Yes... it has been over a year not only since we moved but since I have done any blogging. I think I just got too overwhelmed and something had to go.
A lot has changed. We are in a new house living in Cartersville, Ga, and a new school. Caleb is in 4th grade, Loryn in 2nd and Elijah is in 1st. Adyson is still home with me. She just turned 3. It doesn't seem possible. Ben is still working at Aramark route driver servicing the Mars plant in Knoxville TN. He is having to drive a lot. He is looking for a job closer to home and one closer to his career path. Prayers are needed!
We are adjusting well. We just started a new school year and I have been trying to organize and set up a routine for the kids and myself. I still find it hard to get up and move in the mornings. I'll have to share my new system and some of the things we did over summer. I'll try to catch up although it will be slow in coming and I am still not sure how I will do it.
 |
| last year |
We have been blessed with wonderful neighbors. They are quickly becoming dear friends. Our new ward has also been welcoming. We have met many new friends and they have all been great. We have amazing babysitters. Hazel is our main one. The kids love her and so do we. She is smart and responsible and we appreciate those qualities. We hope some of that will rub off on Caleb and the others.
RECAP:
I'll give a quick recap of what has gone on in the last year and what I hope to go into more further detail later.
We sold our house quickly in Ooltewah TN. We bought grandma's house in Cartersville Ga and moved in a week after she moved out. She moved down by my dad's house in Acworth GA.
 |
| our new backyard |
 |
| new roof |
 |
| 80ft poplar tree lightening hit |
The first month lightening hit the tree next to the house, the air conditioner went out, and master bathroom leaked and had to be torn out and redone, and the roof had to be replaced. So the first month was crazy and stressing. Everything was fixed and all was good.
 |
| timber! |
 |
| renovations - fun fun |
Kids started their new school with Elijah in Kindergarten, Loryn in 1st and Caleb in 3rd. Caleb was accepted into the gate program (gifted) and got to dissect a sheep's brain and do other cool stuff. Loryn got her reading cap of which she had to read over 100 books and pass test to do it. She still was having trouble with her ABCs at the begining of the year and finished strong at the end with reading on her on. Elijah is starting to read and once he puts his mind to it I think he is going to sky rocket ahead. Now they have started 1st, 2nd, and 4th. I plan on being more involved this year, especially making sure the kids are getting the care they need. The boys played baseball this year and the girls learned ballet from a young girl at church, Hannah. They have had a good time with it.
Adyson and I have lunch with grandma every week and sometimes visit more. She is only about 15 min south of us. It's been fun being closer to grandma. I sure enjoy her company and am glad we are close to help if there is ever a need. The last year I have been watching a friend of our's little girl Rylie. She is 4 and will be starting preschool end of August. The kids have loved her being over. Especially now that the bigger kids are in school, Adyson has enjoyed having her playmate all to her self.
This summer we were able to go to the lake a lot and mostly swam off the dock at my dads/grandma's house. Dad would take us out every now and then if we could catch him down there and he had time. The kids took swim lessons, had a few sleep overs, and at the beginning of summer we went to Mississippi to visit my mom and grandma and family. Oh yes - and we have been babysitting Chris (my brother) and Aimee's dog, Rylie, for a few months while they are in transition for his job. Kids have loved having her around and she really is a good dog. I am just worried when she leaves, the kids are going to be begging me for new dog. And yes there is a Rylie GIRL, and a Rylie DOG. And we do use those terms sometimes to distinguish. Kind of funny when you hear the kids say it.
Some projects I completed this summer were having a garage sell, cleaning out the basement making a playroom (which Ben does not like), painted the kids rooms (boys - doger blue/silver, girls - pink), and re purposed an entertainment center to use in the dinning room for organization (well save that for later - I am very proud of Ben and I for that one).
Just in case I don't get back to any of that there is a snapshot of last year. I am sure I am forgetting something. I'll try to keep up. I have stopped teaching classes for now, feeling like I need to put more effort at home and with the kids. So there is the not so quick catch up and I look forward to keeping this updated with all the fun things life has to offer. We are truly blessed and as time goes on life becomes more and more exciting.
Friday after school we ran to grandma's to pick up our life jackets from grandmas. We didn't think we would be going to the lake anymore so left them there. We had a blast. Friend of our's, Curtis, took us out on his boat on Lake Alatoona. Curtis' daughter, Whitney and her friend, Brandon, Conner, and us all went. The kids got to go on the raft and play on the beach. The "big boys" went out wake surfing. The kids enjoyed playing on the raft near the beach something reminding me of king of the mountain. Ady showed us her great swimming skills like floating on her back. Of course she was in her vest. One of the highlights was playing in the mud.
We had our first experience with having to potty, like the kind you don't want to be at the lake for, thanks to Loryn. Only casuality was an ant got in her bathing suit and bit her a few times before figuring out it was there. Poor thing - she comes up to me "mom there is something keeps poking me in the back". So I look and find the little bugger. At least that was all that happened. 
I got to try my first wake surfing experience. They tell me what to do to start and I was able to get up but didn't know what to do after that. I was different than anything I have tried before but I really enjoy it. Next summer we'll have to try more of that. 
We headed back late, Caleb talked us into spending the night with Conner (Curtis's son), and settled the kids to bed finally. It was a great day.
