** Every Friday, I will post a picture from our life. Enjoy!!!**
View of the East Sea from Naksan Temple, Sokcho, South Korea, November 2010
Friday, August 31, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
Photo Friday
***Every Friday, I will post a picture from our life. Enjoy!!***
Holly and Elijah, Sanford, North Carolina, June 2005
Oh I just LOVE this picture!!!! But first, I need to tell a story:
In case you don't know, I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and went to a small catholic school until 8th grade. I had known most of the kids who were in my 8th grade class since 1st grade. One of my best friends was Alison. She and I played the same sports, were in Girl Scouts, and giggled about boys. After 8th grade, we all went our separate ways as we went to separate high schools, still kind of keeping in touch, but not like we had. Then I went off to college, got married, and started this crazy Air Force life that we lead.
Eventually, that Air Force life lead Ronnie and I to move to Pope AFB, NC. I had gotten a job in Sanford working for Moen (yes, the faucet Moen). One day, we decided to head up to Applebees and take a little longer lunch.
So there I was - sitting in Applebees - in Sanford, North Carolina - population 20,000 - when I see this woman across the restaurant. Our eyes met. I excused myself from the table and she did the same. We met in front of the waitress stand. As we looked at each other in disbelief, I remember saying, "I think I know you." She said, "Yes, I think so." I said, "Alison?" She said, "Chris?" (Insert girl squealing and jumping up and down here.....) One of my best friends growing up was right there in Sanford all this time!
This picture was taken as we had a playdate with Alison and her boys. Even more amazing, Holly and Elijah were born not even a week apart!!!
I have since reconnected with the rest of my St. Matt's girls, and it is absolutely amazing that here we are, we're adults, have careers, and children, and we still all giggle like we used to at our slumber parties. This just goes to show that true friendships will stand the test of time and distance.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Wild Thorn Berries
Last year when we visited our next home, Ronnie commented that there seemed to be a lot of bramble bushes around. I corrected him and told him they were wild blackberry bushes. Needless to say, he's been "waiting patiently" for the berries to ripen this year. Every day, I would get a report on how the bushes were busting with green berries, where the best patches were, etc. After his run today, he announced that it was time to pick some berries.
After dinner tonight, he and the girls headed down the street with buckets in hand, ready to harvest.
They came back with a good bit of berries. We sorted them, put some in the fridge for eating, Ronnie made some freezer jam, and put the rest up in the freezer for later.
After dinner tonight, he and the girls headed down the street with buckets in hand, ready to harvest.
They came back with a good bit of berries. We sorted them, put some in the fridge for eating, Ronnie made some freezer jam, and put the rest up in the freezer for later.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Garden Update
Summer is in full swing around these parts. And we are enjoying our backyard garden! Here's what it looked like this morning... and our little harvest of cucumbers and carrots!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Photo Friday
Every Friday, I will post a picture from our life. Enjoy!!!
Go Daddy Go at the AF Marathon, Dayton, OH, September 2010
Because if you're going to fly internationally to run a marathon, you bring the two cutest cheerleaders in the world.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Playtime
After we got everything cleaned up from the slumber party, Holly and Sarah were chomping at the bit to open one present in particular. Auntie Erica gave them a Lego Friends set and they couldn't wait to get their hands on it!
We opened up the set a little after lunch and set about sorting the pieces and parts and reading the build instructions. 5 hours of quiet cooperative play later, the girls called us in and declared that the house was open for play.
This line has received a lot of negative press since Lego announced they were doing it. My two cents - the girls were excited to have this set! FINALLY! They were excited about Legos!!! If you missed a huge selling point up there - we had 5 hours of quiet cooperative play with these two. On a day after they stayed up late. And then they set about playing dollhouse with it the rest of the night. So, I don't know what all the anti-girl-specific-Lego crowd has against this line, but I do know this: my girls enjoyed putting it together and all signs are pointing to that they will continue to enjoy playing with it. That's a win in my book.
We opened up the set a little after lunch and set about sorting the pieces and parts and reading the build instructions. 5 hours of quiet cooperative play later, the girls called us in and declared that the house was open for play.
This line has received a lot of negative press since Lego announced they were doing it. My two cents - the girls were excited to have this set! FINALLY! They were excited about Legos!!! If you missed a huge selling point up there - we had 5 hours of quiet cooperative play with these two. On a day after they stayed up late. And then they set about playing dollhouse with it the rest of the night. So, I don't know what all the anti-girl-specific-Lego crowd has against this line, but I do know this: my girls enjoyed putting it together and all signs are pointing to that they will continue to enjoy playing with it. That's a win in my book.
Holly is 8!!!!!!!!!!!
I have no idea how this happened, but Holly is now 8. WHAT??? She was just a little baby a blink ago. And now my baby is 8 and going into the 3rd grade. WHAT???
We began our celebration with having daddy's homemade pancakes for Holly's birthday breakfast and opening some presents from us, Auntie Erica, and Grammy and Papa. We packed up the party and headed north to Grandma Audrey's house to have cake and ice cream with her and my mom. How great is it that they are here for her birthday???
Holly decided that she DEFINITELY wanted a slumber party for her birthday party this year. We had a lot of fun planning the activities for her party over the last week. She wanted a girly party, she wanted some fun, and she wanted her closest friends.
We put together a geocache where the prizes were their goodie bag contents. They got a manicure set, nail polish, lip gloss, and shower gels. Yep, that's all sorts of girly! They jumped on the trampoline, played in the tree house, and painted our nails while watching a movie. Yep, that's all sorts of fun! And we had her two best friends from school and a good friend from the neighborhood spend the night. Yep, they are the right friends. And we had one great party! The girls all left tired but with smiles plastered across their faces.
SO BIG *sigh!
We began our celebration with having daddy's homemade pancakes for Holly's birthday breakfast and opening some presents from us, Auntie Erica, and Grammy and Papa. We packed up the party and headed north to Grandma Audrey's house to have cake and ice cream with her and my mom. How great is it that they are here for her birthday???
Holly decided that she DEFINITELY wanted a slumber party for her birthday party this year. We had a lot of fun planning the activities for her party over the last week. She wanted a girly party, she wanted some fun, and she wanted her closest friends.
We put together a geocache where the prizes were their goodie bag contents. They got a manicure set, nail polish, lip gloss, and shower gels. Yep, that's all sorts of girly! They jumped on the trampoline, played in the tree house, and painted our nails while watching a movie. Yep, that's all sorts of fun! And we had her two best friends from school and a good friend from the neighborhood spend the night. Yep, they are the right friends. And we had one great party! The girls all left tired but with smiles plastered across their faces.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Photo Friday
** Every Friday, I will post a picture from our life. Enjoy!!!**
And a baby makes three
Holly Grace Oliver, born August 10th, 2004 at 8:15 am, Fayetteville, North Carolina
We waited and waited.... finally she was born but I had to wait some more because of some slight complications. Then, it was finally time that I could hold her in my arms. She was 20 minutes old when we snapped this picture eight years ago. She had a full head of strawberry blond hair, bright blue-grey eyes, and translucent skin... and was mine - all mine. Oh and Ronnie's too.)
Happy Birthday Holly-hurricane! We love you!!!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
52-Week Challenge: Week 32
The State Fair of Texas is a wonderful place to go! You know, the corn dog was invented there right? Well, keeping the spirit of creativity alive, the State Fair of Texas holds a Big Tex Choice Awards where fair food concessionaires and Texans alike can compete to come up with the "official" food of the state fair. This is where fried candy bars, fried Oreo's, and fried Coke was born y'all.
Well, while the fairs only roll around once a year, many of us indulge in our greasy spoons a little too much. This week's focus is on reducing your consumption of fried food, fast food, and commercially baked goods.
We've all heard about trans fats and saturated fats. We've all heard that it's NOT good for you to consume them at the rates we do. So, this week, we're focusing on reading labels (yes, again), and choosing foods that have little to no trans or saturated fats.
They hide in everything so a little street smarts will go a long way: avoid fast foods, avoid fried foods, limit/avoid consumption of commercially prepared baked goods. Try to choose grilled, broiled or baked meats rather than deep fried. If you want a cookie, care enough to make it yourself. Better yet, do what I have done and don't have the ingredients at the house so you have to make a special trip to the store to get them. It's not saying you can't have a funnel cake at the fair... you just can't have one every day. And making a healthier choice every day is one step to being healthier.
Well, while the fairs only roll around once a year, many of us indulge in our greasy spoons a little too much. This week's focus is on reducing your consumption of fried food, fast food, and commercially baked goods.
We've all heard about trans fats and saturated fats. We've all heard that it's NOT good for you to consume them at the rates we do. So, this week, we're focusing on reading labels (yes, again), and choosing foods that have little to no trans or saturated fats.
They hide in everything so a little street smarts will go a long way: avoid fast foods, avoid fried foods, limit/avoid consumption of commercially prepared baked goods. Try to choose grilled, broiled or baked meats rather than deep fried. If you want a cookie, care enough to make it yourself. Better yet, do what I have done and don't have the ingredients at the house so you have to make a special trip to the store to get them. It's not saying you can't have a funnel cake at the fair... you just can't have one every day. And making a healthier choice every day is one step to being healthier.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Gettin' Dirty
Down and dirty that is.
A few months ago a Living Social deal came out for the Dirty Dash, a 5K mud run. How could I refuse? It just sounds like some good clean family fun. For this post, I'm just gonna let the pictures do the talking. Sometimes they are worth a thousand words you know...
A few months ago a Living Social deal came out for the Dirty Dash, a 5K mud run. How could I refuse? It just sounds like some good clean family fun. For this post, I'm just gonna let the pictures do the talking. Sometimes they are worth a thousand words you know...
Friday, August 3, 2012
Photo Friday
** Every Friday I will post a picture from our life. Enjoy!!**
At the waterfall, Patara Elephant Farm, Chiang Mai, Thailand, March 2011
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