"Hope" chest

Recently I did some re-arranging of furniture and moved Jenna's hope chest into her room. This is very special to me because my dad made it for her. She doesn't quite grasp the concept of a hope chest. She thinks it is a hope chest because her middle name is Hope. She thinks mine is a "Leah chest". I explained to her that every one calls theirs a "hope chest" no matter what their middle name is. I need to find something better to put on top to protect it. Don't you just love the picture of Jenna when she was little next to to her hope chest? (oh to have her that little again)

Sweet Home, Chicago......

This is part 2 of my adventure to Chicago. Jack came and got me for lunch on Friday. They were all done working and he wanted to go to eat with a co-worker and brought me along. We went to this hamburger/hotdog place that we went to 4 years ago and it was SO GOOD!! Jack and I walked to Millennium Park after that and enjoyed some time there before we came back to the hotel, got dressed up and went to the Chicago Chop House. (that was one of my previous posts). We were then able to go down to Navy Pier. It was absolutely beautiful. You could turn around and see the beautiful Chicago skyline all lit up. We sat by the water watching the boats take off and looked at the city. We also rode the big Ferris wheel. Jack was getting very tired by then after living on 6 hours of sleep the entire week so we called it a night. Saturday we did some shopping on Michigan Ave (the magnificent mile where our hotel was located). We also took an hour and a half boat ride down through the city and out past Navy Pier.....A perfect day!! We quickly ran to Garretts (Garretts is a Chicago popcorn shop all over Chicago....THE BEST CARMEL CORN EVER....there is usually a line out the door and there was) to get our last share of Carmel corn and then we headed back home to get the kids. I'm truly amazed on how God provides for us and once again were able to take a very inexpensive vacation!!!

Happy Anniversary!!!!

13 years ago today I married my best friend!! Life just keeps getting better and better with Jack. I love him more today than I did 13 years ago, and I didn't think that was possible because I loved him so much back then. As a young girl all I ever dreamed of was falling in love and getting married. After going through college and dating just a couple of times and then never finding anyone I thought I would never get married. (always a bridesmaid never a bride) I really thought there was something wrong with me or that I was unlovable. Our time table is not God's time table and just because all my friends were getting married at 21-22 didn't mean I was supposed too. Thankfully God knew what he was doing and several years later I met him......my best friend. I knew right away he was the one (I just had to convince him!!!). Happy anniversary, honey. You are the love of my life and you have brought me so much joy and happiness!! To celebrate our 13 years together, we were in Chicago over the weekend. Friday night we went to the Chicago Chop House restaurant. This is a place we could NEVER go to on our own, but since he was on business, we got a really nice fancy dinner, split it, and the company paid. We had bread, crab cakes, a fancy steak, some speciality potatoes, and a turtle cheesecake to die for!! Thank you for letting me go and for the great memories!! I love you!! May we have many more years together!!!

Chicago

I flew out yesterday for Chicago. I sat by a really nice lady from VA and we talked the entire time. The flight went by so quickly by having her there. I felt like I was talking to a friend! I was so proud of myself because after I landed I found the metro train all by myself. In fact, this was the easiest metro I have ever taken. I was able to find the hotel all by myself. It only cost $2.25 to get to down town Chicago....much cheaper than a $50 taxi! (just another way to save money). I found Jack, got to my room and then he had to return to work. I did what any mom without kids would do......go shopping! I loved going down Michigan Ave....American Girl....all the other stores. I then walked to Navy Pier and looked around, came back to relax and then headed out to Millineum Park. Jack and his two co-workers ordered room service to their conference room, so I had a nice dinner of salad, cocktail shrimp, rolls, ribs, and fries!! Poor Jack has worked the past two nights until 2 am, so pray for him. All I can say is that God has provided the money for my airline ticket. (we used our credit card points to pay for one way and I paid for the other.....another way to save money). Jack is still working now and is exhausted....but tonight we are celebrating our anniversary (23rd) by going to the Chicago Chop House!! We'll spend time tonight together and most of the day tomorrow before heading home. Having a great time, even though most of it has been alone. Will show pictures when I get home.

I'm a star......

Last Wednesday I was in the Clayton News Star. I was at school a couple of weeks ago helping move and clean desks and get the school ready to go. I was ready to leave and Jenene asked me to stay to talk to the reporter! I didn't know I'd show up in the picture too.....I'm the big one taking up most of the space! Anyway it was fun to be in a paper for a week!! Joshua was in this in 1st grade and Jacob has been on the front of a magazine. Jenna is on SCS's website scswarriors.com....scroll down and you'll see her.

First Day of School

The kids started school today. It's great to have them back, but yet it's very sad. Joshua in 4th grade? Jacob in 2nd? My baby starting first? It's so hard to see them growing up so fast. They have great teachers again this year and I hope they have a great year!! (Joshua didn't want me to walk in with him and I couldn't get a picture of Jacob)

Old Friends

Yesterday the kids and I went back to Concord Mills Mall. My very dear friend Julie was in the area so we met up with her. Julie lives in Illinois. She was my college roommate and we have been very close friends since then. I was in Julie's wedding and then she was in my wedding. In fact, that was the last time I saw her.....13 years (in two weeks). Her boys are at the Wilds this week and she is staying in Atlanta with her brother while they are there. It was so good to see her and catch up with her. It was like we haven't been apart at all. I hope to take a trip in a year or two to visit her (she lives near St. Louis so there would be a lot to do). I wish I could have cropped my picture out. I can't stand to be in pictures right now. I can't stand to see how fat I am. It's like I take up the entire screen.

Fabulous Free Vacation........

So here is how we went away for the weekend. We worked at the Kids Exchange to pay for all our meals. We used our credit card points to pay for our hotel. The only thing left was gas!! We used our Kids Exchange money I got for selling toys and clothes to pay for school supplies and shoes!! What a way to take a getaway!!

So, you ask what we did on our vacation......we got up at 3 am Friday morning and went to Spartanburg SC to watch the Panthers training camp. We had no idea how this would be, but it was FABULOUS! We got a lot of autographs of the players and coaches and we were able to watch the panthers practice......all for free. They had a box where you could sign your kids up to get a free t-shirt and go to a special section of the practice field. Can you believe that out of hundreds of names, Joshua was one of the 5 names chosen? He went down to the practice field and then after that he got paired off with a Panther player.....somehow he got De Angelo Williams who is his FAVORITE player. He got his picture taken with him and some of the other big name players. He loved every minute of it. We checked into our hotel after that, took the kids swimming and then went back at 6 for another training camp session. What a great way to see the players up close and talk with them. Finally, Saturday we drove up to Charlotte and the kids got to see the stadium, walk on the field etc. Another free opportunity to see the team in action. On the way home we stopped quickly at Concord Mills Mall and bought shoes and a jumper and then headed home. More pictures during the week!

Storms.....

To this day I hate thunderstorms!! When I was a little girl I used to hide under the covers thinking that would protect me from the storms. Now I have Jack.....poor thing. The poor guy was trying to sleep last night only to have me grabbing on to him. Jenna ended up in our room first. She seems to get the fear of storms from me. I thought everything was over only for it to get much worse. Jacob was wide awake in his room and I could tell he wanted some re-assurance, and then poor Josh was left to himself. So for about 30 minutes we had our room at full capacity with 5!! Did I mention poor Jack? I don't know how grabbing on to him will help me, but it does. We haven't had a storm that bad in quite awhile. I know it lasted at least an hour and a half as I was up for over 2 hours!! Some day this "old woman" will grow out of her fear of storms.
We are heading out of town this weekend. We'll be leaving tomorrow and coming back Saturday night. Don't forget tax free weekend. I know you don't save much on glue sticks, but when you have to buy three pair of shoes, underwear, belts, and a jumper than it really saves you money! We'll post pictures of our family adventure and shopping adventures tomorrow!!!

New "Patio"

Jack finally completed our patio set, and I know he will never do another one in his life time. Trying to get that level was a chore and I appreciate all his hard work. About two years ago for our anniversary we found a patio set on clearance at Home Depot. We bought it because I had always wanted one. We set a few bricks out by the set of the deck. Needless to say it wasn't quite big enough and our budget ran out at that point!! Two years later the bricks had weeds growing and it looked horrible. Jack moved it up the hill, bought more bricks, dug a hole and started leveling each and every one. The tree gives the table a lot of shade from about 1-2 pm on. I wanted to get Jack something "special" and unique for his b-day so I started searching for patio umbrellas. Needless to say I was shocked by the price and they were consistent wherever I went....Lowes, Target, Walmart etc. I was hoping they would start to go on clearance, but no such luck (and they are still not on clearance). I checked Ebay and got one brand new. The cost INCLUDING shipping was less than half of what most stores were asking. I think it adds a nice touch. I hope to get some planters or one of those fireplace things to add a final touch.