Georgia on my mind................

So keeping up with Trevor's tradition of moving every 5 yrs......or less....after 4 years in Ohio, we are on to our new destination. Georgia! Atlanta area (North of the city, Alpharetta area)

We are excited that we will not have to deal with Ohio winter weather anymore but bummed that we will not be as close to his family! BIG BUMMER!!! We told the kids this weekend and they took it better than their friends did. Some were very sad! :( Hopefully the adjustment will go well since we will stay until they get out of school in June. Congratulations to my wonderful husband and all his accomplishments with Clorox. I am very proud of him and my attitude in this is always

"home" is where we are together!!

BCF's (Best Cousins Forever!)

We made a quick trip to AR this last week to be with my sister Michele, her husband Mitchell & their kids (Grace & Paul) because Mitchell's Dad (Paul Archer) had passed away unexpectedly.

We thought the kids might need some time with their cousins while mourning the loss of their Pap Paw and we made the right decision....look how loving these two girls are when they have each other to lean on!

Rachel told me that she and Grace seem more like best twins than best cousins. Awe!!!

Love, Love these two sweet girls and they so, so love each other! I went out and snapped these pics while they were chatting and just swinging back and forth on the gate at Pap Paw's farm. Paul Archer was an incredible man and will be deeply missed by so many. Please keep his wife of 61 years and all the family in your thoughts and prayers.

Precious Sleeping Girl!

One day last week when we went to check on the kids before we went to bed, we found little princess Molly sleeping like this. Her little square "silky" as she calls it was around her head and that sweet little foot sticking out from under the cover!

My Girl......Student of the Quarter!!!

This is something that every year, I would hear Rachel & Ben discuss that how they make right choices and all, but they never get this award. So when I received the call from their principal, Mr. Willis....I thought to myself....Finally.... after 4 yrs, straight A's, a super student, a great attitude and big kind heart toward others....my girl Rachel, "Student of the Quarter!!!!!" And she was recognized at the awards ceremony at the High School Wed. evening. Grandpa & Grandma came down and went with us. The cutest thing about it all was the day she found out was the same day they had announced their b-days at school. They get to go down to the office and pick up their b-day treat. On the way, she hears the announcement for Student of the Quarter and asked Ben, "Did I just hear that right?" He says, "Yes"...(maybe a little sarcastically) and when I asked her was he did then, she says to me, "Oh, I am not sure, he got really foggy because I almost started crying!" And that night when we tucked her into bed, Trevor & I were telling her how proud we were of her and the tears came into her eyes again! So it really did mean a lot to her!!!

Rachel's teacher, Mrs. Tucker brought her flowers to the awards ceremony with a sweet card that said, "You are a wonderful, sweet student and so deserving of this award!" She even pulled us aside and said every year when she gets to pick a student for this award she has to think about who really deserves it, but that it was such an easy decision this year....awe!!!

She said she wants this framed in her room!

Welcome to Double Digits!

The kids were out of school on Friday, Jan. 14th for a teacher in service day and we had the surprise banner waiting when they woke up. They loved it. Trevor took the afternoon off and took 7 boys to the movie. Then they came back and had pizza & cookie cake for dinner and rough housed around like crazy boys do! :)

Saturday on their actual birthday we had all of Trevor's family here and "Aunt" Susan came up from Louisville. The day started off with both Ben & Rachel having a basketball game. Both lost (we really wanted a birthday victory) but Ben did score his first points of the season so all was good! It was a fun-filled day with family, food, fun and presents. So it was a great day. I was too busy to stop and cry that my babies were in double digits!

What cute cousins! And... do they ever all love each other.....it's so fun being all together!

Then Sunday the parties continue. Aunt Maureen took Ben & Molly to spend the night (was Rachel ever so grateful) so that she could have her best friends come spend the night. They came in pj's & brought their sleeping bags. We had pancakes and sausage for dinner...and lots more treats throughout the evening. They made s'more mix, ice cream cookie treats and had cupcakes and popcorn. Played pictionary & just dance on the wii, would you rather board game, did a little picture craft with the photo below & watched a movie. Oh yea..... and stayed up way too late! This morning I made donuts from biscuits and was told that I should sell them. 6 girls put away 30 of them so maybe I should consider that! My babies are getting too big! Where did 10 years go?

Our Little Patient

For the last 6 months or so Molly started getting ear infections....A LOT...and they would tell us that she was better and 4 or 5 days later she would have another one. They finally sent her to an ENT and he said her adenoids needed to come out and she needed tubes. She just hasn't been herself especially the month of Dec. They scheduled her surgery for Jan. 6th...guess we will be meeting our deductible quickly this year...why does something always happen to do that? She was the most brave patient and did so good.....up until the surgery. Afterwards....now that would be a different story and something Trevor & I hope to put out of our minds. We had (just let me put it nicely) not too good of a nurse in recovery. Our little princess cried for almost 2 hrs from pain afterwards. 3 pain meds later, vomiting, being stuck 7...yes I said 7 times before the iv could get started....but after a couple of days of being home and pampered with love, she is doing great and is back to acting herself.

Above: at the hospital before her surgery & below at home recovering the next day!

Fun Weekend!

Molly had her first friend party at "The Enchanted Village" today and it was the cutest birthday party and was fit for a princess. She had the best time...even if she did have an ear infection! (Unfortunately she woke up Sunday morning with yet another ear ache. And she was just at the doctor on Wed. for a re-check of her ears and we thought they were clear! After the appt. this morning she is getting in to an ENT tomorrow and go from there. Maybe some tissue or adenoid blockage somewhere...Since June she has only gone July & August without infections and the last two months on to her 4th antibiotic...ugh!)
Molly is lucky enough to share her birthday with Grandma since they are just a day apart. We had the family party on Sunday and then Grandma came down today to stay with Ben and Rachel while we took Molly to a doctor appt. for her ears this morning and then she got to go to Molly's party too. I LOVE this picture of them together!
On Saturday we had the Hanlon Family Christmas here. So fun and a full house! We opened Christmas gifts had a big lunch and then opened more gifts. Then Sat. night the doorbell rang and it was Santa & Mrs. Claus. The kids loved it! (They were here 2 yrs ago) Ben & Rachel said they both looked the same, that even Mrs. Claus wore the same dress & the only thing different was her eye sight was worse because this time she had to wear glasses!! They read a book, sang songs and all took a turn telling Santa what they wanted for Christmas...although Rachel's comment to that was...well if you read my letter you would already know!

I love Christmas! I love the kids being out of school! I love our family! I am blessed!