, Jake's teacher who was wonderful!

Mrs. Scannell, Jake's assistant teacher who Jake said he wanted to take to 3rd grade with him.

Jake has gotten so tall! At the beginning of the school year I looked at the 3rd graders and thought they were so much bigger than the 2nd graders. They are and now Jake is too!

Jake wearing his summer vacation t-shirt...Ready for summer!

Isn't our house adorable?....

...Know anyone who may want to buy it? We are moving (or trying to I should say!) back to the Charlotte area so Aaron can finish up the degree he started at UNCC! All we need is someone to buy our house! So, if you know anyone that may be interested send them to forsalebyowner.com. More on this later!

I am so excited about an awesome give away!

I am trying desperately to win a free session with an awesome photographer that I know and I thought I would be nice and give you all a chance to win too! She is the best photographer and an awesome person! Check out her blog (sorry I don't know how to make it a link...I am kind of lacking in the computer skills area...) As if most of you don't know exactly who I am talking about!
http://www.destineeblau.com

The month of May...backwards...

I love pictures...Here are just a few from the month of May. They are backwards and really not in order...sorry...One big thing that is left out is my 33rd birthday. I have absolutely no pictures from that day to post. I don't really like the sound of 33. It sounds much older than 32. I am calling a "do-over" on 32! I will stay 32 but gladly turn 34 next year! Or maybe I will like the sound of 33 and go with it! Problem solved. Anyway...here is May in a nutshell!

A picture of Emily taken by Jake. I love that her tongue is half way out. (we have been using Aaron's old work camera since I broke mine.)

The sweetest face in the world! I love Jake with his summer cut!

The snake skin Jake found hunting that he finally is throwing away!

Jake and Bella posing at Dolly's in Brevard on Memorial Day! Best ice cream in the south!

Aaron and Jake eating it!

Jake relaxing...

Me and Jake playing in the water at Pisgah!

Me, Jake, and Bella!

Aaron and Jake...still at Pisgah.

This how Sophia spent most of the afternoon!

Dean's bald spot! Aaron took this one.

Jake trying to pose with Bella but really just squashing her head into the tube.

Jake holding one of the Quail's that they hatched in his classroom. They also had chicks and tadpoles.


One of the few pictures I took this season of Jake playing soccer. I decided to enjoy the games this season!

Jake after throwing the ball in...The camera was to slow to catch it...

Right before the other picture...

Me and my mom treating each other to Mother's day pedicures, a few days early.

My mom's toes!

Putting in the garden...There is a picture of me that Jake took, but I was getting out a clump of dirt that fell down my shirt! I won't be posting that one...



Jake on a field trip to Pisgah that I didn't get to go on because I was babysitting. My mom drove up to go...What a good grandmother.



My mother's day breakfast in bed. The picture of me with my hair sticking up crazily, and no make up will never see the light of day.

Jake washing his first 2 wheeler bike that he out grew to sell it for $10 to his buddy Cody.

Jake and his good friend Kaili, relaxing and eating a snack after running through the sprinkler for the first time of the season!

I will post again...

...In case anyone has noticed I haven't blogged for a while! :-) Are you all as busy as I am? Wow! Time flies...2nd grade is almost over...I am going to sit down next week and do one of those posts that is all pic's and hardly any words...I love those actually! I am a picture person. I think Jake is the cutest boy ever so be ready for some (okay-lots!) of pictures of his cute mug! I am also going to explain some time in the near future why I have been sooo busy...

My broken camera is cramping my style...

Well, that isn't completely accurate. The charger for the re-chargeable battery, that goes in the broken camera is really the problem... I tried to download my pictures and my battery died on my camera! I can't find the charger any where (after your post Melissa, I may check under my bed!)and it is driving me crazy! There are only so many places it could be and it isn't in any of them! So, my pic's are all stuck on my camera that really doesn't work...Did you follow all that?

I am dreaming of a camera that will take pictures like a pro every time. One that can take pictures one right after the other and with out that digital camera hesitation..you know the one were the moment is over and then it takes the picture! Or people have stopped smiling and are starting to step away when it finally captures the moment! I also dream of a super duper lens that zooms in to take pictures from far, far, away! A girl can dream right....

Actually I would just like to find my charger!

Another Jake quote...

About a month ago we were in Sacrament meeting and a women giving a talk started to cry. Jake looked up from writing in his journal and said "All women cry up there." I tried not to laugh out loud as I explained how feeling the Spirit strongly sometimes makes you cry.

He never holds back! I gave a talk yesterday and was talking about our Nerf basketball hoop we have taped to the wall in the living room (very redneck, I know, but hey I am a cool mom), but by mistake I said football. Aaron said Jake very loudly corrected me...I didn't hear him...I wonder how many people did..

Where does the time go...and other random things.

I can't believe there are only 34 days of school left! Jake and I counted the other day and were both shocked. How can 2nd grade almost be over? It feels like it just started. I have been soooo busy lately with PTO, callings at church, babysitting, trying to work in Spring cleaning, soccer, homework...okay that is enough. I could go on forever! You all get the picture because you are all doing it too! I am preaching to the choir I know! I just had to update a few things that have been going on lately since I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks. (WARNING-this is one of the posts that is for me to remember what happened so when I make this into a book we won't wonder what happened in April because I was to slack to blog...)
-Blog girls I have been trying to upload the screaming NKOTB video that you requested but for whatever reason it just isn't working...Stay tuned I will get it up I promise and you will have yet another reason to laugh at me! :-)
-Easter was fun. We went to my parents and had a nice weekend visiting good old Monroe, NC. Jake got to stay for a few days after Aaron and I left. Spring break isn't a whole lot of fun when Mommy is babysitting 3 babies. The summer will be long but Jake will survive.
-Soccer is in full swing and for whatever reason they still felt the need to have a game during Spring break! CRAZY! Jake scored his first goal of the season during the game so I won't complain too much but, it was an early game so I didn't even get to sleep in..bummer, but worth it.
-Very random, but we all got new running shoes! It happens so infrequently that I had to mention it! Rack Room had one of it's awesome buy one get on 1/2 off sales and our shoes were looking very sad-so we shopped! Every time I get new shoes I declare that I will never again wait 3 years to get a new pair...and then I always do. I am not going to do it this time! I hate shoes and now I remember why. When you wear them out they are no longer comfortable...duh.
-I am pulling my hair out over Teacher Appreciation Week coming up at our school! I am on the PTO board and I am starting to find that there really aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done! Especially when I take 30 precious minutes to read everyone's blog and write on my own! Time well spent! Your blogs always make me smile..
-My niece Anika, who lives in Uraguay, just read Flat Stanley at school. She sent us her flat Anika and we only had her for the day because she was going to leave for Florida the next day. We decided to take her to Cracker Barrel! While taking pictures I dropped my camera and broke it! It no longer zooms in...wonderful.

Starting the day feeling so blessed...

I have good friends who have been so kind to listen to my trials and help guide me in the directions I need to go to work through them. Last Friday I met 3 of these good friends at Panera Bread and we chatted and leaned on each other for a little while. We talked about lots of things-we laughed, we shared and we complained a little...but most of all we listened to each other and then I learned from these awesome women. I then spent the weekend going to soccer and watching conference...doing laundry and watching conference...cooking for my family and watching conference...Not a bad way to spend a couple of days. On Sunday Elder Oaks spoke and I swear he was talking to me...and it made me feel bad and good. I felt bad that I could put myself into the category of people that he spoke about...But I felt good to know I am obviously not the only person in the world feeling this way...I am treading water and have been for a few months. But I am trying. I feel like if I take a step forward, I then take 2 steps back.

I got Jake off to school and decided to sit down and check out the blog world and found myself laughing and crying and now typing! Thank you friends for sharing yourselves with me and everyone else that reads your blogs! I feel connected and loved as I read your stories and look at the sweet pictures of your lives. I am uplifted by your testimonies of the Savior and how aware of us I know He is... and I love to hear stories about your children as they grow and go through the same fun milestones Jake has gone through or is on his way into. I feel blessed to know you! I feel blessed to learn from you! I am lucky.

Two can play at this game!

A couple of weeks ago my mom was visiting and we were on our way to Jake's school for "Absolutely Incredible Kids Day Lunch". I am on the PTO board so I have a tag that I wear to school and I hang it up on the hook were I hang my keys. I went to grab it and couldn't find it anywhere...I looked in all my bags, drawers, and both vehicles. The strange thing is I swore it was there earlier that morning...Finally I said forget it! I will just wear a visitors tag and look for it later. So, after school I asked Jake if he remembered seeing it. He laughed and said he got mad at me that morning when I told him he couldn't watch TV while I took a shower, so he hid it...That little stinker! I asked him where it was and he went to get it...It was in his treasure box-a wooden jewelry box that he stores his little treasures (rocks, cards, etc.) in. A place that I would never in a million years looked! He thought it was hysterical and said he was going to give it back but forgot. I am glad I asked him! I decided two can play at that game and while he was getting ready for bed that night I hid Blue Boo, the blanket he has slept with since he was a baby, in the spare bedroom...When he came in his room to go to bed he asked where Blue Boo was and my reply was to laugh and say I got mad so I hid it! Silly boy, who does he think he is dealing with? We all had a good laugh (including Jake-he is a good sport) and I went and got it for him after he searched for a few minutes. Never a dull moment at our house!