Camping

The best part of camping is playing with the fire.

The worst part of camping is the restless night of sleep. Our tent was an orchestra of snoring.

Camping food is pretty good too. Matt is an expert at making the perfect batch of early morning hot chocolate and scrambled eggs.

Kaylee and I took the dog on a mini-hike through the forest. We saw an eagle's nest out over the water.
Matt took the opportunity to practice his kayak rolling skills on the lake.

Everyone tried fishing at the campsite (which was conviently located right on a nice little alcove of the lake.) But, only Gabby actually caught anything. I am pretty sure she had some assistance from her dad.


















The little girls were crazy enough to swim in the freezing lake.

A trip to the zoo.

Another break from school, another trip to the zoo. The girls love a day at the zoo. Even Kaylee still loves to see the animals and she has informed us she is too old for just about everything. We made the Tracy family tag along and we all had a great time. It was a long day but the weather was great and we made it home alive so, I'd call that a success.

Oh yeah, we saw some animals too.

Easter Family Pictures

Look at our beautiful girls!
If we could only photo shop Matt into this picture OR. . . . .
me into this one!














3 out of the 4 little girls in nursery at church wearing identical dresses. That is what happens when Target has a cute dress. . .we all buy it.

Looking so Pretty on Easter Sunday

The girls all looked super pretty in their new dresses. We have to get up earlier each year with more and more hair to do and pictures to pose for.

Painting of the eggs

The bright colors, the stained clothes, the big mess. Easter wouldn't be the same without the painting of the eggs.

Gabby's Garden

On a sunny morning last week, Gabby helped me put some new flowers in the front yard.

Kaylee's pink dogwood tree produced some really pretty flowers this year dispite the tree very small size.

KIDNEY STONE

Good News: After possibly the scariest drive to the hospital I have ever experienced, a truck load of morphine, and 6 hours in the hospital....Matt is fine.

Bad News: There is another stone waiting in his kidney to attack at any moment.

I have now experienced the fear and torment of watching the person I love the most experience incredible pain while I have absolutely no way to help. I guess this is how Matt feels when I am crying with the pains of labor. I think I would rather be in labor myself then watch him go through that again.

Favorite Things

Every week I am going to blog about one of my favorite things. You know, kind of like Oprah's favorite things but I won't be giving away cars.
Everyone that knows me knows how much I enjoy clothes. What can I say, a new dress makes me happy. One of my favorite stores is Anthropology. Now understand that I really can't afford to buy anything from Anthropologie unless it is on sale. But I love to look at the clothes. In exactly 18 days there will be a brand new Anthropologie going in the South Point Mall about 1.5 miles away from my house!!!! I can't wait to spend hours touching and trying on (yes, I try on even though I know I am not going to buy) the clothes. Check out their website. Anthropologie.com and picture me in all those fabulous dresses. Now remember my birthday is in September (just kidding).

Yesterday morning, after dropping Kaylee off at a fund raiser near Jordan Lake, I stopped at the trail head of the American Tobacco Trail in Wake County. I was ready for my 8 mile run. I run this trail by my house but I have never come down to the trail head. (about 15 miles south of our house). The Wake County portion of the trail heads north about 6.5 miles to the Chatham county line. The Chatham county portions runs north another 6 miles and joins the Durham County trail. I absolutely loved running this trail. It is very well maintained. Boardwalk bridges cross marshlands and creeks. The trail runs through a tunnel under highway 64. I can't wait until they complete construction and I can run all the way down from my house. I finished my 8 miles actually disappointed that I didn't have time to see more of the trail.

Spring is finally here.

Gabby, Matt and I decided to take a walk last Sunday after church. The trail has come alive with new green grass, beautiful budding trees and a happy little girl that ran with her dog until she collapsed with exhaustion. I am so glad I live in such a beautiful area. Every season brings something new.