And the Winners Are....

Congratulations Ashley and Britton!  They were winners in a poster contest put on by the family support group here on base.  First and second places were chosen in three age categories out of over 250 posters.  Ashley won 1st place in here age group and Britton won 2nd in his age group.  Ashley won a 20 dollar gift card, movie passes, bowling passes, and more and Britton won all of those things minus the gift card.  We were very happy for them!  They must get their artistic abilities from someone other than me!

My Sunny Beach Girl

I have always known that Ashley loves the beach...My little blond, blue-eyed girl was born in St. Mary's, Georgia...30 minutes from the beach.  She had here first trip to the beach at less than two weeks old.  She loves the sand, the salty water, the shells, the waves, and even when the fish nibble her toes.  She is the first to want to go snorkeling with Kelly and let me tell you, she is braver than the boys and I put together!  They go out farther than I care to watch! She is quite the body boarder and if she would have had the chance I know she would have been a natural at surfing! So this brings me to her comment to me the other day...

Ashley: "Mom, I'm not sure I like Alabama so much." (I am puzzled, she loves her school, her teacher and the park and church etc.)

Me: "Why Ash?"

Ashley: "It is sooooooooooo far away from the beach!"

We live 3 and a half hours from the gulf coast and we have even been there since moving here! The poor girl!  I didn't have the heart to break it to her that Omaha, Nebraska is REALLY far away from a beach!

So here is a tribute to my little beach girl.  I know it may seem like a lot of pictures but let me tell you that it was a struggle to narrow it down to just these!

One More

I had to add this just for you Katie! See, it's not just Lyndon! I have decided that boys who have older sisters are just doomed to wear a few fairy princess costumes in their life. I mean hey, remember the pretty outfits that we dressed Byron up in?! I think that we only need to worry if they keep doing it when they are like 19 or 20!! =)

My Bag Obsession

So I have bit of an obsession....BAGS!  I just love em! I can't help but stop and look wherever I am.  I do have a sweet husband who although he loves to make fun of me because of my obsession he would get me any bag I want. So that leaves me in a dilemma...if I were to get every bag I want we would have to devote a couple of rooms in our house to the storage of them.  So that leaves me to my own restraint. I feel I do pretty well, I only buy the ones I really, really, really love and I am pretty much a cheap skate and if the bag is over a certain price range it's out for me. So that leaves out Gucci, Prada, Coach, etc. It's ok though those brands aren't really up my alley. My most favorite brand is Roxy. I could go to a Quiksilver store or PacSun and just go wild! As we were traveling from LA to Idaho this summer we stopped at 3 Quiksilver Outlets. Boy was that awesome! I did restrain myself to only 2 bags though.  The bag now pictured is my most recent one. I found it at TJ Maxx for 20.00. Yay! It was a happy day! So I was wondering if I am really shallow or if there are some other addicts out there that are keeping the economy going like me!?

Dressing Up Fun

Mason has been having a great time dressing up lately. I thought I would put a few of his ensembles on the blog.

He calls that green stick his "broom" when he is wearing the witch hat!

I thought I would get in on the action..The kids started singing "Spider-mommy".

He even needs to eat in them. (*Note-Kelly is the only one who can tie the blue blanket cape properly, I am sadly deficient at it although I have really tried!)

And this has to be my very favorite! Harry Potter in "tidy-whitey's".

Kids are so awesome! Hours of entertainment!

The Angry Crafter

I like to refer to myself as an "angry crafter". You have to understand that I come from a family of creative people. I grew up with parents that would make different Christmas decorations each year, my Dad did ceramics (even has his own kiln), my Mom is an awesome seamstress, my sister Katie can decorate like Martha Stewart, and my sister Lindsey can make the cutest cards and projects just like out of a magazine, And my brother Byron can tie flies! These are just one each of their talents, they all have many more to prove that the creative juices flow free through our family. Then there is me....I like to think that I am an admirer of talents (Is that a talent?).

I see all those awesome projects and ideas and think to myself, I want to do that...then I try and I am reminded again why I am the "angry crafter" and why I try to steer away from such things. (Sometimes it's more for my families benefit than mine!) Let my give you a couple of examples.

This is a project I did on our craft day at church...

I know looks pretty normal, but the pain and mental anguish to get it to this point was pretty much a draw at whether it was worth the end product. To name only a few of my "mishaps with the thing...I had to sand the whole thing and got sawdust all over my pants!, I got paint all over my hands (I know horrible right?!), I had to wait an inordinate amount of time for the paint to dry!, When I put the glue on IT got all over my hands, More sanding and stuff on my pants, more glue on my hands, I have to wait even longer (I think) for the glue to dry, AND now here is the kicker...........I go back to check if the glue has dried and there are bubbles all over underneath the paper!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! I, of course cannot leave it like that (I am a bit of a perfectionist, could that be part of my problem?) So, I proceed to tear off all the paper, I must now sand all the excess glue off and you guessed it it got all over my pants! Then reglueing, more glue on the hands, this time I take extra precautions for now bubbles underneath the paper, more sanding again than waiting for the glue to dry!!! So there it is finished, no bubbles, and it now needs holes drilled in it for the ribbon. I made the safe choice and found someone to drill the holes, I didn't think I was in the right state of mind to operate power tools! At least its done right?

This project I did last month at church. It was a bit better since it only involved tying and a bit of hot glue, although I did burn my finger.

And last of all, this is the project I like the most...The one I bought!!!!

So all in all, I think it is better for all those who live with me and are affected by my mood if I stick to the kind of crafts that I buy OR are given to me! (Hint, hint, Mom, Dad, Katie, Lindsey, and Byron!) Love you guys!

Cup full of LOVE

Ashley came in from roller blading on a cold, windy day and just needed a cup of hot chocolate. I was doing the dishes and I hear, "Mom! You have to come here!!!" I came on over and she points to her cup. She had popped a bubble and it made a perfect heart! I had to document it. 

For the love of overalls!

No matter how hard I try I cannot figure out the reason that kids love overalls so much!

-Is it the little hooks at the top that clink together when they walk? (and make a very loud noise when they are in the dryer)

-Is it that they feel like a farmer?

-Is it that they are warm?

-Is it all the cool pockets to put stuff in, like rocks, flowers, and bugs?

-Is it that they make Mommy's life a little more difficult when she has assist the bathroom going process? (It's a bugger trying to keep those straps out of the toilet bowl!)

OR, could it be...

-All the room you have to hang free without the burden of a waistband?

I just don't know, but I know that Mason LOVES his overalls! Every day when he wakes up he asks me where they are. When I reply that they are in the laundry his face falls, yet he does accept the disappointment. I do have to admit that some days I do tell a "Mommy lie" and either say that they are in the laundry or I don't know where they are when in fact they are clean and I have hid them in his drawer. I know it sounds mean, but I don't want everyone thinking that my poor kid doesn't have any other clothes besides those overalls! :)

It's not just Mason who loves them though. The ones that Mason are wearing were Britton's, and Quincy also had a pair that Mason will happily get the wear when he grows out of these ones. Both of the bigger boys loved their overalls too! I secretly think that they wish that they could have a pair to wear now. I also think that Kelly wants some!..I wonder if he could wear them to work? :) Actually, for those of you who know what the guys wear underway on the submarine understand that he pretty much does get to wear them to work!

(Please refer to following photo!) - See...pretty much the same, just sleeves instead of straps!

Halloween Fun

So, my sister Katie, who I refer to as my blogmaster, informed me that I was long overdue for a new post. So here we are...my children in their Halloween costumes, and might I add that it hasn't even been 2 whole weeks since Halloween so I was thinking I was doing good! 

They all chose what they wanted to be although Mason might have had a bit of urging from me. I did give him options-Quincy's old Peter Pan costume or Britton's old Captian Hook one.  In the end he thought that a pirate was way cooler than a boy who wears tights (It was a proud moment for Kelly!) Mason thought that Ashley should have been Christine from Phantom of the Opera since Quincy was the Phantom, but Tinker Bell won out. And we can't forget our cool Indiana Jones! The poor guy wan't up to his heroic self the night of Halloween and didn't make it out to trick-or-treat. Luckily he has a sister who dearly loves him and gave him half of her Halloween candy.

I must say that I have some pretty generous kids. After they got done counting their loot they gave my handfuls of good stuff and I didn't even ask! (Well I might of asked for the Milk Duds). I was not that generous with my parents...My Dad was lucky if he got a few tootsie rolls and the candy with the coconut I didn't like!

I was a fun Halloween with crisp fall air and beautiful fall colors (we haven't had real Fall Halloween for a few years!) We definetely need to thank Grandma Perkes though. We couldn't have been so fashionable without her hard work. My kids think it's the best that they can tell their Grandma what they want to be every year and she delivers! Thank-you Lindsey and Dustin also, for the loan of Indiana's hat and coat!

Anatomy of a Run...(Without Mason)

8:oo am- The kids have just headed out the door for school and I think to myself...

I really should go running now. Hmmm...I had better just do these dishes really fast, oh yeah...I need to put that load of laundry in the dryer...Mason and Ashley's room is a mess, I'll just shut the door.

9:00 am- I finally put on my running clothes, brush my teeth, then Mason wants a fruit snack and for me to change the channel to Go, Diego, Go. I decide that I should put that other load of laundry into the wash.

9:30 am- I put on my running shoes, get my Ipod, kiss Mason and Kelly goodbye and I'm out the door...Yay! (Huge accomplishment!)

I get everything adjusted, turn on the music, and I'm off...

"Brrr, it's cold out here...It'll be warmer as soon as I get going a bit...Maybe I won't go as far today, I'm tired...No, I need to burn off all that Halloween candy I sneaked when the kids were in bed...Some hot tamales and a butterfinger sound good...Maybe I'll go to Ross and look for some running shirts, I only have two that are long sleeved...Why did I put this song on my playlist...I hope I don't trip while I am changing the song...I wonder how long I've been running...I hope I can get a nap today...Here comes my neighbor walking her dog...Wow, it's pretty amazing how I speed up when I pass someone...What should I have for lunch...This Avril Lavigne song makes me run faster...I wonder what it would look like if I painted my fingernails black...I really like these houses...I wonder how many bedrooms they have...Here comes the big hill...I hope that nobodies there...I look funny going down it...I wonder if it is to cold for snakes now...That is a huge ant hill...There is a big banana spider...I wonder if it gets to cold for them...If I fell down and broke my leg, how would I get home...It would be nice to walk for a while...I really enjoy wearing those size 4 jeans...I won't stop and walk...I would really like a new dress...I need to go to the store and get some milk...Maybe I could run a half-marathon...I should shave my legs today...What am I going to wear after I shower...I should clean the bathroom...Wow, I'm almost there...Glad I didn't quit...I do like running...When I'm done!...And when I put on my clothes and they're loose..."

Stay tuned for Anatomy of a Run...(With Mason!)

Where has time gone?

I am now the mother of a twelve year old. I know...Gasp, gasp! It truly seems like just yesterday that he was that little boy who loved to sing, I Am A Child of God, watch Barney, and devise more ways to cheat at Candyland (this was before he was even two!) How can it be that your little boy can go from this...

To this.... 

In just a blink of an eye! Here he is with Kelly as they were heading out to the priesthood session of conference. I vividly remember being his age and sadly, I remember thinking my parents were pretty old! (Sorry mom and dad, I guess what goes around comes around!) I am grateful for the awesome man he is turning into. I could have never asked for a better son. He is pretty amazing and we are grateful for the opportunity to watch him grow although it does make us feel a little aged sometimes. We love you Quincy! You are the best and we are so blessed to call you our son!

Our Newest Reader!

Ashley is in first grade and has reached that point in everyone's life where the whole world has opened up and you can read! It never gets old to hear your child read every street sign, store front, label etc. with a voice of amazement because they realize that these things called words have always been there, but they now can be read. The two older boys both enjoy reading, especially Quincy, but I see Ashley surpassing even he in the future. I rarely find her now without a book. This is how Kelly and I found her one night when we went to check on her before we went to bed. The other night I found a large stack of books that she was hiding underneath her blankets so she could read them after I put her to bed. Being an avid reader since I was her age I do have to say that I am already planning for the future and being able to introduce to her all the books I love...The boxcar children, Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, The Hardy Boys and the list goes on! I guess I shouldn't be surprised at her love of reading though. She is related to her Grandpa Perkes. He is always reading something, even if it's just the back of a cereal box! He even goes to our public library when he comes to visit. And I can't leave my mom out of this. She has discovered her own love of books recently and after having only read two full length novels throughout her life she read 4 in the course of 3 weeks last month. (We have Stephanie Meyers to thank for that!) Yay mom! So to all you readers out there, join me in welcoming Ashley Ann Laing to our world! 

Banana Spider

Every morning Mason and I go for a run along the Alabama River. Kelly calls it our nature run since Mason loves to recount all the animals, plants, trees, birds, bugs, and "yes" even spiders. Really LARGE spiders. They are called banana spiders and are about the size of the palm of your hand. There are huge webs between every branch and tree and a spider right in the middle of each one. (Did I mention that they aren't poisonous? As if that really matters!!) These are Mason's favorites and he loves to point them all out for me.

Soooo.....We were running one morning and the air was kind of smelly. (This is the south, paper mills abound!) I said to Mason, "It's kind of smelly today isn't it? I think it's the river or the paper mill." In which he replies to me, "No, mom! It's the banana spider poop!" 

Oh, does that boy make me smile!!!

We're Back!

After a big break I have renewed my motivation to keep my blog updated! (I know, I know, it took me long enough, right?!) A big shout out to my sister Katie who designed a fresh new look for it! We are now in a new home and state. Kelly is attending the Air Command and Staff College here in Montgomery, Alabama and we live on Maxwell Air Force Base. We really are loving it here in the south. I have decided that I'm a southern girl at heart! (Cockroaches, sweltering, humidity filled summers and all!) The kids are enjoying themselves, especially having the school right across the street. The picture above is the kids out front of the house with Mason not cooperating.  And this next picture is after I bribed him to smile. You know...whatever works!!