I am a wife, a mom, a scout leader, a student, a teacher, a music leader, a reader, and a part time super hero. When do I have time you ask? Well, who really needs that much sleep?
This was the 'path' we had to take to find the cache. Let me tell ya... the kids enjoyed the water. Around the bed was a narrow crevice that we were able to climb up. The kids had fun!!! Paul and I had fun too!! Below is a video Paul took after we found the cache and made it back to the water. When he shows you the water we had to cross -- remember, we were each carrying a child when we jumped over it. haha! Tons of fun... wet feet and all.
After this one we went and found the one hidden at the library. Yes, there's one at the library. hehe!! ;)
Here's the kids booty... haha! They have been thoroughly spoiled. =o) Santa gave them the Elefun game, socks, two small toys, an orange, and 3 peppermint sticks Paul and I gave them each their three gifts for the wise men. Precious gifts - a board book about adoption (R) and a music box (C); Fun gifts - Handy Manny's Motorcycle (C) and babydoll accessories (swing, stroller, high chair, changing pad, potty, baby monitors...etc) (R) ; Practical gifts - church shoes (R) and jeans (C). Everything else came from extended family and friends.
Here is Ronni eating her breakfast while wearing her tutu and headband... which she is wearing again today.
Collin loved his music box. He just laid there on the floor listening to it for a while. Let me give you background on the music box though. Collin used to dream all the time that he had a music box... the kind that you open the lid and it plays music. Then he would wish on a star most nights for a music box, the kid even prayed for a music box. haha! Now he has one!
This is a new hobby our little family has gotten into. It is tons of fun! The picture above is of Collin finding his first cache!! He was so proud! =o) It was our... fifth cache I think but the first one he spotted on his own.
This was our first microcache. I don't know if you can see it but if you look closely in Collin's hand you can see a little black spot. That is the cache. The roll of paper in my hand is the log. It's a little slip of paper that was rolled up so that it would fit in that little cache. haha! Fun!
This was us hanging out in the woods in search of a cache. We were waiting for the GPS to figure out our location.
This was our very first cache and the start of a very addictive hobby. =o)
If you are curious about geocaching then check out this video from youtube. It sorta sums it up...
The Sunbeam class at church all met w/ their teacher one Saturday to decorate gingerbread houses. Unfortunately, Collin and I were both sick that day -- I mean, puking sick -- not fun. Anyways, his teacher saved the gingerbread house she had put together for Collin, along with a bunch of candy and the directions to make the glue, I mean icing, to decorate and hold all the candy on. Collin and I brought it home and I let him go crazy with it. haha! I tried to make a little path in the front yard. It's made of jellybeans and lined with gumdrops but Collin put so many decorations in the yard you can't find the path. LOL! He had tons of fun and the whole family has enjoyed munching on it throughout the Christmas season.
Somehow I didn't get a picture of Collin's cake but it was a great cake for him... orange and green! His two favorite colors. Anyways... for his birthday he got skates, safety pads and helmet, a toy bulldozer and $30.
This one was just so cute I had to share. Ronni was playing in her room. She likes to remove the sheets from her bed and just make a mess of her room. I noticed things were really quiet back there. Those of you who know Ronni know that she and quiet just don't blend. When I went back there to check on her I found her like this -- asleep under the beds. haha! So cute!!
We gave her the doll baby. It's actually really creepy but she loves it. It coos and laughs and makes sucking sounds when the bottle or pacifier is in its mouth. She also got a toddler's laptop with tons of games and another baby along w/ $30 she has yet to spend.
Just chillin'. We were waiting for the rest of the gang. My kids were the oldest kids in the group and were the first to get bored so we were way ahead of the rest.
I thought this was the coolest picture! Collin watching the penguins.
Like I said before... it's been a while so I need to catch up. This trip was the result of a potty training bribery for Collin that was about 6 mos late.
Here's the letter we sent out in our Christmas cards... everyone didn't get a card... sorry folks. It's b/c you already know what's happening in our lives. =-D
Merry Christmas everyone! I can’t believe it’s already Christmas again. This year seemed to go by faster than normal. Lots of things have happened in our little family. We are still in Aiken, SC, in our tiny house that we are slowly outgrowing. My (Linda’s) mom is serving a mission for the Church in Rochester, NY mission. I am very proud of her. 2009 has been a good year for us.
Paul’s life hasn’t changed much since last year. He told me to just write, “see 2008 Christmas letter”. I decided not to do that and to just update everyone on him. He’s still the executive secretary at church. He is also still in school BUT (there’s a big ‘but’) he only has ONE semester left. We are all very excited about this. It seems like he’s been in school for forever. He is also still at Chick-Fil-A as the night manager.
There have been a few changes in my life. Instead of working mornings I work nights now. The kids never even know I’m gone because they’re long asleep by the time I leave. I also started school in July and I’m majoring in elementary education. I was called as the primary president in June. This has kept me very busy. I never realized so much was involved in running the primary.
Collin has become quite the computer nerd. He takes after his father in many ways. He loves to play games on the computer. He can get you from the computer being completely off to getting you online to pbskids.org or one of his other games. He even knows how to reboot the computer if it freezes up. He turns four this month and he is so excited to be the same age as Caillou (a character on a children’s show). He loves to learn and still wants to be an astronaut when he grows up. He was so excited to have had the opportunity to pretend to be one for Halloween. We found him an astronaut costume online and he waited in the window many days wondering when it would get here. He is a complete momma’s boy and I love it!
Ryanne is very much a talker. She gives you a play by play of what everyone does all day long. She will cuddle when she’s in the mood and is very stubborn. She loves to eat. In fact, that’s what she asked for Christmas. I ask her what she wants for Christmas and she replies with one of two answers, “eat food!” or “pizza!” We think she’s going to be the artistic one of the family but she’s only two right now so we’ll just have to wait and see. The most exciting thing that happened for Ryanne (and the rest of us too)this year was that the adoption was finally finalized on August 31. It was an awesome day!
Our lives have been good. We have been richly blessed and I am so grateful for the birth of our Savior and for this wonderful holiday season! Merry Christmas!
Collin is such a ham! He wouldn't smile for the camera when it was just him. Either that or he was making a face or his eyes were closed. This one I had to crop out of a pic w/ both of them only Ronni was making a goofy face in this one. haha! No cooperation, I tell ya!
Goofy kiddos!
This one was funny b/c Collin was hugging his sis but Ronni doesn't look too happy about it... maybe lack of oxygen is doing that to her. haha!
Wow... how did I get so behind with this? I remember when I used to blog every couple of days and no it's every couple of months. I am so sorry! I probably have no more followers. haha! I will try very hard to be better. ;)
