Denton party of 5

10th Anniversary Cruise

2011-11-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

For our 10th Anniversary, the hubby and I set out for our first-ever cruise. We were so excited!

Our cruise left from Port Canaveral so we decided to visit the Kennedy Space Center while we were there. Roy hadn't been since he was a child and was beyond thrilled to get to see it all again after so many years.

The first night of our cruise, Roy surprised me with a beautiful anniversary ring. He even got down on one knee and asked me if I would still be willing to spend the rest of my life with him. It was perfect!

Formal Nights aboard the ship! It was so fun to dress up for supper and spend time over dinner just talking.

The ports were beautiful! We visited Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize, and Isla Roatan. We had a great time snorkeling, relaxing on the beach, and walking through the cities. It was awesome!

Lydia's birthday party at Chuck E Cheese, July 17th

2011-11-04T07:00:00.001-07:00

Lydia wanted to have her party at Chuck E Cheese this year. She invited several friends from church so we had a good group there. They played for what seemed like hours, ate pizza, had an ice cream cake, sang songs with Chuck E ... in all they had a lot fun!

Lydia's guests patiently waiting for the cake!

Lydia checking out her Dora cake!

The natives are getting restless!

Daddy helping Lydia get extra tickets in the ticket blaster!

Mom and her two angels!

Me and my BFF!

Mommy's Birthday, July 16th 2010

2011-11-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to me! I spent the day relaxing with my family and loving every minute of it. The kiddos were so excited to give me presents that they had picked out themselves: Abigail picked out a bag of Hershey's Kisses, Caleb got me a bottle of green nail polish, Lydia got me a bottle of brown nail polish, and Daddy picked up a bottle of my favorite perfume. Perfect!

Yard work and play

2011-11-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

We spent the day off outside with the kiddos cleaning up the yard a bit and letting them play on their scooters. Mixing fun with work is how the Denton's roll!

Fireworks!

2011-11-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

The kiddos were so excited to have the opportunity to set off fireworks in the back yard. We bought a package of miscellaneous stuff and they sat in the back of the truck and enjoyed the show. Our house is located in the ideal spot to watch the Lake Winnie fireworks so we didn't even have to leave our yard. It was a perfect, relaxing way to end the day!

Fourth of July Celebration at WPBC

2011-11-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

The choir and orchestra worked hard on preparing a musical for the first annual July 4th picnic and concert. The great Marty Hamby was available to come play for us since our pianist was recovering from an emergency c-section at the time. It was hot but we made it through. The response from everyone was very positive so I have a feeling we will be doing this again next year!

Visit to MeMa and PePa's house, June 28th - July 1st

2011-11-04T06:25:00.000-07:00

The kids had spent the last few weeks at Camp MeMa and were having a blast. The last week of their stay I headed down to spend some time in The Tville too! We had so much fun playing in the pool while MeMa and PePa were at work and then we had fun with them when they got home from work. And of course a visit to Thomasville wouldn't be complete without dinner at Crawdaddy's with Jamie and Krissy!

Choir social, June 25th 2010

2011-10-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

The Fowler's opened their home and patio to us for our choir social. It was a little hot but it was still good to get a chance to visit away from church. There was lots of good food and fellowship.

Weekend Getaway, June 23rd 2010

2011-10-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

While the kiddos were at MeMa's. Roy whisked me away to Fort Payne, AL for a weekend of relaxation. It was so nice to have no television or computers, just each other.

Swimming with the Majors, May 31st 2010

2011-10-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful summer day found us heading to our friends house to swim and have lunch. The kids had an awesome time playing together and it was really nice for Jennifer and I to have a chance to catch up on life.

First day of summer break, May 25th 2010

2011-10-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the end of the school year we headed out to McBrien Park for some playtime.

Kids On Mission Performance, May 22nd

2011-10-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

The kindergarten choir performed a few of the songs they had been working on this year. Lydia was so bashful, it was pretty cute!

After the kindergarten group performed, it was time for the big kids to give their performance.

Abigail performing their ballet routine.

Caleb performing the drama

The large group singing

Abigail's Birthday, May 19th 2010

2011-10-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

I baked gluten-free cupcakes to take to the school for Abigail to share with her friends. Yummy Fun!

Abigail's Skating Party, May 14th 2010

2011-10-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

Abigail celebrated her 9th birthday at the skating rink. She invited a few friends from church and school to celebrate with her. It was a lot of fun watching the girls skate around giggling and having fun together. They were so cute!

Daddy and Abigail take a turn around the rink so Abigail can get the hang of it before charging off with her friends.

MeMa and PePa give Lydia a quick lesson in skating

A couple of us moms got on the rink with the girls for some fun

Pizza and cake time!

Mother/Daughter Princess Tea, May 14th 2010

2011-10-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

The girls were so very excited to dress-up as princesses and have a tea party at the church. We were so excited that MeMa was able to come up and go with us. It was such fun to learn proper tea etiquette from Monica Roberts, be entertained by the awesome Jessi Lawson, and her a special word from Elodia Flynn. I would say the girls first tea was a success!

Spring Wreath, May 12th 2010

2011-10-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

My friend Stephanie Hudman came over to help me make a wreath for the front door. I think it turned out pretty good if I do say so myself!

Mother's Day 2010

2011-10-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

The kids were so excited to show me the gifts they had made at school and church. They were precious!

Logan's birthday party, May 7th 2010

2011-10-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

Logan's birthday was celebrated a few weeks late so that he could have a lake party at Chester Frost State park. The kids swam in the lake, enjoyed the ice cream cake and played video games. Logan got lots of cool stuff too!

The day ended on a sour note when Tommy's mom's dog attacked Lydia's face. Lydia was pretty freaked out. She had played with the dog all day but no one had mentioned that her ears are sensitive to touch so when Lydia went to hug her good-bye, she attacked. Poor Lydia!

Roy's Graduate Reception, May 1st

2011-10-06T16:30:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the completion of Roy's classes for his Master's degree, we had a reception at the house. About fifty friends and family came to celebrate with us. It was a good chance for all of us to relax and enjoy each other after the craziness of the past two years.

Our friend, Jennifer Major, made the cake for us. It was her first attempt at a gluten-free cake. I designed the cake and got an edible image made of one of Roy's favorite compositions. Ain't it perty?

Abigail's Spring Recital, May 3rd

2011-10-06T16:19:00.000-07:00

Field Trips, April 28th

2011-10-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

Spring Planting, April 16th 2010

2011-10-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

We spent the last two weekends cleaning out the flower beds and getting them ready for planting. We had to reset the stones in one area and it seemed like there was several years worth of weeds. It was hard work! It's finally done and the flowers are in the ground. Now, let's hope we can keep it this pretty.

Roy's Graduate Recital

2011-10-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 15th - Roy's Graduate Recital - Roland Hayes Auditorium

Spring Break, Trip to Athens

2010-04-16T19:33:00.001-07:00

We packed up the kids and headed to Athens for the weekend, visit to Auntie Shannon and G-Day. The kids were so excited to see their friends again. They had such a good time playing together. The boys immediately paired off and headed to Mason's room while the girls headed to Raigan's room. Lydia kept switching back and forth between the boys and the girls, that's my little tomboy! The weather was so pretty that the kids spent a good amount of time playing outside.

For supper we headed to one of our favorite old haunts, Mexicali Grille. Yummy food and good conversation, good night! Then we headed back to Auntie Shannon's house to bake some cookies before bed time. The kids were so glad to have a sleepover and did very well together. The nex morning Auntie Shannon made us breakfast before the kids headed back outside to play some more. Then it was time for G-Day!
The kids were so excited to be back at UGA, They went and listened to the Redcoat Band play the usual pre-game show. It was very nostalgic for Roy and he was so excited to have the kids share it with him. Then we headed to the stadium. We got good seats near the 50 yard line. It was a great view and the kids loved it. We had some yumm stadium food for lunch and watched the game. Since it was a red vs black scrimmage, we could cheer for both teams and either way UGA won.

After the game we headed back to Auntie Shannon's for a little more play time before we headed back to Chattanooga. Auntie Shannon got the new Wii Fit for her birthday from her hubby. She was so excited.

It was such a good weekend. Can't wait until fall!

Spring Break, Movie Day

2010-04-16T19:29:00.001-07:00

We decided to do a movie date, "How To Train a Dragon" in 3D. The kids were loving the excuse to eat a large quantity of popcorn, drink slushes, and eat candy. It is always a fun time. The movie was pretty good too.

Spring Break, Fun at the park

2010-04-16T18:59:00.001-07:00

Days One and Two of Spring Break we headed to the park to play and enjoy the beautiful weather. The park was a bit crowded but the kids had a blast running around outside. They made a few friends and got some good exercise. It was a fun treat to get to play outside instead of being cooped up in school!

Decorating Easter Eggs

2010-04-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

We had such a blast decorating our Easter Eggs. The kids used some crayons to decorate the eggs before dipping them in the dyed water. They had fun deciding how long to leave the eggs in the dye before they would get to the correct shade. They even dipped the sides in different colors to make things interesting! It was neat to see their creative juices flow!

Resurrection Sunday

2010-04-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

It's Resurrection Sunday, one of my favorite days of the year. It's more to me than just the new dresses, chocolate bunnies and Peeps ... which anyone who knows me knows I love this too! It is a day when we all are reminded that we serve a risen Lord. How can we not be excited about that???

Although we usually attend the later service we still had to be there early since I was teaching the four year old class. We had a good time playing with the younger kids and I really enjoyed sharing the resurrection story with them. Then it was our turn to head into the service. It was awesome! I feel so very fortunate to be a part of such a spirit-filled body of believers. I almost didn't want the service to end. Abigail and Caleb came to the service with me and they really enjoyed it too. Roy leaves for church about the time the rest of us are just getting up so there is no way to get a picture before church and no one was there to take the picture of the five of us after church. Here are the pictures we were able to get: After lunch we gave the kids their Easter baskets. They were so very excited with all of the goodies they got this year. It gets harder to find little "basket stuffers" that won't end up in tomorrow's trash. We have pretty much decided that we will just get them a couple of small gifts instead so it will be things they will enjoy playing with for a while. They each got a game, a toy and a movie along with their chocolate bunny, Peeps, and coconut egg. They immediately went upstairs to watch movies and play. It was perfect!

Yard Work and Fun

2010-04-04T20:14:00.001-07:00

So, this was our first weekend off together and there was some major work needed on our yard. We spent a good portion of the weekend pulling weeds, mowing, raking, trimming hedges, blowing off drive/walk ways, etc. It was good to get outside but we are so sore and exhausted now! The sad thing is that all we have done is clean up, nothing is planted yet. I guess we have more yard work ahead of us!
After getting a good amount of work done, the kids decided they needed a break to play on their scooter. The had a blast going up and down the hilly driveway!

Spring Fling - Easter Celebration

2010-04-04T18:06:00.001-07:00

Saturday morning we got dressed and headed to the Spring Fling at WPBC. We all gathered in the Big City room for a gospel presentation and then we divided into age groups to head outside to gather eggs. It was a little cool and rain was threatening to come but we were all praying it would hold off until the event was over. The kids had a great time hunting eggs with their friends.
After we gathered all the eggs we could find we headed to the tent for a snack while we looked at what we got in our eggs. Then we headed to the trailer for face painting.
Abigail chose the caterpillar design

Caleb chose the footprints design

Lydia chose the flowers design

When we were all played out we headed to Grandmomma and Granddaddy's for lunch. Aunt Alli, Tommy, Peyton, and Logan came down for lunch too. Granddaddy fixed a big lunch with ham, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, and rolls. We all ate more than enough but still were able to find room for chocolate cake and/or chocolate pie. It was good to get to visit with family for the holiday.

Weekend Visit with MeMaw, PePaw and Faith

2010-04-02T07:57:00.001-07:00

We were all so excited that MeMaw, PePaw, and Faith were coming up for the weekend. They got here Friday afternoon in time to play before supper. The kids were a little wild but they were having fun. MeMaw and I stayed downstairs chatting while PePaw was upstairs playing with the kids. I think the noise was getting to him after awhile. After supper we all played a few games of Disney Apples to Apples. This is one of the kids favorite games to play. Lydia was especially excited to have her best friend Faith here to play with her. They were so cute playing dress-up.

Saturday morning we had a lazy morning of sleeping in and lounging around in our jammies. Daddy got up and fixed us pancakes, sausage and grits for breakfast. Then we took our showers and got dressed for the day to head to the mall. After a good bit of shopping we had lunch at Red Robin! I love that place! Then we headed home for some more family time.

Sunday morning the kids were being baptized, we had a total of 21 people being baptized s the service was going to be full. It was a little crazy getting all eight of us dressed and out the door in time for Sunday School but we made it! At the beginning of the service the children who participated in the Sparks-A-Rama games were recognized. Lydia wasn't very fond of being in front of the church!

After a few songs it was time for the first set of baptisms which included Abigail and Caleb. They each recorded their testimony ahead of time to be played while they were getting in the water. It was so special for their Daddy to be able to baptize them. I know the kids were glad to have both sets of grandparents there to witness this. We also kept Lydia and Faith out of Children's Church so they could be there too. It was such an awesome experience to see my children being baptized and committing publicly to follow the Lord!

After the service we all headed to Zaxby's for lunch. It was a little hectic with all of us but it was fun to catch up. MeMaw and PePaw had to leave right after lunch to get Faith back to Atlanta in time for a birthday party. It was so sad to see them go. We can hardly wait until the next visit!

Sparks-A-Rama, March 20th

2010-03-30T08:55:00.001-07:00

Our church participated in 'Sparks-A-Rama' at the Tennessee Temple gym. The kids spent months practicing for the games and were so excited to participate. Unfortunately, one of the kids didn't show up and the team was going to be disqualified ... luckily, Lydia was there to watch the games and she was allowed to participate. They all did such a good job. Our team won first place!
Caleb participating in the games
Abigail crawling along in the next game Poor Lydia, the noise seems to be getting to her!

ERES 1st Grade Program, March 23rd

2010-03-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

Caleb was so excited about their program. We got daily reminders from him in the month leading up to the PTA Meeting. He was an autumn tree, and his part was to herald the coming of fall. The story of the frog and the toad was acted out by the kids with the help of a narrator and songs sung by the kids. We laughed at how cute the kids were. It is always a blessing to see your kids perform on stage! Lydia was so enthralled with watching the 'big kids'. Grandmomma and Granddaddy came to watch the program too. Afterwards Caleb was so proud of himself. Caleb announcing the coming of the fall season!

Jump Rope For Heart, March 18th and 19th

2010-03-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

The kids at East Ridge Elementary spent months preparing themselves for the "Jump Rope for Heart" event. They each raised money to sponsor children with heart problems. Coach Dave provided "heart healthy" snacks for the kids and with the help of parent volunteers the children participated in jump rope competitions. It was a lot of fun for the kids and I sure enjoyed watching them enjoy a healthy activity. Caleb jumping "doubles" on the long rope.
Abigail jump roping in the first round.

Visit with Aunt Martha, March 12th

2010-03-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

Grandmomma's sister, Aunt Martha, came for a visit from San Francisco. The last time she was here was when Abigail was a baby so she hadn't met Caleb and Lydia. The kids were very excited to finally get to meet her after years of exchanging Christmas cards. We met at Grandmomma and Granddaddy's house for dinner. Aunt Alli, Tommy, Peyton and Logan came over too. It was a nice treat to have the whole family together for a meal. That usually only happens on holidays! Allison, Tommy, Peyton and Logan with Aunt MarthaGrandmomma and Granddaddy with Aunt Martha
Roy, Trudie, Abigail, Caleb and Lydia with Aunt Martha

Fun at the Park, March 9th

2010-03-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

The kids had a day off from school today, exactly one week after the last snow day, and we spent the afternoon at the park. The kids were so happy to get out of the house and play outside. It was a long winter to be cooped up inside the house. They had a blast playing on the playground.

Snow Day, March 2nd

2010-03-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well, another month and another snow day. School was cancelled at 11:00 am due to expected snow fall of a couple of inches and the threat of icy conditions. Apparently the automatic phone system was down so I never got a phone call. Luckily one of the secretaries at the church heard it on the radio and mentioned it to Roy! The kids were excited to have another day off from school ... until they got home and realized that they had chores to do! It's amazing what an incentive playing in the snow can be for kids to complete their chores in a timely manner. My camelia bush struggling to bloom in the snow!

Our backyard as seen from the deck off our kitchen.

The front of our house as seen from the yard across the street.

ERES 2nd Grade Program, February 25th

2010-03-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

East Ridge Elementary School Second Grade Program: A Celebration of Dr Suess. The children learned songs, rhymes, and hand motions to celebrate Dr Suess week at the school. Abigail was responsible for welcoming the crowd and telling them what the program was about. She spent a lot of time memorizing her lines and was so nervous, but she did a great job. The kids all did an awesome job and all of the parents, friends, and families enjoyed the show. Grandmomma and Granddaddy were able to come and watch the program too. We were so proud of our little star!

Faith's Birthday Party, February 20th

2010-03-24T14:20:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Feb 20th, we piled in the car and headed to Atlanta to celebrate Faith's fifth birthday. We were all so excited to see everyone and a birthday is always cause for a celebration. We got to Uncle Erik's a little early and hung out before heading over to Monkey Joe's for the party. There were tons of kids there, it was total chaos! The kids had a blast playing on the inflatables. They wore themselves out before heading into the party room for pizza and cake. Faith had a Hannah Montana cake which Abigail and Lydia loved. It was from Publix so Mommy loved it too! Then it was time for presents. Faith got so many fun toys, cute clothes, and even her very own suitcase. She was so excited about everything she got and the kids were all so excited to see her reaction to their presents. Lydia and Faith "driving" the car. They are BFF's. It is so cute to watch them together!

Caleb climbing on the inflatable wall up to a slide.

Abigail sliding with a new friend.

Faith opening the Wii game we got her. It was a game that her cousin Noah has and they pllay it together when she is at his house.

After all the birthday fun we headed back to Uncle Erik's house for some more fun times. The kids played with Faith's toys and played the new Wii game she got. PePaw got so excited watching them!

After we were all played out we piled into the van and headed home. It was a long, but fun day, and we all slept good that night!

Snow Day, February 16th

2010-03-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

School was cancelled today due to the snow that they were expecting. As you can see from these pictures, the cancellation was a tad hasty. We did have snow but it was short lived. The kids were excited to have a day off and play in the "snow". It was nice to be able to sleep in a little and enjoy a day together!

Class Valentine's Parties, February 12th

2010-03-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Valentines Day at East Ridge Elementary School with Mrs Pawlawski's 1st Grade class and Mrs Feher's 2nd Grade class. The kids were so excited to have a chance to look through all of their Valentine's cards, eat some snacks, and work on a special holiday craft. It is always a treat to have the opportunity to spend the day with the kids at their schools. Their friends always welcome me with hugs too which makes it even more fun! Lydia loves to be able to visit her big brother and sister and meet all of their friends. Lydia sitting with Abigail enjoying the goodies.

Abigail and her best friend, Kate. Her family are missionaries and she is only in school for a few months while they are home on furlough.

Caleb and his friend Luke

Caleb and his friend Brandon

Father Daughter Banquet

2010-02-10T20:51:00.001-08:00

Well, this past Tuesday night was the Father Daughter Banquet at our church. It had a western theme. Now for any of you who know Roy well, you know that this is a stretch! Abigail was all for it but Roy doesn't own anything even remotely western, and doesn't want to. For Abigail it was an excuse to ask Grandmomma to break out her sewing machine and fashion a new outfit. Abigail loved shirt, skirt and vest that Grandmomma made for her and I even found a pink cowgirl hat for her to wear. She was so very excited about going out with Daddy by herself. Awww! Don't they make a cute cow-couple???

For some reason Abigail decided to wear Daddy's nametag on her hat. Don't ask me why!

The meal was catered by Rib and Loin and served by some of the moms. The baked beans and cole slaw didn't go over well with my little cowgirl but the meat was a hit. There were a couple of games for the fathers and daughters to work on together. Abigail was having more fun with the balloons and wasn't very helpful with the string game. David Lawson shared a short "devotion" geared to helping the dads be better fathers to their daughters. At the end of the evening they got to dance together. Oh to have been a fly on that wall. I'm sure it was precious!

The Blizzard of 2010

2010-02-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

I got a call from the school on Friday at 11:15 letting me know that they were dismissing the kids at 11:30 due to weather. I immediately ran to the window to see what was going on. Nothing! I mean there was no rain, no snow, no anything. In total disgust I got Lydia and I bundled up and headed out to pick up the kids. We came home and had lunch and then I sent them to their rooms to get them cleaned up. A couple of hours later they came running downstairs to tell me it was snowing. I looked outside and sure enough it was snowing. Hard. I sent Roy a text to let him know that the roads were getting covered in snow and the snow was still coming down. He came home a little while later and we all headed outside to play. Fortunately we had never gotten rid of our sleds so we pulled those out of the basement and proceeded to enjoy the big hill that is our driveway. The kids had a blast sledding.
Mommy sledding down the hill while Lydia waits to "catch" me.

Daddy and Caleb sledding down the hill in the two-man sled.

Lydia sleds down the hill alone for the first time. She was a little scared but loved it and was ready to go again immediately.

Abigail loving her trip down the hill in the sled. I love that smile!
The kids even built a little snowman. There was enough snow to build a larger one but by this time they were cold and tired. It was still a lot of fun!

At one point while were were playing outside we saw a car sliding down the street sideways, and I don't think they meant to be doing that! The roads were steadily getting worse. Cars were skidding to a stop and sliding down the hills. I was so glad we were all home safe and sound.

Worship Through Dance

2010-01-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

My little ballerina, Abigail. She debated for a couple of weeks about which after school activity she wanted to be involved in this semester. It was a hard decision between voice lessons, ballet, and soccer but in the end ballet won. I was very excited to learn about a local ballet company that uses worship music for their practices and recitals. She is learning all of the basics without exposing her to any music that may be inappropriate. I can hardly wait for the recital in May!

Snow Day, January 7th

2010-01-23T17:55:00.001-08:00

So we are back in school after Winter Break for one whole day before a "snow storm" hits Chattanooga and causes school to be let out early. The kids were excited about having snow to play in but I was kinda looking forward to a "break" from entertaining three kids indoors. So, we went outside for a snow ball fight. The snow was a little too dry and light for snow balls but the kids had a blast anyway. Little Lydia coming in for the attack with a snow ball.

Abigail getting Daddy with a snow ball.

Caleb getting Abigail with a snow ball.

On the hunt for enough snow for a few more snow balls!

Movie Fun

2010-01-05T13:28:00.001-08:00

As our last fun thing to do on Christmas Break, we went to see "Chipmunks: The Squeakquel". It was such a cute movie. The kids and I both loved it. It was too funny and good, clean fun. I feel pretty certain we will be buying the soundtrack in the next few weeks! Caleb wants to be Simon, Abigail wants to be Brittany, and Lydia wants to be Jeanette. They pointed out that I need to have three more children so we can have the entire group, wonder what Daddy would think of that?!?

Visit with the Fitzgerald's

2010-01-04T20:14:00.001-08:00

Another Christmas celebration for the kids. After Caleb's birthday party we headed back to the house to exchange Christmas presents with Uncle Erik and Faith. The kids each got new toys to play with and they were all thrilled!

Now she's a pistol-packing MeMa!Watch out, PePa is ready to do some home improvements!Found a store in Chattanooga that sold the shirts that Erik likes, I think I did good!After present-time and some visiting we headed to Red Lobster for dinner. Everyone had a good time laughing and eating. MeMa made a cheesecake and brought it with us for dessert. Our waiter got some of the staff to help him sing Happy Birthday to Caleb and Erik. It was a hoot!

Two birthdays and Christmas makes for a full weekend. We are all a little worn out from all the activity but it was a good visit.

Caleb's Birthday Party

2010-01-04T19:57:00.000-08:00

Caleb decided on having his birthday party at Holiday Bowl this year. This was our first bowling party so we were all novices. The kids had a great time bowling together, most of them were first-timers. Several of the adults bowled in an adjoining lane and were much more professional looking! Scott won the adult round and Caleb won the children's round. Regardless of who won, everyone seemed to be having fun. Caleb opening his presents. He got such fun stuff and will be playing with all of his fun new stuff for a long time!

Caleb was so excited to see that we were able to get a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cake for him. It was exactly what he wanted and very yummy!After bowling, lunch, presents, and cake the kids headed into the arcade to play some games. Everyone had such a great time and Caleb was very happy with his birthday!

Caleb's Birthday

2010-01-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

Caleb celebrated his 7th birthday on December 30, 2009. Since the party was scheduled for Saturday we decided to do something low-key on his actual birthday. We went to lunch at Chick-Fil-A and the kids played on the playground for hours. Roy came over and had lunch with us which was a special treat for us all. After dinner that night we had cupcakes for Caleb's birthday and Caleb got to open one present. I think it was a good birthday!

Christmas Decorations

2010-01-04T19:29:00.000-08:00

It wasn't until Christmas morning that I realized that I hadn't actually uploaded pictures of our trees and outside decorations. We had three large trees in the main living spaces of our house and the kids each had a small tree in their room that they decorated. Outside we had the nets on the bushes along the front of the house as well as our snowman and deer on the front porch. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

The view of the front of our house from across the street:The tree in the living room on Christmas morning:The tree in the dining room on Christmas morning:The tree in the den after the children had played with it for several weeks:

Christmas at the Grandparents

2010-01-04T18:59:00.000-08:00

After relaxing with the family we got dressed and headed over to the Denton's for lunch and more presents. Grandaddy prepared a huge lunch for us. It was such a treat not having to spend the day cooking and instead just get to enjoy everyone. Roy's sister, Allison, and her family came over also so we had the whole clan there at one time. That is a huge feat for us! The meal was delicious and there was no drama, I would call that a success!

The kids opening their presents from Grandmomma and Grandaddy. Lydia showing off her new puppy. She has been wanting a Webkinz since Abigail got one for her birthday last year. Good job Aunt Alli!

Abigail, Caleb and Logan all got new Nintendo DS's for Christmas and played with them the rest of the time they were there. Peyton even got out his old DS and played along with them for a while after playing around on his new guitar.

Christmas Morning

2010-01-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas is finally here. After the Christmas Eve Service we put the kids to bed in their new Christmas pajamas. Roy and I had wrapped most of the presents already so all we had to do was put them under the tree and get the stockings filled. Before putting the kids to bed Roy went over the ground rules for Christmas morning: they couldn't get up until the sun came up. So, the next morning we were sleeping soundly when a little voice piped up from beside our bed. It was Lydia, I am guessing the older two talked her into being the one who had to come downstairs since she was the least likely to get into trouble. Anyway, Lydia came to Roy's side of the bed and said, "Daddy, I don't think the sun is going to come up today". Roy and I started laughing and looked at our clocks. Sure enough it was already 8am then we looked outside and saw how cloudy it was. Literally, the sun wasn't showing. Bless their hearts they were upstairs being so quiet and waiting so patiently for us. Needless to say, Roy told Lydia that he would come upstairs to get them in 5 minutes. I quickly turned the coffee pot on and got the cameras set up. Then it was time for the Christmas fun to begin.Roy trying on his new sport coat. Doesn't he look handsome?Lydia trying on her new Georgia sweashirt and hat. She was so excited! Abigail playing with her new Barbie horse and bath set. Caleb and Daddy setting up his new Star Trek Galaxy Bridge set.

Daddy playing the piano for Abigail to sing Christmas carols for me.

Lydia playing along to the carols with her new drum sticks.

Caleb reading his new book on the countries of the world.

All five of us had a wonderful Christmas, lots of wonderful presents and good times. We took a quick break from playing with our new gifts to eat breakfast, orange juice and pigs in a blanket. Then it was back to playing with our new stuff. We had a lazy morning just enjoying each other. What a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Sunday, December 20th

2009-12-24T08:44:00.000-08:00

The kids looked so adorable in their Christmas finery that I had to snap a quick pic before church.

Class Christmas Parties

2009-12-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

The kids had their Christmas parties at school on Thursday, December 17th. Roy came and helped with Caleb's party while I helped with Abigail's party. We collected candy and small toys for the treat bags and set up the food that the parents brought. The teachers also had a craft to help the kids work on for Christmas. It was a little wild but the kids all had a great time.
Abigail's class finished watching the "Polar Express" while we were waiting for the pizza to get there.

Abigail and a few of her friends hanging out.

Caleb's class listening for instructions from Miss Walters.

Miss Walters Class
Caleb getting a final hug from Miss Walters, this was her last day of school. She is moving to Florida to get married and work in a music ministry with her new husband. Caleb is really going to miss her.

East Ridge City Council Meeting

2009-12-12T20:13:00.000-08:00

Caleb's football team were invited to attend the City Council meeting on Thursday, December 10 in order to be recognized for their achievement this season. The team was given a certificate with each of their names on it and a city holiday was named in their honor. They were so proud of themselves and they get a picture in the paper and a clip on Channel 9.

Caleb and his friend, Brandon

Abigail and her friend Hailey

First Snow of the Winter

2009-12-12T20:04:00.000-08:00

This was the sight that we awoke to on Saturday, December 5. The kids woke us up at 4:30 am because it was snowing outside, Roy managed to convince them to go back to bed until 7:30 am. We got bundled up and headed outside to play in the snow. We only last about an hour but we had a good time. We even ganged up on Daddy and got him good!

Christmas Pics at JC Penney

2009-12-12T19:54:00.000-08:00

We scheduled our Christmas pictures for the Monday after Thanksgiving. We knew we needed to give them enough time to come back for us to mail them with our Christmas Cards. The kids did very well and the pictures turned out great.
After the pictures were finished we headed to the food court for dinner and carousel rides. It was a nice family night for us.

Cadek Community Orchestra Concert

2009-12-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

Roy directs the Cadek Community Orchestra as part of his credit for his Master's degree at UTC. Their fall concert was November 29. The kids, Granddaddy and I went to listen to the concert and watch Daddy conduct. Lydia loves to watch Daddy conduct and she stayed awake for most of the concert. We were so proud!

Thanksgiving In The Ville

2009-12-12T19:15:00.000-08:00

It's Thanksgiving Time ... one of my favorite holidays of the year. A time for family and a time to be thankful for the blessings in my life. I can think of so many things that I am thankful for this year: our health, my family, Roy's new job, true friends, a great church ... I could probably go on and on and still never list everything I am thankful for. Another blessing is that we get to head to Thomasville to visit with my family. It is the only holiday of the year that we all get together as a family. Over the years the attendance has waned at the annual dinner at Rabbit Pond Rd but I am thankful for the opportunity to visit with the family that does come.

So Wednesday morning we headed out to begin our journey to Thomasville. The ride always takes a ridiculously long amount of time with five people needing potty breaks at different times. This is another time I am thankful for our van with the dvd player. The kids listen to movies or music in their headphones and Roy and I listen to music on the radio. We got to town in time for dinner at Ruby Tuesdays with Mema, Pepa, Uncle Erik and Faith. This is the start of the family visit for us. The next morning Mom headed to Rabbit Pond Rd to start the turkey and sides while we slept in. I know it is a sacrifice for her to lose so much sleep and we truly appreciate it! After we all woke up, Mema gave the kids some Thanksgiving/Early Christmas presents.

The kids had a blast opening their presents. It was a real treat for them to get presents when the main treat was getting to be together!

Dinner is always a FEAST! The kids sat together and talked and laughed the whole meal through. It was so cute to watch them together. After lingering over the meal, clean-up is a family affair too. The football games are on the tv, the kids are amusing themselves, and there is great conversation in the kitchen. What a day!

We head home and let the kids play in Mema's playroom while we get ready for the movie. Mema and Pepa are in charge of babysitting while Erik, Roy and I head to Gateway Cinema to see "Blindside". What a good movie! Then back to Mema's for more conversations before a decent bedtime. We decided not to get up in the wee hours of the morning for the Black Friday sales so we were able to get some sleep and still head out in the morning for some shopping. We shopped the mall sales and then headed back to Thomasville for dinner at Crawdaddy's. That is always a treat. The weekend went by too quickly and before we knew it Saturday was here. After a lunch at Chick-Fil-A we got in the van and headed back to Chattanooga. It was a great weekend!

East Ridge Christmas Parade

2009-12-12T18:51:00.000-08:00

The kids were all three in the Christmas parade this year. The girls were on the cheerleading float and Caleb was on the football float. I walked with the girls float while Roy walked with the boys float. The kids had a good time with their friends and we adults got some exercise! It was a chilly night but altleast the forecasted rain held off.

Roy's Birthday and Thanksgiving with the Dentons

2009-12-12T18:42:00.000-08:00

Since we were headed to Thomasville and Allison was headed to see Tommy's family for Thanksgiving, we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving the Saturday before. And since we were going to be having our fill of turkey in a few days we decided to do Mexican. This was also much easier for Grandaddy and I to prepare food in advance and just warm it up when we got home from the Super Bowl. It was a huge hit! Everyone stuffed themselves and visited over lunch.Then it was time for dessert. Granddaddy made a chocolate cake and a cheesecake for Roy's birthday. Everyone sang to Roy and we made him blow out the candles. Usually he gets away with not having to do this since it is usually only our family on his birthday. Then it was gift time which the kids favorite part. Daddy loved his new UGA sweatshirt, cologne and Star Trek DVD.

Even with the Super Bowl loss it was still a good day for the Denton family.

5/6 year old Super Bowl - East Ridge vs East Hamilton

2009-12-12T18:33:00.000-08:00

The night before the big game we had a pep rally at the Rec Center. The cheerleaders pumped up the crowd and the players were introduced ... #42 Caleb "the Crusher" Denton.November 21st was the day and Caleb was hoping for a win for his Daddy's birthday. The boys played a good game and gave it their best effort but we were just barely beaten ... 14-6. Everyone was so disappointed but they were very proud of their individual plaques and the large team trophy.

UGA Homecoming

2009-12-12T18:23:00.000-08:00

We were so excited to be able to return to Athens for Homecoming again this year. The kids stayed at Grandmomma and Granddaddy's house for the night. We headed to Athens around 1:30 on Friday and arrived in time to go to dinner at Mexicali Grille with Steven and Shannon. We had a great time visiting and spent the night at their house. After getting up at the crack of dawn, we headed to campus for the pre-game run through. I helped out at the registration tables while Roy was rehearsing. I did sneak over and get a few pics and videos of them practicing. Then it was time to head to the Georgia Center for brunch. After a wonderful meal we headed over to Sanford Bridge for the Dawg Walk. Then I shopped around in the bookstore while Roy headed to the field to get ready for the pre-game show. The game was a total blow-out against Tennessee Tech. We headed back to Shannon's for a little more visit time then it was off to Rafferty's for dinner before heading back to Chattanooga. The trip was too short but it was nice to visit with old friends!

Fall Festival at WPBC

2009-12-12T18:14:00.000-08:00

Our church sponsors a Fall Festival on October 31st for the children in our church and the community. The kids are allowed to dress-up, just nothing scary, and they have games, refreshments, candy and inflatables for them. Abigail as Cinderella, Caleb as Superman, and Lydia as Sleeping Beauty

Abigail attempting to play ball darts and get a high score, the higher score gets more candy!

Lydia attempting a hole in one so she can win a piece of candy. The sweet little men running this booth felt sorry for her and gave her a piece of candy for her efforts.

Caleb taking his turn at ball darts.

Team Spirit Day at ERES

2009-12-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

The school had Team Spirit Day where each child was allowed to wear the t-shirt/jersey from their favorite atheletic team. Abigail chose to wear her East Ridge Pioneer Cheerleading shirt which was fine with us but Caleb almost broke my heart with his selection. FSU!!! His Pepa would be so proud!

Scenic City Cheerleading Exhibition

2009-12-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

The league had a cheerleading exhibition where all of the cheerleading squads came and performed for the crowd. Each squad could do a combination of cheers and dances. At the end of the exhibition each cheerleaders name was announced and they received a trophy. The girls had a great time with it.

September to October - Football Days

2009-12-12T17:17:00.000-08:00

September and October were pretty much taken up with football for the Denton family. The East Ridge Pioneers had an awesome season and finished the season undefeated. The players were pumped about the possibility about competing in the Super Bowl in November. We had four games left between us and the Super Bowl. The boys had extra practices and worked hard to make sure they were ready. Cheerleading squad

Caleb making a tackle

At each of the home games the cheerleaders made a sign for the players to run through before the game. It was too cute!

Caleb making a tackle.

Up close and personal of Caleb practicing a tackle before the game.

September 2009 - Trip to NYC and Laura's Wedding

2009-12-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

Labor Day weekend found us heading to NYC for some much needed couple time. The summer and early fall had been extremely stressful for us and we really needed some time away. The kids were staying with Grandmomma and Granddaddy so we knew they would be well-cared for.

Roy's best friend from high school, Laura Davis, was getting married in Red Bank, NJ on Saturday. We boarded a plan at the craxk of dawn Friday morning and arrived in Red Bank just in time for the rehearsal lunch. We had a great time catching up with old friends and making new friends. After lunch we headed back to the hotel to check-in and relax. We had floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the bay, it was gorgeous! The wedding party and friends met down in the bar/cafe area for some wild and crazy fun. It was so good to just relax and laugh without a care in the world. Saturday morning we had closed the curtains and slept in until 10, which is unheard of for me, before Roy walked to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and coffee. We lazed around until time to get ready for the wedding. The ceremony was the perfect blend of the religions and personalities. I am so glad we were able to be there with them. After the ceremony the real party started. There was a live band and food that was out of this world. Laura sang "At Last" to Brandon and proved to anyone who may have doubted that she still has it!The morning after the wedding we headed to the city. Laura and Brandon were gracious enough to let us use their apartment in Astoria while they were on their honeymoon. It was the perfect place to stay, close to the city but away from the noise, and the price was right! We shopped, walked around enjoying the sights, went to a street fair in Astoria, had dinner at Mont Blanc (my favorite fondue restaurant in NYC) and just enjoyed being alone together. We went to see a new Broadway musical, "Next to Normal". It was awesome and Roy stayed afterwards to have his program autographed by the cast.When I saw this I just had to have my picture taken with it, what could be better than chocolate and Elvis? There were pictures of so many other sights that I can't include them all. I guess you will have to come visit and look at my scrapbook to see the rest. (Wait a little while because I am also behind in my scrapbooking!). We had a fabulous time and were slightly sad to head home. I was anxious to see the kids and they were so glad to see us too. It was a nice vacation and I can't wait until our next trip.

East Ridge 5/6 year old Pioneer Cheerleaders

2009-12-12T16:50:00.001-08:00

Abigail and Lydia cheered for Caleb's touch football team last year and wanted to do it again this year. It was quite a commitment since they also had practice two nights a week and games on Saturday. This meant that we were at the field Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. With church on Wednesday and Sunday our fall was very full!

East Ridge 5/6 year old Pioneers

2009-12-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

This was Caleb's first year playing tackle football so it was a season of adjustments for us. Caleb worked really hard and improved quite a bit by the end of the season. He played defense and offense depending on who showed up for the games. Since I love football I was all over this. We had practices two nights per week and games on Saturdays. Most of our fall was consumed with football but it was worth it.

(The boy to the left of the coach is Caleb)

August 2009 - First Day of School

2009-12-12T16:35:00.000-08:00

With the month of August comes the end of summer and the beginning of another school year, and this year we are at a new school. The kids were very nervous about the new year and not knowing anyone at their new school. This was also our first experience with uniforms so the kids weren't happy with that at all. They both have great teachers and I am excited to see them find their niche.

Vacation - Myrtle Beach

2009-12-12T16:22:00.001-08:00

It was Myrtle Beach or bust for the Denton Clan on Saturday morning. The 8 hour drive is not our favorite part of vacation but it is necessary so we endure it. I am so thankful that we have a dvd player in our van, we also pack bags of toys and coloring books to occupy the kids. As soon as we arrive, we eat supper then Mema and I head out for groceries and everyone else settles into our condos.

Every day begins with pool time and beach time. The kids love both.

Each year we pick a morning to go eat a big breakfast together before going shopping at the outlets. Can you believe we don't have our traditional matching shirts??? Erik and Roy were both so disappointed that Mom wasn't able to find everyone's sizes this year! (Can you detect the touch of sarcasm?) Lydia and Faith are so cute together. They spend most of the week glued to one another's sides, holding hands everywhere they go. They play very well together and are best friends.

Caleb's favorite part was the days we rode jet skis. He especially loves it when Uncle Erik takes him out in the ocean and jumps the waves. He is my little daredevil!

We are always so sad to see the week come to an end. Our family has come to relish this time away at the beach. We keep talking about doing something different for our summer vacation but the ocean keeps calling us back. We are so thankful that Mema and Pepa are able to take us every year. I hope this tradition continues for a long time!

Lydia's 4th Birthday

2009-12-12T16:14:00.001-08:00

Lydia had a Little Einstein's birthday party and wanted a Rocket cake. Daddy met the challenge and made her the cutest cake. She loved it! Lydia had her first sleepover with her best friend Annabelle. We picked up Annabelle after I got off work on Friday and took her home Saturday afternoon. The girls both had a blast but not a lot of sleep!

Lydia had a lot of presents and loved every minute of opening them. She was overjoyed with what everyone got her. Of course the lack of sleep was starting to hit her by the end of the party so she got a little cranky.

Happy Birthday Lydia!

July 4th - Independence Day

2009-12-12T16:05:00.001-08:00

For our Fourth of July celebration we headed over to Brooke and Dale's house to grill out, watch movies, and watch the Lake Winnie fireworks. Since we couldn't be with family we decided to celebrate with friends.

We bought some fireworks to set off in the driveway too. While we were setting off the fireworks a large dog showed up and kept playing with the lit rockets, carrying them around in his mouth while we chased him and got them away from him in time for them to explode, and one time catching his fur on fire. We never did find out who that dog belonged to but he apparently likes to play with fire!

From Brooke and Dale's front porch you can see the Lake Winnie fireworks display through the trees. We didn't have to fight the traffic and crowds and still got to enjoy the show.

We also bought sparklers and glow in the dark toys for the kids to play with.

We were all exhausted by the end of the night but a good time was had by all!

July 2009 - Trinity's Birthday

2009-12-12T15:54:00.000-08:00

We hosted a birthday party for Trinity, the daughter of our upstairs neighbors. She is a good friend to both of the girls and they love having her over. She decided on a Luau theme and picked out a cake for Roy to bake and decorate. We had a lot of fun picking out decorations and presents for her too. Since she was born on July 4th we celebrated her birthday in the morning so we could still grill out and watch fireworks that evening in celebration of Indepence Day.

Trinity is a little shy about being the center of attention but I think she liked it too. She had fun opening her presents and eating her cake. It's always fun to celebrate birthdays, especially when they aren't mine!

Mommy Alone Time

2009-12-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

During June Roy went to a Conductor's Institute in South Carolina for two weeks. During the last week of his trip the kids went to Mema and Pepa's for the week. This left Mommy at home alone for a whole week. Unfortunately I got sick the first couple of days they were gone but then I just relaxed. Of course I still had to go to work but it was nice to have some time off by myself at night. My neighbors made sure I didn't get too lonely too! Roy came home on the Saturday before Father's Day and we headed to Macon to meet my parents and the kids. We hung out at the mall for a little while then we headed to supper. It was a very happy reunion for us all.

Pool Fun at the Apartment

2009-12-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the kids favorite things about living in the apartment was having a pool in the summer. They wanted to go to the pool every chance they got. On nights when we didn't have church or baseball we would go to the pool for an hour or so to swim before supper. Most Saturdays you could find us down there atleast once if not twice. The kids had a few friends that they liked to play with so that made it even more fun.

June 2009 - Caleb's Baseball Team - Boynton Yankees

2009-12-12T15:11:00.000-08:00

Caleb is playing baseball this year for the first time. He usually plays the position behind first base (those of you baseball fans probably know the official name for it). I have never been a baseball fan so I had learn about the game as we went along. Caleb really had to work on not losing his focus during the game. Since the ball didn't regularly come to him he would daydream and forget to pay attention. He improved his batting and catching by the end of the season, prompting him to earn the Most Improved Player award. He enjoyed playing this season even though his team lost most of their games.

Update and Apology

2009-12-12T15:03:00.001-08:00

Okay so I know I owe all of you who follow my blog a BIG apology because I have been MIA for the past six months. There has been so much going on with us that I have been just focusing on keeping my head above water. Caleb finished out his first season of baseball this spring/summer and his first season of tackle football this fall. The girls did cheerleading this fall. We are finally out of the apartment and have moved to Chattanooga, which prompted a school change for the kids. They like East Ridge Elementary so that worked out well. Roy accepted a position at Woodland Park Baptist Church after serving at Brainerd Baptist for the past 2 years. He is still in school at UTC and should graduate in May with a Master's in Conducting. I was laid off the week before Thanksgiving so that is creating a definite change in finances. The week I lost my job, UNUM laid off 300 people so the job market has been flooded with applicants. Those of you who know me well, know that I would love to go back to being a stay-at-home mom. I have truly enjoyed the last few weeks volunteering at the kids' school, organizing the house, and being with Lydia during the day. We will see what happens! I am going to attempt to catch everyone up on all that has happened in the past six months with our family. Hang on and enjoy the ride!

Jackson's Birthday Party

2009-06-01T07:36:00.001-07:00

We hosted a birthday party for our new neighbors and their son, Jackson, on his 8th birthday. Roy made the caterpillar cake and we decorated a little. Jackson was so impressed with his cake, it was so cute. He almost didn't want us to cut it because he wanted to look at it. Of course, he is a boy and he finally decided he would like to eat it! Melissa cutting the cake for her baby boy, Jackson!

RJ, Gary, and Trinity enjoy some cake.

Look at that smiling face! That made it worth the time and effort!

Jackson opening his Nintendo 64 from his parents.

Jackson opening his Bionicle and Pokemon cards from us.

Fun In The Sun

2009-06-01T07:26:00.001-07:00

Our community had a big party on Saturday to kick off the summer fun. We had sub sandwiches, chip and cookies and a Christian group came and sang. There was also face painting and balloons for the kids. We all had a good time but it was soooo hot. We didn't last as long out there as we had hoped.

Caleb and Abigail eating lunch with Avery and Trinity, our new neighbors. Mommy, Abigail, and Lydia eating lunch

Caleb showing off the fish that he has on his cheeks.

Lydia playing with Emily, another neighbor

Abigail and Avery, her new big sis

Caleb's Kindergarten Graduation

2009-06-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Caleb is old enough to be graduating from kindergarten. He has had such a great year with Mrs Queen and is very sad to have to leave her class. Caleb won several awards including the National Presidential Fitness Award and Renaissance Award.

Caleb walking in to the graduation program. (Each class filed in separately) He was trying his best not to smile! This is Caleb making sure he could see us from his seat while Mrs Gurganus was talking to the guests.

The classes all performed several songs for us and recited a poem before the awards were given out. Look at my baby getting down!

This was more just to give you a perspective of the whole group. Caleb is on the front row on the right side.

A Full Night at Brainerd Baptist Church

2009-05-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Let's see ... we had the Awanas Awards, Bible Drill Recognition, Kindergarten Choir Concert, Children's Choir Musical, and Quarterly Business Meeting. It was a full night and we were exhausted when we got home! The kids did such a good job and I was so proud of them! I probably took several dozen pictures and I recorded the whole thing but here is just a sampling of the evening.

Mr Marshall thanking the Cubbies leaders and giving out the Cubbies Awards. (Lydia is standing behind his right shoulder in a white shirt and light blue pants)

Nathan giving Caleb his Sparkys Award for finishing his first book.Abigail coming back to give me the award she got for Sparkys for finishing her second book Kindergarten Choir Concert

Childrens' Choir Musical: Parablelooza
The Green Machine:

The Orange Crush:Collin and Pastor Robby participating in a game with the choir

Abigail's Birthday Party

2009-05-21T11:26:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Abigail's 8th Birthday with a High School Musical themed party. We invited family and friend to come celebrate with us. Abigail designed the "Wildcats" cake and Daddy made it for her. She was very happy with the way it turned out! Most everyone who was invited came so we had a houseful! She definitely enjoyed her moment in the spotlight.

Abigail watching me cut the cake:Daddy, Mommy, Aunt Alli, Ms Darlene and Grandmomma singing to Abigail Mr Dale, Ms Brooke, Ms Kelly, and Ms Andra singing to Abigail

Abigail opening the new bedding set that Roy's parents got her to go on the bunkbeds that my parents got her.

Ms Andra, Ms Kelly, Uncle Erik, Faith, and Pepaw watching Abi open presents Granddaddy watching Abigail open her High School Musical waterglobe

Abigail's Birthday Slumber Party

2009-05-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

Abigail had her very first sleepover this year. It was quite a new experience for me! It was me and seven 7-10 year olds, not good odds! All kidding aside, I think everyone had a good time so it was a success as far as I am concerned. We started out the evening with pizza while watching High School Musical 2. The girls sort of drifted in and out of the living room intermittently watching the movies between activities. We also watched Cow Belles and Hannah Montana: Living the Rock Star Life. The girls played dress-up, painted their nails, did makeovers, worked on coloring a poster for Abigail, decorated their own cupcakes, played with Abigail's toys, tried on every pair of shoes I own and every dress Abigail owns, gave each other tattoos, ate snacks, opened presents, and got very little sleep. I don't think I was the only one who was exhausted!

eating pizza while watching the movie:the girls with Abigail's dresses and my shoes on:showing off their nails and tattoos:
Caleb spent the night with his friend Sebastian who was also having a birthday party that night. This is them with Sebastian's brother Jude playing at Chuck E Cheese.

Mother's Day

2009-05-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

I am truly blessed with three beautiful children who bring such color into my world. One of my favorite things about having little ones is the homemade gifts they bring me. Between school and church the kids had several opportunities to make things for me and they were so proud of their work!
This is the rose I got at church Sunday morning. Caleb was so glad I got "real" flower! These are the gifts from Abigail. She made a paper bouquet of flowers that had sentences about me written on each one. She also made me a tub of bath salts that were very "aromatic". The silk flower she got was for my hair. Luckily it didn't match my dress on Sunday so I didn't have to fight that battle.

These are the gifts from Caleb. Let's see ... first of all he decorated a paper sack to use as a gift bag. Next he gave me a small bag of Hershey's kisses. There's a "teacup" with a tea bag and poem in it. He also made a pen with a carnation attached to one end. An "abstract" cut-out of a train. And finally, an illustrated booklet with different sentences about me.

After church we headed home and grilled lunch with some of our neighbors. The kids all played together and the grown-ups enjoyed some much needed socializing! I couldn't believe that we had services that night but we played hooky and stayed home and had some family time. It was a very relaxing day!

Awanas Carnival

2009-05-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

Sunday, April 26th, was the end-of-the-year Awanas Carnival. The kids always look forward to this event. This year things were different because they had games out on the field instead of inflatables and inside games. The kids started out with pizza and a coke. This is great because it gives them a chance to socialize. Then the Sparkies headed to the store. As usual, the most "intense" part of the carnival is the Awanas store. Throughout the year the kids earn Awanas dollars for memorizing their verses, attendance, bringing friends, bringing their Bibles, etc. Then the carnival comes and the kids walk around each table debating their purchases. Abigail had money left over from the last carnival so she was excited to see how much she could get for her money. She bought a big ticket item: the Hannah Montana boom box that connects to her ipod. Then she bought a small item for herself and her brother and sister. Caleb and Lydia were so pleased that she thought of them. What a sweet big sister!

Caleb debated very hard over whether to buy one big item or several smaller items. He decided to get the Iron Man action figure set. That took all of his money but he was okay with it.

After the store the kids headed out to the field for games. During the wiffle ball game Abigail showed off. When she got up to bat, all the boys came in from the outfield because they assumed she wouldn't be able to hit very far. Well, imagine their surprise when the ball flew over their heads and they were scrambling back to the outfield to get it. She was so proud!

Easter

2009-04-14T11:21:00.001-07:00

Easter Sunday is finally here! This is one of my favorite days of the year, not only do we get chocolate and new clothes but we celebrate one of the greatest miracles ever, the resurrection!

The kids and I got up early and got dressed so we could go to the early service at the BX. For those of you who don't attend BBC, this is the contemporary service at our church, the preaching is a live simulcast with the more traditional sanctuary service. I am so glad we went. The music was awesome and they sang one of my favorites, In Christ Alone/The Solid Rock and one of the kids' favorites, Mighty To Save. Pastor Robby preached a wonderful message on the sacrifice which was not something I had heard preached before. It was a very powerful service. After the service, we headed to Sunday School. The kids always enjoy going to their classes and learn so much. They just finished up a six week session on the covenant relationship between Jonathan and David. Once Sunday School was over we headed to the sanctuary to listen to the orchestra play the prelude. It was a powerful version of "Were You There" with a video reminiscent of the old black and white silent movies. It was a great way to start the service. Unfortunately we couldn't stay because I had nursery duty. The kids always enjoy helping me out with that! After church we headed home to change clothes before going over to Roy's parents' house for lunch and an egg hunt. Roy's sister, Allison, and her two boys, Peyton age 13 and Logan age 10, were there also. It was nice to get to relax and just enjoy the meal since Roy and Amy prepared/bought the food! When lunch was over, Roy, Allison and I headed outside to hide the eggs. The kids had a lot of fun hunting them and eating the candy. We ended up with 2 gallon-size bags of candy, which is way more than we need! Since we didn't have an evening service we headed home so the kids could get their Easter baskets. Sunday mornings never work for us to do that because Roy goes to church so much earlier than the rest of us. The kids loved their treats and we had to call MeMa and PePa and thank them.

I think it was a perfect way to celebrate Easter, wonderful worship and family time. It doesn't get much better than that!

Spring Break in Athens, GA

2009-04-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

The last few days of Spring Break we headed to Athens, GA - our old stomping ground - to visit with friends. Our plan was to have a low-key time and let the kids relax and have fun ... and it worked. We got to Athens on Thursday at lunchtime and met Auntie Shannon and her two kids, Mason age 4 and Raigan age 2, at Memorial Park. We had a picnic lunch and the kids played on the playground. We also walked over to the Bear Creek Zoo and had fun visiting the animals there. Mason had a soccer practice that night so the kids played on the playground next to the field until he was through. Then we went back to Steve and Gwen's - Auntie Shannon's parents - and spent the night with them. The kids were exhausted but excited to be having a slumber party together. The next morning we got up and played around and relaxed at the house. At one point Auntie Shannon offered to paint Lydia and Raigan's toenails for them. They LOVED this! That night we headed over to Steven's grandparents house for a birthday cookout for Shannon's big 3-0. A lot of her friends from church and family members came. The kids had plenty to play with outside while the grown-ups enjoyed visiting. There was plenty of good food, cake and gifts to make the party even more successful. The bad weather even held off long enough for us to enjoy playing outside until dark. After everyone was thoroughly exhausted we headed back to Steve and Gwen's for bed. Saturday morning came much earlier than the adults hoped it would! We had a big family breakfast around 8:30 and then got dressed for Mason's soccer game. The kids played on yet another playground while we watched the game. After the game we headed over to UGA to see the campus. Since it was G-Day the kids got to see the band, cheerleaders and football players. They had a blast! We headed back to Steve and Gwen's for a quick bite to eat and then headed back home. It was a great way to end Spring Break!

Kindergarten Children's Choir Spring Performance

2009-04-07T06:58:00.000-07:00

The children have been working every Wednesday on learning their songs for the Spring performance. Every year I look forward to the Sundays when the children sing because I love hearing kids sing praises to God! Even before my children were old enough to be in the choir I loved to hear kids singing in church. It just makes my heart happy!
Caleb enjoys going to choir each week and learning the songs. He isn't much of a performer but he loves to sing at home with us. He did a great job singing and remembering the hand motions to the songs. Ok, I know several of you are wondering if I am going to avoid the huge elephant in the room, and the answer is, no I am not. Sebastian's turn as the kindergarten nose-picker was hilarious! I'm sure it is funnier because it isn't my child but every year there is one child who stands on stage picking his nose the whole time. This year it was Sebastian. Roy posted the video on facebook for everyone's enjoyment! Sebastian always entertains us. The Christmas concert was just as funny but less gross since there wasn't any nose picking involved. In his defense, he didn't want to be up there at all that night and after he picked it once and got the laughter from the crowd it just egged him on. He is such a sweet boy and we love him so! He definitely stole the show this year.

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-07T06:50:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday we had our annual Easter Egg Hunt at church. It is always such a treat for the kids especially. It ended up being a cool and windy day for an Easter Egg Hunt but we braved the weather in search of some candy. After the morning worship service, we headed over the the BX for lunch. We stuffed ourselves on ham, mac and cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, and brownies and then we had to roll out the door to chase Easter Eggs!
The kid all lined up around the field and when the whistle blew they were off!The kids started out with a limit of 12 eggs per person to make sure everyone got some. After that, all the kids were able to run back onto the field and keep collecting eggs until they were all gone.

Once all the eggs had been collected the children were gathered in the middle of the field for a group picture.

We came home with enough candy to fill a gallon-size ziploc bag and enough Easter Eggs to use for our own Easter Egg Hunt next weekend. It was a wonderful way to kick off the Easter week and celebrate Palm Sunday.

Crazy Hair Night

2009-03-23T06:51:00.001-07:00

It was Crazy Hair Night last night at Awanas. Caleb and Abigail wanted to use the temporary hair dye to make their hair look "crazy". All we had was Hannah Montana hair dye in pink, purple, and gold. Caleb refused to even consider the pink or purple so gold was the winner. His hair wound up looking more like highlights, it was actually kind of cute! Abigail had me put her hair in 8 different ponytails with different colors of ponytail holders. We also had to dye each pony tail a different color. It actually did look kind of crazy!

Caleb's Baseball Tournament

2009-03-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

Caleb decided that he wanted to try baseball this year so he is playing for the Boynton Yankees. This past weekend was their first tournament. We are new to the baseball world so I was pretty clueless about the equipment needed, the rules of the game, and the fierce competitiveness among the parents. It is just a little bit crazy! Here is Caleb running to third base. Fortunately for him, the kid throwing the ball threw it wildly so he was able to continue on to home. His first run!

The coach let the kids try different positions to see which ones they did better at. Caleb did very good at catcher. When he was in the outfield he would get bored and stop paying attention to the game!

He also did very good at bat. He was about 50/50 with hitting the ball when pitched to him and needing the tee to make contact. We will definitely want to practice that!

The team did very well for the first tournament of the season. Caleb's team won two games and lost one game and the kids had a blast! Not a bad start to the season.

Caleb's First Overnight Guest

2009-03-23T06:12:00.001-07:00

Caleb had his first overnight guest two weeks ago. Sebastian, a friend from church, spent the night Friday night and stayed to play Saturday. Caleb had a lot of fun playing with a boy for a change. He doesn't always like the fact that he has two sisters and no brothers. He and Sebastian decided that Sebastian and his brother Jude are going to come live at our house and the girls are going to go live with Sebastian's sisters. We got a good laugh out of that one! We had the most fun with the stories Sebastian kept telling us about his home life. Since his mom is a friend of mine I knew they weren't true but it was pretty funny stuff. I couldn't resist calling her and teasing her about the things he told us about them!

Since Friday night is movie night at our house, after Sebastian got there we immediately dug into the pizza and watched Speed Racer. After the movie everybody changed into pajamas and went to their rooms to wind down.

Bedtime. The boys were allowed to play quietly in the room until 10. They must have worn themselves out playing because they went right to sleep after that.

Daddy fixed us a hot breakfast of Mickey Mouse pancakes, bacon and hot chocolate. It was a huge hit! Caleb and Sebastian watching television/playing with the "Little People" in the den. I tried to keep the girls entertained in their room so the boys could have some "guy time".

Caleb and Sebastian playing dress-up while trying to get away from Lydia! I think they each tried on every outfit we own. Sebastian decided to stay in the Spiderman costume until time to go home.

Caleb and Sebastian were both sad when it was time for Sebastian to go home. We will definitely have to do that again!

Hair Cuts!

2009-03-03T05:02:00.001-08:00

Today was the first truly relaxing Saturday we have had since we first learned we would be moving. Everything is done at the old house and with the exception of two boxes we are moved into the new apartment. Caleb has been asking us for months to let him get his hair cut into "spiky hair". Up until now, I have been the barber of the family. Every haircut has been done my me but I knew that I couldn't do what he wanted done. So, I pulled out my trusty coupon file and found a coupon for a free haircut and that was all she wrote! Daddy and Caleb went out for his first real barber cut. He loved how it turned out. And after a year of letting her hair grow out, Abigail decided she wanted it short again. (She is sooo her mother's daughter!) We talked through the fact that once it was cut she would be stuck with it until it grew out. She was determined so I got my scissors out and got to work. She wanted it to be much shorter, like last time, but I remembered how much she hated the last cut so I wouldn't do it. I think we are all pleased with the result.

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-18T04:40:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Valentines Day! The kids spent the morning at their grandparents' house while we worked on the house. When they came home, with their hands full with cards and chocolate, we celebrated. They each got a box of chocolates from Granddaddy and a card with stickers from Grandmomma. Each of the kids got a toy and card from us. We also still had to look through their cards from their friends at school. They have looked at them several times since then. Caleb can just look at the card and know who it is from. Abi and Caleb both had parties at school and gave out Valentine's cards. They had a blast! There has been a lot of disruption in our schedule from the move so it was nice to have a fun, relaxing holiday together!

Awanas Pinewood Derby

2009-01-25T17:46:00.000-08:00

This was our first Pinewood Derby and the kids were so excited to be able to design their own cars. Abigail and Caleb drew out the shape they wanted their cars cut into and helped Daddy and Mr Dale cut them. Then they sanded and cleaned the cars to prep them for paint. They each then painted their cars and affixed the stickers to make them look perfect. We didn't win a trophy but we had a good time and made some memories. Grandmomma and Grandaddy came to the race which pleased the kids even more. All in all, it was a successful first race!
Caleb decided to go with a UGA theme for his car.

Abigail designed a High School Musical car.

Lydia found a friend, Wesley, to play cars with while the race was going on.

Abigail sat with two of her friends, Savannah and Tessa, while the races were going on. They talked and giggled about who knows what while the other kids were racing their cars.

Lydia's First Haircut

2009-01-25T17:35:00.000-08:00

Poor Lydia, she is three years old and just getting her first haircut. Her hair has not grown in very quickly so it hasn't been necessary before now. She was very excited to be such a big girl!

Doesn't she look precious???

Caleb's 100th Day Project

2009-01-25T17:21:00.001-08:00

Each of the kids in Caleb's class had to do a project to celebrate their 100th day of school. They had to find items around their house to put in each column in groups of ten from ten through one hundred. This is the final result. He was so proud of himself.

Caleb's UGA Tailgate Party

2009-01-06T05:26:00.001-08:00

This year for his birthday party, Caleb decided he wanted to have a UGA Tailgate party. Not exactly an easy theme to pull off in the middle of the off-season! We found some UGA napkins at the party store and that was all we had to start with. I made a red and black birthday banner, we hung up red and black streamers and balloons, we made a UGA football centerpiece for the kitchen table, MeMa found a UGA helmet pinata, and Roy made a UGA helmet cake. Caleb was so pleased with the results. He thought everything was perfect.
So, the food for a tailgate party is easy: grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, chips and dip, fruit, and drinks. Stuff every kids loves! Caleb invited some friends from church and school this year. It was a lot of fun having all those kids come to help him celebrate his birthday. We let him decide who he wanted to invite and thankfully, most of them came! We had UGA ornaments for each of the kids to take home with their candy bag from the pinata. We also had the grandparents there so that made it even more special. It was a great time! Caleb got a lot of really neat toys but it seems that his favorite gift was his guitar. He has been wanting one for a year and Mema found a great deal on one for us. He and I are planning to take lessons together. When you stop and think, this party had all of the makings of a successful birthday: food, friends, family, gifts, cake, pinata! What more could a boy ask for?