The Fair

This face makes it all worth it!

The Ferris Wheel is one of the only rides I do

We're off ......

After weeks of saving our pennies and waiting, it was finally time- THE FAIR!! The kids love it. Why are there no pictures of Morgan, Matthew and Bruce? Well, of course, they are off riding all the big, thrilling rides over and over. Michael is more my speed- kiddy rides. And did I mention the great food? And the lights, the sounds and the people watching? We stayed until it closed of course. Can't wait til next year...

Halloween

I love Halloween. Probably the rebel in me because growing up, my own mother destested it! We didn't really celebrate it or go trick or treating. So... I buy lots of pumpkins, candy and decorations. I love going trick or treating with the kids, actually, I am down to only one young enough to need me to go...

Matthew

Day to day life with our middle schooler, Matthew, is easy. He is an easy going guy, but don't be fooled, he is extremely motivated and driven! Loves playing his guitar and has become quite a runner! Ran his first 5k with Ft. Johnson Cross Country Team this month. Despite having asthma, he loves to run. Ft. Johnson Middle has been a great fit for him. He is thriving there and will be honor roll this 9 weeks- much hard work and effort has paid off for him. We are all so happy for him-he deserves it. But what do we love the most about our middle child? His patience, kindness and persistence in working toward his goals. God has blessed us and we are so thankful...

Okay 7 random facts about myself-well all of us moms know we spend VERY LITTLE time thinking about ourselves...so I will have to think hard about this.

1. Yes I am the one who named all of my children with names that start with the same letter.
2. My youngest sister & I went to college together, got married three months apart, had our first child 3 months apart, each have 3 children, each have 2 boys and 1 girl, each bought our first house the same year, each moved into our next house around the same time! Wonder what will be next...
3. I love when there is a hurricane threat- the excitement, the prospect of school being cancelled, strange yes but honest.
4.I love the backs of the necks of toddlers and that sweaty smell of toddlers hair. If I pick up a baby/toddler, I love the smell of their hair! Yes-I worked in Pediatrics for 20+ years, so I have smelled it all!
5.I love cleaning house! In my next life maybe I will be a maid!
6.I still have the champagne bottle from 1986 when Bruce and I shared our first New Years Eve together. At the time, we agreed that we would pass it back and forth, well little did we know how things would end up.
7. When I go shopping for clothes, I never take all the bags in at one time. I take them in a little at a time so I won't overwhelm my frugal husband!

Geocaching

Michael showing where he found James Island Sunrise

Matthew at the Beach Babe!!

Matthew & Michael searching hard in the Jungle at Edisto

Morgan & Matthew found this cache on the Edisto Beach Trail

The Boys logging thier find

Matthew & Michael found lots of goodies in this cache...

appropriately called the "Geocache Supply Kit"

Matthew & Michael getting ready to place our 1st geocache,

Land Between the Lakes, at West Ashley Park. We chose this place because it is on a strip of land between 2 lakes and reminds us of the great vacations that we take in Kentucky

Matthew & Michael at Angel Oak

The Edge of America

MICHAEL

WHAT A LOOK

THE LOST DOG IS AWESOME

Though we'd head to Folly after church and eat at the Lost Dog (where the locals go...). We think we're locals ever since we spent 2 mos. living at Folly Beach last spring after our pipe burst and majorly flooded our house. The good thing was living at Folly. Me and the kids made friends and fell in love with the town. So, this and every year that we can, we are going to rent the same townhouse for a month and "live" at Folly 1 month/year. If we can't own there, we'll live there for a month each year!

TWO NEW SCHOOLS AND A NEW JOB...

A FUN TRIP TO THE CITADEL CLEMSON GAME

MIDDLE SCHOOL & ELEMENTARY!

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS!

OK SO YES I AM VERY TIRED!! I HAVE RETURNED TO WORK FULL TIME THIS YEAR AFTER BEING A PART TIMER FOR 13 YRS! I WORKED NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS FOR SO LONG SO I COULD BE HOME W/ THE KIDS. NOW THAT EVERYONE IS IN SCHOOL, I AM IN SCHOOL TOO. MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT IS , AT FT JOHNSON AS THE SCHOOL NURSE.

I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO BUSY AND SO HAPPY. THIS IS ALSO MY FIRST TIME HAVING THE 3 IN 3 SCHOOLS. THEY HAVE TRANSITIONED BEAUTIFULLY AND MAKE MY JOB ALOT EASIER. WE LEAVE AT 6:30AM AND RETURN HOME WHENEVER THE DAY ENDS, DEPENDING ON AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, ETC... ITS GREAT SEEING EACH OF THEM CHALLENGED AND LEARNING NEW LIFE SKILLS. SO FAR WE ARE THRILLED WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MORGAN AND MATTHEW LOVE WEARING "REAL CLOTHES" & THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY THERE. POOR MICHAEL IS NOW THE ONLY ONE IN UNIFORM, BUT HE LOVES NATIVITY & IS THRIVING THERE. SO WE TRAVELLED TO THE CLEMSON/CITADEL GAME IN CLEMSON AND OF COURSE OVERDID IT LIKE ALWAYS. THIS PAST WEEK WE WERE DRAGGING OUT OF BED EVERY MORNING AT 5:30 & I WAS REGRETTING HAVING HAD SO MUCH FUN...BUT ITS GREAT FAMILY TIMES AND WE WENT WITH THE ROLLINS. THEY ARE GREAT FRIENDS AND LOTS OF FUN! WE ALSO MET TIM,ANNE, MAGGIE , KIM AND DANIEL THERE. IT WAS FUN SPENDING TIME TOGETHER!