Easter 09

Well Easter 09 has come and gone. First and foremost I hope we all remember that Christ is risen not only on Easter but year round. We had a nice Easter weekend. Spent it all with family and friends.

This is my baby boy Dylan in his new clothes he got shoes too but can't see them. He is such a cutie. I never was able to get one of Zack in his new clothes before he changed TEENAGERS!!!! This is at 6am we were getting ready to go to Sunrise Service, where afterwards we had breakfast. Came home and all the guys crashed for about an hour. Then we headed back to Sunday School and 11a m service

So here is myself in my new easter top. I didn't do a whole outfit this year. I wanted a top I could do with different stuff. Anyway....

So Jerome, Henrys best friend came to visit. I got em to pose for a picture for me. The fun never stops when they are all together

So some of the Sunday school classes had an Easter Egg hunt. These next few kids are some of my beautiful kids that I get to teach.

She didn't want me to take her picture

Isn't she adorable

He is so handsome such a little man. The tie didn't make it all day.

This is from a 5 year olds perspective.... not very flattering for me.....

And the hunt begins

Go girl.....

There is more to have... all that candy

He was happy with what he found

She just walked back and forth.. so pretty

All my kids love to pose he is so handsome too....

checking out the eggs.

This is Henry and his brother. Not a clear picture but they were sporting their new hats they got for their bday. 1971 and 1972 models. They both have April bdays










Daniel, Tommy and Dylan we had just got done eatting at the inlaws and now listening to Jerome try to con Daniel out of his money.... Daniel kept saying his dad is a cop.

Who knows what this coversation is all about with theses three. We had a good day. I didn't get any pictures from my moms everyone seemed to be running around in 100 directions. Julie was trying to get some things done for her wedding which is now less than a month away. Dad took Grandma home. Mom was all over the place.

Hope you al lhad a great Easter

Valentines Day

So yesterday was Valentines day. It was a good weekend. Henry started by sending me these beautiful roses that just made my day.

So I had the guys gifts on the table waiting on them to be opened we don't do too much for the boys but we do something. We gave Dylan a movie "The Express" and Zack got a new basketball. We gave them both candy.
Men are hard to shop for I gave Henry a weight tree for all the weights laying on the floor. The boys gave him "Saw V" We love those movies last year we got steaks from the Roadhouse and watched #4

So my dear sweety told me I couldn't wear jeans out on our V-Day dinner. We had to dress nice I was so excited. We attempted the Farmhouse which was horrible. Even with reservations most were waiting almost 2 hours. If you walked up no telling how long you would wait. So we decided to go somewhere else and ended up at our safe-net Red Lobster. It was nice and still ended up being a late dinner. Henry gave me a pair of diamond earring studs and the boys gave me a new Willow Tree Angel "Quietly"

It was a really good weekend. I love my husband very very much and i am blessed to have him as my husband.

Happy New Year

So here we are at the end of 2008. Can you believe it? I know we all say every year how fast the year went and each one goes faster. But really where is time going? Anyway, this has been a year of ups and downs for my family. We have dealt with loss of loved ones. We have had highs and lows in our home goin through different everyday things. I had a son start high school and my baby is in middle school. Henry and I are still working steady which in of itself is a blessing this day and age. Zack and I went on a mission trip to Montana that was amazing. We were able to take some vacation time this year to the beach, Bush Gardens and DC. Even short weekends are vacations here.

Anyway this year instead of resolutions we have decided to do something a little different. We each are picking one thing that we want to do more of as a family. We are picking things we want to work on together. It could be doing devotions together, eating more meals at the table, game night etc.. We thought rather than doing things that only focus on ourselves and do something that focuses on us growing as a family.

As far as New Years Eve we just do whatever if it is staying at home or going somewhere last minute. So I pray you all have a blessed 2009 and that God guides you in each thing you do. We love you all and look forward to the new year.

Santa aka hubby

So Henry started out the Christmas season doing a great deed. He became Santa..... at least for a little while. Anyone who knows Henry and I know that pretty much everything Henry and I do revolves around kids of all ages. He said he got dressed at the house and rode to the church where our preschool is in his red dodge. So as you can imagine Santa in a RED truck turned heades even in the short drive to our church.
I stole these pics from a friends website. Thanks T......

I don't know all the kids but I know this little girl just rattled all kinds of stuff off he said he couldn't have remembered if he had to.

Mr. C here would NOT sit on Santas lap. But Santa got his attention by mentioning the Polar Express that he rode during Thanksgiving. I find it odd that he and "A" wouldn't sit on his lap because once he left C told his mom that Santa sounded and looked like Dylans dad!!! "A" revealed when she got home and just giggles now if I mention it.

This is little boy is very unsure....

He isn't a bad guy.....

Little "J" here is such a sweety and I hear she giggled the whole time. Which she always does. We had her in Bible School and "C" and "A" are in our Sunday School class..... HO HO HO

Christmas Decoration

Well I cannot believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve. How in the world did this year fly by so fast? Although I always say that. Well anyway I thought I would share some of my Christmas decorations with you. I would love to see yours. So if you post it let me know so I can check it all out.

This is a photo of the outside of my house. Just real simple icicle lights candles with my frosty blowup (that I fought Clark for in the White elephant game a couple of years ago) YOu cannot see it in this picture but I have a snowman flag and a penguin flag too

This is a lighted gift box that my aunt made for me a few years ago. It has become one of my favorite decorations. My mom made me a new bow and I just haven't gotten around to putting it on. Sorry mom....

This is my manger scene. I think every single house should have one or a version of one. After all that is what we are celebrating this season for. Not presents, food and all that stuff.

This is one of my MANY snowmen. I love snowmen and I have them all over the house. This one along with several others hold tealight candles and look so pretty at night when I light them up. Look there is my mother in law Judy in a picture HEY JUDY...

So here is some more of my snowmen. These were given to me by the same wonderful lady at work. She drew my name two years in a row at work. But I am glad she did. She is a wonderful christian sister. The tall guy lights up and the little guy is part of a collectible set that I would love to have them all. The little cabin next to them is a tissue box that another lady at work had her hubby made for me....

So this is the tree upstairs. This is my tree where all the kids stuff goes on. All of our family ornaments, and all of my ornaments from when I was a kid that mom has given me. I don't have any of Henrys hmmmm.... This tree was given to me by mom. Some friends of hers and dads were moved to Hawaii to start up a new Gatorade plant. They didn't take alot of stuff with them. So mom was given this tree and she had nowhere to put it. I did so I took it. It is 71/2 feet and looks really beautiful in my front window. Sorry I cut the angels head off in this photo.

This is our man cave tree. This was the tree we used to use upstairs. It is prelit and has white lights. I decorated it in blue and gold to go with all of our CHS and GCHS stuff downstairs. Luckily where the boys go to school and where I went had the same colors. This was the only Christmas thing I put downstairs. Dont want to over do it with Henry.

So this poor little guy is in my kitchen. This is the tree Henry and the boys used while we were seperated. I have to use it. THe boys love it and I think it is cute.

So last but not least this is an arrangement Dylan made at school. Didn't he do a good job.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Thanksgivinng and shopping

So another Thanksgiving has come and gone. Which to me is hard to believe. The years seem to go by faster and faster. My kids seem to be growing up too fast too. My uncle was shocked that Zack will be driving this time next year. Anyway. I have much to be thankful for and many people to be thankful for as well. The above picture is of my hubby Henry and I on the deck of my Grandmas house. In the background is the dam which used to power the old mill that used to be there that was the heart of the town. You can also see the old Washington Hotel that was built in the 1700's.

This pretty lady is my Grandma. I absolutely love her dearly. She is such a wonderful christian woman. She is loving and kind and full of life. Besides my mom she is the best cook I know too. We had Thanksgiving at her house.

This is the old Washington Hotel built in the 1700's. I don't know the story of this hotel exactly but I do know it is very historic and that I love the way it looks. This is the view off Grandmas deck. This hotel sits across the road from Grandma's house.

This is my sister Julie and her fiancee Ben. They will be wed in May. I have a link to her blog and her wedding blog if you would like to keep up with them see pictures... etc. Behind them is the New River. The oddest river in the US. It flows north.

This is Julie and I in the same spot she and Ben were in....
Thisis mom and dad. This is the house my dad grew up in. This place has seen many changes over the years. The train used to run through below where they are standing but that ended years ago. In the park down the street is a caboose we used to play on when we were kids.

This is my oldest Zack. i just think this is a nice picture.

here are my boys. They love goin to Grandmas....

This is just a picture of the dam, New River and part of the hotel..

So Henry and I went shopping at 4:30AM. I haven't done this in years. Goin in Wal-Mart reminded me why. Although when we left there all was calm. We had a nice morning together but once we got home at 11:30 we were dragging. We did get the outside Christmas lights up then crashed for awhile. Although I didn't sleep too sound. Got up cooked dinner finished decorating for Christmas. So, Christmas is less than a month away and I am done with the boys. WOO HOO... not too much more to buy. I think though people have forgotten what Christmas is really about. It is about Christ and what he did for us. It is about those people in the photos above and my inlaws. Just remember what the season is truely about as you go about this busy time. Remember "Is' ok to say Merry Christmas"

Late post on 4th of July

So I am way late with my 4th of July post but oh well better late than never. And besides that it is still July....

So we had a good day with friends that began at some of our friends home. They are a great family and we so enjoy being with them. These first few photos are of myself and T. Also another wonderful couple who are also a great example of what God intended a family to be. Lord knows Henry and I need all the help we can get.

So here are some of the wonderful kids that I absolutely adore. They mean the world to me and I love being a part of their lives.

So have you ever heard of the game cornwhole (I think that is how you say it) Well it is a new thing with my family but they have taken to it. Also alot of trash talk seems to go along with it. In these two photos it shows my guys and T's hubby playing. You play teams like you do in horseshoes.

So this guy is Jerome. He is one of Henry's VERY BEST FRIENDS from high school. Henry tends to hold on to those that he trust and can feel close to. Jerome was in visting family from northern Virginia and we just happened to find him again the week before the 4th. We had lost touch with him for a few years but were happy to find him again. Next time we hope it won't be so long. He tells us he will be moving back to this area in a year or so to be close to his mom.

So finally these are some of Christiansburg fireworks and they always do a good job.

So with all that little bit of whatever I pray you are all having a blessed summer.