My Excuse...

So, I feel like I have an excuse for not updating the blog with ANY of the major events in the past 2 months. I mean, I'm so behind! Allen started WALKING 2 weeks ago and not even a mention on here. Well, here is my excuse...



That's our house in Arizona. I have spent every free moment for weeks doing searches online, working with our realtor in Arizona, conversing with Patrick when he is working there to tell him which houses to go see...it's just been a lot of stress! It is not in my personality to pick a house from 1700 miles away without even going in it. But it's done - we made them an offer yesterday and they accepted today. We are just renting, but when you are signing a 24 month lease it feels like much more! We are scheduled to move in January...at least we can enjoy the weather there for a few months before it gets too hot!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today was Patrick's 33rd birthday. We had a low key family day - Drew visited the dermatologist, Patrick got his hair cut, we ran to a furniture store to buy Drew a new big boy bed (to be delivered Tuesday!), enjoyed lots of play time, dined on homemade lasagna and pound cake...it was a good day! I managed a few cute photos of the boys with their daddy that I'll try and get downloaded...sometime...
Tomorrow the boys are going to Nana and Grandaddy's house while we have 24 hours of "no responsibility". We are going to the new Bond movie and then heading to the Dancing Bear Lodge. It's a place we've both wanted to visit for a while and this is our chance to get away. We figure that once we get to Arizona our alone times will be few and far between!

I've Been Tagged...

I've been tagged by Ashley to do the following:
1. Choose the 4th picture folder on my computer
2. Choose the 4th picture (I had to choose the 4th folder again...)
3. Explain the picture
4. Tag 4 people to do the same.

This is from our trip to Hilton Head this past June. Allen was "reading" in the big chair in our condo and was just too cute not to capture! You can see my mom's reflection in the mirror taking the picture. (Photos of those taking photos make me laugh!)

I tag...

Allie
Janet L.
Janet M.
Brandi

Coming Soon...

Here are all the blog posts I owe you (and me!)...
Family camping trip
Allen's first birthday
Dollywood
Pumpkin patch & carving
Scottsdale trip
Drew's third birthday
General updates on our crazy lives!

I'm really putting this on here more for myself...reminders of what all I haven't recorded over the last few weeks!

Halloween...updated...

This year for Halloween we had a skunk and Tow'Mater in our family. On Saturday, October 25, we went to Boo at the Zoo with Jeremy, Lora and Elizabeth (Cinderella). Drew had a blast trick-or-treating around the zoo and running around with Elizabeth. Allen rode in the wagon and walked some, getting some goodies in his pumpkin along the way but primarily just looking really cute.





On Sunday we went to the harvest festival at church. Allen wore his skunk costume again but Drew decided he could not go down the big slide dressed as 'Mater (very smart deduction, I thought). Drew was very active - he ran the obstacle course more times than I can count, climbed the climbing wall twice (with Daddy's help, but he was really good!), played some games...basically never sat down! Allen watched the puppet show, went down on slide with Daddy, sat and ate lots of food...basically enjoyed himself as best he could!
(Grandaddy has all the photos from this night...I'll try to get some!)

On Halloween we went to Uncle Mike and Aunt Celeste's house for their neighborhood party and trick-or-treating with Jay (Anakin Skywalker) and Amelia (Super Girl). Nana, Grandaddy, Mama G and Pop were there along with Jay's friend Eli and his parents. The kids enjoyed the block party (though the firetruck didn't make it...we heard it pass with the siren on) and were then ready to hit the houses. A few of us went out with the kids to trick-or-treat while the rest of the adults stayed back to enjoy homemade chili and answer the doorbell. Drew loved the idea of Halloween - running from house to house, ringing the doorbell, getting stuff in his pumpkin...but he didn't really care about the candy and hasn't asked about it since! Allen wasn't too excited about the whole adventure and was ready to go back to the house and just have dinner! All in all it was a successful and tiring night!

Another week...

...another 7 days without posting. Seriously, I just can't get my act together! I think it's the fact that I have so much in my brain and so little time to type it all out. I'm forgetting things though...I have to get it all down!
For now, we are all in Arizona house hunting. Actually, Patrick is working, I am house hunting, and Drew and Allen are having fun at the park, swimming, eating and just playing with Nana.

Blog Slacker...

I have been a serious blog slacker as of late. Sorry. There is no real excuse other than being very busy, having my husband home for 12 days straight (where you might think that would open up all sorts of free time to complete many tasks it instead ate up all my free time and then some...I am so behind!), house hunting 1800 miles away, trying to keep the boys safe, fed and happy...well...it's just been a lot! I have thousands of photos to post from the past few weeks and so much information I want to get down "on paper" that I just need to sit down and start it. After I get some much needed sleep tonight, that is...

We're back!

Sorry for the hiatus...I'm so behind on so much of life right now! But I'm trying to get some stuff posted to catch up. Three very busy weeks leave a lot to write about, so here we go!
We had a wonderful visit with Grandma. She was here September 24-October 6. She kept very busy with the boys, giving Mommy some much needed relief and time off! We went camping, took her to Dollywood, enjoyed a visit by Auntie Maggie and baby Elizabeth, and celebrated at Allen’s birthday party. I think she had a good time…although I think she needed the break by the time she left!

Grandma's Coming!

The boys are so excited...well, Drew is excited and Allen will be soon...Grandma arrives tomorrow for almost 2 weeks! Mommy is excited too...the more, the merrier at our house! Any help I can get is welcome!
We are headed to Cherokee National Forest on Thursday for our annual family camping trip. I'm sure it will be interesting this year with Allen crawling everywhere and into everything! We'll just have to see how it goes! It has to be better than last year...35 weeks pregnant and in the woods was just no fun! But we don't have Grandma and Grandpa's awesome camper this year. We are renting one...and I'm making Grandma drive! Patrick won't be able to join us until Saturday morning and I'm not driving an RV! Lucky for me she has experience! Look for photos of our adventures next week!!

Here's the Disney dish...

Ok...so I am finally getting the photos uploaded along with my details from our trip. Now, if you have read anything on here before, you know I can get a little long winded and detailed about things. I look at it as my chance to remember what happens and what we do since my memory just really isn't the best. So, you have the choice to read it all or just enjoy the slide shows!
They are in "blog order" so scroll down to start at the beginning. And if the slide show stops, just click on the x in the upper right side to start it back up!