Kelly in NC

This afternoon we ventured out to the local pumpkin farm. Jill, Chris, Kannon, and our friend Ian and his boys- Jack and Sam, also came along. The big kids loved the farm, hayride, and of course the big silo slides. It took Grayson FOREVER to pick out the right pumpkin! Gage was not a fan of the festivities at all. It was a bit too cold for him I think. We still got a few great photos. Wish it had been a tad bit warmer- but we had a ton of fun anyhow!
Click on the photo above for the other pics from our trip!

Well, we are back form our week at the beach. We had a wonderful time and I was not ready to come back. We stayed in a 7 bedroom house one house back form the ocean. The house was filled with most of the burns plus my sister’s family. I couldn’t have asked for better company! Everyone- including the 6 kids- got along very well. Even in a house that had a very small living room. It didn’t take long for us to get into a daily routine. Up at around 7 am. Eat breakfast, out to the beach until lunch. After lunch- nap time for the kids (and some adults!)- book time for me! After nap, dinner. Back to the beach after dinner, or out for ice cream or to the playground. Each day the kids were exhausted, but yet ready to do it all over agin the next morning. I seriously thinkt hat I could have stayed for another week before being ready to come back! Here’s all the photos. Watch out there are a lot!
Beach part 1
Beach Part 2
Beach Part 3

This year’s 4th of July was one of the best Independence Days ever! I am not sure exactly what made it so much better than the past few years but I think that it has a lot to do with kids and family. Isn’t it funny how most holidays are given a new life by adding a kid to the mix? Grayson loved the 4th this year. He marched in a parade at his preschool, watched a local parade complete with fire trucks (his favorite), and then spent an entire afternoon and evening in Nae Nae’s swimming pool. He loved the fireworks- both the lights and the sounds (They sound like “funder”!). But it wasn’t just Grayson’s enthusiasm for the holiday that made the entire weekend so great. It was also the fact that I was able to visit with some of the people I enjoy the most. It isn’t every day that I get to see my best friends and family all at the same time. I am again reminded how lucky I am to be surrounded by such wonderful people. Maybe that is what made the 4th so great this year. I was reminded how blessed I am in life!

You can see all the photos from this weekend by clicking here.

Today we had another snow day! We didn’t get nearly as much snow as a few weeks ago- but we did get almost an inch. It wasn’t enough to make a snowman or throw snowballs- but Grayson did make a snow angel and had Tim pull him around on the “sled” (a.k.a.- a garbage can lid with a rope attached). We took a walk thr0ugh the neighborhood and visited our neighbor’s horses in the barn. By then we were frozen and ready to warm up inside.
Now at 2 pm, the snow has all melted- but we still enjoyed the day off from work/school.

Wow! It’s hard to believe that another year has already passed and now I am 32. Where has the time gone? This year has been filled with lots of ups and a few downs- but overall has been one of my best years ever. In one year, I welcomed three new babies into our family- Adler, Kannon, and Molly and was honored by standing beside my best friend Carri at her wedding. I made four trips to Florida (1 wedding, 1 new nephew,1 visit home, 1 bacherlorette party), enjoyed two weekend vacations in the mountains, and relaxed for six full days with only Tim in Punta Cana. Unfortunately, I did also make a trip to Ohio due to the passing of Tim’s grandmother Nagymama and I also experienced a miscarriage. But the best news this year has been the announcement of another little boy entering our family. So at the age of 32, I am 5 months pregnant and really trying to appreciate how lucky and blessed I am.
Tim really went out of his way to make this birthday a special event for me. I am pretty sure that he had a little bit of help from some of my friends- but sometimes he just needs a little “assistance”. On the day of my birthday, he invited all of our family over, cooked dinner (spaghetti & garlic bread) for everyone, and led the “Happy Birthday” song. And that is not all.
He then surprised me with a secret trip the following weekend. We went to the Bryson City area in the mountains of NC with our friends Carri and Dave. We spent the entire weekend playing the Wii (and yes, I was sore for two days afterwards), eating like pigs, sitting in the hot tub (bobbing in and out for me since I have a bun in the oven), and even visiting the Nantahala Outdoor Center where Grayson enjoyed throwing rocks in the river. Carri was even kind enough to babysit Grayson for us one night so Tim and I could go on a date! We visited the Chimney Rock/ Lake Lure area on the way home and overall had a very relaxing weekend. (see the pictures from the party and mnt weekend by clicking on the photo above.)
So there are no tears from me on turning 32. I swear that my 30’s so far have been two of the best years of my life. And with the way that this birthday turned out, I am pretty sure that the next 365 days will be just as great!

It worked! The snow dance worked! We have a snow day. We are off to go play in the powder and build a snowman. Grayson is SOOOO excited. I’ll try to post photos a little later today!

Here’s the photos! We had a blast chasing each other through the snow, building a snowman, making snow angels, and Grayson loved being pulled by Tim on a garbage can lid. What a fun day. See the rest of today’s photos by clicking on the picture below!

As predicted, the last 4 days have been a blur. My sister Renee and I convinced my dad to come up for a visit over the New Year’s Holiday and we have been busy, busy, busy spending time with him. He hasn’t visited us in NC for over 2 years so as you might imagine we couldn’t wait for him to arrive…and then of course we couldn’t pack in enough quality time to spend with him. (You can see my photos for the last few days by clicking on the photo above. They begin with a New Year’s Eve dinner at my house, then there are photos of the guys go-cart racing, a trip to the race shop, and finally a few shots a trip we took to the local gold mine.)
I guess as I get older I realize that my parents are getting older too. When you only get to see the people you love a few times a year, it really makes those moments even more important. I read other people’s blogs about losing parents or grandparents in their families and it makes me recognized that I often take the precious amount of time I have with my loved ones (especially those who live far away) for granted. There were times over the past few days that I observed how gray my dad’s hair has gotten or noticed some new wrinkles I hadn’t seen before. (I’m sure he noticed a few new gray hairs on me too by the way!) Am I really ready to see him get old? Do I have a choice? On many occasions I watched Grayson asking him questions or trying to play with his Paw Paw and I realized how important this trip was for Gray. I was never able to know my paternal grandfather, and I would hate that Grayson be robbed of that opportunity too. It’s easy for all of us to get caught up in our daily existence and not stay in close contact with all of our family. So I guess my New Year’s Resolution for 2009 is to do a better job of calling and visiting my family in Florida. They are such an important part of my life and I hope to never take them for granted.

Whew! Does anyone else feel like you have just run a marathon after the Christmas Holidays? Not that I would really know what it feels like to run a marathon! But really? Is anyone else exhausted. Shoving 5 present filled events into three days without much down time is tiring to say the least. Yesterday was my first day without visitors and I will admit that I enjoyed it. (I’m not saying that I didn’t enjoy all the company because I did!) But having a “down” day was awesome. I took a nap, finished reading “The Choice” by Nicholas Sparks (a very good book by the way), worked on my Christmas photos (click on the one at the top to see them all), and even did another scrapbook page (see below).
As for all the festivities, Grayson LOVED Christmas this year. It took him only a couple of times to figure out the best method for opening presents and after three days of gifts, he asked again yesterday if there were anymore to open! Too funny. He loved putting cookies out for Santa to eat and insisted on celery for the reindeer. He was so excited to see if they had eaten their snacks- that he actually walked by all of his gifts from Santa (unwrapped) and inspected the left over crumbs on the coffee table. His favorite gifts were firetrucks (one is remote control), the truck transporter semi, and of course the small John Deer Track Hoe and Back Hoe Loader. Tim and I also got him a tricycle although he hasn’t shown much interest in it.
Well, now it’s time to get ready for New Years! My dad is coming up for a visit and we are very excited to see him. He hasn’t visited NC in over 2 years and has never seen our new house. I know that it will be another packed long weekend- but it will definitley be worth it!

From Scrapbook

The last 2 weeks have been a blur. Here’s a recap:

~Over Labor Day weekend, we went up to West Viginia with our friends Carri, Dave, Becky, and Kirk. We stayed in a cabin near Summerville Lake and the New River and gorged ourselves on delicious food. We did a bit of hiking (about 4 miles), a teeny bit of swimming (it took forever to find a good swimming hole), and otherwise just relaxed and enjoyed the company of good friends. Click onthe picture above for photos from the weekend.
It wasn’t the most restful weekend. Grayson stayed in our room and woke each morning at about 6:30…that does not = much sleep if you do not go to bed until 12:00 or later. Tim or I would take him out side for a walk each morning and try to come up with activities to entertain him until everyone else woke up. Of course I am sure that they did not get much rest either considering it is difficult to keep a 2 year old silent- even when outside. Sometime going away for the weekend is more tiring than it is restful!
~ I had my first school assembly for the year on Wednesday. As always, it was a TON of work- but lots of fun. And this year, I was even able to recruit some of the school’s new employees to assist with the set up. Yipee! Our guest speaker was from the US White Water Center and I think that all my middle school students enjoyed attending the assembly. Now I have to start thinking about next month!
~Tim turned 32 on Wednesday. I started out his special day with a yummy cream cheese danish and a cinamon roll from a local bakery. For dinner, Grayson and I took him out for pizza! The real celebration was on Sunday. Renee was kind enough to offer up her brand new pool to host a party! So of course we said yes! We invited the family over and grilled out hamburgers and hotdogs. Now that was a relaxing day! I wish I could convince Tim to build us a pool! Here are photos from yesterday.

This past weekend was packed full!
~On Thursday afternoon- we attended Grayson’s Graduation into the 2 year classroom. It was funny watching all of the toddlers march into the room, run for thier parents, and then of course not pay attention to anything. I am thankful that his teachers took the time to prepare the little cerem0ny. I may have teared up a time or two reflecting on how much he has grown. Tim’s parents were able to attend the graduation too! The highlight for Grayson was the little school bus they gave him as a present.
~Also on Thursday, Tim’s brother Joe and his family flew in from Florida. We haven’t seen my nephew Adler since March- so we couldn’t wait for them to arrive. Adler is a wonderful baby- quiet and mild tempered. We were sad to see them leave on Sunday and Grayson is still asking “A Agler doe?” or “Joe-Joe” or “an Amy”.
~On Friday night, we invited all of the family over to our house for BBQ. Tim’s aunts, grandparents, and cousins were in town from Ohio for Jill’s Baby shower on Saturday. Our house was filled to the max with fun, food, and laughter. We loved having everyone in town.
~Saturday was Jill’s shower. Mom B planned most of it, with me in charge of decorations and some of the hosting responsibilities. ONly a few more weeks before little Krugie is due to arrive. I can’t wait to meet my new neice or nephew!
~Here are the photos from this weekend. Click here to view them.
~I finally finished another scrapbooking page. This one is for Grayson’s scrapbook. I use my monthly letters to create an album for him. So here is the one for 24 months:

These pages were created using the free kit “Lazy Summer” by Whimpy Chomper Creations

Now that I am back at work, there just does not seem to be enough time in the day. Between all of my normal daily-around the house chores and now all of the begining of the school year requirements, I am left wishing for a few more hours to get it all completed. I am exhausted by the time I come home in the evenings and have no desire to clean the toilets or put away dishes. I am hoping that maybe I can catch up on all my “house” stuff this weekend.
I did get the chance to scrapbook another layout this weekend. These pages are from the weekend of May 10. Tim was out of town for a bachelor party and when a couple of my friends, Becky & Kelly, came in town- it just seemed natural to declare a Girl’s Night. We went to uptown Charlotte and danced the night away at the Breakfast Club- an 80’s theme disco. It was so much fun. Anyhow- here are the pages from that night:

Also, for those who wish to see all the photos that I took of Grayson for his 27 Month post- check them out by clicking here!

Yes, I am going back in time. With the blur of the past month, there have been a number of events that I just couldn’t find the time to blog about. Luckily for you, I am back into scrapbooking and I just finished my layouts for my friend Carri’s Bachelorette Party. Yes, it was back in June. Sorry for the delay- but this summer really has been pure caos.

Anyhow, on June 21, I helped celebrate Carri’s final days of “singlehood” with a trip down to Jacksonville Beach. Her sister Becky did a great job of organizing the entire weekend -from the hotel right on the beach to the custom CD she made for all the guests. My favortie part of the entire weekend was when “Jerry Clueless” surprised Carri at dinner with a singing telegram and magic show. I had been threatening a stripper for months- so while Carri was definitley surprised, I think she was also releaved that I didn’t get her back for the slimey exotic dancer she hired for my “last night out”. Anyhow, here are the pages I created commemorating her Bachelorette party. I created them using a free template from SimplySweetDesigns and using free embellishments and free paper from Kawouette Designs.

You can check out all the photos from that weekend by clicking here.

And with it comes Tim’s “To Do List”. He does this every summer- tells me 100 things that he would like for me to accomplish while I am off for 7 weeks. From repair men to vet appointments- Tim is sure to keep me busy enough to avoid naps and general laziness. But after being married for almost 7 years, I have learned how to accomplish his list and still have time for fun!
Speaking of fun, this past weekend we had a blast. My neighbor went out of town and I quickly volunteerd for pet sitting duty! There’s a perk to this little job…access to a swimming pool! We swam all weekend and got lots of sun. Most of our NC family also joined in the watery recreation- finding time to visit on Saturday or Sunday (or both). Here are some photos I took while splashing away!
I know it sounds strange, but I already feel as if my summer is passing too quickly. Yes, I know that it is only the 2nd day of my break. But my calendar is filling up fast. It doesn’t look as if I will get a trip down to Florida in this year. Between the vacation that Tim and I are going to in the Dominican Republic, swimming lessons for Grayson, a visit from my mom, and my friend Carri’s bachelorette pary and wedding- most weekends are already booked. Did tell you how excited I am to go on vacation with Tim? I cannot wait! Many thanks to my MIL- Mom B and my FIL- GB for agreeing to watch Grayson and Ozzy for us. And thanks to my mom for watching Grayson for us while we are at Carri’s wedding.
Summer is finally here and is flying by!

Well, I said that I would post the photos from the last few weeks- so here they are. Click HERE to view the slideshow.

It has taken me a bit to post Grayson’s 24 month photos. Let’s just say that it is getting more and more difficult to get him to sit still for a picture. Click on the picture to see what I was able to capture. There are also few photos from his party at school. I brought popcicles to share with the class.

Since we celebrated Grayson’s second birthday with a party earlier this month, Tim & I decided to take Grayson to the NC State Zoo on his actual day of birth. It ended up being a perfect day for visiting the animals. The weather was overcast all day- meaning we didn’t get hot or burned and most of the animals were out and about! Grayson loved the sea lions the best- reaching out to try to grab them through the glass everytime they swam by the window. I enjoyed the gorillas and chimps & Tim was most impressed by the lion when he let out a roar. For those who haven’t visited the NC Zoo- I highly recommend it. It requires lots of walking- but it is well worth the measly $10 admission to visit.
**See our photos from the zoo by clicking on the photo above.

So I just realized, that even though I gave an udate on Grayson two weeks ago, it has been at least three weeks since I have covered the major happenings of my life. So here we go:

Friday, March 28- My new patio was completed! It took them a day longer than we expected to get it finished and lucikly it was finished in time for a party we were throwing over the weekend.

Saturday, March 29- Tim and I co-hosted a couples bridal shower for by BFF- Carri and her fiance Dave. We had about 25 people over to our house and unfortunatley the weather turned cold and wet. We didn’t get to use the new patio as we hoped, but luckily we did have plenty of room inside. I was able to borrow a number of folding chairs and tables giving everyone enough room to eat dinner. The best part of the party was Carri and Dave playing a game of “Almost Newlyweds”. Dave completely over analyized every question while Carri just wrote down the 1st thing that came to her mind! It was too funny…and we learned alot about the two of then!

Monday, March 31- I car-pooled with my friend Anna all the way out to Iron Station for this month’s Girl’s Dinner Club. My very 1st NC friend- Katie- hosted and the food was declicious. I especially loved the coffee she made using a French Press. I think that I am going to have to get one of those things! Has anyone else ever used one?

Tuesday, April 1- I went back to work. I have really started enjoying working alot more lately. Of course I have been trying to figure out why I was in a funk a few months ago. Pretty much my job is exactly the same now as it was then. The only thing I can contribue it to is just the dreary winter weather…
Satuday, April 5-Tim’s parents officially moved to up from Florida. They now live about 15 minutes away from us. We are very excited to have them so near! Welcome to NC Mom Brun and GB!

Sunday April 6- Renee’ and I threw a 2nd birthday party for my neice Ella and for Grayson. Their birthdays are a little less than a month apart and since my Mom (A.K.A. “MiMi”) lives out of town- we decided to combine the two celebrations together. (Thanks Mom for making the trip up here! It meant alot to have you here for the celebration.) The party was originally planned for Saturday- but we changed it at the last minute due to nasty weather. And what a great idea that was! Who can imagine trying to keep 22 kids under a pavillion and out of the rain? Not me- so switching it to Sunday worked out well. After the cake and icecream, the kids were able to run around, play on the playground equipment and have fun. Grayson recieved a number of tractors, trains, and trucks for this birthday and he has played with them everyday since. Tim and I got him a mini-ATV and he would ride everyday if we would let him. (View the photos from the party by clicking on the photo of Ella and Grayson.)
Also on Sunday, My sister-in-law- Jill let out the news that she and her husband Chris are expecting a baby. She’s already 3 months along and is due in October- the same time as my other sister-in law- Kate. That will make 2 more NC babies in the fall! I am so excited to add a few more babies to the mix. I swear that Tim’s family is now growing by leaps in bounds.

Well, I think that covers it all. After two very busy weekend, I am looking forward to just relaxing for the next two day!

Well, thankfully, I am out on Spring Break right now! After our long weekend in Florida- I was in dire need of a chance to catch my breath. Grayson’s preschool was closed on Friday and again today- so I have spent the last four days coloring, running, tickling, chasing, looking for airplanes and trucks, and of course enjoying every moment with my little boy. Tim was even able to take the weekend “off” and enjoy it with us. (His side business is really doing well which equals him working his normal job plus most weeknights and weekends. I won’t be surprised if he decides to take on his business fulltime by the end of this year.)
On Saturday, Tim and I took Grayson & Ozzy up to a local park and spent the late morning/early afternoon laying in the sun, watching kites, playing on the playground, and walking the nature trails. The weather was beautiful this weekend- Carolina blue skies, a few puffy clouds, and warm weather- and I couldn’t get enough of it!
For Easter, we went over to my S-I-L Jill’s house and hung out with most of our NC family. The food was to die for and Grayson won the annual Easter Egg hunt…of course he was also the only kid there this year. All of his cousins were missing due to the flu or because they were busy with some other Easter festivities. We missed them all- but had a great time anyhow! Thanks Jill and Chris for having us over. (You can view my photos from Easter by clicking on the photo above.)
Today, I was adventurous and decided to take Grayson to the movies. Renee’ decided to live on the edge too and so off we went to see Horton Hears a Who with 3 kids (2 of which are under the age of 2). It wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be- I wasn’t forced to leave the movie theater- but it wasn’t the most enjoyable experience either. Grayson enjoyed the popcorn for the first 20 minutes and then spent the rest of time climbing off his seat, then back in his seat, asking for his “blankie” (yes, he’s finally named his blanket), asking for other snacks, saying hello to the kids behind us, tapping poor Kellynn on the arm, laying down, sitting in my lap, and on occasion he would actually watch the movie. I think that he enjoyed the previews more than the movie and overall I guess that I call our trip a success. He made it through the entire film without a melt down. I’m not sure when he will go on his next trip to the movies. Maybe when his attention span get a bit longer.
Anyhow, hope everyone had a great weekend and, oh yeah, Happy Easter!

~3.5 days in Florida
~3 total hours in flight
~Two 3 hour drives to and from Daytona
~ 1 Wedding
~1 Rehersal Dinner
~1 Jewish Naming Ceremony
~9 hours of missed sleep at night
~4.5 hours missed from afternoon nap
~4 Blow-Outs with 2 resluting in clothing change
~1 trip to the park resulting an a green and blue bruise on the forehead the size of a golf ball
~1 very cranky child by Sunday
Sum of all parts:
1 exahuasted mommy!

I am so glad to be home!

I could go into lots of detail about my weekend- but the truth is that I just don’t have the time. We had a great time visiting all of our family and friends- but I must admit that I am glad to be back home. The weekend and all the festivities were difficult on Grayson and I think that it has taken us the last two days to get him caught up on his sleep.
So here’s a link to the photos if you are interested! Click Here!

The number of flavors of Baskin Robbins ice cream.
The atomic number of gallium.
The number of days in the months January, March, May, July, August, October and December.
The car number of NASCAR driver Jeff Burton.
Turkish slang for masturbation (”otuzbir”). Whoops!!!

See there are all kinds of great things about the number 31….

including the number of candles on my birthday cake this year!

My NC Family was kind enough to celebrate my special day with dinner at Cantina (a yummy upscale Mexican restaurant). After a number of margaritas and a plate of delicious fajitas, th festivities then continued at Carri and Dave’s house-where Renee’ was also able to join us! My S-I-L Jill made a appropriately named “Better Than Sex” cake that was to die for-(thank you so much Jill). Thank you to everyone who called, sent a card/ gift, and otherwise went out of their way to make me feel loved and appreciated on my birthday. I feel so lucky to have you all in my life!

Click on the photo above to see the other photos that were taken on my birthday.

Grayson,
I think the word “no” best sums up this month of your life. You have now decided that “No” is the correct answer to any question we ask you…and I do mean any question!
Do want Milk? No.
Juice? No.
Will you kiss mommy? No.
Let daddy hold you? No.
Time for bed? No.
Want candy? ummmm (almost got you on that one!)
No, no, no. It is your favorite thing to say and it is taking alot of patience on the part of mommy and daddy to understand that you are learning your independence as well as the meaning of this very important word. You see you will say No even though you really mean yes. For example: I ask you if you want Milk and you say no and then I say Ok- no milk, but you really want milk…Well then you proceed to throw a tantrum on the floor complete with screaming and kicking yourself in a circle. There is a part of me that laughs at this behavior, but there is another part of me that is waiting for you to learn that by saying “yes”- you aren’t giving into us- you are making a decision for yourself. Maybe next month will be the month of “yes”! Now, I do not mean to make it sound as if all of the “No” stuff is bad. There is a funny side to it. See on the occasions when we ask for a kiss or ask if you love us- you will say no- but then you will throw your head back in extreme laughter- chuckling at yourself. I guess that you know how rediculous it is to answer no to questions like that!
Besides the word no, you have really started working on some of your other language skills too. You are now babbling unintelligible sentences- usually while you are playing by yourself or when you are talking to Ozzy. You now recognize and say the names of almost all of you family members- even those that live in Florida and that we do not get to see very often, and you have begun to use 2 word combinations. Now the last feat takes some prodding- but you will do it. You have learned to say please (”peas”)when you really, really want something (although you will pitch a fit if we require you to say it) and will often say thank you (”day-doo”) when reminded. One of the things I appreciate the most this month is that you have learned to tell us when you have gone #2. You will walk up to us, grab you bottom, and say “poop, poop, poop” until we agree to change the diaper.
This month you have fallen in love with Christmas lights (which you call “tee”- as in christmas tree) and get excited anytime you see a picture of Santa. No matter how tiny the ornament or photo- you will point at it, jump up and down, and shout “ho,ho, ho”. You didn’t mind sitting on Santa’s lap this year- at least not until you go a good look at him and even then you didn’t cry. You just gave a look that said- “You’d better get me NOW or I am really going to embarass you!” As for presents, it took a couple before you fully understood the paper ripping tradition. But once you opened a few, you really got into it. Of course, it was rather unfair that we would let you open a present and then take the new toy away so that you could open another. You recieved so many presents this year (thank you everyone) that by Christmas morning you were finally tired of opening gifts. On the very last gift from mommy and daddy, you refused to rip the paper and instead threw one of those affore described tantrums…definitely gift overload.
Other highlights of this month include losing the tube in your left ear, receiving a kitchen set from Santa, visiting with all of your family (including a bunch from Florida) at Christmas, re-learning to sleep late on the weekends (thank you, thank you, thank you), and no longer resisting the brushing of your teeth. My favorite part has been spending last 8 days with you and daddy. It isn’t very often that both Daddy and I have this much time off from work and getting to spend it together with you has been amazing. We have gone shopping, chased each other around the house, spent numerous hours tickling each other, built towers out of blocks, raced cars around the floor, watched your favortie Noggin TV shows…the fun has gone on and on. It is on occasions like this that I sometime regret that I work and that every week isn’t spent like this. But about the time I begin thinking those thoughts, you make it obvious how much you miss the routine of being at school, and learning to socialize with your friends. You love your teachers and all of the boys and girls in your class, and even if I didn’t work, I am not sure that I could rob you of those experiences without a guilty conscious. I guess the truth is that the last 8 days have felt so special because it isn’t our normal routine. It has felt like a wonderful gift and I am thankful for it. I know I say this often, but it is true! Grayson, you are the most amazing part of my life and I love you more and more each day.
Love Always-
Mommy

And no, I do not mean Mono…that was last month! Instead I am talking about this adorable lobster:

To celebrate the holiday, we went to Marc and Kate’s house for trick-or-treating. They have the perfect neighborhood for candy gathering. Lots of nice houses and nice neighbors. We only made it to about 7 houses before we were exhausted. Grayson and his cousin Jack had a great time and by the end they were really getting into the candy gathering.. Grayson appreciated the twizzlers the most! Funny thing about the costume…when I bought it a month ago, Grayson enjoyed wearing it. Then last night he decided he hated it and refused to wear the hood (which is the cutest part of the costume). I tricked him into a few photos this evening by giving him pieces of twizzlers. I told you he loved that candy!

Grayson,
Your 17th month has been filled with both ups and downs. To be honest, I am glad that this month is over, so that we can be on to bigger and better things!
The month started with a cold which then turned into an ear infection plus raspy cough. You whined and cried, refused to eat much, woke upon frequently through out the night, and finally when you began to run a temperature, I took you to the doctor. The doctor confirmed the infection- but also gave us a bit of other news…you had 6 new teeth surfacing. One of which was covered in a purple, puffy bruise the size of a blueberry. YIKES! No wonder you were such a pill.
Since then, the cold has gone away and three of your teeth have made it all the way through your gums. Some of your molars are still in the process of surfacing- but I think the worst is behind us…that is if you do not count the nasty habit you have gotten into during the middle of the night. See when you had the cold, you had trouble breathing while lying down. You would cry out and then Daddy or I besought with pitty, would pick you up and rock you back to sleep. I guess that you found our middle of the night rockings to be a wonderful treat, because even though your cold is long gone, you are still trying to manipulate us into comforting you. It isn’t that we do not want to hold and rock and kiss you….just not at 2 am. In the past three weeks, I can think of only 3 nights when we did not have to trapse up the 13 stairs to your room and at the very least pat your back. Last night was one of those amazing nights. Perhaps you have again learned how to comfort yourself, since I did start back in on the “Ferberizing” two nights ago.
Now, so far I have touched on the low parts of this month. I want to remind you that I said that your 17th month was also filled with highs. The best part for me was that you have decided to start using your expressive language skills. You now say “Ma Ma” all the time in order to get my attention (you were doing this before- but very sparodicly). You say “up” when you want to be held. You can say “apple”, “no, no, no” (with a pointed, waving finger), “juice”, “bane” (for plane) and “Da Da”. You are also getting better with your sign language. You will sign: More, thank you, eat, and all done.
The best part is that even with your limited vocabulary, you are getting better at letting us know what you want with out resorting to crying. For instance, earlier this week you wanted more gold fish. You let me know, by going into the kitchen, calling my name “MaMa, MaMa” until I came to help, and then started signing more and pointing at the goldfish on the counter. What a relief it must be to finally be understood!!!
Also this month you have gotten much better at climbing. You now easily climb up our dining chairs and have even tried to climb on to the coffee table. (You know-the one your Daddy made and of which he is very protective!) You desire to be a “big” kid as evidenced by a situation from the other day. As per usual, I gave you your afternoon snack in a small bowl and your cup of juice. I sent you on your merry way into the living room to eat at the coffee table and watch you favorite cartoon “The Wonder Pets”. As I was cleaning up the kitchen, I heard you calling my name. When I turned around, I found you sitting at the kitchen table in a “big” chair, with your snack and cup set perfectly in front of you. You were so proud of yourself and was smiling from ear to ear, as if to say “Hey mom, look how cool I am sitting at the table without a high chair! I’m not baby!”
I guess you’re right. Grayson, you are not a baby anymore. You are officially a toddler. But please do not grow up to quickly. While I may not like rocking you in the middle of the night, there is still a secret part of me who treasures each and every moment of it. I might complain to others about the lack of sleep I am getting, but you and I both know that during those moments when it is just you and me sitting in the dark, with your warm, cuddly toddler body lying in my arms, I secretly memorize the sweet expression on your face… and the soft touch of your hand around my neck…and the feel of your gentle breath on my skin because I know that one day these moments really will come to an end and all I will have left are the memories I have tried to capture. So Grayson, even though this month may not have been your easiest, it did still have some very wonderful moments in it.
I love you each and every day!
Love,
Mommy

More photos can be viewed/purchased by clicking on the photo at the top of this post.

~ Tim turned 31. We celebrated his birthday at his brother’s house with BBQ, watching the race, and of course birthday cake. You can see a few photos from the day by clicking on the picture above.
~Grayson has been sick most of the week with a cold. I finally took him to the doctor yesterday and found out that not only does he have a cold (that has now settled into his ears and chest) but he also has 6 teeth coming in at once. One of the back molars is even coved in a nasty, purple bruise. No wonder has has been so irritable. The dr. prescribed an antibiotic for the ears/ chest and also suggested using Tylenol Meltaways and Triamimic Thin Strips, since Grayson is now refusing to use the medicine suringe. I bought the two suggested products and LOVE them. I recommend them for anyone who might have a similar problem with forcing medicine down thier child’s throat. If only the antibiotic could be administed in this way.
~The contract on our current home fell through. The couple who were going to buy our home had to back out becuase they couldn’t get approved for a mortgage. The husband unexpectadly lost his job, and so now we are stuck trying to sell our house again. I am very disappointed since that means there will be more showings.
~Grayson has finally started saying “MaMa” and actually referring to me. Starting the middle of this week, he finally put it together. Now I get to hear him constantly saying my name as he tries to get my attention or show me something! It’s like music to my ears!
~Tim’s younger brother Joe and his wife Amy are expecting a baby in March! We can’t wait to meet the new addition to the family and are so excited for them. I am betting that it will be a girl! Congrats Joe and Amy!
~The kitchen and master cabinets are finally installed in the new house. You can see photos of those by clicking on the picture at the top of this post. I love the cabinets and can’t wait to see the granite countertops. The countertops were recently templated and should be installed sometime in the next two weeks. This week painting will begin and the well will be drilled. Only 52 more days and hopefully it will be finished!
~Last but not least, I think that I might have to give up drinking red wine. Two times in the last two weeks, I have somehow drank more than I realized and woke up with a terrible headache. Am I the only one that red wine effects this way? I guess I need to stick to the old faithful..beer! Wich by the way I have a new favorite: Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat. Delicious!

And no, I am not just referring to the Carolina Blue sky over my house. I am feeling sad. Sad that my summer break is officially over after this weekend. Sad that I spent almost my entire summer working on the new house instead of laying in the sun. Sad that my Maw-Maw and sister Jennifer had to return to Florida. Sad that Renee has left for the beach. Tired of the pitty party??? Yah, me too!

On the bright side- I had a great visit with Jennifer and Maw-Maw who were visiting from Florida. We spent almost a week just hanging out and touring NC attractions. The most fun was at the Lazy 5 Ranch where we rode a horse drawn wagon through acres and acres of exotic animals. The kids (and adults) loved it! Grayson enjoyed the smaller animals (goats, pigs, birds) more than the large ones (giraffe, Gazells). And despite the heat we had an awesome time. As I mentioned above they left yesterday to fly home. This was Maw-Maw’s first time on a jet and I was thankful that she decided to overcome her fears to visit us. She even said that she would be willing to do it again!
As I visited with Maw-Maw, I realized just how old she is getting. While she still has the same spunk and really gets around well for her age ( almost 83) she has slowed down in many ways. The woman who used to walk like she was on a mission, now walks much slower. She isn’t able to lift things very well and on a funny note- occassionaly passes gas without realizing it! I enjoyed watching her crawl around on the floor after Grayson and I caught her on numerous time watching him with a tear in her eye. I wondered what she was thinking. Did she have some of the same thoughts that I did this week? Like that she probably wouldn’t see him graduate from High school or get married. Or maybe they were just tears of joy because she was just glad to get to meet her great grand children. Either way, it made me sad to realize that she wouldn’t be around forever.

My Maw-Maw is the only real grandmother that I have ever had. She is the one who would never give us spankings no matter how rotten we acted. She was the one who never forgot a birthday or christmas. She bought us boxes of valentine candies and even to this day makes our “favorite” foods when we come to visit. I hate thinking that there will come a day when she will no longer be in my life or that Grayson will never have the opportunity to know her the way that I do. This week has made me realize that I must make ever opportunity to appreciate her and visit her while I can. I am already looking forwad to my next visit with her- hopefullyin November for Thanksgiving.

Anyhow, I said that I was finished with the pitty party, right? So, I’ll end with letting you know that you can view all of Jennifer’s pcitures from the past week by clicking on the photo above.

Wow! It seems as if I blogged more when I was at my real job! Now that the summer is here and Tim has me slaving away on the new house, I have really started to slack at both writing and reading blogs. I only have 2 more weeks of summer vacation so hang with me. I ought to be back to my old blogging self once I am back on my usual schedule. Since it has been so long since I have written, I decided that an Odds and Ends post would be the best way to update everyone on the “happenings” around here:

~Well, I had a blast on my trip to Tn. We hit almost every outlet on the way; stopping at all kinds of stores, and due to my self control only buying a few necessitities. The Character Education Conference was in Chatanooga and what a neat city it is! I will definitly plan to visit there again…maybe when Grayson is a bit older. We ate at some of the most delicious diners and restraunts and even found time to visit Rock City. Of course, we really went to TN for the conference and came back with lots of new ideas for the upcoming school year. A few photos from Chatanooga can be viewed by clicking the photo above.
~Since my return home, Tim has had me busy, busy, busy with working ont he house. The framing is finished (for the most part) as well as the mechanical rough ins. Our stairs are installed (altough Tim is second guessing the steepness- I think they are fine). The plumber should be fnished with his rough ins today and the electrical rough ins will start next week. We had a bit of a set back on our windows (this is why the framing is not completely finished). Tim ordered the windows based upon his friend’s word (a salesman) without ever seeing a sample. When the framers began installing the windows, Tim came out to inspect and was NOT happy at all about the quality. Luckily his friend has agreed to take the windows back and now we are at least 2 weeks out on getting new windows. Besides cleaning up the jobsite, my next job is tile selection for the bathrooms. have I stated how happy I will be when this house is finished???

~To celebrate July 4th, we went over to Kate and Marc’s house. The plan was to grill out and then head to the town’s Independence Day festival and wait for the fireworks. We had a great time grilling out and hanging around with family- up until my niece got bit by a dog. She had to go to the emergency room and after a few stitches- she’s fine. It was a scary incident for everyone. On a positive note- Tim did get his wish and didn’t have to fight with the crowds at the festival. This wasn’t exactly how he planned to get out of watching fireworks-but if we are looking for a silver lining- I guess that would be it. Again view more photos by clicking on the picture above.

~:ast but not least, in the past four days I have spent about $50 on lotion. This is the deal. Everytime I find a fragrance from Bath and Body Works that I absolutely love- they end up discontinuing the line. I recently fell in love with the Pear Blossom scent and low and behold they have decided to no longer carry it. So now what did I do? I went on ebay and purchased 7 more tubes! Hopefully this should last me until they come out with another “clean” smell that I can’t live without. Am I the only one who has this problem?

Well, Grayson and I survived the 7 hour drive home by ourselves on Friday. Thanks for all the prayers!
Now I am preparing for a trip to Tennessee for a Character Education Conference. I leave tomorrow and won’t return until Wednesday. I knew that all my faithful readers (all 5 of you) wouldn’t survive without some kind of post, so this is the best that I can do. Tim is already complaining about how I’ve been gone for a week and am now leaving for 3 more days…this time with him in charge of Grayson. So no time to give an update on how the trip to Florida went. In a nutshell, I had a great time and wished that I had more time to spend with my parents. But it was a short trip- impacted by a wedding and so, maybe next trip. Also, I have posted photos (CLICK HERE) and hopefully that will keep you satisfied until later this week. Hope everyone is surviving in your own worlds. Sorry to say I do not have time to check your sites tonight…but I promise to visit soon!

I have made it through another weekend. That makes only 8 days of work until the summer. I must admit that the last three days have passed in a blur. We have been out and about every night this weekend and I am sure that Grayson will be glad to go to bed in his own bed tonight. Tim’s parents came in town for the long weekend and we have enjoyed spending time with them. Nagy will actually be staying in NC for a couple of weeks and we are looking forward to her visit to our house next week.
My brother and sister in law threw a terrific Memorial Day cookout last night. I am constantly amazed at the amount of family and friends that we have up here now (most of them were at the cookout). When Tim and I first moved here the only people we knew were my sister Renee’ and her husband. Now we have two more siblings and their husband/wives, my best friend Carri, and a multitude of people that we have met while living here. I really should get some kind of recruiting bonus from NC for the number of people that Tim and I have recruited to move here!
This morning, Tim, Grayson, and I went out to the house. The footers have been poured and now the foundation wall is going up. Tim says that the foundation should be finished this week, which means that framing can begin by the end of next week. It is hard for me to believe that we are really building a house. But it really is becoming a reality! Click Here to see a panoramic shot of the property from today.
Also, you can click on the photo of Grayson above to see a variety of photos from May. Included are photos of: Grayson 13 moths, Memorial Day cook out; Jack & Grayson, Leah’s Birthday party.

Ever since Grayson began eating table food, his favorite of all foods has been fruit. Bananas, grapes, peaches, apples, kiwi, strawberry- you name it. He LOVES it! So when I went into the grocery store and saw blackberries on sale, I just had to buy some. Just as I expected, Grayson LOVED the blackberries. He ate every morsel I put on his tray. The next day he had a slight rash on his groin- and I just assumed that it was a side effect of the virus he had. About 5 days later (on Saturday morning) I decided to give him another helping of berries with his breakfast. Again, as expected he devoured them-and even cried for more. Within two hours of feeding him, he again broke out into a rash. This time the rash covered his entire torso, and even began creeping onto his face, arms, and legs! The rash lasted for four days- finally going away yesterday. Luckily, he did not have any other symptoms. It didn’t itch, and he could breathe fine. Kinda worried about what might happen to him the next time he eats blackberries. So, yes- the blackberries are for the birds-absolutely not for Grayson! Has any other mothers out there are alergic reactions with their kids?

Also click here to see Grayson’s 12 month photos and a picture taken on mother’s day- sorry but I edited the rash out of the photo!

Grayson,
Well, my sweet little boy, you are officially one year old. We celebrated your birthday on Sunday with the Grayson 365- a NASCAR themed party complete with Kyle Petty (or at least his life-size likeness) in attendance. Over 25 of our closest family and friends came over to visit. We ate bar-b-queue and ate a racecar shaped birthday cake; and of course opened the huge stack of presents that you received. I’d say you had a rather spectacular birthday!
You did surprise us when it came to eating your own birthday cake. You seemed a bit hesitant. Maybe it was the fiery candle on top (blown out before we gave it to you of course) or the fact that everyone was staring at you; but you definitely took your time at truly digging in to the celebratory dessert. Once you got the spoon in your hand the real mess began though. Then it was icing all over your face, hands, and arms…and maybe a little on Daddy too!
This month has brought all kinds of new changes. You now weigh 23 pounds, 6 ounces (6o%) and measure 31 inches tall (80%). You have two new bottom teeth- making a total of eight. Without realizing it at all, you got rid of the bottle and now drink only from the cup. (More about the cup below.) You are working on transitioning off formula and only onto whole milk. We still have one last can of formula to empty and since you have had some issues with constipation, I must admit that I continue to mix your formula with your milk. We also give you about two ounces of prune juice a day (watered down) which you seem to enjoy and it also keeps your pipes clean, so to speak. Yes-you enjoy that as well!
A few weeks ago, you spent your first weekend away from Mommy and Daddy. You didn’t seem to miss us much since you were visiting your cousins Ella and Kellynn and playing with their mountain of toys! I must admit that it was hard being away from you for three days and two nights. I teared-up when Aunt Renee drove you away and I thought about you constantly throughout the whole trip. When we picked you up on Sunday night, you were already asleep. When I opened the bedroom door you popped up your head, laid it down again, and then popped it up again for a double take. When you realized it was me, you quickly stood up and then began jumping up and down in your pack-n-play; urging me to scoop you up! And that is exactly what I did! I scooped you up, kissed you all over and then of course passed you off to Daddy for his turn!
It was actually during your stay at Aunt Renee’s that you officially gave up the bottle. Since you and Ella had to have everything the same (or else one of you would pitch a fit) Renee decided to give you matching cups instead of your night time bottles. Since Ella was ok with it- so were you and that my son was the end to the bottle! Thank you Aunt Renee’!
This month you celebrated you first Easter. MiMi and I took you to see the Easter Bunny. You were excited to see him while we stood in line, but once you sat on his lap- you looked at me as if to say “Hey, he’s not as interesting this close! Come back and get me so I can look at him from over there!” You didn’t cry…you just did not seem as amused as before you sat down. Also, to celebrate Easter you went to Uncle Kevin and Aunt Renee’s house to eat dinner and participate in your first Easter egg hunt. With a lot of help, you were able to find a few eggs, pick them up, and put them in the basket. You didn’t win any prizes this year…but next year all the cousins had better watch out! This year was only a practice round.
You officially learned to walk over the Easter weekend. Choosing your targets wisely, at first you would only move to soft, reliable objects that you could count on to break your fall if you accidentally tumbled. You would only move to the arms of either your Daddy or mine. Then you ventured to walk to the couch or table; until finally one week later you discovered that you could walk to anywhere you wanted! You have learned how to ease yourself to the floor to avoid a hard fall and have learned how to recover when loosing your balance. Yes, you have a few bumps and bruises to prove that you are a work in progress…but every one of those bruises is proof that you are learning.
It’s funny how proud of you I felt when you started to walk. That night I laid in bed and said to your father-“Isn’t he amazing?” Grayson, if you never accomplish anything more in life (which for both my and your sake I hope you do) I want you to know that I am not sure that I could ever be more proud of you as I was when I opened my arms and you ran, half-stumbled into my arms, laughing with each and every step. It is hard to explain “what” about that moment made me feel so proud, and most likely you will not understand this feeling until your own child runs into your arms. Perhaps it was seeing how proud you were of yourself in taking those steps; or maybe I felt so proud because I loved seeing your determination in figuring it out. It might have been because it was my first glimpse at seeing you as a little boy.
But I think that another part of it was because I was so glad that it was our arms to which you wanted to run. If your father and I teach you nothing else, I hope that you will always know that we have open arms for catching you. We promise to always pick you up, wipe away the tears, steady you back on your feet and send you back out there to accomplish your goals. My only hope is that you will always trust us to do that; to help you when you need it.
Please learn lessons from this first year. Continue to smile -it’s hard for anyone to dislike you when you have such a huge grin on your face. Keep your happy attitude. Everyone likes to hang out with someone who makes them laugh and someone who can see the good in the world. Never give up and of course, remember that Daddy and I are here for you; for anything and everything.
Happy Birthday Grayson! We love you 100 times more than last year!
Love Always,
Mommy

Photos from is party can be viewed by clicking on his picture above.