Home Sweet Home!

Well, daddy survived his first time alone with the kids. I had a good conference, learned some new things I can take back to my facility, and was able to relax some. It was the first time I ever stayed alone in a hotel room by myself. I was fine...the hotel is very secure. The scary thing, though, was that the hotel less than a quarter mile down the road had a shooting the first night I was there. Some women were in a first floor room and had cracked their patio door for air. A man came in and demanded money. One of the ladies pulled a gun from her purse and shot him. It was in self-defense, and she was carrying the handgun legally. The man died in the parking lot. Even though this wasn't my hotel, I did find myself double and triple checking the locks on my door before I went to bed the next night! But, that was the precise reason I requested not to stay on the first floor...I did not want a glass patio door in my room. My third floor room suited me just fine!

Both of the kids were happy to see me as I was to see them. Jay-R jumped in my arms at daycare when we picked him up. We spent the weekend at soccer games and Saturday night at Cedar Point. I forgot my camera, but my mom got some great pics. The park was busy, but we were able to ride some of our favorites. The Raptor which is my favorite because I love my feet dangling was open which made me happy! It had been closed when we went in June. Ash and I tried a new roller coaster, the Mantis, where you stand up. We waited an hour for that ride-I didn't like it! It was fun watching Jay-R go on all the kiddie rides, too. Mom and I went with Jay-R so Ashleigh, Kory, and my dad could do the Halloween scary houses. We all had a great time. We're all a little tired now, and Jay-R has a tummyache but hopefully a good night's sleep has him feeling better in the morning.

Tomorrow marks a new week. Jay-R will be doing swimming lessons at the high school. He's a little nervous but I'm hoping he learns the basics with us and both grandparents having a pool. Our high school offers lessons for $5, so I couldn't pass that up. He loves water, so it should be a good experience. I'll let you know!

Another First....

I hate the thought of leaving these smiling faces for a few days...

Another First....I leave Wednesday bright and early to go to a conference three hours from home. I always go every October to get my CEUs that I need to keep my job certification. It's a great time to gain new knowledge, get refreshed, and network with others in the field. But, it means leaving home for a couple days. I get home Friday afternoon. I have never left Jay-R overnight before so this will be a new experience. Of course, by now, he has learned that when Mommy leaves, she always comes back but she's always there at bedtime! Hubby got a little practice playing single daddy last week when I was ill so hopefully things go smoothly when I'm gone. I tried to explain it to Jay-R in terms he would understand and told him Mommy's work was sending her to school for a few days at a hotel. This morning when I took him to school, before he got out of the car, he said, "Mommy, you going to school today?" "No, honey, just work." "Okay, bye, love you!" I knew this would cause him some anxiety, and he's been asking about it, but they'll be okay. Ashleigh and Kory don't like it when I'm gone, either. I joke with them that they miss someone cooking for them! Ashleigh did appreciate the homecooked meal last night even if it was just spaghetti...Daddy's not much of a cook! Please pray for my family and my safe travels!

Mommy the Nurturer, Daddy the Protector...

I still wasn't feeling up to par Friday night, so I designated it as Family Movie Night minus Daddy who had to go to bed extra early to get up for work Saturday. With Jay-R's new fascination with hot chocolate, love of trains, and excitement for Christmas, we opted to watch Polar Express. He sat with his eyes glued to the TV. The ghost/hobo scenes scared him a little, but he cuddled with me which of course I loved. Towards the end of the movie, Ashleigh asked him an interesting question...
A: "So, Jay-R, if the Polar Express stops here to pick you up, are you going to get on?"
J: (some hesitation, wide eyes, and a soft voice) "Nooo."
A: "What are you going to do?"
J: (without any hesitation and much louder) "I'm gonna get my Daddy!"

Mommy the nurturer to cuddle with during the movie and Daddy the protector to save the day should the movie come to life! No, he's not scared of Santa, just the idea of being whisked away on a big train!

Oh, I can't wait to share Christmas traditions with him! I was researching directions on how to make Filipino Christmas star lanterns, parols, and found lots of different ideas, but they all call for bamboo pieces...does anyone know, can you get those at a craft store like Hobby Lobby? We want to incorporate parol making as part of our annual Christmas traditions.

Catching Up...

We have been so busy with soccer games and practices, there hasn't been much free time lately. Until today...I've been stuck home all day with a fever. I rarely get sick. All I've done today is sleep, and I'm not a TV person so I figure this is the perfect time to catch up the blog. Here are some pictures from our Labor Day weekend trip to the Great Smoky Mountains with my family. Thanks Mom & Dad for a great trip! We had a great time!

My sister and Ashleigh. Ash is getting so tall!

Family photo inside the cabin.

A view of the mountains from atop the Space Needle. You can see the smoke rising from the mountains, henceforth the name-"Great Smoky Mountains."

Family photo atop the Space Needle. I hated that thing. I do not like heights and looking down just about made me sick! Jay-R and I went down before everyone else did and played some games in the arcade. My family saw a person hit by a car after we had already went down. The person was okay. There were sooo many people there Labor Day weekend, and traffic was thick!

Taking a short break.

Ash and I at the Apple Barn, our favorite restaurant there. The apple fritters and apple butter are wonderful!

Okay, I realize this pic is dark but it's the best shot I could get. Look at the left top of the photo-you will see a dark black blob. This is a baby bear who joined us on the trail to the Laurel Falls. I have been to Tennesse many times and have never seen a bear on the trail. Everyone stayed quiet and calm. And thankfully, mama bear was no where in sight!

Jay-R posing in his new, cool blue shades!

Ate and Jay-R on the Sugarlands Trail.

My Musical Kids

Ashleigh is learning to play the clarinet, and Jay-R loves to sing. Here are two of their recent performances...."Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Happy Birthday."

A Hometown Story of Faith, Football, and Family on ESPN

On Tuesday night at 7 pm, ESPN will air a story about faith that is near and dear to the hearts of all those in my town. Please click on the link to my friend's blog to learn more about the Mealer-Richer families and their incredible story and please plan to watch the documentary.


http://brendawantstoshowyou.blogspot.com/2009/10/faith-reoccurring-theme-documentary-on.html

"Mommy, it's snow!"

Jay-R has been pretty cold these past few days. I keep telling him it's going to get a lot colder! Last night, it frosted so we woke up to frost all over the windshield. Yuck, I'm not ready for that! I showed him how you can see your breath. He stood in the yard for a few minutes amazed at the fact he could see his breath. He couldn't wait to tell his friend that! On the drive to school, he proclaimed, "Mommy, it's snow!" I smiled and explained it was frost on the grass, and he would have to wait a few more months for snow. I can't wait to see his eyes when we get dumped on this winter! It's so much fun experiencing the world through his eyes and being amazed at things we normally take for granted.

I promise to post more pictures soon. It's been an exceptionally busy week.