Fourteen years old.... almost as tall as mom...

...and still eating! LOL!! Danged kids...they grow and eat and grow and eat...

If I stopped feeding them social services would juts show up on my doorstep, and that would only lead to more problems, it wouldn't solve the "eating and growing problem"...so I guess we'll just keep feeding them till they fly the coop!

Today I have taught a water aerobics class, taught a swim class, gone to the store, washed the laundry, helped the boys bake cookies (slice and bake, mind you!), made charitable donations for others for Christmas, finished the family Christmas letter, printed about 40 copies of the letter, (oh and had to go get ink for the printer before I could print them!) and tonight I hope to start on the wrapping o' presents. Can't do THAT till after everyone has gone to bed!

We had our Sunday School class party on Saturday night...GREAT food, lots of laughs! CAP party tomorrow night, the boys have the youth party at church on Wednesday night, and Ken's work party on Thursday night. Friday we get a break and then a neighborhood party on Saturday night (grownups only, I am SO excited!).

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My son Ryan needs to grow up and be a massage therapist. OMG, he gives the best back runs to his mommy!!!

It is raining (again) in SC and is a very blah day. We have the Chrsitmas tree up but it only has the lights on it so far. Too many other things going on to get it decorated. We wqould have finished it on sunday but I had to run Trey over to the dr. at FOrt Jackson...he slipped in the kitchen and fgell, hitting his arm on the edge of the counter as he went down. Not a big deal but last time he broke his arm, he had the similar "it hurts but it doesn't hurt" kind of a pain.

Since he wasn't feeling any better after an hour or so we went off to the dr. His arm was not broken, but it was a fright for a minute!

Sunday School class Christmas party this Saturday, neighborhood party next Saturday. YAY for babysitters!

We are also collecting food this Saturday for our homeschool support group food drive for Harvest Hope. I sure hope everyone on our block got thier flyers, and read them AND will leave us a donation.

the baby is 5 now!!!!!

Here is the big boy....what a great looking kid, if I do say so myself!!

Books a Million and Steve Doocy!

Grand Scheme

In the grand scheme, things have not been so bad...but last weekend I was up all night with a pukey kid. Missed church as well last Sunday. On the bright side, I was able to go to the Delta Zeta Founder's Day celebration at the chapter at USC, and received a lovely certificate for celebrating 25 years as an initiate.

The week was busy, and we had grand plans for the weekend but they went awry as well...Travis missed his soccer game last Saturday due to his illness, and with all the rain Friday, I had a feeling he would miss yesterday's game as well. I was correct, the games for his age group were ALL canceled yesterday. And late Friday night Trey made it 2 for 3 in the sick kid category, I think he had the same bug Travis had the weekend prior. Then our plans to see author/tv host Steve Doocy at Books A Million was in jeopardy, we didn't think it would be cool to give a national tv host the stomach bug!

Friday I noticed the ice in our freezer was melting but I thought the freezer door had just not closed properly. Friday night it appeared the meat was thawing out. Saturday seemed to be the same but I was so very tired I didn't think about the fridge/freezer being broken...I tried to call out property management company but since it was Sat. there was no one in the office and no "press this number if you have a maintenance emergency" on their voice mail. there was a number to call the owner of the company, so I did that but did not ever get an answer. I finally found some of the paperwork from when we moved in two years ago, and called the "emergency number" but OF COURSE got no response. Have I mentioned how much I do not like our property management company?????? They are fine if all you need to do is pay your rent.

Trey was feeling better by Saturday afternoon, and said he was hungry (always a good sign) so we let him have a few crackers and some 7-Up and went to BAM to see Steve Doocy. He spoke to the crowd for a few minutes then signed books and chatted a little as he was signing.

Trey was feeling poorly again this morning so here I am at home with him, missing church, curled up in my bed snuggling with my laptop and autographed Steve Doocy book, lol. I did clean out the freezer and refrigerator, salvaged what I could to the little freezer in the garage and threw out the rest, and added replacement food to my grocery list. I had to pour out THREE gallons of milk! Ken went to the store this morning to get milk so we could have breakfast and now we need to figure out what to do for lunch and dinner, and breakfast again tomorrow and pray we can get the refrigerator fixed SOON!!!

So, while it has all been frustrating, in the grand scheme it is not all that bad. I just wish I had been paying more attention to the appliances this weekend...

Fall Sports - Cross Country

Trey has taken up running thru the parks and rec dept. Too bad he will age out of it this year! He seems to be enjoying it, and his coach said he would continue to run with anyone who is still interested till the spring track season starts. Thing is, Trey will be too old for the rec leagues in the spring.

Still running....they ran three miles at this meet, Trey ran it in about 31 minutes. No one was timing so I suggested he time himself at the next meet. There is a youth running club in Columbia, they will start up again in spring but it is a little pricey, and they only run on the weekends, down at USC.

The winner...first place for boys, in his age group. Coach said next meet, he will be running against the girls in his age group as well.

Fall Sports - Soccer

Attempting a team picture! This was after the game, so everyone just wanted their snack and to goof off...of course, there was lots of goofing off DURING the game as well!

Travis getting near the ball...I think this was before the game!

Serious business....pre-game team meeting.

Soccer dude! This was his first year playing soccer on a team. He seems to enjoy it, although he missed a game last week (he was ILL!!) and it looks as if tomorrow's game may get rained out.

Wow, twice in one month!

T his is the picture I have on my phone when Ken calls...it is 18 months old, but I think it captures the essence of him perfectly!

Travis was playing in his Cubbie room one night at church, waiting for me to come pick him up. I think this was the first night of Awana this year. I had no idea they had a Home Depot uniform in the room but he was just so cute!

This is the most recent picture of Trey and Ryan! Taken about 2 weeks ago on THEIR new cell phone...yeah, I did it. This is what comes up on my phone when they call me. Ryan really isn't that much shorter than Trey he was leaning over a little on the back of a chair.

Trey - August 2008. We stopped to eat at IHOP after taking my mom and dad to the airport in Charlotte, NC. We were up and out of the house very early, so I promised them breakfast. Hey, mom's gotta eat too!

Ryan at IHOP

Travis with Mawgaw and Papa. I should have edited that lady's face out but I am lazy. This was at the Richland County Public Library's Junior Volunteer Recognition Ceremony. Both of the boys have been volunteering at out local library once a week since shortly after we moved to Columbia. they got a certificate and ice cream sundaes...which one do you think they enjoyed more, lol?!

Summer is REALLY over now...it has rained all day and the high only got to 54 today. However, we are planning to go to Daytona again in May and I am SO looking forward to it. Is that bad???? The dates are already on the website for the National JROTC Drill Team Championships, and Ken and I both want to go again. I would like to take the boys to Disney World for one day while we are there, but I'll have to see if that works out. One day is just not enough for DW but it may be the only chance we get. Guess I better teach a bunch of swim lessons this spring if we want to go! LOL!!!

Blah, blah, blah....

Nope, have not updated my blog since August. Who has time?!

It's not like my kids are not cute, or they don't do amusing things, or funny things never happen in our house....I just never seem to find the time to get on here and notate it.

I did get my kids a cell phone today...I know, what am I thinking????? Not for Travis, lol, just for the older 2. There have been times when I said to myself "I wish he had a cell phone..." but since the kids are with me most of the time, it just didn't make much sense. But we needed to up our minutes (thanks DSLs) and adding a line was only a few bucks so why not?! I like going to the Verizon store anyway and looking at all of the toys.

We are in the midst of cross country for Trey and soccer for Travis. Ryan is only swimming and that is because I make him, so that is one less athlete in the family for now. I am trying to take up running again (yeah, like I ever really started!). I started the Couch to 5k program this summer http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml but dropped off after summer camp was over, since the day care hours at the gym become limited once school starts. All of my day care hours are booked by swim lessons and water aerobics. I may just have to start squeezing in some more gym time for my own fun, uh, I mean my own run, or I could run at the YMCA. I think their day care hours are longer. I have been working there almost 2 months now but it's only one day a week so I am not completely familiar with their schedule.

Seriously, I'd like to run a 5k some day...but I there are no TVs on the open road, lol!!! I did 1.5 miles yesterday, in about 18 minutes, running and walking (60/120s my dh calls it). It wasn't too bad but then I taught water aerobics that evening and since I was subbing felt compelled to give a REALLY good class...and I was paying for it this morning! Ow, Ow, Ow!!!

So, now I am off to read other blogs. My friends have WAY cuter kids than I and they have MUCH more fun than we do! ROFL!!!

Museum

We went to EdVenture on Saturday, the local children's museum. they had these grabby things to build with in the construction area, so being the good DeeZee's we are, we left our mark!

More Friday Night Frolic!

Dee, with her SC magnet and notepaper!
Stephanie with a new Palmetto State coffee cup and a Flamingo pen!

Grayson, Meredith and Leslie, along with our lovely gift baskets filled with Hawaiian goodies from Caryl Segawa in Hawaii! YUM!
Group shot!

L to R (back row): Leslie, Melodie, Sharon, Dee, Kate, Heather, Stephanie

front row: Suzy, Lorraine, Meredith

Sisterhood Exchange

Conner and Grayson helping Meredith open her gift!
Kate and Suzy watch Lorraine excitedly open her gift! Can coozies!!
Cute sorority girl pose! (Kate and Lorraine)

Melodie with her gift, a pink shirt from Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, NC (J-Vegas!)

Happy Hour and Sisterhood Exchange!

Heather, Melodie, Leslie and Dee.
Neal playing with the light saber!
L to R (back row); Stephanie, Heather, Sharon, Melodie, Denise, Dee

front row: Leslie, Meredith, Lorraine, Suzy
Sisterhood Exchange - Heather, Melodie and Stephanie. Heather got the cutest pink baseball from the Greenville Drive, the minor league team in Greenville, SC.
Grayson and Meredith wait for Leslie to open her gift!
More snacks!!

Cute sorority girl poses!

Conner, Neal, Grayson and Meredith Simpson!
Heather, Melodie and Leslie!
Denise and Suzy!

Stephanie and Jerry!
Heather and Melodie!
Dee enjoying a snack!

Friday August 1, 2008 - Surfing Sisters Reunion!!!!

Suzy and Heather checking the forum on Friday...who's coming, when will they be here????

The start of the never ending parade of food!

Catching up...a little

It has been a busy summer in our house!
Swim team, teaching swim lessons, water aerobics, a new transmission in Ken's truck (ick!).

We also finally purchased a new vehicle for the family...gas prices were getting the better of us, so while I loved the Excursion, we are now the new owners of this... a 2009 Ford Flex!!! Some cool features like Sync and satellite radio, and better gas mileage than what we were getting. It isn't a Prius, but that's ok. It has enough room for all of us and a little extra and that new car smell!! LOL!!

The boys have their final swim meet this weekend, the Columbia City Meet, where ALL the swimmers compete. Ryan swam today, and took a few seconds off of each of his swim times and Trey swims tomorrow.

Monday is back to the routine... water aerobics, swim lessons, catching up on housework and schoolwork and getting ready for a TON of Delta Zeta alumnae to descend on Columbia in 2 weeks!! We are having a Surfing Sisters Reunion and my home will be our hub. Some of them re staying here for the weekend and I am getting SO psyched for it!!!

No Space Camp :(

We got the rejection letters in the mail this week for the scholarships the boys had applied for to go to Space Camp in Alabama this summer. They were very disappointed but seem to have recovered nicely.

Ryan will still be attending the Challenger Learning Center Space Camp here in Columbia, and Trey is going to SC Wing CAP Encampment as well, so all is not lost! Ryan is also going to a golf clinic/camp with a friend of his. It is at Fort Jackson and my lovely friend Becky will take the boys every day, since I will be teaching swimming again this summer at the JCC. Her house is on the way to the JCC so all I have to do is drop Ryan off at her house every day and pick him up.

The boys are also on the Summit Swim Team again this summer so we have plenty to keep us busy despite the fact that they are not going to the "big" camp.

the BEACH!!!

Ah, sun, sand, and surf, what more could you want?!