OK I know it has been a long time since I have blogged but these just had to be shared! Dad this is just a sneak preview of more to come! I have a really good friend who is a photographer and she is amazing! Enjoy the pictures. Happy holidays! Love, Amy

Ice Cream Monsters

We took my mom to the airport this morning and that always makes me sad! So what better way to cheer up than have ice cream and shop. We stopped by an outside mall so the kids could see the big fountains and shopped until the kids were hungry. Ice cream was probably not the best choice for lunch but it seemed like fun at the time!

Swimming and Diving!!!

Jeff took a week off and really worked with the kids on swimming and then they went to the pool with some older kids and the babysitter and the guy that taught Derk to do tricks on his skateboard taught him to dive off the diving board! The little guy got it the first try. I wonder what it must be like to have no fear!!! I didn't download the video of him going off the high dive but he jumps off the high dive too! He is growing up sooo fast. He starts 1st grade this week!

The Monsters R Still Playing!

Hi Guys! Sorry I have been a bad blogger! Work is finally starting to get easier! I actually feel like I am starting to make since when I talk to Cardiologist! And I am starting to get in a routine. For those that don't know, Derek was biten by a brown recluse spider and ended up in the ER. He is fine now-just really freaked me out! He had a nasty bite on his stomach and a poisonous line came out of the bite and went all the way up to his heart. It turned black and blue and got real ugly. Now things are calm and the kids are up to their old tricks. Derek rigged this wagon pully up tonight and I wasn't sure if I should laugh and go get the camera or tell him to stop because it was dangerous. It only got a little scary when he tried to take her down a hill and the wagon caught up to the 4wheeler! They were having so much fun I didn't have the heart to make them stop. I hope you are all well.

Smore pictures!!

We went to the lake today and I got some good pictures and even set the timer and got a family picture!!

Rock Climbing

OK so i have been very slack in April but I finally feel like I can breathe with the new job. I worked late last night on my computer so I decided to goof off this morning and take some new pictures of the kids! This may be the last blog until June. I leave for Vegas next week and NJ the following week. The good news is I plan to see my one of my best friend's new baby while I am in NJ. She lives outside of Philly in a beautiful town called Bren Mawr-anyway it should be a quick train ride to see her on the weekend. Her baby was born last Wed. and he was only 5+pounds. He was born early, so i'm hoping he will still be tiny when I get to see him!! Enjoy the pictures of the kids. They are growing so fast!

My Brain Hurts

So today I learned to much about the circulatory system and how blod clots!! It's not enough to have to learn that the blood leaves the heart & lungs and takes the oxygenated blood to the tissues, I have to know every artery on the way!!! And every vein on the way back and it's not enough to know that platelets cause clots but I have to know how platelets are formed and every protein and enzyme in the process! I am a little overwhelmed!! I guess its good that I get paid to learn all this! The kids had a friend over this morning and they chalked every brick along the sidewalk!!! I think it actually looks nice! Derek was standing beside the for sale sign this afternoon! I think sales is in his blood-he gets it naturally from me!!! It may work to have a cute kid standing beside the sign because a young girl drove by and wrote the number down!

Gone to Carolina in my Mind

Yes, Natalie I will secretly be pulling for Carolina this weekend! I grew up there after all! And remember going to Franklin St. shopping with You and Julie!!! I love Franklin St! And I spent Halloween night there in College at my girlfriends sorority house! If only they wouldn't recognize I was in my mid 30s, I would still do it every halloween!! What a blast. Too many fun memories not to pull for the old rams head!! That is funny you mentioned Duke because Jeff and I had the same argument! I worked 2 jobs today! I started my new one and met with my new boss and then had to meet with my old boss and finish some paperwork with him! Too many bosses!!! And I even managed to cook a hot meal for the kids, I am wiped! Thanks for reminding me about the blog!! We put the house on the market today! Hopefully it will sell easy! If you look closely towards the street you can see the sign! And such a pretty picture of my sweet princess sticking her tounge out at me! This first picture made me laugh so hard! My girlfriend sent it this morning! Her son Harrison wouldn't clean his toys so her husband told him he would throw them away! Throw them daddy!! and even held the bag for him! If you know Michele, this will make you laugh too! Michele, with your head strong personality, if he is anything like you, you're are in TROUBLE!

Rock Chalk Jayhawk Go KU

Last night was a fun night to be in Lawrence KS. KU beat Davidson to make it to the final four and the town went wild! Check out the video. Students and families alike all came out to show their support for KU. People flooded Mass St. and horns were going off. The crowd was shouting the KU chant and it was a huge street party! I have only lived in kansas for 3 years and I grew up in NC so there was a little cinderella cheer for Davidson. Davidson is the prettiest little community on Lake Norman and I spent a lot of time there-this should really put that town on the map! They almost beat KU. If the last 3pointer they through up at the last second would have gone in, they would have won!!! The kids were really into the game, or maybe it was the brownies at the party that they were so excited about! But once we got downtown to the street festivities, they were chanting rock chalk jayhawk go KU! They have a song they sing, "Derek is a jayhawk red and blue with a beak and yellow shoes!" I think they had more fun than Jeff! Jeff had to breathe before he could enjoy the celebration! He was really concerned that Davidson might pull it out!

Monster Love

Savannah came over again today! Yes they are cuddled up watching a movie! Savannah found out that Madeline came over and I don't think she was very happy about that!!! Should we be worried yet??? I had fun too! We painted our nails and Noelle was totally into Savannah painting hers!! Savannah is the girl from the first blog in the spiderman costume!! The spiderman family reunited today.

Are Dinosaurs Monsters?

We found huge dinosaurs last night! We have this awesome restaurant called T-Rex Cafe in KC! I don't know maybe it is a chain now but I have only seen the one in KC. Nat, Jax would absolutely love it! They have life size dinosaurs throughout that move, meteor showers, underwater creatures, frozen tundra creatures- all his imagination could handle!! You can tell by the pictures that the kids had fun! My mom had fun too! Noelle is still afraid of the dinosaurs because they are so big! I told her that they don't eat litle girls that wear pink hats so she kept her hat on all night until her mean big brother took it from her and she shrieked in fear!!! I couldn't help but laugh!

More Pictures

Noelle had her nails done yesterday! She looks so glamorous! This is how I entertained her while Derek got his hair cut! She wants her hair cut every time he gets his done but I want hers to grow long so it is just a matter of distracting her until she forgets she wanted her hair cut too! She is learning to sit so still and wait for them to dry! The ladies at the nail salon just love her and they usually add flowers to her thumb nails and yesterday they put rhinestones on her nails! She thinks that is so great!

Mama Monster

My mom flew in today! We picked her up at the airport this morning and she is here for a week! She is doing a great job keeping up with us! It has been a busy day. We went to Quinton's for lunch and to lids to buy the new hats the kids are wearing! She brought Derek a new wallet and was nice enough to put some money in it! So of course he wanted to buy something! The nice thing is he bought Noelle a hat at Lids too! From there we went to the big easter egg hunt on Mass St. The kids found a ton of eggs, its not hard because they dump them by colors in the middle of a huge park! They were happy with the eggs and the candy and Derek jumped in a big air filled cage! Noelle even went down a big blow up slide. Jeff was still smiling in this picture because it was before he waited in line for an hour to get a spiderman handmade balloon. Noelle got a princess wand and it popped before we even gt back to the car!!! We are making chicken casserole now for dinner and Mom has offered to babysit while Jeff and I go out tonight! They will all probably crash by 8. It has been a long day! Just like when my parents came to visit when I was in college, I don't feel guilty leaving to go out after they fall asleep!! All of you friends out there that have gandparents local, count your blessings! Free babysitter, you gotta take advantage of that!!

Spring Break Means More Monster

Seriously, they are coming out of the woods and there are so many off them! Yesterday the normal neighborhood gang was at my house and I had pinky sweared with Derek that he could have a play date, too! Luckily he wanted one of his girlfriends Madeline to come over. She is sweet and shy so we sent the neighborhood monsters home when she came over! Today calvin, the biggest moster of all, stopped by with his dad. I think his dad knew we would invite him to stay if they stopped! I bet he was ready to have a break! He is in Derek's kindergarden class and he is all little boy! I looked out in the back yard and he had a pot in his hand aimed and ready to throw!!!! Little red-headed Eddie Haskell (remember from Leave it to Beaver?)! Enjoy the pics dad! My mom is coming tomorrow and I know it is hard on my dad to stay back in NC so we will keep you posted with lots of new pictures this weekend! I finally figured out why my phone is recording video in blue. Hopefully this will be the last blue video!

Monster Hair

So sorry I haven't blogged this week! I mentioned I was interviewing and I drove to and from St. Louis on Monday-that was a long day in the car!! I think I needed all day Tuesday to recoop!! The good news is I got a nice offer. I am waiting to see what happens with Wyeth before I give my notice. My boss was let go this week! :( The crazy thing is I am still getting calls from other companies that I may be more interested in. Maybe things will work out even better than I planned! Mimi if your reading this, the book Who Moved My Cheese is really helping me through the lay-offs with Wyeth! I'm not hemming and hawing!!! Definately looking for new cheese!

OK by now you are probably wondering why I have posted these pictures of my gorgeous husband taking pictures of himself! Don't worry he has good reasons! The first reson is I was too tired last night to get off the couch and take his picture!!! The real reason is for sweet Jackson, my nephew! Jackson was very young when I started dating Jeff. He came to NC to visit and I have to admit I was a little freaked out because he looked like he could be Jeff's son! He is following right in Jeff's footprints, cubs fan, drummer and now he wants his hair to look like Jeff's!!!! I think we should be worried!

Jack, there are so many hairstyles, are you sure you want this one!! How bout Brad Pitts! Thats a cool do! Good luck on your quest, the good news is you have good genes on your side. I checked out your great grand dad McCarragher's hair and your Papa has great hair too so you should be able to grow some good dreads and keep them for a long time!!

And They Were Swinging

Jeff is getting brownie points for being a great dad today! He decided to hang a real swing for the kids! I tried to make one last year and it has served its purpose but this one is definately better! The swing I made was just a piece of lumber and yellow string! It never swang straight and it knocked a few people out that came into its path!! Just kidding-but it could have! I am getting Jeff out tonight! He is kicking and screaming but he is going to the county bar!! His buddy Kevin who is the sports anchor here in Lawrence and his girlfriend Rebecca have teamed up with me to get the stick-in-the-mud out for fun!!! Rebecca and I have really become close lately because we have so much in common! She is a scientist who developed drugs and now she is a sales rep that sells to Pharma cos! And he is a sports journalist-crazy coincidence! It's fun though because she knows a lot about the inside pharma stuff and can carry on an intelligent conversation with me while the boys watch sports!! We'll see how tonight goes at the country bar! It at least should be a good laugh! I have my final interview with Sanofi Monday in St. Louis! Wish me luck!