camera shy - not

I chased E. all over the house to get her picture...............and finally gave up. Chris wouldn't let me take his either..............T wasn't around, so as this one was about to go to sleep he gave me a big smile. Told you that you would see a bunch of his pictures on here. After I took it he and T. chased E. and got several useless pictures of her covering her face............If they could only stay 8 forever.....

Intentions

I always have great intentions to sit in that chair in my kitchen and read a book while having a cup of tea or coffee....................it rarely happens....................I sit on my bed, like right now, on the computer.... Even as a child I would set up my window seat in my room so I could have a hideaway to sit in..................rarely did it. When Chris and I married I loved the idea of little alcove sitting areas............this same chair has been in many places.......including a bathroom so somebody could sit peacefully and read...never happened..........people do sit in it to talk to me while I cook and I sit in it to talk on the phone sometimes.....I still think I will sit there and read someday.......

Sweet Boy

E's Laptop

If you are looking for E. , 90% of the time if she is home, she is in her room on her laptop. She got it for Christmas and now we never see her. I told her today that I was going to put time limits on it....................she is just thrilled...

Big Weekend

Saturday morning Chris and I went to D.C. for a dinner at the Willard Hotel with his business. We toured the White House.........see the white building in the far back of one of these pics. and see the Washington Monument. We went to the American Portrait Museum and ate wonderful things the whole time. Our room was nice and we really relaxed. The Taylors sent chocolate covered strawberries to our room and I woke up and ate them in bed this morning and watched the news without having to rush to be anywhere!!! Heaven! We drove home Sunday morning and then went to the Virginia vs. Georgia Tech game. Tech won, but we were excited because our friend Ty Anderson plays for Tech. See the bald guy in the pictures? That is Ty. J. is standing on a chair in his picture with Ty. Ty said J. needed a new shirt..

So Tired

This was the scene at 5:30 AM. He has a full day, had a full night and has lost his voice yelling at the UVA wrestling match. I hope he isn't too fussy for his siblings today.

I Got Nothin

Bad, Bad, Bad Day.......work was confusing, had to run errands, groceries (on a Friday night, yuck) came home, cooked dinner.................all the kids are out.....till really late (yes, I have to wait up for them all) and I have to leave tomorrow at 6 am to go tour the White House (I used to set up these tours 20 years ago when I worked in D.C., they aren't so great) with my husband...........(who set this up and didn't tell me) I DID know we were eating dinner and spending the night in D.C. for Chris' work. Anyway, I have been packing, trying to get things ready for the kids while we're gone.............it's 9:16 and I have no picture for this blog.........nothin..........so, you get my pedicured foot that will be wearing these shoes tomorrow night at dinner at the Willard Hotel..........that was the best part of a crazy day...........getting my toes painted..............told you I had nothin....

Last Home Meet

E. and E. came out for T.'s last home wrestling match......T. is very contemplative before he wrestles...He won both matches................but had a horrible bloody nose the whole time....and then he talked me into giving him my credit card so he could hit Burger King.........homemade soup and bread just weren't cutting it for him after making weight and wrestling 2 matches......

Cowboys in Virginia

I took this picture of 4 cowboys I saw today in the sunset. I thought it turned out great...




No really, this is just a great invitation that T. got inviting him to Junior Preview day at my alma mater. We have been so impressed with the marketing done by Alabama, but today we thought OSU scored an A plus.......and I am proud to be a Cowboy.

Warm and Toasty

T. can build a GREAT fire from scratch. Scratch means no fire starter helper things. He just needs wood, twigs and paper................Nothing is better than a roaring fire when it is freezing outside and your are tired...Thanks T..

Rebounder

This may look like a mini-trampoline to you, but it's a rebounder...........at least that is what they call them now a days..................we got one today and E. and I each did the dvd which comes with it.............Chris says we will use it twice and that's it.........I am hoping that it will be a great alternative to running in the cold and pounding my bad hip......E. just says it's fun.

I Love This Child

It's Sunday, it's 20 degrees, and everybody is doing their own lazy thing. I have NO inspiration for what to take a picture of today. I took multiple pictures of my orchid Mary Susan gave me, but I think I need a photography class and camera with a good lens ..................Just walking into people's rooms and taking pics. isn't working so well for me..............but leave it to this guy.......the ONLY person in this house who LOVES to have his picture taken. He will pose and do whatever his mother says to do......therefore you will probably see a ton of him this year............plus he's my baby..............:}

Wii

Wii was the big gift this Christmas and was actually a huge hit............You can hear these people yelling and screaming across town. And when somebody wins? They sing "I am the champion, my friend". These pictures aren't clear because of all the movement as they "swing the baseball bat". T. loves Guitar Hero, Chris loves the golf and J. loves anything somebody will play with him. E. plays some and I have bowled a few times........

Friday Night Like Old Times

This is a rare sight...........all three kids home on a Friday watching a movie together in the den......just like when they were all little....Of course the two older ones have plans tonight with friends and will disperse soon, but for a minute they are together at home.

Snow Day

Oh to be this relaxed......................and on a snow day....Our backyard pool is barely visible......off to bake. Isn't that what you do on snow days?

Bad Night, Bad Cat

This cat, Basil, has to stay in the basement at night. Somebody has been letting him out and at 1 AM this morning...............he jumped on me while I was sleeping...........I screamed......got up to take him to the basement............hit my head on the door.............cried..............threw him in the basement...................and was up till 4:30......................anybody want a cat? He belongs to E., but never seems to wake her up...

Story Time

These pictures tell a story.......top to bottom...........I snuck the first picture of E.(because she is in her favorite position....on her bed with her laptop) and then she wouldn't let me take anymore.....J. decided to help me and started wrestling his sister.............all these things lead to somebody getting upset................and this time it was J., who fell off the bed.............see his sister saying "Oops?", but still not letting me get a good picture.........and of course J screams for his big brother T. to come save the day............which he enjoys doing if he isn't involved.

Outdoor Kitchen

It may be J.'s birthday, but Chris' kitchen finally came today from Richmond. It took the guys about 4 hours to put it in. Getting the Big Green Egg in was tricky. It has a cocktail center, 2 burners, sink , refrigerator and lots of little extras.............too bad it is January and really cold. It is really nice though and Chris is excited.

8 years old today

You can't tell, but this birthday boy is exhausted. He had a sleepover party last night...........spudnuts for breakfast..........shopping for a new football and then lunch at CiCi's with his brother and sister and then the Riverside for dinner with the whole family......He has over celebrated and needs to go to bed........of course he wants to continue celebrating by making brownies for his class tomorrow.........

J.'s 8th Birthday Sleepover

J has 5 friends over to play football, Wii and sleepover............hope it isn't a LONGGGGG night....
E made the cake, football and all, and then gave him "healy" shoes for his gift. You can see by the picture he is thrilled. So far they have played football, wii, gone through pizza, cake and 6 cans of silly string...............and they have only been here 2 hours....................
There is no school tomorrow, they get picked up by 10 and my cleaning lady will be here by then......I hope. I have only had her once and she was great. This job may send her over the edge...

Saturday

Saturdays start off here, at Shenandoah Joe and then to Spudnuts for donuts..................then to J's Basketball game, he is #15, his best buddy S is #1. Then there is lots of doing whatever you want.................and if the weather is decent you will find Chris and sometimes me, in the rocking chairs out back by the fire pit........See the Big Green Egg and the cement strip where the outdoor kitchen is going? They are coming Monday to put it in. There is just something about a fire and cooking outside......even in January...I have 3 neighbors coming over for margarita's and to sit by that fire after supper.