2009 was a very busy year for me. We put our house on the market in 2008. A year later it finally sold. Anyone who has ever sold a house knows what a full time job it is keeping a house show ready. I was also driving to Mansfield 2-3 times a week house hunting. After 3 months of that, we were told by the bank that we couldn't get a loan for a house since we had just bought a dental practice. Thanks for the heads up. Then we moved to a rental house in Mansfield and I've been working on making this house feel like a home. Keller started kindergarten last fall and I am on the PTA board at his school. The two little boys are in preschool at our church 2 mornings a week, so you would think I would have those days to do whatever I want (i.e. blogging). Not so. Those mornings are spent at the gym, Keller's school, grocery shopping, post office, cleaners, etc. So, these are my excuses (and good ones, I think) for abandoning my blog as long as I have. I have been harassed, I mean encouraged by fellow blogging friends who are insanely faithful at keeping their blogs current, to update my blog. Let me say upfront that I will not be updating daily, or probably even weekly. I'll do my best, though. That's all I can say!

Ski Trip

Looks like these folks are from our neck of the woods.
This hill is a lot steeper than it looks in this picture. 


In January, Jeremy and I took a ski trip to Steamboat Springs, CO.  We love to ski, but haven't been in 5 years, so we were so excited when our friends, David and Jill asked us to go with them. They said it had been awhile since they had been skiing too, so we thought we'd all be skiing at the same level. Not so. David and Jill are actually REALLY good and seriously downplayed that fact when we had this discussion on our way up the mountain. So, we didn't do a whole lot of skiing together, but we still had a great time. It was fun to escape reality for a week, brush up on our ski skills, and get to know some new friends. 

100 Things

Bold whatever you have done. If you play along let me know so I can go see your list!

1. Started your own blog (well, technically Suzanne started my blog for me, but I update it.)

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business - does Pampered Chef count?

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt - started one, but never finished it.

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

Quinn's First Birthday

A darling backpack from Aunt Pam. 
"Let me show you how this works, Quinn"
Incrediblock from Daddy and Mommy. 
Shop and go walking toy from Nana and Pa. 
Most of his presents - I think a few are missing from the picture - Sorry!
"There we go - that's what I'm talking about!"
"Oooohhh, that is good!  Only thing wrong with it is that it's too small.  Give me a real piece - I mean, who's birthday is this?"
Let's try a cupcake first.
"What is this and what do I do with it?"
A Big Bird Birthday Party!

Fall pictures

Quinn never smiled during this photo shoot, but at least he's not crying in this one!  And that's only because he's holding his cheerios!
I think if we had kept at it, we could have gotten a cute picture because it's such a cute scene with the pumpkins.  Unfortunately, this was while we were packing up to go home and we couldn't spend the time necessary to get the perfect shot. 
This was the best picture I got of the boys this fall.  I don't even care that Quinn's not smiling.  I'm just glad he's not crying or crawling away or sucking his paci - I could keep going of all the things he could be doing that would make for a not so cute picture.  I'm choosing to be thankful for the picture I got - you gotta be with three little boys!

I just love fall pictures.  There are so many cute options for taking pictures of children in the fall.  Playing in the leaves, sitting in front of pumpkins, standing in front of a beautiful, colorful fall tree, dressed in cute halloween costumes.  I wasn't greedy this year, because I knew it would be difficult to get all those pictures with my boys.  I just wanted one great picture.  It didn't happen at halloween because I was out of town and Jeremy did fall festival on his own and didn't get around to taking pictures.  It didn't happen with the leaves because we don't have enough trees in Texas to produce enough leaves to play in.  It didn't happen with pumpkins because I waited too long to buy them - did you know that they don't sell pumpkins after halloween?  I didn't, and I think that's really dumb.  I mean, it's still fall - you've still got a whole other month to use fall decor.  Anyway, Thanksgiving at the cabin was my last chance.  There were leaves to play in AND a pumpkin scene.  I posted the best picture from each photo shoot.  It probably would have been funnier to post all the pictures that didn't turn out.  The grumpy, crying, crawling away ones.  The tear-streaked, frowny, are we done yet pictures.  I'll keep those pictures because it makes me cherish this one all the more. 

Thanksgiving at the cabin

The Peru room - mine and Jeremy's room at the cabin - the blanket, art, and pottery all came from Peru. 
Papa with his boys. 
Mimi with the birthday boy. 
Uncle Terry found a huntin' buddy!
Keller and Anna Bekah having some down time. 
For a boy, there's nothing better than going exploring in the woods.
"I can't see any deer! Everything's so little!"
Uncle Terry and Jared carving the smoked turkeys.  They were soooo good! 

We spent Thanksgiving with my Dad's family in Satartia at the cabin he and my uncle share. It's so nice to have a place we can all stay together, so we can spend more time visiting with each other.  The little cousins had a blast playing together.  I didn't get pictures of all of them, but there are 11 of them now.  We ate lots of good food and did lots of things outside, including deer watching, hunting, exploring, playing in the leaves, riding on the golf cart, making smores, playing ball, and catching critters.  We had such a good time and can't wait to go back again. 

New Bunk Beds

Keller "reading" a bedtime story to Creston. 
They take turns sleeping on the top.

In October we bought the boys bunkbeds so they could start sharing a room.  Quinn finally moved into the nursery and is sleeping in a crib - he loves it!  We got a great deal on the bunkbeds and got the bedding at Target.  One set of sheets has different colored stars and the other has different colored cars, trucks, boats, planes, trains, etc.  They just love their new big boy beds.  We shouldn't be surprised, but we have to go in their room almost every night to tell them to stop talking and playing and go to sleep.  I guess that comes with the territory!

Girls Getaway Weekend

Me and Lindsey
Me and my new friend Audra.
Game night - we had 16 people playing Cranium.  It was a blast!
Lindsey and I went kayaking. 
I rode a horse named Schadoosh. What a name, huh?  I loved it - riding is so relaxing!
Rachelle and I getting ready to go down the zip-line. 

Fellowship Church in Grapevine, TX sponsored a girls getaway weekend called Flavour Roadtrip.  It took place Halloween weekend, so I hesitated to go because I knew I would be missing Fall Festival with my boys, but I'm so glad I decided to go. I think there were close to 300 women there of all ages gathered together to get away, reconnect with God, and have some fun.  I had an absolute blast, as you can probably tell from the pictures.  I did things I haven't done in years like the outdoor activities shown, read more than 1 chapter of a book at a time, have an entire weekend to myself, and spend so much quality time with my sister.  I can't wait for the next one!

Pumpkin Patch

Playin' in a pile of hay. 
Quinn was being uncooperative, so I got the big boys by themselves. 
No smile, but no tears either!
Creston had a ball playing on the rope swing!
Riding the go-carts was Keller's favorite activity. 

We went to the Mainstay Farms pumpkin patch at the end of October with our Lifegroup.  The boys had so much fun and were very sad when it was time to go home.  We will visit this same farm in December to go cut down our own Christmas tree.  We love it there!

Fall 2008

What a boy - asleep with his favorite ballcap on!
Quinn is already an avid reader. 
Creston's getting the hang of riding his tricycle. 
Quinn playing in a baby bounce house at a birthday party. 
Keller, Creston, and our new friend Landri at a pumpkin party!

These are just random pictures taken throughout the fall. 

Simple pleasures

There's nothing like eating blackberries right off the bush. 
Keller loved taking a ride in Papa's canoe. 
Fun's over........it stopped raining. 
Two happy soaked little boys. 
Gettin' a drink. 
Look how wet I am........my bellybutton is filling up with water!
Stopping a minute to catch his breath. 

The boys love spending time at Papa's cabin.  It's a boys' heaven!  These pictures were taken in June 2008 - very spur of the moment.  We were sitting on the deck when it started raining and the boys ran out to splash in puddles and catch raindrops on their tongues. We also went for a canoe ride and went blackberry picking.  Oh, the simple pleasures of being a child!