The Laing Gang

Halloween 2009

2009-11-06T13:18:00.003-06:00

So my mom has been not so subtlety hinting that I needed to add Halloween pictures of the kids, so this is for you mom. And you do deserve it for 1-your my mom! and 2-you made the costumes! Like always the kids were well dressed on Halloween because of my mom. Thanks Mom! You really are the best and we love you!

Quincy was a vampire. It seems to be a very popular one this year...(I wonder why?:) The day before he dressed up real nice for school and gelled his hair up and wore his white long sleeved thermal shirt, jeans, and dress shoes with his jacket inside out so it was all black. I asked if they could dress up for school and he told me that he was secretly dressing up as guess who...Edward!! So awesome (I should of took a picture, he looked good!) After school I asked if anyone knew he secretly dressed up. He said that 4 or 5 girls asked if he was Edward! I love it!!

Britton was a sorcerer this year. Not a wizard, as I was told many times! He had his awesome wand that he and Kelly had made to compliment the outfit.

And here is our snow princess, sparkles and all!! She was not so happy that I told her that she had to wear something with her dress so she wouldn't freeze! We compromised and found a couple of my shirts to wear underneath. I truly know how she felt though, I have a distinct memory of when I was about 4 or 5 of having to wear a coat under my princess costume and being quite upset that I was a FAT princess!

And introducing our very own magician ready to do magic for all of our entertainment! He already has decided what he wants to be for the next 2 or 3 Halloweens!

And here we are...for our ward Halloween party I had a very non-involved idea for a costume for Kelly and I. Hee hee! I always told him he is my Edward!

All in all it was a fun year for Halloween. We have gotten to actually enjoy the changing of the leaves, the crisp autumn smell in the air and even cold (much to Ashley's dismay! she prefers Halloween in Hawaii)

Junie-isms

2009-10-27T15:57:00.005-05:00

I have recently discovered the Junie B Jones series, thanks to Ashley, and all I can think is why haven't I read these before! They are HILARIOUS!! I find myself having to pause and get control of my laughter as I read and frequently shake my head while saying, "Oh Junie!". Since reading them to Ashley at night "Junie-isms" have become a part of my vocabulary.

*Just then, I got up from my chair. And I skipped to my boyfriend named Ricardo. I tickled him under the chin with my softy hands of fur. "This is what fur hands look like when they're tickling you under your chin," I said. Then I grinned and grinned. 'Cause that boy brings out the best in me. That's why.

*When I first opened them, I got filled with glee. Glee is when you run. And jump. And skip. And laugh. And clap. And dance on top of the dining room table. Then your mother takes you down from the table. And she carries you to your room for a time-out. Time-outs kill the glee.

*I am a bachelorette. A bachelorette is when your boyfriend named Ricardo dumps you at recess. Only I wasn't actually expecting that terrible trouble. It happened today on the playground. First I was playing horses with my friends Lucille and Grace. Then, all of a sudden, my boyfriend named Ricardo runned right past me. And he was chasing a new girl named Thelma! "RICARDO!" I hollered real loud. "HEY! RICARDO! 'ZACTLY WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING, MISTER?" Then I zoomed right after that guy. And I tackled him on the grass. And we wrestled. And tangled. And rolled all around. Finally, I sat on his legs. And I smoothed my hair very attractive. "Hello, Ricardo," I said. "How are you today? I am fine. Only I just saw you chasing new Thelma. And so please knock it off. And I mean it." Ricardo raised his eyebrows very surprised. "Why? How come?" he said. I sucked in my cheeks at that guy. "Because, Ricardo. Because I am your girlfriend. And you are my boyfriend. And boyfriends and girlfriends are only allowed to chase each other. That's how come." Ricardo kept on looking at me. I shrugged my shoulders. "Sorry. Those are just the rules," I explained. Ricardo's face turned very glum. "But I like chasing new Thelma," He said kind of whiny. "It's fun." I patted his arm very understanding. "Yes, well, I don't make the rules, Rick. I just enforce them," I said. After that, I got off his legs. And I sat in the grass next to him. Ricardo didn't talk for a long time. Then finally, he stood up. And he shook my hand real nice. "Junie B., it's been fun being your boyfriend," he said. "But I think it's time we started chasing other people."

Those are just a few of my fave's. There are many more at a library near you! Highlighted parts are where I laugh hysterically. And if there are any other "glee-killers" out there reading this I wish you the very best day with that boy who brings out the best in you! And remember to let him know that you don't make the rules you just enforce them!!!!

My 5th Child

2009-10-03T19:20:00.002-05:00

I know what your thinking..."What another kid?!" Not to worry, I'm not having a baby and I am not referring to Kelly either. I would like to introduce you to the newest member of our family...Winky! Mason keeps informing me that I have 5 kids. I suppose that is really how it has to be because I always swore that I would never have anything in my house that pooped besides my children and husband.

Winky is Ashley's pet. And in case you couldn't tell by the picture, Winky is a gerbil. Ashley has him because she has an adoring father that loves her so very much and he pled her case to me and although I also love her so very much, I am pretty stubborn about extra poop producing things in my house, but I gotta admit I love that big guy (I am referring to Kelly now) and I gave in and now I have a little furry black son that resides in a cage in Ashley's room. Don't tell anyone, he is beginning to grow on me. I secretly go in to watch him while the kids are at school and I admit I find myself talking to him too.

So, welcome little Winky to the Laing household. We "all" love you.

Ode to Nebraska

2009-10-02T17:03:00.003-05:00

Once again it has been a very sad amount of time since I have posted anything, but here I am (Yay!) A lot has happended since my last post...like a summer and we are in a different state. You are probably thinking that is nothing new with us but I'd thought I would do a brief overview of the happy points of our new state of residence...Nebraska!

Here we have our home, which I love to live in for many different reasons but one being that we live on Kelly Dr. Yes, Kelly was so important they named a whole street after him. I mean really, we all knew it would happen sooner or later and now we can move on to having a large monument named after him, then here comes the holiday, although we don't expect it to be a federal holiday at first, maybe after a few years...

Downtown Omaha is a great place full of things to do and big building, it just has one of those good city feelings. We went to a great place called Old Market that has little shops and lots of charm. It made me think a little of down town Charleston.
And we cannot forget one of our most favorite place that we had never found in all our travels until we got here to Nebraska...Famous Dave's!!! Can I just say Mmmmmmm! So good! Lest you might judge us I will refrain from mentioning here how many times we have been in our 2+ months here. (Hee, Hee) Briskit, BBQ-ed pork, ribs, best fries ever, corn muffins, and last but definetely not least--Bread pudding. Sigh...
The kids started school and love it. Britton and Ashley are at Two Springs elementary and ride the bus together every morning. Britton is the best big brother and takes good care of his little sister.
Quincy is a 7th grader!!! Gasp!!! He goes to Lewis and Clark Middle School. He rides his bike to school and up one BIG hill. I rode it with him one morning and phew..owie legs!!! Must brag...he was put into Algebra and was chosen to take the ACT, SAT early. That's his Daddy's boy!!

Oh look...it's a beach!! Nope, it's a lake, much to Ashley's dismay since she does still question why there are no beaches in Nebraska. We did try to fool her with this one but it wasn't up to her specs.
We had a great visit with my family. Mom and Dad came with Lindsey and Rylee and Katie, Jonathon and kids were here for Jonathon's sister's wedding. All grandkids together...we had to get a picture.
This is the Winter Quarters Temple that we live only 20 minutes away from. So beautiful and so wonderful to have a live-in babysitter (Quincy) and time to go!
Air shows to watch right from our back porch! It was so awesome, we watched it all three day plus a practice day. The Blue Angels were performing this year. Go Navy!!! Here is a picture of them.
And a wonderful backyard right on the golf course to enjoy. So much family time and Kelly loves his job. I will never get to know what he does (if he tells me he'll have to kill me), but I am informed it's way cool!

This is only a little portion of the great time we are having. We feel so blessed to be here and have so much time together. As I type the wind is howling outside and I'm wearing a long sleeved shirt, pant and socks and my fingers are freezing. I think our Nebraska winter is beginning and I pray I will survive!! Wish me luck!

Nashville Country Music Marathon 2009

2009-05-02T18:05:00.005-05:00

So Kelly said to me around the end of February that he was going to run a marathon with a group from his class in Nashville the end of April. I said that was awesome and that I knew he would do great, not knowing that in less than a week I would be deciding that I was going to run in the same race...let's first just let everyone know that I was going to run the 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles) not the full (26.2 miles for those of you who are like me and don't want to do the math!). So there it began. Every Saturday we would meet our running group between 6:30 and 7:00 in the morning and do our training runs. My first training run was a 7 miler. I was very skeptical that I could even do it (at this point it was around 5 weeks after my surgery), but to my happy surprise it turned out awesome! I have to give much credit to the best running partners a girls could have...Charissa and Heather! They are the best! We chatted, ran and before I knew it I had ran 7 miles! Yay!

So here we are on April 25, 2009 at about 6:30 in the morning, post race.

And here is my very handsome, very sweet, very fast husband before the race. He is just about ready to leave us slow girls to get in his corral number 1 (very cool, by the way because that means he is fast and gets to start first so us slow people are not in the way!)

And this is my view as the girls and I are in corral #23! The race began at 7:00 when corral #1 people (i.e. Kelly!) were able to start. We in corral #23 started around 7:45. It was fun waiting though, the excitement of being in the crowd of people was very entertaining.

See....

And I even found fun things to do while waiting like taking pictures of the crowd of feet! Cool, right?!

Here I am running at the beginning, still with a smile on my face! All in all the race was pretty awesome! I have to admit I really stopped smiling around mile 9+. After that each mile was longer than the next. But...

Here it is... THE FINISH LINE!!!! Yay!!!! Happy day!!!! I did it and it was soooo amazing!!! Here I come bananas, water, muffins, cookies.....

Here I am covered in dried salty sweat(gross, I know, but very satisfying!), and very happy and yes, very sore! Stairs and getting down on toilet seats (sorry if that is to much info!) were a problem for a few days!

Here is that fast, handsome, awesome, and extremely salty husband of mine! He finished the full marathon in 3 hours 28 minutes, a super achievement and it was his first! I know, know, I am perhaps the luckiest woman ever to be married to this man...he has all these qualities that are so amazing, but the best ones know one even knows about...oh, but I digress...:)

NICE, right?!

Here is the gang... Tom and Charissa Coate, US, and Heather Baldwin. They are the best!

And here is one of us girls...we all hung in there together, porta-potties, water breaks, the hot sun beating down on us, the hills, and all...every single 13 miles and even that last .1, we did it together! Thanks Charissa and Heather!!!!!

Oh, I guess I should mention my time...I actually didn't care so much about it, I was just so happy to have finished, but it was 2 hours, 38 minutes. And I can say that I would do it again! Actually we are, Kelly and I are heading to Ohio in September to do the Air Force Marathon! (Me the half, I really do not aspire to do the full! I have my limits!)

Dream Do Come True!

2009-03-15T15:13:00.003-05:00

Every since we have moved to Alabama Mason has been asking us when it will snow. I think he was thinking that it snow everywhere else except for Hawaii so of course it should be snowing now that we are not in Hawaii anymore. Well, we have explained numerous times to him that it doesn't snow in Alabama, but to give him hope we tell him that it will snow in Nebraska (unfortunetely for me!) It has been a long process of many discussions for him to understand that it will not be snowing here in the south. Well.... we are liars. One Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago I wake up to Ashley running into our bedroom shouting that it is snowing. I think to myself, "OK, it's probably a few flurries melting in the air."....Nope, it's big flakes that are sticking. Now, a note to all of you who are from the places where snow is a long 5-6 month reality, I realize this might not look like much to you, but to my tropical, snow deprived children this was a blizzard! So here are a few pictures from EARLY Sunday morning....

Here they are staring in wonder....

Testing it out and here is my favorite quote from Mason after he heads out to play in his jacket and flip flops. He is playing and then walks through the grass, he stops, gets a pained look on his face and runs to the door. "Mom! Flip flops don't work in the snow!!" (I know, I know! The poor boy has lived in Hawaii most of his life, what do you expect!)

Here we are putting on more suitable foot wear!

Here is Britton testing out the trampoline. And yes, he is bare foot. I am such a responsible mom! Don't worry, I'll try and have them wear appropriate snow attire for the winters in Nebraska!

My second favorite quote is from Ashley..."Mom, this is the most fun day in Alabama, ever!"

Here is Mason rejoicing over his good fortune!

And last we have Britton and his snow ball which he wanted to save by the way!

I think that the heaven's were smiling down on my kids that day and they were also good to me because after about 2-3 hours you would have never known it had snowed! Yay! That is my kind of snow!

Where have I been?

2009-03-07T22:26:00.004-06:00

So, it has been a while since my last post. I like to think that I've had a good reason, but truly I have just been lazy and putting it off. Sorry mom! As most of you probably know on January 22 Quincy received a brand new to him but slightly used kidney from me. It has been a pretty amazing road but he and I are both recovering well and we feel very blessed for all the wonderful friends and family who have been there for us! Thank-you all!!!! Last week they interviewed us and wrote an article that was printed in the Montgomery Advertiser. I posted the link below.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F200902260400%2FNEWS01%2F902260333

My Sweet Blankie Boy

2009-01-05T20:37:00.003-06:00

Britton has always had a love of blankets. When he was little he called them his "bee-boo's". He now calls them his blankets, sometimes blankies. The one on his head is the one my mom made him when he was one because he would steal my silkie underwear out of the laundry basket and put them on his head. She figured that if he ever wanted to travel and have the comfort of a silkie piece of cloth that the blanket would be better than underwear. I am so glad she did because as you see he still puts it over his head and it might be a bit sketchy for a 10 year old to have woman's underwear on his head! Thanks Mom!!! Although that blanket has been through it...snipped at the corners, painted with white out...it's nothing compared to the "teeny blankie". See below picture....
As you can see, the poor thing has had it. We decided that the poor things should be retired. Britton took it pretty well, no tears, just a few longing looks. All in all, I have decided that his love of blankies is a good thing...He can keep on snuggling and holding on to them in bed until he trades them in for a wife!

My Last Sunbeam

2009-01-05T20:21:00.002-06:00

Oh, how old I feel! Sunday was Mason's first day of Sunbeams. (Sunbeams is the 3-4 year old class at church. They have been in the nursery prior to this, treats and toys. And now they are in with all the other children where they have lessons and singing time and sit on chairs A LOT more.) I remember when Quincy went to sunbeams for the first time and I thought that was crazy, but now it is my sweet Mason, the last one. I am thinking that kindergarten in coming way to soon!!

He woke up Sunday morning so excited to go with the big kids. It was all he could talk about and he even made a book that he had me write "Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam" and Ashley decorated it with pictures for him. He had to take it to church with him and it even found its way home after church. The best part was when I went to pick him up...I asked him if he had a good time and he replies, "Yes... I want to go back to nursery, there are no snacks in sunbeams." :) I have to agree with you Mason!!!!

Intervention???

2009-01-04T21:41:00.002-06:00

Meet Fifi.....on the outside she looks cute, furry, harmless...right?... WRONG!!!! Fifi is the cause of a potentially dangerous addiction that Ashley has fallen victim to. Fifi is a WebKin. OK, for all you out there that are lucky enough to be saying to yourself, "What's a WebKin?" let me explain. A WebKin or as I like to call it "Toy of the Devil", is a little unassuming stuffed animal that comes with this little card around their paw. Now I mention the card because that is the source of the evil. On this card is a little code with instructions...Log onto WebKins.com and put in "the code". After your 6 year old (who, by the way, knows how to use the computer better than me) does this it all begins! She now has to "take care" of the stuffed animal, Fifi, in our case. You do this by playing a multitude of games, after you play the games you earn money to buy things for Fifi...food, bottled water, a bed, a fridge, a toilet!!!!, and my favorite...a treadmill! The list goes on. And here's the clincher that I am reminded about all the time, you have to log onto the site and "take care" of your pet, ie:watering, feeding it, or it will DIE!! Oh, the tragedy!! So our little Ashley, is....and I think I can safely make this diagnoses--addicted to WebKins. I can barely pry her away from the computer to pursue my addiction of Facebook! It's like she starts to get the shakes when she is away to long and somebody else needs to use the computer! Before you judge, I do feel like a bad parent, but hey, I comfort myself in the fact that at least it's not drugs!! So I will continue to justify and hope that she grows out of it and one more thing...Thanks a lot Rick and Sharon!!!!!!

Here's just a little picture of Ashley in the grips of her addiction.....

And the Winners Are....

2008-12-15T21:20:00.005-06:00

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

2008-12-15T20:58:00.006-06:00

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

2008-11-26T08:49:00.004-06:00

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

2008-11-24T14:01:00.004-06:00

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

2008-11-20T09:49:00.005-06:00

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

2008-11-20T09:11:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-15T16:34:00.005-06:00

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!

2008-11-13T09:54:00.006-06:00

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

2008-11-12T21:25:00.008-06:00

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)

2008-10-27T10:35:00.004-05:00

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?

2008-10-16T17:41:00.006-05:00

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!

2008-10-10T17:40:00.004-05:00

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

2008-10-09T21:11:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-10-09T20:36:00.004-05:00

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!!

My New Eyes!

2007-05-07T17:45:00.000-05:00

I am the proud owner of new eyes! On May 3 I had lasik surgery. I am pretty much a big scaredy cat when it comes to things like this, but I did it and it wasn't a bad as I imagined. I am still trying to let it sink in that I can really see. Each night I still go to take my contacts out before I remember I don't have to. They say that things will still continue to get a bit clearer as my eyes heal but I can see very well now. I had to wear my glasses 10 days before I had it done and that was probably the worst part! This is a picture of me and my glasses, and oh yah, Kelly. We went on a great date downtown along Waikiki Beach.

Ashley's Birthday!

2007-05-07T13:30:00.000-05:00

Ashley had a very happy birthday. She turned 5 on April 23. It was fit for a princess! Of course, McDonalds was involved because she was given the choice of where she wanted to eat. Ashley and Britton sang to the customers and chicken nuggets abounded. Food and entertainment...that's what birthdays are about. We retired to home to have pink sprinkled birthday cake and open presents. Mom was jealous because Ashley received a blueberry muffin girl from the the strawbery shortcake dolls. Ashley does let mom smell her hair and brush it on occasion though. Ashley agrees that it was a good birthday, especially because her daddy was there to celebrate it with her!!!

2007 Submarine Officers Ball

2007-04-24T17:24:00.000-05:00

Our family is very happy to have Kelly home with us. He arrived early morning on April 20, just in time to escort me to sub ball the next day. (A good thing to, I really didn't want to go looking for another date! :) The ball was at the Hawaiian Hilton Village, downtown Waikiki. We had a wonderful time with good friends, dancing, and even Elvis impersonators! All the officers off his boat sported Elvis wigs for the enjoyment of all!

The keynote speaker was an admiral from the Australian Navy who is over submarines. Kelly had an opportunity to talk with him and found out that they need Kelly's expertise on their new fire control system that has only been installed on Kelly's boat so far. So it looks like we are most likely going to Australia for at least a year after our time here in Hawaii. We are very excited for the opportunity and Ashley and Mason are all for it since I told them that is where the Wiggles are from! (The picture above is of Kelly, Admiral Chalders (Australian Navy) the Navigator, and Kelly's Captain, Doug Perry.)

It was really a night of fun and enjoyment, but the best thing about it was that Kelly was there with me!

Mason's Birthday

2007-04-18T17:25:00.000-05:00

Friday the 13th was very lucky for Mason, it was his birthday! He started the day off with a little birthday party at the park with a few of his closest friends. There was pizza, cake, presents, and a slide. What more could a two year old ask for!

Later that evening after a lovely nap, (for both Mason and mom), we had a little celebration as a family here at home. He got to blow his two candles out all by himself and helped us sing "Happy Birthday" to him. And of course, we cannot forget presents! He got a bike and play doh. So, that was Mason's special day. Nothing to incredibly exciting but, hey, he was happy!

Easter Fun

2007-04-09T01:24:00.000-05:00

The kids and I went to an Easter party at the Hale Koa hotel on Waikiki beach the Saturday before Easter. It was only for the families on our boat so there were very few children there. It was great for them because they were able to get eggs galore! I think that they may come down from their sugar high sometime next week. Also the fact that the Easter bunny had filled their baskets the night before wasn't helping the sugar situation any either. That morning Mason went around pilfering candy from everyones basket. He came into my bedroom and I could see that he had been eating someone's jelly beans. Since he had just eaten someone's marshmallow peeps I told him to spit the jelly bean into my hand. He complied and lo and behold out comes into my hand at least 10 jelly beans!

Fun in San Diego

2007-04-06T02:06:00.000-05:00

Kelly and I had a great opportunity this last month to spend some alone time together. His submarine pulled in to San Diego and I was able to fly out and spend the week with him. He, of course, had to keep his department on the sub running, (Those weapons can't load themselves without him for some reason!), but we still found a lot of time to be together and have fun. We went shopping at Target, which I was quite excited about since we are Target-deprived here in Hawaii. We filled our quota of Mexican food for the next year and enjoyed the sights that San Diego had to offer. I was fortunate to see an few friends from Georgia and reminisce. We were a bit chilly since our blood has been accustomed to Hawaii weather, but we had each other to keep warm. Most of all we just loved being with one another again since we don't get a lot of that lately with Kelly being gone. I have to say I did miss the kids very much but my wonderful mom did a great job taking care of them. I was a bit worried that they might want to send me back and keep Grandma! Thankfully they were happy to see me and now we are just waiting for Kelly to get home so we can all be together again.