Date Night...

with our kids!

Last night Todd had the honor of taking both his girls to the Father Daughter Dance at school.  They were fed a nice meal, had their pictures taken and got in a dance or two.

Here they are getting ready for their date...

And here they are with their date getting ready to head to the dance...

Wow, my girls are getting so big!

And while the girls were on their date with their daddy, I got to go on a special date with my second most favorite man...  He took me out to dinner and even paid with money from his wallet.  I so enjoyed my special date.

Here is my handsome date for the evening!  

(*I have to also explain about the other reason that my date night with Davis was so important...  He had been having some trouble staying on green at school (the behavior system they use) and he was told that if he had a good week and stayed on green all week that he could take me on a date while Todd was with the girls at the dance.  If he had his clip changed, then he was going to have to go to bed early.  He had such a good week and even though he did get his clip changed to yellow one day I still let him take me on our date.  He was so proud of that and told his teacher and all his friends all week that he was going to take me to dinner.  And since our date night he's had two great weeks at school - no clip changes!) 

I think wonderful memories were made by all on this special date night.

Happy 6th Birthday Davis

I can't believe my baby is 6!  Really? 6? Wasn't it just yesterday that he was a newborn?

Or getting ready to turn one?

Maybe it was just yesterday he was turning 2?

Or even 3?

Could have been just yesterday that he was turning 4?

Or possibly 5?

So he can't possibly already be 6!

But he is!  My baby boy is 6 years old today!

(His painted rock outside of the school greeted him this morning!  And then an hour later the nurse calls to say he's not feeling well and I need to come get him)...

He is celebrating his birthday by being at home "sick"!  

Which actually, he is outside playing in his new sandbox.

 And loving every minute of being at home with Daddy!  I think Daddy is enjoying spending the day playing with Davis too.

Happy Birthday to our little man!  

We love you so much!

Momma and Daddy

Happy New Year

I have the hardest time getting out my Christmas Cards on time and this year was no different.  Since I wasn't able to get cards out, I decided to do a New Year's letter instead.  Here is our New Year's letter that I am sending out... (minus the pictures - they didn't copy over for some reason)!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Family & Friends,

I do believe that in order to get Christmas cards sent out on time, I’m going to have to get them ready and printed in August!  I had such great intentions of sending them out early this year, but it seems that time just got away from me.  Oh well, instead of wishing you a Merry Christmas, which I’m hoping that you all had, I will wish you a Happy New Year!  

Here is a brief recap of what’s been going on around here...

Sidney is 10 1/2 now and is growing into a sweet, loving, beautiful young lady.  She is in the 5th grade now and at their school, that is considered Middle school.  It’s been quite the adjustment going from one teacher all day to switching classes and having 6 different teachers but she has adjusted wonderfully.  She continues to amaze us with her ability to figure out anything technological (definitely her daddy’s girl there).  She began her 5th year of dance this year and performed in her 4th Nutcracker last month.  She is working extremely hard toward her goal of getting pointe shoes.  She is becoming such a beautiful dancer. 

Madison is 9 and in the 4th grade!  She is also growing into a sweet, loving, and beautiful young lady.  She has had a great start to the school year and has done extremely well adjusting to 4th grade and all the homework and responsibility is has brought.  I can’t say that she loves school, because she would much rather be dancing, but she does very well.  She has turned out to be quite the social butterfly.  We are seeing that she tries very hard to be friends with everyone.  Madison is in her 6th year of dance and performed in her 5th Nutcracker last month.  She too is working very hard toward getting her pointe shoes.  We are amazed at Madison’s passion and dedication to dance and how hard she is working.  

Both the girls have added a second ballet class to their schedules.  That now puts the total at 2 ballet classes, one modern class, one jazz class and one pre pointe class.  They spend 5 hours a week at the ballet studio and love it!  As they progress with their dancing, their classes will increase as will their time.  I have to say, as much running back and forth to ballet as I have to do for them, I really don’t mind it.  We are so proud of how they have progressed with their dancing and it really is a joy to watch them on stage.  As I said above, the girls performed in the Nutcracker again this year and both did wonderfully.  They actually had the same part this year and were able to dance together.  

Davis is 6!  In fact, today (1/2/12) is his birthday!  He is celebrating by spending the day home “sick”.  He started Kindergarten this year and loves it.  He has two great teachers and he has had a great start to the school year.  He is definitely all boy!  Loves anything with wheels and can pretty much drive anything.  He got a go cart this summer and has already mastered that.  Soon, he’ll be driving the tractor and mowing the lawn.  His newest obsession is radio controlled cars.  He and Todd really enjoy playing with them together.  He also enjoys playing football and riding his bike.  He loves to be outside and would stay out there all day and night if we let him.  Davis is a sweet and loving little boy!

Todd is staying busy at work.  Even with the economic downturn, business has remained steady and thankfully has even started to pick up again.  He too enjoys being outside playing with the RC cars.  Our garage has been transformed into a RC workshop where Todd will take apart cars and put them back together.  He has also coached Davis’ flag football team the last 3 seasons.  He has thoroughly enjoyed doing all the fun boy stuff with Davis.  

I am busier than ever, even with all 3 in school all day!  I opted not to go back to work at the preschool this year.  I figured that with Davis in Kindergarten, I was kind of done with the whole preschool thing.  I still go and help out on occasion and have picked up a few other “jobs” to keep me busy.  I am working part time doing office work at my friends new Pilates studio.  And not only am I working in the office some, I’m also working out and loving it.  I’ve also picked up another part time “job” doing some bookkeeping for another friend of mine who owns her own business.  The nice thing about both these “jobs” is that I can be flexible and work according to my schedule.  I also spend a good amount of time volunteering at the kids school, which I thoroughly enjoy.  And although I’m finding myself busier than ever, it’s doing the things that I truly enjoy doing.  I still spend more time than most in my van running here, there, and everywhere, but I am happy to do it.

So that’s what’s been going on around our house.  We are looking forward to 2012 and all the adventures it will bring.  We hope that 2012 brings you many blessings!

From our home to yours....     Happy New Year!

Todd and Susan

Sidney, Madison & Davis

Blogging Break

As you can plainly tell, I have been on a little bit of a blogging break.  Definitely not for lack of things going on, in fact, just the opposite.  I've been thoroughly enjoying being busier than ever.  I've been spending lots of time doing things that I've wanted to do for awhile, but just never could quite do it.  I think I'm going to stay on my blogging break for just a bit longer and maybe (hopefully) begin again once the kids get out of school for their Christmas break.  And then I hope to be back to blogging more regularly after that.  

Madison's Big Weekend

Madison is now 9! 

She turned 9 on Friday...

I surprised her with lunch from Chick Fil A

Cupcakes to share with her class and a balloon

As I've done every years since Kindergarten, I painted the rock outside of school for her.  She was very surprised that I was able to do it this year since I told her that I didn't reserve it in time.  I wanted her to be surprised.  I think it came out pretty good.  It seems to have gotten better over the past few years.  

Madison had ballet after school on Friday and since Sidney skipped out on dance due to being exhausted after a 3 day 2 night field trip for school, I treated Madison (and myself) to Japanese food for dinner.  It was just the two of us.  After our yummy dinner, we came home to open gifts and sing Happy Birthday!   Oddly enough, we had 9 cupcakes left so we put 1 candle in each...

On Saturday, she auditioned for the Nutcracker again.  This will be her 5th year dancing in the Nutcracker.  She got her part tonight during ballet class.  Both she and Sidney will be "Ginger Children" this year.  She's so excited!  After ballet on Saturday, we celebrated her birthday again with some friends.

On Sunday, Madison took the next step after asking Jesus into her heart.  She was baptized.  

Madison made her decision to follow Jesus back in the summer.  It really is a sweet story...

A very good friend, who is now 12 years old, was diagnosed at the end of May with an inoperable brain. Madison took it extremely hard for many reasons.  One being that we are very close to Josh and his family and another reason being that it brought up lots of questions about what Madison went through when she was 3.  Although Madison's situation turned out much differently, it still was very hard for her.  Anyway, during one of those first few days after finding out about Josh's diagnosis, Madison was having a very hard time falling asleep.  She had already been down twice complaining of her stomach hurting and when I went up the third time, she finally told me what was bothering her.  After talking for a few minutes, she told me that she wanted to pray and that she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart.  She said that if she prayed for Jesus to come into her heart that He would surely hear her prayers for Josh.  She was very sure of her decision and of course, we couldn't have been happier.  We also shared the news with Josh and his family and they were thrilled for her as well.  (On a side note, Josh is doing great now.  The tumor is still there and inoperable because of the location, but it has shrunk by 3/4 of it's original size - the doctors are amazed with his results and have said they are the best they've ever seen with this type of tumor - God is so good!  I plan to write more about Josh in another post. )

So here is Madison on the morning of her baptism...

September 18, 2011

She said she felt like a little angel in the robe

with our youth pastor

Me and Madison before the service

Waiting for service to start

Romans 4:6 "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in the newness of life."

I said it when Sidney was baptized earlier this year... of all the milestones that our kids reach, none is sweeter than hearing and seeing your child accept Jesus as their Savior.  Once again, knowing that Madison has Jesus in her heart makes this Momma's heart happy! 

So as you can see, we had quite a bit to celebrate this past weekend.  And what a great weekend it was!

Madison,

Happy 9th Birthday Baby Girl!  We are so proud of the young lady you have become.  We are so excited to be able to celebrate not only your 9th birthday but to celebrate your decision to follow Jesus.  Follow Him always and He will lead you and never leave you.  

We Love You So Much!

9-11

I wasn't sure that I was going to post something about September 11th today.  My blog has always been basically my journal of what's going on in my family.  And although I know that everyone was affected by the events of September 11,  2001,  I wasn't sure that it was something that belonged here.  BUT, the more I got to thinking about it, the more I realized that it does belong here.  If for nothing else than to say that I do remember that day and it did impact my life.  

Ten years ago today, it was a beautiful Carolina day.  The sky was so blue and the weather was gorgeous.  I was on my way to my very first ever Women's Bible Study at our church. My almost 3 month old baby girl was in her car seat in the backseat.  I was listening to the radio, when the announcer came on that a plane hit one of the Twin Towers.  Once I made it to the church,  I called Todd and asked him if he had heard.  He said that they thought it was just a terrible accident with a commuter plane.  I went on in to bible study not really thinking anymore about it.  I was nervous enough going into bible study not knowing anyone.  It wasn't until some of the other ladies coming in later than me with news that a second plane hit the other tower.  I think that's when everyone knew that something terrible was happening.  We continued on with our bible study and as soon as we were done and I got back in the car, I called Todd.  It was then that he told me what was going on.  I went straight home and turned on the TV.  Like everyone else,  I was in shock.  I couldn't believe the images I was seeing... like this one...

or this one...

or this one...

And so many others!  

And now, 10 years later, these sights still give me chills that run through my entire body.  And now, I have the job of explaining to my children what happened and why.  It's hard to believe that this sweet little thing is now 10 years old and very much interested in what took place on that September day.  

Sidney at  3 months

(Forgive the quality - we didn't have a digital camera when she was a baby)

September 11th is a day that no one will forget.  It is a day that is marked in history and in our hearts.  We hear of horrible events like this from other parts of the world, but not here at home, in America.  I think of all the people who died, those who willingly gave their lives to try to save others and to those who have had to go on living without the ones they love. 

And as we celebrated our local heroes in church this morning, I just want to say Thank you to ALL the people out there who put themselves in harms way daily for me and my family.  You have my utmost admiration and respect!  

God bless our country and the men and women serving!

We've Made It to

Sixteen Years

Not that there was ever any doubt.  

There was never any option that we wouldn't make it.

But, we have made it 16 years... 

Over the past 16 years, we've gone through some highs and some lows, 

but always together and always stronger than before.

We compliment each other so well.

Where I am weak, you show strength.

God created you just for me.

And He created me just for you!

There was never any doubt that we would spend the rest of our lives together.

And while it's been 16 years (which seems like a long time), 

I look forward to many more years together.

The best is yet to come!

"In all the world, you'll never find, a love as true, as mine!!!"

Happy Anniversary, Todd!

Even after 16 years, I'm still very proud to be your wife.

I love you more today, than I ever thought possible.

***Wonderful photos by Bobbie Brown Photography***