My Heart is Full

 I love these two so much.  This entire blog is dedicated to both of them.  I am leaving these photos here for them just incase they pop in to read a post.  Also, for anyone who may have read the blog in the past, they grew up. As hard as I tried, I couldn't stop it. Time marches on.

I'm Still Here

My last post was 2179 days or five years, 11 months and 17 days ago . Is anyone still out there? I am considering returning to blogging.  I honestly could not have predicted the return of the blog, so much time has past.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever consider returning.  The truth is, the kids have started a campaign, they are requesting the return.  In one of my last posts, I predicted how they would feel about the blog when they were older. ~

March 13, 2014 "I began this blog for two reasons. The first was to update my family in Ohio.  The second happened because I would tell my mother stories of my day with Donny, she would tell her friends at lunch and they didn't really believe her so I started photographing and blogging.  The blog slowly became a love letter to the kids so that one day they would read this and know that I found them to be intelligent, witty, creative and loving children.  Of course, they won't like me or the blog that much while they are in high school but who cares?"  

Although they are not quite in high school, they are old enough to be embarrassed by the blog. Quite frankly,  I am surprised by their reaction, they love reading the entries.  Last night we spent two hours reading the entries and reminiscing. I went to bed thinking how grateful I am that I began blogging.  I know there were probably a total of five constant readers at the time I was posting daily, but as I look back, I realize it was always truly about two readers who couldn't even read when I started.  So, that brings me to today. Do I dive into the blogging world again?  How do I begin?  Review the past 2179 days?  Begin with present?  How will I make this work?  Will I be able to breath new life into this blog? There are many things to consider and questions to ask but I do know I am still here, are you?

Easter

Coloring Easter Eggs

The finished eggs and I must say that the house is still sparkly.

Donny left flowers for the Civil War soldiers on Easter Sunday. 

Donny didn't want to go to church on Easter morning.  He did request that we buy flowers and visit Grandpa and Grandma's grave before we went to Aunt Kee-Kee's for Easter Dinner.

April Update

I asked Abigail to put the case of seltzer in the cabinet.  About a half and hour later she was still putting can away.  She was very quite and working hard so I didn't bother her.  It wasn't until later that night when I wanted a seltzer that I realized what took her so long.  She used a Sharpie and wrote a love note to Big Daddy and I on every can.

Big Daddy and I were having a cocktail when Donny ran in the room jumped on the back of the couch and posed just long enough for me to snap this photo.  Love those legs.

Abigail put this note on my bedroom door. :-) 

The kids ran outside to play on the first warm day in April.  They were out playing for hours.  I was finally called to see their creation of wildlife in the yard.

No Thank You

Abigail and I were in her bed reading stories tonight when she stopped me, "Mommy there are some things about Christmas I don't like."  I decided to start with the good and end with the bad, so I asked what she liked about Christmas.  As I suspected, the presents were at the top of her good list.  And then she shocked me, "The bad part of Christmas is my presents.  I think I get too many and other children should get some of mine.  So this year I am going to fill out nine tags and throw the rest in the garbage."  I was so proud of her at that moment.  I'm not sure these thoughts will be around on December 24, but she did have them for a few moments.

Toot

Abigail was brushing her teeth before bed tonight when she tooted.  She turned to me and said, "I guess I'm tooting my own horn."

Hardware

Donny went to the orthodontist yesterday to have his spacer removed.  We were told in October if the space between his two front teeth was still there Donny would need braces.  By December it seemed as though the spacer was doing the job because the space between his teeth was almost gone.  I dropped the idea of braces since things were going well. Imagine my surprise when I received a text at work from Big Daddy telling me the orthodontist was putting braces on Donny's teeth. I can't believe my little man is even more handsome with the new hardware.

Clothes

Big Daddy asked Abigail to go to her room and pick out an outfit to wear to school tomorrow.   She called us into her room about ten minutes later to see what she choose.  And this is what we found...

Feed the Cat

The four of us were enjoying a nice Sunday breakfast when Lovely scratched on the window.  Big Daddy asked Abigail to feed and water Lovely and Abigail went right to the task.  Abigail cannot reach the faucet at the kitchen sink so she used the bathroom sink.  By the time she arrived at the front door she had water all over her shirt.  "I gave myself a shower,"  she said with a laugh.  I thought the way she said it was so funny I said, "No she didn't."  Her reply, "Yes I did."  The belly laugh coming from Donny was music to my ears.

Antique

Donny and I went antiquing last weekend and had a wonderful day.  We were looking for a dresser for Abigail's room.  I was surprised by the thought Donny put into each piece we found.  We had so much fun we brought Big Daddy and Abigail along with us on the second trip.  The photos below are what happened when the girls went their separate way.

The piece we bought for her room.

May I Ask You

Last night I read Abigail a book about a kitty who thinks the moon is a bowl of milk.  I closed the book and Abigail asked me if she could ask a question.  I was prepared to answer any question about the kitty and milk unfortunately I was not prepared for the question she asked.  "Mommy back in the olden days, if a brown lady had a blonde baby would she have to give it away?  Remember Dr. King Luther Martin didn't want people to be separate but they were?"  I told her I hoped that did not happen and she replied, "Me too because they are a family."  (Abigail uses the word blonde to refer to the color of our skin.)

Missed Time

This is what she will do for a piece of candy that she enjoyed in a warm bubble bath.

This is what happens while I am at work.

Donny requested this photo as his birthday picture.

I snapped this without them knowing.  Donny was reading to Abigail.

Finally getting a new kitchen floor. 

Happy 8th Birthday to my boy.

I found this note Donny left for me on the kitchen floor.

Decorating Christmas cookies.

The last night in the castle bed.

Last Abigail and mommy photo in the castle bed.

The cheese was not vegan so off to the hospital.  He is such a trooper.

The hives on his back were so bad that he scratched himself and left these marks.

Donny earned his Bobcat Badge.

Snow Day!!!

I will never get my dress back.

Making the Fella Cake for the Blue and Gold Dinner.

The Fella Cake.

Abigail's new dresser.

Another snow day.

The Christmas Spectacular.

A trip to see Big Daddy.

Character Day at school.

Here are two videos that Abigail made.  I have tried every possible way I could think of to transfer from my phone and nothing worked.  Unfortunately, these links must be used to view the video:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152091209982779&l=3593789773962552337

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152111873572779&l=180358004949470545

Long Time No Blog

Every night when I crawl in bed I have terrible feelings of guilt because I have not posted an entry.  The guilt intensifies as each day passes and I have neglected the blog. The end of the year is always crazy for me: making Halloween costumes, the kids birthday's and the holidays.  I started a new job and became involved with Donny's Cub Scout Pack at the end of October so my free time became very precious.

I began this blog for two reasons. The first was to update my family in Ohio.  The second happened because I would tell my mother stories of my day with Donny, she would tell her friends at lunch and they didn't really believe her so I started photographing and blogging.  The blog slowly became a love letter to the kids so that one day they would read this and know that I found them to be intelligent, witty, creative and loving children.  Of course, they won't like me or the blog that much while they are in high school but who cares?

I have decided not to sit here and dissect the past few months and drive myself crazy.  I will post some photos but I will move on and not look back.

She's Five

Abigail asked if we were going to make her cake on the grill. After two birthdays without power, I guess she thinks it is normal. I decided to make her a little ice cream cake. Donny went out of his way to make her happy which wasn't easy because the past few days have caught up to her and there were many tears tonight.  If you look closely at the photos you can tell she just finished crying.

Happy Halloween

We have been very busy for the past month and this blog reflects my lack of time. Now that things have calmed down a bit I will try to catch up on the last month in the next few days. Until then, here are the kids with their friend Sarah before we went out for treats.