Spring seems to have sprung

Hey everyone. Back with another quick post, as not much has changed. Steven has a little bit of a congested cough, but no fever and no signs of it slowing him down. We think it is just due to the new abundance of pollen. He also just lost another tooth. If there are 2 things that suck about spring, it is pollen and BUGS. They are starting to come back out now, spinning webs to walk thru and flying in my face during my backswing. Oh well, enough complaining about that. I won't even get into how our cars are turning yellow, and there is apparently not enough water in NC to wash them...
On to other stuff. Emma and Amy are great, and I am doing well too. This weekend will be a good one, as Amy is off all weekend, and we are going to be tilling the yard and planting bushes, trees, and flowers. Maybe after we are done, I will post some early stage photos of that. she has it planned out to where I think it will look pretty good. Hopefully we can get some grass to grow too, and then we will be in business. The kids loved Easter, and of course got plenty of stuff. I am going to put a few pictures from Easter down here, and that will about conclude this post.

This was the kids Easter morning

This is the beautiful and talented Emma

This is Daddy whacking golf balls... this one actually looks good...

Here is Steven, learning the game early..., do I see another Tiger in the works...

That is about all I have for now. I will try to make sure I get in in the next 4 days or so with more pictures and updates. That IS the plan anyways... Take care all.

Just chiming in...

Just wanted to drop a line in here, as it has been at least a week since I have been here, and I need to lay down a post so I don't get to slack. I know when there are blogs I usually read, if they are not updated at least once a week, I feel like my favorite TV show has been delayed. (lol) Everything here is good. We are winding to the end of Amy's good week, where coming up this weekend,it starts to suck where she works all weekend, and then works 3 of 5 days next week. That is the hard week, as we don't see her enough. But the following weekend will creep up on us, and we will be back to the good week. The good thing is that I think Doug and Trish are coming over for Easter to have an early dinner with us and celebrate with the kids. the only two things that I really wanted to make sure I put in this post were a picture I took of just how talented my wife is, and an Easter picture of the kids from Wal-Mart.

First the freakiness that is my wifes talent level. I know that she does alot of things well, but the other day it crossed the line. She was fooling around with Steven's etch a sketch and here is what we got...

I know, it is scary. She did a house, tree, dog, and a rosebush. I thought my retarted whale I had done was good. I just had to take a picture of this because I had never seen anything like it.

Next was the kids Photo at Wal-Mart with the Easter Bunny. When we went grocery shopping last, we found that they were doing free pictures with the Easter Bunny, but we were not sure how Emma would handle it. She actually did well, maybe because she was with her "bubby", or maybe because she was more curious than scared. The picture turned out well though.
I know they are both ready for Easter, Steven a little moreso than Emma, as she knows "of" the Easter bunny, but not what he brings. She will know after Sunday. That is about all. Amy and I just got bikes as well, and Emma a carrier so we could have family bike rides together and get more excersize. Other than that, life is good, and running normal. Hope you all have a good Easter Holiday!!

Another trip (to VA) and now back to normal

Some more time has passed, and I think we are back home for a while. Last weekend we went up to VA, to my neck of the woods to visit, for my Mom's birthday. The trip was good. Emma and Steven both did well in the car both ways, and we had a great time as usual.

As you can see, they both had a good time in the car together. They really do get along great, and entertain each other whenever boredom encroaches. Once there, Emma got to play at my parents house, and Steven went with me over to Chuck and Lisa's house to open Christmas gifts, (yes, in March) and he also got to see the dogs.

He really loves playing with them, and Ginger too at home. Steven also got his first taste of getting to ride in the front seat when we went over to Chucks. He needs to be 8 yrs or 80 lbs as a rule here in NC, but I am not sure what the rule is in VA. I just felt that he was close enough to 8 anyway, plus it was vacation, and it was a little something special. He really enjoyed it.

After the trip we have just been hanging out at the house and enjoying being home together as this was Amy's week to be off more during the week. I got a good picture of the kids snuggling on the sofa in the late evening, watching Spongebob Squarepants on TV.

Steven has also been doing really well at Tae Kwon Do lately. He just tested for and passed his test for high green belt. If he works hard and keeps practicing, he could be all the way to black belt in another year so so. He does a really good job in class with his sparring and board breaking. We have some pictures from his last class of him breaking a board, and kicking the standing bag.


I think that is all the news that I have for now. Amy has to work this weekend, so that is a bummer, but I am going to try to play golf at Heritage this weekend with Doug, Ken and Tommy. Hopefully we will get plenty of rain for the area Friday, but it will be long gone by Saturday morning. I will try to get some pictures of that if I can this weekend, and will hopefully be back soon with more news and stories. Hope everyone is well.

What a week...

It feels good to be back even if I have slacked some on the posting. We really have been busy, and get to take a breath this weekend as Amy has to work, before we make another trek to my part of VA the following weekend for my mom’s birthday. What seems like constant traveling every other weekend seems hard, but it is worth it. We are looking forward to seeing everyone the last week of February.
We also had a really great time at Candice’s baby shower last weekend in Herndon, VA. The trip up and back were not too bad. Doug drove up, and I drove back. It was colder there than here in NC. You could tell where they have been salting the roads a lot up there. We stayed at the Hampton Inn I believe, which was really nice. We had a huge suite on the first floor with a pack and play for Emma, and a fold out couch for Steven. The bed slept great, and we had a 32” at least, flat screen TV in our room, so we could watch Sponge Bob and Scooby in larger than life color. (that was for the kids by the way, even though I do like S.B.) The bathroom was also extra large, with no tub. There was just a huge stand up shower, with a drain in the middle of the floor, and a seat on the wall. The pool and workout rooms were right across from our room which was nice, and the kids loved the pool. Sunday morning the had a continental breakfast, which was probably the worst thing about our stay, but was still not bad. There were some biscuits and gravy, plastic looking eggs, coffee, juices, cereal, milk, yogurt, and pastries and fresh fruit. So, all in all, not bad. It doesn’t hurt when you stop for dinner at Cracker Barrel. While at the shower, the guys were kicked out, so I took Steven to Goodwill nearby, and got him a new toy, and Emma some new clothes and her very own little baby Nike golf putter. I also got to hit the 7-11 for slurpees before we hit the road. The cake Trish made for the shower was awesome as usual, and once it was over and we got back there, the kids really had a good time too. It was nice to see family that we don’t get to see much. (enough) Hopefully it will not be too long before we get to see everyone again.
The kids have been good for a while now. All sicknesses seem to be all better. We were all playing around the house the other night, and Emma was dressed up as the “coat monster.” When she had the hood pulled up, she looked a little like Kenny from South Park. It is just adorable. Her and her “bubby” get along very well for the most part. She loves to run and be chased. We all take turns being “base” and she runs up to whoever is the “safe” one at the time just screaming and giggling. She was laying on Amy, snuggling after we were done playing, and I crawled up to her and said, “love you Emma.” She said back, “I love you too Daddy.” That never ever gets old. Even Amy thought that was so sweet. We really do have fantastic kids. All kids can give you the “pull your hair out” moments, but the vast majority of the time, ours are just too good to be true. Emma has really gotten into Scooby Doo lately. She will grab the remote (mote’ mote) and sit on the sofa, hand me the remote and say, “Scooby Dooby Doo daddy.” Just wait until she starts watching all her princess shows and what not. Steven will love having to share TV time with that. He does do a really good job sharing though.
Other than that, I think I am done for this post. Amy went with Steven not long ago to the circus and took some pictures of that field trip, but I will let her tell that tale. Hope everyone is doing well and healthy. Tomorrow is Friday!! :>) Have a great weekend.

Happy Weekend

Hey everybody! This is just a mid weekend post to let everyone know that we are all doing better on the wellness front, and we may all be ok now. I am still crossing my fingers on Emma's ears, but she has not complained in a few days, so I am optimistic. Amy worked last night and tonight, so I am just here watching over the kiddo's and getting ready to crash myself. We are trying to eat better and be healthier this year, and so when we can, we go for a walk in the evening as a family, and take Ginger for some exersize too. Tonight on our walk, I got a few pictures on my phone I am going to post.

This was a picture of Amy and Emma on our walk in front of the neighborhood

This was Steven, Daddy and Ginger

Thats about it. We just wanted to say we miss you to all we haven't seen in a while, and we can't wait to see those of you in VA who we will see in the next few weeks. Amy is off tomorrow night so that she can go to the Circus with Steven on Monday on his field trip. So it will be nice to all be home tomorrow night. Anyways, everyone have a great weekend!!

This is Chris, and I am going to try to blog in some form of red from now on so you will know when it is me and when it is Amy. (Like it would be hard to tell otherwise)
I am posting my first ever post super bowl blog. Also, just a mid week type blog. All football is over until fall, and it is a little depressing. You wait for a certain amount of months, to get to the big event, and then once it is over... blah. It sucked enough that the Giants won, since I am a Dallas fan. I wanted the cowboys and the chargers in the big game. I guess I was not too upset though since I really did not have a dog in the fight. I will have to make do with college basketball for the next few months, along with the start up of the PGA tour, (yea golf weather), and NASCAR. I am definitely not as in to that as I used to be, but I am anxious to see how JR will do with his new team. Nuff said...
In matters of family, we are still on the mend, but are doing better. Em is still phlemmy, but is noticeably better, and we are crossing our fingers on her next checkup on the ear infection. She was tired last night, as she got to go over to her buddies’ house with Steven and they all got to play yesterday afternoon. We have not seen them in a few months, and they had a really good time. Steven still has not been sick, (that is me knocking on wood), so that is good. We had a good weekend last weekend of lounging around, and resting some. This weekend I may take the kids to hit some garage sales, or thrift stores, to see if I can find them some good stuff, and maybe a few gifts for Valentines Day, which is rapidly approaching. I have some good ideas for that, but I am keeping them to myself. I am better, which is a relative term. The antibiotic seems to have killed my phlegmmies, and they are almost cleared up, but I am still tired. I am hoping that will be better by this weekend, as this is Amy's good week, and I get to see her a lot this week, as well as by increasing my exercise this week too. We are trying to get healthier this year, but my loss in January was only 4 lbs, which was not what I was shooting for. I am hoping for double that this month. Amy looks good though as usual. Anyways, that is all for now. I will chime back in later this week, hopefully with some new pictures of the kiddos. Take care everybody.

On the Mend.....We hope.

This is my (Amy's) official first blog entry. We have officially spent a car payments worth of money on ER and Dr. Office visits copays in the last two weeks, between Emma, Steven, and Chris. Hopefully everyone is on the mend now. Today, Emma will get her fourth Rocephin injection. The pediatrician sent me home yesterday with the last dose. It's nice to have inside connections. But now I'm left giving it to her myself....or not. Luckly, one of our neighbors is a nurse, and has agreed to do the dirty deed. I've learned that "nasty" is a medical term that can be use to describe my daughters right ear drum, as two different pediatricians have diagnosed it as such. Chris seem's to be doing better today. The Z-pack is helping. Since last years episide number two of pneumonia, we border on paranoia everytime Chris gets sick.

I gave the kids haircuts last night. I must toot my own horn, and say that I did a good job. Emma now has a little curly bob. She did surprisingly well, and sat fairly still.... Okay, she was all over the place. So again, I did a good job. Steven rolled around on the floor to help her look down for me. Chris stood at her side to keep her from wiggling off the stool. We would have taken pictures, but that would have required the assistance of another adult. Steven is as handsome as ever. I shaved his neck for the first time, at his request. He was terrified that I would cut him, and asked, "Have you done this before?" I wanted to reply, "I only shave a third of my body on a regular basis." But that would have led to more questions, so I just said, "Yeah, a few times."

I'll leave you with my favorite picture from our recent trip to Myrtle Beach. This is Emma and her cousin, Thomas.

Hope everyone has a Great Super Bowl Comercials, and game too. We'll post some pictures from our little family "Super Bowl Comercial, and game too" party at a later time.