WARNING-Tons of pictures of Easter morning

At some people's houses the Easter bunny hides eggs or the whole Easter basket. At our house he hides jelly beans and other small candies. I think the Easter bunny of the South must have learned that the Graves (my maiden name) family was so used to hunting for eggs inside (in New Hampshire there was still snow some years or at the very least inches of yucky mud), that he thought it was okay to carry on the tradition. Jake swears he heard the Easter bunny leave our house at around 5:30 am. I wonder if this is the last year he will think that or if he really still does believe in the Easter bunny...I know I humored my parents a couple of extra years before admitting I knew it was them.


A one pound chocolate bunny. Yep it is already gone...

The Easter bunny must have had extra candy because he even put some in this conviently empty container on our shelf.

Hunting for eggs...






That tricky Easter bunny-hiding them behind a bunny!

Nice picture of Jake chewing candy.

The Easter bunny must have heard Jake is saving for a dog because he got $7 in his eggs!

Easter breakfast and Jake trying to give me his peeps. No one in our house really likes them but is it really an Easter with out them?

Jake in a sugar coma while quietly playing and listening to conference. How lucky was it that Easter was General Conference weekend. What a great way to celebrate the real reason there is an Easter. And as usual it was amazing and uplifting (and best of all I had the whole weekend off and I didn't even ask for it off. I just said a little prayer and hoped for the best!), and just what I needed! We are so blessed...

Almost caught up....Decorating Easter eggs!

I took tons of pictures and couldn't decide which to post...so here are a million pictures of Jake decorating Easter eggs! (Aaron was somewhere...I can't remember where...)

The first dip always takes the most concentration...

The posed egging dipping picture...

The first egg...

Q-tips are for more than just cleaning your ears! Aren't you glad they don't really look like that when you do use them for the intended purpose?!

I dipped too! See my hand for proof!

The beginning of a great idea!

I bet your really glad your Q-tips don't look like this after you clean your ears!!!

Papa with his missionary tag!

And of course his companion...

More dipping...

A beautiful multicolored egg and a cute boy.

A couple more dips...Love the "smallish" hands...They are growing too fast.

Nee and Papa as missionary eggs!

And its a wrap!

Several why's and a couple of where's

1. Why is it so hard to keep up with tweezers and finger nail clippers? I always need them, but can never find them. I am going to start carrying them in my bag. Then I will always know where they are. (Yes my bags are back. I couldn't cope with out all the necessities.)

2. Why am I sooo tired after working just a couple days a week? I am a cashier not a coal miner, lumber jack, or...some other profession that seems tiring!

3. Why do people use their EBT cards (food stamps are on a debit card called EBT) to buy $150 worth of junk food and soda and then they pay for their cigarettes, (that are, by the way, around $5 a pack!) and booze with a wad of cash after that! If they didn't buy the latter they would have money to buy their junk food!

4. Why can't I cook fun food like they do on cooking shows and magically not have a messy kitchen?

5. Where do all the sharpened pencils go? I sharpen like a million for Jake to have all ready to do his homework and they all vanish and all that we can find are ones with dull tips and barely any eraser!

6. Why is it impossible to keep up with laundry lately? I feel like there is always something that needs to be washed...and along the same lines...

7. Where do socks go when you put them in the dryer? I seriously could wash just one pair of socks (I wouldn't do that of course) and then put them in the dryer and when I open the dryer there will inevitably only be one sock!!! What happens to its mate? And when I finally give up and toss the one that lost its mate, why then does the other one show up in the dryer out of no where????

Okay this isn't a why or a where, but am I the only one who thinks of these random things?

Jake's Awesome Valentine Card Holder

We had to make a Valentine Day card holder for Jake to bring in for his class party, but Jake just couldn't figure out what he wanted it to be. He wanted it to be awesome and something he really liked so...I came up with the brilliant idea to make an R2D2 whose head flipped up and you put the cards inside. You know those ideas that pop in your head, you say it out loud, and then go...how the heck are we going to do it! Yeah it was one of those. I have a problem with saying things out loud before I have really thought it through...But it turned out awesome!

Still catching up...Super Bowl Party

We had a fun time watching the Super Bowl with the Gariety's! I don't really watch that much. I talk and laugh at the commercials. In fact...nope, I can't even remember who won...or now that I think about it, who was even playing! Aaron loves football and every now and then I humor him and watch a game. But for the most part I could really care less. Maybe next season I will pay more attention to it...That probably isn't true either...I do like basketball though. (I am finally putting aside the bitterness I felt when George Shin took the Hornets away from Charlotte to New Orleans. I am really starting to be a Bobcats fan.) So, although there is little to no hope that I will ever care about football, I will always enjoy hanging out with friends while they watch it!

Jake's Science Project

A few weeks ago I mentioned Jake's report on the skeletal system of a black lab and here are a couple of pictures of it. He really had fun with it and did a great job on the picture he drew and labeled. Who knew just a couple months later we would be without our sweet black lab...Just a reminder how precious time is.

I am know known as "Bi-Lo Carrie"

This is my ugly uniform. A few posts ago I mentioned how Jake said I looked "amazing!". Yeah right...Thanks any way buddy. My name tag says Bi-Lo on it with my name under it, so whenever I leave and/or come home from work the 2 jokers in my house like to call me "Bi-Lo Carrie". I am wondering why I am posting this picture...It is really bad. The uniform is really bad. My hair looks...really bad (I just put it back with a head band or something like that because it is pretty warm in Bi-Lo and my hair ends up going all wavy and crazy). All the employees comment how we all look so different (better different)when we come in and shop on our days off. The uniform really isn't a good look for anyone.

Jake's Ice Cream Treat

I mentioned a while ago that Jake passed all his multiplication tests and I took him to get a treat. This is the delicious ice cream he choose. Vanilla ice cream dipped in chocolate, with crushed Oreo and marsh mellow drizzle. All for $1! I don't know how this little shop stays open.

Enjoying Spring

Jake is growing up so fast. He is all about Star Wars, Ben 10, and the Wii. But every now and then he can't help himself and he recreates things he used to do "when he was little". He decided to get out the Webkinz and his dog from Build-a-Bear and have a little picnic in the back yard. I was of course invited and I accepted as long as I was allowed to snap a couple of pictures. He agreed and it was a fun little "snack picnic". Jake is a big fan of making umbrella tents too, that is why he has out an umbrella on a sunny day.

St. Patty's Day traditions

We always wear green and eat green at our house on St. Patrick's day. And I of course take pictures! Unfortunately I slacked this year and only took them in the morning. It has also been a month since then and I can't even really remember what we ate for dinner...But any way the tradition continued and here is the proof!
Jake's green lunch! It looks really nasty but Jake and Aaron like it. It is a can of chicken, bacon crumbled up and ranch dressing. They like to eat it on ritz crackers. It doesn't look quite as gross when it isn't green.

Dinner by Jake

I have recently become slightly obsessed with a show on BYU TV called "Food Nanny". It comes on Thursday night and I have the DVR set to record it every week. (We are actually getting Direct TV for free right now-it will be coming to an end soon. I called to cancel it and they said they would give us the basic package free for 3 months because we shouldn't be without any TV...I guess they are hoping after the 3 months we will change our mind and keep it...but any way that is a whole other story...) This extremely perky grandma (she drives Aaron crazy) is on a mission to rescue dinner and she suggests you have theme nights to get everyone excited to be around the dinner table. Thursday is Mexican night and one of Jake's chores on Thursday is to help with dinner. He is loving this idea and was excited to make the whole meal himself (with my supervision). I even taught him how to cut everything with the sharp knives and he is such a pro. We also like to pretend we are doing a cooking show when we cook together. We talk to the audience and have commercial breaks to set the table and everything. It is amazing how much more kiddos will eat when they cooked it. To mark the occasion I had to take pictures...Naturally that was met with some resistance. Just a warning as to why these pictures are so...good.
Jake totally excited to eat the soft tacos he made.

Not sure as to why the sign had to be in the picture...

Jake enjoying his awesome cuisine. Good job Jake-it was delicious!

First meal outside of 2010

I am trying to catch up on all that happened since I have been able to upload pictures and I am having to go back to the beginning of February...So, needless to say the next several posts will be in no particular order! This is a picture of our first outside meal of the season. This was a couple of days before St. Patrick's Day and it was beautiful out! I am glad we eat outside then because so far it isn't happening in April with all the lovely yellow pollen every where! Aaron rinsed the cars off one night, only to wake up to a brand new layer of yellow!

Upward Basketball

Aaron had a great time coaching and Jake had a great time playing Upward basketball this winter. It is great to learn how to play a new sport in a Christian environment. The score wasn't officially kept...but Aaron had me keep track and they won all but one game. I loved watching them kneel down to pray before each game. These are a few pictures of the dinner and awards ceremony. We will definitely be doing it again next season!

What does it say about me?...Chapter 1...

I have been concerned about myself lately. I have just realized that my favorite books are...teen and younger books...I am 33 (almost 34. I may just skip this years birthday) and my favorite books are for kiddos. Harry Potter-read them all as they came out and read Jake the first 3 before he was able to read them himself. The Twilight series-read them all...Twice-besides the last one, I have started reading it again. Sad right? And now I am starting a new series...I just finished reading Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightening Thief. It is really good and I am excited to get the next one in the series! I am heading to the library on Monday...but wait..didn't we get this book for Jake to read (he is half way through it and loving it too! He had been devouring books lately. He just finished the 2nd Harry Potter. That's my boy!!)? Wasn't I just reading a head of him to make sure it was okay for him to read?...Oh right. I am just going to continue reading them to make sure they are all okay for Jake to read...right? What does that say about me?..

This is a test...

These are (hopefully )just a couple of random pictures. One my sweet boy and the other my sweet dog. I am just trying to see if I can upload pictures again...I really want to get back into blogging but you all know how I am with pictures! I hardly ever blog with out them...I am keeping my fingers crossed...YIPPPEEE! It is official: I am back to blogging!

This is Jake...I know it was after I gave him a hair cut...I think it was Feb...Who knows really! Could he be any cuter?

My sweet Emily. This was in February when we finally got some snow here in Monroe. She had a ball playing in it...I miss her...(have mentioned how much I love my camera?)

What I have learned the past couple of months...(in no specific order)

1. That there is a big difference in internet that costs $39 a month and $20...we have the $20 internet...I am not a fan...at all.

2. I currently am not using a purse. I know it is a shock to those of you who know of my LOVE for bags of all shapes and sizes. But working at Bi-Lo and having 15 minutes to eat lunch has made me only carry the basics in my pockets...or pocket..I washed and dried my work pants with a piece of gum still in one pocket. It is never coming out! Drivers license,debit card, of course lip balm (my current favorite is Palmer's cocoa butter. It looks like a large glue stick and works like a charm), and a water bottle. I carry the water bottle-it doesn't fit in my pocket. While slightly freeing, it is not and will not ever be my ideal to leave home without my purse. It saves me 5 of my 15 minutes from having to go all the way to the back of store (where the break room is), fiddling with a locker to get my purse (or over night bag as Aaron likes to call it), going back to the front of the store, so I can go sit outside and a breath for a few minutes (the heat is still on in Bi-Lo..I have no idea why.) And then do it all again to make it back to clock in on time.

3. I now know for sure that blogging is not only great a way to keep in touch, but it is also very much a part of my sanity. So, I really will be making time for it. Like right now. I should be cleaning. But I am not. I am taking a moment for my sanity.

4. Emily was the best black lab ever. This deserves a post of its own, but it wasn't my intention to do this yet...But I need to let it out. Yes, I did say was...We had to put her to sleep on Monday March 15th. This is the shortest version I can give you...sorry for the rambling...On Thursday March 4th Emily threw up a couple times and was really moping around. We feed her rice over the weekend and she seemed to be a little better. Monday we took her on a walk. Tuesday we played ball with her. She seemed better but not great. Friday night I told Aaron I was going to take Emily to the vet on Monday and see what was going on. I slept on the couch and pulled her dog bed right next to it that night. All weekend she got worse. Sunday night after letting her out to go to the bathroom she could hardly make it up the steps to the front door. That night a neighborhood dog wouldn't stop barking and woke Jake up. I took him upstairs to sleep hoping it would be quieter. I went into the 2nd room upstairs and tried to fall asleep. I guess I did quickly (probably from being emotionally exhausted) because a few minutes later I heard Jake say "Mommy don't you hear Emily crying?" I went downstairs to find my sweet dog barely wanting to raise her head. I ended up laying on her dog bed with her the rest of the night and she kept crying every now and then and I just kept petting her and talking to her. We got up Monday morning and Jake was really tired but I got him ready for school and realized Emily wouldn't even get up to go out to the bathroom. She didn't even get up when Aaron left for school. My plan was to drop Jake off at school and take Emily right to the vet. But when I had to lift her into the Jeep I decided Jake had to come with me. It is really all a blur at the vets office. They did x-rays and an ultra sound. I called my parents balling and told them I would keep them posted. I tried to call my in-laws but they were both at work. I sent my mother in law a text because I knew she would know how I was feeling. I texted Aaron several times (he was at school all day, he told me later that day that when he left for school that morning he knew he wasn't going to see her again). Jake and I talked about what this all meant. I didn't really know what to do. I sat on the floor crying holding my big dog. Finally the vet told us she had cancer in her spleen and liver. The mass was so large that it had pushed her stomach up. We had to put her to sleep. We decided I would hold her while they did it and Jake was going to go out to the waiting room. They said they would give her a shot that would relax her and we could spend as much time with her as we needed. That plan backfired. They gave her the shot and she fought against its affects. She was trying to get up but had no control and it was heartbreaking. Jake said goodbye to his dog and the nurse took him out in the waiting room. I was a mess. I laid down on the floor and just held her. She was trying to lick my face but she couldn't even open her jaw. They finally came to give her the shot that would put her to sleep. It was so peaceful. I told her it was okay, that we would miss her but it would be okay. I felt her spirit leave the room. I felt relief that she wasn't in pain, but shock because this happened so fast. When we left the vet with Emily in the trunk in a box, Jake was comforting me. Telling me that Heavenly Father must really need her in Heaven for something since he took her home when she was only 5 1/2. How pitiful am I that my 8 1/2 year old was comforting me? We ran home so I could change. I had Emily slobber all over me...And then we headed down to Spartanburg to bury her with all of the other well loved family dogs in Aaron's parents backyard. (Daisy is actually buried in Pisgah National Forest...but don't tell anyone because I am pretty sure it is against the law, but we love it there). Thanks again to the vets who never even met us before but took great care of our sweet Emily and us. Jake thought it was amazing that the vet hugged me when we left. And thanks Matt (Aaron's little brother) and the girl Erin (his wife) for digging the grave for us before we got there. I don't think I could have done it. So, the dog beds (yes beds...she had 2 store bought ones and 2 others I made her out of pillows and blankets...in Jake's room (we really called it Jake and Emily's room because she slept in his room every night) and the living room were the nice ones. And in the sun room and our bedroom were the ones I made for her. The one in our room was under my desk. She was my blogging buddy. Yes she was spoiled, I know.)are in the basement and her food (I thought maybe a change in dog food had made her sick initially. We had 2 1/2 large bags of different food because of this) was given to friends, and I keep finding her tennis balls. We did bury her with her favorite one-the dirtiest one. And now for the first time since we got Daisy as our first wedding anniversary gift to each other (we have been married 12 1/2 years), we are with out a furry four legged companion...and it makes me sad. I can't tell you how many people have told me they aren't huge dog lovers but if they could have a dog like Emily they would get one ASAP. I guess if you are a dog that is probably the best compliment you can get. Unconditional love is what dogs give you. Emily treated me like I was the most important human in the world. I regret the times I got annoyed that she followed me every where. I wish she still did. She loved Jake like he was her baby. Whenever I said Emily where is your boy she would go find Jake. Although sometimes she did run to the door, thinking I said ball! She respected Aaron as her pack leader. She was an amazing dog. I will miss her until I see her again. And I will. Until then I am going to try and be a better person. A quote I heard once keeps going through my mind. "I am trying to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am."

No pictures, just words...

...I guess I can still blog even though I can't post my pictures. It really seems pointless! :) It just isn't the same but I might as well try and catch up rather than getting farther behind! I still have a post waiting that takes care of the first half of Feb. I will post it whenever I can get the Internet to fully cooperate. I am going to just jot down some memories before I totally forget them!

-Jake did a science project and presentation on the skeletal system of Black labs. He got a 93%...or something like that, maybe a 94%...it seems like so long ago I can't remember. But he did good any way! Especially considering his sheet of notes to use during the presentation fell of the table were they were all being stored and he had to wing it. Luckily he knew it enough to do it with out the notes!

-Jake also passed all his multiplication test through 12's! He now gets to be a grader which his is pretty excited about. They are working on division and fractions. We are getting very near to the end of my being able to help Jake with his math homework. I hate math and really stink at it...Luckily Aaron is really good at it. In fact that is his official major now. I would rather scratch my eyeballs out than do math all day long...But back to the point! I took Jake to get an ice cream cone to celebrate the occasion. On the way home from Jake's school there is this cute little ice cream place and it only costs a dollar. He got vanilla ice cream dipped in that hard chocolate shell, dipped in Oreo's with marsh mellow drizzle. All for $1! I don't know how they stay open but I like it! :)

-I finally got to do the cash register this week and it is really fun. After a couple of hours of working with someone in the morning I was on my own. I was nervous at first but the beeping sound as you scan is so soothing...It sounds crazy but it is true. There are people that seriously come in every day so it is like hanging out with friends. The old men are the cutest things ever! I had 17 hours this week and they are all during the day when Jake is at school (except tomorrow but Aaron is home). Bi-Lo is really great about working around Jake being in school. In fact on Wednesday Jake was on a 2 hour delay, (I have no idea why. Its snowed the night before but it was completely gone...) but Aaron wasn't. I called Bi-Lo and they said not to worry about it just come in after I dropped him off. And they actually meant it! I also have to tell you that the uniform is pretty blah! It is a blue polo, tucked in with, khaki pants and the name tag. The sleeves on the polo seriously come down past my elbows and are so long. I know it doesn't sound that bad but it is. I will post a picture. It really isn't a good look. No one at work likes it. The first day I was going to work I came out to show Aaron and Jake how pitiful I looked. I came out expecting a laugh and this is what Jake said "Mommy you look amazing! You look so beautiful!" That is my sweet boy. Aaron didn't laugh...but he did chuckle.

-Okay so I need to vent a little. I was totally spoiled at Jake's old school in Fletcher...His school is good here...I think...but I don't know for sure because his teacher is totally clouding my vision on it. She is completely unorganized and I really would love to go scream at her!!! Here are a few reasons why:
1. Since Thanksgiving Jake's class has gone outside for recess MAYBE 5 times.
Probably not even that many. Sometimes she "forgets" or they just dance to a 3 minute song and she calls it recess...They are 8 and 9 not stupid. They know they are getting the shaft because there teacher doesn't like to go outside...I have written a note asking her what the policy is on weather keeping them from going outside. Next step is going to be the principal and a "we are new here but is it normal that my child doesn't have recess?" talk. I am going to play ignorant and see what happens. KIDS NEED RECESS! THE LAW SAYS THEY MUST HAVE RECESS!!! UGH!!
2. When we moved here we got a supply list and for the second time in 2 months
we bought school supplies. One thing on the list was like 3 or 4 folders. I decided to get the plastic ones instead of the paper ones thinking they would last longer. Jake came home his first day with a paper folder with some other kids name scratched out and his written in. I asked where his was and he said she was going to "store them" until he needed them...Last week Jake came home and said "Mommy I need to replace my paper folder with a plastic one, because the paper one is falling apart."...Okay. What about the ones I sent to school the first time? He told me he had asked his teacher about them but she looked for them but couldn't find them. He
was all concerned he was going to get in trouble so I wrote a note saying we would buy a new one, but what about the ones I already sent in? I wrote it nicer than that-you know playing ignorant and stuff. She never wrote a note back but told Jake to tell me she was SO SORRY, but she couldn't find them. I went and bought one for $1...I know it is just a dollar but come on women admit you used them!!! He has not used ANY of the school supplies I sent in. His composition books are the same way. Some other child's name covered up with Jake's on it...SERIOUSLY???!!!
3. I could say a lot more but I am going to end on this one...Jake's class
earned a Chic-fil-a party and it was on Thursday. They got one of those huge trays of chicken nuggets. They each got four...She said that was enough for them. Jake said everyone was a bummed because the tray wasn't even half gone and he knows because he is learning fractions! UGH! Why women? GIVE THEM THE NUGGETS!!! They weren't for you to take home they were for the kids! We were SO spoiled at our old school...Okay enough venting..

-The post that I already wrote that I am waiting to post once I can put pictures on it is about the 2 snows we had. So fun! I won't say too much because I already did on the post to come!

-I don't know why it is posting with spaces between some of the words...I tried to fix it but couldn't..

Technical Difficulties...

I have had a post that all I need to do to it, is add pictures forever, but my internet is not cooperating!!! (and let's face it I have a hard time blogging with out pictures) My computer will not stay logged on to the internet. I am on Aaron's lap top right now. It is really weird with the flat keys...I am going to have Aaron take care of it once and for all tomorrow or I will never be able to catch up! Expect something tomorrow...I hope! I miss the blog world. I can't wait to read about all that has been going on with you all! I didn't reach my 20 pounds by March 1st but I have lost another 3 pounds the past 2 weeks and I am happy that the numbers are still decreasing!..I had my first day on the cash register at Bi-Lo today and it is FUN! What can I say my career goals are not extremely high and I love registers! I will update and explain our crazy and fun life tomorrow!!! I hope-I am keeping my fingers crossed...