Thursday, December 8, 2011

Thanks Momma!

My mom came to visit this past week, and we loved having our Nana here! We spent a lot of time at home reading books, watching movies, and playing with the kids. For a special treat we took the kids to the new train exhibit at the children's museum.
 Grant, my little guy whose world revolves around trains, was in heaven.
Kimball had the camera with him at the museum, and he took about 40 pictures in the train exhibit. Here's one he took of me and my momma.
My kids made a "house" outside in our yard among the trees and pine needles. They invited Nana and me to have dinner (leaves and berries) with them. I sure love that my kids can play outside here even in December. :)
Kimball had a country project due this week, and since he was reporting on Japan (where my parents served a mission), it was really cool for him that Nana could come watch him. He told me, "I was nervous for like 4 minutes, then the rest of the time I was up there in front of my class it was pretty fun."
I hated to put my mom on that airplane on Monday. I'm so thankful we got to have her here for a few days!

So much to be thankful for...

I hosted my very first Thanksgiving dinner this year--and cooked my first turkey. It was a big undertaking for me, but it all turned out great. We had a fun group of friends over: the Vances, the Kuettels, the Burgons, and the Annisons. 






As was tradition in my house growing up, everyone had to make a Thankful Turkey before we could eat. :)


The guys watched some football and did a lot of dishes. The kids ran around--inside and outside--and got along great together. We all played some dodgeball, laughed and talked, and ate awesome food and pies. Although we missed our families back home, Thanksgiving 2011 was a happy one here in NC.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Piano Performance by Duke Basketball Star Kimball

I've been teaching Kimball piano this year, and he's doing awesome. After I filmed the little ones reciting their pumpkin poem, he wanted me to record him playing his favorite piano song, "Little Indian Lance."

"5 Little Pumpkins" - by Engineer Grant

"5 Little Pumpkins" - by Witch Liza


We learned this "5 Little Pumpkins" poem at preschool last week, and it was a hit. Both she and Grant have been performing it for anyone who will listen ever since. :)

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Costumes

Let the parties begin. The kids are happy with their costumes, and I'm happy because it's done and I did it all for less than $10. Hooray! My favorite part of tonight was when Liza looked in the mirror with her witch hat on and said, "Mom, did you ever know that a witch could be this beautiful?"

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Doing okay

I've had several people ask how I'm doing, so I thought I'd give an update. For the most part I am doing well. I'm healing physically and getting a little stronger as the days pass. I'm trying not to "overdo it" to give myself time to heal, but I have a hard time staying down and home for very long. I get lonely and really want to be around other people. It has become apparent during this whole ordeal just how much I need to talk (I know, not too surprising to most of you). I guess it's my way of processing all of the thoughts and emotions running through me right now. But mostly I am happy and enjoying my simple days at home with my kids. And it is so good for me when Mark is home--not just so he can do the dishes and put the kids to bed, though I love the help, but just having him around makes me feel stronger. I have received so much help and love and support from my friends and ward here, too. People have brought me meals and treats and flowers, cleaned my bathrooms, played with my kids, and been there for me. I will never forget how much all the small acts of service have meant to me.

I said I am doing well "for the most part" because every few days I have a little (or big) breakdown and I realize how not okay I am. It feels good to cry in those moments or hours. It feels good to pray. It feels good to call someone and talk through my heartache again. It feels good to sit and think about all the ways that the Lord has shown me He is with me.

My first day on my own, after Popsy went home, was Kimball's first day back to school after his 3-week break. He was gone all day, and Liza and Grant and I did all right until it was time to go get Kimball. I guess all the stress of the previous week and the change from having Popsy gone and having to go back to school left Kimball feeling empty. He was naughtier that night than I can ever remember. As I watched him gag about how bad the dinner smelled in front of my friend who'd made it for us, watched him climb up the door frame and kick Liza in the head for bugging him, watched him throw food at Miss Pam (my neighbor who is very Southern and holds fast to her "children should be proper and respectful at all times" mentality), talk back to me, and pick at Liza and Grant till they cried, I kept thinking, "Is that really my kid?" And Kimball wasn't the only one acting out. Grant climbed on me all through dinner to the point that my back and head ached, and of course Miss Pam was there so I couldn't exactly get out a rope and tie him to the chair like I wanted to. Liza spilled her entire plate on the floor because she was trying to rest her feet on the table. As soon as Miss Pam walked out the door at 7:00, I rushed all 3 kids to bed. I broke down that night. As I look back on the evening now, I can laugh about it. I can see what a small moment it was compared to all the great moments I have with my kids. I guess I share this random story because I hope that someday I'll be able to look back on the heartache of the past months and be able to put it all in perspective too. I won't ever laugh about it, I'm sure, but I hope that someday I'll be able to see the experiences with that wiser everything-turned-out-okay perspective and know that it was all for my good.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Nana and Popsy's Visit





Nana and Popsy arrived last Wednesday, and we headed straight for the beach. We spent a couple of awesome days at Emerald Isle, enjoying the beach, the aquarium, a few surf shops, and our fun little beach-front hotel.







































Kimball was super excited that Nana and Popsy could come to one of his soccer games. He played hard and loved all the attention. He and Popsy have been working on soccer drills every day since then.





 
















Of course we had to make a special visit to Duke Gardens. We went there in between Conference sessions on Sunday (after we'd recovered from a fabulous Conference breakfast!). It was a beautiful day, and it felt so nice to be out in the sunshine. The weather here in NC is perfect this time of year.

 


 And, as many of you know, Popsy saved the day and volunteered to stay here an extra week to help us out as I recover from my miscarriage. He has been Super Grandpa--taking the kids on outings, fixing meals, doing laundry, working in the yard, taking Liza to gymnastics and Kimball to soccer, staying up late to watch sports with Mark, and doing an amazing job making sure everyone is happy. Here's a pic of him helping the kids with a painting project. 


Thank you for coming, Nana and Popsy. We love you!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Family Pictures at Duke Gardens

Liza insisted on getting a "girls picture" first thing.
Dad and Liza teasing each other, as usual.
My Kimball boy is growing up too fast.
Gotta love that smile.
 Cute Liza pretending this cattail is a microphone.
Yes, by the time it was Grant's turn for pictures, he was all sweaty. Welcome to NC. 

He insisted on bringing Gordon along.  
This is Grant's new favorite "crazy face."
He does it all the time to make us laugh.

I know Mark loves me because he agreed to get his picture taken--
not one of his favorite things.
Crazy to think we're coming up on our 10th anniversary! 

I love these kids. This picture just makes me smile. :)

Our family

Friday, September 23, 2011

Apples!






We've been talking about apples, counting apples, reading books about apples, and even painting with apples this week for Liza's preschool co-op. So as a special treat, we took a field trip to an apple orchard yesterday. The orchard was just over an hour away in a beautiful farming community. It has been rainy all week, but the weather cooperated for us during our morning out. All the kids (and moms!) had a great time going on a hayride, tasting apples, learning about how they press apples for cider and applesauce, how they clean and sort the apples for sale, then finally getting to go out in the orchard and pick our own apples to take home. We were all muddy and tired by the end of the day, but this is certainly something we'll do again!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

I love 2-year-olds

 

 
Grant is such a fun boy. He's always got a train in his hand and a smile on his face. He likes to pretend with Liza--they'll play anything from pets or babies to trains to hide-and-seek. He and Kimball have this thing where Kimball says, "Grant, best friends?" and Grant answers back, "Yeah! Best friends!" I love his soft heart, how he wants to make everyone happy. Tonight I told him I was glad he's my baby and he wrapped his chubby arms around my neck and said, "Me too."

Soccer

Kimball had his first soccer game of the Fall season on Saturday, and his team won 12-1. The best part about the game was that Kimball scored his first goal ever, then went on to score two more! He was one excited kid.

Gymnastics



Liza started her gymnastics class last week. She was just the cutest thing out there in her leotard, looking so excited and so proud of herself. I loved being in a gym again! So many memories came flooding back to me of my own years in gymnastics. I had to stay in this little room to watch Liza's class, and it was all I could do to keep myself from running out to join them. :) I think this is going to be a fun thing for cute Liza, and for her mom.