~This time one year ago~

As the title would suggest, I am reflecting back to December 3rd 2007. This was the day we would welcome our 'impatient' daughter into the world at 5:59 am via c-section. Although that day did not go as planned, we still ended up with the most incredibly beautiful daughter. Since that day we have endured sleepless nights too numerous to count, laundry by the basketful's, lots of dirty diapers, toys scattered about, teething, bottles and lost pacifiers and many days spent in our PJ's. But besides all that we have also had lots of cuddling, sweet slobbery baby kisses, giggles, grins and smiles that will melt your heart, little fingers that grasp yours and won't let go and a heart so full of love that it can not contain it.

I am amazed at how much she has grown over the last year from 7# 6oz to 22# 10oz and from 19 1/4 inches to 29 inches. She is now walking however she still prefers crawling as her primary means of transportation. I can only wonder and anticipate what the next year will have in store for us. I'm sure she will be even more busier and talking up a storm and giving her brothers a run for their money.

Here are some pics of Sara celebrating her birthday at Pawpaw's and Mawmaw's house in AL. Sara and her cousin "J" got to celebrate their first birthday together, by the time they both had their fill of the cake they were covered in icing and required a much needed bath.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY SARA!

Sixteen years ago...

My oldest child, my son Jonathan will be "sweet" sixteen tomorrow. My how time has flown, it just seems like yesterday, I can remember the day you arrived and how scared I was as a new mother. Wasn't sure I was "qualified" for the job, but looking into those sweet innocent eyes, I knew I would do anything for you. We had ups and downs along the way, but we have survived. For awhile there, it was just me and you, we were always together. Now we are part of a new and improved family, he is a big brother and has younger brothers and a sister looking up to him. It seems like yesterday that he was learning how to walk and now he is becoming a young man. For his birthday we (both sides of parents) got him his class ring. Next big step will be senior prom and graduation.....wow, how did I become the mother of a teenager already? Happy Birthday Jonathan, I am so proud of you and the man you are becoming.

I love you Jonathan, I wish you well and hope you future is filled with all kinds of possibilities.

And we are off....

Well my baby girl is walking, she started off this month with a step here and there. Then on November 17th she put it all together and took 5 steps, now she is walking more and more and becoming ever so sure of herself. She is just too cute for words, she is wobbly, smiling and just too darn precious. In eleven more days my last baby will turn one on her birthday, this will be the first of many more to come. I'm sure I will look back on this day with fond memories and hope to share many more with my daughter. I can only hope that she will be as close as me and my mother.
I love you Gracie Girl!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well as the title would suggest, at least it is in my house. Most people think I am crazy to have put up my tree this early. So what, I am crzy, but you know I just love to sit there in the still of the night after everyone else has gone to bed and just stare at the lights on the tree as they sparkle and the ornaments dance on the tree from the light breeze of the ceiling fan above. This is sheer peace at its best, well at least for this mom of four! A half hour of peace and quiet around here is golden.
My three year old son is so excited this year about Christmas. Just yesterday while we were eating dinner, he proclaimed "mommy Christmas needs presents", I said "yes it does", then he said "Christmas needs toys, lots of toys!" I then commented with a slight giggle, "Oh it does, does it", and he said "yes". Amazing how they figure this gift thing out so quickly. But it's heartwarming to see the wonder in his eye, how excited he gets about seeing the lights and the decorations. I wonder how he will react when he sees Santa Claus this year? Probably will run and scream I'm sure. My daughter on the other hand, this will be her second Christmas, she was just about 3 wks old last year and not an active participant. The older boys, well what can I say, they just want stuff. This year things will be a little more conservative then they have been in the past. That means some well thought out gift giving. My husband and I have told the boys not to expect a lot this year. I would really like for them to be able to go to the mission and help in the kitchen and see how good they have it. Maybe seeing others who are far less fortunate then themselves will teach them a thing or two about compasion and doing for others.
As far as me, all I want is a healthy and happy family. As I have gotten older, I have realized that presents don't matter as much as just being with your family and sharing the memories. Because when I have long left this earth, that will be all there is left to me.

Serenity in the Smokey's

Just wanted to share some pictures of my little day trip to the Smokey Mountain's and Cades Cove near Gatlinburg, TN. My mother, Noah, Sara and myself took a nice drive through the mountains today (11/6) to get a glimpse at Gods hand at work. The trees were spectacular, varying shades of gold, red and orange, with lots of evergreens in the mix. The meandering road from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove was about 28 miles long and ran next to a creek that was babbling through the mountain. Just our little piece of heaven here in east Tennessee. This is by far my most favorite season here in Tennessee with spring coming in at a close second. The weather this fall has been fantastic and it has allowed for some of the most brilliant colors I have seen in years.

Soon the trees will be naked and winter will soon come and then we will patiently wait for spring and the rebirth of nature.

Not my choice

Well the election is officially over, it was nowhere even close at the end. About halfway through the evening I got so sleepy that I had to go to bed. I'm sure I did not miss much as it looked like Obama was going to win in the end. I said a prayer as I went to bed that God's will be done. I am a believer that nothing in life happens by accident, unless you are in the kitchen. I have to believe that the results of this election were meant to be, and now we have the next four years to see what happens. No matter what happens, I place my faith and firm belief that God will see us through these difficult times ahead. It doesn't matter who sits in the oval office, because God is still on the throne!

No more political adds

I'm sure I am not the only one who is sick and tired of all the political adds out there right now on TV, radio, newspaper, billboards, yards signs, etc... Thankfully we are down to the last 3 days of the campain (Thank God!). Even though voting will be over on Nov 4th, I'm sure this election is far from over....I kind of get the feeling we will be going at this for several days after the election and won't know who the POTUS will for days.
No matter who you chose, it is your choice and hopefully it is a well thought out choice. I early voted last week and got my hubby to go and vote Thurs before the polls closed. I knew that this year the polls would be busy, so I didn't want to wait to the last minute. Already people are turning out in droves.
All we can do now is pray for our nation and our leaders. Whoever inherits the title of POTUS, will have a hard four years and I am so glad that it won't be me.

God Bless our Country and keep us safe for the times ahead!

Happy un...Halloween

Well ghost and goblins will be out in full force tonight and jacked up on sugar. Hard to believe that it is Halloween already. That only means that I can "officially" put up my Christmas tree tomorrow and not be laughed at. Yes I know I am weird, but what can I say. But if the retailers can do it, then so can I!

As for Halloween, this is probably the second day of the year that most kids spend the whole year waiting on. The idea of dressing up and getting all the candy you possibly could want is a dream for almost any kid. We don't really do the Halloween thing very well, I personally don't like the day. Yeah I know, bad parent. There is a function at the mall being put on by our local christian radio station called "take back the night" with all kinds of things to do, we may go and take the three younger ones to that. We already did "Boo at the Zoo!" two weeks ago, Nathan went as a reporter/sketch artist, Noah was a pirate and Sara was a girraffe and they had a great time. Nathan's main goal is "the one with the most candy wins", Noah is at that stage where everything is 'scary', so he is a little hesitant about all these people in costumes and Sara, poor girl just doesn't have a clue yet. I will be sure to post some pictures later. Jonathan is going to a lock in at our church (http://www.chilhoweehills.org/index.php) for the teens, he will be up all night, if he makes it throug the night without sleeping, I'm sure he will crash tomorrow morning. I am on call tomorrow, so we will see how my luck plays out!

October is almost over and the next thing you know we will be in the full swing of the holidays. This year is going to be different. How? Well due to a new holiday work schedule, for the first time in seven years I will be able to travel out of town to visit my husbands family for the Thanksgiving holiday. I'm excited because there will be so many of us there. At least 23 of us...talk about one big turkey!

Sometimes it's hard to say good-bye!

As the title would suggest, I am finding it hard to say good-bye. Good-bye to what you might ask? Well, my baby girl is growing up. She just turned 10 months old and growing like a weed. So now I am left with having to go through the house and decide what things we no longer need and get rid of them. That almost sounds so harsh. As I am going about and collecting the bouncy seat, the walker and exersaucer, the swing and jump-a-roo, the this and thats...... Then making a listing on Craigslist, for some other parent, who in turn will get to make memories with their child. I am getting a bit sentimental and emotional about all of it. Never again will my daughter ever be this small again. All I have to remind me are pictures and my memories (until old age takes them). I am excited at the prospect that we get to move on to bigger and better things, but yet again, can I just enjoy her being this small for a little while longer? It just seems like yesterday I was pregnant with her, waiting with anticipation for her arrival. Then meeting my beautiful daughter early in the morning on the day she chose to be born. What a blessing from God she has been. Even though there were some rough spots along the way, I look back and just sigh because those are moments in time frozen forever. She is her own little person with so much to offer the future. Everyday it seems like she has achieved so many milestones and is sure to be walking any day now, and the older she gets the cuter she becomes. Soon we will be celebrating her first birthday and I'm sure will aquire even more stuff to replace the old stuff that I am letting go.
Letting go, that seems like something as parents we have difficulty doing at times. But time moves on and so must we.

Wait until May 0f 2010 when I have my firstborn graduate from high school, I'm sure I will be a complete mess!

Football Widow

I am sure I am not the only one alone in this, football season rolls around and then I become a "football widow". I don't have it as bad as some, but it does get to be a bit much at times. Like today for instance, every time the hubs had a chance he was watching, listening and checking stats online. And this is only the first few weeks into the season. Don't get me wrong, I like a good football game and there is nothing better then being right there in the thick of it, but there are so many other things going on in my life right now.

The hubs comes from a family that are true blue (um really crimson) ALABAMA fans. I think it is a family rule that you must have at least 7 Alabama shirts is some variation. Even though I am not an Alabama fan and probably never will be, I give them props for being so loyal to their team.
On the otherhand we live in a city where football is a way of life, I would say that most people here breath and sleep football and think that the Tennessee Vols and the color orange are the only things around. I would have to disagree. I have never really been a Vols fan, but it was always fun to ag my hubs on when the two teams met during the year. So much so that the hubs had a license plate frame that said "house divided".
But if I had to chose a team based on the cutest mascot, it would definitely be the Georgia Bulldogs Mascot Uga.....gotta loves those bulldogs! Such a girly thing to say, yeah I know.
Only 3 more months of football and then the playoffs!

Where does the time go...

Wow, can not believe that I have not posted in a little while. Life gets pretty busy at times and then the next thing you know, it's weeks later. I am however happy that the fall has finally arrived. Yesterday as a matter of fact. When I was leaving work yesterday, I couldn't help but notice the nice evening it was going to be. You know those evenings when the humidity is low, the air is fresh and clean and the temperature it just perfect! That was the kind of day it was...PERFECT! Now I am getting all excited to dig out my fall decorations and put them up. This is one of my favorite times of the year.

But can you believe we are already winding down the month of September? Where has this year gone? I started the year with a brand new baby and now she is almost 10 months old and growing so fast and conquering her own little world one milestone at a time. She will be walking soon and I don't know if I am ready for that just yet. I am trying to relish every moment with her, because she is our last. Thinking to myself that she will never ever again be this small. I can only daydream about what the future will be like with her, little pony tails and ribbons in her hair... But then again, I have a son who will be 16 shortly and is a junior in H.S., when did I become old enough to have a child that was a junior? It just seems a few short years ago that I was in high school, but when I do the math, it has really been 20 years. Funny how fast that time flies by.

But I have been blessed with a wonderful family and want to enjoy them while I have them. I am also thankful that I have got to do and see a lot of things in my almost 40 years, so I am thankful to God for all that he has given me.

What the heck?

Okay, I know the talk about gas is a sore spot for some of us. As I get up and head out the door to go to work this morning, I pass by a Pilot gas station on my way to work and the price of reg unleaded gas is $3.67/ga and then as I am coming home from work today 9 hours later, the same station is now selling gas for $4.69/ ga. As a Holy Cow, you can't be serious flies off my tongue, I just shake my head in utter disgust.
Yes there is hurricane brewing in the Gulf named Ike, never knew such a name could strike so much fear in a nation. Yes, I realize hurricanes are destructive and know all to well the damage they can do, especially after hurricane Katrina wrecked havoc three years previously on the Gulf Coast. So this hurricane has sent people scrambling to go and top off their tanks, fill up and prepare for the worst. Gas companies are shuting down refineries in Texas because they don't know what this storm will do. So for that reason gas can go up over a dollar in less then 9 hours? Come on there has to be a law against this right? Surely someone is getting rich off of this and it's not me.
Thankfully I had the common sense to fill up my van yesterday at $3.64/ga (that and I was almost empty!), sad thing is I only get 19.2 miles/ga in my van and it takes over $60 to fill it up. Sixty dollars to fill up a minivan......are you serious? I can garantee that the price will not come down as fast as it went up. They have conditioned us now to think that $3.49/ga. is a cheap price to pay. I remember back in 2001 on a trip down to Disney World that we payed $0.89/ga for gas. That seems like eons ago and I know it is a price I will never see again in my lifetime.

Scrap Blogging

I know scrapbooking has become a very "now" hobby, but I seriously do not have the time or funds to go and buy all the necessary things that you would even need to even start that kind of hobby. I have seen some high dollar scrap books and the time and effort that goes into them, I am completely amazed at the talent that I have seen.

But for those of us who enjoy scrapbooking but may not necessarily have the time, may I just introduce you to Scrapblog.com, it's a cool website where you can do online scrapbooks, there are all kinds of features and it's SOOOOO easy!

Here are a few I have worked on:

Bye-bye summer

Well it looks like we are winding down another summer, August is almost all but a memory and soon September will be here. This is when I start getting excited, because I love the fall, it is probably my most favorite season with spring coming in a very close second. There are so many things to look forward to: the cool crisp air, the spectacular fall foliage, football, marshmallow roast in the evening, drinking hot apple cider, decorating pumpkins, fall mums, sweatshirts, cuddling under a blanket on the couch and the anticipation of the holidays. We live in beautiful east TN and are at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, you can see some wonderful vivid autumn colors in late Sept and through Oct. If you ask me there is nothing more fun then raking up a big ol' pile of leaves and then taking a dive right into them, makes you feel young again. The fall also is a busy time with birthdays in this household, we have four birthday in three month, one in Oct, two in late Nov and one at the beginning of Dec (the last three all within two weeks of each other), we will soon have a 16, 10, 3 and 1 yr old in the house.
Then there are the holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year with a change in my work holiday schedule, we are hoping to be able to finally get to spend a holiday with my husband family. There is nothing like family getting together for Thanksgiving and all that wonderful food. This year if all of my husband family is able to make it (he has 2 brothers and a sister, along with their spouses and children) there will be a house full. This year will be a record breaker for grandchildren with three new grandchildren just within the last year alone, for a total of nine! I'm looking forward to this year.
So now that all the kids are back in school, they are slowly replacing the back-to-school aisle in Walmart and Target with Halloween decorations, and you can bet the Christmas decorations are not far behind!
Why was when we were kids, it took forever for Christmas to get here, but now that we are older it seems like it comes around every six months?

Can you tell who is who?

Twins two years apart!

Details

I love black and white photos, I think they capture something that color photos can not. This is our darling Sara.

Serenity

I'm sure all of you know what I am talking about, those mornings when you are the first to get up and everyone else in the house is asleep. When it is so quite you can hear the ticking of the clock in the background and the sun is starting to rise and the golden light fills the room and you have a few moment to devote to yourself without being selfish....ah, yes, this is serenity. It doesn't last for long, soon the house will be filled with children running about, someone asking where is ...?, whats for breakfast ?, are we going anywhere ?, etc... Sometimes its more then one person can handle, but I manage.
You see we have a family of six (including myself), so I don't expect things to go like I planned, there is always a curve in the road somewhere along the way. But I realize, despite those curves in the road, that I am lucky to have my family. I have four uniquely wonderful children, all with special qualities and smiles that could warm anyones day. I am lucky to be a mom.
But for those few quite moments on a day like today, I am enjoying my little bit of serenity.

Gummy Bears

Why in the world would I be writing about gummy bears, well you see this is the "thing" that we are using as a reward system for our 2.5 yr old son who is in the midst of potty training. It the one thing that he truely loves! So for being a big boy and going to the potty he is rewarded with two gummy bears. We started this this past Monday and the boy has taken to the potty chair like you would not believe. And let me say when he does pee in the potty, we have this little cheer session for a moment and give high five's, hugs, woohoos, praise and even a dance ever now and then, but the one thing he is set on are those "2 glorious gummy bears" for his performance. Today is Friday and after this week we are doing good, he has remained dry all day long and has even taken it on himself to go to potty on his own. He is even waking up from nap time and night time dry....maybe just maybe we have hit on something. This may not work for every child, but its working for ours. So lets hope that this is the beginning being a big boy and the end to diapers/ pull-ups as we know it.

You never know when

Well today in our community (Fountain City/ Knoxville, TN) about 10 miles from our house there was another school shooting (Central High School) that has rocked the news world. Two sixteen year old boys got into an altercation and one brought a gun with him and shot and killed the other boy. The news reports that this was not a random event and that it stemmed from an earlier incident, nonetheless there was a human life lost due to this random act of violence.
Scary to think the day you send your child off to school for what is to be a normal day and then something like this happens and your whole world changes immediately. This is not how you want a new school year to begin and you never expect something like this to happen in your area. But I guess we are not protected from the evil that is becoming ever so prevelent in our society. I pray for this family and their sudden loss of their sixteen year old son, I pray for our community and this school.
But it just brings me back to the title of my post for the day, you never know when what day may be your last. So take the time and tell those you love how much they mean to you!

A change in time

Isn't it amazing how much they change in just a years time! Our little princess is growing up. She has went from 7#6oz to 22# 13 oz and 19.25 in to 29.5 in.........Wow!

You ought to be in pictures......

This is a picture of Miss Sara Grace now, she is such a sweet little baby. All I can say is she is way different then the boys ever were, a little more high maintenence, a little more demanding, but oh so worth it. She has the biggest smile ever and can melt your heart in a second.

This is Mister Noah sporting a new black eye from doing something he was not suppose to do, but what can I say, if I told him once I told him a million times. He got this from falling off a step stool while watching Cars (his favorite Disney movie of all time), I think he hit the corner of his eye on the TV while rocking the stool back and forth.

In the scheme of things

Wow, I should be ashamed not getting on here more, but with 4 kiddos, a husband and working a full time job (well 32 hrs a week)...there seems to be little time to myself. And when I do have time to myself, sleep seems to be the more obvious choice or a pedicure (ahhh, haven't had one of those is awhile either!).
But I guess I should update the goings on around here:

1. The older two kids are back in school (thank goodness for that, I swear if they would let me vote for the year round school program I would do it in a heart beat. The kids get so bored so fast and then they get on your nerves, yes confessions of a terrible mother).
2. We have a new sitter for the two younger kiddos and they are loving her as are we.
3. Sara is now 8.5 months old, sitting, crawling, standing and finally got "2" teeth, all this happened within a week and a half. At this pace she will be walking soon and have a mouthful of teeth.
4. I had gallbladder surgery last Monday (8/11) and did really well, the best part was the 4-5 hour wait in the recovery room, I swear it was the best sleep I have had in three years. Then the next day the kids were at school and the little ones went to the sitter and I had the day all to myself to do nothing but recover and sleep. It was wonderful. Aside from the 4 new scars I have on my abdomen, all in all I feel pretty good.
5. We celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary, however we didn't get to do anything "special", had lunch together with the little ones and then we ate at Taco Bell for dinner that evening. Woohoo talk about your excitement. I keep telling my hubby that next year we deserve to go on a cruise for our anniversary, especially since we didn't even get a honeymoon.
6. We still have jobs, are doing well and everyone is healthy. So that by far is the best thing, praise be to God!

So now that everyone is updated, hopefully I can be a little more diligent about posting in the future, well that is my hope anyways.

The day in the life of 4 kids and a husband

Well as you can see I have not posted in awhile, been sort of busy around here. Back to work after maternity leave and still trying to manage a household with 4 kids and a husband. It takes a lot of work I tell you. Thing is most of it would be easy, but the laundry is my utter downfall. Tell me how in the world laudry multiplies like it does and I would understand, what I can't understand is how in a weeks time two older boys can both have 10+ pair of pants, 7-15 shirts, socks and underwear by the handfuls. Oh, I'd be only so lucky just to have the laundry troll eat a few articles of clothing from time to time.
And don't get me started on the kitchen.....white cabinets, what was I thinking when we bought this house? After all the male species can not see dirt, especially on WHITE cabinets. And I have to reintroduce the boys to the dust pan, funny thing is they can't seem to remember how to use it, because I find pills of dirt swept up on the floor, next to the garbage can. Guess they are hoping since it found its way on the floor, it might just jump its way into the garbage can.
Nope just leave it there and after I work my 12 hr shift at the hospital, I will come home and clean too. Sounds like a lot of fun. I pray that when they marry down the road that their wives are much more understanding, because I have tried and tried to teach them how to do things right. So to their future wives, I apologize.
Now my dear husband is a wonderful man, but boy can he procrastinate. We have home remodel projects that have been going on for over 2.5 yrs and still waiting to be finished. Some of them only minor details. If we ever sold this house we would have at least 3 weeks worth of projects to finish before we could even consider that. A girl can hope, maybe one day soon!
My two smaller kiddos are doing well, the 2.5 yr old is getting bigger every day, well in attitude not size. Amazing how sponge like they are, they absorb everything and you have no idea on what will come out of their mouth at any given moment. Two year old also have no fear, it amazes me what he will do and try again. I hope that is a trait he will carry on with him as he gets older. I don't want him to be afraid of anything and always willing to try new things, even sky diving if he so choses. Our 4 month old is changing so fast too, she is not the baby she was at 4-6 wks of age, she is developing her cute personality and is always smiling this big toothless grin. She is amazing and I just sit and stare at her when she is asleep and think that I had a part in creating this beautiful little girl. I don't know what lies ahead for her, but I hope she is just like me in some aspect, strong willed, knows what she wants and will do what it takes to get there, but I also hope she gets her daddys soft heart and patience and she will remember all the good values we will have tried to teach her.

Well not much more I can say except the LAUNDRY calls!

Story of Life

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away thst they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be (possibly your roommate. neighbor, coworker, long lost friend, lover or even a complete stranger), but when you lock eyes with them you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way.
And sometimes things happen to you that may be horrible, painful, unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, stregth, willpower or heart. Everything happens for a reason.

Nothing ever happens by chance or means of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small test, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet who affect your life and the success and the downfalls you experience, help create who you are and who you become.
Even the bad experiences can be learned from.

In fact, they are probably the most pougnant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you , but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.
Make everyday count.

Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free and set you sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you.
You can make of you life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets. And always try and learn a lesson in life each day that you live.
Most importantly if you love someone tell him or her for you never know what tomorrow may have in store.



Author Unknown to this blogger



This is a copy of a piece of paper that I kept in one of my binders when I was going to nursing school. I would read it when I got discouraged and didn't think I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I thought I would share it, because there are so many truths that this author wrote about. I can look back on my life and say I have learned some valuable lessons in my life that have brought me to be the person I am today. I have loved and been hurt and have had to move on through forgiveness. We never know what is around the corner, but there is always a lesson to be learned

Go jump off a bridge....

Well as the old saying goes...."If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?" I guess that answer would be "Yes!" Seems that everyone has a blog these days, family, friends and the like, so why not join them. Oooh, the peer pressure I tell you. So this is my feeble attempt at a blog, guess you could call me a Blog Virgin.

I guess this is where I would jot down the details of my life, thoughts that come to mind ever now and then and random chain of events. I think I can do that, as I have dabbled in mini blogs for my two youngest children, so that I could update family and friends of all the milestones they have passes, and now I am starting to get into scrapblogging which is kind of fun.

As you can see I am the mother of four children: Jonathan 15, Nathan 9, Noah 2 and Sara (who is the most recent and last addition to the family 12/3/07). I have a wonderful husband Jay, we have been married four years come this August. Yes, we have a blended family, our two oldest children are both from our first marriages, Jonathan from mine and Nathan from his. It has proved to be challenging at times, I guess manily due to both our children being only kids for a long time and then we got married and ask them to be "brothers". At times you would think it was a crime around here, but as time has passed they get along a little better. Our last two children Noah and Sara have come to us over the past three years. They have been a welcomed addition to this family. My family is what keeps me grounded and from going crazy and then sometimes they are the vehicle driving me there.