How Blessed we are. . .

Okay, so I admit, I am HORRIBLE at updating our blog!! I get inspired every time I see one of my dear friends posting such meaningful and sweet posts, and get this "determination" to update it more often. I have to wonder how I am SO technologically unsavvy, while being married to the worlds biggest computer guru on the face of the earth! (I guess I am embarrassed to even ask him sometimes, just so he doesn't realize how much I DON'T know! ;) I am making yet another attempt, although, I must tell you, my laptop is now in rehab (well, to be honest, I think it has actually passed, due to its wine consumption - that occured the evening BEFORE my speeding ticket on the way to school the next day!) Therefore, my photos are in a bit of a dilemma, as they have not yet been removed from my laptop, and I am not as comfortable pulling them from Darrell's computer! (HA!!! Like I am comfortable doing it from ANYONE'S computer!!!!) Therefore, there will be no cute Christmas photos, (although with my husband, you can be sure there are hundreds of those!) and who knows the most recent that have been downloaded, so I will post what I can!





We have been so very blessed this year, and looking back, the year has flown by way to fast. We were especially blessed this year to have Kylie dance in Carolina Ballet's Nutcracker again. What an awesome experience to see your daughter, dance in front of hundreds of people on a stage that is about the size of our entire downstairs, with real, live, professional dancers! It is a "welling up" moment for mom, that's for sure! Yesterday was her last performance, and I was honored to be the "backstage mom" and got to escort the girls to the stage from their dressing room. WOW! It was truly amazing - to see these girls - they know exactly where to go, and when to go - it is pretty cool! I am going to make an attempt to post a photo. . .



Whew! I think I did it! So, yes, it was a very hectic, crazy holiday season, as all of our weekends from October on, consisted of Nutcracker rehearsals! It was this crazy busy, awful yet wonderful, time in our lives! I have had moms tell me that they could never keep my schedule and do the things I do, and yet my response to that is, "if you find your child's true gift - not just something they 'like' to do, but their true, God-given and God inspired GIFT - you will find a way to do it - even if it makes your life hectic! For Kylie, dance is not something she does, it is what she lives - she breathes dance. She dances in her dreams. She FEELS dance. And to those who have been blessed to watch her, they see the passion as well. She has worked very hard and become the youngest one to be invited in to the ballet troupe at her dance school, and is one of the inaugural members of the newly formed "Holly Springs Dance Company Apprentice" team. We are so very proud of her! Her diabetes is under control (although as a mom, you want all the numbers to be perfect!) and we are SO proud that she has never allowed it to limit her potential.



Kevin is trying his hand at basketball this season! We have tried soccer, T-ball and now Basketball. Truly, sports are not his gift, but we want to expose him to any and all that he desires to try! We are very proud of the progress he has made (from not being able to dribble the ball at all and not even coming close to the goal!) to being able to hold a decent dribble and making the shot sometimes! He just loves to make people laugh - that is his passion and gift at this point! (oh, and absolutely decimating ANYONE at Super Mario Carts on the Wii - can't forget that one!) We love watching him grow, and hear all the "boy" things come out of his mouth! Things like "I want a double "light-saver" for Christmas! (meaning Light-SABER!) Ugh - watching Star Wars was the end of my sweet, innocent little guy!! ;) He is still the loving, sweet light of my life!



Kayden, what can I say about my dear Kayden? Kayden is. . . . .well. . . .. Kayden! She continues to dance, and loves it, although I never want her to dance just because "sissy" does. I so want her to find HER passion! I really do think that it is her passion as well, I just think she lacks the "old soul" maturity that Kylie has always possesed. She will excel much more in Jazz and Modern dance, where as her sister truly excels in all of it, but especially ballet. Kylie could stay at the studio for hours and do barre work to strengthen her muscles (and would if it meant she could go "on pointe" sooner!) where as Kayden has that child-like mentality of dance, but then PLAY!! (which she SHOULD have! She is only 6 after all!) She is just as "intense" as the day she was born, and we are loving watching her grow and become the "go getter" that she is.



All 3 kids are excelling in school, and we are so proud of the way they are balancing it all! Some days (okay, be honest here mom, MOST days!) they do it better than me! I am still struggling with the "working mom" thing, and have yet to find a way to get it all done in only a 24 hour time period! I know I will get there, I just hope that by the time I finally "get it", I can just be home again! I tell you, with my family's schedule, it really would be ideal for me to be that "domestic engineer" again! Ahhh. . . . someday! :)



All 3 (or should I say 4!) kids are still very involved in their Indian Guide/Princess tribes with Darrell (hence the 4th kid!). He is chief of Kevin's tribe, which rounds out our amazingly crazy, loving schedule!!



I am hoping that now that I have given a small update and peek into our crazy lives, I can now post some more meaningful, and expressive posts soon! We hope you all have had a wonderfully special holiday season, and that God's love has filled each of you with the promise of our eternal Father's never-ending love and protection for us all. We pray for a peaceful, joyous 2009 for all of you!



Love,

Shannon

Okay, it's been a crazy few months.. . .

So. . . we went to Disney, we came home, we had birthdays and sleepovers and crazy "laundry parties"! It was a wonderful summer! We really had a great time being home and having daddy every other Friday made for some very fun long weekends! In the crazy mix, Darrell and I celebrated our 15 year anniversary at the end of July! (we celebrated by tagging items for the twin sale. . . .woooo hooo!!) Don't worry, we were able to make it up to each other with a wonderful surprise bed and breakfast and I got a gorgeous ring out of the deal! :) We have started school again, and now I remember how much I stink at trying to work and keep our household going!! As I type, I have 2 loads of laundy to fold, one in the dryer and one being washed - I am beginning to HATE Saturdays!! :) The kids have settled into their school routine very nicely, and things are going great. The girls have managed to fit their dancing schedule into their lives so that the school work gets done, and the dance can continue. This year, Kevin and Kayden moved up in the world at our church, as they are now "1st graders" so they have moved downstairs to the "big kid" Sunday School class (Kylie just LOVES that they are down there with her now . . . NOT!) and Kevin is now an RA (Royal Ambassador) and Kayden a GA (Girls in Action). Plus, this is Kylie's last year in Indian Princess as well as Kayden's first year, and Kevin is now in Indian Guides. That means my poor husband is busier than ever with 3 tribes - and he has even taken the "chief's" role in Kevin's! ARGH!! Someday I will get to see him again! :) If that schedule wasn't grueling enough, many of you may remember that Kylie was in Carolina Ballet's version of the Nutcracker last Christmas, and she decided to audition again this year. She went from having a small (but important!) role last year to being a "Party Girl" this year!! For those of you that may be unfamiliar, that is a role second only to the role of Clara, and so her part in it, and the responsibility that goes along with that is AMAZING!! (Not that we are proud or anything!! ) That means 2 1/2 hour rehearsals in Raleigh every weekend from now until Christmas and even more rehearsals as the performance dates approach! AGGHHHH!!! And I think I can try to hold down a full time job. . . . . without going all gray! I will do my best! I must run for now, but will try to blog again soon. I really do love doing it, it's just tough to find the time! Thank you all for putting up with us and loving us through this crazy time!

Love,

Shannon

Off we go. .. .

Well, today is our last day to pack and make final preparations! Off to Disney we go!! Our favorite place on earth!!!! :) This trip will be a little more "low key", as it was a last minute idea, but we are still looking forward to a fabulous time! We have several Character Dinings booked, and Kayden will just DIE when she finds out that she will get to do Bibbity Bobbity Boutique again! (a nice b-day surprise!) We had a BALL watching the girls get all made up last time! I can't wait to post pictures and share! Here are some teaser photos of our last experience:

Do they look like they have the life, or what? Oh, to be a princess. . . .

Of course, with "germ-fanatic" mom here, what do my youngest 2 go and do 4 days before Disney? GET SICK!! We would love any get well vibes or prayers that can come our way. Kevin actually wound up with double pneumonia - it snuck up fast! Literally, a slight fever and cold one day to high fever and a pneumonia diagnosis the next - crazy! I took Kayden in last night, and no sign of pneumonia for her, so hopefully hers will just stay a virus and run its course. Poor Kevin had a shot of antibiotic at the doctors on Tuesday- he was BRAVE! If you have never had a shot of antibiotic, let me tell you - it is not a process for the faint at heart! It is a very long needle, and lots of antibiotic liquid to go in - my poor boy! He was amazing though, and earned his "Wendy's frosy float" for sure! Today, I think both children have turned the corner and are feeling bright and shiny again. Now if we can just keep everyone else well! :)

Well, I suppose I should go and finish up the last minute packing details - before Darrell comes home and finds me on this computer again! ;) Thank you to all the brave men and women who have unselfishly sacrificed to keep our country free! We hope you all have a fabulous 4th and be safe! We love you all and hope to see you all soon!!

Here goes nothin'. . .

Okay, so I have friends that blog. I have friends that blog WELL. I have friends that aren't as technologically challenged as I am, though! But the blog update I received from a dear friend today, sent me over the edge! (thanks, Jennifer! :) I WANT to do this! (along with having current scrapbooks, and my laundry all caught up, and our suitcases all packed for our upcoming trip to Florida. . . ) I think blogging is COOL! And, it allows me to reflect on all the wonderful and amazing adventures I have been blessed to be on, since God assigned me this job called "motherhood". I absolutely love being a wife and mom and want to share with the world. . . . . now if I could just conquer this computer . . .
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