Hurricanes Game

Happy New Year!!!! I haven't set my "goals yet for 2012" but will post that soon. I surprised the family (even Jack) with tickets to the Hurricanes game the day after Christmas. Of course, the McLean's do everything cheap!! There are several games during the year that they consider "family nights" where you can get $10 tickets and they also have $1 hot dogs!! We took advantage of both. I had an extra ticket, so we invited Jack's best friend, Lai to go. The Canes won and it was a lot of fun. We plan on going again for Josh's b-day later this month.

Company Party

Jack's company had a Christmas dinner on December 3rd. That was such a busy day for us. We had to leave play practice and then after the party, Josh and I left for the Clemson game. The party was held at the Shriners Club in Raleigh. I really liked how they made this a family event. They did family photos (which turned out awful) and then had clowns making balloons for the kids as well as kids crafts. They even had a kids friendly buffet line and an adult buffet line.....which was so good!! They had a magician for the kids and then every kid got a wrapped present (1-18 years of age). Josh got a cool dart game and Jacob and Jenna also rec'd some nice games. Of course at the end, Santa came to visit. Thumbs up to Golden Corral on this one:)

Family pictures

Last time I showed pictures of my sweetheart and now I would like to show some of our family shots. I have some things come up the last couple of weeks where I just had to say "thank you God for my family". I'm very very blessed. I always wanted to be a wife and mom and didn't think it was going to happen to me, but it did and I am very grateful to have my family.

Company Picnic

Sunday afternoon we were treated to a company picnic. I forgot how much I loved these, as Jack's old company stopped doing it. They had the picnic at the Angus Barn Pavilion. The picnic area was so gorgeous. It could have been closed in if it rained. The kids enjoyed all the free snow cones, popcorn and cotton candy they wanted. They also had all the drinks they could possibly want. There was also bouncies, a "mechanical bull" a log roll, etc. They could play carnival games, and they came home with TONS of stuffed animals and prizes!!! Of course there was face painting too and they had two horses taking people for rides in a wagon. The meal was hot dogs, hamburgers with all the fixins, beans, pasta salad, corn the cob, fried chicken, ribs and a wonderful chocolate dessert!! This is the type of fun the McLean family loves.....FREE....and boy did we take full advantage of it.

Through a Child's Eyes....

My conversation this morning with Jenna....."Mommy, how old is daddy again, 86"? No, Jenna, daddy is 38. "Why are you older than daddy"?....(Good question honey...I swore I would never marry someone younger than me) "How come I'm not older than Jacob since my b-day is before Jacob's?" (obviously we don't understand the year concept yet) And this was my conversation just at breakfast!!!

Tuesday I made my creamy rosemary penne with chicken! Interesting night! Frankly, I LOVED it! It was really good, especially with the bread crumbs mixed with butter on top. Jacob ate the serving I gave him and nothing else. Jenna took her bite and was done, Joshua took one look at it and said "I don't like that". I told him it was going to be put on his plate and he said "well, don't put much on there". He took his half bite and was determined he didn't like it. So we won't be making this again. Oh, Jack liked it and he took more than one helping of it. Mom, for all those times you slaved making something new and I wouldn't try it or I said "yuck" I apologize!!!!

3 More Days!!

Just three more days until our trip. I am excited, but at the same time, I become such a worry wart!! What if our van breaks down? What if we get a flat tire? What if the kids get hurt and need to go to the hospital? What if one of us gets sick and we have to stay in the hotel room the entire time? I know this is crazy and I know that God has not given us the spirit of fear. I get this way before every trip. At least this time I am not leaving the kids!!
Lord willing, we do plan on going to the Coca Cola factory. I mean, me being such a diet coke lover, how could I not go? I also hope to take the kids to the aquarium, which should take care of the "educational" part.