Category Archives: Family

Long Christmas Post!

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Wow what a busy, sometimes crazy, but overall wonderful year 2010 has been! I wanted to send out Christmas cards this year with a letter describing our year.  However,  life got too busy and before I knew it Christmas was already here.  So in lieu of sending out letters, I’m going to do a blog post. 

The boys are growing like weeds.  T-Rev is in 4th grade and CB is in first.  They have both been taking music lessons and are becoming quite the musicians!  T-Rev plays the guitar and CB plays the piano. They also started karate this fall and have just tested for their yellow belt.
Brian has switched roles in the agency he works for.  He is now dubbed their “IT/Sales Manager/Do It All” man. This means he has a great deal more responsibility but he doesn’t have to travel nearly as much.  So that makes me a happy camper.  He is also very involved in our church and small group.  He also volunteers with the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief when he is able.
As for me, I’m still home schooling the boys and working as a nurse on the weekends.  I’ve become the secretary of our homeschool group which has been a lot of fun. 

God has blessed us this year with good health, stable jobs, and a close knit family.  I thank Him everyday for His mercy and grace.

Christmas was a lot of fun!  We’ve had decorating, baking, parties, church programs and family.  What more could one ask for? 

We started out the season the week of Thanksgiving by decorating the tree and house. 








The first of our parties was our Homeschool party.  Our group, CLHE (Christ Led Home Educators), has a Happy Birthday Jesus party every year.  We pick a mission to bring gifts for Jesus to.  This year we picked a local shelter for battered women and children and brought different items to donate.  We started off the party with lots of great food.  We then decorated cupcakes and made ornaments.  We then played lots of games and ended with singing “Happy Birthday to Jesus.” 








We also had several other parties during the month of December but unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures. 
Next was our trip to Dublin.  We were able to go to Dublin for the weekend before Christmas and spend some time with all sides of our family.  We don’t get to go home often, so when we do we really pack in a lot.  We started out at my dads on Saturday, Sunday morning church with Brian’s parents, and Christmas with my Mom on Sunday night.  It was great to be able to see our family.   Just wish we could spend longer visiting and catching up with everyone.
 The Fantastic Five
 I love these guys!
 This was too cute!  My Dad and Laura (SIL)  were standing side-by-side and eating at the same time.
 Jeff!  Need I say more!

 Uncle Luke and Aunt Laura gave all the grandkids these really cool fort-building kits.
 Mama, Chess, and A.
 Me and two of my “little” brothers
After returning home, the boys and I made mini gingerbread houses.

 The finished project!
 On Christmas Eve, we loaded up the van with our hot chocolate and drove around looking at Christmas lights.  Just the thing to get us in the Christmas spirit.

 Every December 1st we start our Advent calendar.  Each night we open a box and pull out a piece of a nativity scene and read a portion of the Christmas story from Luke.  On Christmas Eve, we place baby Jesus in the manger and read the entire story. 

 Cookies and milk for Santa
 Mama and Uncle Chess came to spend Christmas with us.  The boys woke up at 5:30!  When they went to wake Uncle Chess they scared him half to death.  It was hysterical but I guess you had to be there.
 The boys with their train that Santa fills with candy every year.  This year it was filled with Skittles, Jelly Beans, and mini Twizzlers.
 “Merry Christmas everybody!”
 “Oh what can it be?”
 “Bond, James Bond”

Do you know the show “Punkin Chunkin” on Discovery channel?  Well Brian saw the commercial for it and the big burly, biker guy was wearing this shirt.  Brian thought it was hilarious and wanted one.  Now wonder if he will wear it?

My beautiful Mother and Me

 One of the most wonderful things about this year is that we actually had a White Christmas.  My first ever! 

So that was our Christmas!  I hope each and everyone of you had a wonderful Christmas and here’s wishing you a happy New Year from our house to yours!

DISNEY WORLD

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This past October, we surprised the boys with a trip to Disney World.  We’ve never been.  I had never been and I’m 37 years old!    Mind you, we’ve never been on a family vacation at all and T-Rev is 10 years old! So needless to say, we were all very excited. Here are some of our pictures.  I was too busy looking at everything and taking it all in that I didn’t get as many good pictures as I would have liked but these are a few of the better ones.


In the first few pictures was when we were telling the boys where we were going.  They had been asking for years, “When can we go to Disney World?”  All their friends had been going and telling them all about it.
Brian and I just kept saying we could not afford it so we wouldn’t be going any time soon.  All the while we were secretly planning the trip.  On the day we were leaving, we packed the car without them knowing.  They were playing in the back yard and I went to them saying we were going out shopping.  They were not happy.  In fact, T-Rev was pretty put out with me because I was making him leave his friends to go shopping for “furniture.”  When they got in the van, we had put Disney books in their seats.  T-Rev took one look at his and said, “What do I need this for?”  I said, “Someone who is going to Disney World needs that book.”  Then he said, “Well I don’t need it because I’m not going to Disney!”  Then CB says, “Yeah, you said we couldn’t afford to go.”  Brian and I had to convince them that we were really going.


“We’re not going to Disney!  You guys are tricking us!”




“Yeah!  You said we couldn’t afford it.”




“WE’RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!”





Magic Kingdom:  Where dreams come true!













These next ones are from one of our favorite rides.  Can you guess which one? 








To me one of the best parts of going to Disney was watching the parades.  They were awesome!  I wanted to get in the middle of them and dance right along.




Since it was in October, DW was decorated for Halloween.  Magic Kingdom was having Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween.  Although we didn’t pay the extra to see the special parade or go trick-or-treating, we were able to enjoy all the other decorations and festivities.

Face Painting
T-Rev “before” shot

CB “before” shot

The “after” shot

The Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom


You just never know who you’ll run into in Disney.

They had wonderful shows througout the parks.  This was the Lion King.




It was a wonderful week!  We were able to enjoy great bonding family time doing nothing but having fun!  What more could you ask for?


Peek into 2010

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I only have a little time but I wanted to show you a glimpse into our little life in 2010. 
We started off the year with beautiful snow.  The boys and Brian had a wonderful time building a snowman and having a snowball fight.
The boys won top awards for each of their age group in Awana this year.
T-Rev had the opportunity to be on our church’s Awana Bible Quiz team.  They came in second place out of 16 teams.
Easter Pics
My mom came to recuperate after her neck surgery.  It was wonderful to have her here only she didn’t stay long enough.
CLHE (Christ Led Home Educators) Award Ceremony
CB’s 7th Birthday
Bee Farm Field Trip (The boys really are holding on the bees with their bare hands!)
CLHE Field Day
Annual Zoo Trip 2010
CB’s First Piano Recital: He looks like a little man sitting up there.
Memorial Day Parade: I thought this was neat.

Lots to post

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I have been going through the recent pictures I’ve taken during the fall and have realized that I haven’t posted a single picture from our spring and summer. We had a lot going on. We’ve had four birthdays, a beach wedding, and many more summer fun days. Here is a smidgen of our spring and summer.

CB’s (formerly known as Bubby) 6th birthday. Every year we take the boys to Toys R Us to pick out a present. They love to wear the crown and get the balloon. TRU usually announces his name over the intercom.

Toys, toys, everywhere…..Oh what to get?

“I JUST CANNOT DECIDE”


Birthday bowling


His favorite dessert, brownies! The boy doesn’t like cake. What is wrong with him?!?

Oh what could it be?

Brian’s sister Pam got married this June at the beach. It was a beautiful wedding…hot but beautiful!

This is a picture of Brian and CB at the marina where the rehearsal dinner was held. I just love this picture!


T-Rev is growing too fast!

Another of my favorites! That’s the beauty of this blog. I get to pick my favorites!


Cousins. E is really hamming it up!


Thumb wrestling at the rehearsal dinner. Classic!


Ummm…..not really sure what this was about.

More cousins. Beautiful girls!

My ever lovely MIL being escorted by her son Greg.

My FIL walking his daughter down the aisle.

My wonderful in-laws (other parents).

Pam and Bo

Brian and Pam. Another of my absolute favs!

CB “the dancing man”

During the summer, we went to G’Pa’s and G’Ma’s to swim. The boys love it and always ask when can we go back.

Anxiously waiting on back porch to go swimming.

Gotta love the goggles!


Chess got to come over one day with A and D. That was a fun day.


Trying to see who could make the most waves.

I think Chess won!

We have a fountain at the mall here. We like to go during the very hottest days because the water is frigid!

Summer around our house involves popsicles, pavement chalk, bicycles and friends.

The neighborhood gang deciding whose sides they are on and where home base is going to be.

The hide out

“You want a piece of me?!”

“Yeah I know I’m bad”


Just me and my boy!


and my other boy!

Umm…..should I be worried……little young don’t you think?

We have a state park with a “beach” a few miles from our home. During the week, we pack a lunch and spend all day there. The boys “snorkle”, build sand castles, and swim just like at the real beach.

T-Rev turned 9 this summer. He wanted to go to I-Hop for a birthday breakfast. He got a smiley face pancake. Still cannot believe how big he is getting.


Ice-cream cake…Yuuuuummmmy!

His loot

One day, I had to run a quick errand. The boys were inside with Brian doing schoolwork. When I left, guess what was in our yard……
….A HUGE TURTLE…..

Look at how big he is! We have no idea where he came from or even where he went. He moves pretty fast for a turtle. Whatch out hare!
So that was a glimpse into our summer. Next I’ll post our fall pics. It’s already turning out to be very busy and eventful!
Love to all,
Kim

Happy Birthday Brian!

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Today is a very special day. It is my hubby’s 40Th birthday. So in lieu of giving him a physical card, we are going to give him a virtual one. This way we can let him and the whole world know how wonderful he is and why we love him.



First of all, we love this man because he loves us. He is devoted to each of us and to our family. In a world, where men (and women) frequently leave their spouse and family for life “greener on the other side”, the boys and I can depend on Brian to always be here.



We love this man because he is fun loving. He is always laughing and making jokes. He makes our home that much brighter because of his humor and laughter.

We love this man because he is hard working. He is one deck laying, playhouse building, stairway refurbishing, wall painting, lawn mowing, computer fixing and sports paraphernalia selling man. Whenever anything needs fixing or tweaking, he’s my “go-to” man! I love how when something needs to be done, he researches it, figures it out and gets it accomplished.


We love this man because he is a great father and husband. He loves our boys immensely and is not afraid to show it. He is their protector and defender. At the mere thought of someone harming our little ones in anyway, whether it be emotional or physical, he turns into a ferocious lion. He comforts them when they are afraid or hurt. He makes them laugh when they are sad. He takes the time to teach them the things that only a Daddy can.
He loves me and he shows me every day. He shows me buy washing our van or gassing it up before I have to go to work. He shows me by doing laundry when I’m am sick to death of it. He shows me by cleaning the kitchen while I’m at work. He shows me by making sure I have all the latest gadgets (even if I have no clue how to work them). He shows me by being “the heavy” to people when I don’t want to . He’s my soft place to land when things are overwhelming.

For all these things and many, many more we love you Brian!
Happy Birthday!
Dear Daddy,
Thank you for all you do. Thank you for getting me a green swing. I love you because of all the things you do nice for me. I love playing with you and working with you.
Love,
CB
Dear Daddy,
You are the best Daddy in the whole wide world. I love you because you play with me and are nice to me. It’s fun when you take us to baseball games. I will love you for ever and ever and ever and ever and I love you more!
Love,
T-Rev

LOTS of Pictures

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Yes we are still alive! I know, I know it’s been since October since I last posted. Brian pointed that out to me the other day. I get on my computer every night but I always spend too much time reading my favorite blogs then I never post on my own. So since it’s a long time in coming, the following post is chop full of pics and updates.

We’ve been very busy the last few months. During the fall we went to Savannah with Daddy for work (one of the perks of homeschooling). We also had lots of Fall fun on hay rides, corn mazes, and church fall festivals.

At Thanksgiving, we had Brian’s brother and his family over. While I was so astute to get pictures of all the food and tables, I didn’t get a single one of the family;). Oh well I had been up all night and day so at least I didn’t burn the turkey.

Christmas was amazing! We went home the weekend before Christmas and spent time with all our family. I got to see aunts and uncles on my mother’s side that I haven’t seen in a long time. Brian’s grandmother is living with his Mom and Dad and I was able to get pics of the boys with their Great Grandmother Huskey. Not many children have that priviledge. My camera batteries went dead at my Dad’s house and I didn’t get any good Christmas pics. Daddy, will you send me some of yours?

We spent Christmas at home this year. We usually spend it with our family but I had to work Christmas night. It was a nice, relaxed, fun-filled day.

After the new year, we have jumped right back into our school work. T-Rev is playing basketball. Bubby is anxious to start soccor in the Spring. I hope to post more on what our school days are like in the future.

Well, I know I’ve been rambling so I’ll just leave the rest to the pics.

Love you all,

Kim


This was in Savannah. I love how Bubby is smiling at his Big Brother.

Here are the boys at the candy store anxiously waiting to pick out a bag full of goodies.

Fall Festival (I didn’t seem to get any good pics of this day 🙁

The kids’ table at Thanskgiving


Fall decorations


Adult table


Biggest Turkey I ever cooked!


All the grub (Thanks Danene for the help!)


My silly boys!


Aren’t they hansdsome!?!


Cousins!


Grandma with all her littles!


As Chess would say “All my Peeps.”


Jeff’s family


Grandma Huskey and the boys


G’Ma &G’Pa

Christmas morning waiting to open presents


Storm Trooper Bubby


Thanks Santa!


Tuckered out #1


Tuckered out #2

Summer Fun

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I thought before the school year starts, I would post a few pics from out last trip home. The boys and I had spent the day with Brian’s parents and our niece and nephew.

Bubby and cousin K are hangin’ on the steps.

Bubby getting on his gear for some serious swimming.

T-Rev initiating a complex move called a cannon ball. Pay attention to the expert way he holds his nose.

“You want a piece of me!?!”

Cousin E having a spiritual moment.

Just floating around.

Little Brother

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Today, I’m going to brag on my little brother, Jeff (Even though he’s almost a foot taller than me, he will always be my little brother.) Jeff is a GSP trooper and has recently won the award for Valor. He played a major role in a recent hostage situation. Now if you know Jeff, you know if anything is going on, he’s going to be in the middle of it. A lot of times, quite by accident. He just kind of falls into trouble. But he usually manages to come out on top, unscathed, and having done a lot of good in the process.

Below are some pictures of my brother receiving his award. Sorry for the quality of pictures. My camera was having a bad day that day.

This is Jeff getting his award.

Jeff trying not to smile while holding his award.

Now, this picture is a shot of all the officers who received the award for Valor. All the other guys were working together at one hostage scene. Jeff was the lone trouper at the hostage scene for which he was given the award.

Mother and Son. We are all proud of Jeff, but none as much as our mother.

I’m very proud of you little brother! You take care of yourself out there on the highways.