Face Painting

The kids went to a birthday party today...when we picked them up we were greeted by a princess and a skeleton! I was so impressed with our friend Bryan's facepainting talent I just had to share these photos! I hope he is ready for next Halloween...we may be calling!

baby brayden visits

Thanks to Grandmommy Virgina & Mommy Rebecca...young Brayden was able to make his first road trip to Raleigh! It was so much fun to have our cousins visit. We went shopping, out to dinner with more family members and they joined us for the kids swim meet! Brayden was a champ...cheering them on even in the heat & humidity. Rebecca hasn't had very much sleep since this little one doesn't want to sleep in his own room, so I wanted to help out my cousin and give her a good nights rest. Selfishly, I also got to spend the evening with a sweet little baby and knew I could give him back the next morning! Don't get any ideas...Andy & I feel very blessed with our two! They did have fun holding their new little cousin and Alli loved giving him a bottle!

Feed the Cats!

Before the kids started school...YaYa took them to the Credit Union to open up their very own Fat Cat accounts. Both Caden & Alli decided to empty their piggy banks & put all the coins into their accounts. They didn't do too bad...over $100 each! Now we just have to remember to feed the cats!

Happy 4th...a little late!

We had a great 4th of July! I hope each of you did as well. The kids & I went up to the lake to visit Debbie & Jay for a few days and then headed home to celebrate the 4th with Daddy. After a visit to Sunset Slush for some red, white & blue italian ice...we went out to Brierdale for fireworks celebration. I love this photo of Alli in the convertible watching more fireworks as we went home. Our friends & neighbors the Treichlers had us over for a little celebration of our own! We loved them, well except for the screamers! They were really loud!

Eat our Bubbles!

As promised here are a few photos of our little maniacs! Swim meets are going well...both kids are having a blast! Caden & Alli have had fun with all their friends & their times are improving! Both of them have learned how to dive! I think they really like the meets because they get to hang out on their towels and eat dry Jello!

pencils & crayons & notebooks...oh my!

Yes it is that time of year again...back to school! The kids have finished their first week of school and are both very excited about what the year will hold. One of my good friends posted on her blog her daughter's 1st day of school photos...well I too went for a little trip down memory lane.
It is so neat to see how different they look from year to year! Caden may be in for a bit of a suprise this year with all of the homework...or at least Andy & I will be! Alli has really gone from little girl to 1st grader with ease! She loves school...but last year her teacher called her Florence Nightengale. Alli visited the office at least once a day for ice for herself or a classmate that was "injured". Susan maybe she will be a nurse just like you! Well once we found out she had Mrs. Pfanmiller, we warned her of the ice queen! Here is the email I received after her first day...

"She had a good day today....earned a sticker, volunteered for everything and only asked for ice once!" Here are her photos from last year and this year...wow time flies!

We're Back!

Hello to my few followers! Sorry for the delay in all of our posting but we have been consumed with track out and other activities! Let's see last we posted Andy & I had just returned from a relaxing vacation and it was the beginning of May! What have we been doing with ourselves?



We celebrated Mother's Day with a wonderful time! Church, Lunch, Nap, Strawberries! Then we were in full swing of the last month of school. Caden & his class put on their play The Odyssey. We signed the kids up for swimteam this summer. I don't think I had any idea how much time this was going to take! We are at the pool everyday it seems! But our little Marlin Maniacs are swimming like fish! Caden turned 8! Yes I did say 8! Wow he has grown up so fast! I love his personality...he is so kind and such a good friend. So for his birthday we took 11 of his friends to the movies to see Night at the Museum 2! Our dear friend and babysitter graduated from STMA...she is off to Cathloic U in the fall! Gran & PaPa came for a visit.

Susan & Maddie came to stay for a few days and loved splashing in the pool! We cooked out for Memorial Day & didn't send the kids to school! Bailey & George went to Pet Day at LES! My Cousin Michael got married in the mountians. Caden & Alli were in the wedding & Andy took the photos! We celebrated our 11th Anniversary! Alli graduated from Kindergarten! We spent a week at the beach! Aunt Debbie invited us to stay with her one night at the Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach! The kids had a blast in the water park and on the lazy river! Thanks Aunt Debbie!


We celebrated Jane's 60th birthday with dinner at Angus Barn. The kids got to go in the kitchen to decorated Gran's birthday cake. We also suprised her on Saturday with a party with her friends at their house! We have spent crazy days playing at the pool! Our first swim meet! Go Marlins! The four of us took off for a quick trip to The Great Wolf Lodge.


It was so much fun! We stopped by IKEA! We also got to meet our newest cousin Brayden & stay with Uncle Charles & Aunt Virgina! The kids love

playing with Ms. Grace their dog! Celebrated Father's Day with brunch and Sunset Slush! The kids and I gave Andy two suger gliders for Father's Day. I'll post more later on how ZuZu & Hatch are adjusting to our family! Granddaddy & YaYa were able to join us! Andy wanted us to work in the yard for his day so we planted, weeded & mowed! After we headed to Chargrill! Yummy! Smore's with friends! Swim Meets, Celebrated JVS's birthday, had some friends over for dinner. Shopping for school supplies. Now we have one more week before school starts! I can't believe it...it will be bitter sweet. I think they are so excited about the new school year! Alli is going to have the same teacher Caden had last year & Caden will have Mrs. Wood. We look forward to what this year will hold.