Peppermint Lane

End of Summer 2011

2011-10-20T14:19:00.001-05:00

The First day of school. I have a fifth grader and second grader. It really does go by fast!

Fiona's edible cell project. She did all by herself.

Walk to school day.

Having lunch with Aida. Kellyn loved the hot lunch!

Going on camping trip over Labor day. We had some much stuff, it was crazy!

Summer 2011 Highlights

2011-10-20T13:53:00.000-05:00

So, I thought you might enjoy some highlights of our summer.

Fun at Sunset Beach with some friends.

Kellyn trying to ride the Bike at Eagle Crest. ( He loves all things that move or have buttons!)

Picking Raspberries at Grandma Judy's

Grandma's new patio. We were happy that the remodel was in it finishing stages this summer! By the way the house looks amazing.

Spending time with family in Colorado

Kellyn eating a Arby' s Burger. It was his first. Totally, made me laugh.

Quilt show. Sister's Oregon

Allison and Wonderland themed Quilts at the show. They were fun! Girls really liked them.

For the First time Nana, along with Aunt Ti and Aunt Michelle came for the day.

Sally and I. We took a class together seven yrs ago. It was of my first classes I took at Quilter's affair. I was actually 5 months pregnant with Aida that year. She was helping out in the kid's booth this year and helped Aida and Fiona. So it was fun, to see her

Summer Fun!

2011-07-27T19:15:00.003-05:00

We took a trip in the end of June to the Island of Grand Bahama. It was my parents 45th wedding anniversary trip and they invited us to come along. We had so much fun! I think it was a much needed vacation for the whole family. This was our view from our room. It was awesome.

Girls in the infiniti pool. The Girls were Grandma Judy's little swimming buddies. We spent a lot of time in the water! The water was so warm!

We did a Dolphin encounter. It was amazing! I think we all agreed it was the highlight of the trip.

The Family picture

The Happy couple. Married Sept 3rd 1966.

Kellyn's First Birthday

2010-11-02T19:25:00.000-05:00

We had a circus\carnval theme. The girls had a fun time decorating and helping me get ready. They were very excited!

On ichat with both sides of the family, so they could be apart of his Birthday.

The Elephant Cake. Just about didn't happen, Sean had to be sent to his room during the middle of frosting the cake and I took over!

Rite of Passage. (Tradition for our kids on their first Birthday to have their own cake.) He dug in and went to town. Definitely more interested in the cake then our girls ever were! I was a little surprised by this............

Going for the cupcake stand!

Fall

2010-11-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

Fall Break, Pumpkins, Color changes, Cooler weather.

Kellyn sitting in the pumpkins at Hicklen's Pumpkin patch.

The girl's with Kellyn.

Having Grandma Judy come for quick visit while they girls were on Fall Break.

Cleaning out the guts. (One of my favorite things to do)

Some of our finished pumpkins

School has begun........

2010-10-18T23:43:00.000-05:00

First Day of School. (August 13th) I can't believe it, I have a 4th grader and 1st grader.

They were so excited to wear their new shirts that Papa had gotten them the week before.(Justice is the rage, as is animals on shirts!)

Sean was able to help take them to school this year with me. Fiona didn't even look back, she sent us on our way, but Aida was a little nervous and cried when we left. It broke my heart when we left. I was a little surprised as she is so outgoing, but I guess we all get a little nervous every once in while. I got a report back that she was fine within a few minutes after we left.....

Happy 10th

2010-10-18T23:41:00.000-05:00

For our ten year anniversary Sean and I went to Washington DC for a long weekend. My mom came and stayed with the girls, so we could go. I'm still nursing a Kellyn, so he came along for the ride. It was a whirl-wind trip, but we had a great time.

The one exhibit we had to go see. It didn't disappoint.

Our friends Amy and Phil who used to live in DC, told us not to miss Breakfast at the Eastern market. It was a hour wait, but the food was great!

Library on Congress

Botanical Gardens

Lincoln Memorial. The view was spectacular.

Capital Building

Sean was being able to spend the day with his brother on our last day.

We can't wait to go back again. We have a country of rich heritage.

And some more..........

2010-10-18T23:22:00.001-05:00

Summer highlights. Visiting the aquarium with Grandpa Jim.

Swimming. Lots of it! We even managed to so swimming lessons.

Going to South Dakota. We flew to Denver at the end of our Oregon trip and took a family trip to Mt. Rushmore. (It is about a six hour drive from Denver to Keystone) Here we are at Reptile Gardens, with a tortoise that is 129 years old!

Bear Country.

I was a little nervous about the Bear sniffing at the car door!

We were so glad that Sean was able to meet us, as he doesn't have much vacation time. We had so much fun!

The extended family at Bear Country.

Growling like Bears!

Mt. Rushmore, It was amazing! What a work of Art and dedication of Gutzon Borglum.

The Needles, the scenery of breath taking, but Narrow.

Custard State Park. Stopping for a Picnic and some fishing.(A favorite pastime of the Moyer's) There were lots of animals to see and sadly did not get any good pictures of the Buffalo herd because it was dark when we got stuck in the middle of them!

They were able to feed the mini Burrows that roam the park.

Some more Summer Highlights...............

2010-10-15T09:28:00.004-05:00

Kellyn seeing some of his extended family for the first time on our Oregon trip.(June\July 2010)

Monkey Ryan, Gavin, Cooper and Kellyn

Kellyn with Uncle Rahul, Aunt Heather, Aunt Roopali.

Grandma lyn and Grandpa Bob with kellyn. Uncle Mike and Aunt Pat with the girls. We are so glad they stopped to see us in North Bend.

Spending the day with Grandmie. We were so glad she was feeling better.

Spending time at Glen Eden Beach. It was Beautiful.

Sisters Oregon, Our annual trip to the quilt show.

Meeting up with Cousins the day of quilt show. What fun! Its the second year we've been able to do this. Maybe this will be a new tradition for us! Grandma Judy with the Girls the morning of Quilt show.

One of Sue Spargo Quilt's. I took a class from her this year again. She does wonderful hand Applique using wool and embellishment stitches and materials. The second quilt was one my favorites on display on Saturday.

Some Highlights

2010-08-20T11:23:00.000-05:00

Hello, I know I'm still here. Some highlights of the end of the school year and summer

Aida finishing up soccer. They were called the "Orange Crush." Sean Coached them and had a great time doing it.

Sean's sister Roopali came to visit. We had fun and she got to see Fiona perform in the her school play.

Fiona's 9th Birthday. She had a Super Star party with Karoake. It was fun for all!

We went to Animal Kingdom and used our free passes from doing the "Day of Service" with Disney. We made blankets for Project Linus. It was surprise for the girls, as we did blankets way back in February and we didn't tell them that by doing the blankets we got passes.

They loved getting Autograph's from the different Characters

See the Baby Gorilla in the background? Isn't he cute. He was about the size of Kellyn.

Why we were in Florida, we took the kids to the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. It was awesome. We went to Satellite Beach.

Kellyn getting in the action.

This were Sean ruined his iphone. Oh well!

Aida had her Dance Recital.

We had a ..............

2010-07-14T12:57:00.000-05:00

Special visitor for Aida's debut as the Mother Pig in the Three Little Piggy Opera. Nana flew in for a few days to see Aida sing and go to the marathon of Soccer games and to see Kellyn for the first time. We are so glad she came. It was a great visit!

Waiting for the Opera to start!

Kellyn, six months.........

2010-04-23T22:07:00.003-05:00

He started sucking his thumb. It is really sweet. (I have an ultra sound showing him sucking his thumb, but this is the first he has done it out of the womb.) Hopefully, it won't be problem in few years for us! He ways 17lbs and is 25 inches. He still wants nothing to do with bottle or food. He is still not sleeping through the night. So his Momma is more then a little tired!

Kellyn sleeping with his Daddy!

Pictures........

2010-04-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd try and post a few pictures while Kellyn takes his nap. Here are some things that we've been up too the last few months.

Making blankets with the girls for Project Linus. We did eight in all. It was a fun Service project for our family.

Seeing my good friend Becky. It was awesome. Just want I needed.

I told Sean that all I wanted to do was visit my best friend Becky from High School for my Birthday. Sean, never one to shy away from a road trip, said lets go! She lives about five hours away in Indiana. It was awesome. We had a such a great time and our girls get along great. One best Birthday presents I have ever gotten from Sean! (Disclaimer: the picture is not very good, but the only one we got!)

The girl's had one day off of School, so we went to the Zoo. I think this was Kellyn's second time. We have an awesome zoo! We are excited because we are getting Flamingo's this summer!

The Relief Society Quarterly meeting. My calling at church is plan the quarterly meetings and also monthly activities. We did a Super Saturday. It was a lot of hard work, but everything turned out great.

Just want I wanted for my Birthday! Boots. Thanks mom, I love them. ( I'd been talking to my mom about getting boots since September, but with having a baby and all it still hadn't happened in March.)

Finished up Basketball in February with Fiona and starting soccer in March. Fiona with her teamate. She is showing improvement. Aida is also doing soccer and is very excited her Dad is coaching her.

Dyeing Easter eggs(100 eggs this year).

We had help this year with the Valentine kids. We were so lucky that they came down to visit us for the weekend. We did lots of fun things like an Easter Egg hunts at Henry Horton, and a boat Ride at Opryland Hotel. Fiona and Ava having a great time.

Easter morning. Kellyn's first Easter. The girls were so excited for him and very worried the Easter Bunny might not have left him anything. Never Fear, the Easter Bunny didn't forget him!

Playing the Piano

2010-03-26T10:52:00.003-05:00

Fiona started taking Piano lessons again a couple of months ago. She is really thriving.

Once Fiona started up, Aida kept asking to do Piano, too.

5 months old

2010-03-23T10:29:00.000-05:00

Kellyn is 17lbs! He keeps gaining, but still has no interest in food or a bottle. He is happy boy and loves to be held and likes to take short naps. He has no interest in rolling over or being on his stomach, but can sit up and loves to stand up on our laps. He has very tight grip and is really good at pinching! He is ticklish under his arms and has the sweetest laugh. The girls love him to death and can't stand it if he cries. Fiona has become his protector. Days just seem to roll into each other for me and I'm a little sleep deprived, but I am enjoying life and being a mom.

We all enjoy a laughing baby

2010-02-23T21:34:00.009-06:00

Since laughter is contagious:

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-11T08:36:00.001-06:00

From time to time Aida's teacher sends home a flip Video.

Winter storm warnings

2010-02-01T09:10:00.005-06:00

The first week of school back we had winter storm warnings. They canceled school for a couple of days, but we didn't get snow until the third day, just cold temperatures! This is Kellyn first snow!

They canceled school again because of winter storm warnings on Friday. We woke up to no snow, but by the end of the day had about 4 inches. The problem is the ice, we woke up to solid ice Saturday Morning. We could skate across the snow! They canceled church yesterday, and school today again because it has yet too unfreeze.

Our neighbor is getting pulled by her dog. It was a genius idea!

Trying to sled......... Saturday, it was pretty good.

The GREATEST show on Earth

2010-01-23T22:04:00.003-06:00

Here we are at the Barnum and Bailey Circus! Aida was totally mesmerized by it it. She thought it was awesome! Fiona loved it, Kellyn just sat on my lap and took it all in. It was a amazing show, we all really enjoyed it. The tickets were gifts for Christmas from my brother Jared's family, but I know it was really all Jill's doings! As Fiona said, it was the best Christmas present ever. Thank you!

Yes, before you ask I cut my hair off a couple of weeks ago. I was the gossip in the neighborhood! I think it totally took them by surprise!

Growing Up

2010-01-21T08:51:00.004-06:00

It struck me the other day how grown-up Fiona is getting. She loves to cook. So, I've been letting her do some things on her own in the kitchen. Over Christmas break she started making peanut butter cookies on her own and was having Aida help her. She had gotten out the cookbook and picked a recipe. I noticed what was going on probably about half way through, and to be honest I was extremely tired having been up a couple of times the night with Kellyn, so didn't say anything and let her finish. She did Awesome! She has also made pancakes a couple of times all on her own. Last Sunday, she helped with making breakfast, she did scrambled eggs, sausage, and muffins.

Of course, she wanted whip cream and chocolate chips on the pancakes!

December........

2010-01-20T13:19:00.000-06:00

December was full of a lot fun.......

Fiona had her first Basketball game.

Fiona performing at her school assembly with her class.

Kellyn making his debut as baby Jesus in our Church activity.

The girls in the Angel choir that same night.

With Santa at the the Christmas Tree farm.

The tree we finally all agreed on at the Christmas tree farm. (We had two, this one went upstairs and the girls decorated it.)

Kellyn at two months. He is 131bs!

Secret Santa........ We don't know who it was, but it was a wonderful gesture and the girls loved it!

Sean and girl's making a ginger bread house. It turned out awesome!

Aida in her Christmas outfit. Everyone at church thought she was so cute!

The girls and Kellyn on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve dinner with friends. We had clam chowder and ham. Dinner was a lot of work, but well worth it.

We decided to go to the Aquarium in Chattanooga after Christmas. It was well worth the trip. We will be going to back to visit soon!

Our friends the Wylykanowitz's came for a few days and spent New Year's Eve with us. We had great time.
Our kids did a lot of dancing and putting on shows for us. It was fun to watch!

Hello..........

2009-12-11T13:43:00.006-06:00

I've been absent, understandable, since I have had a lot of visitors(3weeks plus) and and a newborn. Please forgive me! I'll try and be better. Although, lack of sleep does and nursing has turned my brain to mush!

The Sunday after Thanksgiving my neighbor volunteered to take family pictures in field near our house. This is one of my favorites with the girls.

My parents with all their grandkids.
Sean and his dad with the kids.

Sean with Kellyn. I've been told he beams when talking about Kellyn!

Us. The family....

Miss Fiona. She was hamming it up. It reminded me of when she was about 5 wanted to get her picture taken!Aida and Fiona. They are my sweet girls.

"Grandkids"

Cousins. Jacob and Titan. Check out Moyer Mayhem for more pictures.

My neighbor also took some pictures of Kellyn for me when he was about 3wks old.(Nov.16th) These are some of my favorites.

Name and a Blessing

2009-12-01T19:55:00.000-06:00

We were lucky enough to have some special guests for Kellyn's Baby blessing. My Brother and his family, my parents and Sean's dad.

Sean with Fiona, Kellyn, and Aida. They were so excited about his blessing and taking him to church for the first time. They are really good big sisters.

Sean gave a really nice blessing. A few things that were mentioned:
*strong person in our family and will love your sisters and mother
*grow strong through primary and young men's organization and that you will be taught by special teachers and leaders
*bless you to search the scriptures and to find Solace in their pages
*bless you to understand revelation and how to receive it
*follow the Savior and learn of the Atonement-it will be a great blessing in your life

Aida's Birthday

2009-11-28T11:44:00.002-06:00

Aida was so excited for her sixth Birthday. Especially, since family was going to be in town. She kept talking on how many times she would get to celebrate and who was going to be their. We celebrated on her actually birthday by going to dinner at Olive Garden, which according to her is her favorite place. Uncle Rod and Aunt Sandy were able to go with us and then we opened a few presents.

The next day uncle Jared, Aunt Jill and Jacob and Titan arrived for their visit. So we did cake and more presents. She really wanted a Barbie cake. She talked about it for weeks. She even showed me the cake at Kroger. Well, I was able to have special one made for her that was better then the one at Kroger. She love it! See the little 6's around the skirt.

Aida loving her Birthday cake!

Aida and Jacob. She was so happy about getting a webkinz's from her cousins.

I don't have any pictures, but we also celebrated when Grandma Judy and Grandpa Jim and Papa when they came later in the week. Some new clothes, Up Movie and a Koala webkinz. I think we made up for all the years that her Birthday was overshadowed by Thanksgiving! She was a very happy little girl. Thanks to everyone who made her Birthday very special this year.

Aunt Sandy & Uncle Rod

2009-11-23T19:32:00.001-06:00

We were lucky enough to have a Sean's aunt and uncle come and visit us just before Thanksgiving. We are so glad they came to visit us while they were in the South. Sandy did all the cooking and laundry. It was so nice to be spoiled!

GOOOOAAAAALLLLL !!!!!

2009-11-15T11:08:00.006-06:00

Aida (#7) scored the last goal of the last game of the season this year. In the video below she's the 3rd goal scorer.

http://flickr.com/gp/johnlamb/219a83

This is Aida kicking the (silver) ball at the goal. Nice form!

October 2009 Fall Activities

2009-11-14T02:31:00.007-06:00

Hicklen Farm is down the road from our house. It is a family owned farm that dates back to the Civil War. I think that is pretty cool. My mom and I took the girls to get pumpkins for Halloween.

Fiona, Sean, and Aida getting ready for Trunk or Treat. We have Funky mood Girl, Soccer Player, Pink Fairy.

The girls working on their pumpkins.Sean spent a few ours on his pumpkin. He was pretty intense. It was pretty cool!(If you don't know already, Sean is Soccer Fanatic)

Notice the slug! Yuck!

Aida the Cooking Witch making cookies with Grandma. (Fiona was at her first Halloween party down the street.)

Halloween
It was a little chilly this year, but the girls still had a great time. Everyone was out and we had such fun with our neighbors and friends. (Kellyn and I stayed home and passed out candy)

We named him......................

2009-11-06T08:46:00.003-06:00

Kellyn(Kel-lyn) Sean Gates
Kellyn=Warrior
Sean=God is Gracious

Here he is Sunday Oct.25th with his Sisters after church. We brought him home from the hospital later that evening.

Kellyn wrapped in the Gates blanket. All of Sean's siblings and now all of the grandkids have been brought home in this blanket.

Sean the proud Dad leaving the Hospital. In truth, I think he was just glad we finally named Kellyn and he could take us home.

The minute we got home from the Hospital the girls had to hold him. It is now a ritual to hold him before and after school.They are very loving with Kellyn.

Picture with the soccer blanket. By the way, Kellyn has soccer feet according to Sean. I'm sure he will do a post on this!

Sean trying to instill the love of chocolate at a very early age to Kellyn!

He is so sweet.

Halloween. 8 days old.

It's a boy!

2009-10-23T21:12:00.008-05:00

Well, today we welcomed a beautiful baby boy into our family. At a hefty 8 lbs. 14 oz and 20.5 inches long he is a big 'un. :D Check out the great pictures below.

Julie's first moments with him. He looked right at her when she talked to him.

When they took him to the crib to measure him he held onto my finger for a moment

A better close up just moments after birth while they checked his vital signs and recorded all his stats.

Julie and I with the baby boy

The first time I got to hold him

He's checking me out

Fiona was a little unsure at first, but after Aida got to hold him, she was all over it and held him for quite a while. They are very, very happy big sisters. I'm sure they'll have tons of fun (and probably some skirmishes) with their little brother.

More to follow ...

Fiona First Soccer game of Third Grade

2009-09-12T20:05:00.000-05:00

Fiona is #2

Sean on sidelines with the coaches during the game. He isn't a coach but goes to help out at every practice. The head coach seems to travel a lot so they welcome his help. (He can't help it! His kids playing soccer and he can't stand not being able to kick the ball around with them!) He is really great with the kids, but likes not having the pressure of being a coach or even the assistant! Fiona is really loving soccer spending time with Sean doing something he loves, I think that is why she is enjoying it so much.

See Sean coaching Fiona from the sidelines.

Although, it is not Fiona's first soccer game, she hasn't played on team since Kindergarten. She is doing great, considering she is one of the younger girls as it is U10.

Aida's First Ever Soccer Game

2009-09-12T10:01:00.003-05:00

On our way to the field. Aida is number 7.

A smile before the game.

Aida wanted to goof off with my camera.

The Kickoff!

A taste of the game:

She had strep throat and cold all week, so we really debated in letting her play on Saturday, but I'm glad we did! (She missed all week at school) I think she did pretty well considering how sick she was during the week. She really loves soccer and especially with Sean going to practice and helping with the team.

Nursery Rhyme Parade

2009-09-04T20:40:00.000-05:00

Aida has been studying Nursery rymes at school, ever day she comes home with new one or two that they have learned. They did a parade through the school with all the Kindergarten classes on Friday. The kids were supposed to pick their favorite Nursery rhyme and dress up. Aida was "Jill"- Although she really wanted a black wig and couldn't find one, so she was a little unhappy with me!

Her class after the parade- I think all the boys were all King Cole!

Aida's Art shop- The Kindergarteners built a town decorate the hallways in conjuction with Nursery Rymes. This set off quite a frenzy of Art fun at our house. Fiona of course, was helping and had to decorate her school journal!

Sunday afternoon fun!

2009-08-31T21:06:00.001-05:00

yum.......Cookies

Sean was out of town for a couple of days, so to keep the girls busy on Sunday afternoon we made cookies and took them to our neighbors. ( I think we had more fun then he did as he got stuck in the Airport all day due to Thunderstorms in Atlanta.)

Faces of Aida

2009-08-20T19:39:00.002-05:00

on her first day of Kindergarten.................

She insisted on riding the bus. She jumped right in and didn't need her Mama! She had no fear and was so excited that she was finally getting to go to school.

She didn't want to hold still for her picture!

Fiona and Aida waiting for the bus. The bus comes right to our front door.

Fiona is walking Aida to her classroom. I couldn't keep up! Fiona is a awesome big sister.

Aida is delighted to have Ms. Kuhn's for her teacher. This was Fiona's teacher for second grade, so it made it even more special for Aida as that is who she wanted!

First Day ...........

2009-08-16T14:39:00.000-05:00

Off too Third Grade! (August 13th,2009)
Of course, Fiona didn't want me to take her too school, but at the last minute decided it was okay for me to take her.

The girls in front of the house. Aida was tested for Kindergarten, but doesn't start till next week. She was very disappointed that she wasn't going to go to school yet!

More of pictures...........

2009-08-15T14:09:00.000-05:00

Aida with Yellowstone lake in the background.

Fiona at the painted pots.
Fiona and Aida at the Painted pots.
Yellowstone lake with Geisers in front.
We left Yellowstone and went through Wyoming(by way of Cody) The scenery was breathtaking. I don't think my pictures do it justice.

Denver. We stayed a few days with my brother's family. We went to the Denver Botanical gardens. It was beautiful.

They had hidden dinosaurs throughout the garden and then a play area for the kids to uncover the dinosaur bones.
And then we hightailed it home to Tennessee. I think it was the longest two days for the girls. They figured out some interesting ways to sit in their seat! Sean was so glad to see us ! We made it home with 4 days to spare before school starts out here.

Going Home!

2009-08-12T10:04:00.000-05:00

We left for home Monday morning after spending spending the weekend getting ready to leave and dealing with Fiona not feeling good and Uncle Paul and Uncle Joseph coming home 24 hours before we left. Paul and Joseph were good sports and played with girls all Sunday after church. They had such a great time and of course Fiona loved it because they like to play games!(uno spin, mexican domino's, etc) We headed to Portland to spend sometime with Family. The only glitch is that Fiona was not feeling well and I ended up taking her to our old Doctor when we got in town. She had a really bad evening and night before and I knew something was definitly wrong. She ended up having an ear infection. ( I originally thought it was swimmers ear, from swimming under water so much!) Anyway, we got that cleared up and she was able to get on some antibodics and go back to her Grandparents house to play with the cousins and spend time with the Gate's side. I had plans to drop in and visit some my friends at Nike, but that kinda got pushed to the wayside because of Fiona trip to the Doctor, I was a little sad about that. My sister-in-law Heather got some good shots of the cousins playing together.(July29th posting) It of course was stinking hot and and Monkey Ryan was good sport and played in the pool with them. We left early that evening to drive to Baker City spend a day or so with Uncle Rod and Aunt Sandy in Baker City. We kept it very low key. We got to pick Rasberries and green beans and just hang out and rest. We got to see the new renovations on their house. I was so impressed!

Rod and the Girls watching Disney together!

Rod drove the girls around in his hot-rod! They loved it! He was a good sport! Next time they want him to take them to the Mountains in it and you know they won't forget!

From Baker City we went to Pocatello and then on too West Yellowstone, with a quick stop in Rexburg. I went to school in Rexburg about- well lets just say a few years ago! It has changed so much. It isn't a small town anymore!

Yellowstone was amazing, we only were able to spent about two days and that wasn't enough time! We will definitely be going back. We saw lots of animals and natural wonders. The girls loved it. We at one point had to wait for the Buffalo to cross the road! Yellowstone was the first National park ever created.

One of the first things we saw at the Park!
About a quarter of the Buffalo herd we got stopped by. It was pretty amazing.

Artist viewpoint( 3 waterfalls different levels)

Dragon's lair (it was noisy) This was my favorite!

The Girls at the Painted Pots.

Yellowstone in know for its "Old Faithful" Geyser that goes off about every hour and half. Fiona loved and had go see it go off several times. We had a great time!

Oregon Vacation-July12th-26th

2009-08-04T17:51:00.008-05:00

After the Sister's quilt show, we headed back to my parents home. Where we cleaned, watered the garden daily, did swimming lessons, went to the beach, did some sewing and played with Fiona's Penpal Jessica.
The girls had swimming lessons at the pool every morning for a week and a half. Fiona was learning how do flip turns, and a little bit of stroke work. Aida is floating on her back on her own and a even stronger swimmer. Her next step is breathing to the side. The both love playing mermaids and sharks. I can't keep them on top of the water!

The girls helped Grandma plant and weed in the garden and earned some vacation money doing it. My parents have Rasberries and Logan berry patches in their yard and they just let the girls pick and do as they please with them. We made freezer Jam one day with Fiona friend Jessica. Fiona had a Penpal this last year with my parents neighbor granddaughter. Her Grandparents made arrangements for her to come and spend a week while Fiona and Aida were in town. They played every after for a week. I tried to have an activity for them to do every afternoon. We went to Sunset Beach, Shore Acres, made Jam, Made Necklaces, painted pictures.

The girls at Sunset Beach.

Fiona and Jessica at Shore Acres.
The Rose Garden at Shore Acres was gorgeous this year. I think it was the prettiest I've ever seen it.

We spent a few days up the coast a few days before we left Oregon. We went to Sea Lion Caves. It is the largest Sea Cave in the World. We also went to Yaquina lighthouse and walked up to the top light. It is still a functioning lighthouse.

View from one of the Windows on the way up.

The girls walking down the 172 steps after being at the top. I did it too!

Grandma and girls at the swimming pool in Depot Bay. Grandma really likes to take them swimming. I think it is her most favorite thing to do with the girls.

Aida posing- She is a little fish!

We also hit the outlet stores in Lincoln City and got the girls a few things for school. Then we headed back to my parents for two days where we got to see all the fish Grandpa Jim caught on his Canada trip. He caught a 1741b Halibut. That's about 80 pound fish meat! Uncle Paul and Uncle Joseph also showed up to help my parents do grunt work, so they can start some of their remodeling project. They spent Sunday afternoon entertaining and playing with the girls before we left on Monday morning.

Sisters, Oregon 2009

2009-07-26T12:53:00.011-05:00

Sisters Quilt show 2009

We had a great time or should I say I did. It is tradition for the girls and I to go and for Sean to come up for the weekend at least, some years it's been more. Along the way I convinced my mom and my Sister to do classes with me during the week now that Jennifer is gone it something my mom and do together. I've gone for the past 10 years in row. So, I'm not ashamed to say this week is really about me, but the girls really are starting to love it, too.

This year I took two classes. The first class was called Magnolia by Sue Spargo. She is a folkart quilt artist. She works with wool and embellishments. It was a two day class and it was awesome. She is pretty amazing! I had a lot of fun.

The second clas I took was from Freddy Moran called ," Little House in the Big woods."She is hoot! She didn't start quilting until she was 60! She has two books out with Gwen Marsten. (Collarborating quilting) I love that she throws out the traditional quilting rules and their are no mistakes. You just add a little or take away.

Some of the Ladies from Gee's Bend. They are pretty amazing. I was able to go to lecture and hear them sing. This is the latest buzz in the quilt world, a lot of professionals are being influence by them and their Art.

Some of the Gee's Bend quilts.

My aunt Connie, Grandmie, Fiona, Uncle Richard and Aida. My Aunt is avide quilter and machine embroiderer. They come and see the show also. This year we were able to meet up and have lunch and take advantage of their swimming pool. The girls were loving that!

I made the girls dresses for the picnic and lecture on Friday night. Of course, we Fiona was not cooperating and when Jean Wells asked to take her picture she wouldn't do it. I was so disappointed! Jean Wells started the Quilt show 30 plus years ago. I made the dresses out of quilt panel dipicting the town of Sisters and the quilt show.(I got the panels last year)

Saturday Morning is the big Outdoor Quilt show. They hang all the quilts entered on the sides of the buildings and shut down Main street. It is pretty inspiring. They have kids area to promote the next generation of quilters. My girls are on their way! I've trained them well!
Here is Aida who is with one of the volunteers who just happens to be good friends of ours from West Linn.(Heidi Farnbach)
Aida and her finished product, which I'm told is Pooh new blanket and pillow.

Fiona and one of the volunteers. She was quite miffed that they would not let her run the sewing machines because she knows how.

Saturday Afternoon we met up with the cousins who came up for the day. Oh, and the purple outfits weren't planned! Aren't they cute.

Fiona was the photographer this year. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy.

Mainstreet, you kinda get an idea of the amount of people that come. They usually have about 10,000 poeple come on Saturday to see the quilts. The last few years they've closed the main road, so you don't have to worry to much about traffic coming through the middle of town. This year they had the most quilts they've every hung. 1,300! Pretty amazing.

May\ June\ July 2009 Happenings

2009-07-15T14:12:00.010-05:00

Fiona's 8th Birthday. We did cupcakes with the neighbors and played games in the yard.

Adventure Science Center with Grandpa Jim, Grandma Judy and Grandmie. They all came out a few days before Aida dance Recital and Fiona's Baptism. We went to the planetarium and do the Space activities.

Morning of June 13th started off with Aida's Dance Recital. She was wonderful, except for not getting to watch the others dancers- Which upset her greatly!

Family picture minus uncle Rory and Aunt Michelle and Gavin. Gavin was done with the dancing!

Fiona's Baptism June 13th. What a Special Evening. I can't believe she is already eight!

Fiona and her dad. Grandma Judy made her Baptismal dress. It is a special tradition as she made mine when I was a little girl.

"Our little family"

Sean and Fiona with Nana and Papa.

Geri (Nana), Rory(Uncle), Michelle and Gavin(Aunt and Cousin),Sean(Dad), Julie(Mom),Mike(Papa), Pattie(Grandmie), Judy(Grandma), Jim(Grandpa)
Lilly(Cousin), Fiona, Aida

We left for Oregon about a week later, baring a minor set back with our car, but it all worked and ended up taking the Durango. We spent few days in Denver with my brother Jared and his family and got to see my brother Joseph and Uncle Paul. Check out Moyer Mayhem, I didn't do a very good job getting pictures!

We finally made it to Oregon and Grandma and Grandpa house in North Bend. I think it was the thought of going to the Beach that kept the girls going on the last day and half. The first thing we did when we got in town was go to Sunset Beach. I didn't realise how much we missed the Beach this last year until we got here! It was a beautiful day.

We went up to Portland pick up Sean and spend time with the Gates side of the family for the 4th of July weekend. Fiona got to spend the night with her friend Angel that first night we were in town. They picked up without a beat, like they'd never been apart.

Monkey Ryan with the girls on the 4th. We had Picnic and fireworks at Willamette Park in West linn. Yes, and we can't forget Sean got his iphone!

All the Cousins- Lilly, Haddie, Aida, Quinn, Cooper and Fiona playing in the water.

We are alive!

2009-06-09T13:40:00.005-05:00

May was fun packed month with the following:
* May 13th-Sean getting laid-off.
*May 14th -Aida's Pr-K graduation and program(sample of her performing in the above video)
*May 17th- Paul's college graduation in Denver. I was able to go and it was really special. Check out Jill's blog for some great pictures and more....
*May 21st-Fiona's last day of second grade
*May 25th- Fiona's Eighth Birthday. We did cupcakes for the neighborhood kids and went and barbecued at Henry Horton State Park.
*May 29th- Aida getting to hear her new sibling heart beat.(She giggled the whole time and of course asked the doctor a lot of questions) Yes, I'm pregnant!

June has also started as a fun packed month with the following to look forward too:

*June 8th-Sean starting his new job
* June 13th- Aida's big dance Recital and Fiona's Baptism.
* June 20th- Driving to Oregon to go to the quilt show in July and visit family and relax at my parents house!

Oh, and I did manage to get some sewing done for some friends' gifts and Mother's Day. Sean is very happy I'm using some of my fabric!
I'll try to post some pictures in the coming weeks, but as you can tell life is a little crazy. I have family coming in tomorrow and Friday and so I'm trying to get things ready.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T22:13:00.000-05:00

Dyeing and hiding Easter eggs. Our favorite Easter time activity. We only did 52 eggs this year!

It's tradition to spend Easter with Grandma Judy and Grandpa Jim. We're so glad that they were able to come to Tennessee this year. My mom and I made their Easter Dresses for them this year. Fiona loved hers. She kept twirling and twirling!

Mom, Are Hot dogs

2009-04-06T16:35:00.000-05:00

Made of dogs? Aida asked me this as we were going into the Grocery store the other day. A very logical question for a five year old. She cracks me up! We went to Cheekwood while Josh was in town and we got some Glamour shots of our funny girl! She loves to pose for the Camera.

Josh and Aida. Josh is one of Sean oldest friends. They have known each other since they were 7 years old. Our girls love him like an uncle, he has been really good to them over the years.(and us too!) We're so glad he came to visit.

Taking Care of Business

2009-04-06T16:20:00.000-05:00

A month ago our good friend Josh Hanna came into town for a few days. I was so glad because it ment that we could go to Graceland. I'm huge fan of Elvis. Sean not so much! So trying to get him to go with me was a lot of eye rolling............ Well, Josh thought it would be cool to go and so Sean couldn't get out of it! Thanks Josh! Memphis is about 3 hours away, so we took a day and went.
The Barbecue shop. Some of the best barbecue I've had in the South.( The South is big on Barbecue)

We got to check out Elvis's planes. This one was named after his daughter.
Outside of his house

A glimpse of his living room.

He is buried on site with his parents and twin brother who died at birth.

Spur of th Moment............

2009-02-17T14:55:00.000-06:00

Disney World here we come! Literally, we spent 24 hours in Orlando over President's day weekend. We decided to Jump in the car Saturday evening about 5:45pm and go. It is about a 10.5 hour drive from Nashville. A little crazy,but we had a lot of fun. The girl's were totally surprised, because we just kept telling them we were going some place fun. When Fiona read the sign, I thought her and Aida were going to jump out of the moving car! What a perfect Valentine Day surprise.

News from the Hubby

2009-02-01T18:38:00.000-06:00

This is Sean. Things have been really busy around here. I'll do my best to give a recap about what's going on.

Julie has been good, and has been able to to a bit of sewing with her mother. You saw the aprons they did before Christmas. All of them turned out great. Now they're on to their next projects: Easter dresses. Looks to be moving along quite nicely. Julie is also the Enrichment Leader for the ward. She's excited because it has ramped up and is now moving along.

I'm working a TON. Which, depending upon how you look at it can be both good and bad. The upside is that it's winding down a little on both ends, and I've been able to spend more time with the girls. My "moonlighting" job has been with a startup company (as many of you may already know) called TurnItUp Media. We just launched their website, http://www.turnitupmedia.com, and hope we can generate some traffic around it. So go register and start using the site!

Fiona is doing well in school. She really loves her class and school. We had a "Daddy Donut" breakfast last week where dads got to come to school and have donuts for breakfast with their children. Aida tagged along and it was great to see Fiona in her school environment. She's also doing really well in piano. She's been steadily getting better and enjoys the time she spends with her piano teacher. He really pushes her to accomplish her work. That reminds us ... she needs to practice!

Aida is doing well. She didn't go to school last week because she wasn't feeling well. But this weekend she's feeling a ton better. Which is good because it gave me more time to cuddle and play with her. She's also learning a lot about putting letters together and is probably ready to break into reading. She'll be entering kindergarten next year, and I believe she'll blossom as a big K-er. Plus, the school is right down the street!

So, we're doing well in the South, and welcome anyone to come and visit anytime!

Love to all.

Current Conditions

2009-01-16T07:47:00.000-06:00

-1.8 F
School Canceled. Which is totally crazy to me. I guess they were worried about the kids waiting for buses in this cold, cold weather. Good thing they've built in ten inclement weather days. Fiona and Aida are going to have a grand day at home.(Their mom might go crazy!) By the way no snow at all.(It's been forecasted all week.)

For the Love of Aprons!

2009-01-14T11:50:00.000-06:00

A peek of some of the Aprons I made at Christmas time.

(For my nieces)

"Sassy Aprons"(The name of the pattern I used) My mom was visiting a couple of weeks before Christmas and we had a lot of fun sewing Aprons.(and buying Christmas fabric)I think all together we made around 15. She is coming visit again soon, and we have some more fun projects already planned!

I've been.........

2009-01-08T17:55:00.000-06:00

I've been tired of the same old recipes, so I've been trying some new dishes. I will freely admit I'm a plain Jane when it comes to food. Exotic food is a little much for me, so I'll stick to basics! This Chicken stew is a winner! Check it out. I might add that it's pretty simple to make.

Christmas pictures

2008-12-30T10:41:00.001-06:00

Thanks everyone for being so generous with our girls. They received some really wonderful gifts.

Fiona was very excited as you can tell!

I think this was Sean's best gift in years. He was so happy! Thanks Uncle Paul . He is very excited to go the Apple store!

Merry Christmas From the Gates

2008-12-25T15:41:00.000-06:00

Our Christmas tree with presents

Santa brought a new Bike to Fiona. The weather is really nice today. So she was able to enjoy her new bike.

Santa brought Fancy Nancy dress-up and Fancy Nancy Doll for Aida

Hope this Christmas brings you much happiness with friends and family.

Aida Singing at her Christmas Program

2008-12-16T16:34:00.000-06:00

Thought you might enjoy a little of Aida's Pre-k program. She was really having a great time. I think she was the star of the show! She was so happy that Sean, Grandma Judy, Fiona, Logan and Allison were able to come and watch her perform.

Zoo fun

2008-11-28T16:14:00.001-06:00

They have a great Zoo here in Nashville. They have an amazing jungle gym play area and so while the weather was nice we took advantage of going a few times in November.

Fleming Boys feeding the birds.( I went in with the kids, but it was a little nerve racking for me! I'm not a big bird fan, ever since I was a little girl and saw crow land on a little girls head and try to peck it or least that's what I remember. It was a ward picnic out at Sunset Bay, since then I've run into a few angry geese, also)

My Baby is ...........

2008-11-21T16:00:00.000-06:00

Five

I can't believe it. It has gone by so fast! The last few months I've caught some pictures that totally are "Aida" to me.

She love hats and shoes!

Sean was checking on Aida after we had put her to bed a few weeks ago and this is what he found. I guess sleeping in your closet is better then a bed! Sean and I cracked up!

Time out For Women

2008-11-15T15:06:00.000-06:00

I was very lucky to be able to attend Time out for Women in Nashville with some good friends.
It was very uplifting and just what I needed! Check out Allison's post.
(back to front) Amy, Allison, Emily and Maddie, Ali, Julie

Chieko Okazaki

Chieko Okazaki and Allison. I thought this picture was very sweet.

Julie, Chieko, Amy

Hilary Weeks. I'm a big fan after hearing her perform. Her music is very uplifting. Kenneth Cope was also performing, he's pretty amazing.

Halloween

2008-10-31T20:41:00.000-05:00

Fiona the Glamour witch and Aida the Fairy Princess all dressed up

Fiona helping Sean get his costume together. Both girls thought it was cool that Sean was dressing up with them!

Our neighbor Pretti and her son Deridge were are first tricker treaters.

Abbie our neighbor with Aida.( They live a across the street from us, the girls will be going to Kindergarten next year together.)

Halee and Fiona, or should I say Dorthy and glamour witch!( Halee lives down the street and the girls are good friends and are in the same class)

As you can tell they really get into Halloween here! Check out the floats that we saw in the neighborhood. Most houses had decorations and people sitting the steps handing out candy. I've never seen so many people in my life really getting into Halloween and I've never seen so many trick or treaters!(I am not kidding you... I wish I had picture to show all the people.) We had so much fun, in fact I think this was one the most fun Halloween's we've had. We kept running into neighbors and friends switching off who we were trick or treating with. We handed out three hundred plus pieces of candy. The girls ended up with two buckets full of candy!

The Fleming boys came and joined the evening festivities at the end of the night. We watched a movie and ate lots of candy!

2008-10-31T08:44:00.000-05:00

This is what Pres. Benson said in 1977. He was secretary of Agriculture after WWII while a member of the Quorum of Twelve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGAaOATLLrg

Another video that was inspiring.
http://www.catholicvote.com/

This is the most I've ever heard politically from one of our church leaders. What is most interesting is that we are encouraged to vote our conscience. Since it was given as an address to BYU students at a devotional it isn't considered doctrine, but it sheds some light on his beliefs toward government and it's role in our lives. And he was a member of the government!

Mostly, I want to encourage those who are eligible to get out and vote.

Mother daughter time

2008-10-29T22:32:00.000-05:00

It's not very often that I get to have one on one time with Fiona. We able to have some time together just "us" during Fall Break. (Aida was at pre-k) It was so much fun. I have trained her well! What did we want to do? Shopping of course! We were off to find the perfect costume. Target here we come!

She is such a Joy in my life.

Pit stop, a much needed snack.

Some lovely shoes we picked up in addition to a Halloween Costume.

Some Halloween Fun

2008-10-22T19:41:00.001-05:00

Fiona's Fall Harvest

It's the end of the quarter for Fiona. I can't believe she is already quarter of the way through the school year. By the way she did very well on her Report card.
Mummy game

Bingo

Ghouls at Grassmere
A special zoo program they do here. We had a great time. They had places to trick or treat, Halloween music and DJ, haunted tractor hayride, Haunted Carosal, blow-up toys, big tent with games,etc

Pumpkin Patch

We have two about a mile from our house. Although I was a little disappointed they don't let you go to fields to pick them, but they had a lot of fun activities. We went with some friends from the neighborhood.

Milking the fake cow in Farmers patch

petting the pig

feeding the chicken. Aida is very brave!

Corn maze

Colorstrology

2008-10-18T20:49:00.000-05:00

From my study of Design, I know that color can invoke a lot of different emotions. There is, actually a science to it. So seeing this Colorstrology does not surprise me. Check it out. It's kinda fun.

This cracks me up

2008-10-10T09:52:00.000-05:00

This cracks me up. Aida taking pictures in the car the other day of herself.(While she was waiting for us.)

This one I took, always a ham!

Walk-to-school Day

2008-10-10T09:42:00.000-05:00

Walk-to-School Day for Nolensville Elementary

Fiona with her friend Alexandra.

Fiona was so excited! We walked about a mile from the old school to the new school. They had a great turnout as you can see. It was awesome! They had a Police escort and the teachers all came. This was one of the the things they are doing help get the kids excited about a healthy life.

Last of our visit............

2008-10-10T09:19:00.001-05:00

We took Tiana to the Grand Ole Opry grounds. We weren't able to go to a show, but it was fun to show her around.

Across the street in the Opry Mills Mall is one of our favorite restaurants. The Aquarium Restuarant. It is awesome.( We only been twice,but the girls love the sea life.)

Check out the desert!

The next morning Tiana left bright and early to get home for Monkey Ryan's B-day. Come back soon. We had a great time.

A few more pics......

2008-10-07T22:36:00.000-05:00

A few more pics from our visit with Tiana. After going to a consignment sale Friday morning(They are very common in the South) we went into Nashville and Sean took us to Arnold's . It was voted the the best "meat and three."

"the gang"

The line. It was pretty steady the whole time we were there.

The food. Check out the fried green tomatoes. I was a little scared, but they were pretty darn good and well the chocolate pie was to die for. I've never tasted chocolate pie that good. I found out that Tiana is pretty adventerous eater and likes to try different things. She tried the fried Catfish!

Sean and Quinn. Sean really enjoyed having another little man around and besides that he is awesome with babies. He had great time feeding him, and carrying him around, and making him laugh.

Sean and Tiana.

Next up- Country Music hall of Fame. They have great exhibit on Hank Williams Sr. going on right now.

Next stop home to pick-up Fiona so we could take Tiana to our favorite resturant. Stay tuned!

Unexpected Death of family friend

2008-10-04T22:55:00.000-05:00

Howard Johnson, 72, led Bulldogs for more than 20 years

The longest tenured football coach in North Bend High School history died Friday night in a two-vehicle accident as he and the school’s athletic director were traveling to Sutherlin to watch the team’s Far West League opener.

Howard Johnson

Howard Johnson, 72, was pronounced dead by emergency responders after they arrived at the site of the crash, about milepost 14 on Highway 138W, west of Sutherlin.

According to an Oregon State Police press release, Johnson was driving east around a curve of the highway in a 1999 Cadillac Seville when a westbound 2005 Jeep Wrangler lost control and began to slide into the eastbound lane. The Cadillac moved to the right side of the highway in an attempt to avoid the Jeep, but was struck on the driver’s side by the left front corner of the Jeep.

The Jeep’s driver, Jennifer Sines, 33, of Roseburg, and her 2-year old son suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg. The boy was later flown to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland for further medical treatment. No further information about their condition was available at press time.

North Bend Athletic Director Boyd Bjorkquist, 53, was riding with Johnson and suffered minor injuries in the crash. Ambulance crews took him to Mercy Medical Center where he was treated and released.

North Bend football coach Rick Taylor said Bjorkquist informed the players and coaches about the accident on the field following the Bulldogs’ 20-8 win over Sutherlin on Friday night.

Even though Johnson had been out of coaching for more than a decade, he stayed involved in the school and its athletic program.

“He was just a great guy,” Taylor said. “The kids had a lot of respect for him.”

Johnson coached the Bulldogs from 1971 to 1992, leading the squad to the playoffs seven times and the Midwestern League title in 1974. His 151-141-3 record included 10 victories over Marshfield.

Johnson went to school in Montana, playing in the state’s East-West Game as a high school student and coaching it as a senior in college.

He coached in Idaho and Montana for a total of 12 years before coming to North Bend.

In addition to coaching football, Johnson was an assistant basketball coach for several years and the athletic director for three after he stepped down from coaching.

After retiring as AD, Johnson led the stadium committee and was an active member in the North Bend Booster Club. He was inducted into the hall of fame in 2002.

“He was truly an inspirational guy to anybody who even knew him a little bit,” Taylor said. “My coaching staff is made up of all North Bend guys. They all knew Howard and loved him.”

I had to agree with the last statement. He was a great example and had a kind nature about him. He was my Bishop and then the Stake president when I was growing up. My dad served with him in both settings. He had great faith and loved the Lord. He loved the scriptures and as Bishop and Stake president really encouraged us to have personal and family scripture study. My parents took it to heart. I have memories of going fishing with him and my dad when I was a little girl. My prayer tonight that his family and friends may have peace and comfort in this time of grief and that they may feel of Heavenly Father's love for them.

Our First visitor.........

2008-09-30T11:27:00.001-05:00

Aunt "T" or Tiana came to visit us this last week. We were so glad she was able to come and hang out with us for a few days. She flew in last Tuesday evening and Sean picked her up and brought her to the house. The girls were so excited!

The Arrival

What happy faces!

Quinn is such a happy baby. I think he cried once while they were visiting.
We had such wonderful visit. Of course, the first night we stayed up late talking and getting caught up. The next day we took Aida to preschool and of course Aida had to show off her cousin to all her friends. It was rather sweet. Then we went to the Carter house where the Battle of Franklin took place. We got so into the tour we didn't take any pictures! It is rich in Civil War history.

Barbecue is very popular in the South. So of course we had to go to the local joint on Thursday. We also went to some local Antique shops in Nolensville.

Happy Birthday

2008-09-27T07:28:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Monkey Ryan.

We had a little celebration without you last night!
For your Birthday, we are letting you wife and son come home today, but not without the promise that she'll be back soon.

Daisy Chain

2008-09-27T07:12:00.000-05:00

Amy Butler's new line of fabric. I can't wait to see it in a store near me.

Thighs of Thunder

2008-09-21T21:57:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been getting a workout going up and down the stairs packing up boxes. You'd think I might have thighs of thunder and Abs of steel after doing it for three weeks, well not really. I'd like to think so! Having stairs is like having your own built in tread mill.

Life is busy here in Tennessee. In the last few weeks Fiona and Aida started Ballet\tap\Jazz. They are loving it, especially Aida. Fiona has also started Piano lessons and she is showing great potential. They both love riding their bikes around the neighborhood and making tents in the yard with playmates. Aida is absolutely loving preschool, especially her Spanish class on Wednesdays. Every morning she wakes up and asks if she can go to Spanish class. I think she may be my linguist! Thursday night started a run on gas in Nashville. No gas to be found at any stations in the area.(I'll let Sean do a guest post on this) We went to Fiona's first school PTA function on Friday. It was a hoe down. We did barbeque, dancing, and wanted signs. Hmm, a good time was had by all.(No, we didn't drive we rode are bikes)
I'm still working on unpacking, although we made some progress this week. I still have some to go. (Okay, not some a lot!) I'm having too much fun hanging out with Allison. Logan(her son) and Aida play pretty well together so we like to go shopping and chat,etc. It is nice to have a friend who is going through similar experiences and adjusting to new place like I am.
Sean's been working a lot, and when he isn't he is spending time with the girls and he's helping me out as much as possible. He finished putting together the girls side tables this weekend. It was so awesome to watch him turn putting together side tables into a learning experience for our girls. He is so patient with them. He is such a great teacher and father.

Oh, and I'm we're having our first official guest this week and boy are we excited! We have some fun things planned, so stay tuned.

Comings and goings

2008-09-14T21:28:00.000-05:00

A little bit of Tennessee Rain. (Today) The girls all got bundled up, but it was actually very warm. They are so funny sometimes!

Sean putting together a dressers for the girls. They are so excited about having dressers. We'll actually be able to put away their clothes.

Frist Center for the Visual Arts. They have a children's Art program. We went and made the Solar system on Saturday.

Aida, gotta love that smile.
Fiona concentrating ...........

Tennessee state FairI don't like this, let me off and her sister was saying,"Can we go again?"

Sean being eaten by the dinosaur and loving it!

Dippin' Dots with the Flemings. A whole new experience!

Aida and Fiona playing with neighborhood kids.

Our trailer that we unloaded two week ago. I concur with Aida. Unpacking is not any fun, that's why I try and avoid if at all possible!

Teaching Patriotism

2008-09-14T19:17:00.000-05:00

Did you know it is State Law in Tennessee to have school students observe a moment of silence and say the Pledge of Allegiance everyday? How awesome is that? Fiona's school takes it one step further and also sings a patriotic song everyday. What a great way to teach patriotism.

Aida is in Pre-K and also does the Pledge of Allegiance. She was reciting it to me tonight. Where we came from, they only did it once a week, which was somewhat disappointing. I always feel a sense of pride in country when I hear it and say it. I think my girls do too.

Here is some info I found about the oath:

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States flag is an oath of loyalty to the country. It is recited at many public events. Congress sessions open with the recitation of the Pledge.

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag reads as follows:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

It should be recited by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.

Some interesting facts:

The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy (1855-1931), a Baptist minister.

Bellamy's original Pledge read, "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

The pledge was supposed to be quick and to the point. Bellamy designed it to be stated in 15 seconds. He had initially also considered using the words equality and fraternity but decided they were too controversial since many people opposed equal rights for women and blacks.

Get out and vote

2008-09-08T08:34:00.000-05:00

I often forget about the sacrifice of the women of our country made for us. This year is probably one of the most historical votes either way. So, do your research and vote for the candidate that you feel is the most honest and truthful and will help us to become a better country.

Below is article that has been floating around the internet, but I think it reminds us of our history and what other Women did to get us better rights.

WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.

Remember, it was not until 1920

that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed
nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking
for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.
Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing
went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of
'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'

They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above
her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping
for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her
head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate,
Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack.
Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging,
beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917,
when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his
guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because
they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right
to vote.
For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their
food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because-
-why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work?
Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?

Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new
movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle
these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling
booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.

All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the
actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote.
Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege.
Sometimes it was inconvenient.

My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history,
saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk
about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought
kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said.
'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use,
my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just
younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The
right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'

HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history,
social studies and government teachers would include the movie in
their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere
else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing,
but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think
a little shock therapy is in order.

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.

The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know.
We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so
hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.

History is being made.

--

What do...................

2008-09-04T22:58:00.000-05:00

What do two little girls do when they get a hold of a camera?

Sean and I got a good laugh out of this one!

A little Labor Day Fun

2008-09-04T22:45:00.000-05:00

Hanging out with the Fleming boys. Usually, Labor Day means school is starting, but not in Tennessee. No stressful last minute details to deal with this year! We've already been in school three weeks, so it was a full day of Fun. We spent the Day at the pool with our friends the Flemings. The live down yonder from us. Check out Allison's blog. They just moved here from California, so we have bonded! No really, they are a great family and we love to spend time with them.

The kids get along great as you can see!

First Day of Pre-K

2008-09-04T21:55:00.002-05:00

Getting ready! Her first day was last Tuesday. (Aug.26th)

Notice the hair change........... Last minute change!

She picked out a new Dora backpack and lunch pail. My baby is turning into a little girl.

Ms. Angie her teacher.

This was taken today on our way to school. Isn't she adorable? She loves hats !

Our new house.........

2008-09-04T21:33:00.000-05:00

Thought you might enjoy some of the scenery near our new home.

Ok, here you go- our house on the morning we closed. (August 27th) Two days earlier then expected. We are happy to be in our new home and out of temporary housing! No more driving Fiona to school in the morning, the bus will picks her up and drops her in front of our house.

Let the unpacking begin!

Happy Friday!

2008-08-23T08:29:00.000-05:00

I know its not Friday, but I was just too tired to post last night. I had such a great day yesterday! It started out in the morning by meeting Anna Maria Horner. I was lucky enough to win some of her new fabrics in a give away a while back. I was so excited, especially since she lives in Nashville, so I promptly emailed her and asked if I could pick it it up in person when I arrived in Nashville.(We just moved to Nashville area) She was so delightful and I had great time seeing her studio and meeting her. Aida was with me and Anna Maria gave into her every whim! She made her toast gave her orange juice and let her play with her kids toys. I know Aida will remember this visit, too. Oh, and I just love the fabrics she gave me. I can't wait to use them!

We also had our first walk through with our Builder yesterday and it went great. We are going to close on Wednesday which is two days early. I can't wait! I'm so tired of living out of suitcases for last three months and before that in house I was trying to sell!

My girls love to swim. Aida is especially into it this week. We have to go everyday, so she can practice. I think she has a little crush on Michael Phelps. In her words, "He is a winner."

Aida, Sean, and Fiona at the pool . The girls are so happy to be with their Daddy. I'm happy we
are all together.

Bat City

2008-08-21T14:12:00.000-05:00

Nashville is known as "Bat City"
Or at least that is what Aida insists. The At&T building is the Batman building. The girls loved this building everytime we go to Nashville they get all excited about seeing it.

Angie at angiecircus was asking how Aida was doing, so I thought I'd share some highlights. This is her on Fiona's first day of school. She loves to pose! She loves Fiona's school and has been very sad she is not going. After a week of searching, I was able to get her in a program at Saint Ignatuis. There are a lot of MDO(Mothers day out) programs, almost every church has them here in Tennessee, but not all of them are structured preschool programs. I felt very lucky to get in this program it comes very highly recommended and has a structured program. (They had a waiting list, but made a exception because we just moved) We went and visited Monday with program coordinator and Aida was so excited. She starts next Tuesday. It is two days a week for 4 1/2 hours each day.

She also took off with her swimming this week. She is on fire! Watch out Michael Phelps!

House update......................

2008-08-19T22:27:00.001-05:00

Our house is coming along.
Getting ready to pore the cement sidewalk( Last Thursday)

Chestnut flooring downstairs.(went in about a week ago) Carpet went in 4 days ago.

Working on our driveway on Friday. It's coming along. The inside is pretty much done. They've been touching up the inside the last few days. Word is they are going to start putting our yard in on Thursday and we may have the walk through with the builder on Friday.

Monday Aug.11, first day of second grade

2008-08-14T21:51:00.000-05:00

Fiona's first day of second grade at Nolensville, Elementary. She was so excited! She could barely sleep the night before and was up first thing. She went right into class found her seat and wanted me to leave! On Tuesday morning she wouldn't even let me get out of the car! Mom I can do this, I don't need you to come in. She is getting very grown-up. Mrs. Kuhns is her teacher and she has 18 other classmates.

Her teacher is making a big deal about the Olympics. Which is totally cool. We've been watching them a little each night. I think it is very Patriotic.

And the rest of the trip.......

2008-08-14T12:24:00.000-05:00

This is my bother and sister-in-law house in Denver. They've been in it about a year. Jill has been wanting us to come out to see their house, so I was glad we were able to stay with them a few days. The have a really nice layout with huge backyard. The kids had great time playing in it. (Not many pictures due to my mom leaving my camera at the quilt store taking pictures of this quilt on Monday!)

The famous Monster quilt

Denver zoo - Fiona, cousin Jacob, Aida, cousin Titan and JJ(Jill's Mom)

Uncle Paul is the best! He pulled the wagon for the day and kept the kids happy!

Flamingos. They have amazing swivel copacity with their heads! Oh and they get there orange color from eating Shrimp......

Train ride. Can't seem to get Jacob to look at me!

Carousel ride with the hand carved animals.

After spending three fun filled days with family in Denver we headed out of town, but not before Paul took care of my car. Thanks Paul for taking such good care of my car.

Approximately nine hours later we stopped in Topeka, Kansas for the night. I think all they grow in Kansas is corn and beans, but mostly corn.
Next morning we drove another eight plus hours to Paducah, KY. We went through four states in one day.( Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky)
Sean met us in Paducah, I knew he wouldn't be able to stay away! (It is two hours from Nashville) The girls were so excited to see him! He even scoped out where the quilt museum was for me. ( quiltmuseum.org) If you are quilter you will know what I'm talking about! The next day we were able to go in the morning and then headed out for Nashville.

So we made it to Tennessee! Actually, it was pretty fun trip. The girls got to see a lot. Fiona really took it all in. Not many girls can say they've been too seven states. I drove the whole way. I wanted to see if I could do it! My mom got to enjoy the scenery and help me with the girls. The girls did awesome. I think we will do some more road trips, but for now we are going to stay put for a while! We are in apartment in Cool Springs for three weeks and then we will be able to move into our house. It looks like everything is on track.

Trip update............

2008-08-05T08:29:00.000-05:00

We are in the middle of our Road Trip to Tennessee. I thought I'd share some pictures of some of the things we've done and family we've seen. We are Spending a few days in Denver with my Brother and his family.(We got here Sunday night) Our first stop was Portland,Ore where we had barbecue with Gates side of the family. Second stop was Baker City to stay the night and spend a day with the girl's great Aunt and Uncle. Aunt Sandy took us to the Baker Heritage Museum. Which was awesome. They had a lot old quilts,( which I loved) Rock collection,(which had the glow in the dark rocks), old equipment, Rooms that were set up with time period clothes and furniture. At one point Aida was looking at a mannequin that was all dressed up in period clothes and their was a women standing next too her that she was talking too. (My daughter is not shy) The following is the conversation that the women shared with me at the end of our visit. She thought it was pretty cute. The women said to Aida, " isn't she pretty?" Aida responded," yes, she lovely and she has prince waiting for her."

Aunt Sandy with the girls at the park after our visit to the museum.

The big attraction. The cow. Fiona and Aida kept feeding it and mooing to him. The loved the cow, to bad it is going to be hamburger in the fall! In fact that is Uncle Rod nickname for it.(Hamburger) The girls though he was wonderful. With all the mooing going on, it sounded like we were on a farm.

Aunt Sandy and uncle Rod. We had dinner with their group of friends and had great time. (Richie, Kelsay, Nancy, Irv, Paulette, and Keith) We spent some time with them last summer and girls loved seeing them again this year. From Baker City we drove to American Fork to stay with Evelyn Leslie for couple of days. I grew up with the Leslie's. Our families did a lot together.

Evelyn and Judy at Mt. Timpanagouh Temple. It was very close to the house. Evelyn is Temple worker their twice a week.

Girls at Temple Square.

We went the church History museum(free by the way) the girls loved it. Visited Temple square and went into the Visitor center on Temple square. Fiona and Aida were in Awe of the Christas of Christ. Their eyes just lit up when they saw it.

Girls in the Tabernacle. They had exhibit at the museum on the Tabernacle on the construction and other info and Fiona was really enthralled by it.

Next Stop Vernal Utah. Utah Field House State Park Museum. It was great Museum and very interactive.

Next stop Rocky Mt. national Park. The Girls kept asking,"Are we on top of the World."

Fiona and Aida in the Park. It is very beautiful scenery. Although, the one sad thing is that the Lodge pole Pines are being killed by a beetle and so you see hundreds of trees dieing in the lower elevations.

We're having a great visit in Denver. The girls are having a great time playing with their cousins Jacob and Titan. We've spent the last two days at the water park. Tomorrow we are going to the Denver zoo to see the Polar Bears.

Construction Update - Air Conditioner, Ventilation stuff

2008-08-04T23:07:00.001-05:00

Still tired. Ready for bed. Pajamas, here I come. Enjoy:

Construction Update - Flooring, Bathroom Countertops, Lights, etc.

2008-08-04T22:58:00.000-05:00

Tired. Can't write much. Ready to sleep. See pictures below. Enjoy:

Construction Update - Light News Day ... Humph!

2008-07-30T22:26:00.000-05:00

Well, I feel like there isn't much to see today. The last two days have been slow as far as updates to the house Here are the photos I thought were noteworthy:

There were switches in many places in the house, but not all:

There were also plugs in various stages, and many were not even installed, but just sitting below the already-wired boxes:

The microwave was mostly installed today:

Light fixtures were installed in all the rooms upstairs:

The shared bathroom upstairs with the light fixture installed:

One thing I noticed was that all the lightbulbs are the compact fluorescent kind, which should save us on electrical bills. Julie doesn't know it yet, but I'm really excited about a product I found that allows us to run solar panels into a regular socket to offset electrical costs during the day. ;-)

That's it for now. I'll post again soon.

-- Sean

On our way.............

2008-07-30T07:39:00.000-05:00

Postings might be sparce. We are on our way to Tennessee. We are road tripping it! Check out my sister- in -law Jill's blog for more pictures of our Moyer family reunion. She has a lot of pictures from their visit to Oregon. Reunion.http://moyermayhem.blogspot.com/