It's time...

I have become fascinated by the new show about hoarding. I just sit and watch it and can't be torn away from it. I know plenty of people think it is pure laziness, but it is a sickness. And thankfully, there are professionals out there to help. I find myself thinking that my house is perfect after watching the show. Far from it! I love to clean, but with 4 kids (5 if you count my husband) it doesn't stay that way very long.

I have saved just about every piece of artwork that my kids have made since they started daycare. I have boxes of artwork. I have 1 file cabinet that each child has a drawer for all their work...I have long since passed the point of organizing. I have GOT to let some of that go...heck, I've got to let most of it go. So, this evening, after the kids go to bed I will get a box and start sorting through it. I have long since forgotten who's is who's if it is not written on the back...so why keep it?? How many pieces of paper do I need with "Mommy" written on it? Did you know that rice doesn't stayed glued to construction paper very long? Macaroni tends to breakdown over time as well! I had planned on making a scrapbook for each of them with their artwork in it. HA! That will never happen, so it's time to take charge of the arts! Wish me luck, I'm sure I will get weepy looking through it all!

I wonder if the people featured on the show started with hoarding artwork?

Celebration!

I know I will be busy tomorrow, so I want to share a celebration that will occur tomorrow. My son, Ethan, will turn 7 years old! It doesn't seem possible that he could already be 7 years old and be going into 2nd grade. Ethan was a very good baby from the beginning. I had a great pregnancy with him, aside from being HUGE! He was born at a robust 10 lbs. 2 oz & 23 1/2" long. We thought we were going to have a baby, but he came out the size of a toddler. When he came home, he slept & ate...repeat! Emma adored her little brother, "Ethay" and was so good with him. Our family was complete.

Ethan is one of the bravest kids I know. I know I probably say that allot!! But, he is! He has been battling Type 1 Diabetes for almost 5 years. His carefree childhood was taken from him and he still has a huge smile on his face. If I can be thankful for 1 thing regarding Diabetes is that he was diagnosed at such a young age. I know that sounds odd, but he will never know a time that he didn't have it. Diabetes defines him. I'm sure he will always be known as the "Diabetic kid", but to us...he is a loving son, caring brother, precious Grandson, precocious nephew, fun-loving cousin and devoted friend to many. He is the apple (which is 24 carbohydrates...diabetic humor!!) of our eye!

Ever since the kids were able to hold up their fingers, I stand them in front of a certain wall at home and make them "show the camera" how old they are. Last year, Ethan was very excited that he was turning 6. Only because when we did his fingers, he got to use 2 hands instead of 1. He couldn't wait. He talked about that more than anything else. Funny, he hasn't said anything about it this year...guess the excitement of being "2 hands old" has worn off!!


Ethan at 2 months old with a pink pacifier strap!

Ethan at 6 months. Love the bib!!

Ethan at 2 years old.

This is my favorite picture of Ethan. This was taken October 2005. He was diagnosed 2 months later.

Ethan at, you guessed it, 5 years old. Or as he likes to call it, his last year with 1 hand!

Ethan, 6 years old, at the beach last summer.

So, here's to you Ethan. May you see many, many more! Ethan, I love you more than words can say! Please stay as happy as you are today. Never forget that we love you!! Oh, and...you have the softess skin!!! (private joke between Ethan and I).

Be prepared!

These are some of my favorite pictures from visiting Cape Lookout last summer. It was our first time going and it was a spur of the moment trip. We went with no drinks, no hats for the kids, no bathing suits, no bug spray...in August! I think they grow the bugs bigger on that island! We know we will go back this year, but we will be prepared!! I really liked the way these turned out. I have to say, my favorite is the first one (courtesy of Adam). It could be a postcard!! I don't know what I like best, the clouds or the lighthouse. It is just so peaceful to look at. I can almost hear the seagulls and the waves crashing!
Look out Cape Lookout, we will be back. I will have my new camera and get some great shots of you!!

Rear View

I was going through some pictures on my computer this afternoon and came across this one.

This is what I see in my rear view mirror everyday...wouldn't change a thing. (We were at a stop light, so don't think I was going down the road trying to get the perfect shot!) This was taken on the first day of school this year. Emma was going into 2nd grade, Ethan was going into 1st grade and Alex & Aaron were starting their last year of daycare (Pre-K if you want to be technical). We had just gotten back from the beach the previous weekend.

Now, it is just 3 weeks until the school year is over. I'm so excited for it to be summer and for them to have a break from school work. Now, we will be on ballgame duty, reading program for the summer, field trips for daycare, "graduation" for the boys, readiness for Emma going into the AG program for 3rd grade, etc. I enjoy seeing my kids grow, but it sure seems to be going quickly. My sweet twins, who it seems like were just born, will be starting Kindergarten in a few months! That just blows me away. It shouldn't be possible for them to be that old. Alex is going to be the class clown and Aaron will be the quiet one taking it all in. I have already been told they will be seperated and that makes me a little sad!! In fact, that makes me incredibly sad!

I need to sit back and enjoy every minute of my kids. We tend to take advantage of the time! I'm sure when August rolls around, they will take the transition better than I will. I wonder if Mom felt this way when all of her girls were finally in school? I'll have to ask her.

Sign-off!!

I was reading a blog the other day and the author closed every message with "Cheers" as her parting line. I've been thinking about "creating" a cute sign-off message. I love seeing/hearing some of the witty sign-offs that people come up with. As I was thinking about what I could use, I started thinking about some of the ones I remember growing up. I think one of my favorite is from Walter Cronkite, "And that's the way it is". Carol Burnette always tugged on her ear to show that she was thinking about her Grandmother...which is the sweetest thing ever!! Bob Barker always urged people to "Have your pet spayed or neutered" at the close of the Price is Right each day. For those of you who enjoyed watching people fight and talk junk, Jerry Springer would ask that you "Take care of yourselves & each other"...so deep! Ryan Seacrest thinks he is very cute by signing off American Idol each week with "Seacrest out"...he's not!!

Growing up in rural Stokes County, we didn't have great TV reception. We got 3 channels, 4 on a good clear day. So, we watched whatever was on. We saw lots of old movies and shows. While watching Sally Fields play Gidget, I picked up on her line "Toodles". I got lots of mileage out of it! The ever popular line "Hasta la Vista" came out with Terminator. Everybody and their uncle used that one.

I guess the days of just saying "good-bye" are gone. I will continue trying to come up with a cute sign-off...

Until then. Hey, I like the ring of that!