Sweet Home Alabama

2010 Christmas Card

2010-12-05T22:37:00.002-05:00

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36 Years

2009-05-14T16:51:00.004-05:00

Don't I look great for 36?? ;-)

So much has happened this 36th year. I have left a beloved town, church, house, and friends and reconnected with old friends and our church, made new friends, and made a lot of changes in how I live my life. Phew! I feel like a new person. A stronger, leaner, smarter, money-making, Southern-living again, more patient person.

This next year I will start working full-time, continue my new healthy lifestyle, build or buy a new home and watch/cry/smile as my baby starts K4 and goes to school every day. I hope I emerge with a closer, more intimate relationship with Jesus (and an even skinnier body). For He does indeed know the plans He has for us and I am getting excited as they are being unveiled - good or bad.

May Jeremy and I continue to place our family in God's hands and become more and more 1 instead of 2.

Happy Birthday to me!

Change is hard

2009-04-21T18:08:00.006-05:00

I have been through alot of change in the last year. It's hard. It may seem easy for a while and then, BAM, I hit the wall and it seems impossible and I want to run the other way. I am feeling this with the move to AL, Jeremy's new job and schedule, my new job in August, a new house sometime soon and , particularly, my weight loss and exercise schedule. I've been cruising along for 4 months and now I feel like I am starting to go in reverse. I haven't put any weight back on but I feel like I'm stuck in the mud. I went running Sunday and it didn't go well. I had to stop at 2.5 miles because I was seeing black spots. It's a catch -22. I follow my diet and I don't have enough carbs to run; I eat carbs so I can run and, besides the fact that starting to eat them makes me want to eat a ton of them, my weight loss slows to a crawl. I will not be able to run until Friday because of my schedule and I am wondering how to balance my diet with my running. I want to be successful with my running but I need a different diet to be able to do it right. I REALLY want to be done with the weight loss. I only have 11 pounds to go and I am determined to be done by the end of May. See what I mean?? It's a catch-22. I have been doing lots of research on running and nutrition and I am definitely not eating enough carbs. I wish I had the cash to see a sports nutritionist...but I don't. In a perfect world, I would loss the 11 pounds AND have enough energy to run the 8K I am registered for on May 9th. I am starting to have some doubts...

It was 1 year ago today that Jeremy was laid-off and our lives changed drastically. Today is our sweet daughter, Brantley's 9th birthday. We love you sweetheart!

Here's a picture of me now. It's definitely an improvement, isn't it? I'll add a few more from the last month.

Happy 9th Birthday, B!!!!!!

A-Day Game - Tuscaloosa, AL

Another day

2009-04-09T07:44:00.003-05:00

Just another day in the Anderson house. Jeremy will be home this afternoon and we are going to Maundy Thursday services. We are having communion and the older kids have only done it a few times and are looking forward to being able to participate again. There will also be a dramatic presentation of the Last Supper. As I approach Good Friday, I am in awe at the gift of God's grace. May we all be mindful of this as we do egg hunts, eat chocolate bunnies and deviled eggs, visit with family and dress in our pretty clothes.
HAPPY EASTER AND MAY GOD GET ALL THE GLORY AND HONOR ON THIS SPECIAL WEEKEND.

Don't the kids look cute in this picture?

Wondering....

2009-04-07T18:21:00.002-05:00

....why Brooke is ALWAYS asking if she can have a piece of candy, "just one piece, mama"

....when I will reach my weight loss goal and will I be a size 10 or an 8

...how I will ever run 6 miles

...how to become a proactive homemaker instead of a reactive one

...if I'll ever find the perfect black eyelet sundress I've been searching for

...where our new house will be and what will it look like

...what my hair would look like if that guy on "What Not to Wear" got a hold of it

...why there was a HUGE line at the post office yesterday

...if I'll have friends at work next year

...how much it really hurts to have a tummy tuck and boob lift

...when my kids' sore throats will go away

...why my run was easy today and a killer yesterday

...why I can't find a place like "Sharp Shopper" in Birmingham

...if I should get a pedicure for Easter

...if I can keep my kitchen clean

...why God loves me so much. What have I done to deserve it?

...

Spring Break 2009

2009-04-01T08:27:00.003-05:00

Here are some pictures of our trip to the Gulf a few weeks ago. I took this in Destin Harbor on our dolphin cruise.
Such a cutie!

It was a little windy on the boat! My hair looks terrible...

On the docks after the dolphin cruise. The sunset was gorgeous!

We had a great time and hope to go again soon- I LOVE the beach!!!!

Hello, is there anyone out there??

2009-03-24T21:30:00.002-05:00

I haven't written anything in so long, I'm sure no one will even read this. I have had a busy winter. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and it feels good. Here are the highlights:

My diet and exercise program are going great! I have lost 35 pounds so far and am in week 5 of a "10 weeks to a 10K" training schedule. I hope to loose 15-20 more pounds. I feel great and am very proud of my accomplishment. After I lose 3 more pounds, my BMI will be in the normal range and my cholesterol had dropped from 231 to 178. I feel like a new woman.

I will start teaching online math classes for Virginia College Online in a few weeks. I will do this through the summer.

I got a job for the fall! I will be teaching math at Briarwood Christian High School. This is where I went to school and my kids will all be transferring there next school year. We are thrilled.

We will not be buying a house until August. This has been a sore spot for me but God is teaching me patience and to be thankful for my many blessings. This has made me face the fact that I am a spoiled brat. Not pretty...

I am busy taking grad. classes in order to have my teaching certificate renewed. Yuk! I'll be done with this in May.

The kids are good. I worry about changing their school again and how that will affect them. I just want them to be happy and have friends who love them. They still miss PA.

I am still getting adjusted here. I don't socialize all that much. I'm very busy but still get lonely at times.

Jeremy's job is going well. He is SUPER busy and always has more to do. He likes it, though, and I think it is where he should be. He still travels a good bit.

Pray that I will spend time in the Bible. I don't spend time with God very much and usually just try to make it on my own. How dumb is that??

I will post some new pictures when I download them from my camera.

Here is one from February of Wolfe, me, Brooke and her friend, Jamie.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T15:15:00.002-05:00

2009 holds alot of changes for us/me:

We will be buying a new house and we still aren't quite sure what state we will settle is - Mississippi or Alabama. I am trusting God with this doozy!
I am on a weight loss plan that is drastically changing my relationship with food. I will not share weekly updates, but will post an after picture this spring. Please pray for me as I tackle this thorn in my side.
I am going to go back to teaching high school mathematics this fall. I have let my certificate expire and must take 3 graduate level education courses to have it reinstated. I start that in 10 days or so.

We are all thrilled about the new year and the adventure that it holds for our family. Pray that we will have unwavering faith in God's promises and that we will love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

It's been too long

2008-12-19T10:53:00.002-05:00

So I guess it's time for an new post. This is the longest I've gone without letting you know how we are. I must admit that having a blog and a facebook account is a little much. My blog has suffered because of it.
Well, we are finally settled in Birmingham. We officially moved into my mother's old house a week ago. Half of our stuff is in storage and the other half is here. We are still surrounded by boxes, but we are making progress. My job today is Wolfe's room and a little bit of the master. There is still some furniture that needs to be removed from Wolfe's room but I think by the time he goes to sleep is should be completed - much to his delight!
My friend, Jennifer, came over yesterday and helped me decorate for Christmas. She made the mantle look so pretty! It is so strange decorating so late. Usually it's all done the weekend after Thanksgiving. Oh well, it will just have to stay up way into January!
I am going back to school in January. I let my Alabama teacher's certificate expire in 2007 (stupid!) and I have to take 3 graduate level education courses to have it reinstated. I will be super busy keeping up with all that, being a mom and wife, and still tutoring 6-8 hours a week. I'm sure I won't be seen very much until May!
I was planning on leading a small Bible Study this spring but I just don't see how that's practical. I'm really disappointed. I was really looking forward to the Christian fellowship and shared study of the Bible.
We are going to lay pretty low over Christmas break. We are going to my mom's in Atlanta for a few days, but that's it. Jeremy and I are both really looking forward to it. He doesn't work much over the holidays, so we are excited about lots of family time.
I hope that gets everyone up-to-date on my life right now. We really miss Pennsylvania and our dear friends there but I am going to "bloom where I am planted".
Merry Christmas to all!!!
p.s. My Christmas cards are going to be New Year's cards this year. If you don't have it, our new address is :2643 Rillwood Road Birmingham, AL 35243

It's almost done

2008-11-06T12:58:00.001-05:00

I wanted to post a recent pic of the kids. My friend took this last week. Still trying for the Christmas Card picture!
The reason the post is called "It's almost done" is because we have set a closing date for our house in PA. Its is going to be Dec. 12th. We are coming to PA after Thanksgiving to pack the house and the movers come the week of the 7th. We are still trying to find a house here. Pray that will happen within the next week!

We have a contract!!

2008-10-20T14:46:00.001-05:00

Today we signed a contract on the sale of our house! It is contingent on the sale of their home in Hempfield but it looks like that should not be too big of a deal. We are thrilled to have this behind us and move on into our own home again. We still miss everyone terribly and can't wait to come back to visit when we pack up the house for the last time. Love to all!

Visit to PA

2008-10-01T09:08:00.002-05:00

To all my PA friends, I will be coming to visit this weekend. Jeremy and I will only be there briefly, though. We will be arriving late Friday night and leaving Sunday morning. We'll be at the house on Saturday doing some yard work and packing up a few things we forgot to bring to Alabama with us. This house is still for sale and I need to make it look pretty for fall. We'd love to see anyone who wants to drop in on Saturday!

Brantley

2008-09-26T13:56:00.003-05:00

Just had a few pictures of B with one of her new friends, Amy. She is adjusting so well to the move. Such an answer to prayer!

Brantley and Amy had gone out back to play in the yard and creek when I heard all kind of squeals and laughter. When I looked out the window this is what I saw! Isn't it great to be a kid??

Exercise

2008-09-22T10:36:00.002-05:00

I have never really liked to exercise. I know, not that many people do, but I have always wanted to love to exercise. To be strong, lean, confident, and powerful. I have dreamed of being a runner; of being able to run long distances. I have wondered what that felt like, and why I have never been able to do it when others have. I have actually prayed for God to give me a love for running. Last week I started to jog. Jeremy told me that I ran too fast and that was why I never could run for very far without wanting to throw up and being in a very bad mood afterward, wishing I had never done it and dreading when I would have to put on my running shoes again. So, last week I ran slower. It worked! I ran for 25 min. the first time, 40 minutes the next time, and 40 minutes the 3rd time. I have never run for that long in my entire life. I ran 2.7 miles without stopping and felt like I could have run farther. Halelujah! Many of you may remember my failed attempt at running a 5K back in May. I never even registered for the race. Well, I am back in the game and am going to hunt for another one to run. I may be the last one to finish but I am determined to do this. While I was running last week I realized that it gave me 40 minutes to pray for people and to talk to God. That is exactly what I did and it was great! I look forward to spending a lot more time talking to God while I run...

Good News!

2008-09-04T10:14:00.002-05:00

For all of my sweet friends in PA who frequently ask about my mom, she is getting married in November! We have lots of planning to do and lots of pounds to lose before then! I may be able to come and visit at the first of October, can't wait!!

I know WHERE we're moving!!

2008-08-07T15:16:00.002-05:00

We just found out that we will be relocating to Birmingham, Alabama! (not Memphis, TN as we had thought) It is our hometown and we are so thrilled to be moving back home!! We can't believe that through all of these trials that we are actually going to be back where we started. God is good!

Too cute..

2008-08-05T15:42:00.003-05:00

Brooke has been taking a nap for 4 hours and is still sleeping!! I went in to check on her and this is what I found. She must not have gone to bed when I thought she did -notice the wings! I just love catching my kids in moments like this. I want her to stay this cute and tiny forever!!

New Songs

2008-08-04T19:24:00.003-05:00

The first song is one of my all time favorites! I wish it was a better recording. Many hours were spent at band parties dancing to this and others similar.
#2 just makes me laugh...collards, anyone?? Alabama, here we come!

pray!!

2008-08-01T21:20:00.000-05:00

Someone's coming to look at the house tomorrow. Pray for an offer!!!

Finally...

2008-07-22T06:45:00.002-05:00

Jeremy is coming to see us!! We had planned to not see him until August 9th but we both can't wait that long. (Maybe my teary phone call last night broke him..) He is driving 14.5 hours on Friday, staying the weekend and driving back on Monday. Isn't he a sweetheart??? I'm going to keep it a secret and let him surprise the kids. They are going to go berserk!

Update on our move

2008-07-10T18:32:00.002-05:00

We still haven't sold our house but we are going to move anyways. At least move our clothes and other necessities. We will be moving into my mom's house in Birmingham, Alabama around the 8th of August. Maybe a few days sooner. She is coming up on the 1st or 2nd and we will pack and then head out. I am sad to leave our home here, but thrilled to be reunited with my precious husband. We miss him terribly and he can't believe that it will be another 28 days or so until we see him again. We will have to start a countdown! I have a lot of planning to do between now and then. I will post about my progress.

"Do you trust me?"

2008-07-06T20:59:00.005-05:00

This is the question that God has been asking me this weekend. I actually answered him out loud today. I was in the bathroom, of all places, and just said outloud, "Yes, I trust you". Just saying it made me believe it more.

Just wanted to add a pic of my cute husband. We miss him tons and can't wait to smother him with hugs and kisses. Brooke told me today that we had to be careful not to give him "hard kisses" when we saw him because he could get hurt, only "soft ones" are allowed. Too cute!

Listen to the words of this song. It is my absolute favorite right now and I sing it to myself all the time! I really do believe the words. How can I keep from singing His name?? I am dearly loved by The King!! My heart is trying to sing...

Wait.

2008-07-04T07:20:00.005-05:00

I am so frustrated!! God is definitely teaching me that He is in control, not me or Jeremy. Our lives are in such upheaval! Jeremy is in Birmingham today and next week he will be working in the Memphis area. After that is anyone's guess. On Tuesday his boss let him know that the couple who had the Alabama and FL panhandle region have retired and that there was a 75-80% chance that he could have that region instead of MS, AR, W. TN. Great news!! Now I have to wait until next week sometime to find out if it will really happen. Ugh!!! So here I sit wondering if I am here as a single parent until our house sells(which is who knows how long) or if I am leaving in 4 weeks to live in my mom's basement so that we can go ahead and enroll the kids in school. All that is involved with leaving in 4 weeks is staggering and emotional. I'm trying not to dwell on the lists that are forming in my mind and waiting until I know for sure if we are moving home or not. I am a planner and this is making me a little crazy, ok, maybe ALOT crazy. God knows that for me waiting is what I need. I need to rest in His arms and not in my own plans-or Jeremy's arms. I need to find my security in Him and not in knowing how our lives are going to unfold. I have a 1000 questions for Him and the answer to all of them is "WAIT, simply wait".

The above picture reminds me to find comfort in my children and simple, carefree moments.

Beach '08

2008-07-03T09:47:00.003-05:00

The whole tribe after dinner.
Christmas Card '08???
The view from the front yard of our beach house - divine!!
It's so hard to get everyone looking cute!!
This is one of my favorite shots. We take one every year.

We had a great week a the beach. It was a much needed break from the craziness and uncertainty going on with us. I thought I'd just share some of my favorite pics. Hope you enjoyed them.

I'll be home soon!

2008-06-25T11:47:00.003-05:00

We are finally nearing the end of our 3 week trip away from home. Let me just give a rund0wn of what's been going on with us.
1. Sunday, June 8th:Drove to Birmingham, AL with three kids and our dog. Jeremy was in Chicago for a meeting. The drive took me 15 hours and permanently robbed me of some of my sanity!
2. Monday, June 9th: rested, visited with in-laws, and had a wonderful dinner with one of my best friends, Jennifer. It was just two of us at a fabulous mexican place - Heaven!!
3. Tuesday, June 10th: more visiting with family and Jeremy arrived at 10:30 pm
4. Wednesday, June 11th: leave kids with family and leave for Memphis at 8:30 am. Shop for houses Wed. afternoon and Thursday. Travel back to B'ham on Friday. 5. Saturday, June 14th: Go to Seagrove Beach, FL with my whole family. Spend a great week at beach house right on the beach for a whole week!! Actually didn't feel completely stressed out for a few days. 6.Came back to my mom's house and then went to Memphis again Monday and Tuesday of this week. Did some more house shopping... Jeremy left Tuesday afternoon for 3 days in Atlanta, GA and we will pick him up there on Friday afternoon. Then we will drive to Wytheville, VA to spend the night. We will arrive in Mount Joy on Saturday around 3pm. I may be legally insane by the time we reach our driveway. Wouldn't you be??? We haven't sold our house yet and the stress of it is really hard. Jeremy has to turn right back around this Sunday and drive his car back to Memphis to start work on Monday. I feel really sorry for him and know that he will be exhausted by the time he gets there!! We won't see him again until we sell our house and he comes up a few days before the move. Pray that this will all happen quickly and we can be reunited again and get back to a normal life! I know that God will sustain us but I am still dreading all of this....

Update

2008-06-04T22:20:00.004-05:00

I keep catching myself thinking that this will be the "last time we will do _______". We are really going to miss PA and all of our friends and church family. Jeremy is leaving on Saturday and will only be back for a few days until we move. Still have no idea when that will be, though. Hope to move by end of July, otherwise I will be getting awfully lonely without my hubby. We will be together traveling most of June but July is gonna feel really long, I'm sure.

We have packed most of the basement, garage, and storage shed. We have thinned out our closet, packed up excessive amounts of kid craft supplies, and are going to finish a few other things by Friday. I also have to pack for a 2-3 week trip - that should take awhile!! Pray for me on Sunday - I will be driving (by myself) the 3 kids and our dog to Birmingham. It usually takes 14 hours. That's right, 14 HOURS. I have done it by myself 2 other times and it went OK. I go a little crazy during the last 3 hours, but I set 30 min. goals for myself. "Only 30 min. to Chattanooga, 30 min. to the Alabama line, 30 minutes to Fort Payne, etc..." I am trying to pump myself up for the trip, but so far I am not feeling too enthusiastic!

At least the drive is taking me to her - my sweet mom!

On the road again...

2008-05-31T06:07:00.009-05:00

We are moving to Memphis, Tennessee this summer. Jeremy lost his job in April and the new one will have us moving far from our friends in PA, but much closer to family and friends in Birmingham. We are really sad to leave our cute house, fabulous neighbors and our best friends, the Troutmans. They have become family to us and we look forward to seeing them for family vacations and visits. We are thrilled, however, to be able to see our family whenever we want (Memphis is 3.5 hrs from B'ham). I will keep you up-to-date on the goings on with the move.

Camping at Pinchot SP

2008-05-21T07:44:00.002-05:00

We went camping a few weeks ago with our best friends the Troutmans. We had a ball and I just wanted to show a few of the pics that we took. Brantley and Wills had fun playing UNO on this rock by the water. We also fished alot from this rock. You can see Jeremy fishing from it in my last post.
Brooke and Lily's favorite thing to do was pick up rocks and throw them in the lake. They did this alot!
Abby was a real trooper! She was 36 weeks pregnant at the time. (She is still pregnant and hoping to not be REALLY soon!!) Lily wouldn't pose for the picture, but at least Abby looks cute.
This is one of our campsites. You can see how we were right on the lake. It was so pretty!
Brantley loves to pose for pictures, unlike Wolfe who there are no pictures of this trip! They all had a fun time playing around the lake, playing frisbee golf, riding their scooters (except for the 2 serious crashes -still have scabs from those!), eating smores, sleeping in a tent, and testing out kayaks in the lake. The adults enjoyed themselves too, especially sitting around the fire after the kids were in bed! We look forward to many more camping adventures this summer and fall.

Still a little lost in the fog, but the sun is peeking through!!

2008-05-19T16:49:00.002-05:00

We miss you Daddy!! We can't wait to see you on Thursday night! It will have been 9 days!! The kids have never been away from you for that long. Every time Brooke gets hurt, she cries for you. So sweet!

I think I just need one day of beautiful weather and I will make it through! I am feeling more upbeat and am trying to leave all my worries at Christ's feet. It is so hard to do that! I really appreciate all the kind words and cards. I am starting to feel guilty about all of the attention I am getting and the concern others are having for our family. I will try to remain humble and graciously accept all of the kindnesses being done and said. Thanks again for the love being shown.

"Snap out of it, Leah!!!"

2008-05-14T20:03:00.003-05:00

Sorry to all who faithfully check my blog and are regularly disappointed with the lack of new content. Alot has been going on in our family and I just haven't felt like blogging. Jeremy was laid off and is in the process of finding a new job. Relocation is a real possibility and the stress of it all has made me a little melancholy.

I turned 35 today and it just hasn't made me too thrilled. There are alot of internal/personal changes/goals that need to be made/accomplished in my life, and I thought I would have made more progress by the big "35". It's a little depressing to not reach your goals... How many more times can I say to myself, "I'll do better this year" or "I'll get that done by the end of the year" ? At what point do I admit to myself that I really am not going to lose the weight, become a runner, get organized, have a regular quiet time, always finish what I start, clean the kitchen every night, be a better friend, keep a tidy closet, yada, yada, yada...?

I am so blessed to be loved by many and cherished by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I must remind myself of this when I get in a funk like this. I feel as if I lose focus of my role here on earth when I get this self-absorbed. I wonder if I did a time line of each time that I wrote a depressing blog like this that it would always fall during my "time of the month"? I bet it would...

Fishing at Elizabethtown College

2008-04-26T08:01:00.003-05:00

Sunday, Jeremy took B and Wolfe fishing at E-town College. There is a pond there stocked with bass. They each caught 2 bass within about 20 minutes. Jeremy will definitely be taking them back!

Poor Little Field Mouse

2008-04-26T07:52:00.002-05:00

This cute little thing was being traumatized the other day by our cat, Tigger. Tigger chased, batted, and tossed this thing for a long time. I tried to save the little thing, but was a little scared of him, and whenever he hopped around squeaking I would back off. I did however manage to capture it all on film! ;-) I never did see if Tigger finally killed him or not. Tigger would just sit calmly in the grass while the mouse sat there terrified! Bad kitty!

Brantley's Horseback Riding Party

2008-04-25T08:10:00.004-05:00

Brantley turned 8 this week and on Saturday we had a horseback riding party for her. I made her a horse cake which I think turned out pretty cute. Thanks to all who came to the party, she loved it!

Brantley, her best friend Michelle, and Brooke

What do you think?

Brooke's "Big Girl Bed"

2008-04-25T08:03:00.003-05:00

Brooke loves her new bed and bedding! She looks so tiny in such a big bed. Her sister was a little jealous of all the new stuff Brooke got. She said that she wanted to move into Brooke's room now. Ha! Brooke doesn't have to always get her hand-me-downs!

Las Vegas -Day 3

2008-04-25T07:18:00.008-05:00

On day 3 we went to Death Valley National Park in California. Jeremy really wanted to go here and I was a little skeptical. I was envisioning a really flat, hot place that was pretty boring. Boy, was I wrong! It was by far the most beautiful place that we went. The landscape was so varied that you felt like you were on another planet with each part of the park that we visited! It really does look very "unEarthly" in alot of places there. We both LOVE exploring new parts of the country and this was one of my favorites. The pictures should hopefully let you see how creative God is with his design.

Jeremy forced me to hike to the top of this dune and I just about melted!

Las Vegas-Day 2

2008-04-25T07:02:00.004-05:00

Day Two was our rafting trip on the Colorado River. We saw this rafting trip on the Travel Channel and it looked so fun and beautiful that we just had to do it! We boarded a bus at Lake Meade and were driven to the base of the Hoover Dam. We went through a security gate just to get on the road that leads down to the base of the dam and our van wasn't even allowed to go the whole way. You have to walk the last 100 yds or so due to securtiy. You can read the sign behind Jeremy's head in the picture. It was really cool to see the dam at an angle that almost no one gets to. It was quite impressive!
The river is really calm below the dam so the ride was very smooth and relaxing. Below the dam it is called the Black Canyon and it was so pretty! We saw lots of wildflowers, blooming cactus, beautiful birds, and even bighorn sheep! The canyon was spectacular and anyone who goes to Vegas should take this trip, it was well worth it.

Our trip to Vegas, Day 1

2008-04-10T06:55:00.002-05:00

Jeremy and I went to Las Vegas for 4 glorious days. In the next few posts I will tell y'all what we did each day. On the first day we went hiking in Red Rock Canyon. The rocks were definitely "red" as you can see in the pic. To get an idea of how big the mountains were, look at the first picture. Look at were the desert turns to "red rock" and then look a little left of the center. You will see a thin black line. That is a parking lot! There were lots of people there and most of them were rock climbers. It was so cool to look up and see little black specks that were people climbing the rocks/mountains. We had a lot of fun hiking up into the canyon and into its crevices. We saw all sorts of cool things like the "cave" I took a picture of. It wasn't really a cave, but I don't know what else to call it. You can see how water has carved out all these little holes. Neat, huh? As we were hiking I decided to opt out on sunscreen for the day. I just wanted to "get a little color". Ha!! I was fried by the end of the day!
We hiked back to "the quarry" which was a little pond created by the sheer cliffs. Once we got above the quarry we had an awesome view of "the strip". If you look close in the photo you can see the big casinos. It was so beautiful up there! Jeremy and I fell in love with Nevada and all the fun things to do. We could actually even see ourselves living there! Weird, isn't it?

Easter 2008

2008-04-02T08:48:00.003-05:00

Easter 2008 was such a great day. My mom was here to celebrate with us and we had such a good time. The temp. outside was too chilly but we all survived. You can tell by the pics how cold the kids were! The easter egg hunt was alot of fun and Wolfe found the golden egg ($5 inside!) AND the silver egg($3 inside). You can tell by Brantley's expression that she wasn't pleased! Wolfe was convinced to give Brantley the silver egg. She was much happier then! Mom loved being here with the kids and they loved having her here, too. Brooke's expression in the picture on the sofa made us laugh so hard! She did NOT want her picture made.

Wolfe is 9!

2008-04-02T08:23:00.002-05:00

Wolfe wanted a chocolate fudge cake for his birthday. I had made one for life group and he LOVED it, so I made another one a week later just for him. He didn't even have to share the leftovers (much to Brantley's dismay!). We gave him a docking station for his MP3 player, but his favorite gift was the DS game that my mom gave him. The picture of him sitting on the sofa is my favorite of him in a long time. It just captures who is right now. He is such a sweet, smart, curious boy. We love him dearly and I wish that I could prevent him from growing. I want to freeze time and keep them small forever. His legs are just getting entirely too long, how dare he!!

Puddle Jumping

2008-03-17T09:01:00.003-05:00

"I'm ready to go, Mommy! Show me the puddles!"
"These new rainboots are awesome!"
"Jumping with me big sis is even more fun! I really like it when we match, too!"

Brooke on her actual birthday

2008-03-15T08:15:00.002-05:00

She loved the new dress I got her!
Unwrapping gifts at breakfast. Wolfe is holding her new Ariel bathing suit from Mimi and Granddaddy. She also got a princess beach towel. The book and rain boots are from Nena. Nena also gave her an MP3 player that she listens to all the time.
Brooke is saying, "Yea!! The Barbie Mariposa doll that I have been asking for everytime I see the commercial!"
"Let's see....which shoes do I like better? Rain boots or new Dora tennis shoes?"
Sweet sisters!

Brooke is 3!!

2008-03-15T08:03:00.003-05:00

Brooke in her birthday outfit that I made. She loved having Dora on the shirt!We had a tea party for her and she had such a great time! Her friends all loved drinking out of little teacups and eating tiny food.
She wanted a strawberry cake. She wanted pink cake, pink icing, and strawberries. She was very specific!
For the craft, the girls colored easter bunny purses and then used them to collect easter eggs that had been hidden all over the house.
Opening gifts is always fun and she loved all the great things that she was given. Thanks everyone for coming on such short notice!

Shoveling Snow

2008-03-15T07:59:00.004-05:00

It seems like we won't have anymore snow this winter. We had been wishing for "the big one" but it never came. Now I hope it doesn't because this spring weather is fantastic!

I just love the tiny snow shovel Brooke is using!

All my love to Wolfe!

2008-02-14T12:24:00.002-05:00

Lunchbox
14 valentines
hat
gloves
....what Wolfe left on the counter in the kitchen to be found by me after I had just taken him to school with 16 cupcakes for his class. Didn't he hearme say, "Put your lunch in your backpack!"(A lunch consisting of a ham sandwich cut into cute heart shapes and a valentine from me), "don't forget your valentines. They are right there in the brown bag.", and "Pick up your hat and gloves. I know they shouldn't be on the floor in the den, but since you never put away your backpack after school yesterday, Brooke ransacked your bag, again!" Back to MCCS again.
....Happy Valentine's Day, Mommy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-13T17:43:00.005-05:00

Brooke is all decked out for Valentine wishes for everyone! The profile shot of her just turned out too cute not to post. She was gazing at all of the icicles in the yard.

I love Valentine's Day and can't wait to love on my family tomorrow! I am making a special dinner for Jeremy and I and we are going to eat in the dining room on fine china and everthing. I am trying my hand at sushi for the first time. It is J and I's favorite food and I thought I'd give it a whirl. I am also making shrimp pad thai - another favorite! Dessert will be coconut cream bread pudding-another new recipe. Wish me luck!

(this song just makes me laugh...I bought this album in 5th grade and LOVED it! Should I play it during our meal?)

Pay it forward

2008-02-05T20:53:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about it? Pay it forward? I was visiting http://www.philigry.blogspot.com tonight and got the idea. . The rules? To the first 3 to comment on this PIF post and want to particitpate: You will get something handmade from me, maybe not anytime soon, but sometime with in the next 365 days. If you decide to participate, you must do the same on your blog, and make something for the first three people who comment to your PIF post.You never know what you will get! Sounds fun y'all, doesn't it??

I'm feeling industrious!

2008-02-04T20:18:00.000-05:00

Before we moved here I used to sew alot. I made curtains, clothes for the kids, reupholstered furniture, smocked pretty little dresses, and was generally much more crafty/domestic than I am now. Well, I am feeling the winds of change against my cheeks. Project #1 was to take some king-sized pillow cases and make them standard-sized. Easy, breezey. This left me with the ends that I cut off of the cases. Leading into project #2. It was a really cute red/white flannel and I fiddled around with it until I made this...

Brooke wasn't really into having her picture taken, but you can at least see what the outfit looks like. I am quite pleased with myself!

Glorify God in ALL things!

2008-01-30T00:05:00.000-05:00

Rick Burgess has a radio show in Birmingham and it is syndicated all over the U.S. His 2-yr old son drowned last week and our family has been praying for his family. Wolfe played t-ball with one of his other sons when they were in kindergarten. I knew that he was a Christian and that he shared his faith on his radio show (which is on secular radio, by the way). I have included a link to a recording of the eulogy he gave at Bronner's funeral. AMAZING! Check it out!! It has 3 parts and if you only get part 1, let me know.

First snowman of 2008!

2008-01-17T19:24:00.000-05:00

It snowed a few inches today and the kids, my neighbors, and I had fun building a snowman. We all played outside until it got dark, as you can see in the photo.

I have also included some of the pictures we took at Christmas in Alabama. Here is one of us on my mom's front porch. I'm glad that I thought of taking a few of the five of us, which I never think to do.

Wolfe is reading Brooke her bedtime story. She loves it when her brother or sister read to her!

The other picture is of my kids with their cousins. I think this was on the 23rd before we went to church. So cute! I can't ever seem to get Betsy to smile for me, she just looks like a little lump!

Thanks for the encouragement!

2008-01-14T18:52:00.000-05:00

Sorry for my depressing post last week! I really do appreciate all of the sweet and encouraging comments that y'all left. My period started Sunday so that explains alot about my down-in-the-dumps post...

I am doing much better today and am thrilled to be a mother of 3 and wife of 1! I am reading Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and I have learned soooo much. Chapter 5 has been especially meaningful and I will share a few of my favorite passages.

"If Satan can get us to try to "live the Christian life" without cultivating an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus, he knows we will be spiritually impotent and defeated. If he can get us to do a great many things "for God" without consciously seeking the will of God through His Word and prayer, we may stir up a lot of religious dust, but won't do Satan's kingdom any real damage." pg. 122

"There is no greater measure of her worth or success as a woman than the extent to which she serves as the heart of her home." pg. 127

"It is true that many "perfect jobs" may come and go during the childrearing years, but only one will absolutely never come along again - the job of rearing your own children and allowing them the increasingly rare opportunity to grow up at home." pg. 129

My prayer is this:
May God come into our home and make it a place where He is known and loved and revealed!

p.s. Thanks for the fun lunch today, Susanne!

I'm Back!

2008-01-11T09:05:00.000-05:00

I took a hiatus from blogging and now I think that I am back in the swing of things.

Jeremy has been in Birmingham for a meeting since Monday and I am starting to feel a bit meloncholy(spelling?). He will be home tonight and tomorrow we have a date! Yea!!

Christmas was alot of fun! We went to Birmingham for 8 days and had a great time spending time with my family and Jeremy's. My brother's and I learned how to play Dutch Blitz. Alot of laughs and groans! Everytime we go home I realize that we probably won't ever live there again and it makes me sad. It is just so nice to be in a city where I know all of the nooks and crannys. I have memories everywhere I go. i.e.: there's the parking lot where we hung out in high school, there's my old school, there's so-and-so's parent's house, that's where we loved to go and eat, ..... You get the gist. I miss feeling such a deep comfort in "place". I am sure that PA will feel like that eventually, especially for my kids, but I still feel the pangs of not quite fitting in here or belonging. The title of my blog is what I hope to and sometimes do feel...

I will include pics soon. I don't feel like downloading them right now.

Lunch for Lori

2007-12-18T08:42:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to a "going away" lunch for Lori McPherson. They are moving to Seneca, South Carolina on the 29th. Their whole family will be dearly missed. I know lots of 5 yr old boys are really gonna miss Hannah! Lori, you are in for a big adventure and God's loving arms will make the transition so much easier!!

I just wanted to share the cute picture that we had made at Rockwell's.

Yikes! We leave for Alabama in 5 days!!

2007-12-16T19:53:00.000-05:00

SO MUCH TO DO AND SO LITTLE TIME!!
Christmas shopping, cub scouts, awana, lunch at Rockwell's, send out rest of Christmas cards, make special gift for my Mom, wrap 1000s of gifts, pack for 10 day trip, Mops small group meeting, 2 kids school parties, buy gifts for school parties, find a sitter for our dog Penny, make chocolate pretzel thingies for Jeremy's boss, HELP!!!
Oh, by the way, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

First "playable" snow of the season

2007-12-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

Wednesday was our first real snow and we had to break out all of the snow gear. Everyone is set but I remembered how much I hate toddler gloves/mittens. They don't fit well and they never stay on. I want to invent ones that go up to their elbows under their clothes so that snow doesn't get in and they stay on!
The kids had a blast and I also included a picture of the house in the snow. I love how it looks with the twinkling lights and fluffy snow all around - it looks like a fairytale. Thank you, Jeremy, for such a beautiful house. I really do love it!

The last of fall and beginning of Christmas...

2007-12-06T19:44:00.000-05:00

Wolfe and Brantley had a ball raking/playing in the leaves from our weeping cherry tree. Playing in leaves is such a great memory from childhood. I treasure the memories that my kids are making.

The reindeer picture was taken at Mount Joy's Winterfest last Saturday night. This was our 3rd year to go and it really kicks off the Christmas season for us. We stayed for the lighting of the tree and it was so beautiful!

This was taken after church on Sunday. It was just a last minute snapshot I took right before they ran upstairs to change clothes. Doesn't it seem that that's how you get the best pictures? I love my sweet girls and love that I captured this moment.

Camping in the snow, selecting the tree and other November happenings...

2007-11-27T15:29:00.001-05:00

Sorry it has been so long. I have been caught up with the holiday spirit and haven't taken time to put down my thoughts. I will share a few pics along with comments on the month.

Here you see a tent in the snow. Why would the Anderson's be camping in the snow with 3 kids? Because Jeremy and I are gluttons for punishment! We were determined to take the kids camping in Shenandoah National Park over the Veteran's Day holiday and so off we drove to Virginia, freezing temps. be darned! I will say that the snow was a total surprise. Not even the park rangers predicted it. When we woke up at 7:30 am and Wolfe unzipped the tent and said, "It snowed!", Jeremy and I both went "What???!!!". We were able to salvage the day and still got to go on a great hike and Wolfe and B earned the Junior Ranger Patch, which was quite an accomplishment!
Here is how we stayed warm in the tent. That is Brantley peeking out from her sleeping bag!
Here are Wolfe and B diligently working in their Jr. Ranger books. A great activity for kids when they go to a National Park. A definite MUST do!Here is another try for a Christmas card picture. Still not good enough.... We did have a good time picking out our tree at Matasevik's.
Jeremy and Brooke at the National Zoo. We went to D.C. after the camping. We thawed out at the Schulz's( some of our dearest friends), ate good food, and saw some cool animals.

I have no pictures of Thanksgiving. We felt very loved by friends and spent 3 meals in a row with different ones. Thanks to all of you! We have decided not to travel at Thanksgiving, anymore, and we had such a relaxing weekend. We are so blessed to be healthy, loved, and redeemed.

Happy Halloween!!!

2007-10-31T19:28:00.001-05:00

We had a great time trick-or-treating in the neighborhood and wanted to share some of the cute photos. Wolfe was a zombie of some sort, Brantley was a pink Power Ranger, and Brooke was a black kittycat. They had a lot of fun loading up on candy and the weather was perfect!

Could this be the Christmas card picture?
Pretrick-or-treating meal. It's a Jack-O-Lantern cheeseburger pie.

The first thing that Brooke said to everyone last night was, "I'm a kittycat!", as if it wasn't obvious.
Action shot!
Brooke and her buddy Little Red Riding Hood (aka Lucy) .

This song makes me smile!

2007-10-27T20:07:00.000-05:00

I love this song and just wanted to share it with y'all. It puts a smile on my face everytime I hear it! Do ya think it's because I'm Southern??? ;-)

Fall Barn Party

2007-10-25T09:38:00.000-05:00

We went to our annual sunday school barn party last weekend and the kids had a ball! Got lots of good pictures and just wanted to share a few.

At least 3 out of the 5 of us have a good smile. So hard to get everyone looking great. I'll never get a good picture for the Christmas Card!

There was a corn table and Brooke loved it! She especially liked climbing in and laying down...

Doesn't it look like they are standing in front of a painted backdrop? The sunset was gorgeous that night!!

Brantley and Brooke on the hayride. So much fun! Brooke had hay stuck to her hiney the whole night, though.

Our little ducky!

Annual October Gathering

2007-10-18T08:17:00.000-05:00

My entire family comes to visit every October. It is a time of laughs, hugs, and catching up. We see each other as often as we can, but we hadn't all been together since June. It was really fun for the cousins to play and for the grown-ups to play scattergories, eat good food, and talk. The man in the center of the above photo is Jim, my mom's boyfriend. We all loved spending more time with him and gladly welcome him into the family. Brooke adores him and gave him lots of hugs and laptime.
These are my brothers, Russ and Bert, and my nephew, Peter. Chocolate World is always fun for the kids.
Apple picking again at Masonic Homes. Brooke and Betsy are in the stroller and behind them is me and my sister-in-law, Kelley.
Woody Woodpecker visited and brought gifts for all the kids. Any questions?

Brooke and Betsy in the tub. They splashed a ton!

May we feast on what is good...

2007-10-04T10:35:00.000-05:00

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters:.....Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David."

Isaiah 55:1-3

Read this verse today and wanted to share it.

Have a great weekend!! I probably won't post again for several days. We have alot of family coming to see us tomorrow and in the coming week.

He restoreth my soul

2007-10-03T07:45:00.000-05:00

Jeremy took this pic in Yosemite
This week the Lord has been trying to teach me ALOT. I thought that I would share what I am trying to learn and the insights that have been revealed.

1. Luke 10:27 ... "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. " This verse has popped up 3 times this week. First, Brantley was sitting at the table and asked about something and Jeremy and I shared this verse with her. (sad to say but I can't remember what she said to lead us to this verse) Second, I was doing a Bible study lesson on the Good Samaritan and there is the verse again. Third, it was quoted at church this week or maybe it was Life Group. ( my brain is mush) Anyways, I can tell that God is trying to teach me something. I am trying to meditate on this verse.

2. I have always thought of God in terms of water. He quenches my thirst, cools me off when I get overheated emotionally, soothes my wounds, washes away my sins, is what gives me endurance and helps me finish the race, He is what allows me to bear fruit.... I love praise songs, hymms, and scripture that use water as a metaphor or for imagery. Jesus is the only one that will satisfy and he is where I go when I am lost in the desert and thirsty for drink. "He leads me beside still waters, He restoreth my soul..." Ps 23:2

3. I need to be spending daily time in His Word and I am struggling to commit to this. Why do we resist even when we know it is what we need? I know that I will be blessed and be a better mom, wife, daughter, sister and friend by abiding in Him and yet I resist!!! How foolish I am!

How 'bout them apples!

2007-09-22T16:19:00.000-05:00

Today was a big day. We all went to Brantley's soccer game and she played harder and better than she ever has. I think that a competitive spirit and the love of soccer have finally sunk in. It was neat to hear one dad tell her, "I thought there were 2 of you out there, Brantley!"
After the game we went apple picking at Masonic Homes, ate lunch out, and them went to the grocery for gameday food. The rest of the day will be spent watching football. Rolllll Tide!!!!! Beat the Bulldogs!!!!

My Girls

2007-09-20T11:27:00.000-05:00

I am so glad that my girls have each other. I don't have a sister (2 great brothers) and have always thought it would be great to have that kind of bond with another. I do have a really great sister-in-law which I think is as close as you can get to the real thing, though. I just love to see my sweet things play together and Brooke just adores B. I like this picure because they look like they are having so much fun, Brantley looks like a true "big" sister, and Brooke is looking at B with such love and anticipation of fun things to come. Daddy and I love you tons, girls!! Another picture of the cute twosome!

Bye, Bye Summer...

2007-09-17T06:24:00.001-05:00

...Hello Fall! It was 39 degrees when I went jogging at 5:45 am. Bhrrrr!

We miss our family!!!

2007-09-13T09:01:00.000-05:00

This last week my kids have been talking about our extended family alot. My whole family is coming to visit in 3 weeks and the excitement is definitely building! Brooke is constantly asking to see "my baby Betsy" (her cousin) and when we get in the car she thinks that we are going to Nena's (my mom) and gets really excited. This is quickly followed by tears when I try to explain to a 2 year old that Alabama is not right down the street! So, to all my family, please come quickly and stay long...

Brantley is talking about Alabama alot lately and says that she wants to move back there. I think that she just misses seeing Mimi, Granddaddy, Nena, Granny, and Uncle Russell on a regular basis. She doesn't know this yet but there may be a chance for us to be Southerners again in the not too distant future. We'll see...God has us here now and we are content knowing that we are trusting Him for our family's future.

we are experiencing technical difficulties

2007-09-07T09:11:00.000-05:00

The music was working and now it isn't. Any ideas?

I'm in stereo!

2007-09-07T06:57:00.000-05:00

I figured out how to have a playlist of my favorite songs on my blog. I think it's so cool! Here are a few pointers on how to listen. If it's too loud just adjust the volume on your own computer using your volume controls. If you want to hear a different song just scroll down to the playlist on the right and click on a different one. If you don't like hearing the music just go to the playlist and click on the stop button-it's in the top left corner of the playlist. Enjoy the songs. I'll try and mix them up often!

First day of school

2007-09-06T06:35:00.000-05:00

School has finally started and the kids are thrilled. (well until I wake them up at 6:45 am and then they cry) Wolfe is in the 3rd grade and Brantley is in the 2nd. I can't believe they are so big! The year is going great and they love their teachers and the kids in their classes. Brooke misses them during the day but is quite the welcoming committee when they return! They love to have her squeal in delight and yell, "My Wolfe! My B!"

Camping trip at the mouth of the Potomac River

2007-09-05T09:49:00.001-05:00

I found this campground in Maryland that I thought would be a great place to spend the last weekend of summer. When we arrived the weather was mild, there was a stiff wind, and the kids were super excited to play in the water. Here is what our campsite looked like. Cool, huh?

Here is our view of the water from the campsite. Still cool...
Brooke loved the water and the waves were really a thrill.

Brantley and Wolfe also enjoyed jumping over the waves and swimming.

What there are not pictures or recordings of are the sweating parents, record temperatures the next day, rowdy Korean fisherman and latino families and Israeli young professionals that call this place party central - until 4 AM!!, the flat air mattress, Brantley's horrible case of poison ivy, Brooke's diarrhea, nasty bathrooms, need I say more??? We only lasted 28 hours and then drove away sandy and cranky.

I don't regret going because we did have some fun times, but I was sure glad to take a shower and get in my cool, clean, plump bed!

Trip to D.C.

2007-09-05T09:34:00.000-05:00

The kids and I went to D.C. to see my friend Sandy and her clan the week before their 2nd baby was due. (Joe was born the next week and is quite the looker I've heard!) They had just moved into a new house and she needed a friend to add some hominess to the chaos. So I arrived to give her a little sanity. Brooke and Pete loved getting reaquainted and Brantley and Wolfe loved doting on him. I know he looks older than Brooke but he's really 8 months younger. He's such a doll!!
This is the National Building Museum. Why would I bring 3 kids to this place? To show them the original plans for our nation's capital, of course. And... for the little know secret room called the "Building Zone" shown below. The kids loved it and it was a nice break from the heat.

Is this really August?

2007-08-21T15:40:00.001-05:00

We have gone from shorts weather to pants weather in the blink of an eye! It is raining and gray and the temp is in the low 60s. My kids want to go to the fair and to the pool today. Oh, well! At least they have friends over to play.

Not much going on in my world. School starts Monday and I think that we are all ready to get back into a routine. The kids are riding the bus this year and Mama and Brooke are thrilled! I don't have to get out of my pjs until whenever I feel like it and Brooke can nap the afternoon away. I am going to go and clean up my room now.

Adois!

The picture is of Brooke and her beloved Granddaddy (Jeremy's Dad)

Jeremy goes to Yosemite and Leah sits in E-town

2007-08-01T19:20:00.001-05:00

This is Jeremy on the top of the Half Dome "Diving Board". You have to look really close to see him.
I'm only posting because I am tired of looking at Brooke's backside everytime I go to my blog. Not much to say, really. Let's see....Oh! My mom is coming to stay for a week and we all can't wait to see her. Jeremy and I are going to NYC on Sat. for a childless weekend- hurray! While she is here we are going to freeze 10 dozen ears of corn and can a bunch of tomatoes. We are also planning on decorating both girl's rooms. What else...Jeremy just got back from California where he went to Yosemite and climbed Half Dome. He wants me to post a picture. So here you go.

Recent pictures

2007-07-21T12:42:00.000-05:00

Jeremy and I on our last camping trip. We had a great time playing cards that night with our friends the Troutmans. With this potty training thing happening, Brooke is now into "dressing" herself. I'll let the pics tell the story. Step 1.....
Step 2....she still needs a little instruction, don't ya think??
Just thought she looked cute in this one. I think she's eating some candy.
This is from our trip to Birmingham. Wolfe and Brantley love seeing their Uncle Saylor (Jeremy's bro).

My garden & yard

2007-07-20T08:28:00.000-05:00

I wanted to post some pictures of the how pretty my yard looks right now. I took these this morning. These are my black-eyed susans. I planted them last year and I didn't think they were going to make it. I obviously was wrong!This is one of my rose bushes. This was also planted last year and was doing fantastic until Japanese beetles ate it up about a month ago. It is finally starting to bloom again but you can see all of the chewed up leaves.
These sunflowers are coming up under one of my birdfeeders. My mom says that we have magic soil. They bloomed from seeds that the birds dropped. They are so pretty and I can see them from my kitchen table.
This is the produce that I harvested this morning from Abby and I's garden. There are 2 cucumbers, 1 bell pepper, 3 banana peppers, and lots of tomatoes. The tomato plants are covered in fruit and I will soon be overcome by them. Free tomatoes, anyone?
Here is a picture of the garden. On the left are the stalks of more sunflowers. Next to that are zuchinni and in front of them are cucumber. On the right you can see my green beans starting to grow. I will have to stake them this week. On the far right, outside of the picture, are my tomato and pepper plants. This is my first garden and I am thrilled with its success. I am already planning next year's crop.

Potty training at not quite 2 1/2!

2007-07-18T07:25:00.000-05:00

Brooke eating her first meal in her booster seat.

I have been happily teaching Brooke to use the potty this week. "What??", you say!! "Happily" and potty training don't belong in the same sentence! Well, Brooke has proven us wrong. I realized on Friday that she was ready to start the dreaded process when she was holding her privates while playing in her bathing suit. I put her on the potty and she actually went a little bit. I will hit the highlights of the last 5 days: Did fabo Sat. morning but still scared to relax and "let it flow". Same situation on Sunday afternoon but getting better. Monday was good - actually pooped in the potty. (sorry for the language- just speaking as a 2-yr. old would) Yesterday was the break-thru day. Only had one accident all day and got much more comfortable on the potty. In her words, "I do it Mommy, I do it!" She's such a big girl!! The best thing that happened yesterday was when she woke up from her nap. She usually wakes up very happy and plays for a while in her crib or just calls out my name to come and get her. When I heard her crying/whining for me I thought that maybe she had a foot stuck in the rails or something. When I got to her she was standing up "holding herself" and saying "potty, Mommy, potty!" with a frantic look on her face. I picked her up to notice that her diaper was completely dry. She sits on the potty and goes really well. Hurray!! I haven 't had such an easy go of the dreaded potty training before. Thank you, Lord, for life's little blessings. She woke up this morning and the first thing she said was "potty" and she went pretty as pie! That's my girl!

July, so far...

2007-07-08T20:01:00.000-05:00

I did get strep throat. Felt horrible for 3 days and then revived.

We took the kids camping at Locust Lake S.P. the weekend before the 4th. We had a great time and I think we'll try that park again sometime. There was a "beach" on the lake that the kids loved and a great bike trail around the lake. The forest there is really pretty - it reminds me of western NC, my absolute favorite. The only bad thing that came of the trip was my nasty case of poison ivy in unmentionable places - yikes! It's my punishment for peeing in the woods... The picture above is of our campsite. The weather was amazing - we actually had to wear sweatshirts in July!!

Not much else to report. I will also attach a pic of the kids and some more friends on the 4th. They were all watching Jeremy shoot off illegal Alabama fireworks. I am aware that you are wondering why Brooke is dressed as a Power Ranger...she's 2...

For some reason my pictures were uploaded in a weird order. The other two pics are from our jaunt to Coney Island on Thursday. Took the kids to the NY aquarium, ventured onto the beach ( a dirty place filled with glass and trash - apparently Coney Island is on the decline), and ate Nathan's Famous hotdogs. The kids had a blast.

Adios!

On the 2nd week of summer my true love gave to me: Hot, humid weather, 2 sick kids, a broken car AC, and a husband who'll be gone for 4 days.

2007-06-27T12:43:00.001-05:00

So here I sit, worrying that I am going to get strep like Brantley and Wolfe. I do feel achy all over and have a weird taste in my mouth...we'll see.

Since my last post we have done the following:
1. Driven 14 hours to Birmingham to see family. I drove the kids down without Jeremy. Brooke slept for a mere 45 min. and whined and hit her siblings the rest of the way. Spectacular! Drive home was better - Jeremy in tow and gave Brooke Benadryl.

2. Gone to the pool several times and the kids have loved it. Brooke is having so much fun in the huge baby pool!

3. Spent countless hours sitting in the backyard with my friend, Abby, watching our kids play and swim in our baby pool. Talked way too much about losing weight, wayward toddlers, kindergarten preparedness, home decorating, husbands, and Jon and Kate, plus 8!

4. Loving the fact that we have no set schedule!!!!

5. Gone camping once with Troutmans and are going again on Friday. Kids are super excited!

Not much else to say. Am going upstairs to nap until Brooke wakes up. I just gave B and W some more Tylenol after taking temps and they were both 104! They should also conk out soon.
Until next time....

This is sooo true!

2007-06-04T19:30:00.000-05:00

I stole this from Susanne's blog. I love it and I agree with all of it!! I will say, though, that I already do quite a few of these. Those in green are the ones I need to work on.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer)- slightly changed by Leah
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather/grandmother ramble about their youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. ( I don't tease my hair )
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's" More "I'm sorry 's."

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it .. .. live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us. Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with, and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

They are finally out!!!

2007-05-15T19:39:00.000-05:00

After many tears and my thwarted efforts to get the second of Brantley's front teeth out, it came out today at school with help from the school nurse. How she convinced Brantley to let her get a hand in there I will never know - she must have the magic touch. Brantley is very pleased with herself and wanted me to post a picture. She also just asked me if I keep her teeth? "Me? Keep teeth? I thought that the tooth fairy used them to make her castle.", I said. After much debate I said that I believed she was real and Brantley said that if I did then she did too. I have to drag out this childhood innocence as long as I can. I think that it is just so cute!!

My Escape to Florida

2007-05-03T09:14:00.000-05:00

I went to Jupiter, Fl for the weekend - ALONE! Jeremy gave me this trip for Valentine's Day - thanks, Sweetie. You know how much I needed it! Anyways, my friend, Tina, moved home to Jupiter in 2005 and I haven't seen her since. I have really wanted to visit but haven't had the opportunity until now. I had a wonderful time and realized how great the quality of life is there - especially if your parents have a killer house on the river and a boat! Below is a picture of Tina's parent's pool - cool, huh? On Sunday we took the boat out onto the sandbar in the Jupiter River/inlet. At low tide the bar is exposed and all these boats drop anchor and everyone hops out with kids, dogs, etc.. Talk about fun...It was here that I realized how envious I was of them and their spot on this great big earth. Here are Noah and Tina living it up in sunny southern Florida.
Here is the beautiful Jupiter Lighthouse. Tina and I went up the lighthouse on Saturday. I actually didn't make it all the way up. I began to get sweaty palms and hideous flashbacks of walking up the Statue of Liberty as a child and couldn't continue. I have a thing about circular staircases with see-through steps and no risers...I did make it about 3/4 of the way though. Tina said it was good that I turned around when I did because the railing at the top was really low and I would have had a panic attack. Thanks, Tina!
Here they are on the boat. Their little girl, Sara, had fallen asleep. We actually say a Loggerhead Turtle out in the ocean. I couldn't snap a picture soon enough, though.
"Where is Leah?" you ask? I avoid pictures of me in a bathing suit being posted on the internet. I figured Tina could handle it though. You can actually see that she has abs, unlike me!
Tina and I spent 2.5 glorious hours sitting on the beach all by ourselves. Other moms will understand how FANTASTIC that sounds. I would have actually flown all the way down there just to do that and then gotten back on the plane if necessary! It was that good! The weather was absolutely perfect as you can see in the picture.

I am now back in Pennsylvania and the weather is mercifully warm. Thank you, Lord! I did miss my kids and husband and have a renewed appreciation for them. But I am sure that my thoughts will still drift back to my feet in the sand....

Easter Weekend in D.C.

2007-04-11T13:51:00.000-05:00

Brooke is petting an otter statue. She was just glad that I had let her out of the stroller!
We woke up Sat. morning with snow on the ground. This is Max and Sandy's building.
Here is a famous D.C. cherry tree in full bloom but covered in snow. Neat, huh?
The kids really liked the "Jungle" at the botanical gardens.

We went to Washington D.C. for Good Friday and Saturday. We stayed at our friends the Schulz's who live in the district while they were in Rome. We went to the National Zoo, the Botanical Gardens and the Capitol steps.

Wolfe's 8th Birthday

2007-04-11T13:27:00.001-05:00

Wolfe's birthday party was so much fun. The boys played outside, went to Chuck E. Cheese, and ate cake and ice cream. Wolfe loved it! Here they all are on the deck. The sun was so bright that they had a hard time looking at me.
I stuck in a picture of Wolfe at the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. He come in first place in his Wolf den. Good job, bud!
He designed the cake. He wanted a cookie cake with a baseball on it. Anything you say, sweets!
Brantley and Brooke got to go to Chuck E. Cheese too. They had a great time. We went on a Friday from 4:30 to 6:00. It was a good time to go because no one was there until we were leaving.

Survey

2007-04-10T08:46:00.000-05:00

1. How old will you be in 10 months? 34
2. Do you think you'll be married by then? If not-wow, that came out of nowhere!!
3. What do you look forward to most in the next 3 months? Trip to Jupiter, FL to see my friend Tina
4. Who was the last person you called? My neighbor, Abby
5. Who was the last person to call you? Brantley's teacher - Mr. Richard
6. Do you prefer to call or text? call
7. Do you have any pets?Yes; Penny - golden retriever, Tigger - cat, and 5 fish
8. Are your parents married/separated/divorced. Were married 38? years, Dad died in 2004
9. When is the last time you saw your mom? Thursday, March 29th
10. How many states have you lived in? 2-Alabama and PA
11. Do you prefer shoes, socks, or bare feet? bare feet
12. Are you a social person? yes
13. What was the last thing you ate? pretzels dipped in mustard
14. What is your favorite ice cream? chocolate peanut butter
15. What is your favorite dessert? coconut cream pie
16. What kind of jelly do you like on your PB & J sandwich? blackberry preserves
17. Do you like coffee? yes
18. How many glasses of water a day do you drink on average? 2-4
19. What do you drink in the morning? Diet Coke, baby
.20. Would you rather sleep with someone else or alone? With Jeremy!
21. Do you know how to play poker? No
22. Do you like to cuddle? Yes
23. Have you ever been to Canada? yes
24. Do you eat out or at home more often? At home
25. Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you? no
26. Do you speak any other languages? No, Dora has taught me a bit of spanish though!
27. Have you ever gotten stitches? Yes, my little brother threw a coke bottle at my head when I was 5.
28. Have you ever been in an ambulance? No
29. Do you prefer an ocean or a pool? ocean to read a book by, pool for swimming
30. Do you prefer a window seat or an aisle seat? window
31. Do you know how to drive a stick shift? yes
32. What is your favorite thing to spend money on? kid's clothes
33. Do you wear any jewelry 24/7? yes, wedding rings and cross
34. What is your favorite TV show? 24 and America's Next Top Model
35. Can you roll your tongue? Yes3
6. Who is the funniest person you know? Susanne
37. Do you still have clothes from when you were little? yes, I went to a real uppity girl's camp when I was little and we wore special uniforms on the weekends - Blue ones on Sat. and white on Sun. I still have them. I used to keep them so that my girls could wear them when they went there, but I think it costs around $3000 for a session of camp now. Definitely out of the question! I also still have my Brownie uniform.
38. What is the color of your bedroom walls? Bleeker Biege
39. Do you shut off the water when you brush your teeth? No
40. Do you sleep with your closet doors opened or closed? Closed
41. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees? Bees!
42. What do you dip a chicken nugget in? try to avoid eating them
43. Can you change the oil on a car? No
44. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket? Yes, several.

I tag Angie! Have fun..

Last of the Snow pictures, I promise!

2007-04-02T06:53:00.000-05:00

I can alway get a great picture of Brantley. She was having so much fun that day!

Here are Wolfe, B, Will and Lily in their "snow cave".
This pic perfectly captures the joy my kids feel in the snow.
Brooke smiling in all her bucktoothed glory! Oh, the orthodontist bills we'll have...
Our first snowman! It was supposed to be a family project, but the kids quickly lost interest and Jeremy ended up doing the whole thing. I did add the cute scarf at least!

"A post, a post, a female post.."

2007-03-30T08:55:00.000-05:00

I have been told that I am not posting often enough. Thanks, Susanne! Well, I really don't even know what to say. Grandparents weekend was last weekend and we really enjoyed being with our family. The only bad part is when they have to go. We really do miss our family and being away from them is just getting harder, not easier. Last night, as Brantley was saying her prayers, we prayed for her cousin, Peter. After we were through, she asked when she would see him again. When I said, "June", she started crying. This is life without family close by. We know that God put us here. That when Jeremy accepted this job it was the right decision. We are enjoying our new lives here. The kids love their school, we love our church, we love our house, yard and neighborhood. I have made dear, sweet friends. It's still hard. Why am I so depressing in this post? Maybe it's just "that time of the month", I don't know....

Above is a picture of my family. We are on the beach in Seagrove Beach, Florida. It's so beautiful there. My favorite place, actually.

Snowday, Again...

2007-03-07T12:04:00.000-05:00

It is snowing, again! The kids are out of school and loving it. Here is the view from our back porch.
Brantley and Wolfe are reading a ton for a reading contest at school and Brooke is joining in!
Penny is having so much fun in the fluffy snow. She is also modeling some of Brooke's necklaces!
Brantley and Wolfe say, "Snow days rock!!!"

Here's Brooke looking like the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" in her hat. She is obsessed with B's rock collection.

Brooke is 2!!

2007-03-06T20:30:00.000-05:00

Here is Brooke on her 2nd Birthday! I can't believe that she's not my "baby" anymore. She has developed such a cute personality.
We had several families over to celebrate with us. Here is the gaggle of kids!
Brooke is showing off several of her gifts - Dora's "Backpack", a Dora purse, and several necklaces.
She loved her cake and fed herself without any help. Such a big girl!
Brooke and her best pal Lily who is looking a bit perplexed. She just wouldn't smile for me! Check out Lily's bib - Roll Tide!!!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

2007-02-14T18:32:00.000-05:00

Brantley, Wolfe and Penny getting ready to go sledding.
Brantley is about to go to her fort inside the "pine grove" in our backyard.
Brooke is playing in the snow for the first time! She loved it!
Brantley's first snow angel of the year. Since this it has snowed alot more. We have gotten at least 6 inches.
Brooke on her first sled ride. Brantley loves being a big sister!

2 Little Monkeys...

2007-02-08T11:48:00.000-05:00

Brooke and her friend Lily were playing in her room today... let me rephrase that, were destroying her room today...and decided to fix each other's hair - with diaper cream!

I know that it is not water soluble, so I'm assuming I'll have a difficult time at bath time. Any suggestions?

"Mess, Mommy, Mess" followed later by "Dirty, Mommy,Dirty"

2007-02-06T10:53:00.000-05:00

Just as I finished my last post, this is what Brooke said to me. I turn around and she had McDonald's caramel sauce all over her. Therefore: "Mess, Mommy, Mess". I don't even know where the caramel came from. It's not like we were eating lunch or anything. I cleaned her up in the sink. She then just had on a diaper - which I realized was dirty. I plopped her down on the floor and told her to go and get a clean diaper and wipes. She returns with a clean diaper and the book, "Skip to My Lou". I then tell her that we still need wipes. You may be thinking at this point, "Why doesn't Leah just go and get the wipes herself?" Well, now that I have figured out that Brooke can do a few things by herself, I have gotten a little lazy ... ;-) Anyways, she never comes down with the wipes but she does bring me her dirty diaper that she has pulled off. Therefore: "Dirty,Mommy,Dirty". I don't have any pics of this. I was too horrified to grab the camera. After making sure that she hadn't sat down on anything, back in the sink she went. She is now perfectly clean and loved her bath in the sink.
I, on the other hand, am not clean yet. Still in pjs...

My Southern Blood Has Frozen Solid!

2007-02-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

We don't have this much snow here, but we might as well! The windchill was -10 when the kids went to school today! The actual temp. is around 9 degrees F. Burrrr!!!
I am "carless" today because it got soo cold here that one of the parking brake cables on my car froze solid and it had to be replaced. Apparently just thawing it out wouldn't do the trick - ridiculous I say! My Southern car just can't seem to adjust. ;-)
Just me and Brooke here today. Jeremy is off to the even more bitter North (all the way to Maine!) and will return late this week. I did beg him to bring in lots of firewood for me and he did me right. thanks, sweetie!
So Brooke and I will thaw by the fire all day.
Aloha! (Just saying that warms my blood...)

This hits the nail on the head!

2007-01-31T14:15:00.000-05:00

I heard this poem in Bible Study today. I didn't write it but it expresses exactly how I feel.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'.
I'm whispering"I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow.

Christians - by Carol Wimmer

Typical Brooke Behavior

2007-01-27T07:28:00.000-05:00

I was quietly working on my blog and Brooke was watching TV in the den. She looks so cute and innocent doesn't she?
I hear a rustling going on for several minutes but it takes a few minutes for my mind to identify that Brooke has probably gotten in to something. Cornmeal to be exact - she is a Southern girl after all!
Here is what the sofa looked like...
and here is what she looked like after I took away the cornmeal. She pitched quite a fit!!
I don't think that she wanted her picture taken. Do you?
Oh, the joys of motherhood! The incident did actually get me to vacuum under the cushions of the sofa! I figured if I was vacuuming the top...

Favorite Things

2007-01-25T10:37:00.000-05:00

Favorites:
Food: Sushi and shellfish
Movie:Last of the Mohicans & Tommy Boy
Song: Free Fallin' by Tom Petty
Vacation: beach with entire family
Guilty Pleasure: oreos
Memories: Adult: sitting by campfire with husband in Maine while children alsleep in tent/ Childhood: laying on floor with whole family in den by a roaring fire while my father told ghost stories
Beverages: Diet Coke and Margaritas
Bible Verse: Jeremiah 29:11-13
Praise Song: Blessed Be Your Name
Smell: ocean air
Sound: little footsteps running across the floor
Holiday: Christmas
Sports team: Alabama Crimson Tide Football Team- Roll Tide Roll!!

Pics of family

2007-01-25T08:15:00.000-05:00

The first picture is of my mom with the grandkids on our bi-annual beach trip. Pic #2 is Thanksgiving 2006 at my brother's house. Pic#3 is of my sweet girls, Brantley & Brooke. Pic#4 is Wolfe dancing on the giant piano at FAO Schwartz in NYC. Pic#5 is of Wolfe and Brantley watching people ice skate in Bryant Park NYC. Pic #6 is of kids with my in-laws, Mimi and Granddaddy. Just a little peek into what our family looks like. I have realized that there aren't enough photos of Jeremy and I. Need to take some!

First Blog Post

2007-01-23T16:12:00.000-05:00

Children and I went to Roots Country Market today. I just love the contact with those who grew the food I am buying. Bought some delicious "summer crisp" apples - Wolfe and I's favorite. Am always amazed at the selection of produce, meats, and cheeses that are available there. There is nothing like this in the deep South. I don't know if there is even 1 butcher in Birmingham (where we used to live). At Roots alone there are, let's see...9! You can buy anything from rabbit, duck, many varieties of turkey sausage, beef, dried beef, scrapple, etc... I bought ground turkey and beef short ribs.

Brooke (my almost 2 yr old) has been a doll today. She has insisted on wearing her pink cardigan with the hood up all day. She even took a nap with it on and the hood on her head! She just walked in the room( with the cardigan and hood) holding a stick to a lollipop in one hand and the whole lollipop shoved in her mouth and in the other hand a bag of "runts" candy. She can find anything and will consume it! Here is a pic of sweet Brooke.