Kate's Bookshelves

This project has been on Todd's honey-do list for a LONG while.

Probably since he got a table saw and did the floors a few years ago. Given the overflow of books (which is not a bad thing) we have I got to the point that the ones that wouldn't fit on Dean's bookshelves (which were made for Todd when he was a boy) I started putting the extras in boxes under my bed and every few months alternating them out. So - over Christmas break my nagging finally paid off and after a trip to Home Depot the project finally began.

Todd's part of actually making the bookshelves turned out to be the fasted phase.

He did a great job - my only complaint would be that he didn't cover anything in the garage before he used his table saw so EVERYTHING (including my bike) got covered in saw dust.

I will give him credit for cleaning up after though.

Dean had just gotten a work bench and tools for Christmas so he too helped out.

As all would expect Kate did not participate in the

building phase but was all into the painting.

Dean of course also wanted to help paint.

This truly turned into a great family project.


With excellent results --- by this point I just wanted the books on the shelves.

Will organize on another day.

SANTA!

Kate and Dean with Santa

Dean LOVED the cookies -- sprinkles are a super hit in our house.

Kate and her daddy decorating cookies. This is actually a tradition that Todd has with the kids. It was an added bonus to get to decorate cookies at church. But, starting the day after Thanksgiving Todd and the kids make cookies (on several occasions) leading up to Christmas. It is not just the cookie baking that is the tradition. It is the icing, then more icing, then sprinkles, then more sprinkles, then that third kind of sprinkles - that they top on them. By the time they are done there is more icing/sprinkles than cookie. It generally takes three containers to keep the cookies in b/c there is so much icing you can't stack them. Yes, we love our traditions.

Lil' Jenny's Wedding

On November 15 we attended the wedding of Todd's littlest sister, Jennifer to Drew. It was a great event. Kate was a proper young flower girl and did her best to keep Dean in line - but as a young Todd she had more to handle than she was able. Dean looked quite handsome in his little tux. During the ceremony he truly entertained the entire church - making the winking face, then mouthing like the preacher. Todd and I could barely pay attention to the ceremony for laughing at Dean. It was truly a memorable experience.

The Wisenbaker siblings. Need I say more.

Our family

Kate, Dean and Pappi's "mean faces".

By this point (reception) Dean had his fill. Jacket gone and on with the cake.

Kate was a sweet proper little lady through the entire day.

Superstar!

Dean got to play soccer this fall and did excellent.

Big shock. Our little jock has Todd's natural sport abilities.

HALLOWEEN 2008!!

This year we had a great Halloween. Kate was Jasmine and Dean was Superman. Oct. 31 fell on a Friday Todd had a football game so the kiddos and I went trick-or-treating in downtown Newnan. This was a first and it proved to be a great success. A bit chilly though - which is why Kate used one of my curtains as a wrap (it matched). :)

On Nov. 1 we went to the annual Cedar Grove Fall Festival - which was also a lot of fun. Kate and Dean had a blast and looked adorable in their costumes.

Kate - who has been TERRIFIED of horses in the past has made great leaps and bounds in overcoming her fear of certain large animals. I attribute this in large part to having Mia.

Our little cheeseball. :)

Kate-O and mom playing around.

Tugaloo

This weekend Kate, Dean and I went to Tugaloo State Park where we met up with Mom and Reggie and went camping in the RV. While there on Saturday I participated in a triathlon that started in the park. It was a really good weekend. During the bike leg of the race I went past two fields of sunflowers that were so beautiful I had to bring the kiddos back to take pics. Dean was a bit tuckered out and fell asleep in the car on the way there - so only Kate got to pose iwth the flowers (more of a girl thing anyway). There are so many scenic parts to Georgia that I would never have come across to appreciate if it weren't for these events.

It was really neat doing the race in the same park we were staying in - part of the run went past the RV site - were Kate an Dean waited to watch cheer me on.

The birds in this picture had moments prior been on the beach. Kate got within a few feet of them before they took off. Slow me couldn't get to camera quick enough. Still a great pic.

The water was so low that Kate and Dean couldn't swim because it wasn't really safe - but we had fun regardless - fishing, roasting marshmallows and collecting shells from the shoreline.

Once again we were at a campsite on the water so we had a great view and got to watch the boats go by.

August 2008 - So far...

First Day of School!

This year Kate started First Grade and Dean started Pre-K (K4) - Both at Arbor Springs. It has been a rocky start but I think that both are going to do great.

Tri, tri, tri again!

Since the April posting this will have been my 4th tri -- I'm officially addicted. I love it. I am slowly (very slowly) improving and will be doing two more before the end of the year, plus a half marathon on Thanksgiving. I am already looking to 2009 and what I hope to accomplish.

MIA UPDATE!

Yes, Mia is still with us. We had a few shaky weeks of destruction but she has managed to stick around. She has gotten quite big and is now fairly well behaved. I have started running with her - which I hope will help get rid of some of her excess energy. We love our girl and I hope that she is here to stay.

Mia loves her leash.

And, MOST IMPORTANTLY...

In the process of FINALLY updating my blog I found this treasure on my camera -- taken just days ago I presume b/c the kids just started back to school last week and it was taken since then. What was that word?? Oh yeah - MEN.