Our Week

Our week was a very busy week! We realized our "get a friend in free" coupons for Dollywood were expiring, so we called our neighbors, Trifon and Geri, who are originally from Bulgaria to spend the day at Dollywood with us! The really fun part is that Metodi, their Bulgarian friend, was with them and able to come, too. At the end of the day, he told us that we had given him much to write about in his journal! Seeing Dollywood through someone else's eyes was a neat experience. Thank you, Zearl and Betty, for our season passes that came with those coupons! Trifon, Geri, Josiah, me, Mackenzie, and Metodi.
Mackenzie and Josiah, who spotted a bench at Dollywood and wanted their picture made on it! Funny kids. I was happy to oblige. ;)

My two baby birds...just hatching...in the newest area of the park. ;)

Ever since Mackenzie learned to ride without training wheels, Josiah has been asking for us to take his off, too. He insists that he can ride "a two wheeler," too. We told him that we were not planning to take his training wheels off just yet. He could practice on Mackenzie's bike, and when he's really ready, we'll take his training wheels off his bike. (This is because David has already taken Josiah's off only to put them back on multiple times already.) SO...our very mechanically inclined little boy TOOK HIS OWN TRAINING WHEELS OFF BY HIMSELF! Yep, you read that right. David was working on putting the basketball goal together that Josiah got for his Birthday (thanks, Dad and Lisa!) and Josiah helped himself to the right tool and actually took the training wheel off his bike. After handing his daddy the wheel, he began putting the nut back in place. David helped him with the other one.

And a very determined little boy is learning to ride a two wheeled bike. Not totally there yet, but learning, never-the-less!

On Friday, Mzee arrived for a visit! We missed my mom, who is knee deep (or more) into her doctoral studies, but we enjoyed our time with Mark. I love the above picture that I snapped after church on Sunday.

Here's Mzee and the kids playing a game of catch in the back of his truck.

Today, while I was checking the garden, a bird flew out of the little "Christmas" tree behind the garden. Scared me to death as I was very close to the tree! I decided to nose around, and see what I found! I didn't touch the tree as I don't want the mother bird to abandon the nest, but I did run in and get the kids so they could peek at the three tiny eggs!

Here's a random picture that I took of Josiah this morning. He insisted that he had found the perfect picture spot. So, once again, I obliged. I love it when they want me to take their pictures!

Starbucks, Please

I mentioned in my last post that both kids were sick starting Tuesday night...well, first thing Wednesday morning, after vomiting ALL NIGHT LONG (as in 9+ times in one night), Mackenzie pipes up and says, "I know what will make me feel better, Momma! A Starbucks frappuccino!" We all fell apart in a fit of laughter. As sick as she was and she wanted a Starbucks frappuccino?! As soon as we calmed down enough for her to get another word in, she said, "Please, Momma, I just know it will make me feel better."

I certainly couldn't deny her request! :) I showered, dressed, and was off to Starbucks on a mission. Mission accomplished. Request filled. And if my memory serves me correctly, Mackenzie has not vomited since then! Josiah, on the other hand, has continued vomiting...even today. Sigh. I am thankful that so far the rest of us are still well. Neither child is 100% yet, but they do seem to be improving. :) (BTW, it was a vanilla bean that is caffeine free!)

So, the picture I uploaded for this post is of Mzee helping the kids with a wooden airplane craft project. I uploaded it because if you look closely, you'll see that Starbucks drink, one on either side of Mackenzie. (One was hers and one Josiah's...Starbucks will let you pay for one bigger drink and separate it into two smaller cups at no additional cost...FYI that saves money and still gets a drink for both kids!) ;)

(Oh, yeah. I should give a shout out to my mom and Mark for all the extra assistance cleaning up loads and loads of vomit. I'm not sure how we would have survived without their help!)

Chutes and Ladders

Mzee, Nona, Mackenzie, and David all played Chutes and Ladders in the living room last night. We have thoroughly enjoyed their visit these past few days. They headed back to Arkansas this morning. We are thankful to have had their extra help, and we look forward to their next visit, whenever that may be!
This is what Josiah was doing while everyone else played Chutes and Ladders. He was sitting at the computer watching a Cars video on You Tube while balancing our check book for us. :)

That's our update for today. Enjoy the weekend!

My Little Gymnist & Nona & Mzee's Visit

My momma (Nona) and Mark (Mzee) came to visit this weekend. We loved having them here, and we miss them now that they have gone back home to Arkansas. Here are some pictures we snapped while playing at Sprout with them.


Below is a picture I snapped tonight during Mackenzie's gymnastic lesson. Yes, the room is green but not THAT green! Oh, well. This is not the greatest picture in the world, but it is the best I got tonight, so I am posting it anyways. Mackenzie took ballet last semester and tolerated it; she is taking gymnastics this semester and LOVING it.

Babysitters?

For those of you local friends who read this blog...Any suggestions for a reliable babysitter for a Monday and Tuesday afternoon (about 3 hrs each day) while I go to work for two half days later this month? I have been given a few suggestions already but thought I'd gather any others you might have to offer as I have not yet made any phone calls! I do love getting those few random hours of work here and there, but it is hard to feel good about leaving the kids, too. Realize, I have not worked at all since October...I do love my job! The flexibility is wonderful. I just want to be sure the kids are cared for while I am not with them. Oh the deliema's of motherhood!

And, how do you make this spell checker work, anyhow?! I misspelled words on purpose and it does nothing...what am I doing wrong? How do you use the spell checker on blogger? Anyone? Thanks in advance! :)