Goodbye, Twenty-Nine

Someone is turning Thirty and it isn't me.
Twenty-nine was a very busy year for Tyler.

He started out the year in a new position at his job.
He recently came up with a business idea and found a company who is excited to have him develop and manage the solution he came up with.

He decided he would like to get involved with the local theater in the last six months he played the role of Prince Charming, in Rodgers' and Hammerstein's Cinderella, joined the Improv group in which he is also a board member, played an evil Baron in a Children's play for the Children's Museum of Greenville, came up with an idea to introduce the Improv group to the residents of Easley by leading a Totally Untrue Ghost Story Tour in Easley, will be performing in a Broadway Revue, and he is currently involved the a production of "Sanders Family Christmas".

He decided to train for and run a half marathon which he trained for months in order to complete it. To train he ran 10-20 miles a week.

He was an excellent child-birth coach when Parker was born, very encouraging.

Tyler stays very busy but manages to find time to play with Annley and Parker, who absolutely love their daddy.

Obviously, I love my husband very much!

I don't brag about him nearly enough but turning 30 is a big deal and he has had quite a year.

To Tyler,

Congratulations Tyler for everything you have accomplished in the last year.
I know you will continue to - for lack of a better word be absolutely AWESOME!

I couldn't have asked for a better husband. I still think you are my match. We definitely balance each other.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Four

November 3, 2010 Tyler and I celebrated 4 years of marriage. Those four years have flown by faster than I thought they would.

This year we celebrated our anniversary by spending the weekend where we spent our honeymoon, Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

My parents kept the kids for us while we were away.

Our Trip...

We went to Wonderworks, a place of artsy and sciency activities.










Ate at a delicious pancake house. Tyler ordered Reese's Pieces Chocolate Chip Peanut-butter pancakes with whipped cream. Tyler dubbed it the breakfast of dead champions.




Went to the biggest Christmas shop ever.





We were able to see Fall change to Winter.










And this was where we stayed.







The kids didn't even miss us which was a little sad. Tyler tried bribing Annley with souvenirs for a little attention but not even that worked.

3rd Annual Fall Trip

Lori and I have started a fall tradition. We go on a scenic drive stopping at Aunt Sue's in Pumpkintown.

This year we went Wahalla, I love the name of that town. Our first stop was Stumphouse Tunnel which was way cool. I learned a lot about the tunnel, the town and how to save a historical landmark.
















Annley wasn't too sure about being in the tunnel so Lori carried her. Parker on the other hand loved every minute.


Our next stop was Issaqueena Falls.










Then Pumpkintown















Then Pumpkin Town


- Posted from my iPad

And They're Off

"Congratulations today is your day.
You're off to great places.
You're off and away."
- Dr. Suess

Those of you who know me are aware of my philosophy that I only run if something is chasing me or if I am playing a sport.

A few months ago, Tyler decided he would train for a half marathon. He likes to run. When he made this announcement I was 100% supportive.

Besides it's not like I was ever planning to run a half marathon.

A couple of months later Tyler mentioned that there would also be a 5k the morning of the half marathon. A few days later I decided that there was a chance that I could be ready to attempt a 5k in two months.

A few weeks after that, Tyler, offered to take me running with him on one of his short runs.

We got a last minute sitter and off we went.

Every now and then, Tyler being the thoughtful guy that he is would ask how I was feeling and offer me advice. He wouldn't tell me how far we'd gone only that he had a stopping point in mind.

Eventually we got to the stopping point and turned around to go back. When we finished, he announced that we had run 4.1 miles. I was shocked and very happy. This was the day I knew a 5k was possible.

Today was the big day.

Tyler, ran his half marathon in 1:59:12. Way to go Cuteness!!!

I ran my 5k in 33:40.


- Posted from my iPad

Choc-o-late

Do you ever have those days where you can not get motivated to do anything or really even care what your children do?

I recently had one of those days. All I wanted to do was stay in my pjs and read. I did just that for the first time in since Annley was born.

I basically let Annley eat whatever she wanted including 5 or 6 chocolate medallions. She also had lots of cookies. Tyler and I let her eat junk food but I NEVER let Annley have more than one or two cookies or more than one or two pieces of candy a day so she was thrilled.

Bedtime rolled around and I tried unsuccessfully to get Annley to bed several times. Tyler was not home to help and I for some reason was very tired so I talked Annley into crawling into my bed to cuddle. This was not a quiet cuddle as it was full of endless chatter. I fell asleep.

I woke up when Tyler walked into the bedroom and whispered "What are you doing?"
I pointed at Annley and at that moment she popped up and endless chatter continued.

It was 10 o'clock. Tyler tried to put her to bed.
Annley- "Its not time for bed daddy. I'm not tired. Let's have lunch. We can have spaghetti and cookies. Do you want to come downstairs with me daddy?..."

This was all said in less than three seconds.

Tyler and I looked at each other and laughed wondering why our child who is almost always in bed before 8 o'clock was still awake and talking so much and so fast.

I thought back over our day and that's when I realized what I had done.
Never in the near future will my child have more than one piece of chocolate or more than a couple of cookies at a time after lunch.

We finally got Annley to bed at 11 o'clock. This was after she made her way downstairs to chatter at Nana and help narrate the movie Nana was watching.

Annley was up by 6 o'clock the morning.


- Posted from my iPad

Georgia National Fair

Something about going to the fair screams HEY IT'S FALL!
This fall is the first time in 4 years I've been able to go. This year we went with my parents and took the kids.

There are a few things one must do and certain things one must eat to have the ultimate fair experience.

First, check out the livestock arena, this was one of Annley's favorite stops. She was able to see and pet large flop eared rabbits and she even got to pet a calf.

Second, ride the Ferris Wheel. Annley was not sure about this ride. She looked scared for the majority of the ride until we started picking out landmarks for her to find.

Third, play one game run by toothless carnies. We skipped this activity this year.

The best part is the food. Roasted corn, funnel cake, grilled chicken and fried Oreos.

Annley's favorite part of the fair was the giant slide. She got to slide down it twice and cried when it was time to move on.

The time came for us to leave. We were almost to the parking lot when I realized that I left my keys in the last chair I sat in. This was not good. It was nine o'clock and I had children who were pretending not to be sleepy.

My dad checked with the lost and found twice with no luck.

I finally went myself to talk to the lady at the lost and found. I left my name, number and a detailed description of my keys and keyring.

The lady at the lost and found desk let me know it would probably be a couple of days before my keys turned up if no one turned them in.

I called Tyler to relay that information and he got on the phone to arrange for a locksmith to meet us.

My dad and I made it half way back to my mom and Tyler when my phone rang. It was the lost and found desk. Someone had just turned in my keys.

The whole lost keys situation lasted about forty minutes which was long enough.

I am so grateful for answered prayers and for whoever it was that found my keys and took them to the lost and found.

Seeing Double Two Years Later

There are times when Parker looks a lot like Annley did when she was his age. It always catches me by surprise when he has an "Annley moment". Maybe that is because my siblings and I have ever really looked like one another.

These pictures are of Parker and Annley at 6 months.
























- Posted from my iPad

Like a Fairy

Last weekend we drove to Asheville to have family pictures taken by a
friend of ours.

Unfortunately, there weren't any bathrooms at the chosen
location. Not good when you have a toddler who has been stuck in a car
for well over an hour.

Annley, announced that she had to go potty so Tyler and I weighed our
options and decided the tall grass might be best.

I asked Annley if she wanted to go potty in the grass. Her answer,
"NO, I need to potty in the toilet."

While trying to explain that there was no toilet for her to use an
idea popped in head.

"Annley, do you want to be a fairy?"

"Oh yes!"

"Annley, did you know that fairies potty outside in the grass? So if
you want to be a fairy you are going to have to potty in the grass."

"Okay, Daddy, you take me."

A little later Annley yelled out "I need to go potty like a fairy."

And she did.

Our friend invited us back to her house for dinner and cookies, which
were delicious.

I asked Annley if she needed to go potty and told her she could use
the big girl potty. She said "No, I need to potty like a fairy."

We now find ourselves hoping we will not find her outside "being a fairy".

IT Is...

The IT is a CAR!!!
Well, a Honda Odyssey. It was hands down the BEST surprise ever.

A few weeks ago Tyler called me from work and asked me to meet him for lunch in Greenville at 12:30. I got his message asking me to meet him about an hour before I was to meet him.

I was a little irritated because of the short notice. I had just gotten in from taking the kids for a jog. This meant there would be no time for a shower so I'd have and that I would have to ask Tyler's mom at the last minute to keep Annley .

An hour later I met Tyler for lunch. He seemed excited and more animated than usual. We hadn't even ordered yet when Tyler announced that he had bought me a van.

I was very excited, especially when he told me it was the one I picked out.
He and my brother had taken it for a test drive the previous weekend.

I love finally having a car again. It's so nice to be able to do the normal mundane things like grocery shopping whenever I want and without having to ask to borrow someone else's car.

We named our van Phoebe. She is loved by the whole family.



- Posted from my iPad

The It

There is something I have been lacking for the last three years.
This is something I have greatly missed.
It is something most people in America have at least one of.
It is something that makes life much easier than it was 200 years ago.

It is something Tyler surprised me with.

Do you know what the IT is?



- Posted from my iPad

Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

Yesterday, I talked to Annley about Halloween.

I asked her if she would like to be Tinker Bell for Halloween. She was very excited and immediately began asking me about Tinker Bell's green dress.

I explained that I would have to make Tinker Bell 's dress before she could wear it. Annley then said "Mommy, you need to make Tinker Bell's green dress so I can wear it."

She talked about it for awhile and then moved on to other things.

Then at eleven o'clock last night Parker woke Annley up. It took Tyler and I thirty minutes to get her and Parker back to bed.

Tyler and I weren't in bed 10 minutes when Annley opened our bedroom door and then crawled into bed with us, an activity she usually saves for 4:00am.

I was frustrated. Wasn't she just asleep? Why was she up again?

I wondered out loud to Tyler. Tyler whispered "I think she's excited about Tinker Bell's dress."

What? Surely not.

So I asked.

"Annley, Why are you awake? What are you so excited about?"

"Mommy, I want to wear Tinker Bell's green dress."

Oh, for heaven's sake, I should have kept my mouth shut!

She has been talking about the dress that doesn't yet exist almost since the moment I let the words slip out of my mouth.




- Posted from my iPad

Twinkle Toes

Annley started a Creative Movements dance class. She loves it!
Her teacher, Mrs. Melanie, is very patient with her class of 2 year olds and she loves all of them.

Bippity Boppity Boo

The last few months Tyler has pretty much been MIA. Why? Well he has been involved with the local theater, and by involved I mean he got one of the lead roles in Roger's and Hammerstein's "Cinderella".

My Prince Charming actually got to be Prince Charming.

He had rehearsals six nights a week. Needless to say he was very missed, especially by his Little Princess who on one or two occasions was a little jealous that he was off playing with Cinderella instead of at home with her.




Tyler was nice enough to let me help him with his lines. I was glad to be involved somehow.

The girl playing Cinderella was more than a little bothered about the fact that Prince Charming was a married man that she had to kiss not just once but three times a show three nights a week.

Opening night came and I did not go. Instead I went the following night. Unfortunately, my seat was right next to the play's director. I wasn't nervous about the fact my husband was going to kiss another woman but nervous about how my reaction would come across to the director. The whole play I was so self conscience about how my body language and facial expressions looked to the director. Especially the scene with the kiss.

I was fortunate enough to go to another show on closing weekend with my parents and my brother. Needless to say I enjoyed that show much more, partially because I was NOT sitting next to the director and partially because it was obvious that the cast was more comfortable with what they were doing and they were having more fun.

Tyler did an amazing job playing the role as Prince Charming during and after the show. He and Cinderella were very patient signing autographs for all the little girls. Tyler, from what I heard, actually had several admirers.

The stepsisters stole the show. They were very talented and came across hateful and hilarious at the same time. It was a very good show.





Annley did not actually get to see the play because she is no where close to being considered a quiet child, especially when pretty dresses and princesses are involved.

She did, however, get to meet Cinderella and Prince Charming after one of the plays. She was very quiet and did not recognize Prince Charming at first. Once she realized Prince Charming was her Daddy she was her usual animated self. That is, until she met Cinderella.

Cinderella was very kind to Annley. Annley was kind right back and even curtsied for her.








I'm grateful that Tyler was able to participate in the play but I am even more grateful that the play is over and that we'll have Tyler back home in the evenings for a few months until his next play.





And we are currently living happily ever after!

April & May Highlights

Parker's arrival made life a little hectic for a little while. Blogging has been at the bottom of my to do list since then.
I am finally used to and have begun enjoying having two children.

I'm going to catch up on what's been happening the last two months in one blog.

The Competition



Tyler and I were really worried how Annley would cope with having a new sibling. Anyone who knows us knows that Annley has been the center of our universe for the last two years. We prepared ourselves for the worst and were a little surprised with how she dealt the the situation.

She ignored Parker completely and whoever had held him for a few days. I however, was ignored completely for four days. She finally came and sat beside me on day four. She pretty much decided that I was the person who was supposed to keep & care for Parker.



It has been two months and now she loves him. The only time she gets upset is if Daddy holds him. This is not surprising since she is the the very definition of a daddy's girl.



Fishing



My dad, my brother Bryan and I LOVE fishing. I try to go whenever I visit my parents. I even went when I was 9 months pregnant. Given this, it should not be surprising that I would want to take Annley.

My dad and brother were very excited for us to take Annley fishing. My dad even went and bought her a life jacket in case we decided to take the boT out.

I talked to Annley about going fishing throughout the day that day. When Grandpa walked through the door Annley ran up to him very full of excitement and said " I WANT TO GO FISHING GRANDPA".

My mom even came with us. My dad taught Annley how to hold the fishing pole and reel in the line.




She loved every minute of the trip, except for actually looking at the fishe once they had been caught.

Tragic Day



May 30, 2010 Annley got bit in the face by Cooper, a dachshund.
She had a black eye & had to have 2 stitches.
Unfortunately this was not the first time Cooper had bitten someone and the decision was made for him to be put down.
It was a rough weekend for everyone involved.
Annley has since recovered with the exception of having a fear of dogs which we are hoping will disappear soon.




- Posted from my iPad

Breakfast of Champions

By Tyler

Annley has heroes…

They have names like Ariel, Belle, Cinderella… Meg

 

Annley likes to name some of her toys after her heroes.

Though her little girl dolls are all named “Meg”.

 

When Annley says “Meg” it sounds like “Egg”.

So this morning when she came running up to me saying “Egg! Egg! Egg!  Daddy, Egg!” I reached for a nearby girl doll and handed it to her.

 

Annley looked down at “Meg”…

and said, “No Daddy.  Breakfast.  Egg.”

David Parker

By Tyler

Sorry I couldn't get into more detail last night. With all the excitement and exhaustion, we didn't want to fail to let everyone know the great news, but we just didn't have the energy or were clear-headed enough to elaborate. Some of this information is repeated from my post last night so please forgive me. I just wanted to give all our friends a little more detail.
Carmen's doing fine now. The labor was much shorter than last time, but she still labored for just under 12 hours (way better than for 3 days). Parker 8 lbs 8 ounces, was 22 inches long with a head 14 inches in diameter so it took a few really difficult pushes, but there was no tearing (rips). From the time we got to the birth center to when Carmen delivered was only about 2 1/2 hours so our timing was very good. Her water broke while she was laboring in a bath; after that she only labored another 1 1/2 hours until Parker was delivered.
Parker's amazing. He's got great muscle tone and strong lungs. He doesn't seem quite as aware as Annley was of her surroundings when she was born, but he's far more relaxed and quiet-tempered. The only times he really gets upset at all is when he has to be changed (he can't stand the cold) and when he's hungry. Other than that he's perfectly content.
Annley stayed with my parents last and Carmen is really grateful for the break since Annley is a firey ball of energy and also since Carmen's still on the mend. We're at home now and enjoyed a peaceful night's sleep last night. Annley will probably come home in just a few hours where she'll have to start getting used to the idea of sharing "mommy" with a new baby. She regarded Parker last night with curiosity, a shred of jealousy, but mostly excitement, so I believe she'll be just fine after a short adjustment. Annley is a bright, helpful, and intelligent young girl, so I have no doubt that she will be a great big sister.
Parker is the second child we've given birth to with a perfect Apgar score of at least 10. We've been told that's not particularly common. We already know what an amazing child Annley has turned out to be so we have confidence that we're at least a little prepared for all the joy and difficulty that comes with bringing a second child into the home.
We appreciate all your love and support. Thank you for the incredible out-pouring of well wishes. We love all our family and friends and we'll be excited to share our family with them whenever possible.
Love,
Tyler and Carmen

The Best Seat in the House

By Carmen

 

Lately Annley has found a new favorite place to watch her movies.

We have a few other options but for some reason this is the place to be.

Two

By Carmen

Yesterday was Annley’s birthday.  I can’t believe she is already 2 years old.  It seems like she was just born. Annley is such a wonderful part of our family and Tyler and I love her very much.

Some things we love about Annley;

She loves princesses, singing, dancing and jumping.

Has a great sense of humor and loves making people laugh.

She loves to cuddle especially in the morning.

She likes to have a plan for the day.

She LOVES animals.

She has a terrific memory (this comes in handy when my memory fails me).

She has a way of making you think her idea was actually your idea.

 

We had Annley’s party and a park and invited some of her friends.  It was a beautiful day to be outside.

I made my first attempt and doing more than just frosting a regular cake.

 

Annley played at the park with her Nana and her friends.