Dollywood!

Yes, yes I know... the vast majority of my (3) readers are judging me now for going to a Dolly Parton Theme Park, but what can I say... we had a blast!  Some great friends gave us tickets, and since Ben was 42" in was a perfect time to go!  I was able to find a babysitter for Naomi, so Ben, Becki & I escaped one day and off we went for a day of fun.  We went on water rides and caught an amazing Bubble Show and went on more water rides... :)   And cam home happy and tired.  :)

Dollywood!!

Ben, overjoyed to be 42" and drive ALL BY HIMSELF!

 

Becki & I

About to watch the Bubble Show, it was amazing!

Friends

 Lindsi and I met one of the first few weeks of Bible Study Fellowship, and have been confusing people ever since.  : ) We look alike, our sons look alike and so do our daughters.

She is one of those friends that everyone needs in their lives.  She has dropped everything to take care of my kids when I forgot I had an event one morning.  She came to the rescue on Naomi's birthday when Naomi requested a "Bee and a Cow" on her cake... and so much more.  We so enjoy being together and just hanging out.  I am so thankful for her!

Rachel & Naomi

Benjamin & Zelan

Lindsi (my twin) reading to the girls

Blackberries

Blackberries??  GONE!

You know the story about the the test they did with little kids, giving them one marshmallow, but promising that if they didn't eat it while you were away they would get two?  Well,  this sweet little girl would be all about the ONE marshmallow.  She lives in the moment.  

We have hundreds of wild blackberry bushes that grow in our neighborhood.  And when we walk the dog we usually pick them as we go.  Naomi gobbles her us as we walk, literally drinking them and she runs for the next bush.  

Her brother on the other hand will find the best one or two to eat and "save the rest for later."  :)  Opposites?  I think so!!

Best Friends

This girly loves her puppy!!

Horses at the Biltmore

My Life in Bullet Points

So my blog has been rather silent this last few months, here are a few things I have been doing, in no particular order:

• Raising two small children - by far the most demanding, rewarding, time-consuming, self-denying, sin-showing thing I have ever done.  It is hard and wonderful all at the same time.
• Job Searching - okay, so this wasn't me, but there are days that felt like it! :)  Andrew has been looking for a new job since the first of the year.  His previous job was slowing down and since he was the most recent hire we were sure he would be the first to go.  In April they let him go.  This not being the first time we have had to look for a job in the last few years, I will say God gave us an amazing peace and calmness about the situation, more than we have ever had in previous job searches.  And WHAT AN AMAZING GOD WE SERVE!  He provided a perfect fit of a job IN ASHEVILLE!  We are so thankful!  He starts on Monday!
• House - our house is on the rental market, so we have been attempting to keep it in working order so that we can show it at a moments notice... did I mention I have two small kids and a dog?  We had it on the market at first to create some flexibility with Andrew finding a job, but now we still think it may be a good idea to find something a little smaller, at least for a while. :)
• Zumba! - I have discovered Zumba classes at the gym and I LOVE THEM!  Thankfully I have a husband who is willing to put the kids to bed some nights so I can go sweat out a days frustration... and burn 1000 calories while doing it!
• Biggest Loser! - I have started a biggest loser competition amoung some of my friends!  We are on our second 12-week stint!  It has been great to keep me accountable for what I eat, and to keep exercising... and I have even managed to lose 13 lbs!  Wohoo!  I have also enjoyed watching the Biggest Loser TV show for kicks.  :)
• Bible Study Fellowship - I just finished my first year of Bible Study Fellowship.  The homework was demanding and my discussion group left a little to be desired, but I went so that I would be in the Word all week, and I learned SOO much.  This year's study was "Acts of the Apostles" so we went through Acts as well as 10-15 other small new testament books/letters.  And I can't say enough about their kids program, my children were loved so well, and taught so much (Even if one of my children screamed every time I left them from September - March... and it wasn't the baby).  
• Blood Tests!  - As some of you may remember I had a molar pregnancy/miscarriage last year, which meant blood tests twice a week, then once a week, then ever two weeks, then monthly and finally every 2 months for the last 6 months... and I am happy to say my counts stayed negative for an entire year and there is no chance of cancer... and no more $94 blood tests!  Wohoo!
• Books - I am still selling Usborne Books and have done several events over the past few months!  I was able to earn an iPad2 and can't wait to get it in a few weeks!!!
• And of course there is just life, graduation and birthday parties, play dates, library story time, bible study, church, choir, dentist appointments and all that jazz. :)
• And I am looking forward to the summer!!  Blackberries and baseball games, VBS and picnics.  Waterparks and sunshine! 

I Love Asheville

One of the many reasons I love Asheville....  You can find things like THIS on the menu!

Meet Charlie

Meet Charlie, the newest member of the house.  I know what you are thinking, "Didn't they learn their lesson last time?"  "Didn't Leah say she never wanted another dog?"  Well, the answers would be... "Apparently Not" and "Yes."  :) 

This dog showed up at my brother & sister-in-law's back door.  He won them over, however they decided that two dogs was there max and decided that we really needed a dog... you know... for the kids.  :)

Andrew and Naomi are SOOOOO VERRRRYYYY EXCITED!!!  Ben and I are still on the fence.  :)  However, I will say that as far as dogs go he is pretty awesome.  He is not quite 40lbs, doesn't lick, bark, is already house broken, doesn't mind if you pull his tail, sleeps most of the day, and lays around the rest of the time.  He only really gets excited when it is time to eat.  The vet says he is about 10 months old.  

For all of our LOST friends out there, we named him after a character on the show.  Since we already have a Ben and a Naomi (coincidence I assure you), and our brother and sister-in-law's dogs are Kate & Juliet, we had to keep the trend going. :)

So here we go again! 

Charlie

Putting on his picture face.

Oh, the excitement of a new dog!

Two friends, just hanging out.

Kid Chatter

While eating breakfast:

Ben: Mommy, we should sell our tonsils.

Leah: Oh dear.

B: I just really think we should sell them.

L: Ben, it is illegal to sell your organs.

B: What is an organ?

L: Your kidneys, liver etc.

B: But I don't want to sell my kidneys!!!  Just my tonsils!

L: I really don't think anyone would want them.

B: But I just want to sell them!  You know, like the forks and knives!

L:  You mean utensils?

B: YEAH!  I just like to call them tonsils.

---

Again, over breakfast:

Leah: Naomi, how old are you?

N: TWO!

L: Ben, how old are you?

B: Four

L: How old is daddy?

N: Ummmmm....

L: Can you say ancient, Naomi?

B: He isn't ancient!  He doesn't even have bumps on his face yet!

---

While heading to the dentist this past week... Let's just say that Ben was less than thrilled:

Ben: Daddy, can we take your car?

Andrew: Why?  You like mom's car better.

B: Yours is slow and bumpy.

(Pause)

B: I hope there are LOTS of red lights.

Ben: I don't like the dentist!

Andrew: You will be fine!

B: I hate him!  I want to kill him!  I want to pull all of his teeth out!!!

Visitors!!!

4 Generations!  Great Grandpa Bill, Grandma Elaine, Mom Leah, Kids Ben & Naomi

Some of the cool stuff Nini brings. :)

NaNa & NiNi

The Goofballs

Sometimes you just have to strangle them to make them hold still. :)  j/k

My mom and grandfather came for a whirlwind visit this past week!  As with everything in my life of late it seems, it was a little crazy, but packed with fun.  As with all good grandparent trips, the kids had waaay too much sugar, stayed up too late playing Uno, were read to for hours more than normal, and laughed a lot.

Andrew and I even got a DATE NIGHT!!!!  I cannot tell you the last time we went to dinner AND a movie without kids... in fact I don't know that it has happened since we had kids.  Anyway, it was wonderful.  We had a lovely dinner at the Laughing Seed followed by the Chocolate Lounge and a movie at the Fine Arts Theatre.  (The movie was at 9:30 no less... about 30 minutes after my bed time :).  

Mom, Ben & Grandpa took day trips to Gatlinburg and Mt. Mitchell, so Andrew and I got a bunch of time with just Naomi which is always fun. 

A day out with my little girly.  We window shopped around Biltmore Village together. :)  

(My kind of shopping - walk fast, don't go in :). 

Birthday Sushi!

At the end of May Becki turned the big 3-0, so to celebrate we were able to escape for an hour and Becki had her first real sushi!  So much fun!  So thankful for her in my life!!!

Birthday Girl

Melanie & Becki

Mel with her Noodles (the non-sushi eater among us... we still love her :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKI!!

The Birthday Girl and her Sushi Adventure!

Friends!

My sister-in-law, running/gym buddy turned the big 3-0 in May 26th!!  I was going to run a 5k with her to celebrate, but instead I decided to get food poisoning and let her run it alone (and I will say, she finished is much faster than I ever would have!! GO BECKI!)  So instead  we went to Green Tea Sushi and Melanie came too!  We have decided this needs to become a tradition... so we are going to have to find other things to celebrate so we can find an excuse to go. :)  

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY BECKI!!!!! 

Camping in the Smokey Mountains

Sadly, the only picture I got of the Harris'

Hopscotch!

 Some friends gave us a little "Hopscotch Kit" as a gift last week.  I had so much fun teaching the kids, and rediscovering Hopscotch!  :)  I love warm weather!!!! 

Ben's Turn

NaNa's Turn!