The "Golden" Life

Upwards Soccer

2011-08-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

So what could be more of an indication that fall is on its way than the introduction to soccer season? Ok - football season...but soccer is right up there on the list. I cannot express how excited I am that the boys will be involved in this sport. Growing up in the Midwest (apparently Ohio is still considered as such - go figure), soccer was the sport of choice for alot of kids. We spent our fall months crunching through leaves to the fields, often bundling up to weather the rain and the occasional snow, cheering our team on to victory. Ah the memories... Almost 20 years later, I have the pleasure of reliving those memories as I follow my boys around, Tarheel foldup chair in tow...proud mama cheering my athletes on to victory (minus the snow :).

This is Xander's first time playing soccer. He has played baseball for several years but never really got the hang of it...nor did he really care to. So you can imagine my surprise when he jumped feet first into soccer with an intensity I did not know existed within my academic ten-year-old. Watching him hustle like I've never seen him do, picking himself up and diving right back in when knocked to the ground, this proud mama's heart swelled with pride.

If he is THIS intense for his first game, I can only imagine what an exciting season this will be...
And then we have my sweet Cade...

This is actually Cade's second season playing soccer; however, the first time he played was two springs ago, and the organization in which he played was disorganized to the least. I sincerely doubt he learned very much. Cade is a natural athlete and takes whatever sport is at hand quite seriously. It was no surprise that he did the same with soccer, even to the point of extreme frustration when he made a simple mistake. We have alot of work to do harnessing Cade's emotions, but I believe with all my heart that sports will help tremendously.

As you can see, Shane was somehow "roped" into coaching Cade's team; but I assure you, very little coercing was involved. He is an amazing coach and loves nothing more than being a part of his boys' athletic endeavors. I have no doubt we will see this trend throughout their athletic careers.

And lastly, we have the soccer moms... My dear friend Angelina and I found some precious moments to catch up on the sidelines while cheering our blondies on. You just can't put a pricetag on good friends, and she is among the best.

I am so grateful for this opportunity for our boys to be a part of such an awesome sports program that will allow them to learn the fundamentals of soccer and character building principles, all based on a Christian foundation. It's going to be a great fall...

Extreme Home Makeover...the Cheap Edition...

2011-07-31T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ok - so I hate the word "cheap" too. I don't know why. Maybe because it has such a negative connotation...or because it makes me feel "cheap," which for some reason I equate to "white trash" (or in our part of the country - "redneck"). Whatever the case may be, our home needs a complete upgrade, and we can't really afford it. So while "cheap" may be a swear word in my house...I need to make our home renovations just that..."cheap"! So I have been asking some of my more creative friends and searching the web for good, inexpensive (much nicer word!) ways to take what I have and make it new. I will be recording our progress here and on my other blog "The Simple Things" over the next few months...ok, who am I kidding...year(s). Neither of is are extremely crafty, but I am determined to do this ourselves. We may need marital counseling by the time we are through (kidding...kinda), but I am hoping this will be an enjoyable project that we can work on together and look back with satisfaction at all we learned and accomplished as a team. Wish us luck! (cuz we're definitely gonna need it! :)

Blessed

2011-07-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, I never imagined our pictures would turn out as great as they did! Somehow Byron was able to capture sweet expressions somewhere in the sea of sour ones. For this alone, I commend him. However, he went above and beyond even that. Now to figure out what sizes to order and where to put them...because it is obvious I will not just be able to pick a few. My walls are about to be covered in these priceless jems. Here is just a small sample...

Family Pictures

2011-07-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the new "autumn" background and colors. They are only temporary. I simply needed to update the picture, and this was the best updated one I had of the boys. However, today we woke up at the crack of dawn (and I do mean that literally) to get our family pictures made. Mind you, the last Golden Family pictures that were taken occcured when Cade was a baby...over 6 years ago. So this was a BIG deal! Because North Carolina is so freaking HOT and we wanted outdoor pictures, we had to do this at 7am on a Saturday. Yippee. Hayes was in bed by 7pm and the other two by 9pm last night, but they all woke up bright and cheery so it was well worth it. Of course mama was up at 5am so that she was ready in time to get everyone ELSE ready...but we won't dwell on that fact. :) We took off at 7am-ish, coffee in tow. Two and a half hours later - and a milkshake bribe, we have what we hope will be a nice collection of family pictures to decorate our walls and send out at Christmas. No telling if this actually HAPPENED...given the coaxing and threatening we had to endure with the youngest of the bunch, but we remain optimistic. We used a former student of ours, Byron Aynes, an up and coming photographer. Awesome kid, and talented. I first saw his pictures on his Facebook page and instantly loved his style. We wanted "unique" and he was unique. I am excited to see where he ends up - kid is crazy smart and gifted. Five locations in two and a half hours - can't wait to see them! But when all is said and done...pictures are just pictures. Yes, I stressed. I fretted. I agonized over outfits, hair, and bedtimes...but at the end of the day, these are pictures of my husband, my children, my life. The things I hold dear are in these pictures. So they will be Amazing. Breathtaking. Mine.

Xander: A Good Influence On His Mama

2011-07-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

So it's been awhile since I even looked at this blog...obviously, right?! So long that it took me an hour just to rememer enough information to get a password reset sent to my current email address (which was NOT the email address I had several years ago...clearly). And what, may you ask, promted this sudden interest in my ever so forgotten and neglected blog?!? That's right...my 10 year old son. Leave it to Xander to help his poor mother find her way back. Not that I have a great deal of faith in my ability to maintain this blog a second time around, but maybe the fact that he and I are currently sitting side by side blogging away on our respective sites...quality time sharing something we both love and enjoying doing...will encourage me to post more frequently than before. We will see...

Christmas 2008

2009-01-26T06:58:00.000-08:00

This year for Christmas, we celebrated Christmas at home. Now that the boys are getting older, it is important to Shane and me that we create some Christmas memories here; therefore, we planned to leave the day after for my parents' house up north. Christmas Eve, we went to the candle-light service at church then drove around looking at Christmas lights (all in 70 degree weather...hmmm...). After our annual "light criticizing" tradition (started by the Loudenslager side of the family), we returned home for our Christmas Eve dinner. The boys were excited because I allowed them to have the "fancy" glasses and sparkling grape juice...oh, what little it takes to make them feel so special! Once the dishes were cleared, we sat down to open the traditional "one present" which, of course, is always a pair of brand new pajamas to wear that night. We finally set out the milk and cookies for Santa, oh, and the "presents" Xander insisted we must give Santa this year. He was concerned that Santa gave all of the children of the world so many gifts, yet no one ever gave him any gifts other than cookies and milk. I wrapped some packages that contained a "scarf, hat, and gloves" to be set out beside the treats and cards from the boys. Oh, the lies we tell...I'm sure I will answer for every one of them someday. But the joy on my children's face as they plan and speculate...I wouldn't trade for anything. Finally, we convinced them that it was time for bed by saying that Santa certainly would not arrive until they were sound asleep; and that was when our work began...
Hayes didn't really know what was going on, but he seemed to enjoy the excitement.

The boys were SO EXCITED to receive a note of appreciation from Santa...he MUST have LOVED his gifts! :)

Cade was able to fully understand what was going on this year, so it was fun to watch him get into the festivities!

Shane surprised us all by buying a "family gift." He wrapped the ingredients for S'Mores for us to open, then ushered us onto the back deck to find our very own firepit! We have been wanting one for some time (especially the resident pyromaniacs), so this was VERY exciting to us all! Come to find out, Shane had put it together after I had gone to bed the night before! Needless to say, he got very little sleep that night! Since the day was unseasonably warm, we spent the rest of the day outdoors with the fire. The whole day was relaxed and pleasant, just spending time together as a family. This is what memories are made of...

2009-01-23T12:01:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas, we journeyed up to Temperance, Michigan to visit my family. Because my brother's girlfriend (who lives here in Greenville, NC) was going with us and had to work on that day, we waited until she got off work at 5pm and then left to drive through the night. Just for the record, I am NOT a fan of driving through the night due to safety reasons; however, it IS easier as far as the kids are concerned, and we DID end up making record time (which was a BIG deal to my competetive husband!). As you will see from the following pictures, it was a wonderful visit packed with fun-filled activities that the boys have continued to talk about since.
Cade took a special liking to my grandmother and could be found at various times throughout the day in her room just chatting away about anything and everything he could think of to talk about. In the above picture, he had bundled his stuffed "friends" in one of her chairs and had asked that she babysit them while he was away for the afternoon. Yes, he was completely serious...

Grandma and Papa got the boys a Wii for Christmas, so you can imagine how excited they were...and what we've been doing since Christmas.

Chucky Cheese

In a desperate attempt to burn some pent-up energy, we took the boys to Chucky Cheese one afternoon for lunch and games. Because of the holidays, it had to be the most crowded I've ever seen any Chucky Cheese...ever; therefore, the noise was a deafening roar, and we were questioning our decision. Fortunately, we made it out in one piece and the boys were sufficiently exhausted. Mission accomplished...

Ice Skating

Strapping on our rental skates and saying a prayer, we were banking on the fact that we remembered how to stay upright on the ice. After 10 years, I wasn't quite sure I would; however, I was relieved to find that my legs remembered the routine and my ankles weren't as wobbly as I had expected them to be. Not that I was ready for the Olympics or anything, but at least it wasn't probable that I would eat ice chips on my first venture back in the rink. Xander and Cade were making their debut, struggling to hold onto their "walkers" as they inched along the wall. Determined to do it on his own and declining any offers of assistance, Xander worked tirelessly and was actually able to go solo by the end of the hour. Cade, on the other hand, was more than happy to prop his skates on the bottom rung of his walker and allow anyone willing and able to push him around the rink. Once again, a perfect picture of our boys' individual personalities!

New Year's Eve

In true Britton Family fashion, New Year's Eve went from being a small, quiet (as quiet as MY children allow anything to be) family gathering to being a full-fledged mini-Britton family reunion! (and by comparison, I really do mean "mini") By mid-afternoon, in addition to our crew, we had Uncle Mark, Aunt Margaret, and Julianne from Canada; Uncle Rob, Aunt Arleita, and Michael from the Cleveland area; and Evangeline and Dempsey on the way up from Cincinatti! Playing games and catching up, the day flew by; and before we knew it, we were bringing in the New Year!

Evangeline and Dempsey

Michael and Uncle Rob

Becca and Steve

Uncle Mark, Julianne, and Dempsey

Cade and Aunt Margaret

Xander and Aunt Arleita

Jump-n-Bounce

One afternoon, my mom and I took the boys to a place that has inflatibles so they could jump out some of the energy they had stored up! The boys thoroughly enjoyed it, and it accomplished our goal!

Snow Fun in Michigan

Well, we didn't get as much snow as we thought we might while up north, but that didn't stop the boys from getting out and having some fun! Papa and Shane took them out sledding and had a blast in spite of a few bumps and bruises along the way!

"Class of '93" Mini-Reunion

After the Alumni Game at SLCS, Steve Worley invited several of us "Class of '93"-ers back to his house so that we could catch up on life while our children ran around like lunatics. Fortunately, we were all used to the noise; therefore, it didn't bother anyone at all. It was amazing that so many years had passed, yet we were all able to pick up right where we left off. I wish the years wouldn't get away from us like they do, but life has a way of making it difficult to keep in touch as much as we would love to do so. However, I can't help but thank God for the wonderful friends He gave me so many years ago and for allowing us to be able to maintain that friendship near or far, whether we talk every day or once a year! I am truly blessed!

Burke and Christen Davis

Steve and Joy Francis

Steve and Leah Worley

The Holidays 2008

2009-01-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know I've been terrible about posting; but in my defense, it has been a CRAZY couple of months! :) Very little time to spare...and then when I DID have time, I was just plain too tired to think. Therefore, I am going to give you the condensed version. For more pictures, you will have to visit my Facebook page (if you haven't done so already).

Thanksgiving

(Aunt Michel- from Florida, me, Sara, Aunt Char, and Amanda)

Once again, we hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year. Although we didn't have as many able to come as last year, we still had a wonderful time together! Starting later than we have in the past, we had an evening meal and thoroughly enjoyed the food and fellowship. As always with this group, we did plenty of laughing to burn off all of those Thanksgiving calories! :)

(Mommy and Hayes; Gage)

(Uncle Vincent, Xander, Cade, and Jeff; Sara, Josh, and Xander)

Mike's Farm Christmas Lights

Last year, we started a new tradition by going to Mike's Farm during Thanksgiving; so the day after Thanksgiving, we returned to the farm for the kick-off of their Christmas Lights hayride. It's the perfect way to get into the Christmas mood!

(The Golden girls; Becca and Steve- my brother came down for Thanksgiving, but we didn't see much of him...I think you can guess why! :)

(Cade and Mylee; Landen and Xander)

(Gage and Josh)

Christmas Cookies

(Justin, Landen, Mylee, Ashley, Xander, Cade, and Charlie)

One Sunday afternoon in mid-December, a group of my good friends and I gathered together with our children to make Christmas cookies. We met at Dawn's house after church and began a tradition that we hope to continue for many years to come. For obvious reasons (just take a look at the rest of the pictures on Facebook to find out why :), the girls and boys separated into groups and took turns rolling out dough, cutting the cookies out, making cards, frosting the baked cookies, and then decorating them with sprinkles. It was a fun-filled afternoon that will be remembered for years to come (well, especially by Dawn who is probably STILL cleaning up "stray flour" and sprinkles in places she didn't even know EXISTED in her kitchen!). The next evening, our husbands joined us, and we traveled around town caroling to many of the "older" couples that have come to mean alot to all of us over the years, presenting them with the homemade cookies, cards, and plenty of hugs. It was such a wonderful way to teach the children that it really is more enjoyable to GIVE of yourself during this special time of the year!

GCA Christmas Concert

(Cade with his buddy,Lowell; The Thee Muskateers- Landen, Charlie, and Xander)

Oh, if you only knew what it took to get these boys to this program in one piece and looking decent! Yes, I knew this event was coming and that they would need the proper attire for it; however, I did not realize that they did not have the "proper attire" for such an occassion. My children are not ones that really "dress up" for church (polo shirts and khakis are the best we do, I'm afraid); so when I went into their closet to dress them for the evening, I was seriously alarmed to find their one dress shirt WAY too small, as were their dress pants. Since Shane was working late and was planning to meet us at the concert, I was in a complete panic. After calling my two closest friends who were in a similar dilemma and unable to assist me, I called Shane. He promised to meet me at Sears as soon as possible; so I grabbed the boys and an iron and ran out the door. We tore through Sears (by the way, we chose Sears because we knew it wouldn't be as busy as other places at this time of year...no offense if you're a big Sears shopper. :) and finally settled on a shirt/tie combo and dress pants. With only time enough to get to school and iron the shirts and pants on Shane's office floor, we were dismayed (okay, HORRIFIED) to arrive there only to find that we had SOMEHOW purchased the wrong size pants for Xander. Shane grabbed the pants and bolted back to Sears setting the record at 7 minutes round trip! What a man! Looking like I had just been through a tornado myself, I was pleased to escort my handsome (and appropriately dressed) children to their classrooms...on time too!

Family

Christmas Cookies

Every year, we get together for our annual Christmas cookie night. Because I am the type who loves the "ritual" of making Christmas cookies rather than the "actual" cookie making process, Sara is in charge of the yearly event. She's the resident "baker" of the family, so I am more than happy to take orders, snap photos, and basically take care of crowd control. And as you can see from the below pictures, it's actually the ADULTS we have the most trouble controlling! :)

Golden Family Christmas

For the Golden Family Christmas this year, we gathered at Josh and Sara's house. With each passing year, these events become more and more festive as the children multiply and grow older! Someone is certainly going to have to get a much larger house if we expect to contain these "active young boys" in the years to come! After eating our "appetizer" dinner (everyone brought appetizers and desserts), we all exchanged gifts. Because of the aforementioned ever-expanding family, we exchanged names this Christmas among the adults but still bought for all of the children. The highlight for my boys, of course, would have to be the bike Cade received from the combined effort of Josh/Sara/Aunt Char/Uncle Vincent; and Xander's Lazer-tag game from the same group. However, I think the "big boys" (Josh and Shane) enjoyed the Lazer-tag game the most.

Grandma Golden

Sara and me

Jeff and Amanda

Uncle Vincent and Aunt Char

Cade and Uncle Josh

By far, the highlight of the night for me was a surprise gift master-minded by my unbelievable sister-in-law, Sara, and assisted by Aunt Char, Amanda, and Jeff. When handed the package, I was extremely confused, because I had already received the gifts from Amanda who had drawn my name; but when I tore off the paper, I was even MORE confused! Staring back at me were my very own children, dressed in matching shirts I had not bought them and framed in pictures I had not arranged to have taken. It was a very surreal moment! After the initial shock, I just burst into tears probably startling everyone watching. You have to understand what a huge thing this was to me. The fact that I was forced to cancel their appointments back in October and had been unable to find another time to reschedule because of how busy we were was such a sore spot with me! Once I was able to compose myself, Sara explained how they had been able to pull this off without us finding out! When she found out that Char was watching the boys for us the previous week, she had gotten the shirts and made an appointment. After we left for the Christmas party, she, Amanda, and Jeff joined Char and carted the boys off to the sudio and had ONLY gotten them home and into pajamas before we arrived back home! The amazing thing was that the boys never said a WORD about where they had been all evening! Oh, to have been a fly on the wall of that studio! Once they described how they were jumping all around trying to get them all smile at the same time, I could only imagine what it would have looked like! :) I STILL can't believe it all; but every time I look at those beautiful pictures, I think of how fortunate I am to have people like that in my life!

Trick-or-Treating, October 31, 2008

2008-11-11T17:21:00.000-08:00

Well, I will begin by saying that I know not everyone agrees that it's acceptable to take your kids trick-or-treating, and I respect that. I grew up taking part in the festivities, and we have continued the tradition with our children (within reason).

This year, since Hayes has been sick lately, he stayed back at the house with Shane and helped hand out candy while Josh, Sara, and I took Xander, Cade, and Gage around in our neighborhood. As you may see, Cade is wearing a different costume than the one he had on at the Fall Festival. I don't know if someone finally convinced him that Venom is a "bad guy" or what, but he decided that he wanted to pull out is old Spiderman costume for this occasion.

Packing the little ones into Gage's little red wagon, we set off for a chilly evening. For us northerners, the weather was just perfect for the holiday and made us think of our own childhood Halloween memories. While carting the boys from house to house, we greatly anticipated the warm bowl of chili and hot spiced cider back at the house.

Oh, I just LOVE fall!

This was absolutely hilarious to me! As we were walking, Gage was chucking his candy over his shoulder onto the road while Cade was hysterically laughing at him and Xander was running behind them picking up the candy. Anyone who knows these three children will understand that this SO exemplifies their individual personalities! Gage is such a bulldozer, leaving mayhem wherever he may go...Cade is the free spirit who loves nothing more than a good laugh, especially at someone else's expense...and Xander is SUCH the rules boy, unable to stand disorder however little it may be! I could hardly stand up, I was laughing so hard! Oh, you just gotta love kids!

Gage was trying to get a head start on his candy!

Wrapper and ALL!

(we had only been to one house so far! :)

Josh and Sara got all of the boys these cute personalized buckets from Anything Joe's to match their costumes. We love that Aunt Sara understands that the LAST thing they need for Halloween is MORE candy and gets them something that won't give them a sugar-high!

One house really got into the spirit with costumes and decorations!

I was afraid our resident scaredy-cat (Cade) would freak out, but he handled it pretty well. The people really seemed to enjoy the kids and kept loading them up with candy!

Super-Gage and Super-Mom!

Heading back home after another successful year of trick-or-treating!

Xander and Cade

Even super-heroes vote for McCain-Palin!

Sara and I wore our "Palin Power" shirts trick-or-treating, and to Fall Festival, and to the grocery store, and to...well, you get the picture!

After two fun-filled evenings in a row (the night before was Fall Festival), the boys crashed hard. Don't you agree that there is nothing cuter than a sleeping child?!

Well, that wraps up our October Festivities...on to Thanksgiving!

Growing up in a family filled with traditions and making family memories, I am thoroughly enjoying establishing these wonderful traditions and memories for our children.

When all is said and done, these are the moments they will take with them and remember fondly for years to come!

Fall Festival, October 30, 2008

2008-11-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Every year, our school has a Fall Festival which is our biggest fundraiser of the year and is open to the public. The kids dress up in their Halloween costumes and enjoy the many booths, inflatables, hay rides, and much more. This was Hayes's first time attending the festivities; so as you can see, he was "thrilled." Xander and Cade decided to dress up as Batman and Venom (even though Cade is still under the impression that Venom is a "super-hero"), so we thought we'd dress Hayes in a Spider man costume to match.

Here we have the battle between "good" and "evil"; and it's a little sketchy as to who was "winning"! :)

Cousin Gage rounded out the super-hero team by dressing up as Superman! Watch out villains! You've now met your match!

Soo....have you heard about the fairy tale where Raggedy Ann and Venom fall in love and live happily ever after? Okay, so neither have we...but we do know that Raggedy Ann (aka Laura Grace- the little girl my sister-in-law nannies) and Venom (aka Cade) love being friends!

Above left: The boys with Landen

Above right: Cade and Leah

Our close friends, Lee and Dawn

Tinkerbell (aka Kyla) and Peter Pan (aka "Uncle" Neal)

Cade and his good buddy, Lowell.

Oh, no! TWO Venoms! :)

As you can see, we had a wonderful time! At the end of the night, everyone was thoroughly exhausted and very glad the next morning we had "late-start" at our school! (we didn't start until 9:30am)

Pumpkin Carving Party 2008

2008-10-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

Once again we had our annual Pumpkin Carving Party at our house, and once again it was a huge success! We literally start talking about and planning for next year's party almost immediately after we have concluded this year's party! And that's no exaggeration! For the past four years, we have gathered at our house to carve our pumpkins, toast the pumpkin seeds, eat wonderful fall dishes, and kick off the holiday seasons! The above picture is our "couldron" of "Goulish Punch" to go with our yearly "Cheeseburger Soup," "Fall Spiced Cider," "Pumpkin Cheesecake," and many other wonderful autumn dishes!

The children of the group! It's hard to believe that when we started having this party, Xander and Cade were the ONLY kids! Seems like we add a couple every year! :)

The girls of the bunch. Poor little Kyla has to endure a houseful of little boys!

The boys of the bunch. Well...all except Hayes. He was already snoozing at 7 o'clock as usual.

Cade with the pumpkin Shane and the boys carved.

Xander and the pumpkin that Shane and the boys carved.

Gage and the pumpkin he and Josh carved.

The Sarah Palin Rally

2008-10-24T16:59:00.001-07:00

Several weeks ago, Shane was able to get us tickets (which was NOT an easy task!!!) to the Sarah Palin rally at the Minges Colluseum so we attended the event with Sara (my sister-in-law) and Michelle (Laura Grace's mom). Over 8,000 people were in the colluseum and over 1,500 people were seated in the ECU football stadium next door to watch on the big screen. It was AMAZING to see all of the support for the Republican Party, more specifically Sarah Palin!

Brazillian Steakhouse in Raleigh (Sunday School Class Activity)

2008-10-09T13:08:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, we went to Raleigh with some of our Sunday School couples for dinner at the Brazillian Steakhouse. With an exotic salad bar (some things unrecognizable! Okay, most...) and endless meat choices, we walked out with our bellies full and our wallets empty. Although I'm not much of a meat-eater, I enjoyed sampling the choices and taking part in the entertaining conversation.

Dan and Sarah Wall with baby Ian

Pedro and Jill Hernandez

(we later realized that Pedro looks like a "Who" off of "Horton Hears a Who" with that flower coming out of his head! Bad photography blunder on my part! oops! :)

Terry and Sara Dawson

Andy and Crystal Blease
(with those wine bottles and Andy's half-closed eyelids, they look like the heavy drinkers of the group! :)

Cade's First Field Trip (Briley's Farm)

2008-10-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

We all remember our first field trip...right? Okay, maybe not. But our MOTHER'S probably do! The same will probably be true for this "monumental" occasion in Cade's life; therefore, I made sure to capture every second in pictures so that I can later "remind" him of what fun he had! :) Starting the day off with a bang, I lost the bus at a stoplight and thus proceeded to get lost only to FINALLY arrive at the farm just in time to watch the hayride with my precious little 4-year-old on-board rolling out of sight. Typical. (I guess it's a good thing he won't remember everything about this day.)

Once the hayride returned, Cade jumped off the wagon with pumpkin in tow and trotted past me without even questioning my tardiness. Gotta love kids. The rest of the morning ran smoothly, and the spontaneous hugs and kisses more than made up for my initial greeting!

Cade and his best buddy, Lowell

Cade "milking" the mock cow

Cade picking his own cotton

Mrs. Stephens and Cade

Super-Hero Fun!

2008-10-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

Our little super-heroes! Recently, Laura Grace came over with Sara and Gage for the day. As always, the kids dressed up in their favorite super-hero costume.

Hayes is Six Months Old!

2008-09-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that my baby is 6 months old already! It seems like just yesterday we were rushing to the hospital after my amniocentesis sent me into labor five weeks early. With each child, I seem to lament the onset of each stage and the absence of the last more and more; and as exciting as it is to see them grow and develop, I can't help but somewhat miss their sole dependence upon me. Maybe I feel it more with Hayes, because I don't know for sure if he will be our last; but whatever the case may be, I definitely am not in a hurry for him to grow up on me!

When we went to the doctor, we were pleased to see that he is growing and progressing just fine. Weighing in at 17 lbs., Hayes is right on target in the 50 percentile; and one would never know that he is quite the picky eater! It's not so much WHAT he eats as it is from whom he eats it! Developmentally, he is a little behind, but that is to be expected. Absolutely detesting "tummy-time," Hayes only began rolling over from front to back in the last month and has yet to go from back to front. I'm sure he's looking at me like, "If I hate being on my tummy so much, then why prey tell would I WANT to roll onto my TUMMY?!"

Above: First, we have Hayes sitting in the Bumbo, practicing sitting up like a big boy!

Second, we have Cade playing the favorite game of "peekaboo." Hayes thinks he's absolutely hysterical, and Cade loves that Hayes finally thinks he's funny! (being funny is HIGHLY important to Cade!)

Above: First, Hayes is learning how to eat his fruits and veggies, obviously LOVING them!

Second, Hayes with his Santa jammies (yes, I know...it's a little early) and Xander with his patch and pirate jammies. Xander has to wear a patch for two hours every day, because he needs to strengthen his left "weak" eye.

Our precious boys

The Extraordinary Women Conference; Lynchburg, VA

2008-09-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I joined three of my friends~Dawn, Angie, and Charlene~ on a trip to Lynchburg, VA, for the EWomen Conference. Having attended once before, we knew that we were in for an unbelievable journey. The theme for the conference was "Discovering God's Dream," and we were ready for whatever God had in store for us. Therefore, after several "glitches" in the plan and the issue of gas prices spiking, we set off determined that nothing was going to stop us from receiving a blessing this weekend!

Arriving at the Vines Center in time to claim our seats (excellent seats, I might add!), we settled back (after a few hikes back to the car for forgotten tickets and cameras...all MY fault, of course!) for the conference. The hilarious Chonda Pierce started us off laughing and blessed us with her outrageous humor and witty testimony.

Read on to hear about the rest of the conference...

Karen Kingsbury

2008-09-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

Meeting Karen Kingsbury was by far the highlight of the conference! I have read almost ALL of her books and have LOVED every single one of them! We were just about the last people to leave on Friday night; therefore, we were able to talk with her and have her sign our books without much of a wait at all. I was thrilled to find her just as personable and down-to-earth as I had hoped she would be! Taking her time, she chatted easily and joked with the brothers who were helping her take pictures for her website.

To my surprise, I found out that she also writes children's books, which of course I bought, so we had her sign those to our children as well. On Saturday, she spoke in one of the sessions and actually read one of the children's books, Let Me Hold You Longer, to us leaving not a dry eye in the place! Feeling a little like a "groupie," I actually bought a few more books and stood in line once again to get her autograph on those as well. However, we ended up getting another picture taken for her website because she said she was having a "better-hair day"! :) I loved that! See? Even famous authors worry about their hair! Anyway, the whole experience was amazing, and I will never forget it!

Random Girl with Great Hair...

2008-09-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

So...this is just some girl we didn't know. Angie has been wanting to get her hair cut, but she hasn't been able to find the right style! Well, as we were walking around the Vines Center, Angie grabs me and says that we have GOT to get her picture! Since I had my camera with me, I went up to this girl (whose name I still don't know) and asked her if my "crazy" friend could get a picture of her hair! I stood next to her so she didn't feel too stupid, but I'm sure she probably thought we were a bunch of lunatics!!! Oh, well, Angie got her picture; and it really IS cute hair, don't you think? :)

Richie McDonald

2008-09-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

Country music fans may recognize Richie McDonald by face (a pretty nice-looking one too! :), if not by name...he is the former lead singer for Lonestar. We were not aware that he was going to be giving a concert Friday night of the conference, but were pleasantly surprised by it! He sang many of the songs that he made famous with Lonestar along with many of his new solo songs. Because he wanted to spend more time with his family, he left Lonestar and began his own solo Christian career. I bought his CD titled "Faith & Family" and absolutely LOVE it! The song in the video below is on the CD along with many others.

As you can see, we were all pretty excited to get our picture with him...and yes, he had his arms around us!!! :) Something I'm sure we'll never forget!

2008-09-15T18:18:00.001-07:00

2008-09-15T18:04:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry if the camera shook in places...

This song by Richie McDonald was written for his wife when she turned forty. I'm sure you will all agree that it is the sweetest song you will ever hear! Although I actually have video of most of the songs he sang, it took too long to upload these few videos that I have; therefore, I just displayed a song from each person.

Charles Billingsley

2008-09-15T17:56:00.001-07:00

2008-09-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

Charles Billingsley led the "Praise and Worship" time and did a fantastic job! He had tons of energy and certainly wasn't "hard to look at"! :)

Mandisa at the EWomen't Conference; Lynchburg, VA

2008-09-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are American Idol fans, you probably already know who Mandisa is. She was the contestant who "forgave Simon" on National television for some cutting remarks he made about her weight. In her concert Saturday, she talked about her experience on American Idol and how she overcame her fear of Simon to compete on the show. She was extremely impressive both in speech and in talent. We really enjoyed her!

Because of her status, Mandisa was surrounded by body guards and behind a table autographing CDs and pictures. This was as close as I could get to take her picture.

On the way home Saturday afternoon, we stopped at Texas Roadhouse for lunch and to reflect on the weekend and all we learned. Although completely exhausted, we all agreed that it was a perfect trip! God had taught us all so many things and had blessed our hearts until they were overflowing! We can hardly wait until our next journey!

First days of school...

2008-08-22T17:30:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, we sent our little Cade off to K-4~ needless to say there were alot of tears...on MY part. Cade did just fine! At GCA, the boys have to wear ties, dress shirts, pants, and dress shoes for chapel. On the other days, as you can see in the last pictures, the boys can wear polo shirts, shorts, and tennis shoes or sandels. This was actually Cade's first time wearing a tie! (we are really into "comfort" in our family!) To help the kindergarten students have a better "first day," our school has them start a day before the 1st-12th grade students. Therefore, while we are taking these pictures, Xander is making the MOST of his last day of freedom by sleeping in!

Sending our little Cade off to school! (sniff!)

Cade and his best buddy, Lowell. GCA will never be the same!

Cade with his K-4 teacher, Mrs. Stephens.

When I picked Cade up after his first day, I asked him what he had learned that day at school. After considering it for a moment, he answered, "EVERYTHING! I don't need to go back anymore!" Oh, if it were ONLY that easy! :)

Thursday was Xander's and our first day of school. Xander was very excited to get the teacher that he was hoping for. Our school starts on Thursday, and Thursday and Friday are both half days. We believe in "easing into the year"!! :)

Xander, the "old pro," is enjoying showing Cade the ropes at school.

Shane and I with Xander on his first day of 2nd Grade!

They're getting so big!

The boys with Grandma Golden and Hayes before heading off to school. We are very fortunate to have Grandma watching Hayes this year for us; he is getting plenty of TLC!

Xander with his 2nd Grade teacher, Mrs. Vick.

We had a great first "week" and are looking forward to an exciting year!

A great week!

2008-08-12T11:15:00.001-07:00

This past week, my family came down from Michigan to visit us. Although my parents were able to spend time with us down in Disney, it was the first time my brother Steve was able to meet Hayes. We even broke him in babysitting, which is the first picture you see in the slideshow below. When we ran to the store to pick up some items for dinner, Steve was blessed with the opportunity to care for all three boys... We came home to find him standing there holding a sleeping Hayes. After trying desperately to get him calmed down, Steve finally realized if he stood and held him in that exact position, he would stop crying and go to sleep. Any attempt to put Hayes down in the swing or crib held dire consequences...thus the picture I could not resist taking! :) He insists he will never have kids.
Because of the extreme heat and the fact my "Northern" family members were not accustomed to such heat, we made sure we had a place to swim each day they were here. On Tuesday, we drove to the beach for the day. It was a quick trip, but we had a lot of fun. It was Hayes' first trip to the beach, and he wasn't all that impressed. Although it was a little hot for him, he was very good and just sat in his seat with his portable fan! :)
Steve was a little distracted throughout the week by a certain "someone"; however, I will let you draw your own conclusions on that matter. In this case, "a picture is worth a thousand words"; therefore, I will leave it unsaid so as not to jinx anything that may be in the fragile stages of beginning.
The last night they were here, we had several people over for dinner and a rousing game of Scattergories. As you see in the pictures, it would most appropriately be called "Cheatergories" because there were several players who spent most of their time arguing why their BIZARRE answers should be acceptable! (Doogenheim is most definitely NOT a "foreign city that starts with the letter D" although one player, to whom I happened to be married, insisted it was just outside of Scotland...hmmm...) We had a good time, concluding an extremely enjoyable week.

Hayes is Four Months Old!

2008-07-31T03:12:00.000-07:00

I took Hayes to the doctor recently for his 4-month visit, and he is doing really well! Weighing in at 14 lbs. 13 oz. and measuring 24 inches in height, he is in the 50th percentile for his weight and in the 75th percentile for his height. In addition, all of his motor skills are right on track, so you would never know that he was a preemie!

Voicing my concerns that he was STILL having trouble with sleeping through the night, the doctor told me that he should not need to havea a middle-of-the-night feeding anymore and that I needed to let him cry it out. You'd think that being a mother of three, that would not be a problem; however, as I told the doctor, it gets HARDER not EASIER with each child! With Xander, I went by the book and had him sleeping through the night by 6 weeks. Then with Cade, I became a little "softer" and got up once a night with him for...oh...well, he's STILL getting up at least once a night! So, I did not want a repeat of this; but it just seems that I get softer and more indulgent with each child! He assured me that this was indeed "normal" and that I shouldn't beat myself up over it. I appreciated that...whether it was true or not! :) The funny thing was that I think Hayes heard what the doctor said, because he began sleeping through the night after that! Yay!

Anyway, in a happy mood, Hayes laughed and "talked" to the doctor...well, right up until he got his 3 shots! After that, it was all downhill... However, we were pleased with the good report and are thrilled that our little guy with a rough start is doing so well!

Swimming Lessons

2008-07-30T18:58:00.001-07:00

During the month of July, Xander and Cade took swimming lessons at Viquest. This was a birthday gift from Uncle Josh, Aunt Sara, Uncle Vincent and Aunt Char. I had several things I wanted the boys to accomplish during this month of lessons. Cade has literally been petrified of the water since he was very little. Most times, he hovers on the steps of the pool and clings to whoever can pry him away from the side and into the water. I wanted him to become more comfortable with the water, and to be able to wear a float and maneuver himself across the pool. Xander was comfortable in the water; however, I hoped that he would be able to learn how to swim well enough to go into the deep end by himself and to learn the proper technique for swimming.

The first two lessons for them both did not show much improvement; in fact, Cade had a complete meltdown during the second! Frustrated with the lack of success so far (I know, I had some unrealistic expectations), I sat down and talked with them both, encouraging them...okay, I bribed them. Don't judge me. It worked. I told them that if Cade didn't scream and Xander listened better (instead of thinking he knows it all), we would stop at McDonald's for a milkshake. BINGO! Jackpot! They took off; and from that point on, it was smoothe sailing! Cade was swimming with the "noodle" all over the pool, and Xander was swimming like a fish! Every mother there has said that they were the most amazing transformation from the first lesson until now!

This is their last week of lessons, and I must say that I am completely satisfied with all that they accomplished!

Swimming Lessons

2008-07-29T03:19:00.000-07:00

Cade with the "noodle."

Xander LOVES swimming!
Cade doing his "bubbles."
Xander floating on his back.

Summer School...

2008-07-24T16:03:00.000-07:00

Well, the summer officially ended for me the Monday after July 4th. I began my yearly four-week Summer School "adventure." And I really do mean "adventure." It never fails to be an eventful, not to mention memorable, experience. This year has been no different. I am teaching 9 students ranging from 7th grade to upcoming seniors. At our school, the English students must make a 77% to pass and go into the next level of English; therefore, if they do not make a 77%, then they must take a 3-week remedial summer school course. If the student happens to actually fail with less than a 70%, then they must pass a 4-week summer school course. This year, I have quite the "interesting" student (who will remain nameless, just in case one of my students stumbles upon this web page). I've heard stories about this particular boy, but I did not believe that he could really be as..."odd"...as I had been told. Well, I've learned that the stories have been mild compared to the reality. Let's just say that bodily functions are not a private matter for this young individual...and leave it at that. Anyway, it's been a quick 3 weeks already, and I am definitely looking forward to finishing up next week! After that, I will have a few weeks until school starts up again...where did the summer go?!

Slideshow dilemmas...

2008-07-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

You will probably notice that in the two slideshows with music (Gage's and Cade's birthday parties), the same music was selected. This is because photobucket only offers "independent" music (in other words, weird music by "nobodies"). I did not realize this until I had already created the slideshows, and then I wasn't ABOUT to throw away all of that time and effort! Therefore, I picked the only song that was remotely appropriate for both. I usually use Slide for my slideshows, but then the music continues to play even when not watching the slideshow. This is all good and well unless you want to make ANOTHER slideshow with different music! If anyone knows of another Slideshow site that is better or knows a way around these obstacles, please let me know. Until then, I will probably continue to use photobucket for slideshows without music, and Slide for ones with music.

Cade's 4th Birthday...

2008-07-12T14:25:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Cade's 4th Birthday, we invited a few of his little buddies (Lowell, Sawyer, & Gavin) to join us at the "Jumpin' Monkey" (place with inflatibles) and then to our house for pizza and cupcakes. Cade was very specific as to what he wanted at his party, so we tried to fulfill those wishes. He wanted cupcakes (NOT cake), "blowie things" (whatever they are actually called), and hats. The kids had a great time, and Cade was in his element! Being the middle child, he was thoroughly eating up the extra attention! Back at our house, we ate and opened presents. Only a few casualties occurred, none of which occurred at the Jumpin' Monkey!! All occurred on our bunk beds! We had one child take a nose dive off of it, and then one of my OWN children (Xander, of course) forgot the ceiling fan was on and tried to climb up to the top bunk...and well, you get the picture. Therefore, the bunk beds were strictly off limits the rest of the night. All in all, it was a great birthday party; and Cade is still asking us daily, "Did you like my birthday party?!?"

Cade's 4th Birthday...

2008-07-12T14:24:00.001-07:00

July 4, 2008

2008-07-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

After a relaxing day at home with the boys, Shane and I joined his parents as well as Josh, Sara, and Gage for the fireworks display in Washington, NC. Because of the small-town atmosphere and location near the water, we love coming here for the fireworks each year. Uncertain as to whether Hayes and Gage would enjoy their first experience with the event, we were pleasantly surprised to find that they were thoroughly captivated by the show and were not a bit frightened by the loud explosions! Uncharacteristically cool weather for July made the evening absolutely perfect!

Fourth of July 2008

2008-07-12T12:18:00.001-07:00

Gage's First Birthday...

2008-07-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

On July 3rd, the day after Gage's first birthday, Josh and Sara threw a birthday bash to celebrate such a milestone here at our house. Although he started the party out with a nap :), he woke up ready to go and was able to keep up with older kids all the way to the fireworks! It was a lot of fun and will make a fond memory in the years to come!

Gage's First Birthday Party

2008-07-12T05:59:00.001-07:00

Going Green...

2008-06-28T19:13:00.001-07:00

Well, recently I've been inspired to gradually go organic. I've previously done SOME things organically, but not much. I've always been under the impression that it is too difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. Just this week I've seen that it doesn't have to be that way and that it can actually be the opposite (in most areas). I don't know if anyone watches the showJon and Kate Plus 8...it's one of my faves! Anyway, I watched a rerun the other night and was inspired to start with my cleaning products. I've always been bothered by the chemicals and the affect they could have on my children (not to mention my HANDS!); however, I just didn't know that I could really find a suitable alternative that wouldn't break our budget! The other thing that always hindered me from trying anything organic in cleaning was the fact that I was convinced that organic cleaning products could NOT do a job that would live up to my criteria in cleaning. Well, I've been proven wrong on both accounts! I went and bought a few staple items that are found in most organic cleaning products to get me started and walked out with only spending 10 dollars for quantities that will last me for months! THEN I went home and tested them on my house that was in need of a GOOD cleaning! I was fascinated to find that everything worked MUCH BETTER than any commercial cleaning products I have used at the store! Since I've just begun my experimentation, I will only tell you of the few I've tried so far. First of all, our master bathtub drain has never drained well from the day we bought our house a year ago. My long hair doesn't help any either. We've tried Drano and many other commercial products to fix it but have been unsuccessful! Well, I followed the instructions I was given and sprinkled a half cup of baking soda down the drain and then little by little poured a cup of vinegar down the drain. Once the bubbling stopped, I ran hot water for a few minutes and voila! For the first time, our drain is working perfectly! I was told to do this periodically to keep the drain clear and working properly. The next thing I tried was the All-Purpose Cleaner. This is made of 2 Tbsp. vinegar, 1 tsp. Borax (found in laundry detergent aisle in powder form), 16 oz. Hot Water, a few drops of dishsoap, and 10 drops of essential oil (optional only to add scent- I actually didn't do this but may try it in the future for fun). Mix ingredients in a spray bottle and use for anything you would use 409 for. I actually used this for our bathroom floor because our tile had gotten extremely discolored due to make-up and hairspray. No other cleaners helped at all, but this recipe worked like magic! At first skeptical, even Shane had to admit that it was amazing how clean the floor became after minimal effort! Anyway, I'm so pleased with the results that I just had to share! Next on my list of recipes to try: Dishwasher detergent, laundry soap, and fabric softener. I will certainly let you know how it turns out!

New milestones...

2008-06-28T18:51:00.001-07:00

Although smiling is not a new "trick" for Hayes, LAUGHING is! This week we were thrilled to be able to tickle a giggle out of him; and now it has become a personal goal for each of us to be the one who can get him to laugh the fastest! So far Shane is the winner...to which I insist he simply MUST be the funniest to look at! Then we have Cade who insists that Hayes does NOT find him funny, which is very interesting to me because I don't know of ONE person who DOESN'T think Cade is hilarious! (and that's without him even opening his mouth!) Anyway, it has opened a whole new level of rivalry in this house of testosterone in which EVERYTHING (and I DO mean EVERYTHING- including seeing who can pee the longest, farthest, and fastest!- and in that I exclude myself, of course!) is a competition!

Our Disney Adventure...

2008-06-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

After months of planning and anticipation, we finally set off on our journey to Orlando and Disney World! Traveling with us were our close friends, Lee and Dawn Brown, their kids (Mylee, Landen, and Leah), and Lee's dad and step-mom. My parents were meeting us down in Orlando since they were flying in from Michigan. We were set for a great vacation! The kids had their dvd players, ear phones, and Game Boy, so entertainment was not going to be an issue (hopefully!). They did, however, begin the "Are we there yet?" almost as soon as we left the driveway, but that was to be expected.

The picture at the top is probably my favorite picture of the whole trip. Playing around with my new camera, I thoroughly enjoyed trying new settings and experimenting with different backdrops. Most of the water pictures were taken from really far away, but my telephoto lens made it possible to get right up close! My hubby is the BEST for making sure I had this camera before our trip!

On our way down to Orlando, we were able to make plans to stop in and see my dear friend JoAna, her hubby, and her daughter. Jo and I hadn't seen one another for 5 years, so this was an exciting time for the two of us! Unfortunately, I was only able to take a few pictures before my camera died, so you'll have to visit HER blog to see the rest! :) It was so nice getting to spend some time with them, and we vowed that it will not be ANOTHER 5 years before we get together again! Love you, JO!

Upon our arrival to the resort, we were pleasantly surprised by the many amenities AND our fabulous location! For one, we were on the first floor! Our back door opened to this excellent view and as you can see from the pictures, we were just a hop-skip-and-jump from the paddle and bumper boats as well as the waterpark (in the far right of the first pic)! We couldn't have asked for better! Also, the Browns were just a door away, so our kids were able to wear a path running back and forth between the two rooms! Everything was set for the perfect Disney vacation!

Having traveled for two days, we decided that it would be best to spend Monday at the resort swimming and resting up for the week. The resort had a wonderful little waterpark that was perfect for the kids! The waterslides were just big enough to give them a thrill and to keep them entertained so that the adults could relax a little. (although we adults did have to play NUMEROUS games of hide-and-seek in the pool once the novelty of the slides wore off! :)

Looking for entertainment for the evening, we headed for Downtown Disney. The kids thought they were "something" when they got to get on a Harley at the Harley Davidson shop on Pleasure Island (don't worry, we didn't have the kids "clubbing" at Pleasure Island after dark!). You can see that Cade was trying to look as "cool" as possible and making Xander do all of the work as usual!

After walking around for awhile, we stopped by the fountain to sit and enjoy the wonderful breeze and to take some pictures. As usual, you can see the boys found SOME way to get into some mischief! I'll give you one guess as to who was the first to fall in and get wet...BINGO...for those of you who know my children at all, you will know that Xander is the klutziest (although Cade is a CLOSE second) of the two! I know, I know...they come by it naturally. I'm just hoping that SOME of Shane's coordination got in their genes somewhere!

Beginning our Disney park tour, we headed for Animal Kingdom. This was our first visit to this particular park, and I must say that it is well worth the hefty price of admission! Starting off with a little parental "chat", Lee sat the kids down and made sure they understood what behavior was expected of them and what to do should they get separated from the group. I'm not quite sure they were listening, but they pretended to at least.

It was a pretty hot day, but there were enough attractions that cooled us off to keep it tolerable. We set Hayes' stroller up with a battery operated fan, so he was able to keep cooler than the rest of us. In spite of the heat, Hayes did remarkably well; and by 5 o'clock, we were all able to find relief with a typical daily rain shower. If anyone is planning on visiting Animal Kingdom, I would not leave the park without hitting the kids' favorite (well...they were petrified, but somehow that made it the favorite!) --The Dinosaur Ride, and the adults' favorite--the Safari Ride. On the Safari Ride, we were literally within arms reach of rhinos, elephants, and other wild animals! The lions and cheetahs were farther off, but there really wasn't anything keeping them from coming closer...a little disturbing, I know!!! Excellent attraction though, so make sure you get to see it someday!

Taking a day off from the parks, we stayed around the resort and enjoyed the many amenities it offered. Hayes had his first "swim", Cade mastered the waterslide at the pool, and Xander took the term "bubble bath" to a whole new level! (I think maybe we put a little too much soap in the water! :)

Also, my parents took the boys on the paddle boats and searching for minnows! It was a relaxing day all around! (except for my dad who ended up doing all of the paddling! :)

On Thursday, we went to Magic Kingdom for FULL day of fun! Because of the miserably hot day we had at Animal Kingdom, we decided to take Shane's Aunt Michel's offer to watch Hayes at our resort. She and her daughter Caitlyn showed up bright and early and came ready to spoil Hayes rotten! :) The day was hot and humid but cooled off after a shower in the late afternoon. Even though we kept moving the whole day, we didn't even touch but a third of the park! The kids LOVED the different attractions but were sufficiently scared in a few. The Lilo & Stitch ride just about put them over the edge; and had there not been harnesses, they would have BOTH been climbing the walls! The kids favorite attraction would have to be the Buzz Lightyear ride where we could shoot each other (okay, so we were supposed to be shooting the bad guys!) with laser guns; and the adults were partial to the Monsters Inc. Laugh-In (absolutely spontaneous and hilarious!).

In the evening, we made sure we got great seats for the lights parade and then for the fireworks. It was a spectacular display and a perfect ending to the day! As you can see, Cade was passed out before we even left the park! Oh, to be a kid again!

Needing a break from the hot theme parks, we decided to hit Typhoon Lagoon on Friday. The kids AND adults had an absolute blast and didn't want to leave even after an exhausting day in the water! Xander mastered the tallest water slide (we called it the "wedgie" because...well...I'm sure you can figure it out! :), and Cade didn't want to leave the wave pool! My mom and I split the day so that she stayed in the room with Hayes in the morning, then I came back to stay with him in the afternoon. The heat was just too much for a little guy like him to be out in it all day! All in all, it was a super-fun day; and I think it's safe to say that we will be returning to Typhoon Lagoon on our next Disney trip!

Finally! Friday night was time for the parents to go out for dinner while the kids stayed back at the resort with the grandparents. However, the grandparents didn't have TOO hard of a job since the kids were pretty worn out from their day at the waterpark. We originally wanted to try a restaurant that was original to the area; however, after driving past a few empty parking lots (a sure sign that the food isn't good), we ended up at Carraba's and had an excellent meal. After talking for 4 hours, we ended up closing the place down!! I guess we needed a break more than we thought! :)

On our last night of vacation, we spent some time in Downtown Disney. After dinner in the Rainforest Cafe, the kids had a lesson in dancing along with a big crowd of kids (and some adults too!). They really got into it...even if they DIDN'T quite get it right! :) It was a really fun night, and we got a good laugh watching the kids "boogie"!

Heading home was bitter-sweet. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip, but we were pretty exhausted from it all! You know you've had a great vacation when you have to go HOME to rest! On the way home, we stopped off in Jacksonville to visit Shane's brother IV and his kids, Bailey and Lyric. We ate at the most interesting restaurant on the water with stuffed wild animals in every nook and cranny! Cade freaked when we walked into the place, and he was eyeball to eyeball with a tiger! In addition to the "unique" decor, we had plenty of exotic items from which to choose on the menu. Kangaroo, snake, turtle, and gator tail are just a FEW of the dishes!!! Hmmm...I think I'll stick to chicken; and I DID!!!! Even Shane with his iron-clad stomach did not venture out of his comfort zone; and the boys were happy with their mac-and-cheese!

Well, if you've made it to the end of this post, then you are either a true friend OR you have absolutely nothing else to do with your time! I'll take either one! :) Anyway, we had a terrific time and can't wait to go again! If you have kids (or if you ARE a kid yourself! :), Orlando is a place that you can seriously go every year and do something different! I took so many pictures and video that I had to put them on 3 CD's! Aren't you glad I didn't put them all on here?!? :)

2008-06-03T16:21:00.000-07:00

After our first day of summer vacation yesterday, I had to sit down and re-evaluate my plan of attack. Shane was at volleyball camp all day (from 9am-7pm); and by the time he came home, I was ready to be admitted to the looney bin! I could have sworn my kids were on crack or something by the way they were acting! So, enlisting the aid of my sister-in-law Sara, we took my three kids (7, almost 4, and 2 1/2 mo.), her son Gage (11 mo.), and Laura Grace (almost 3), the little girl Sara nannies, to Barnes and Noble for "storytime." Okay, I can read your minds right now thinking "How can that POSSIBLY be 'better' than the chaos of yesterday?" Well, I'm glad you asked. Because you see, when it comes to "plans," Sara and I don't always think through our "plans" from start to finish. They always sound much better in theory than in reality. If you can imagine the two of us, Xander, a single stroller, a sit-and-stand stroller (which is only supposed to carry two but with us carries three...and often four with our crew). I'm sure we are probably breaking several child-safety laws whenever we go anywhere, but we have yet to have a casualty. The kids listened to the story for about 2 minutes and then decided to "look for books." Gage was crawling around on the ground just as happy as could be, while Sara was receiving dirty looks from the other moms who were appalled that she would let him do so. I don't really know what the problem was. He only put one piece of plastic in his mouth, so we are calling it a good day! Cade and Laura Grace were following each other around the store picking out "the same" books, and Xander was making sure the books he chose were "challenging" enough! All the while, I was holding Hayes who was chewing on the binky I was holding into his mouth to keep him from fussing since he was hungry before schedule. As usual, Sara and I ignored the stares were were receiving from the other "more together" mothers in the store and finally gathered our herd and headed for the register. I'm sure Shane will be thrilled to know that the "free storytime" cost him exactly $18.98.

Heading for home to feed the hungry babies, we arrived at our house exhausted and once again wondering what we were smoking when we made plans for the morning excursion. Finally getting things under control, we enjoyed the afternoon watching Cade and Laura Grace play and laughing at their hilarious conversations! Xander was engrossed in his Game Boy, and the babies were napping. Life was good. Now, be warned that what you are about to witness on the video should not be tried at home. We are fully aware that this is the most unsafe trampoline ever; however, we have never had a casualty...well, until today. But before you watch this, just know that the victim was not harmed in any way and no tears were shed in the making of this video.

After Sara ran down to help her up, Laura Grace stood up dry-eyed and her hand to her head and said, "That thing just jumped me off!"

So, needless to say, the kids were finished jumping on the trampoline, and Sara and I are wondering where to get the address for "America's Funniest Home Videos." Not really.

2008-05-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that summer is already here! The past year has just flown by and so much has happened in that time!

For Memorial Day, we took advantage of the beautiful weather and invited our family that lives in town over for a cookout. Shane's parents had taken Xander and Cade to Myrtle Beach for the weekend, so they showed up sunburned and waterlogged! They had a wonderful time, so we enjoyed listening to all of the stories they had to tell. I believe the highlight for Cade was that he made two holes-in-one and tied his score with Xander's! This obviously was NOT the highlight for Xander! His favorite part of the trip was the "slingshot" he went on 30 feet into the air. For a little guy, I'd say that was pretty brave!

We enjoyed the food and the babies, since Hayes and Gage stole the show as usual! Here you can see Auntie Sara spoiling Hayes as any good Aunt should do! And she's definitely the best when it comes to taking care of her nephews!

The rest of the week was busy finishing up school with exams and graduation. I spent the week working on a syllabus I had to submit for our AP English program (to keep us accredited), so that made for some very stressful days! However, we got through it, and I will never have to do it again as long as I teach at GCA! (whew!)

Friday morning, we attended Xander's awards ceremony at school. He received a certificate for the A/B Honor Roll, for which we were very proud of him! His only B was in Reading, and that was because of his expression. Now, I know what you are thinking, and you are correct. How can such an expressive child not read with enough expression?! Well, he was afraid that people would laugh at him if he did, so he would read in a voice that was VERY monotone! We worked on this all year and were thrilled when he finally started getting A's in Reading during the last quarter! He also received a certificate for having the highest average in Math for his class! This award was by far the most important to him, because Math is Xander's absolute favorite subject!!! We are so proud of him and the effort he put forth this year in school!

Friday was also Cade's last day at his daycare. These are three of the children with whom he has spent his days. The fourth child is an adorable baby who had already fallen asleep by the time we took this picture.

After Xander's award ceremony, we met Miss Debbie and the kids at Krispy Kreme and had breakfast. Then making a day of it, we went to the Jumpin' Monkey which is a place with inflatibles, much like the place Xander went for his field trip. Once the kids had worn themselves out there, we finished the day at our house for a picnic in the back yard.

Miss Debbie has been such a blessing to us and has gone above and beyond the call of a caregiver! She came into our lives when Xander was a year old and has been a huge part of our family ever since! This will be very difficult for both her and us as we make this transition. Fortunately, we will still continue our friendship and will take part in special activities with her from time to time.

Shane's mom has decided to quit teaching to watch Hayes for us, which is why Debbie will not be helping us with him. Once we knew were going to have Hayes, his mom began talking of being a full-time Grandma! She is very excited about doing so, and we are thrilled that Hayes will get to spend his days with his Grandma Golden. Because I will only be teaching part-time, I will be able to bring Cade home with me from school to spend the afternoons together with Hayes. I am greatly looking forward to this new schedule and hope it will help to have a little more flexibility in my days.

Cade's favorite friend at Miss Debbie's is Riley. They have been the best of friends for the past 3 years and will miss seeing each other on a daily basis! We will definitely be keeping in touch with Miss Riley, but I know the transition will be difficult for both!

Well, that's all for the school year. Xander is looking forward to 2nd grade, and Cade is anxiously awaiting K-4. However, summer is here...and we are ready!

2008-05-25T04:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't believe it has been two months since we welcomed Hayes into our family! I honestly thought I might get bored while on maternity leave from work; however, I must say that I have never been busier in my life! It's a "good busy" though, and I am thoroughly enjoying my time at home.

Hayes just had his two-month doctor's appointment, and he is now 11 1/2 lbs! I think it's all gone to those kissable cheeks of his! After checking him all out, the doctor just kept saying that he is "perfect, just perfect!" And as you can see from the picture, he is as happy as can be! We are loving that he is now smiling at us on a consistant basis and that he is trying to verbalize a response when we talk to him! It's so much fun to see him grow and change everyday! Being the third child, he just goes with the flow and is content to be entertained by his crazy brothers who absolutely ADORE him! Xander and Cade could not be happier with their little brother and have not been jealous of him for one second. I was mostly concerned about Cade, but I wasted my time doing so. He is such a good big brother and smothers (yes, literally!) Hayes with kisses. Being a bit older than Cade, Xander is a tremendous help and can actually hold Hayes and calm him if he starts to fuss. I asked Shane the other day if he felt adding a third child was harder or easier than he thought it would be. He didn't hesitate to say that he felt it was much easier than he thought it would be, and I really have to agree. Hayes has just slipped into our lives without so much as causing a wrinkle. We are truly enjoying him!

As we near the end of the school year, we are busy with all kinds of activities! On Thursday, Xander had his end-of-the-year class field trip to Goldsborough, where they have a place called All-Stars. The kids love the games and inflatibles that are available, and the parents love how tired the kids are when they leave! :) Because Shane was asked to drive the bus and I am still on maternity leave, we were all able to join Xander for the day making it extra-special for him! It's so hard to believe that he is finishing up first grade this year and will be a big second-grader next year! I think what is even MORE amazing is that Cade will be going into K-4 next year! GCA won't know what hit them, that's for sure! :) It's exciting and kinda sad at the same time! My babies are growing up! It makes me want to freeze Hayes at this age so I can still have a baby forever!

Well, we have a busy week coming up as we finish up school and have high school graduation Friday. I'm actually going in to school this week just to give my three exams, and then Shane and I will be reading the "Senior Messages" at graduation. The week after that, Shane will be taking his volleyball girls to Raleigh for volleyball camp. A school there is having the coach from Clearwater Christian College come up to conduct the camp. My mom is also going to be here that week, so we are looking forward to spending time with her. And then we are off to Disney the following week! It's going to be a BUSY summer, so I'm sure it will fly by before we know it! We would love to hear what you are up to and what your summers are going to be like! Take care and be safe in your travels!

Adjusting to life with three boys! (well...actually four!)

2008-04-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been four weeks and two days since Hayes was born, and let's just say that life is definitely different around here! I guess the best, and most OBVIOUS, way to describe it would be to say that it is "more involved"! That is putting it mildly, for sure! The boys have adjusted quite well to their little brother, much to my surprise! I wasn't as concerned about Xander, because he has been through this before when Cade was born. Although that was four years ago, it still allowed him to have more of an idea of what to expect. Cade, on the other hand, had NO idea what to expect; and at times, I wondered if he understood that we were going to be bringing a "baby" home and not a pet! However, I should have given him more credit. He has just jumped right in and become quite the big brother! In fact, just a few days ago, he asked when we were going to have another baby and what we were going to name it! I told him to slow down and enjoy the one he has! :)
Shane is adjusting pretty well to having a third child around the house...and why shouldn't he?!? He gets to sleep at night! No, I do understand he has to get up and go to work in the morning, so I don't mind making that sacrifice for him to get a decent night's sleep. Not to mention the fact that I would fear for my child's life if it were up to "the walking dead" to feed him in the middle of the night! Fortunately, Shane has taken the spring season off from coaching, so that has allowed him a little more time at home to help referee our bunch!
I'm still on maternity leave and will continue to stay home until I teach summer school during the month of July. I have thoroughly enjoyed being home with Hayes and spending some quality one-on-one time with him while Xander is in school and Cade is still going to the babysitter's. At the moment, I'm pretty much functioning on high-octane caffeine to get me through the days. Xander and Cade have been taking turns waking up sick- Cade with the worst case of croup he's had in a long time, and Xander with horrible allergies and a persistent cough. Then just about the time I'm able to get them settled down and back to sleep, Hayes wakes up to eat! It's an on-going cycle that I'm hoping will break soon! However, I have to admit that my quiet time with my boys in the middle of the night, while irritating that first moment when I'm forced to open my eyes, end up being some of the sweetest moments together. 20 years from now, I know that those will be the memories I will cherish and revisit the most!
And lastly, the one who has adjusted with the most ease is Hayes! He just slid right in effortlessly, as if he'd always been here! I'm not sure if it's being the third child, or if it's just his personality...it's probably a little of both...but he is such a content baby! He sleeps all but a couple of hours a day; and even when he's awake, he's perfectly happy to sit in his bouncy seat and watch whatever is going on around him. His older brothers provide him with ample entertainment; however, even when they are gone during the day, he simply looks around at the colors and lights around him not making a peep. I know this comes as a surprise, but Xander and Cade were never that...calm. Even as infants. Shocking, I know, but it's true. Anyway, there's plenty of time for Hayes to learn all of the most important wrestling moves (that is, if he plans on surviving his older brothers); but until then, he is content to watch and take notes.
Well, that wraps it up for this post. Please, don't worry...not all posts will be this lengthy. I'm sure there will be plenty of times when all I have time for is a quick "Hey, we are still alive!" We hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the onset of spring! Please let us know if you have a family blog or website that we can visit from time to time to find out what you and your families are up to!

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-04-17T05:24:00.001-07:00

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-04-14T05:47:00.003-07:00

2008-04-05T05:44:00.000-07:00

Jaxson "Hayes" Golden made his appearance Tuesday night, March 18th, at 8:30pm. He was 6 lbs 8 oz and 19 inches long. Like Cade, Hayes was born at 35 weeks. After my short stay in the hospital the week before, the doctor scheduled an amniosenteces for Tuesday to see if his lungs were developed enough to deliver (since it was obvious from the increase in the intensity and frequency of the contractions that he was on his way). The amnio went well; however, once the procedure was completed, I began having extremely intense and painful contractions. The doctor hooked me up to a monitor to see if they would ease after awhile; but when she saw that they were only getting worse, she sent me over to labor and delivery to be monitored more while we waited for the results of the amnio. Once at L/D, it became evident that the contractions were not going away. I couldn't even tell when one ended and another began. We arrived at the hospital at 2:00pm and by 6:30, we had gotten the amnio results telling us the lungs were mature. By 8:30, Hayes was born by c-section. The doctor was amazed that the amnio had come back so quickly, but the Lord had just been at work all day long. I was praying that I would get this doctor, but it started out looking like I wouldn't be able to get her. He worked it out for her to do the amnio and the delivery! Not to mention the fact that my mom was able to be here on her spring break, and Shane's mom had not yet left for her trip to Ohio which was to take place during her spring break the next week! It was obvious His hand was in it all! Once Hayes was delivered (with a FULL head of hair!! :) they thought he would be fine to go to the nursery, but it became evident that he was retracting quite a bit and would need to spend the night in the NICU to transition better. After 24 hours in the NICU, he wasn't doing any better and was actually doing a bit worse. He was on the C-pap for several days; then after a bad night, he was put on the breathing machine for a couple of days (this is what he is on in the picture). After several days on the breathing machine, to my surprise and delight, I arrived in the morning to find that they had been able to remove him from the breathing machine! It was like graduation! :) Also after being on the feeding tube for a couple of days, they allowed me to feed him, and he did extremely well! Fortunately, after 9 days in the NICU, Hayes was released to come home with us! We were pleasantly surprised that it was sooner than we expected! Wednesday morning, I went in to feed Hayes at the NICU and found that they had taken his nose canula off! After speaking with the nurse, she informed me that he had done extremely well since taking him off of it and that they would like for me to stay the night in one of the NICU family overnight rooms to see how Hayes did with feeding throughout the night. I have been so impressed with the care this NICU has taken with Hayes and with the support they offer the parents! So I stayed the night in the overnight room with Hayes, and he did a wonderful job with his feedings! Thursday morning, the doctor told us that he would be circumcised that morning and would then be able to go home with us after they made sure there were no complications with his circumcision. We were ecstatic! It was a long, drawn-out process (as you probably know how slow hospitals can be! :), but we were finally able to leave with Hayes mid-afternoon! I just can't thank the Lord enough for all He has done for us throughout this whole situation! Our NICU experience this time (as opposed to Cade's NICU experience in Ohio) was so much better than last in every way! The facilities, doctors, nurses, and support were outstanding and helped to give us more confidence in taking him home. We also can't thank Him enough for the friends and family that have gone above and beyond the call of duty in helping us with anything and everything that needed to be done! Above all else, we just can't thank Him enough for the wonderful little boy He has allowed us to bring into this world! Xander and Cade are thrilled beyond belief with their little brother and have been right there willing to help me with anything I may need since coming home! (Sometimes a little TOO helpful! :) Our first week home has gone extremely well, and we are just so happy to all be together finally! Hayes visited the doctor yesterday, and Dr. Holbrook was very pleased with his progress!!! Upon leaving the hospital, Hayes weighed 5 lbs. 13 oz; and now a week later he has gained just over a pound! He currently weighs 6 lbs. 14 oz.!!! We are thrilled at his progress and continue to thank God for his blessings! Thank you again for your love, prayers, and support! We are so fortunate to have such wonderful friends and family like each and every one of you! Please continue to keep us in your prayers, and we will continue to update you on Hayes' progress!

Fall Happenings...

2007-11-26T16:40:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy autumn to say the least! We are expecting our third child and are pleased to announce that it is another "golden" boy! He is due in April, and we are hoping he sticks to the schedule unlike the other two! :)

In October, the boys and I (minus Shane due to coaching responsibilities) took a trip down to Greenville, SC for a weekend to attend the wedding of a family friend and to spend some time with Grandma and Papa Loudenslager, and Uncle Stevie. It was a beautiful weekend, and we thoroughly enjoyed the changing leaves and cooling temperatures.

For Thanksgiving, we had the Golden family join us at our home for the day and were thrilled that several of Shane's relatives from Florida were able to come! His brother IV was able to come meet his new nephew, Gage, and he brought his two children, Bailey and Lyric.

We were also excited that his Aunt Michel and cousin Caitlin could come up from Florida as well. Here we have Aunt Michel and Aunt Char caught in a moment when they aren't laughing and talking up a storm!

Lastly, we had Shane's cousin Amanda and her boyfriend Jeff in from the Burlington area here in NC.

Of course, we had the rest of the usual crew as well! :)

The day was absolutely beautiful,

so the kids were able to spend a majority of the time outdoors!

Later that evening, we took the kids to Mike's Farm for opening night of their Christmas Lights Hayride. It was a perfect night for the activity!

We hope you and your families had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We look forward to hearing from you as the Christmas season approaches!

Not really with it...

2007-07-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm not really with it, like I previously thought. I guess life in general has just kept me from being in the "loop." The past several months have been a complete blur...for example, I've been gone 4 out of the past 6-7 weeks. First, Shane and I accompanied the seniors at our school on their senior trip to New York City, Philly, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. It was a whirlwind trip involving 47 miles of walking, an average of 4-5 hours of sleep each night, run-ins with homeless people, and missing my kids. All in all, it was a great trip with lots of memories! We came home just in time for Xander's Kindergarten Graduation and spent the next two weeks finishing up school. (I can't believe my Xander is going to be a first-grader next year!!! Where does the time go?) After we completed the school-year, we headed to the Outer Banks for the Golden family vacation at a beach house up in Corrolla. The week was a blast, and the kids enjoyed getting to know their cousins a little better. We were only home for 5 days after our OBX vacation before Xander, Cade, and I flew up to Ohio for a couple of weeks with the Loudenslager family. Shane had several sports camps to take care, so he stayed behind for a week. He then joined us in Ohio for the second week. During this time, Sara went into the hospital with complications with the pregnancy, and I was stuck in Ohio praying that the baby would wait for his Aunt Theresa to come home before making his grand entrance. However, I guess the Lord had other plans. Gage Bryant made his appearance on July 2nd VERY early in the morning! Josh called to say that they were going to have to take the baby early because Sara had developed an infection, so I was up all night waiting for him to call back with the news about the delivery. I was greatly relieved that everything went well and was very excited to get back and see the little guy! We enjoyed the rest of our visit with my family and returned home Friday, July 6th. First thing Saturday morning, we went up to the hospital to see Gage and were thrilled to see how well he was doing! Monday night, we celebrated Cade's 3rd birthday by having the family over for dinner. I just can't get over that my baby is 3 years old!!! Another year, and he'll be off to school! The poor guy basically has the last birthday and had to suffer through mine, Xander's, Shane's, and then Xander's graduation! He kept asking when it was HIS turn! So you can imagine how excited he was to finally get a turn at opening presents and blowing out candles! He walked around the house all day singing at the TOP of his lungs "Happy Bir-day to CADE!!" With all of the fun gifts he got, I think it turned out to be everything he imagined and more! With all of the vacationing out of the way, I will spend the rest of the summer trying to find activities to keep the boys busy until school starts in August. I think they have spent a little TOO much time together this summer and are starting to not like each other as much as they used to! Little things turn into BIG issues very quickly, and I feel like I'm playing referee half the time. Well, I guess that about covers it...the general version, at least. Hopefully, I can find time to update this more regularly so that it doesn't take so much time and so that I don't miss so many details! (no, I'm not miraculously being given extra hours in my day!)

2007-03-02T17:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess I decided it was time to get with the program and create my own blog. I'm not even actually sure of what I will find to write on here; therefore, it will probably end up being all about the many mischievous acts performed by my "precious" yet "active" children. Anyone who has boys will be able to relate to the sordid tales, and those who don't will probably outwardly pity me while secretly rejoicing that they have been blessed with the opposite gender! Now please don't misunderstand- I adore my children! And MOST of the stories will be followed by my soft chuckle at the memory...but I must say in all sincerity that they truly wear a body out! So, while I may post an occasional "ditty" about me or Shane...Xander and Cade will most likely paint these walls!