A trip to the Library

Hunter loves to go to the library with his dad. They go several times a week sometimes. He climbs into a big comfy chair or his dad's lap as he reads him a book. He has always loved to read books. Mike and I have read to him since he was about 3 weeks old. My mom always read to me and it really helped me excelerate in school. It's SO important so I'm glad he shares our love for reading. He likes to play with the train table also. He seems mesmerized! He has really found a liking to the trains that we've seen lately around. Before we left, he gave the BIG fluffy teddy bear a hug goodbye. He's such a love bug:)

Dinner with the Folks

We went to Dinner at Piccadilly's Thursday with my parents, grandparents, uncles, cousin and bro. We were celebrating my dad and grandmother's birthday. Hunter had fun drawing and eating Granddad's mixed nuts. (These were part of his BIRTHDAY present..I got him 2 tins because I KNEW he'd have to share them:) . I love that restaurant ...they have the BEST italian dressing. It's just fun being all together. It's a nice place for dinner; We usually have their back corner, where it's very quiet and decorated beautifully. My grandparents are really great people to look up to. They ALWAYS have everyone else in mind, NEVER thinking of themselves. Even on their 50th anniversary celebration and everyone told them what they meant to them, they wouldn't take the credit. They stated it wasn't them, it was God in them. They are the most thoughtful people I know and I want to be just like them!

True Friends

This is my CrAzY friend, Liz who I work with. We have been friends for a couple years, since before we were pregnant together:) She is posing with the frosty our head teller bought for us all. It's a true picture of her since EVERY picture I have of her, she is EATING:) She loves to eat but stays skinny;0 Don't you love people like that? Anyway, Liz is pretty cool in the fact that what you see is what you get. I like that about her. She's an open book and she'll tell you that in a heartbeat. She's a great gal and has a beautiful little girl, Kyla. Thanks, Liz, for being there when I've really needed you. You go, Girl:)
(She'd be a great commercial model the way she likes to pose, huh? :)

My Baby

This is my son, my world, and a beautiful gift from God. My husband and I love him more than anything. He was in the car last night on the way to Grandma and Granddads. Mom and Dad had to go run an errand so they watched him while we were away. He loves it there. He played on their sunroom, watched some movies and had a snack. He cried when he had to leave. It breaks my heart but also, makes me rejoice that they love him so much. God bless my little boy and all the people in our lives that are so good to him:)

Getting to the Bottom of Things

Hunter was "modeling" his Elmo undies last night before he went to bed. He had a really bad diaper rash so we didn't make him wear his diaper to bed. (A big thick towel and lots of soft receiving blankets help make a soft bedding and a little coverage:) He usually wears his undies over his diaper to bed and naptime so he won't take his diaper off...he's a baby genius. He actually doesn't do that too much anymore. But he took off downstairs for a quick snack last night and I couldn't resist his cute little bum...no child porn or anything:) Just thinks he's a real cutie!

More Saga

Well, I finally got my new dishwasher last night in and there are 2 small marks on it...UUgggHHHH! Mike had it installed in no time last night and I think I like it. It's quieter than my other one and holds ALOT more dishes. That will be nice since we like to entertain. Now, my garbage disposal is broke and I had to buy a new battery for my SUV since it wouldn't start this morning. I had just had enough today and a good friend called me to cheer me up. She took Hunter and I for a walk tonite at the park and it was so nice! It was just refreshing to be outside, except the bugs were horrible. I usually don't mind bugs but they were defentley swarming. Hunter probably ran half a mile on the track. He must have gotten a good workout since he was out cold before I knew it. He looks SO adorable when he's sleeping. I love him so much. It's hard to imagine how much you adore your child. After a day of stress and tension, he's what makes me want to cy because I've never know love like this. He is
SO wonderful and I 'd do ANYTHING for him. I love every little toe and every little pice of him:) It's hard to fathom some of the things that have been said about him, and us. I'm sorry if I can't just forget that it was said and act like everything is fine. When really, things will never be the same again. It doesn't matter what I've ever done. Noone deserves that.

The Money Pit Saga Continues

Well, if it's not ONE thing, it's another:(
We have been keeping in the back of our mind that we need a new A/C unit soon. We have just been tolerating it right now. It's not terribly warm in the house but it's not as cold as it should be. We know we have a leak since we have added Freon a couple times the last couple of years. Then, last week, we had the wet floor in our den and found that the condensation was completely clogged, which caused it to leak all over our brown shag carpeting in the den. It was so wet! (only a small square behind a chair thank goodness) If we didn't need to replace the carpet before, we will now sometime in the future. Anyway, Mike sucked up all the dirt and grime out with the wet/dry vacume and all is clear now. Unfortunately, not before I got a severe allergic reaction. (I thought for sure it was a sinus infection ) But my doc said I was COMPLETELY swollen and gave me now 2 different allergy medicines and said if this doesn't do it, he would have to put me on another stronger medicine.(which of course, none are safe if I get pregnant:( He also gave me a allergy test, which told me everything I was allergic to. (dust mites, cockroaches, grass, cats, dogs, and rag weeds) My arm looked horrible...I defentley showed the reaction!
I'm STILL going to cut the grass, but I'll probably get some face masks to wear now. SORRY, Doc but I love cutting the grass..he laughed at that one and said to try it out. He also said the dog wasn't as bad as the cat. NOW, for the clincher. Last night, our dishwasher broke right in the middle of a cycle, with water and everything. Mike had to cup all the water out to the sink and pull it out to look at it. There was NO electricity going to the motor, which means tonite we are going to Lowe's to get a new one. I'm NEVER going to save money this way:) I know God doesn't give us more than we can handle.... But every time we save, I find a NEW place to put the money! We're trying to finish our bathroom, which is down to bare studs right now. We've actually started finalizing our plans, picking out our fixtures and paint colors. Can't wait to get it done and NOT be broke again:(
I SURE wish I was still renting sometimes:( Wish I could call my landlord right about now:)

Tagged

I think I was tagged. I read this on my SIL's blog:)
1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be? anywhere a close drive away from family:) Nags Head, Nc is nice; I LOVE it there!
2.What's your favorite article of clothing? my flannel pajama bottoms (even in the summer with a t-shirt)
3. Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex? smile
4. What's the last CD that you bought? Kenny Chesney
5. Where's your favorite place to be? close to my family or friends
6. Where's your least favorite place to be? my pcp ofice..their service stinks...
7. What's your favorite place to be massaged? my feet..they get sore by the end of the day
8. Strong in mind or strong in body? strong in mind, which will, hopefully, help me be strong in body
9. What time do you wake in the morning? about 6 AM
10. What's your favorite kitchen appliance? my refrigerater..lots of healthy snacks inside
11. What makes you really angry? liers and self centeredness
12. If you could play any instrument, what would it be? piano. I took lessons when I was younger but have always wanted to take them again
13. Favorite color? Green
14. Which do you prefer, sports car or SUV? SUV-more room and safer, but a gas guzzler:( (still worth it though)
15. Do you believe in afterlife? Absolutely!
16. Favorite children's book? I have lots of those..but the one I remember most is "I'll love you forever". it still makes me cry every time I read it, it's so sweet:)
17. What is your favorite season? EVERY season has something special but I'd have to say my favorite is Winter. Wedding Anniversary, skiing, celebrating the birth of Jesus, and the decorations are beautiful for Christmas. I also love the festivities of Christmas.
18. What's your least favorite household chore? DUSTING!
19. If you could have one super power, what would it be? Not remembering unpleasant experiences
20. If you have a tattoo, what is it? Don't have one, probably never will
21. Can you juggle? a busy schedule and family? Yes!
22. The one person from your past you wish you could go back and talk to? my friend, Judy. She was killed by an abusive husband and I was the last to speak with her or see her. Still ask myself why I didn't call her to tell her Goodnight like I normally did.
23. What's your favorite day? Any day that I get to spend with my boys and Saturday, when I sleep in:)
24. What's in the trunk of your car? Hunter's stroller and life jacket.
25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger? Hamburger - I can't do sushi!
NOW, if you're reading this, consider yourself TAGGED. Copy & paste the questions into your blog and tag three friends! :)

Fun at the Fountain

We went to "The Fountain" tonite just to walk around and see what was in the area. It was so pretty. We took some pictures when we first got there but the sunset was beautiful!! They came out a little blurry but I liked them anyway. Between us watching Hunter and being on the phone:) we were glad we got any! Since Hunter hadn't felt good lately, he hasn't been outside to play all that much. He needed some down time and he had a ball:) It's so pretty there. We had fun walking. Mike wanted to stop for ice cream...OK, I'll be taking a 2nd Mortgage out on our home to pay for it...it might as well been Coldstone it was so expensive. But I was good...not to mix up my blogs... I have my other blog for the weight loss goals but I was proud of myself! I had a smoothie that was pineapple, banana, fat free vanilla ice cream and pineapple juice. I was very impressed that I stuck to it...although the Today show was talking the other day about those smoothies aren't as healthy as you think. HHHMM
Atleast I tried. Hunter had cake batter ice cream and Mike had chocolate with a caramel add in. I didn't try his but I DID try a half spoonful of Hunter's. YUM YUM..
Anyway, we will have to go back there soon. They have movies on Saturday nights. How fun!

Big Smiles

Hunter and I were playing last night in his room and he was ALL smiles. I'm not even sure what we were doing but he got to laughing SO much. It was so cute:) That laugh just makes my day. I had some cleaning to do but I HATE doing work while Hunter is awake. SO, I got my bedroom clean after he went to bed. We read several books on his Leap Pad Little Touch and he sat there over 30 minutes. What a joy:) It's hard to believe that some would think differently of him. It's very sad, and a little more than I can swallow at times...

Hot Hot Hot

Well, I got a call at work Friday that Hunter's fever was over 102! My mom picked him up and kept him at her house until Mike got there. I met her over at Food Lion for some Tylenol during my lunch after she picked him up. It was HORRIBLE. He was burning up with fever. He was limp, flushed in the face and could hardly walk he was so tired. I felt so bad that I couldn't take him home right then. Work was nuts and I could have left but our office was SO short handed and we were crazy busy. I was right in the middle of a large transaction when she called and almost cried when I saw the caller id. Mike got to my moms house shortly after but Hunter was so weak he chose not to take him home since he had a 3:30 appointment at the Childrens Clinic. He just sat on Mom's couch and held him while he slept. Turns out he has a virus, so as scary as the fever is, his body is doing what it's supposed to do. It's just terrible watching your kids hurt. I was in tears when I came back to the office. I knew he would be fine but will always worry if his high fever will result in another seizure. Last December, Hunter had a Febrile Seizure and we've NEVER been the same. I don't live in fear but I take fevers VERY serious. He was fine all day as we decorated the Christmas tree with him. That evening, he got tired very quickly and wanted to go to bed. I put him to bed but knew he would be back up, as it was much too early, even for him. When I went back and checked on him, he was burning up and crying. I went to go back downstairs to get the Tylenol as Hunter stood up in his crib and by the time I got to the door, he had started. We rushed him to the Emergency Room, where they took him to the room as soon as we came running in. You just don't know when they are like that. He became silent, just sudden steady motions of his head back and forth. I hope I never have to relive that again. Because he hasn't had anymore, he may never do it again. The quickness of the fever had caused his seizure. His fever has gotten as high as 104. He seems to run high temperatures so we try to always have Tylenol on hand. Now, even Saturday night, he still has had a fever. Dr. Blalock said that we could give him the Tylenol through out the weekend. (He was so good for the doctor, doing everything that he asked. I'm sure he didn't feel like it. Even Dr. Blalock said he wish he could end EVERY week with such a good child:) Hopefully, he will be over it soon! He went to bed early tonite and so, I'm going to plan on setting my alarm clock so I can give him medicine about 12. Mike is going to stay with him tomorrow while I got to church and keep Nursery. Mrs. Rich, our wonderful friend who coordinates most of the childrens activities at church almost passed away last weekend. She had a aneurysm in her Aorta, in her heart, which caused a tear in her Aorta and had to have emergency surgery to correct. That consisted of bypass surgery and she almost didn't make it twice on the operating table. She also has had a Heart Attack and Stroke and is partially blind now. They are hoping that she will regain her sight later. She has a long road to recovery and she has been in our thoughts and prayers. We love her so much for the wonderful person she is. She always does SO much for the kids at our church. And everyone loves her just because she makes you feel so good. Tomorrow, I have a card for all the kids to sign so we can send it to her. I'm also going to get a big group picture to send to her. We continue to ask God to heal her and give her comfort. She is such an important part of our church family and we are so glad we have her in our lives.
(This is a picture of Mrs. Rich telling the kids the story of Easter at our Easter Egg Hunt this year)

Ain't Love Grand?

Hunter was "showing some love" at the pool on "Float Nite". He just melts my heart when he "lays one on me". Those kisses are so sweet. He does a lot of kissin' lately. If he's standing besde you, he'll just kiss your leg. I LOVE IT! He's such a joy and the best kid in the world. We love him so much for the sweet and caring little boy he is. We thank God every day for such a healthy and happy little boy:)

Bargains Bargains Bargains

Well, we went out tonite to get a new bike trailer for Hunter. The seat that hooks to our bike has been WONDERFUL but Hunter has finally outgrown it. He loves riding in it. Any time we tell him that we are going for a bike ride, he runs upstairs and gets his helmet:) I hope he will continue to love the great outdoors like Mom and Dad. I tried him in it tonite and he loved it. It actually is made and seats 2 comfortably. That's great because we do hope to have another child in the near future;O. It has 2 inner pockets, a pocket in the back, a screen that protects him and a rain cover that rolls up top. I LOVE IT! It was so affordable too. You gotta love Walmart:) Anway the other goodies I got were from Target. We got him an Elmo sprinkler and a Nemo Water Slide, which were both $2.44 each!! Then, I got him some new water shoes for $4 each!! They are the Speedo kind we got him last year. It's hard to find him shoes that fit because his foot is so wide. We were THRILLED to get stuff so cheap tonite. We were only looking for the bike trailer but glad we were looking at the right time and place:)
Can't wait to try his trailer out this weekend. We're going for a bike ride Saturday morning with some friends!

Good Friends Fun

We went to a friends party this Saturday and had a really good time. Mike was videotaping a wedding so Hunter and I went with my brother. Mike met us there about 10. We were getting ready to leave but he got to hang out on his own. Rod and Mindy are great people. They have a beautiful home and we were glad to come over and hang out. Mindy's a great hostess too and always has the BEST LOOKING table full of food:) MMMM Thanks, Rod and Min for a fun filled night. We really needed it! Can't wait to go camping next weekend! Nags Head, Here we come:)

Family Dinner

Mike made dinner for my parents Friday night and it was SO yummy. We usually have dinner with them on Fridays anyway but he's cooked for them the last couple weeks. He made homemade fried rice and broccoli and beef. It was delicious. He even taught Hunter how to eat with the chopstick. Mike ALWAYS uses them when he eats Chinese food. Hunter did pretty good. He's always done so well with his fork anyway. He just saw his dad and wanted to use them too! I'm glad that he remembers we always say our blessing before we eat and thank God for all we have. He sings along now and says Amen:) Every afternoon, he helps Dad empty the dishwasher. We showed our family and they thought it was really funny. He does so good and always wants to help. Even our daycare provider says that he not only cleans up after himself, he helps the other kids pick up their things. What a helper:)