If Heaven wasn't so far away...
 

...I'd pack up and go for a day!!

224

Happy Birthday

....to our Nephew Alexander!

Happy Birthday

....to a sweet, kind, caring and fun-loving Mom-mom!!

GREAT Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis

In two months, Team Ethan will once again take part in the Great Strides walk helping to raise money to cure Cystic Fibrosis.  Instead of walking in memory of my nephew Ethan this year, I'd like to do something a little different and walk in honor of my friend and co-workers son Beau.  Beau has been fighting a moderate case of CF for 12 years now.  Bless their hearts!  It takes a strong and courageous family to endure a disease such as this. His mom Amy, sister and him celebrated his 12th birthday at STK where Amy and I work together.  It was truly special meeting such a handsome young man.  I hope and pray he gets to see many more birthdays just like this.

So, in memory of Ethan and in HONOR of Beau, please help me raise these life saving funds and 
let CF stand for Cure Found!!!!

PLEASE VOTE!!

 Our little family has made the top 10 list of best pictures in 2011.  Please help us take first place by clicking this link: G Photography by Sarah Graczyk  and selecting #4, Vegas :)  Voting ends March 1st.

  Pass it on...

Thank you!

Happy Birthday

...to our baby Zoe Joelyn! 

It's hard to believe she is already two...

January

I'll have you know that January was a pretty difficult month for us.  Me adjusting to the new job (which I love).  Dom also adjusting to a new position and new management with his job.  We experienced a total of 5 deaths in a matter of two short weeks.  A couple of close friends. One  my long time and last ever roommate before getting hitched and moving in w/ Dominic the other a long time friend and fellow rider and co-worker of Dom's.  A former stripburger co-worker of mine, my best friends father and my dear friend's grandmother.  There was a point it felt it would never stop.  Go to one funeral and receive word of another life taken all in the same day.  We dropped a good $3,000 into the stupid land rover in 3 weeks before dumping it and getting a new car (which I love)!  I was beyond happy to have the month end with a MAJOR bright spot....Kadence's 4th birthday!!  Although, it was a little bit tough on me... I feel she is officially no longer a baby.  I wonder how it's going to feel for her to turn 5 and I'm most certainly going to die when she turns 10....eek!  At the end of the day I'm glad January ended on a positive and being a week in I remain cautiously optimistic about February.  February will end with another MAJOR bright spot, Zoe's 2nd Birthday, which will be much needed going into another difficult month....March!

So here's to all the wonderful lives lost this month....may you all peacefully rest!

 Jonny Hymas

 Christian Shearer

 

John Meyer aka Big Poppa

 Daizee Balcum

Grandma Etha Wooten

Happy Birthday

....to one of the coolest kids I know!!

4 years old today!!! 

I love you bug.

Year of the Dragon

Happy Chinese New Year!

Kady goes to the dentist

all I can say is...it could have been better and it could have been a lot worse :)

Happy Birthday

....to my amazing mom!

Happy Birthday

....to my little brother, Uncle Dude or as the girls would say...Uncle Go Cougs!!

Happy Birthday

...to the BEST Grandpop and Father in law I could ask for!

Vegas Snow

Woke up the other morning and it was snowing...

Kady said it was like magic!

Thankful

I'm thankful for my kids that forced me to become domestic.  To learn how to cook.  Who taught me how to nurture. That give me constant messes to clean up after and twice as much laundry.

Whom keep me young and carefree, creative and cautious, thoughtful and giving, honest and respectful,  caring and loving.

For the crusty food in their hair, the dirt under their  fingernails and the stains on their clothes. The scrapes on their knees, the bruises on their foreheads and the boogers in their nose.  These are signs of a healthy, happy kid and for that I am thankful.

They fill my days with amusement, wonder, stress, worry, doubt, innocence, laughter, smiles and fun.  They love me unconditionally.   They test my patience.   They warm my soul.  They melt my heart.

There is no greater responsibility or reward than raising a truly decent and kind human being.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to do so.

Because of them, I am a parent and teacher but most importantly a role model.  They are my heart walking around outside my body.  I'm thankful for every year, month, week, day, hour, minute I'm given to spend with them.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to always kiss them goodnight, even if they are already sleeping.  To tell them I love them every chance I get.

I'm thankful to God for so graciously trusting me with two precious, beautiful gifts wrapped up in the form of tiny humans!   I will never raise a hand to my children (After all that just leaves the groin unprotected :).   I promise to lead by example and to not handicap them by making their lives easy.  I will give them problems to solve, not answers to remember.   I shall never forget that simply HAVING kids does not make me a mother.  I will continue to be humbled every time my children occasionally, and politely, put me  in my place.

Kadence and Zoe....this Thanksgiving I'm BEYOND thankful for you.  The ride has been thrilling.  Last but not least, I'm thankful for an amazing husband that with out these little wonders would never have been created.  Thank you for making my world complete.   I love you!

"You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back."  ~William D. Tammeus

Zoe Talk

I wish I could box up and keep the sound of her cute little voice forever.


"Me Mouse"....clearly is "Mini Mouse"
"Muk"....stands for "Milk"
"Jew"....although a correct word, in Zoe talk it's "Juice"
"Ah Pooht"....Thank you kid, it means "I pooped"
"Muckles" ....means "Knuckles" aka fist bump and she'll give you some as well
"Hi Fis" ....is "Hi- Five"
"How-ween" ...."Halloween"
"Kissmas" ...."Christmas"

Happy Birthday

....to a wonderful Brother-in-law & Veteran!

Thank you for being so wonderful to my sister and loving 
our crazy family!!

Happy Veteran's Day

Nightmare Revisited

"Soon we'll hang stockings by the chimney with 

dread while visions of pumpkins 

swirl in our heads"

A Witch and a Gladiator 

 

Skeleton Man

 

RedRum

 

 

Our fabulous hosts -- Jack Skelington and Sexy Sally

It was so great being able to help with ideas for this party and be able to attend.  My friend Ashlee and I have been talking about doing something like this for about 3 years now.  To see it come to life and be such a fun success was really great.

Now only 49 days to X-mas....yeah!

It's best I start planning for the busy season.  The countdown has begun.

 

Madame Mevelyn  

I had my cards read, fortune, whatever you call it.  It was my first experience ever and a good one.  I don't really believe in all that kind of stuff although I do believe in spirits, 6th senses what not.  Either way, she wasn't far off and I find it extremely fascinating.

 

 Our friend held a Nightmare Before Christmas party.  A super neat idea.  She had her black Christmas tree up, decorated with Halloween ornaments topped with a Santa hat.  All the pumpkins wore Santa hats as well along with the creepy skeleton in the bathtub.  Her stocking was hung by the chimney with a spider dangling from it.  The house looked great and we had a lot of fun.  I really wanted to get a Santa outfit for Dominic to wear but there wasn't enough time.  Maybe next year...

 

I made these little guys and brought them to the party.  Aren't they adorable?

 

 

Picture of the Day

Sisterly Love

Peter, Peter Pumpkin Cheater

Kady's Pirate pumpkin or as Zoe says "Pi-yet! Arr, Ar!"

Zoe's Cowboy pumpkin or as she says "eee-Ahhh!"

Before you judge on our lack of carved pumpkins, I must say it's hard to do such solo with two youngsters!  Dom had to work so I opted for Potato Head pieces in lieu of  chasing Zoe around with a knife in my hand!  I think they look great and we can use them again next year.  I liked the idea.

A Spooktacular Night

Kadence our Pirate Princess

Kady the Pirate Princess...Arrgh and one of her best friends Aubrie as Repunzel

Kadence and friends at King's Faire at our church.   A super fun and SUPER cheap event.  Another chance to dress the kids up in costume, play games, trick or treat and bounce in the bouncy castles.

What makes a Pirate Princes? Lots of ribbon, bows and jewelry.  Thank you to my mother-in-law for sending a bunch of gold necklaces that went perfectly with her costume.  It wasn't planned but worked out great!

My bug and I

Zoe the Little Witch

 

"If the shoe fits" and indeed it does :)

Feed the Little Witch some candy.  For weeks we practiced getting her to say "trick or treat"  which she can say clear enough.  She forgot to say it at almost every house and instead put her hand out for candy.  She would manage to say "please and thank you" though...I'll take that.

The Little Witch running a muck at Kings Faire. I really need a leash for this kid.

Why knock when it makes more sense to try and open the door yourself first.

One last picture of our Little Witch!  If you look closely you will see the tail end of her tutu as she barges past the poor lady and into her houses.  She managed to run inside a total of 5 houses and knocked on one garage door.  Overall, a successful Halloween.

From our family to yours, we hope you had a spooktacular night as well.  Happy Haunting!

Happy Birthday

.....to my wonderful husband!!!

My Husband.

My Protector

My Bestfriend

My Lover

My Provider

The most valuable gift-
My husband has given me;
Are my 2 wonderful and the best kids-
And I thank God,
For the wonderful family he has given me.

Gilcrease Orchard

 

Eat . Sleep . Run . Repeat

or is it... Eat . Sleep? Drive . Repeat


188 Miles

30 Hours

12 Feet

6 People

1 RV...

This, was our RAGNAR Relay Ultra Las Vegas 2011 experience.....

 Dear Team Cereal Killa's, 

There are few words that can describe the insane amount of fun I had running this race with you all.  I think we had one bad a$$ crew and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and getting to know each and every one of you during the grueling, intimate time we had in such close quarters.  Thank you for all the amazing memories that I will cherish forever. I'm STOKED to race it next year and HOPE to have the 5 of you (and the toenail lost) join me for  Ragnar 2012.  Until then, happy running....

Sincerely, 

TRIX the Rabbit