Pizza and Snakes and the Mind of a Child

Pictures from pizza night

The weekend we got back from vacation or should I say we got back Thursday night and Brad had to leave to go to Atlanta Friday morning. Christi and I got the kids together to make homemade pizza and ice cream. It was the BEST pizza I have ever eaten. They have this special secret recipe but I can't do justice for it. The kids had a good time. And it was really nice to get together with my sister and have night just us and the kids. Christian was at the lake so he didn't get to be there but Aubrey and Tucker play so well with Caroline and Carson.

Aubrey and Tucker actually didn't complain for this picture.



Now as for the snake... I think it is so cute how a child's imagination works. The other day I was covering some seats for a bench for JA and I was using an egg crate which I had to cut a couple of strips off. When I turned around, Caroline had claimed them as her own. She had them all wrapped around her neck and body and was talking to them and just going about her normal business. When I asked her what she was doing she looked and me so matter a fact and said these are my pet snakes be careful so they don't bite you. AND YOU KNOW... They did kinda look like snakes so we drew eyes on them and right now they are still living in the garage and hopefully they will be the only pet snakes we ever have.

Caroline and her pet snake. Can you hear the hiss?

Another wonderful normal weekend

Our weekend was busy as it always seems to be. I often wonder why we bought that new couch because I seldom get to sit on it. Oh well! We have fun in the end it just adds to my whirlwind life. Friday was busy with with lunch with my friend Kristy, then on to the grocery and we came home and made chicken Alfredo. It was yummy but I won't go into the astounding fat grams and calories I found on this particular recipe. I'll just say I really shouldn't be able to have much more than water until at least Wednesday. But boy was it delicious! Then Saturday was a fun day. First Caroline had dance and then we went to Germantown fest which I always love. Caroline and I went with momma and Uncle P's girlfriend Juliana. Then home to get some fresh corn and peaches put up in the freezer. Never knew I'd be one to put food up for the winter but I guess it is one of those things that comes with age. I love fresh corn on the cob and Caroline can eat her weight in peaches so mine as well have some ready year round.
Sunday after church, I finally talked Brad into digging up the dead dogwood in the front yard and replacing it with a live tree. We went to Lowe's and picked out a new tree. No dogwoods so we settled on a cherry tree which will be beautiful and pink come spring. We went to visit Howard and Janet Jerry (our Sunday school teachers) for a bit. Janet had brain surgery a couple of weeks back to remove a tumor so please remember them in your prayers. Then we came home to plant our new tree which Brad was still determined would come back next spring. As Brad was getting stuff ready to start digging he said again "that tree will make it" So we agreed that if I bent the top of the tree over a bit and it snapped then the tree was dead and we would plant the new tree there. So we did and the tree easily snapped like a dried twig. But sadly when we pulled it out of the ground it had new sprouts all over the roots. Boy did I feel terrible. I really wanted the dogwood not the cherry and now I have a replanted dogwood with the top snapped out. I hate it when I'm wrong. Maybe it will make it.
After bath tonight we tried something new. REMEMBER THESE? I use to wear these to bed all the time when I was little and I would wake up looking like Shirley Temple. So since Caroline's hair will now hold the slightest curl I thought I'd see what these would do. I will keep you posted. So that was for another busy but wonderful normal weekend.

What Wonderful Friends.

Lily and Caroline at their birthday lunch.

Friday Caroline and I spent a girls day with my friend Kristy from college and her daughter Lily. We meet up in Jackson and had a birthday lunch for the girls to celebrate their birthdays. Lily will be 2 on September 16th and Caroline will be 3 on September 26th. We had lunch at Red Robin and then over to Maggie Moo's for ice cream. If you have never tried the banana it is out of this world delicious. Caroline had a new flavor cotton candy which was electric blue but couldn't leave out her faithful favorite chocolate. (FYI: By the way when you stir these two colors up they make gray.)We had a wonderful time. The girls were really good. And it is always so nice to catch up on things with Kristy. She is one of those very special people God has placed in my life that I am so thankful for. She is one of those true friends that are so hard to find. She is one of the most beautiful people I know both inside and out. I think it is her inner beauty that magnifies her outer beauty so much. We always have the best time together doing nothing. It is funny to me how much we seem alike. I guess that is one of the reasons we always keep in touch because we never run out of stuff to talk about. I am so glad we meet in college and have been able to keep in touch. Next weekend will be Lily's birthday party so we will get to see each other next week too and then the next weekend is Caroline's birthday party and we will probably get to see each other then too. WOW! 3 times in 1 month will be great! Her new baby Miss Leah Claire will be here in November. I do have the cutest side view picture of her but I won't torture her with it. I will just say that I was twice her size at 31 weeks. HAHA! But here's to WONDERFUL friends. I hop Caroline and Lily grow up to be good friends as well.

I DID IT!

It is official!!! I have had an idea but now I have officially received the LARGE envelope! For this particular event in life the best things do not arrive in small packages. BUT LARGE MEANS YOU PASSED!!

What you may ask is my fuss over? I passed my national registry in CT and now join the other 695 registered CT technologists in the entire state of Tennessee. Currently there is a 81% pass rate but since this was something I self taught I am a little proud of myself. I now hold my national resigtry in x-ray and CT! Now I can get back to some of my favorite things! I am done with this goal and can now get back to enjoying my wonderful life. It is such a relief to have passed. It has been a long hard 2 months juggling my already hectic life and finding time to squeeze in research and study time. There was a lot of late nights and studying after the getting the kids to bed. Even more prayer because I really had to lean on the Lord during these stressful months. Thanks to Brad for all his help around the house and with the kids and thanks to my friends Trevin and Andrea for giving me the study material they used to set me on the right path. Just wanted to share with you my happy of the week!

Sprinkler Fun

I thought the object was to play IN the sprinkler but I'm learning that the water is too cold in the sprinkler so the object is to try your best to miss the water unless you get a little thirsty.

Fort Morgan 2009

This is the scene I've looked at for the past week. So thankful to be blessed with such beauty. Ever wonder how someone could look at something so beautiful and not firmly believe they have God to thank for all His wonders. I am so thankful for all that he gives me and for all the small things I think we all are guilty of not thanking Him for like the ability to see, hear, taste, feel and appreciate. Thank you God for you are wondorous.
We are back from vacation. Fort Morgan, Alabama... This year was my turn to pick where we went so of course I picked the beach!! Where else is there for vacation. Although I must say with 2 kids under 3, relax was not on the agenda but we had so much fun.
There was no just laying out and reading a book as I so love to do at the beach. Instead that was replaced with sitting in the sand as in a giant sandbox covered in everyplace possible with sand and digging and building. There were seashell hunts and swimming with sting rays. It was really wonderful to spend a whole week of nothing but family time with no interuptions.
First time to see the ocean

Our first day we saw a few jellyfish but they were gone by Sunday.
On Sunday a man caught a stingray in a net and brought it to shore for everyone to see. The kids got to touch it and thought that was super neat. I say sting ray or was it manta ray I don't know the difference. They were everywhere. You could walk out about 300 feet and still only be waist deep. Schools of sting ray would swim within 10 inches of you and split in just enough time to go around you. Them being so close to shore brought the dolphins in close. About 300 yards out you could see dolphins.

On Monday there was a man bank fishing who caught about a 2 foot shark we got to see up close and there were tons of fish all around.

Yes that is what you think, Carson can untie a swimsuit


We even ventured out to alligator alley for the kids. On the one day that ended up not being a bit overcast and with no wind but the kids enjoyed watching the alligators and that was our reason for going.


The food was wonderful and the best was not cleaning the kitchen afterward. We ate at Lamberts and LuLu's which I think was my favorite and we even did a little shopping and Brad actually bought some things.(HAHA) I definately wouldn't mind having a beach house as my second home. But now vacation is over and so the wind down of our summer begins and on to my favorite season fall. But not to rush there is plenty of hot weather and memories to be made before fall arrives.

Brad and Caroline after a long day.


Two of my favorite pictures from the beach

Mommy and Caroline at LuLu'sCaroline showing off the crab we caught
Me and my favorite pictures of my babies

Daddy and Carson

Time to dig

Carson loved the sand

On the way home what a perfect picture for a girl that LOVES watermelon!

What FUN at Papa and Nonnee's

Papa, Caroline and Carson exploring the chicken pen


Carson says I'll pass on holding that


Yes Caroline is hugging that chicken!


Now that I finally have some pressing deadlines behind me I can get back to a few things I enjoy like catching up on my blog and rambling on about my family. Here are just a few recent pictures we took at Papa and Nonnee's. My children love to be outside and are especially fond of animals no matter what kind. Carson wasn't too keen on holding any he just wanted to walk around and explore and what a place to explore. The chicken pen! Could there be any nastier place? But isn't exploring how you find out about God's wonderful world? And what is better information than first hand knowledge? So though I cringe at the thought of my children playing in the chicken pen that's one of their favorite places and Papa and Nonnee's. Now for

Caroline and Miss Kitty

Caroline's most recent favorite thing... a cat! Originally named Elle and now renamed "Miss Kitty" Caroline begs every time we visit to take this cat home. I haven't given in yet but I feel I may soon. It's not that I have anything against cats I actually like them. It's the thought of the added chaos one will bring to our already busy household with 2 busy children and 2 hyper dogs. My mother often reminds me though that I had cats when I was little even though they weren't everyone else's favorite. Is this going to make me give in? We will see. We did tell Caroline that if she can quit sucking her thumb that she can have this cat for her birthday so maybe we both will win.