Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Snow Day

Yesterday the first snow of the year fell. It's always so peaceful and quiet when snow falls. School was cancelled for today and the kids have been out sledding
 









It's nice to have a snow day on a Wednesday when I am already off and it doesn't affect my work week. It's been a nice relaxed day.

~Tara

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Surprise Party

I threw Bryan a surprise party over the weekend. He's turning 40 in two weeks and I knew I wanted to be able to pull off a great surprise. We had about 60 friends and family to come over to Chattooga Belle Farm. We had BBQ, hotdogs, potato salad, slaw, pasta salad and cupcakes. I think it was a success. Bryan had fun and he felt loved on for his birthday. Here's some of the highlights...





the birthday boy and his party hat!

me and my man!



perfect shirt for a law man...


Thanks to Mom for the help with everything I did, Wray for arranging for us to use the Farm, Roy for distributing invites, Philip for firewood, Jared for firewood and cleanup, Ginger for cleanup, and to everyone who kept the secret, and for everyone who came to make Bryan's party awesome for him.

 ~Tara

Monday, January 27, 2014

Go Take a Hike

The weather was nice Sunday so we decided to take a hike in the afternoon. Being inside all winter makes us crazy, and we all needed to breathe fresh air and soak up some nature. We went to the river, of course, and the guys fished. I took the camera and got a few nice pictures while we were out. Blake caught a really nice trout and hung another good one but lost it at the bank. The waterfalls we hiked up to were mostly frozen over, it looked so cool! The trail was frozen over at the falls so only the guys went all the way up to the falls. We will definitely make this hike again in spring.



Chattooga River



Blake's nice trout



Kings Creek

Kings Creek Falls





~Tara

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

One Year

Today marks one year since Nana passed away. It's been the fastest year really. We have managed to make it through all the "firsts" without her. First birthday celebrations, first holidays, and lots of regular days just waking up and remembering how she's not there to hug or talk to, which can send you right back to day one. I am so glad we know Nana is in heaven. I am happy that my kids understand that and follow after a Savior who loves them enough to provide a way for them to experience heaven with her one day. I am thankful that we can remember her and be happy about having the time we did have to spend together and for the kids to have loving memories of her. We never know what God has planned for our lives or how long he will give us to live them, but we can know that God works all things for good, he is always loving and will help us endure hurts and hard experiences when we allow him to. He has brought us through this year and has used it for His glory. I can't help but think about Gary and Lib and how happy this day was for them, even when it was our saddest. God used our family to help another family. What greater honor that to be of useful service to the King of the universe! I am amazed at what medical technology can do, but I am more amazed at what God's power can do.

~Tara


Banjo

Blake had his first banjo lesson last night. He started to ask about getting a banjo around Christmas so I suggested he take a few lessons to be sure he would like playing the banjo. He has never made an attempt to play any musical instrument so this is a new endeavor. My dad's side of the family is very musically talented and most of my uncles and my grandfather can play some type of bluegrass instrument. I grew up hearing my grandpa pick the banjo and he had a long standing tradition of holding bluegrass jam sessions every Saturday night when he ran Cuzzins store. It was always a packed house and people spilled out into the parking lot and around the gas pumps to play and listen. I wish Blake had the opportunity to experience that and to have had the chance to play with grandpa. He mentioned that he wished whoever inherited my grandpa's banjo would let him have it, fat chance there buddy!! I am proud of Blake for trying new things and broadening his horizons. He's always been on the adventurous side.

~Tara

Friday, January 17, 2014

I Spoke Too Soon...

I should have known, of course, that when I bragged on my kids about how well they were using their alarm clocks.... it would all blow up in my face. Ha! For the last two days, Madalynn has had her whole routine and therefore her whole day ruined by a mess up with the alarms. First Blake went in her room and woke her up before her alarm went off. Second time, his alarm woke her up and she had to wait 10 minutes for her alarm to go off before she could get up. Kids logic is weird sometimes. Lesson learned by Mom~ set both alarms for the same time, exactly. And I'm going to cross my fingers this time.

~Tara

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Best Gift Ever


This year the kids received an alarm clock as a Christmas gift from their uncle. Blake's alarms and will roll around the room if you let it so you have to actually get up to catch it.



Madalynn's will project a picture on the ceiling and she has bejeweled hers for added flair.





These have been a lifesaver for me. Both kids wanted to set their alarm and get up for school on their own. So now that school has started back I no longer have the dreaded task of waking them up. That blessed alarm clock does it!!! 
Neither child is really a morning person and they do much better without much human interaction in the morning. They have actually been up and ready ahead of the time they leave for school. It has been wonderful. I hope I haven't jinxed us by bragging on them a little. 

~Tara

Monday, January 13, 2014

Blake's Final Art Project


Blake has taken Art as an elective all throughout middle school. This year he's been in Advanced Art and this is his last project of middle school.



the missing eyeball is inside the mug!!

I think this ceramic mug is awesome! It perfectly displays his quirky sense of humor and I have it proudly placed on the mantle. His artwork is hanging on the walls of our home and some of it dates back to when he was in 2nd grade. I love that he is creative and artsy, I am not good at these things so I am glad Bryan passed him this gene. I hope he continues to pursue art in high school if for no other reason to give himself a healthy outlet of expression.


~Tara



Thursday, January 9, 2014

No More Braces!!

Madalynn got her braces off today! She was more enthusiastic about the after picture than the before picture this morning.


What a beautiful smile! She even lost one tooth while the braces were being removed. Maybe we will get really lucky and she won't need her Stage 2 of braces at all, one can hope.

~Tara

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Madalynn Turns 10

Madalynn turned 10 last week, I am a little late in posting about her day... but I've been a little under the weather and out of our normal routine.
We celebrated over two days because Blake was away at camp and she chose not to party without him. So on her official birthday we had lunch at Carolina Pizza Co. with Gigi and later she went to ride go carts. Bryan bought her a pink BB gun, that she loves.








On Wednesday we had her official birthday dinner. We feasted on cubed steak, collards, rice and blackeye peas, and biscuits and cornbread. Madalynn loves cornbread and milk. Also being a true southerner, we had traditional collard and blackeye peas for New Years Day. We topped it off with ice cream sundaes. She had requested birthday balloons so we did those for her and one is now hanging out at the top of out 20 foot ceiling!
Having a birthday around the holidays is rather difficult to have celebrated properly, but we try our best to make sure she knows it's her day and that we love her very much.

~Tara

Friday, January 3, 2014

16 Years

Today is our anniversary, we've been married 16 years. It's been the fastest 16 years. It's really hard to believe. I really like that we got married at the beginning of the year. It helps us keep a good perspective on things. Not only is there a fresh start to a new year, we get to celebrate right away with a great milestone. I can't imagine how much more I will love my husband 16 years from now. Looking back from where we are now, I am ashamed to say how very little we knew about being married. I am glad we have learned together along the way and are stronger for it. Life is not perfect for us or for anyone but I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who is my best friend, the best father and an all around great guy.
So we are off on another year of this adventure we call our life...

~Tara