All in Good Time....

I have not had a chance really to blog but since it is Sunday night... I thought I would take a few minutes. The Wallick Family is doing great! We have had a few events the past few weeks that are note worthy. Makenzie was in a talent show at her school, and it was really fun to see her and her friends perform a skit in which she played Millie Cyrus. It was really cute because one of her little friends Noah wrote it and to be honest- it was good! I bet he grows up to be a writter of some sort. One friend was Brad Pitt, one was Lady Gaga, and the other was a boyfriend to Makenzie's character. Very cute. We went to Canton Ga to see a baptist church put on a very very good "Back to Bethlehem". It was amazing and we were all transported back in time to a market in the city of Bethlehem. The costumes were amazing and all involved stayed in character the whole time. There were spice vendors, breads, fruits, nuts, fish, basket weaving, jewelry, leather crafters, brick makers, metal forgers, all kinds of stuff. The fish market was the best! Real HUGE fish! The kids loved it. We also had Makenzie's Christmas Choir concert and that was very good since it didn't involve your traditional songs. I have been busy with school and trying to study and write my thesis. I am at 662 hours and only need 338 more hours and have to only do 12 more facials! I have really been working hard to gain all the knowledge I can... I want to be one of if not the BEST!
Last week I spoke in Sacrament... that is always fun! My talk was about Reverence on Sunday and how we can prepare our families before church. I know this may sound weird but I didn't and do not mind having to speak, it is always a good way to rebuild your testimony. Today in Primary, the Stake Presidency came in and they chose Taylor to be Mary, a boy Jared from my class to be Joseph, and three more boys from my class to be the wise men. I am so glad that my camera was in my car- it was precious! Taylor did a great job in her role as the Virgin Mother, and she said "she drew from her experience from Drama class, and ignored that there were other people in the room." She is so smart! Well- not much else to report other than life is busy! We have plans with friends here from our ward for Christmas Eve and are looking forward to baking and caroling. We love our friends and family here and although we love it here... we will miss our Utah family and friends. Love and Hugs-

Sunday is a Special Day...

I love Sundays! I love the peace and quiet that I have.. one day a week! We had a great Thanksgiving Holiday and I hope you did as well. We started the week off with Parker turning 10. After an early movie (Planet 51)and to a wonderful lunch of his choice-he picked "On the Border", we headed to Target and let him spend his cash that both sets of grandparents sent him. He had a blast picking out his new "Indiana Jones" Lego set and was excited to get home to play his new Wii game. Later that night we headed to the MARTA and then to the airport to pick up my sister and her boyfriend who flew in from Phoenix Az. It was so fun to have her here- on Thanksgiving we headed over to cousin Julie and Jays and had a wonderful time! I meant to take pictures but... you know how that goes! After finally leaving there around 10:30 at night we rounded up two of Makenzies bffs and put everyone to bed to get rest for Black Friday! I got my sister and the girls up at 4 am and we made it to the madness of Walmart at 5:02! This may be my last year of this..it just doesn't seem worth it! I can't believe I'm saying that, but it is true! We were so tired but.. I even took my sister to my school and gave her a facial! Saturday.. uggh what a day! Adam and Makenzie left early to do Baptisms for the dead in the Alabama Temple and the rest of us went on a new walking-running-biking trail. The two little ones had fun and it really wore them out- we were there for 2 hours. At the end of the walk we cheered Parker on and he went running to my sister with open arms (who was standing next to the car)and she thought he was gonna give her a hug but he went past her and kissed and hugged the car! Later that night we drove Debra and Heath to the MARTA and said goodbye! It was so fun to have them here and we look forward to the next time. After that we picked up Adam and Makenzie... she said it was the best experience of her life. She has really loved our move and I couldn't be more grateful. We have so many things to be thankful for and we are so thankful for all we enjoy- hope you do too! Love and Hugs-

Yup... it is that time again!

As you can see, the Wallick family spent last FHE writing letters to Santa and making cookies. That was a fun night for the kids since they were not expecting to do that! It was fun to see Parker try to write down what he wanted and then act it out for us. Last week blew by and now here we are a week later! My friend Brandi enjoyed church and wants to come again. We had a good lesson with the Elders and again it is always good for me to be able to rebuild my testimony. Adam is gone to Florida for the rest of the week and I am so dreading having to get up extra early in the morning! We are looking forward to the weekend when he comes home. Monday is Parkers birthday and he will be 10! Wow- he is really growing and learning by leaps this year. He can finally write his name and we are thrilled! I am very tired so I will close by saying.... "Have you done something good today?" Go out and make this world a better place! Love and Hugs- PS- The Elders are Elder LeaLao and Elder Leavitt- they are our third set since we have been here and we LOVE EM!!!

Remember November.....

We are FINALLY headed towards the end of the year... and as usual, I can't believe that it is almost over. We have a lot of blessings to be grateful for- most importantly, that we are all safe, and healthy. We have really enjoyed our time out here especially since we feel so much closer as a family and so much closer to our Heavenly Father. We have become close with all the missionaries who have served in our area, and have really loved having them in our home. This past week, a young girl I go to school with wanted to meet with them since she had so many questions that I didn't feel knowledgeable to answer. She has committed to read the Book of Mormon and is coming over this Sunday to go to church with us and then have her first official discussion. Regardless of what choice she makes, I am grateful for this opportunity to rebuild my own testimony. Last year and this year (around this Holiday time) seems that I have a lump in my throat, almost like I need a good cry. Not because I'm sad or lonely or missing anything- just because I love my life, I am so grateful and I couldn't have even imagined "me" being where I am and having the family that I have. I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving- my MUCH OLDER (ha ha Debra!) sister Debra will be here and is possibly looking to relocate here. Should be fun, especially since she is used to the hot desert of Phoenix AZ!
Love and Hugs-

Halloween 2009

As you can tell by the photos we had a good end to a very LONG week! Adam went as an "80's hair band roadie", I was the "Botox Fairy", Kenzie went as a "Clemson Tigers Fan"-with her best friend Avery, Parker was a "Pirate"-again, and Taylor was a "Pretty Kitty"-again! I was really glad that we were able to recycle last years costumes because I don't think I had it in me to be creative. We had a great time at our ward party. Adam received the award for the most "Original Costume". He looked so good especially since he tapered or "corn rolled" his jeans. Wow! That really dates me! He also won First Place for his chili! After the party of eating and dancing we headed out to the parking lot for some candy! I'm so glad that it quit raining long enough for us to do that. (It started to rain Friday night and literally stopped long enough for our party and then started again.) After our ward party we headed home to trick or treat around our neighborhood and Kenzie headed to her friend Dana's house for an after party. Parker and Taylor were very tired by the time it was all said and done, and to be honest- so was I! Hope your Halloween was just as fun! Love and Hugs-
P.S- We found out on Friday that Makenzie made it to the Second round of All State Choir Auditions!

Wowwie Wow Wow!

In keeping with the Wallick tradition... we have been busy! These days seem to flow into on another and it seems that time is moving sooo fast! We have a lot of things going on with the kids.. my school... Adams work. You know the drill... LIFE! We are so looking forward to Halloween and already feel the chill in the air. I love LOVE love this time of the year. It is so pretty here with the changing of the leaves- it is the only time thru out the year that I light my pumpkin spiced candle. The weather here makes me long to curl up with a good book by the fireplace but.. there aren't enough hours in the day to allow that to happen! I just completed a course in microderm-microcurrent(weekend face lift) and LED. It was a lot of fun... I just wish I was done! The kids are looking forward to carving pumpkins and the Ward party on Sat... as for myself... Im just looking forward to making it to the weekend! Hope all is well with you... Love and Hugs...

The Wallick Way....

Whew! It feels so good to finally take a load off my feet and sit down for a sec! We had a crazy week filled with lots of activities. Makenzie has been practicing to try out for State Choir so she had late practice Monday night(and of course Adam had to be out of town!) and then we were in a rush to get FHE done and treats wrapped up to go booing in the neighborhood. Then of course Tuesday night is always YM for her,so after practice it's rush home to feed her and send her off. Thank goodness for carpooling! Wednesday after school I rushed home to get kids off the bus, get them each showered-redressed and dinner made and everyone fed so that we could get Makenzie to her fall concert. She looked so pretty in her formal (it is the same black one from last year- although new green ones should be in soon) The kids are really good and Im always amazed at how many kids are in the choir. Currently there is almost 200 6th-8th grade boys and girls and they sound great! Thursday I was so excited to head out the door in the morning because I knew at lunch time I would be off to pick up Adam from the MARTA. To celebrate his return home... I made him go shoe shopping for Parker- who has finally had a growth spurt and needed new church shoes. That didn't sit too good with Tay- since she insisted she needed new shoes as well. We told her as soon as we got home we would check her inventory and go from there. As her luck would have it- she needed some new shoes too- so Friday nights date was dinner and shoe shopping for Tay! Sat-uggh what a day! Early in the morning we were off to Road Atl for the motorcycle races. Awesome day for Parker since we got VIP passes from our friend Jessica. Her boyfriend works for Pirelli and was so nice to let Parker into the Tire area. During a race it takes the crew 7 seconds to change the tires! CRAZY! Then after a few hours there we whisked Makenzie to her State Choir tryouts. THOUSANDS of kids from grade 7th-12th tryout from across the state (there were lots and lots and lots of buses)and each year the tryout location is different. For the first round we only had to drive about an hour away. The tryouts consist of sight reading, vocal tryout and tonel memory. It is very nerve wracking and difficult because each kid has a solo audition in front of two judges. The lower the score you get the better. For instance- a 10 is the best you can get and a 20 would be the worst. We got the call at 9 p.m that Makenzie had scored an 11.5! We hope that she will get a call to the second rounds of auditons! We wont know until November. Sunday was Stake Conf and that was of course AWESOME! Tay was able to see her artwork on display and she was thrilled. Later that day we headed off to Macon Ga with plans to head to the State fair on Monday. As our luck would have it- Parker wasnt feeling well and it rained. True to Wallick form though- Parker took some medicine and we forged ahead with umbrellas in hand. It was awesome and our kids are such troopers! Makenzie was so good to go on all the baby rides with her brother and sister. She really didn't have a choice since most of the big rides were closed because of the weather. Now... I am finally able to relax and take a deep breath before another hectic week! Love and hugs...
P.s- Makenzie had auditioned for Chamber Choir and was second alternate however, when her choir teacher found out Makenzies score and realized how hard she worked on her sight reading and tonel memory she asked to see her today. She said "welcome to chamber choir- good job!" She was so excited!

The Great Pumpkin.....

Or as they say here in the south... "punkin". We had a great week. I tell you- the weekend couldn't have come any sooner! Saturday morning we got up early and headed out to Burton Farms with our friends The Yohlers. It took us about an hour to get there but the drive was worth it! For miles.. all you can see was pumpkins! It was so exciting because I'm used to rinky dink pumpkin patches. This was totally awesome for us. We took a 2 and a half mile ride (in a hay wagon pulled by a tractor)up the mountain and I swear going thru the patch all you could see was a sea of these giant pumpkins! We had a great time shopping for the perfect one and the kids were super impressed. We finished our trip by having a nice picnic lunch by the creek or "crek". After we got home- it was yard work for Adam and housework for me! We wanted everything done so that we could watch Conference all day Sunday to get caught up with all we missed. Then we remembered that Adam was leaving so we had to get him packed for his flight on Sunday morning. I did watch Sundays sessions and will re watch all the other sessions when Adam returns. Maybe that can be our date each night when the kids go to bed! I'm so smart! As for our babies- they are all healthy and happy. The weather has gotten cooler and it rained again all night and most of the early afternoon today. I love it! Now- I have to dig out all the winter clothes for everyone! Lovely.... it never ends! Love and Hugs
p.s- anyone catch the movie after the last session yesterday? It was so good!

Singing In the Rain.....

What a glorious feeling.... I love the rain, even though it has been non-stop. I feel really bad for the folks who have experienced the flooding of their homes and the changes that come with that. It has been bad as many of you know from watching the news so make sure that when you are in your beds in your beautiful homes that you say a quick prayer for them and offer a few words of thanks for your privileges. This past week has been a long one, it seems that all we do is go-go-go! Multiple counties closed the schools on Tues so we headed to Greensboro NC with Adam for a quick 2 day trip. It was fun and mostly relaxing for me. Friday night I did a little networking at an event in Atlanta called "Champagne and Shadows". It is hosted at a makeup studio- you go and socialize/network, and get your makeup done. I looked awesome, but didn't have a camera. I know! So NOT like me. Tomorrow is Adams 35th birthday, which I can not believe! I met and married him when he was only 20 years old, just a baby! Time sure does fly by. Yesterday marked our one year anniversary of us loading up our family and beginning a new chapter in our lives by moving here to Ga. I remember thinking as we left Utah- "what is our life going to be like and where will we be a year from now?" Well- we are happy, and healthy and have met a lot of wonderful people. The mission field is amazing out here, and I have never felt like I was a part of that until we moved here. We have an amazing connection with all the missionaries who have serviced our wards and I LOVE that my husband is finally able to be very involved with his calling. I do think of what we are missing back in Utah- but I keep those thoughts silent. Makenzie still thinks of all her cousins and friends so I encourage her to think of all the great friends she has here and how she is creating a wonderful life here. Well- I am very tired but wanted to post before I headed off the bed! Love and hugs-

14 Years and Counting...

I forgot to mention on my last update that on the first of this month- we celebrated our 14th year of marriage! I know-I can't believe how fast the time has passed! I wish we could do it all over again! Read on about what a wonderful guy Adam is.... so you all know that I am in school to become an esthetician... and so while Joey (cousin) was here last week I talked him into coming in for a spa treatment. Adam has already been in for a facial and he really enjoyed it, and so I had them both in for a European facial. I worked on Adam and my friend Rosemary worked on Joey. After the treatment- Joey wanted to have his back waxed and HE talked Adam into doing it as well! Now- Joey had a sweater- meaning he had a lot of hair to remove, but Adam... had none- but still wanted some of the fine blond hairs removed. We just had 3 new students start 3 weeks ago and they needed the experience- what good sports they were!!! Last Saturday we took the kids to see the house that Adam grew up in and we also did some geo-cashing. This past week was not really eventful other than last night Makenzie was in the Young Womens talent show. She did an amazing job of singing! ( The pictures above show Adam and Joey at my school, all of us Geo-Cashing- a pretty road in Bowden, a really old grave, and a slaves grave marked with a brick, and the Falcons vs Miami Dolphins game) Hope all is well-Love and Hugs-

This past weekend, Adam had some work to do in Charleston SC and of course we all wanted to tag along. We left late on Friday night so that the kids wouldn't have to miss any school, but didn't take into account that there would be so much traffic to get out of the city. We didn't get in to Charleston until 1am! Uggh it was so hard to want to stay awake. We stayed in a sweet hotel (Embassy Suites ) in the downtown area and it was awesome! It was the Old Citadel school from 1822 till 1921 when the school was moved into a bigger facility down a few blocks. It remains the same with a few upgrades(like private bathrooms and airconditioning) but it was set up as a fort to protect Charleston from the slaves who came over from Denmark. In that time the blacks very much outnumbered the whites. In the dining room- the original gun windows that the soldiers would put the rifles thru to shoot out are still there. It was so cool to see all the old artifacts that were found when the Citadel was being turned into the hotel. We loved it there. We went to Folly beach- not one of our favorites but the kids still had fun. The waves were REALLY rough and it was super windy on Sunday, so we only stayed maybe about 3 hours which if you know us.... you know when we go to the beach, it is ALL DAY LONG! So we packed it in, and took the kids shopping and to On The Border! Ummm, when did my Taylor become such a clothes freak? My gosh- that girl tried talking us into buying her everything her heart desired. I am immune to such cuteness but alas- her dad is not! Monday Adam really wanted to go to Patriot Point which is a Museum dedicated to our War Heroes and it is on a decommissioned war ship- The Yorktown. All I have to say is... AWESOME. I am really glad we went even though I complained (a little) I even found my Great Uncles name on the wall of "Above and Beyond the Call" wall. Then I was able to pull his name and photo up inside the Fallen Heroes museum and read his story. He died in the Korean War at the age of 24 when he sustained massive wounds while distracting the enemy so that his troop could get away. Being able to see that was worth the day and it made me feel good... I always knew about him but it was so awesome to see his name... right there with all the others. In the Aviation Memorial there was a quote that read "When you go home tomorrow, tell them of us and say- For your tomorrow we gave our Today." Killed me to watch all the videos and see all the original men who were at one time serving in active duty on this huge aircraft carrier ship because I kept thinking- they were so young... some of them just boys. I wondered- did they think one day that ship would be a museum and that so many people would look at them with awe? So I guess my message tonight would be- be grateful for the many privileges and freedoms you are able to enjoy! God Bless our Troops and the USA! Love and Hugs-

All in a Days Work

Well- we are heading into the third week of school and so far... so good. I really can not believe that a year ago we were still in Utah! We still miss our home but have made the best to make Georgia our new home. We have really been blessed because we are in a great area, have already made great friends and are in a terrific ward. Today, Taylor had to give a talk about being an Eternal Family. She spent the last week working on a drawing of us on the Temple grounds. She chose to do it in chalk and it is precious. She is giving it to the primary for the Stake Conference Art Show. She did a great job on telling our story about when Adam and I were sealed which was August 26th 1998. She recounted on how when we lived in Utah she would love to go to the Temple grounds and walk around the beautiful gardens. She also told the primary kids how she would love to do Family Home Evening and go to the visitors center. I must admit that I miss that too! It was funny because she didn't fail to mention that what she didn't like about the Temple was that she couldn't go in yet, but that she knows that someday she will! Then after she bore her testimony she said she had one more thing to add and that was "Temples unite families". It was so cute. She is looking forward to the day the Atlanta Temple will re-open and she will be able to go in. She says "you can bet that I will be one of the first people in line that day!" I hope that each of you feel of Our Saviors love and that you are happy and loving life! Love and hugs.....

Finally! We are Back on Track

As you can see- I got a new camera! I love it and I am SO happy that I can now post pictures of our days here in the south. For our last hurrah to close the end of the summer- we took the kids to the Atlanta Zoo. It was a lot of fun, even though it was one of the hottest days here... 104!(I know! You all out there in St.George can give me no sympathy) I don't think I have ever seen Parker so excited! He could not wait to see the kangaroos and we made sure that we saved that for last. He loved it and loved hopping around like them. We had a great time, we even became members of the zoo and can go back anytime in the next year for free! We had a great week here, as it marked the first week back to school for the kids. Parker is at a different school this year from the last school. He seems to really like it and his new teacher. Today at church one of the boys in our ward was so excited as he was telling me that he sees Parker at school now! Taylor is also in a brand new school (not the same as Parker though) and she loves it and her teacher! Makenzie came home after her first day radiant and full of smiles! She loves all her teachers and has a lot of friends in her classes. Everyone loved her new hairdo and that made her feel really good. Seriously- I could NOT have asked for a better day for her! Adam is doing well.. he spent Friday night with the missionaries knocking on doors of inactives and then Sat morning doing a service project. The South is doing some good for us and we hope to do some good for the South! Hope all is well-Love and Hugs

Last Trip of the Summer

Adam had some work to do in Hendersonville NC which is about a half hour outside of Asheville so we decided to go with. Asheville is the home of the largest home in America- The Biltmore, which was built by a Vanderbilt. It was something I have wanted to see for a while because I hear it is amazing! We took the two little ones -(Makenzie stayed at home with a friend because she didn't want to miss the Beehive sleepover)and realized that when we got there.... it was $55 per person and we only had 2 hours before Adam needed to head to work! No way was I gonna pay that amount and not be able to view everything. We plan on going around Christmas time because that is when it gets decked out with lights galore. You can read all about it at Biltmore.com. The entire downtown area near the Biltmore is awesome... the Mickey D's was the NICEST one I have EVER seen!! It was gorgeous and there was even a grand piano playing while we ate. Taylor said "this is wonderful"- she is sooo like her Grandma Pam! There was an art festival down the street from our hotel so we took the kids there.... that was a joy! Not... Parker was hot and tired form walking.. so that lasted about an hour! That was fine... art festivals tend to bring out some weird,eclectic people don't you think? We went back to the hotel and had a rest while Adam worked. Of course I had to take them swimming... and get them really tired for the night. Finally at about 8 Adam was back and we headed to The Grove Park Inn. Amazing!! You need to check out the website under the same name. I wish we stayed there but I doubt Vita Mix would want the 700-900 a night bill!! I WISH I had a camera... you would NOT believe that rock work at the place... it was like a castle. It dates back to the late 1800s just like the Biltmore. Beautiful! In all our travels I am still amazed at how green and lush and beautiful the south is. After touring the place for an hour and deciding that none of the restaurants were kid friendly we left- headed to Texas Roadhouse, and finally filled our hungry bellies! It was a great weekend but.... not long enough! Adam leaves today for Maine and I am dreading it!! Hope all is well in your world.... love and hugs-

No Photos Please...

I really don't have much to report... we have just had a great week. I have been called to be the CTR 7 teacher and I have a feeling that it will be a real challenge!! They are a tough crowd to keep focused... but I can do it! We just spent the weekend traveling to Greensboro North Carolina. I was really relaxing for me... not for him since he worked the whole time. We have started back to school shopping which has been a lot of fun since my little Taylor LOVES shopping for herself! Parker got new running shoes today and you would have thought he never owned a pair since he tried to sleep with them! This weekend we as Georgians get to take a break from paying sales tax on school supplies from the 31st till August 3rd! Pretty cool! I still have not replaced my camera since vacation so I have no photos to share. Hopefully I will find a good deal on one soon! Hope all is well with all- love and hugs......

Hilton Head 2009

We had a great time on our vacation with our family in Hilton Head S.C. We had my in laws with us(which is always a good time) and we allowed Makenzie to bring a friend. We had a great condo with our backyard facing a pond. It was beautiful... until we realized that pond had alligators! Yes- so we were just thankful that our balcony was on the second floor because they have been known to just be on the bottom floors balconies sunning themselves. We stayed on the beach or at the pool for the most part, except one day we went into Savannah and toured the historic part. It was really interesting and so cool to see these old buildings that are still there from the 1700's. After being there for 7 days we got home on the 4th and just let off fireworks with our neighbors in the front yard. We were all too tired to head off to anything major. The next day- we headed off to Julie and Jays farm and kayaked and 4 wheeled and had a lot of fun. Monday- we kissed our Pam and Jim (Adams Parents) goodbye and THEN on Tues..... I started School! I am studying to be an esthetician.... it has been fun and really interesting. It seems that since the end of our vacation, I have been up and running. There is never enough time to do anything during the week- I knew it wouldn't be easy. It is just so weird to have the tables turned and have to really rely on Adam to be home with the kids. He has been doing a great job. He has been called to be First counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency(not even sure that is how it is spelled cuz Im sooo soo tired) It has been such a great experience for him- especially since he had to teach this past week. He was so nervous but in the end- Im sure he did just fine. I am still waiting for a calling in our new ward- we split right before we went on vacay. The Bishop said I am next! Hmmmm- Hope all is well.... Love and Hugs-

All in A Days Work...

Today is Father's Day, and while it is not MY day.... I am enjoying the peace that Sundays bring into our home. We had a GREAT lesson today on the importance of attending the Temple and on the importance of teaching your family about it. It just brought me to tears because it made me think of my Utah family, especially my Emily(sister in law) and how she recently went thru and was sealed to her husband and children. I knew that eventually we would see her and James take that step but I also knew that it would mean that we would be closer to leaving them all. I spent some time reflecting on them today and how far they have come and it really does bring me to tears. I love them all and am so grateful for the technology that we have today in being able to text and talk with them weekly and sometimes daily. The Atlanta Temple will be closing on the 1st of July and while this is sad, it is also an opportunity for us to visit the other Temples that are near by. The next 15-18 months will be a time for us to teach our children about the importance of our Family being Forever, but it will hopefully draw us closer to our friends who are not of the same faith. It excites me to know that I will be able to bring my friends and especially my children to visit the Temple once it is re-opened(before it is re-dedicated) so that they can see for themselves that being able to go to the Temple and partake of the ordinances is something that Heavenly Father wants for ALL of us! I have overloaded you on the pictures I know.... but enjoy! As you can tell we have been busy traveling and we are looking forward to this Friday- my in-laws are coming in and we are taking them to Hilton Head for a whole week! We have a condo on the beach and we plan on doing NOTHING but Surfing and Sanding!!! Love and Hugs...

It's About Time....

Finally I am able to blog and let you all know how the Wallick Family is doing! We have so far survived this summer and all has been well. In the last two weeks we have been to Hilton Head Island, Columbia S.C twice and most recent- Columbia Tennessee. Hilton Head was gorgeous- the beach is so clean and we found the most amazing shells and were able to see lots of sea life in the tide pools. We tagged along with Adam on this trip, so he worked while we played! In S.C we tagged along with Adam again to hang out at the pool and just be with him. Of course it wasn't the same, but just being able to see him at the end of the night made it worth it. This past weekend, we met up with our family- my sister in law Marci in Columbia Tennessee. We had a great time camping with her and her in laws. Yes- I said Camping! I am not a camper as most of you know, but it WAS fun, and being able to see my two nieces was worth the cold night! So- guess what? Today was my 40th birthday!! I can not believe that I am that young! I got a card from my friend Amy and it said something like "hope you can do exactly what you want on your birthday" and THAT is EXACTLY what I did! My family really pampered me before church with a new book and flowers, and a smoothie-in a black cup no less! I even got sung to and then each of the kids set off a metallic confetti popper. Then I went exactly where I wanted to be.... to Church. It was awesome- seems someone announced I was a year older, so it was fun to be teased and get lots of hugs. A big thanks to Julie and Jay, Samantha, Spencer and Melanie who came all the way out here to bring cake and ice cream. It was such a nice surprise and a great way to end my day! Jeez... where does the time go? Seems like yesterday I was waiting for my life to begin and now here I am.... wishing I could turn back the hands of time ( all for vain reasons of course!) Just a quick note... still working on figuring out how to upload the video of Makenzie in her play... she was AWESOME- she ROCKED THE HOUSE- enjoy the pics of the play. Hope you are all safe and happy.... I will be blog surfing in the morning- Love and Hugs...

Im SOOO MAD!!!

I had intended on working on my blog tonight.... until I couldn't do anything on my laptop! Nothing!! For some reason the security screen is not working so I am not able to navigate around deleting photos or adding new ones. I will work on that sometime this week, I am way tired so try me again in a few days. Hope all is well- love and hugs- Shannon

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

I know it has been a while ( sorry Barbs!) but we Wallick's have been a busy family. Monday the 4th we drove into the city to see the Braves play against the Mets. It was soo much fun- especially since we decided to not sit in our seats!(nose bleed sec)The game wasn't crowded at all- (it had rained all day but cleared up just in time for the game)so we sat in seats super close to the field. It was so fun! Makenzie got up and danced around and got on the Jumbo Tron! Later- her and I got on it together! It was a good time! Cinco De Mayo found us at Parker's school helping the class celebrate with a "build your own taco" party. Parker was so excited to see us there-it was fun to see his independence. We celebrated Taylor's 7th Birthday on May 8th. Of course her morning had us all up celebrating with a pancake breakfast before school, and a bubble party at school. Later on-we went to Marist and watched Spencer play his championship baseball game and then off to dinner. Of course Julie hooked her up and treated her like a princess! The next day was P-Day! Party express! Our very kind friend Kay set up her big bounce house, we set up a shade, and the party began! It was a fun time- those little girls can eat! We had a chocolate fountain with bananas, strawberries, and marshmallows,blueberry fizz drink, Pizza, and in lieu of a cake- ice cream cups! (Taylor is NOT a cake girl- so the take home boxes each had a cupcake) We decorated book markers with hearts and flowers and each girl made their mom a tissue flower! Hands down it was fun to watch them in the bounce house and watch the girls compete in the freeze dance. Taylor loved it and we absolutely love her! Thank you to Barb for helping with the party and especially Julie who stayed way after to do art stuff with Tay while we cleaned up! We are looking forward to this weekend because Grandma's coming! The next big thing Makenzies big stage debut! Remember this... "Charity is the True Love of Christ!" Love and Hugs- P.s- Hi Cindy- Love ya!

Dancing With Myself.....

What a fun busy week we had for the last week of April! Between school work, and family time- Adam and I were able to get a lot of things done as far as him - with work and myself- with doing things around the house. We both ran in a 5k on Saturday that benefited ALS... and I am VERY excited to report that I came in ahead of him! It was a tough course, with a total of 3 hills. The first was okay- second- little harder and the last and final was a killer! Thank goodness Alex (a very seasoned runner) came back down the hill and pumped me up to make it to the top of the final hill! (He ran it in under 20- he is the owner of the running store we shop at and his store sponsored the race) Once at the top- I realized it was the final stretch... I kicked it into overdrive, and passed quite a few people on the way to the finish line. I shaved ALMOST 3 WHOLE MINUTES off my last time. I was Dancing With Myself! I came it at 30:27 and boy did it feel good! Adam was not very happy- as he set out to beat me. I set out to only beat myself, and I'm glad I did it! After our race we headed home to clean up and get Parker to his first baseball game. He is on the Miracle League team which is specifically for handicapped kids. Each player has a buddy- (high school students from baseball teams in the county) who helps with batting and catching. Parker loved it and loved that he was out there playing the game. On Monday night we are going to the Braves vs the Mets! We are so excited! After his game- Taylor and I had a date- to see The Hannah Montana Movie. It was a cute movie and it was even more cute to see Taylor and her friend singing to all the songs and dancing in their seats. All and all- it was a great busy week and it ended perfectly with Stake Conference today. (in which we had to drive 45 minutes to get to!) Remember... Every Member a Missionary! Have a great week!! Love and Hugs...

CouchKickers Unite!!

 

So my big secret is that for the last 6 weeks I have been taking a "From the Couch to a 5K" class. The final day of class was the "Jay Cullens-Memorial-Share the Road 5K". (The photo of me with an older woman is his widow- and she is so sweet!) I have always wanted to run.. and I finally am able to really do it! I joined the class and recruited my friend Barbara. We worked hard and although I personally didn't do as good as I thought I would, I am still glad that I DID IT! We had two hills to climb.. one in the middle and one at the end. The end one about did me in, as I thought I was seriously going to go into cardiac arrest! Thank Goodness Barbara was there to say "you got this". After making it up the hill and fighting the demons in my legs which were shouting "can't go on!", I realized that I had made it!! I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, so we kicked it into overdrive! I remember Barb asking me if I was "OK" and me saying "no- let's finish"- we came in at 33:13! So we weren't the first, but we were NOT the last! I was really hoping to come in under or around 30 minutes but since this was the first time- I will just keep trying for better! It was cool to have people cheering us on- especially when I yelled "it's our first time ever!" I have met some amazing people, and I hope that we all can continue to meet up and run as a group again in upcoming events. That is the plan.. as we were all first timers and are hooked. I am looking forward to this upcoming week and the training... Adam and I are running a 5k this Saturday. All I hope to do is.... blow him out of the water! Love and Hugs....

Our Special Athlete!

We had a great week, especially with our stud boy Parker. He was able to participate in the Special Olympics on Friday. It was an all day event and I gotta tell you... it was AMAZING!! The athletes were from all over Forsyth county and included students from elementary, middle, and high school. Each individual athlete was assigned a "buddy" to be with them the entire time. Parker had a cute high school senior named Jillian. She was so excited to have him again since he was also her buddy for the Valentines Dance. She was very cute with him and was so sweet. They even opened the games up with a prayer! Kinda felt like good ol Utah. The opening song was "We're all in this Together" from High School Musical. Parker danced his heart out! For the first half of the Games, half the athletes were sent to the gym to play games while the other half competed and then they switched. We followed Parker to the gym and watched him play games, and dance to hit songs. He even did a guitar solo (laying on his back of course) to the song- "Life is a Highway" from the "Cars" movie. When it was finally Parker's turn to compete he was so excited. He competed in the tennis ball throw, the soccer kick, and the fun run. He took first in the throw, and kick but second in the run. In the end, he was given the overall FIRST PLACE AWARD in his division of 6 athletes. He was so excited- especially when his named was called. I will upload video as soon as I can, but just know that it was absolutely precious! I really love living here and being able to see our kids do all these wonderful things!

Life is Good....

As you can tell from the pics we had a fun Spring Break even though we really didn't go on an extended trip! To kick the official week off- we took the kids to the dentist- and I'm thankful to report we are CAVITY FREE! Tues- we headed to NC again and came back on Wed just in time to pick Aunt Andrea up from the MARTA. Thur- we took the kids fishing at the local hatchery and then when that closed we headed to Beautiful Lake Lanier for some more fishing. Fri- we drove to Bowden Ga to show the kids the home that their Grandpa and Grandma Wallick built when Adam was a boy. Andrea-my sister in law- was able to meet up with a friend she hasn't seen since the 7th grade! Friday night we made it home just in time to witness the crazy weather and were amazed at the amount of rain and hail that came upon is! Saturday was our last day with Andrea and we wanted to do something really fun- so we headed to Helen Ga and found the cutest little Bavarian-German town. It had fun shops and lots of food! We even saw some LDS missionaries who know someone from St.George! We spent the day there and made it home in time for the kids to do the egg thing and Andrea and myself spent the night making food and baking for Easter. Sunday came too fast, and we hugged Andrea goodbye! We miss her infectious laugh! After church we ran home, changed and threw food and kids in the car to head to the lake with our neighbors and friends. We had a great time, and finally were able to give the kids their Easter baskets AFTER their baths! We fell into bed exhausted and NOT ready to be up at 6 for school! It was a great break and we are looking forward to the next break- SUMMER! Love and hugs

Hoppin Around....

Friday began our Spring Break here in Georgia and by 9:30 in the morning- I was dying. I had Taylor following me around "what are we doing?", "you know it is my spring break and I don't want to do chores I want to go to the beach!", "what are we gonna do?" Uggh, it went on and on. So- we looked into the weather in Florida and since that wasn't looking good we have decided to just hang out here. On Saturday we had to go back to Charlotte to get inventory for Adam. We drove there and back in one day so it was only a 6 hour turn around. Then Sunday morning we got up super early to head to Alabama to drop off the much needed Vita-Mix machines to one of Adams employees. That also should have been a 6 hour turn around but at one point we stopped at this beautiful water-fall and let the kids walk and stretch. Today is Tuesday and we are once again headed back to Charlotte so that Adam can do some work. I am also trying to prepare for the upcoming holiday. We have Adam's sister Andrea coming in tomorrow night and we are gearing up to show her the sights of the south! Love and hugs-

Blame it on the Rain!

Well, as you can see, we are in North Carolina for the weekend! It has been fun, but it also has been raining on us since Thursday. I love the rain though so it has been fine. Taylor is loving it because she has an umbrella she keeps in her purse. (She is like a lil old lady with all the stuff she has in her purse but at least she is prepared!) We are all doing good- just enjoying our time here with Adam. He is working all day at the homeshow and I have been taking the kids all over the place. Kenzie and Tay wanted new flip-flops and Parker is just happy to be bribed with a soda and some popcorn! My sticthes fell out yesterday morning and afternoon and today will be my last day on anti-biotics. We will head back to Gerogia tonight and are looking forward to the coming week. Thursday is the kids last day in school till the 13th of April! Spring break- that will bring us a visit from...... Aunt Andrea!! Love and Hugs- Hey Cindy- we love you!!!

Why the Pain is Still here!

Now- my friend Andi was shocked that I was still feeling the pain of a root canal. Like I said- root canal- no problem! As you can see from this x-ray- it is the infection in the gum line that hurts the most. I had to have cuts made in both front and back of my tooth so that the dentist could get down into the gum line and bone area which is where the infection settled. My stitches are also bothersome in that I can feel them up against my cheek. If I could yank them out- I would. I just hope that it all goes away and I never have to spend that kind of money again!
Continue to read below as to what happens when you leave things alone that shouldn't be left alone..

What Happens when you Procrastinate

This is a picture of a person suffering from an untreated tooth infection. He now has a severe infection that has created the swollen face and eye. Hmmm- $2500 is not looking so bad now!

This ones for you Melissa

This is why I simply did not just have to tooth removed. (Although I did tell the Dentist to pull it and I would move to Arkansas) Removing the tooth would cause other teeth to shift, leaving me looking like a gap tooth babe!

OUCH!

So- I went to the dentist on Friday for what I thought might be a simple cavity. As the law of physics works in my life... turns out I needed a root canal! So that is what I had yesterday. Now- just let me start by saying, it did not hurt at all! What is awful about it is the fact that for the rest of the day, my mouth was stuffed with gauze and I had to keep swallowing the left over "stuff". Then once the numbness wore off, the pain set it. I stayed on top of it with "vicodin" but.... that made me feel super dizzy and really irritated AND it made me itch. The worst part of this?( besides the $2,500 I had to shell out!) I can't work out, run- nothing physical for the rest of the week! As my cousin Mindy Hughes would say.. "Lamesauce!". So here I am this morning, not really feeling any pain but dizzy and nauseous like something fierce! So my advice to you all.... keep up on your regular dental visits! Have a super week and love and hugs to all!

When it Rains, It Pours!!

I hear that the weather in St.George is just beautiful and that shorts are back in! There is nothing more exciting than listening to all of natures birds, and bugs singing on a fresh, crisp morning. Last Monday I was in shorts and it was hot, but by Thursday we were back to the cold! It has rained all day everyday since Friday! I have to admit, I love waking up to the sound of the rain, in fact I love rain period! I just think that it is so wild how fast the weather changes here! Things are moving fast here for us- Parker got an award last week at his school for being a good role model and respecting others. It was a sight to see! He went on stage with the other 3rd graders and puffed his chest out and his arms were flared open- as if he was in a body building contest. Then they called his name- he walked out to center stage, got his medal and gave me the thumbs up! He melts my heart daily! We have not heard anything more about Taylor's art project other than now it is at a contest called- "The Natures of Art". I have never seen it, but hope to get it back from the school. As for Makenzie- she is extremely busy. She just got moved from an alto to a soprano in her choir, and she has been preparing for an all day music festival this Thursday. She is doing well in her play- she stole the show during practice today and she came home completely exhilarated! We are reading lines with her whenever she has the chance and we are so excited to see her on stage. The play is in May- so there is plenty of time for perfection. No deep thoughts or good stories to relay- just have a great week! Love and hugs-

We had a great time with Grandma Pam here, and as my luck would have it- the time went by WAY to FAST! We did a lot of fun things besides enjoy one anothers company. While the kids were in school we were able to do lunch, go to a movie, go to the King Tut exhibit in Atlanta, and see Olympic Park and we even drove all the way to Bowden Georgia to see one of Adams boyhood homes! I loved hearing all of Pam and Adam's stories about their memories of family and friends. On Saturday we took the kids and headed to Tennessee to visit Ruby Falls. It was amazing! We took an elevator 26 feet underground, and then had to walk 1000 feet into a cavern that in itself was awe inspiring! Our reward was a beautiful, breath taking waterfall! It was so fun to spend all that time with Pam, and I really miss her! She left yesterday and I literally walked around in a daze. Even today- I had a hard time trying to "get up and go"! As you can imagine- it was a fantastic time!
Makenzie gave us some great news- she got a big lead in her school play! She auditioned for "Into the woods"- a play about all the fairy tale characters. She really wanted the part of either "Lil Red Riding Hood" or "Cinderella". What she got? The part of the "Witch"! She is excited about it, and we hope to find out more about it this week. She thinks she has two solo songs. One a pretty and slow one, and the other one, is a rap song. We will see! Enjoy your week, do good things, and don't forget to give thanks for all that you have! Love and Hugs-

 

My! What Big Eyes You've Got Grandma!

Yes! The day has finally arrived when our dear Grandma Pam has flown in for a visit. We set this up as a surprise to the kids and boy were they ever! Grandma came in on Saturday, and just drove herself over to the house. I asked Parker and Taylor to answer the door and Parker had to do a double take! Taylor didn't know what to do! Makenzie was in the shower, so I had Pam lie on her bed and we waited. Out comes Makenzie wrapped in her towel and it took her a second to realize who was in front of her. "Grandma!" She was so shocked! Later we had Jay and Julie over for dinner and then off to see "Oliver" with our little Orphan Makenzie. She did a great job and is looking forward to being in more plays. Yesterday she tried out for her school musical, and we should know how she did by next week. Well, we are really enjoying Pam and I really hope that this is one of those weeks that goes by Super Slow! Hope all is well in your world- Love and Hugs-

Happy Days- Happy Week!

So- I had a busy week, but one filled with much fun! Monday found me back on the tennis courts with a group of women from the neighborhood. I have really missed playing the game, so it was great to be out there. Wednesday, I had lunch with some gals from my ward. Since we were all on diets, we had to take something healthy. I was SO LAME because all I had time to make/take was yogurts. I know- I had planned on a nice salad, but I couldn't muster the energy. ( Must be the double workouts ) Thursday found me at a Valentine's Luncheon with the ladies in my neighborhood. It was all Delores's idea ( she is a true Southern Belle, complete with the accent! I love to hear her talk- think Poo for Pool ) She is the hostess with the mostest, and it was neat to meet three new people aside from our usual group. Friday crept up on me fast! I chaperoned the Honors Choir practice from 9-2, then rushed home to get Tay and Parker off their buses. Later, at 6 we rushed to go hear the final product of their hard work. They sounded so amazing! In between this time I had to rush to get Adam from the Marta- he had flown to Florida. He really wanted to be there for Makenzie, and I know she realizes how lucky she is to have such a caring dad. Saturday was the BIG DAY! Makenzie turned 12! She had a big party at the Mellow Mushroom Pizza Parlor, and invited 13 of her BFF's. They were loud, rowdy and lots of fun to watch and listen to! Later- after the party, Taylor had YET ANOTHER party to go to! This one was for her friend Nicola who lives here in our neighborhood. Taylor says "she is MY BFF!" So we raced home to grab swimsuits and head out.(Makenzie headed to her friend Delaney's cuz she is too cool to hang with us!) This party was one that Parker was invited to as well, and I just have to say- he really did enjoy himself. It was so fun to hear him going down the slide- "ooooooh ooooohh whoooooooo"! It was an overall wonderful time. Thanks again Barbara! Now here I sit on Sunday night thinking that although this was a great fun filled week- it went by WAY to FAST! Hope you are well and happy- Love and Hugs

Well life here in the South has been great this past week! Our kids are healthy and happy and so there is really not much to report- you can get caught up with them on the sidebar. We do have a busy week ahead of us, and I am looking forward to it all. On Valentines Day, Makenzie Louise will be 12! She is excited to be "kidnapped" into Young Women's and she is excited to be out of Primary! We are excited because now she will be able to Baptisms for the dead with either Adam or myself.
Adam and I have decided that we are going to follow Dave Ramsey's book, "The Total Money Makeover", and start securing a better financial future for ourselves and for our kids. The other night while reading Scripture, I came across this from Alma 32:14 and it reads- "And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?"
We are so thankful for all that we have, and yet it seems that we are always trying to have more. Make sense? We are now on our quest for financial freedom- freedom from payments and freedom from credit cards! If you are interested in this book, you can go to DaveRamsey.com! We hope that this week will find all of you healthy and especially happy for all that you have! Have a wonderful week and a LOVE filled Valentines Day! Love and Hugs-

Y'all Ready For This?

Yes! It is that time of the year when our men become a shrill screaming, finger pointing, ref yelling, couch loving football fan! This year the Steelers (my little brothers team ) will go against the Arizona Cardinals. While I myself am usually not a HUGE football fan- I am excited to watch this year as I AM a former Az Girl! We are all sitting around watching as a family and it is pretty exciting. We got Pizza yesterday and put those in the oven right after church. We will have to see what the out come will be but.. GO CARDINALS! Speaking of church, I had the opportunity to meet with our Stake President today. It was a fluke thing but you see my recommend expired yesterday- and I mentioned that to a member of our bishopric. He was more than happy to interview me and let me know that the Stake President was in the building. I was so nervous to even ask him for his time because he had his coat on and was heading out the door. When he turned around and flashed me the kindest smile, I knew that he was willing to help. I am so excited because out here, recommends are done on Thursdays at 9pm at the Stake Center! I really wanted to be able to go to the Temple Thursday morning with our Relief Society and Adam. President Wood really was sweet and he really took the time to talk with me and get to know me a little bit. At the end of our interview he closed with a prayer and I am so thankful for the things he said and for the peace it brings to my heart. I wish all of you a wonderful week and give your self a hug from me to you!
P.S- Dang it! The Cardinals just lost!

Just Another Manic Monday

 

This past week was pretty much a blur- it all went so fast! All I know is- it is Sunday night and I am already dreading having to wake up early and rush to get the kids out the door. On the plus side- every one here is healthy and happy! We got report cards and Makenzie is still rockin with the A's although she got a B in a class so she is no longer considered an "Honors" student. Taylor is caught up with her class and received all high marks. It has been hard for her but she is just so excited that all her effort has made a big difference. I took her to the roller rink for a party on Saturday and she had a blast! It was so cute to see all her friends skate up to her and hold her hands and teach her how to skate. Of course- I left the camera at home but it was so fun to see how many friends she has made and how cute these little first graders are! Parker had an exciting week at school- his class made a grocery store with items donated by Kroger. They invited other classrooms to come in and shop. Parker was the "diary man" and also took "money" from the students. His teachers said he LOVED every minute of it and was so excited. Adam kept busy with work- as usual. Myself? Well I FINALLY made it through week 4 of P90X! I feel great! I am looking forward to this week, if I can make it through the "Manic Monday"! Hope you all are having a Great Week- Love and Hugs!
P.S- the above pictures were taken before church because Parker was being such a goof ball and striking poses. He ran and got the camera and so then the girls had to have their pictures too!

This weekend we went driving around the Carolinas and we got to see all these beautiful historical Plantations and lots of lush acerage of trees and streams. It sparked me to think about all the slaves who spent their lives in captivity. I wonder if I had a time machine that I could travel back in time with- would anyone believe me that in a little over a hundred years we would have an African-American President! Wow! I am excited about the new future for our country and for the changes that will come with the new President, Barack Obama. How exciting for us as a whole country to witness this event! Today is the day that he will become The President of The United States of America! I am sitting here watching and I can not help but to be filled with emotions. This truly is HISTORY IN THE MAKING!
Even if he wasn't the person YOU voted for, may we all take advice from Elder Joesph B.Wirthlin from the October General Conference; "Come What May and Love It"!
P.S- On a side note I am in week 4 of the P90x and Whew- it is hard but Im loving it!

What's Happening?

Well folks, I can tell you all that the Wallick Family had a slow week. Our kids went back to school and Adam and I have gotten back into the swing of getting up early and getting everyone off to the buses on a timely manner. We did go to the Temple on Friday and I can tell you that I am glad we opted to go in the morning versus going with our ward members later. The Atlanta Temple is not as big as the one we are used to back in Utah so our 10am session was full at approximately 50 people. Later that night was our ward Temple night and we had members there till PAST midnight! Yup! EVERY session that day was full! (The Temple is now closed for 2 weeks for cleaning) I did have a wonderful experience in talking with the Officiator and his wife, the Matron after our session. They were about to end their mission on Saturday and return home to.... St.George Utah! It was so fun to hear from them how much they have loved this area! They were so sweet and they should be home by Wednesday. They plan on returning to the St.George Temple so if you see them- say hi. I don't think I can remember how to spell their last name but it was Alpbanapy or something close! We had a primary breakfast on Saturday which was a lot fun for me- Adam got called as a CTR 7 teacher- so he is now one of Taylor's' teacher! He is so cute with his class and I can tell he will really enjoy his time in Primary. As for myself I am now the Youth Sunday School teacher for the 13-14 year olds. Today was my first time in the class and I LOVED it!
We are both grateful to be serving in the Lord's True Church, and we look forward to the opportunity to continue to meet and get to know the members of our ward.
Tonight while reading Scriptures with our children we came across this verse from Mosiah 24. It is verse 14 which reads- And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders,that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
For many of us, the economy is still a worry in our minds- for me, the Scriptures often bring me the peace I need to have my fears calmed.
I am grateful for all your letters and emails, and support!
Love and Hugs-

ICE ICE BABY!

Last night we went into the city and took the kids, along with three of Makenzie's friends to the outdoor ice skating rink! It was so MUCH fun and I was really impressed that even Parker himself had a wonderful time! Adam would take him around, and then drop him off to me and he would then take Taylor. I held Parker under his armpits while trying to keep my balance. It was so funny because he would shuffle his feet as fast as he could and he got so excited because he thought he was skating on his own! We hardly saw Makenzie because she was with her three friends. That worked out well because then Adam and I could trade off the two little ones and not worry about Makenzie feeling left out. By the end of the night Taylor finally had let go of the wall and was really making an effort to skate. Of course, Adam is good at everything so he was skating around like a hockey player! Me, myself, I haven't had a pair of ice skates on in about 30 years, but I didn't fall once! It was a fun night- it wasn't very cold, and every one had a blast! After skating for almost 2 hours, we took a walk thru the park, and then ended the night by taking everyone to T-bell! Love and Hugs-

What Comes Up, MUST Come Down!

So four days ago, after working out, I decided to go ahead and weigh myself. Let's just say- it did not go well. I am 8 LBS larger than I was back in August. Well that motivated me to take down the outside lights. As luck would have it, my sweet Adam joined me and in no time- we were done. Well that led us to look at our garage! What a mess! Adam said "it's so nice outside we might as well tackle the garage now." Wow! I was so excited because I have been wanting to organize it for so long! This part of our day took a lot of our energy because we took everything out and condensed boxes, threw stuff out- you know the drill. After congratulating ourselves on a job well done, we took our energy INTO the house and took down and packed up everything Christmas, and were able to fit it all back in nicely into our newly clean garage! We moved furniture around, dusted,vacuumed, and FINALLY we were done!
It is a good feeling to start the year 2009 off with a clean garage, and a clean home! That night since it was New Years Eve we kicked the New Years off early with some firework fun with a few of our neighbors. The last picture is a few of our neighbors. They are all from South Africa so it is neat to try to learn their language of African. I would like to point out that is was FREEZING COLD!! The best part was handing Parker a sparkler and watching him running around the yard screaming! We can't find our cord to our video camera to upload, but trust me, if you know Parker- it was HYSTERICAL!
HAPPY 2009! Love and Hugs- and YES I AM TOTALLY DISGUSTED WITH MYSELF ON THE WEIGHT ISSUE- WHICH IS WHY THE TITLE OF THIS POST IS WHAT IT IS! I WILL BE BACK BLOGGING MY WEIGHT EVERY WEEK SO STAY TUNED! If you want to join my crusade of losing the LBS then let me KNOW!