tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53634378450899855682024-03-05T05:36:08.069-05:00joy in the everydayAlicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.comBlogger690125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-12676876251675451482014-06-21T18:00:00.002-04:002020-07-14T07:27:10.420-04:00Good Bye ... <div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">2020 EDITED to ADD: This is no longer an active blog but, for homeschool families it still has some great posts about homeschooling life! Also, to see what our family looks like these days - take at look at my Instagram feed on the right side of the blog.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
This blog was begun in 2008 to chronicle our homeschool journey ... as the kids have gotten older and our homeschooling has become more independent and with the time commitments to the kids' activities - mainly travel baseball and a new ballet company for the girls, it is time to step away from blogging. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Thank you to everyone who read, commented and followed along with our journey over the last six years. I may blog again at some point but, for now it is time to take a break. You can still follow along on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aliciak999/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, where I post at least a few times every week.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Wishing you all the best!</div>
</div>
Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-66840915035387158992014-06-18T08:09:00.001-04:002014-06-18T08:11:35.222-04:00Wordless Wednesday<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNu9a6R7BqSLq9vSBUQoAQZg2uR04kXqT532l_ACsiZufpRB5T1MbbLVjJPUVFUde0ucLPOHBoICKouPbGwweYLf1zA3rDFvoHyrMTIK9Qgg_BBe3WVdfLT-IJy0CR2u1yzfDF9WnTFE6p/s640/blogger-image--859855975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNu9a6R7BqSLq9vSBUQoAQZg2uR04kXqT532l_ACsiZufpRB5T1MbbLVjJPUVFUde0ucLPOHBoICKouPbGwweYLf1zA3rDFvoHyrMTIK9Qgg_BBe3WVdfLT-IJy0CR2u1yzfDF9WnTFE6p/s640/blogger-image--859855975.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our summer fun continues ...</span></span></div>
Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-49857955833573228882014-05-24T12:26:00.000-04:002014-06-18T08:14:29.255-04:00Summer Plans {2014}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqOnTqpFPfdABZf4lTDciosRaScFUlnrdfojszTVFYRm9mX2KGPYoXu5d9uvsH74BFQh42PpGnaN3aB5WoksQSJN1SKAuKwfl5nLtBnU0Dtec6pyfR2JbiAJAGLRppUECslLJwGV49lQY/s1600/Summer+Blog+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqOnTqpFPfdABZf4lTDciosRaScFUlnrdfojszTVFYRm9mX2KGPYoXu5d9uvsH74BFQh42PpGnaN3aB5WoksQSJN1SKAuKwfl5nLtBnU0Dtec6pyfR2JbiAJAGLRppUECslLJwGV49lQY/s1600/Summer+Blog+Pic.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hard to believe how much we always cram into those last few weeks before summer begins ... we've done baseball games, a dance competition, dance recital, and testing. So nice to have a breather for a few weeks before our summer plans kick into gear.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On tap this summer ...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Classical Conversations Practicum/Tutor Training/Camp for the kids and I</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Homeschool Group Book Sale</span></li>
<li><strike><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">VBS at our church</span></strike></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">4th of July trip to Asheville, North Carolina </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">90 hours of a ballet summer intensive for Lexi and Ava Mae</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Baseball Private Coaching for Devin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Lots of swimming and fun with friends! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Camp Winshape for Devin </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Two different Camp Crafty Girls days at my home</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hosting a foreign exchange student from France in July </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After all that fun, I have a feeling we will look forward to heading back to school at the end of August! Speaking of school ... we aren't putting our studies aside for the whole summer. Devin and Lexi are working on getting all of their reading done, for the 2014-2015 school year. We are also going to start working on Latin vocabulary - doesn't that sound like fun! Ava Mae will work on becoming a more fluent reader, so lots of reading on tap for her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The kids can't wait to get to our pool ... I like to wait until at least Memorial Day. With the cold winter we had I cannot imagine our pool warming up before June. </span>Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-52199746399036334042014-05-23T14:16:00.000-04:002014-05-23T14:16:45.939-04:00Dancing to Compete {May 2014}<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzsz_AYqCoO4PidPaTlP0wk3jkW1YH2svpyCWMoXYj2aO7_hyblP2HnJTyjdbQWxw1anI07rvJLVwjSyTeteQzUdmzzGHfC2jJ6VlDiq1rb5Oz5qEDmmr0NasOEpkBFHOwdtlMJ-guG_x/s640/blogger-image--1944501971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzsz_AYqCoO4PidPaTlP0wk3jkW1YH2svpyCWMoXYj2aO7_hyblP2HnJTyjdbQWxw1anI07rvJLVwjSyTeteQzUdmzzGHfC2jJ6VlDiq1rb5Oz5qEDmmr0NasOEpkBFHOwdtlMJ-guG_x/s640/blogger-image--1944501971.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After a year or two of my daughter asking when she could take part in a dance competition we decided to test the waters this year. We chose to enter the first competition with a duet number with a close friend. After extra private lessons with a choreographer and hours and hours of independent practice a few weeks ago the girls took the stage at KAR's Regional Dance Competition.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQSU1P1b3vy2lwTXEqyCvmXJc7t4-L8cFKZmu0r6fnPS9vw6s8aRDXzMSz-T6_0LV3tlSKk6p7KDuTNmKVjAqmj2Qpignbo2lgOhBXZWBrIuZg2JcuiuX1Bvxft6u0Q9gUxu53zjVXcBp/s640/blogger-image--1993817314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQSU1P1b3vy2lwTXEqyCvmXJc7t4-L8cFKZmu0r6fnPS9vw6s8aRDXzMSz-T6_0LV3tlSKk6p7KDuTNmKVjAqmj2Qpignbo2lgOhBXZWBrIuZg2JcuiuX1Bvxft6u0Q9gUxu53zjVXcBp/s640/blogger-image--1993817314.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Their hard work and dedication paid off with not only a Top First place in their division for lyrical dance but, a third place high score in their age division, and a special talent award - which included an invitation to attend a master's class with the Rockettes in New York City.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So proud of the determination and hard work that went into the preparation - we would have just been happy with the experience.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqw5LK4s_LI_Mh-278rw3PRumUZVCL_yUgJRYP3-tFat_nLhKZ0qZoFR2FTfA7mgqo9uIzBYOjs7-0z_ny-tWgWmRWYJdiOmXJ9LoSrT54yUscjnBk5-cQDNImpI6ECZGGNEJ_Caz1XrR/s640/blogger-image-1651306322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqw5LK4s_LI_Mh-278rw3PRumUZVCL_yUgJRYP3-tFat_nLhKZ0qZoFR2FTfA7mgqo9uIzBYOjs7-0z_ny-tWgWmRWYJdiOmXJ9LoSrT54yUscjnBk5-cQDNImpI6ECZGGNEJ_Caz1XrR/s640/blogger-image-1651306322.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Pictured above ~ The girls gasped when they saw this competition stage and lighting ... it was so fun to watch as they experienced this opportunity for the first time!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3cmTjq_1d8kVKparzICTyKn5cbjRaeiKvKt5by0NOHuX00IcLeIMh0cyljxRUPDTpUR-Y-CpGw9m2uqmqjnB3RE0oDr_Iyd-P7mSGyxmTcl4erpoYezRRmCXsHAF3_T1Ic9schOmNldH/s640/blogger-image-642020438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3cmTjq_1d8kVKparzICTyKn5cbjRaeiKvKt5by0NOHuX00IcLeIMh0cyljxRUPDTpUR-Y-CpGw9m2uqmqjnB3RE0oDr_Iyd-P7mSGyxmTcl4erpoYezRRmCXsHAF3_T1Ic9schOmNldH/s640/blogger-image-642020438.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Pictured above ~ Lexi and her good friend, Ellie, with their dance choreographer and dance school director. Pictured below ~ the girls performed their award winning duet in our dance school's recital last weekend.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXksIQrpZiEtLH2Z8-hzd7f1r8qOsHT_J7yTw8jRg90je9pJhnoDq8xcAeK_kbM39StQ7NzqNoBEMAO23cA2FrbCL6pgBx3YS69FbWEVKh9X_S0Bu2IB57VxdBLeHzKpFjKpWTEcC7dJHS/s640/blogger-image-97509689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXksIQrpZiEtLH2Z8-hzd7f1r8qOsHT_J7yTw8jRg90je9pJhnoDq8xcAeK_kbM39StQ7NzqNoBEMAO23cA2FrbCL6pgBx3YS69FbWEVKh9X_S0Bu2IB57VxdBLeHzKpFjKpWTEcC7dJHS/s640/blogger-image-97509689.jpg" /></a></div>
Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-28975533638762263162014-05-01T10:12:00.002-04:002014-05-01T10:12:36.734-04:00Going Ons {April 2014}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuigTrtZgSLQijZXncp-h1QuH7QmvWXJk3amGi0jqN2wlZ32as4_jSHdtzVUJ3LhiZ3OxrBxCu0iD4O93JLemAgQneMtkivGF1muruhhTO4dYmZpmupN7WLRT3ba1XZhTw8ln7WMq2cnc/s1600/Flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuigTrtZgSLQijZXncp-h1QuH7QmvWXJk3amGi0jqN2wlZ32as4_jSHdtzVUJ3LhiZ3OxrBxCu0iD4O93JLemAgQneMtkivGF1muruhhTO4dYmZpmupN7WLRT3ba1XZhTw8ln7WMq2cnc/s1600/Flowers.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Wow ... another month has just flown by. I wish I had more time to keep my blog updated but, there are just not enough hours in the day! So, I have decided my goal will be to update once a month with a review of our "going ons". {<i>Pictured above - spring has sprung!</i>}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZ5QIbgub_thZCE-H5cBDh9JyZjTqUCQsWUhwyGFmpWUq-asvVeBzRcqGJY2t6rNS4rkI69FRalwMBaD6E0FhFqJ3n0OsSNEBwrvRrkLYhhY60EP3D9KCp4VWFbx0lk_VwZYnNaQtqtle/s1600/Ava+Mae+Dance+Pics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZ5QIbgub_thZCE-H5cBDh9JyZjTqUCQsWUhwyGFmpWUq-asvVeBzRcqGJY2t6rNS4rkI69FRalwMBaD6E0FhFqJ3n0OsSNEBwrvRrkLYhhY60EP3D9KCp4VWFbx0lk_VwZYnNaQtqtle/s1600/Ava+Mae+Dance+Pics.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">{<i>Ballet picture week ... so glad this is done and behind us</i>}</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_utbdeo236ennMHg5_ENBhy5hOREh_ojsCS9aWSNCZ7Ax7eF9U8oc_z5d_q0sxYMXGT6h3AKAA0-NSsWldebUCyDfqYoKRUZfB1p8aGw1xImPLFxIohc7-W_J2i_xfRCLNhdNfZCr0H-/s1600/Lexi+Dance+Pics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_utbdeo236ennMHg5_ENBhy5hOREh_ojsCS9aWSNCZ7Ax7eF9U8oc_z5d_q0sxYMXGT6h3AKAA0-NSsWldebUCyDfqYoKRUZfB1p8aGw1xImPLFxIohc7-W_J2i_xfRCLNhdNfZCr0H-/s1600/Lexi+Dance+Pics.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0A202Y6-d00Y489CoQdVYT421Shyphenhyphen602DUxvaId3zbEOW9hy-IqGnMif7y94D2KaIdqqs4Vv_xcXLCAIE7n8C5uu-tj2OZCTvlGP-aCkIOTdv1aXeQ_abuibhnagcxtDK4VZC4SdC8nUZ/s1600/Black+Kitty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0A202Y6-d00Y489CoQdVYT421Shyphenhyphen602DUxvaId3zbEOW9hy-IqGnMif7y94D2KaIdqqs4Vv_xcXLCAIE7n8C5uu-tj2OZCTvlGP-aCkIOTdv1aXeQ_abuibhnagcxtDK4VZC4SdC8nUZ/s1600/Black+Kitty.jpg" height="306" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">{<i>We got a new black kitty named Binx</i>}</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_11PSse08WmvfhUoY_Z9RM-9WfeOauMX0HDC8qXzGqxDDKZIYrO3lmj8CUgHXaYTI4kaKl23VJWFm9EGxNWehx3XsPOgLS_1zl9vJ5rl06aqe7dPK5sLUM2_nvCCeVMYazEEXOh1rpXcD/s1600/CC+End+of+Year+Dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_11PSse08WmvfhUoY_Z9RM-9WfeOauMX0HDC8qXzGqxDDKZIYrO3lmj8CUgHXaYTI4kaKl23VJWFm9EGxNWehx3XsPOgLS_1zl9vJ5rl06aqe7dPK5sLUM2_nvCCeVMYazEEXOh1rpXcD/s1600/CC+End+of+Year+Dinner.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">{<i>Our Classical Conversations school wrapped up with a fun dinner and awards night</i>}</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyuhZcXc8kGopG1VRNz_99pyksdK1wOVi1MH_SS3wvG0Uix0CmmLWHr-UpcjSWFpaECa1zVVK_ViiuAlBiI6_3NiB7IZtglDrNB-FE40t8S2fnzwEL80c3VW4YpFJvA0GJhXrOdtv1m2P/s1600/Girls+at+Choir+Performance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyuhZcXc8kGopG1VRNz_99pyksdK1wOVi1MH_SS3wvG0Uix0CmmLWHr-UpcjSWFpaECa1zVVK_ViiuAlBiI6_3NiB7IZtglDrNB-FE40t8S2fnzwEL80c3VW4YpFJvA0GJhXrOdtv1m2P/s1600/Girls+at+Choir+Performance.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">{<i>The girls performed as part of a trio in their choir spring musical</i>}</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCYZpN6cXsQ191PpBqEqI7Z9gs0xKxSCSHKC5ctq_KVBj9_7d9BxpPmCOBHReyUu0dPaF3tGipQQHqlErs7z5kEOsvZHtddhXLOVCs6N2FCq64o9nv03qy2X3jOiTysOHyhtTEqhNt4mH/s1600/Girls+with+Mom+in+Asheville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCYZpN6cXsQ191PpBqEqI7Z9gs0xKxSCSHKC5ctq_KVBj9_7d9BxpPmCOBHReyUu0dPaF3tGipQQHqlErs7z5kEOsvZHtddhXLOVCs6N2FCq64o9nv03qy2X3jOiTysOHyhtTEqhNt4mH/s1600/Girls+with+Mom+in+Asheville.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">{<i>A quick trip to Asheville to spend Easter with my family</i>}</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFWDxqLJYihKRAUFIHJeFIF8oEaDv3lB8fHr7lNhd7_UTsgPwGbyFAnFqdBAjxPWl5B230GF9FZ5iJpxLJ7NrISRhIsbbs-j4NKVR27_dNaY3egJRBGQPcD2wP2zc3llM-5uF5FIgAuHo/s1600/Lexi+performing+at+GA%27s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFWDxqLJYihKRAUFIHJeFIF8oEaDv3lB8fHr7lNhd7_UTsgPwGbyFAnFqdBAjxPWl5B230GF9FZ5iJpxLJ7NrISRhIsbbs-j4NKVR27_dNaY3egJRBGQPcD2wP2zc3llM-5uF5FIgAuHo/s1600/Lexi+performing+at+GA's.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">{<i>Lexi performed a short dance piece for her GA's skit night</i>}</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2_VFbfSgb7A8R2BGivGd2DJS2dYOfirtdCJe9U_EyeBH37ZnVOO1Pma6mCd0D44GRPqLeOb-kjDIus7JbT0GVmvp8OIRIY3zFYtE-d0XmWXyMdT0jwb2cnSfj6zONpRqsksQ4YhhHYAE/s1600/Devin+at+Bat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2_VFbfSgb7A8R2BGivGd2DJS2dYOfirtdCJe9U_EyeBH37ZnVOO1Pma6mCd0D44GRPqLeOb-kjDIus7JbT0GVmvp8OIRIY3zFYtE-d0XmWXyMdT0jwb2cnSfj6zONpRqsksQ4YhhHYAE/s1600/Devin+at+Bat.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">{<i>Devin enjoyed some great baseball games with his middle school team</i>}</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtfcDvS-bqXjpmxIVq10vY4Sry85Dy2nIeo3U6rNh4fyDiMPLN6-YpCkPdJVlFIFDg5Jhm-W5TVFeqDgxFjH0rVbisMUlYQdxOygKBqXmUSEGF-cadOzPevJxQvamgptVW_2Wp3IUhU6j/s1600/Lexi+and+Ellie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtfcDvS-bqXjpmxIVq10vY4Sry85Dy2nIeo3U6rNh4fyDiMPLN6-YpCkPdJVlFIFDg5Jhm-W5TVFeqDgxFjH0rVbisMUlYQdxOygKBqXmUSEGF-cadOzPevJxQvamgptVW_2Wp3IUhU6j/s1600/Lexi+and+Ellie.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">{<i>Crunch time for these two girls - as they spent countless hours rehearsing for their dance competition</i>}</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MHu2f7XxRxjxQTmwUKIgTd_tDDqW8Ylf3ElZdwP9O4ial78Fb0mvC6vPKTj27Du3yK8W4-riKOqJfdvh6P7OypNmV6sUr66Yhn6UvIMeHUmNHI8_d8YVXa9Nmdd4Rb_HvMdovhhWfuvZ/s1600/Lexi+graduating+from+GA%27s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MHu2f7XxRxjxQTmwUKIgTd_tDDqW8Ylf3ElZdwP9O4ial78Fb0mvC6vPKTj27Du3yK8W4-riKOqJfdvh6P7OypNmV6sUr66Yhn6UvIMeHUmNHI8_d8YVXa9Nmdd4Rb_HvMdovhhWfuvZ/s1600/Lexi+graduating+from+GA's.jpg" height="400" width="245" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">{<i>Lexi graduated from GA's ... on to middle school</i>}</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-14283174478420869782014-04-30T01:00:00.000-04:002014-05-01T09:23:45.483-04:00Disney {2014}<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciaNr4E2_xU65xb7EQZNWwd6Mfu8n7NaLcCy6zAMWpnHdjbtMTG2FbGo06veMnsN_S_wLTqnuKE7ZmfVcXVpgoGIAKEZfJRbdoNVD-3ZoLmVEtew2-OxsJsGntugTjdtDOrUJCz0tJce2/s1600/Kids+in+front+of+Castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciaNr4E2_xU65xb7EQZNWwd6Mfu8n7NaLcCy6zAMWpnHdjbtMTG2FbGo06veMnsN_S_wLTqnuKE7ZmfVcXVpgoGIAKEZfJRbdoNVD-3ZoLmVEtew2-OxsJsGntugTjdtDOrUJCz0tJce2/s1600/Kids+in+front+of+Castle.jpg" height="640" width="448" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our Walt Disney World last minute vacation did not disappoint ... beautiful weather, amazing hotel room with a spectacular view of Epcot and firework. We could not have asked for a more wonderful, last minute, time away. It was a great time in warm weather after a crazy winter!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3_hdMKnYY54VMTx6MG0v2ezeQAkA3RA6H_8_y5ddWY0xNFKcu5xAxbFqb0ObqH5wRmf4oai6Rti9zdI3k742DWOUuKZRzAh-4VbV1sXeQHGRTogypM20Hoh9RatJwu4ofzpcOfmJs6Af/s1600/Sunset+from+our+hotel+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3_hdMKnYY54VMTx6MG0v2ezeQAkA3RA6H_8_y5ddWY0xNFKcu5xAxbFqb0ObqH5wRmf4oai6Rti9zdI3k742DWOUuKZRzAh-4VbV1sXeQHGRTogypM20Hoh9RatJwu4ofzpcOfmJs6Af/s1600/Sunset+from+our+hotel+room.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{View from hotel room}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMTmQG3RL4QaT6fYw-ocQ3FkPbtNarTEr5YXmvpYhfhXS9AzplXxRUxgFup_pmhqGfmWTGEePN5IVF2_8m3QbzRJ3y2z-r6BKt9C7wF2d0C9sCg2aSm-qGZne6lHZ9xNw2YCHyKnvoWgX/s400/Ava+Mae+at+Epcot+Flower+and+Garden+Show.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_gsjA0Vw9Fq_Ggv-3e_Bj1hcsOWT078XLY0S_RvTVOMt5iKlCo1YAKt9WEvBby3PmwplTCHsaP2J8QuXKZfUJBg5V_VX6m8hEtIRe641PzfAiWHO2N5jP3eTn3RjHUQRxK8Sb8f5JVhL/s1600/Devin+and+Daune+heading+to+Braves+Game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_gsjA0Vw9Fq_Ggv-3e_Bj1hcsOWT078XLY0S_RvTVOMt5iKlCo1YAKt9WEvBby3PmwplTCHsaP2J8QuXKZfUJBg5V_VX6m8hEtIRe641PzfAiWHO2N5jP3eTn3RjHUQRxK8Sb8f5JVhL/s400/Devin+and+Daune+heading+to+Braves+Game.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{My husband and son were able to take in a Braves Spring Training game}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p7lhnjiAp81bWMp1CCXzKelzYEX2egMD5mjELhT_KEBclxdgAYqkQlMl1qZAkufH3ezsXbNlqxzbif18qfqdcZE7UdsMQh2mmhSOsEwiaQwiAy00BGBvC7SXPOjbYYWopQOhBKdU3ewe/s1600/Devin+eating+fish+and+chips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p7lhnjiAp81bWMp1CCXzKelzYEX2egMD5mjELhT_KEBclxdgAYqkQlMl1qZAkufH3ezsXbNlqxzbif18qfqdcZE7UdsMQh2mmhSOsEwiaQwiAy00BGBvC7SXPOjbYYWopQOhBKdU3ewe/s400/Devin+eating+fish+and+chips.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{Fish n Chips in Great Britain in Epcot}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0si5EiEfznvTWNOEWTP6QNJhvQfGUdrUvoDXzj84XE7NEO6hQprGo9xU857toXOvb733VkU85Mc0uqxKc5S35QYtKn5sB-b9jdzsXQ3yLSe_YGkrYjmDB_BrzSs51Emy2dnv_-XMGh6y/s1600/Fireworks+from+our+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0si5EiEfznvTWNOEWTP6QNJhvQfGUdrUvoDXzj84XE7NEO6hQprGo9xU857toXOvb733VkU85Mc0uqxKc5S35QYtKn5sB-b9jdzsXQ3yLSe_YGkrYjmDB_BrzSs51Emy2dnv_-XMGh6y/s400/Fireworks+from+our+room.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThtLI4DY3HzObMVYSebh7TpI_LTxOM9hchzjn0_uajRHKuZ7OskyLaUXqNcGQ4PwOXfml7ee-hiP9d82Lb1gZ0ekn5SGUQcqTYs7OGfi5MT9_3dx2MTzbrUoF00a7Ot_Jj7ZpKv6Ms0Q2/s1600/Fountain+in+Lobby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThtLI4DY3HzObMVYSebh7TpI_LTxOM9hchzjn0_uajRHKuZ7OskyLaUXqNcGQ4PwOXfml7ee-hiP9d82Lb1gZ0ekn5SGUQcqTYs7OGfi5MT9_3dx2MTzbrUoF00a7Ot_Jj7ZpKv6Ms0Q2/s400/Fountain+in+Lobby.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaG91opN6a5uYMjQqlUHgzD8ng_pYbtEH_GxpD2S7WN75_I7088_ckkZm0_Tg4DY4tKH1sM92x37NA1xCE0_VozlyM8kn5AtXtNy_EQpyZZp5kG3fX6CrhtVbpNWdAe2q1yrPcZhKRmUM/s1600/Girls+in+front+of+waterfall+restaurant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaG91opN6a5uYMjQqlUHgzD8ng_pYbtEH_GxpD2S7WN75_I7088_ckkZm0_Tg4DY4tKH1sM92x37NA1xCE0_VozlyM8kn5AtXtNy_EQpyZZp5kG3fX6CrhtVbpNWdAe2q1yrPcZhKRmUM/s400/Girls+in+front+of+waterfall+restaurant.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0cs17j958Aj5Zy282M3Y00QDI7MtG9iOsE-GkAVzbwQlNlc3ioJXiqILl4T6m81aG867hBlEoMhyE-KqV4Slw5YoosOwIXGkwH0dxxc3P7vpb223v5qWLGKjx0TBofEPy6JOXBqamcXB/s1600/Kids+at+Pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0cs17j958Aj5Zy282M3Y00QDI7MtG9iOsE-GkAVzbwQlNlc3ioJXiqILl4T6m81aG867hBlEoMhyE-KqV4Slw5YoosOwIXGkwH0dxxc3P7vpb223v5qWLGKjx0TBofEPy6JOXBqamcXB/s400/Kids+at+Pool.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoadq6uDbFZQ3kT2KBb5cCt0GeLmkZzcqG7Cprew9PzHIz3T5qcQKi3A6f4tUnO2mAUtRmfbHdcpGfpdPN0NsYF_Xx8ViCkuchDGDh3RBg-HjfZB6WuoxHTXIJF4pLXwmw9ai1obwxu-8/s1600/Lexi+in+Phone+Booth+at+Epcot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoadq6uDbFZQ3kT2KBb5cCt0GeLmkZzcqG7Cprew9PzHIz3T5qcQKi3A6f4tUnO2mAUtRmfbHdcpGfpdPN0NsYF_Xx8ViCkuchDGDh3RBg-HjfZB6WuoxHTXIJF4pLXwmw9ai1obwxu-8/s400/Lexi+in+Phone+Booth+at+Epcot.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFw9FPouki-N-wlU-DWq4vjUO7x5a03IENSvRMN0wvis1Cq4ujH5cVfvorU67MEWppYbjkGd2MTCJT_yTzE1v1A4H7D83VvtlRP1TjjqxYgCRlG9U2CW4WxYYUCyDljcEJX6rpgDeAkgcT/s1600/View+from+Hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFw9FPouki-N-wlU-DWq4vjUO7x5a03IENSvRMN0wvis1Cq4ujH5cVfvorU67MEWppYbjkGd2MTCJT_yTzE1v1A4H7D83VvtlRP1TjjqxYgCRlG9U2CW4WxYYUCyDljcEJX6rpgDeAkgcT/s400/View+from+Hotel.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-78991196776993339502014-03-19T22:29:00.001-04:002014-03-19T22:35:32.786-04:00Going Ons {March 2014}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3MvmEZe9hIVRClQ3y1IKaqkhdxBKgVrsGtdLe-j4Ry1wAMgXBFRYJOPPKfY7M-aUwTc69uNHSnNEi8q3Xnbk5is0oRl0Mt2Jrjbkaf7XLyyFe6Fl4g2f5SFB_lk7BRYmpf3fUp_8ZwI3/s1600/Ava+Mae+with+New+Hair+Cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3MvmEZe9hIVRClQ3y1IKaqkhdxBKgVrsGtdLe-j4Ry1wAMgXBFRYJOPPKfY7M-aUwTc69uNHSnNEi8q3Xnbk5is0oRl0Mt2Jrjbkaf7XLyyFe6Fl4g2f5SFB_lk7BRYmpf3fUp_8ZwI3/s1600/Ava+Mae+with+New+Hair+Cut.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here's what we have been up to ...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Spring means our lives seem to get crazier and crazier ... it gets worse as the kids get older and we have more commitments. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Wish I had more time to blog everything we do but, there are just never enough hours in the day. So a quick look into our going ons ...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ava Mae donated 12 inches of her hair to <i>Locks of Love</i> ... she loves the new hairstyle and I am finally getting how to create a professional looking ballet bun with little hair to work with.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtfedi5BcBQPPfBaeIpXYcksQzdwhMExdJKpuleQ8eRqH2ophPOY8WcPGa39Vjy1pvwMNsUvxW7F0erWUL4xO7wQ4MqmucAh3tzU_8R3maRCzoXoXwFjlNYmf_7Oc5jQlgJVDGOJLLNQl/s1600/Devin+with+Braces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtfedi5BcBQPPfBaeIpXYcksQzdwhMExdJKpuleQ8eRqH2ophPOY8WcPGa39Vjy1pvwMNsUvxW7F0erWUL4xO7wQ4MqmucAh3tzU_8R3maRCzoXoXwFjlNYmf_7Oc5jQlgJVDGOJLLNQl/s1600/Devin+with+Braces.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Devin got braces ... he really wanted to wait until he was old enough for Invisaligns but, we convinced him to go ahead and get it over with. He seems to be adjusting well. Two in braces ... so glad Ava Mae is still a few years off. Braces are EXPENSIVE!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByKvRAC9-kC6jx6o0EU23WQj0NA4j9sIcQ1vIpfscEZMuGVQCoVcQTDRz5etZ1Vns9r41GeZIBX6t29ECg1ONM7KNPOCy_FuJxemv4pGKgENO8P3AI90vDkyT1RUXp_tni91_1TMAcd5W/s1600/Lexi+and+Ellie+at+Barre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByKvRAC9-kC6jx6o0EU23WQj0NA4j9sIcQ1vIpfscEZMuGVQCoVcQTDRz5etZ1Vns9r41GeZIBX6t29ECg1ONM7KNPOCy_FuJxemv4pGKgENO8P3AI90vDkyT1RUXp_tni91_1TMAcd5W/s1600/Lexi+and+Ellie+at+Barre.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Lexi is working so hard with her very good friend and dance bud, Ellie, to prepare for their duo in an upcoming dance competition. They are learning lots ... most importantly ... they are finding out the hard work and dedication that must go in to preparing for a dance competition. It is nothing like the small snippet they see on <i>Dance Moms</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkIKVITf2-kVrUs_EbBwdx8ySmf69RsbfEeuxb4plVoVxDCAKtz-pV05eK_PmsDBAjs2U8SotWKkZiZd30FVIYBsBIVJE1tqarmTtxmnIra5d68OSjZrp3OEL-RpMgOp_2HfDpFXnOrJ0/s1600/Tree+Pic+for+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkIKVITf2-kVrUs_EbBwdx8ySmf69RsbfEeuxb4plVoVxDCAKtz-pV05eK_PmsDBAjs2U8SotWKkZiZd30FVIYBsBIVJE1tqarmTtxmnIra5d68OSjZrp3OEL-RpMgOp_2HfDpFXnOrJ0/s1600/Tree+Pic+for+Blog.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In other news, our yard is finally back to good condition - lots of clean up from the horrible storm that literally blew through a few weeks ago. The insurance adjuster finally made it out and our fence has been repaired!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3xGiSeFGoiQegCJjzFA3OQXEa9N1sQFCnxpgXb_Dbdbi5VKjVWt3oH_Xs3V9o8r6iYzdzmnWpqPIRlpBe1ENWG0j661ISU53ivUvm8nwe5hauYvrs3PBPYag6YefWuD67RS5-OsKbv41/s1600/Lexi+Building+Bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3xGiSeFGoiQegCJjzFA3OQXEa9N1sQFCnxpgXb_Dbdbi5VKjVWt3oH_Xs3V9o8r6iYzdzmnWpqPIRlpBe1ENWG0j661ISU53ivUvm8nwe5hauYvrs3PBPYag6YefWuD67RS5-OsKbv41/s1600/Lexi+Building+Bridge.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Classical Conversations (<i>our hybrid school</i>) is finishing up and the kids are working hard on their 24 weeks of memory work. We are proofing now ... Devin is going for Memory Master and the girls are going for Jr. Memory Master. We are happy to be returning to CC again next year. Devin and Lexi will move into Challenge A. Ava Mae will continue in Foundations and I look forward to tutoring the Masters class.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And, surprise, we are wrapping up our month by heading off on an early Spring Break to Walt Disney World. {<i>My husband's boss gave up his spot, at a conference in Disney</i>} Looking forward to some spring like temps in Florida and spending a few days in the parks.</span>Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-56851705756834946412014-02-24T14:40:00.000-05:002014-02-24T14:40:01.495-05:00Father Daughter Dance {2014}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMXJ4RZjDLg9Rsc_S94CXgHg33hYrf4kv0lQtXkWQhiRMF3-W5WdZR9DamrCjp13F-7MrKg0-QbHf2VtU0F1XxbFUHSoVA94rLAG1oLGbvM7JaKFTkySa8KZMRUO5yXvgL8Qbd6nOOX4t/s1600/February+-+Father+Daughter+Dance+-+Daune+and+Girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMXJ4RZjDLg9Rsc_S94CXgHg33hYrf4kv0lQtXkWQhiRMF3-W5WdZR9DamrCjp13F-7MrKg0-QbHf2VtU0F1XxbFUHSoVA94rLAG1oLGbvM7JaKFTkySa8KZMRUO5yXvgL8Qbd6nOOX4t/s1600/February+-+Father+Daughter+Dance+-+Daune+and+Girls.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hard to believe it has been five years since the first Father Daughter Dance - Lexi and Ava Mae attended. The girls look forward to this night all year. They love getting the opportunity to dance the night away with their Dad and friends. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-m2e0tX6lqdQV0qELAUYlCzm7HSs3mKF2f_4P8r6l_vGudkiguQ2Gr8DRYZOsj7Hxio3mz_eFldFM3Scb-LxLg4HCZyVD9PMJT-7mBUnKKcO7ERZ1ztE3_ij84RHdWytohiBq4pl5_7Qa/s1600/February+-+Father+Daughter+Dance+-+Devin+and+Girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-m2e0tX6lqdQV0qELAUYlCzm7HSs3mKF2f_4P8r6l_vGudkiguQ2Gr8DRYZOsj7Hxio3mz_eFldFM3Scb-LxLg4HCZyVD9PMJT-7mBUnKKcO7ERZ1ztE3_ij84RHdWytohiBq4pl5_7Qa/s1600/February+-+Father+Daughter+Dance+-+Devin+and+Girls.jpg" height="320" width="217" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We started the day early at a friend's home doing hair and makeup.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAdSbhz7HlR6aTmqfZzaRpjvK95mVO1SckWNzw9qObyMKaOkzb5dLFSvqkMfdbDVg7zCZxI89LRXaf36mXlgzfF8A2F5UIqEREc8Dqo54HB1mcrlFdjgVM7uGjcyXcWTWAFKkGRVu4QZU/s1600/February+-+Father+Daughter+Dance+-+Lexi,+Ava+Mae,+Muriel,+Maddie+Bell.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAdSbhz7HlR6aTmqfZzaRpjvK95mVO1SckWNzw9qObyMKaOkzb5dLFSvqkMfdbDVg7zCZxI89LRXaf36mXlgzfF8A2F5UIqEREc8Dqo54HB1mcrlFdjgVM7uGjcyXcWTWAFKkGRVu4QZU/s1600/February+-+Father+Daughter+Dance+-+Lexi,+Ava+Mae,+Muriel,+Maddie+Bell.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Then it was off to the salon for nails. Such a fun time! </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqR6xjbk40utdmHAPu6TIBxL8rA39fyp48bVYIsxJm2Yc-_qHyd7NAWHxqlUI63CFoGALLVKcpwoJI8Hbm50ip3qRRP5P7sL4l5lrBIPdRtDHxB787FQjfBps6xW9S88qWPLVRZRlLeu-/s1600/February+-+Father+Daughter+Dance+-+Lexi+and+Ava+Mae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqR6xjbk40utdmHAPu6TIBxL8rA39fyp48bVYIsxJm2Yc-_qHyd7NAWHxqlUI63CFoGALLVKcpwoJI8Hbm50ip3qRRP5P7sL4l5lrBIPdRtDHxB787FQjfBps6xW9S88qWPLVRZRlLeu-/s1600/February+-+Father+Daughter+Dance+-+Lexi+and+Ava+Mae.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-90515779296742343272014-02-16T14:48:00.003-05:002014-02-16T14:48:54.017-05:00Butcher Paper Covered School Table<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7UlIpJEXPFp5N965D9JV-0wmoIg8dHB_HZqzuGCfcwXsRdu4EPicTd7sZI5KYaFvy_3BhIt900B-Son-HPCHi-HcnZhTdQYnKcnyIQkK-U3We2FzK4o-RMEQ9U81nmxgLed5Dz0zDwTN/s1600/February+-+Blog+Post+-+Table+Top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7UlIpJEXPFp5N965D9JV-0wmoIg8dHB_HZqzuGCfcwXsRdu4EPicTd7sZI5KYaFvy_3BhIt900B-Son-HPCHi-HcnZhTdQYnKcnyIQkK-U3We2FzK4o-RMEQ9U81nmxgLed5Dz0zDwTN/s1600/February+-+Blog+Post+-+Table+Top.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I don't know why I did not think of this sooner ... last fall we covered our dining room table {<i>which for the most part doubles as our school table</i>} with butcher paper for Ava Mae's art party. The kids loved it so much we decided to leave it in place. They loved using the butcher paper during school to work out math problems or sketch out an idea for a paper they were writing. Their friends loved doodling and writing messages to the kids when they were over. I wish I would have taken a picture of it before I removed the paper and decided to put down a new sheet of butcher paper.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HWB8HsQ99kUdFphEsp9RO72G7l1tdSAM4RiqHsT6G5allHe2zK7RU-1U53i2BYm0Vnvq5T1DVJgljlwz80p1DbHu_ysByehe7irn7l9r7nKjt9uzri0ASuVegGfhXPzIupV-vtUAZPr7/s1600/February+-+Blog+Post+-+Table+Top+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HWB8HsQ99kUdFphEsp9RO72G7l1tdSAM4RiqHsT6G5allHe2zK7RU-1U53i2BYm0Vnvq5T1DVJgljlwz80p1DbHu_ysByehe7irn7l9r7nKjt9uzri0ASuVegGfhXPzIupV-vtUAZPr7/s1600/February+-+Blog+Post+-+Table+Top+2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So, I figure this is my big homeschool idea for the year ... not only is it protecting our dining room table {<i>when we have a need to use the dining room table I just throw a table cloth over the butcher paper</i>} but, I don't have lots of scrap paper laying around at the end of the school day. I may even save a section of this butcher paper when I take it off the table in a month or two. I figure it would be a nice addition to my art journal this year ... more to come on that in a separate post.</span>Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-81280732223435860872014-02-14T14:32:00.000-05:002014-02-14T14:32:35.209-05:00Valentine's Day Crafting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRharJLNv_oBAmdSfPXxbIpgl7j6feJowwFSqagJZlbtBoHIGaV69UByMMbdf2FklYeX4D3CKGriEL_j2Cnnd8z1k2NdFuLUF-w3GX_GIZ4gySIBSAUam35kU9lp6FUmTgYHcIsyYPQGO/s1600/February+-+Valentine%27s+Day+Post+-+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRharJLNv_oBAmdSfPXxbIpgl7j6feJowwFSqagJZlbtBoHIGaV69UByMMbdf2FklYeX4D3CKGriEL_j2Cnnd8z1k2NdFuLUF-w3GX_GIZ4gySIBSAUam35kU9lp6FUmTgYHcIsyYPQGO/s1600/February+-+Valentine's+Day+Post+-+1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here are just a few of our Valentine's Day crafting projects ... I found some cute stamp sets at <a href="http://papertreyink.com/" target="_blank">Papertrey Ink</a> and I stamped the two cards featured here. The one above was just a test run for a card for my niece and nephew in Florida. All during Thanksgiving, my adorable 2 year old nephew would call Lexi "Foxy". I think it had to do with the fact that she kept singing the song "What Does the Fox Say" - over and over to my 1 year old niece. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Pictured below is the card I stamped for my husband. With all the winter weather we have had plenty of time to work on crafting! And, I have really enjoyed stamping again.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtMsK8PbD2mU8-2-sAzRsd7gnxD9-SkzUe-tGe_iTezztWySnGKm7Dgt6MCAsIYbnTMqQPST93pm-NT52OnC2NV9xhabZefR5SBeLoiMFHJ9TeJezbNo9OjwpPQFhoM4NFK7gGz8nYfXg/s1600/February+-+Valentine%27s+Day+Post+-+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtMsK8PbD2mU8-2-sAzRsd7gnxD9-SkzUe-tGe_iTezztWySnGKm7Dgt6MCAsIYbnTMqQPST93pm-NT52OnC2NV9xhabZefR5SBeLoiMFHJ9TeJezbNo9OjwpPQFhoM4NFK7gGz8nYfXg/s1600/February+-+Valentine's+Day+Post+-+3.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Pictured below is the Valentine's Day "card" for Lexi's classmates at CC. Owls are so in right now and we found this adorable idea on Pinterest. It is just a cardboard toilet paper tube - covered in scrapbook paper and dressed up to look like an owl. We stuffed them with treats and sealed them up at the bottom with Washi tape. Unfortunately, school was called off due to inclement weather ... so we will look forward to distributing these next week at school.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQM6mQBzuGPT12vv76ZWTFlJitCpZ3qloB1QSIgvA0oD37OQss0ma68-vzP2ntm9vKyxkpT8Gq_USADyfSltm9ZCAqdyahL0K_TXAgpTcyzILK8_pCt22_kE0e4wqiJn1vHweGcpLjrqpl/s1600/February+-+Valentine%27s+Day+Post+-+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQM6mQBzuGPT12vv76ZWTFlJitCpZ3qloB1QSIgvA0oD37OQss0ma68-vzP2ntm9vKyxkpT8Gq_USADyfSltm9ZCAqdyahL0K_TXAgpTcyzILK8_pCt22_kE0e4wqiJn1vHweGcpLjrqpl/s1600/February+-+Valentine's+Day+Post+-+2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-75237495840963922392014-02-13T13:28:00.000-05:002014-02-13T13:28:14.264-05:00Another Snow Day {2014}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmVfqtceSJeo1Z5QRztgpQEocDahhPtq7h0FDiihpqg65U9RvHJPRqSROKWvyeOQlljkLZi7itw3Bt1_v-zXyZTKzaSni8N2IGwyDIcuGJarmFqgd2XwIPUTa8KmhxvRc6n-J2ojr19JY/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Closeup+of+Snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmVfqtceSJeo1Z5QRztgpQEocDahhPtq7h0FDiihpqg65U9RvHJPRqSROKWvyeOQlljkLZi7itw3Bt1_v-zXyZTKzaSni8N2IGwyDIcuGJarmFqgd2XwIPUTa8KmhxvRc6n-J2ojr19JY/s400/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Closeup+of+Snowman.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Guess what ... we had snow again in Atlanta. Big surprise, right? So glad we homeschool ... can't imagine if we attended a public or private school and had missed all these days. At least with homeschooling, we can play in the snow and then when everyone is freezing - head inside to dethaw and do some work.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-PJ1ajCm-t_OBccXi_FnTlK5pFJeJA_98DQ5nmdYM7G4TsT6v_iX7A80OoiRctJYNL91Z3S74w3SRh-dwdPodVPMgeHaWyZ2GnK7lg6p4moaV3_7VyoiVr3WcrYClZgC8WG7XGXZOE12/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Lexi+making+a+snow+angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-PJ1ajCm-t_OBccXi_FnTlK5pFJeJA_98DQ5nmdYM7G4TsT6v_iX7A80OoiRctJYNL91Z3S74w3SRh-dwdPodVPMgeHaWyZ2GnK7lg6p4moaV3_7VyoiVr3WcrYClZgC8WG7XGXZOE12/s400/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Lexi+making+a+snow+angel.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFEReDG3-qalC-BuDBooOK89knRkyjhERHWjci0lqCZTD0MG99_CMtZoHK0cXfNFSZOqf3znkCf8sKY5TfFjX78IOfbDUPtPAGFZc4xMn5N712MqKRJHRyVYf716ov0YVKcmap9ZXV9CF/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Berries+on+Tree+covered+in+ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFEReDG3-qalC-BuDBooOK89knRkyjhERHWjci0lqCZTD0MG99_CMtZoHK0cXfNFSZOqf3znkCf8sKY5TfFjX78IOfbDUPtPAGFZc4xMn5N712MqKRJHRyVYf716ov0YVKcmap9ZXV9CF/s400/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Berries+on+Tree+covered+in+ice.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFM_VCvDD2qWTdFQvSwAF6FlShp68WRs4oKbcG_PZc1HKtI3YbQ8H8aGL4N3ToHnyViiqUvh2jydDpQ0R9ExWtC4iMXwvD1kVmnKQr5sWUxYLKeH_UO8I56PLJ-TwjXAGsFH4eox7g7To/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Devin+with+Sled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFM_VCvDD2qWTdFQvSwAF6FlShp68WRs4oKbcG_PZc1HKtI3YbQ8H8aGL4N3ToHnyViiqUvh2jydDpQ0R9ExWtC4iMXwvD1kVmnKQr5sWUxYLKeH_UO8I56PLJ-TwjXAGsFH4eox7g7To/s400/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Devin+with+Sled.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwa2LfAHrOj76TgVvOdTyjEeMpgg8aMis85A9S4Ej6vG1cAWuj9OFB-qMawbbht8zHAYb4tXmoXQ1QCG7DPI-79i4VTEaXET-JZTmCSgYDNVAPh3Cvlt8XeJ11nZClG1PLvSUUYtS1kjx/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Girls+with+Snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwa2LfAHrOj76TgVvOdTyjEeMpgg8aMis85A9S4Ej6vG1cAWuj9OFB-qMawbbht8zHAYb4tXmoXQ1QCG7DPI-79i4VTEaXET-JZTmCSgYDNVAPh3Cvlt8XeJ11nZClG1PLvSUUYtS1kjx/s400/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Girls+with+Snowman.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirWanA40JlnJhje4cyyaaxfp-x0FTCMd1uMXXk5YASIFmnzasHlwSjQtzLxHPaIIsTYx6S4k4r1U3MKmZkStge9PkKP9G4lua7Q_0QM_CPhq3k7yFv9w8ySEjs9FNQD8Sl5X_A3oy363O/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Kids+Sledding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirWanA40JlnJhje4cyyaaxfp-x0FTCMd1uMXXk5YASIFmnzasHlwSjQtzLxHPaIIsTYx6S4k4r1U3MKmZkStge9PkKP9G4lua7Q_0QM_CPhq3k7yFv9w8ySEjs9FNQD8Sl5X_A3oy363O/s400/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Kids+Sledding.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKmpe1Qlpo0eAWh-6kA4jcAmV2pSDGXxaxFcoMXChiPg6OgN0pP1AsduORkjhMahgHKQEQyXAVeSINWiPsLv9rRT038RO2KKr7RDRHvNDsQaZPgejjm_LqggZgxq6fNrcswT8Et_cJ5GH/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Maggie+and+Snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKmpe1Qlpo0eAWh-6kA4jcAmV2pSDGXxaxFcoMXChiPg6OgN0pP1AsduORkjhMahgHKQEQyXAVeSINWiPsLv9rRT038RO2KKr7RDRHvNDsQaZPgejjm_LqggZgxq6fNrcswT8Et_cJ5GH/s400/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Maggie+and+Snow.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cNrYvnI-zp1MSNJ1NpOAlMfWydxSk-yqLdsZrGEf9VKZ7nfJYTCSsEbw7FoZO7KdJjgrrFK5bEa3IOCs53lb0DEGmKnniSb-SV1rl3np8851rjvMCiUdizWWdwYMqIN4ZA0Pz1SJdn1G/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Trees+with+Snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cNrYvnI-zp1MSNJ1NpOAlMfWydxSk-yqLdsZrGEf9VKZ7nfJYTCSsEbw7FoZO7KdJjgrrFK5bEa3IOCs53lb0DEGmKnniSb-SV1rl3np8851rjvMCiUdizWWdwYMqIN4ZA0Pz1SJdn1G/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Trees+with+Snow.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzQAc7yfiaH2UVAz3j_eMfOiUJDhk9BVFjIlwElNThMeF98xNIBaQNHkFXWn42ZB01yLdLFI0z2fC5gIKh92PsevfZY-ohSF9c_NyNsNB1aIA_dHaa83LzJByTicc3-S_2l5UcBscwV1j/s1600/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Tigger+at+Window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzQAc7yfiaH2UVAz3j_eMfOiUJDhk9BVFjIlwElNThMeF98xNIBaQNHkFXWn42ZB01yLdLFI0z2fC5gIKh92PsevfZY-ohSF9c_NyNsNB1aIA_dHaa83LzJByTicc3-S_2l5UcBscwV1j/s400/February+-+Snow+Day+2+-+Tigger+at+Window.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-16239541722864991992014-01-31T09:03:00.000-05:002014-02-01T09:09:01.451-05:00Snowpocalypse 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgk3V6U7LBTV4Umu-pGyc9hLGxh_sBDe0IZWOhzj__6shL3MgjcFfFag-9bdQEqjIv-rC5NokjapML1rZJ9wecz3gnC12NG6jqiPR3GTNwcEcTyHXnKVxseRae_s8MDQyu_GtyiK1EDD1/s1600/January+-+Snowpocalypse+2014+-+Looking+Out+Front+Door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgk3V6U7LBTV4Umu-pGyc9hLGxh_sBDe0IZWOhzj__6shL3MgjcFfFag-9bdQEqjIv-rC5NokjapML1rZJ9wecz3gnC12NG6jqiPR3GTNwcEcTyHXnKVxseRae_s8MDQyu_GtyiK1EDD1/s1600/January+-+Snowpocalypse+2014+-+Looking+Out+Front+Door.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Normally, the news of a possible snow storm in Atlanta makes me happy but, for some reason on Tuesday I was just not feeling it. I awoke around 3:30am to my weather radio app going off stating we were now in a Winter Storm Warning area. The night before when I had headed off to sleep the news was calling for a light dusting of snow here in our northern suburb of Atlanta ... that normally equates to a few snow flurries. Even the local weather forecasters at around 6:30am on Tuesday morning really seemed to still be downplaying any snow we were going to get. My husband headed off to work and the kids and I began our normal homeschool routine - we had no idea what was about to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When the snow began around 10:30am we had the typical flurries but, an hour later it was still coming down and appeared to be getting a little bit heavier. I texted with my husband - he said his office was going to release early but, still at that point later in the afternoon. I told him as long as he was on the road by 2pm I figured he would be fine. By 12:30pm when the snow began to really stick and the cars behind our home on a busy road were bumper to bumper I called my husband and told him best to get in the car and head our way. Needless to say, he never made it more than 1.5 miles from his office and even that short distance took over 3 hours. We decided his best bet was to head back to the office and wait it out or, plan to hunker down there for the night, like several of my other friends' husbands were doing at their offices. My husband was not able to actually make it back to his office by car ... he abandoned his SUV in a parking lot and hiked the rest of the way back - walking back into his office at 4:30pm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkQP53fcFPoOSdBB89XOh7E4zpN8Ea-_b_aQV0qSAfRWTxoj9PW3KcmXdrqwQjKd8YM8YaXLJsOirDmKaLYJyXuty3BvjuzzNZVMGogwtaYmak6vdPSwjEBtD746qk0IcqAuJYNLxfxEJ/s1600/January+-+Snowpocalypse+2014+-+Kids+In+Snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkQP53fcFPoOSdBB89XOh7E4zpN8Ea-_b_aQV0qSAfRWTxoj9PW3KcmXdrqwQjKd8YM8YaXLJsOirDmKaLYJyXuty3BvjuzzNZVMGogwtaYmak6vdPSwjEBtD746qk0IcqAuJYNLxfxEJ/s1600/January+-+Snowpocalypse+2014+-+Kids+In+Snow.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The day went on ... my husband and I chatted several times trying to come up with a plan - he had no food, did not have any winter gear with him other than a jacket, and his office was turning off the heat (<i>preferring people not stay there</i>) - we found no hotel rooms within 10 miles with a vacancy - he had attempted to get food from a Publix and Costco within a block or two of his office but, both had closed. Things just seemed to go from bearable to bad quickly!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The news began reporting the horrid situation ... people were stuck everywhere ... interstates were becoming parking lots. Jackknifed semis, clogged side streets, tons of fender benders, school buses not able to get kids home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When the kids and I sat down to an early dinner we prayed for protection for both my husband and all the people stuck in this mess.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Right after dinner I got on Facebook and found that an old friend from MOMS Club, Michelle Solictio, had begun a Facebook Group called SnowedOutAtlanta. What a miracle worker she was!! Hundreds of people at that point were offering up shelter or assistance to those trapped in the storm ... we posted offering up our home to anyone stuck on the road behind us either walking or driving. Later in the evening, we even attempted to help a man find a place for his 64 year old mother - who had been stuck for hours trying to get home. See she had remained at a local school getting all the kids on buses, so by the time she had attempted to get home it was too late. Her car had run out of gas ... her cell phone was dying ... she was on foot in East Cobb walking trying to find somewhere to go. I posted on my own personal Facebook page where she was and all of my friends in that area jumped into action offering up their homes. Thankfully, as she was walking to one of those homes her son found a friend in that area with a 4 x 4 vehicle who was able to pick her up and they decided to camp out at the Walmart just down the street.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqTFPE1Kq-VhGDqgT5g2btKs2h_KIBPshnxdXWk1JApXvnWM-zLpcVpGRTQB_4sveMVVrvAlbah3NkwUO1GWmRa_w3kT3Z2wgiob4fvDaP3Aiz96JBbmY7CGB9AkTUXTNvYDrN4WNLpWU/s1600/January+-+Snowpocalypse+2014+-+Sled+in+Snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqTFPE1Kq-VhGDqgT5g2btKs2h_KIBPshnxdXWk1JApXvnWM-zLpcVpGRTQB_4sveMVVrvAlbah3NkwUO1GWmRa_w3kT3Z2wgiob4fvDaP3Aiz96JBbmY7CGB9AkTUXTNvYDrN4WNLpWU/s1600/January+-+Snowpocalypse+2014+-+Sled+in+Snow.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And, then a gift from God ... a family posts on SnowedOutAtlanta they are willing to take in anyone stranded ... she describes where they are located and I realize it is just a block from my husband's office! I responded and she immediately posts her cell phone number. I call her and the first words out of this woman's mouth were "tell me what we can do". We chatted briefly and I immediately called my husband and gave him the good news ... he made contact and was off hiking to their home. This wonderful family blessed my husband more than they will ever know - they had even been through their own ordeal getting home. The husband had to abandon his own car on a major thoroughfare and hike home but, at 11:30pm they opened their door - welcomed my husband in - cooked him something to eat and gave him a guest bedroom for the night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The next morning we used SnowedOutAtlanta to check the routes my husband could possibly take home ... the family he was staying with gave him a ride to his car and he was off, as soon as we found the roads were open. Just 24 hours after he first left the office to come home ... he walked up our street (which was still to icy to drive up)! We were so happy to see him ... so thankful to people like Michelle and the family who took him in.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgQwXuzba5rScUFBwMAZcRcCOKTVuezZ11tU6ZOGPiChrtJPHBCbsRg-c-sVH9RDvFIHfMMuw5hL8jMM0TNsUQNh71Dx-qOfsEqrQ0emzUlSVUzL6xMf5Cbl8LfptpMbvoEJEf4SZ8L-I/s1600/January+-+Snowpocalypse+2014+-+Daune+Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgQwXuzba5rScUFBwMAZcRcCOKTVuezZ11tU6ZOGPiChrtJPHBCbsRg-c-sVH9RDvFIHfMMuw5hL8jMM0TNsUQNh71Dx-qOfsEqrQ0emzUlSVUzL6xMf5Cbl8LfptpMbvoEJEf4SZ8L-I/s1600/January+-+Snowpocalypse+2014+-+Daune+Home.jpg" height="400" width="301" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I loved being on Facebook and hearing all of these similar stories ... rejoicing with families as they welcomed loved ones home ... some who had to hike 5+ miles from their abandoned cars.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yes, there is blame to be shared and hindsight is always 20/20. We will all learn from this event - so many lessons. For now, I choose to focus on all the good that came out of that horrendous day ... and, that's all I am going to say about that!</span><br />
<br />Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-64113308238846349042014-01-14T15:44:00.000-05:002014-01-14T15:44:49.270-05:00Nature Studies in Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xPl6uLCce_qSq7KyZiqSJAlZIa5P21Jle78Ij0o8UtEnLv4dJzTJKZhBuOs_A_jTHssrxqcF0hWniyhk1-NigbI5gkeFn328U6YUbtGthTXpvjETDfyL5prePo4kxRvvAR3YgwrRJbW2/s1600/January+-+Birds+-+Window+on+our+World.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xPl6uLCce_qSq7KyZiqSJAlZIa5P21Jle78Ij0o8UtEnLv4dJzTJKZhBuOs_A_jTHssrxqcF0hWniyhk1-NigbI5gkeFn328U6YUbtGthTXpvjETDfyL5prePo4kxRvvAR3YgwrRJbW2/s400/January+-+Birds+-+Window+on+our+World.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In the winter this is our window to the world ... or at least, our front yard. It is a great place for us to do nature studies ... especially when it is just too cold to bundle up and head outside.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNa8QGs2SgCSj_7gGj0GCa-O_kMePtCA_TBUfIVBd4O_GSfwOpl4P-iC5x3Rb5up0QVUzx5xRAAwH868hXrrXefwDCAx4ONValhhH1C3HLXar_hgsYlomekrkwBgn4kQC_i4szd6E5PuL/s1600/January+-+Birds+-+Woodpecker+Nest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNa8QGs2SgCSj_7gGj0GCa-O_kMePtCA_TBUfIVBd4O_GSfwOpl4P-iC5x3Rb5up0QVUzx5xRAAwH868hXrrXefwDCAx4ONValhhH1C3HLXar_hgsYlomekrkwBgn4kQC_i4szd6E5PuL/s400/January+-+Birds+-+Woodpecker+Nest.jpg" width="257" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Lately, we have been fascinated by the woodpecker who has made this large hole in a branch on one of our trees .. unfortunately, he has been too fast lately going in and out for me to capture him on film. He darts in and out of this hollowed out branch pretty quickly.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7gZkJ8JExaZqOTG7ogTBWCmixkLR6ucERXYb7_cWXKEgFqbbEcAKZAqaMuD4vmBOghZlLxYt1yEWdPDGCCEfPxi9MRnG97lR16hhH27pkpOqkyCmo8jaSRHWpW3-uQOlAF4FwItUZHIi/s1600/January+-+Birds+-+Female+Cardinal+in+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7gZkJ8JExaZqOTG7ogTBWCmixkLR6ucERXYb7_cWXKEgFqbbEcAKZAqaMuD4vmBOghZlLxYt1yEWdPDGCCEfPxi9MRnG97lR16hhH27pkpOqkyCmo8jaSRHWpW3-uQOlAF4FwItUZHIi/s400/January+-+Birds+-+Female+Cardinal+in+Tree.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We have lots of male and female cardinals that visit our yard. They are so beautiful against the winter background.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiNZVd9UVQQalPivw2iEGP_jWgSWh5TdjnSNshIKoDdXYv13abNVJbbfeFOsVdt2tBFwrI-Jqpl-eA_I9P-RekQaRwRp7v27WRmfFQRLQvWcTJUt8XnSHOwNkr3Rh57q93DSmsOF5xmax/s1600/January+-+Birds+-+Cardinal+in+Yard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiNZVd9UVQQalPivw2iEGP_jWgSWh5TdjnSNshIKoDdXYv13abNVJbbfeFOsVdt2tBFwrI-Jqpl-eA_I9P-RekQaRwRp7v27WRmfFQRLQvWcTJUt8XnSHOwNkr3Rh57q93DSmsOF5xmax/s400/January+-+Birds+-+Cardinal+in+Yard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Some days we document the comings and goings of all the birds in our nature/art journals - other times we just snap lots of photographs.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3rCUBayGFxquZk-_qOEK7SlpFc-OefroqnQTu8ir7quuhyQwzffy6-fkzP7i5lhQLULaH2DFYMjy5KdNlqR5Rgpwij9sy_ZcUmMOyfWhSok02zxM3kmIk9U7kZLv0mcC0m0a_nHQZ97B/s1600/January+-+Birds+-+Male+Cardinal+in+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3rCUBayGFxquZk-_qOEK7SlpFc-OefroqnQTu8ir7quuhyQwzffy6-fkzP7i5lhQLULaH2DFYMjy5KdNlqR5Rgpwij9sy_ZcUmMOyfWhSok02zxM3kmIk9U7kZLv0mcC0m0a_nHQZ97B/s400/January+-+Birds+-+Male+Cardinal+in+Tree.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-55963699883188875522014-01-01T16:50:00.002-05:002014-01-01T16:50:45.824-05:00My Word for 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQswXNfShGiKbsAn5ZAbZiM_17r0eDURvWG3quvb73J8bw8OdYCqt9aq54ZkqdO7_m3eDg0RHkdAzvkzz22cBl4ZxrRiMTgGIQBQGouElXJmd8fohD4T7vQ0WUMvvJglODufLuApWWzxMw/s1600/January+-+Word+of+the+Year.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQswXNfShGiKbsAn5ZAbZiM_17r0eDURvWG3quvb73J8bw8OdYCqt9aq54ZkqdO7_m3eDg0RHkdAzvkzz22cBl4ZxrRiMTgGIQBQGouElXJmd8fohD4T7vQ0WUMvvJglODufLuApWWzxMw/s400/January+-+Word+of+the+Year.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>"Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in
whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means,
and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance
I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of
having abundance and suffering need." ~ </i><b>Philippians 4:11-12</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2014 a time for new beginnings ... this year I will place my focus on the word "Contentment". I will not dwell on the past ... I will be content with where God has me now in all aspects of my life. </span> </div>
<br />Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-58640522766255034492013-12-31T12:55:00.000-05:002013-12-31T12:55:31.411-05:00Looking Back {2013}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmcKXoYma80C_LFznNRShprJ6vdXUmX-2dbmq3rMJPLACf2omxzWPRfXULW9nIm3oltyJrh330Cf6aHwasW-Q7-ULqlNDgxSbbQCwa-DMW_fftPKXbekFl-KRzKydgXlbxWq9F5RG9vg8h/s1600/June+2013+-+Family+Reunion+-+Waterfall+-+Kids+Behind+the+Falls+BandW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmcKXoYma80C_LFznNRShprJ6vdXUmX-2dbmq3rMJPLACf2omxzWPRfXULW9nIm3oltyJrh330Cf6aHwasW-Q7-ULqlNDgxSbbQCwa-DMW_fftPKXbekFl-KRzKydgXlbxWq9F5RG9vg8h/s640/June+2013+-+Family+Reunion+-+Waterfall+-+Kids+Behind+the+Falls+BandW.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Tonight we will say good-bye to 2013 ... it has been a hard year to say the least. God had our family on a journey that required us to invest all of our time, money, and our hearts. We would never have imagined that the journey we were on would end this fall in such heartache.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While part of me would like to just pretend 2013 never happened I cannot look at it that way ... trials are a part of life. And, looking back at 2013 there were beautiful moments ... those were blessings in disguise now as I reflect on them ...</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod0HPUfXfPU573_OVXl5xhtvSKrxJu99anE0XHFI93dngrl1Kmo0WIlzwKvZ_1hWXo9kZuB54hcxJABlArN62JDye4at9y5lrQSmDZh_3_5z8wTYS9Nc2URpHpyLTNOxXkUn09b223qXE/s1600/Ballet+-+Lexi+and+Ava+Mae+-+Before+Performance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod0HPUfXfPU573_OVXl5xhtvSKrxJu99anE0XHFI93dngrl1Kmo0WIlzwKvZ_1hWXo9kZuB54hcxJABlArN62JDye4at9y5lrQSmDZh_3_5z8wTYS9Nc2URpHpyLTNOxXkUn09b223qXE/s400/Ballet+-+Lexi+and+Ava+Mae+-+Before+Performance.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<i>Lots of ballet ...</i>}</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOuUdyhrjkW6NJp4vAD258ocUbqb-0RTaz4NiWsm7DEdSE_JftPGPjcRXNQ5duJc9HlLcQ2a6SY-o2k_7_U2BdqzbmGob_GmYHpu0xAafz55ZzePti_0bLIADxuBnrENKn42RlrN93QEw/s1600/May+2013+-+Championship+Game+-+Devin+with+Head+Coach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOuUdyhrjkW6NJp4vAD258ocUbqb-0RTaz4NiWsm7DEdSE_JftPGPjcRXNQ5duJc9HlLcQ2a6SY-o2k_7_U2BdqzbmGob_GmYHpu0xAafz55ZzePti_0bLIADxuBnrENKn42RlrN93QEw/s400/May+2013+-+Championship+Game+-+Devin+with+Head+Coach.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<i>... and baseball</i>}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguc__DRlYDns9ZiU0NRAa0FIFi4GciJtQVYDGGAw3cMe37F2DChed8MLby-S6WNVZ4eM9_3mmznTTAapwZGc5ESJPw0QHbxZRngM80uZMUM1JJae3OyjYMICNuEUNeB6a1U82eRetg-SFz/s1600/February+2013+-+Rock+Climbing+Field+Trip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguc__DRlYDns9ZiU0NRAa0FIFi4GciJtQVYDGGAw3cMe37F2DChed8MLby-S6WNVZ4eM9_3mmznTTAapwZGc5ESJPw0QHbxZRngM80uZMUM1JJae3OyjYMICNuEUNeB6a1U82eRetg-SFz/s400/February+2013+-+Rock+Climbing+Field+Trip.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<i>Fun fieldtrips ... like this rock climbing one</i>}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1nOzDCtX2Y3nzE_a2dTnioXQj1BcbBuu1ndNhSl-gcmG15fetIAEyEQSOUxCiJMDYrKAqjpiWQlcDnaEdMutM1mCsQPhqtX5AQDd4vsAaX9PrvPX5dLNtmEdGdqysowhYWNinziSJwLU/s1600/July+2013+-+Latvia+-+Old+Town+Tour+-+View+from+5th+Floor+Restaurant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1nOzDCtX2Y3nzE_a2dTnioXQj1BcbBuu1ndNhSl-gcmG15fetIAEyEQSOUxCiJMDYrKAqjpiWQlcDnaEdMutM1mCsQPhqtX5AQDd4vsAaX9PrvPX5dLNtmEdGdqysowhYWNinziSJwLU/s400/July+2013+-+Latvia+-+Old+Town+Tour+-+View+from+5th+Floor+Restaurant.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<i>Our family spent a month in a European country ~ amazing lessons in culture and history</i>}</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabo20skNOuIuWojAMCVbQV_EwbzRnvXxUx9w0YIg1r8uYeevtaheq7JNo8bWpYc9YqXQuRj8Pz73lWoRFwWi1hpq-89V2tqu7KOeK-q_CrVSN28dlh-bPwhk8YhEZuzcfQuUW13IY2i-5/s1600/October+-+Girls+in+apple+orchard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabo20skNOuIuWojAMCVbQV_EwbzRnvXxUx9w0YIg1r8uYeevtaheq7JNo8bWpYc9YqXQuRj8Pz73lWoRFwWi1hpq-89V2tqu7KOeK-q_CrVSN28dlh-bPwhk8YhEZuzcfQuUW13IY2i-5/s400/October+-+Girls+in+apple+orchard.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<i>Fun times with friends ...</i>}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1joA-WRWABb2I6oXMtPZxVzEvInb9zWSFsUgWUq6unw0ePFxvMD4uyscszOabw9YM37Sdx8SLFtv5sta3DHj3LTb9FjCUrpK5D6B9MtDlACniemLsXkVwJk1V9yLvh4vhtI7djwk9Twf/s1600/June+2013+-+Family+Reunion+-+Group+Shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1joA-WRWABb2I6oXMtPZxVzEvInb9zWSFsUgWUq6unw0ePFxvMD4uyscszOabw9YM37Sdx8SLFtv5sta3DHj3LTb9FjCUrpK5D6B9MtDlACniemLsXkVwJk1V9yLvh4vhtI7djwk9Twf/s400/June+2013+-+Family+Reunion+-+Group+Shot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<i>... and family</i>}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXYoEhUX0hTUFgF9BZ9VIcq2MLeSM7KkB84S7vpxRCcPQ35OkHlaoZ5jiln8mdIWgHZGqogIJxC5JJIAhouk6KvtBo9gqqnrJmC4t4UCQ_TNO-FIZZ47WKZGAbLdHJpApy0TI7ahasoDn/s1600/December+2013+-+Ava+Mae+and+the+Grinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXYoEhUX0hTUFgF9BZ9VIcq2MLeSM7KkB84S7vpxRCcPQ35OkHlaoZ5jiln8mdIWgHZGqogIJxC5JJIAhouk6KvtBo9gqqnrJmC4t4UCQ_TNO-FIZZ47WKZGAbLdHJpApy0TI7ahasoDn/s400/December+2013+-+Ava+Mae+and+the+Grinch.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<i>Ave Mae cast as Cindy Lou in "How the Grinch <strike>Stole</strike> Found Christmas"</i>}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Good-bye 2013!</span></span></div>
Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-46191736025451947852013-12-25T17:33:00.000-05:002013-12-26T17:33:42.896-05:00Merry Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2WxxNhB5G3Eg5gptzXASow0zgLAONl42joxUFwogzxiaSB8WPEE4uTJ4zgCo51mbvoSkelB2GyNbxIWpc7xudEY4KvDltZUhf71go93MUsE8DVXr8A0dSnFosFzUynedBv2vZNhZJ76Z/s1600/December+2013+-+Christmas+Eve+-+Maggie+and+Kids+next+to+Christmas+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2WxxNhB5G3Eg5gptzXASow0zgLAONl42joxUFwogzxiaSB8WPEE4uTJ4zgCo51mbvoSkelB2GyNbxIWpc7xudEY4KvDltZUhf71go93MUsE8DVXr8A0dSnFosFzUynedBv2vZNhZJ76Z/s400/December+2013+-+Christmas+Eve+-+Maggie+and+Kids+next+to+Christmas+Tree.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hope you had a very Merry Christmas ... our family is enjoying some much needed downtime as we finish out the year.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Wishing you all the best as the new year approaches!</span></div>
<br />Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-8592420835179715062013-12-22T00:15:00.000-05:002013-12-22T00:15:02.982-05:00How the Grinch "Found" Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d5kfHnC2bT4iNhL91Z5vPaIsUWYfuWZzrS67MIrgER2XwBGzgOelfL13FsEGfs741uhLv0e7QQZN40SWEghqYgcX2YHn8CIAlP7LMLFRc19ph14V2SoKZ2z1AhwtBBFimDx_J3-w7vjI/s1600/December+2013+-+Ava+Mae+in+Cindy+Lou+Dance+-+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d5kfHnC2bT4iNhL91Z5vPaIsUWYfuWZzrS67MIrgER2XwBGzgOelfL13FsEGfs741uhLv0e7QQZN40SWEghqYgcX2YHn8CIAlP7LMLFRc19ph14V2SoKZ2z1AhwtBBFimDx_J3-w7vjI/s640/December+2013+-+Ava+Mae+in+Cindy+Lou+Dance+-+8.jpg" width="378" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last weekend we enjoyed the girls' ballet school performance of "How the Grinch <strike>Stole</strike> Found Christmas". Like two years ago, we had the privilege of having a daughter dance the part of Cindy-Lou. Ava Mae absolutely loved every second of rehearsals and performing. She took the role quite seriously, even deciding the choreography would be better with acrobatics - so we spent several months taking tumbling lessons so that Ava Mae could add in two aerials {<i>cartwheels with no hands</i>} to her dance. Ava Mae also had the blessing of having her very good dance buddy as the other Cindy-Lou {<i>there are two shows and a different Cindy-Lou for each show</i>} - so fun to be able to attend all practices with a friend.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDD7-B3IwL-o7bNHmpgz1IZP2639l2dwiKTL2gPo7-ROzy5Bk_S_P-GcvPE9mmgKKYQ-cawH65UaujzvlPD_YKUPrZwIaWBeunZ-PyI7Hq472p-YsmGwgC4EEk6Ich7hoCZinYIDkZRzcQ/s1600/December+2013+-+Ava+Mae+and+Lexi+Ballet+Dance+-+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDD7-B3IwL-o7bNHmpgz1IZP2639l2dwiKTL2gPo7-ROzy5Bk_S_P-GcvPE9mmgKKYQ-cawH65UaujzvlPD_YKUPrZwIaWBeunZ-PyI7Hq472p-YsmGwgC4EEk6Ich7hoCZinYIDkZRzcQ/s640/December+2013+-+Ava+Mae+and+Lexi+Ballet+Dance+-+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Lexi also enjoyed performing in several dances - including an amazing opening tap "Rockette style" number. And, for the first time Ava Mae and Lexi had a ballet dance where they performed together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1rWIu6El52MR8eYuZcBdfNV0m8Ge3Wl2ZdGBiO1wJ58FbmcU-uKCEmSS6JB_sJdaUuhCoGUu23FvjzVStDU_ZeOiWnQydCdKV5fioXXv70YesuTbk-Sjafpm1xq_zfu99qwiCoA4E0D5/s1600/December+2013+-+Ava+Mae+and+Lexi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1rWIu6El52MR8eYuZcBdfNV0m8Ge3Wl2ZdGBiO1wJ58FbmcU-uKCEmSS6JB_sJdaUuhCoGUu23FvjzVStDU_ZeOiWnQydCdKV5fioXXv70YesuTbk-Sjafpm1xq_zfu99qwiCoA4E0D5/s640/December+2013+-+Ava+Mae+and+Lexi.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Always love this performance of The Grinch... and though Ava Mae has repeated constantly how sad she is it is over ... I, for one, am glad to have a break from all the ballet school craziness for a few weeks.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNg0iQEbfnqLx9gI1grRJfiOvXQcRJDDhuVQM_IqT5jlqGJO8ONK2RkXpmAKcqV9KB0YUbvvxtiWKiqKY89Ia9Op8BvoHOz3fYRIzFYK_azA2QA4mstiXEjaKqh7IsBRsI9KOJPgkHNft/s1600/December+2013+-+Lexi+in+Blue+and+Silver+Dress+-+Circle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNg0iQEbfnqLx9gI1grRJfiOvXQcRJDDhuVQM_IqT5jlqGJO8ONK2RkXpmAKcqV9KB0YUbvvxtiWKiqKY89Ia9Op8BvoHOz3fYRIzFYK_azA2QA4mstiXEjaKqh7IsBRsI9KOJPgkHNft/s640/December+2013+-+Lexi+in+Blue+and+Silver+Dress+-+Circle.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">All photographs are courtesy of professional photographer, Andrew Savasuk - who did an amazing job shooting the performance!</span></i>Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-76284437446409839852013-12-10T16:02:00.001-05:002013-12-10T16:02:58.579-05:00The Advent Season Begins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajdwtdFDjyzjh9ME99cwkM6vRJGk-s5SQKodgGR2RPYXRS5iuDms8tsb9LMRHTxa9cv6DUKQ5AHsR4hOfgqJPCIYflHzwP5pMB9F47QvxKim1or8BJpPTrkfcV6MFMhw_xPRd12CBBQ7Z/s1600/December+-+Christmas+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajdwtdFDjyzjh9ME99cwkM6vRJGk-s5SQKodgGR2RPYXRS5iuDms8tsb9LMRHTxa9cv6DUKQ5AHsR4hOfgqJPCIYflHzwP5pMB9F47QvxKim1or8BJpPTrkfcV6MFMhw_xPRd12CBBQ7Z/s400/December+-+Christmas+Tree.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This year Christmas seems to have arrived more quickly than usual ... with everything that the early December calendar holds it is sometimes hard to come up for air. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ziRtkesv5nVivLizWPmjepVBH3vtIi8587eBqSAiQUYHS6vO784wxF1qAd7o197du5mTANoza6_Pdsalfi0K2qj7tU12waYtWmKgRYsc_DTk3-owr833s4ZlyLsawgzFsPX0LYqlMI55/s1600/December+-+Blog+Pic+-+One+Candle+Lit+for+Advent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ziRtkesv5nVivLizWPmjepVBH3vtIi8587eBqSAiQUYHS6vO784wxF1qAd7o197du5mTANoza6_Pdsalfi0K2qj7tU12waYtWmKgRYsc_DTk3-owr833s4ZlyLsawgzFsPX0LYqlMI55/s400/December+-+Blog+Pic+-+One+Candle+Lit+for+Advent.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">God has taught me a lot this year ... it has truly changed my heart and thinking about many things. One of those was the feeling that for us to celebrate Christmas we had to decorate a certain way, spend each day doing some sort of Christmas activity or baking some special treat. Not this year .. it is not to say that any of those activities are bad but, they are not necessary. I have been reminded several times during our Advent studies over the last week that to fully participate in this Advent season we must quiet our selves ... which is hard to do if we are not "quieting" our calendars. It is not easy ... and truthfully, I will be happy when the busyness of this week is behind us and we can settle into a slower pace. It reminds me of the last night we were in Asheville over Thanksgiving ... standing in the breezeway of my parent's mountain home - snow still scattered on the ground, the sun setting behind the mountains, and the absolute silence - other than a breeze rustling some fallen leaves. I felt - this is what it means to truly quiet ones soul. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbPsJ53MUSqGf8eEwAWyDxhGxeipZsnTSutmw5im878cChzsPhT-tWfVFHbWJdCyiseW69VLr0oxEmVyOiH6KLZ5c-b3FPnIsHmay8xoq4wynR9JcPLVKt1FdHe9iSvb_QfGTzMGrugk9/s1600/December+-+Winter+Night+-+Asheville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbPsJ53MUSqGf8eEwAWyDxhGxeipZsnTSutmw5im878cChzsPhT-tWfVFHbWJdCyiseW69VLr0oxEmVyOiH6KLZ5c-b3FPnIsHmay8xoq4wynR9JcPLVKt1FdHe9iSvb_QfGTzMGrugk9/s400/December+-+Winter+Night+-+Asheville.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As we dive into Advent this season, we are enjoying <i>Bartholomew's Passage</i> as our family Advent Study. Loved Jotham's Journey last year and this is another book in the series.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5L2pE-ac0jVgSGsm6eYPnHDcMQfQCTIWseot8Y8uipjNZhpi7YqoxM6MlE5UtukYVO16OXDXfVMNSVgAqpaIgaPKD1bOFSYeVqmUvkoZUD9IUbz6kEUZVV4kOjp_wXX_Cu5r_H1o43Fr/s1600/December+-+blog+Pic+-+Bartholmew%27s+Journey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5L2pE-ac0jVgSGsm6eYPnHDcMQfQCTIWseot8Y8uipjNZhpi7YqoxM6MlE5UtukYVO16OXDXfVMNSVgAqpaIgaPKD1bOFSYeVqmUvkoZUD9IUbz6kEUZVV4kOjp_wXX_Cu5r_H1o43Fr/s400/December+-+blog+Pic+-+Bartholmew%27s+Journey.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We are also keeping our focus on Jesus by, performing Random Acts of Christmas Kindness ... it helps the kids to keep their focus where it needs to be - rather than on gifts for themselves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLu-hxk9u9B7uKogJ0i3PvyC9VJ8Rgl_bYpoRmu7x-zENXq3uCHWH3kb2NOlXnNY8KMk5UzojDDR8KnvbBQH-MSgb0rRwJ2j2ePjW2u21aO2_iEHaMW3l5ZfrnZ99AuFLuUjJxBR7SbG-/s1600/December+-+blog+Pic+-+Kids+Delivering+Donuts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLu-hxk9u9B7uKogJ0i3PvyC9VJ8Rgl_bYpoRmu7x-zENXq3uCHWH3kb2NOlXnNY8KMk5UzojDDR8KnvbBQH-MSgb0rRwJ2j2ePjW2u21aO2_iEHaMW3l5ZfrnZ99AuFLuUjJxBR7SbG-/s400/December+-+blog+Pic+-+Kids+Delivering+Donuts.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Two recent acts of kindness ... donuts for our local police station and fire station and picking out a Christmas wish to fill with our local radio station's morning on air personalities.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaFODZ-GiqOTWHFYznok-3Ae81EZs7mNK0oms46Dsv6ZrAKk_381R6_Y8YlJFdj1_UBA1r9coSJ0mrzz2qRPLsJJNuJJvIY6sBIKjfI7crIo7xFTXNYM02TfTc4cxmQcKbCNoLv6WvkYZ/s1600/December+-+Blog+Pic+-+Kids+with+Kevin+and+Taylor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaFODZ-GiqOTWHFYznok-3Ae81EZs7mNK0oms46Dsv6ZrAKk_381R6_Y8YlJFdj1_UBA1r9coSJ0mrzz2qRPLsJJNuJJvIY6sBIKjfI7crIo7xFTXNYM02TfTc4cxmQcKbCNoLv6WvkYZ/s400/December+-+Blog+Pic+-+Kids+with+Kevin+and+Taylor.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-26320298603532570502013-11-30T21:30:00.000-05:002013-12-02T21:31:24.278-05:00Thanksgiving {2013}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbMfuKROgq8ZxjMrdjuGj9b8MCgF5dBlfL11WiHuK14eV0DgjcFuRe7e2S5zriMyAKbbeJc7romNBV6edHpVdmdu9DdBLVso_mAX9HvcnjkvMwCjR4CLNdHR9aeLhGHEDXEkXnjpXHg-7/s1600/Thanksgiving+2013+-+Family+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbMfuKROgq8ZxjMrdjuGj9b8MCgF5dBlfL11WiHuK14eV0DgjcFuRe7e2S5zriMyAKbbeJc7romNBV6edHpVdmdu9DdBLVso_mAX9HvcnjkvMwCjR4CLNdHR9aeLhGHEDXEkXnjpXHg-7/s320/Thanksgiving+2013+-+Family+Pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This year we had what we could only call the Hallmark Thanksgiving ... my parent's invited us to join them in Asheville for Thanksgiving at their new home on top of a mountain. It was just the time away our family needed after a very rough few months. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMh1bXy1KLC6w1dD0t8yvEuyuZQasLo2nrUMRfGl4YN5Qw4e7fILDgtoOdEMa_Df3V7Whhg1OiTOxhIG5MhYYbIhhZlmFnk29EUQozg7fUAXuTx3qZgghmLUD1Qtb8Asmo-AXCc2wnxED/s1600/thanksgiving+2013+-+All+Kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMh1bXy1KLC6w1dD0t8yvEuyuZQasLo2nrUMRfGl4YN5Qw4e7fILDgtoOdEMa_Df3V7Whhg1OiTOxhIG5MhYYbIhhZlmFnk29EUQozg7fUAXuTx3qZgghmLUD1Qtb8Asmo-AXCc2wnxED/s320/thanksgiving+2013+-+All+Kids.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We enjoyed spending time with family {<i>6 out of 9 siblings were at Thanksgiving Dinner</i>} and the kids loved playing with their cousins from Florida. My sister's little ones are just 1 and 2 years old and absolutely adorable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1h5TsH635FnZ8FvICENf2yMAOYmciHQK2msA2x2aOgYIOzHyPfL7dKPGocDpTB-kIuFf1FyHnaZEnwBIAiyDM1JU7qrxO2FTAHPIfM0RzUGZ0yt2gdlJ9lvKxNoZjhSfS4h9svy7-Rru/s1600/Thanksgiving+2013+-+Maggie+and+Ava+Mae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1h5TsH635FnZ8FvICENf2yMAOYmciHQK2msA2x2aOgYIOzHyPfL7dKPGocDpTB-kIuFf1FyHnaZEnwBIAiyDM1JU7qrxO2FTAHPIfM0RzUGZ0yt2gdlJ9lvKxNoZjhSfS4h9svy7-Rru/s320/Thanksgiving+2013+-+Maggie+and+Ava+Mae.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Even Maggie, our golden retriever, came along for our family holiday ... she enjoyed countless hours outside being walking by many members of my family. She is now depressed after coming home to what she now must realize is a boring life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MsFV7_aNR83mVV-MLjrigcmh6kpoMWkzsmgEopkEbAKz-5rLiEh6FYyxKK5Am_fVsNygi38v7rID4Y-gAhnaGPApg4oBFxsCATYKvkDpseiLIMytBI-KWM1NaZB-0sknEvF8v6307oET/s1600/Thanksgiving+2013+-+Me+Maw,+Paw+Paw,+Dev,+Lex,+Ava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MsFV7_aNR83mVV-MLjrigcmh6kpoMWkzsmgEopkEbAKz-5rLiEh6FYyxKK5Am_fVsNygi38v7rID4Y-gAhnaGPApg4oBFxsCATYKvkDpseiLIMytBI-KWM1NaZB-0sknEvF8v6307oET/s320/Thanksgiving+2013+-+Me+Maw,+Paw+Paw,+Dev,+Lex,+Ava.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And, what a blessing to be able to enjoy snow ... which arrived the day before Thanksgiving. {<i>Pictured above, the kids with my mom and dad and below, my parent's new home</i>}.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6F53KvaKzhH_5Lwynwu651sYk0VQZ9JhCPMhyphenhyphentJ6msx98zoE8k8mguaDKda-A0zGDGzKEk5a12rRgvofarUzbwBCmlaTAlDu0saGo45p11LWywYKzfKmxuQZrVudy5z7sgyHWc_cJ1Ca/s1600/Thanksgiving+2013+-+Panaromic+Shot+of+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6F53KvaKzhH_5Lwynwu651sYk0VQZ9JhCPMhyphenhyphentJ6msx98zoE8k8mguaDKda-A0zGDGzKEk5a12rRgvofarUzbwBCmlaTAlDu0saGo45p11LWywYKzfKmxuQZrVudy5z7sgyHWc_cJ1Ca/s320/Thanksgiving+2013+-+Panaromic+Shot+of+House.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-43337155130967871452013-11-14T11:02:00.000-05:002013-11-14T11:02:12.109-05:00Art Birthday Party {Painted Initial Canvas}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0NEkcdTfD26XKaR7VHnM3bJvp9-QpU6Vcsy9YCKKLvyMATXm1nTbM2KuOCbB6KZ7mMmRb4DLutranGBbgVcxgFfsRtPQXIEuroJzSYNfYYSXKS8wPbehsL3B9O9xwP-ZJVgHNNJzHMN7/s1600/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Girls+with+Paintings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0NEkcdTfD26XKaR7VHnM3bJvp9-QpU6Vcsy9YCKKLvyMATXm1nTbM2KuOCbB6KZ7mMmRb4DLutranGBbgVcxgFfsRtPQXIEuroJzSYNfYYSXKS8wPbehsL3B9O9xwP-ZJVgHNNJzHMN7/s320/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Girls+with+Paintings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When Ava Mae decided on an Art Birthday Party I turned to Pinterest for some inspiration ... </span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhd245JFZJMT3i5kHQXS4Q0ghOjdaAZImAPv5Mw06-Grt95q-zZkGsdbbNrPc7yv6-hcKhnnWQ0Q5S3A1s7tA3MiDCn3CnFz5T2W-4R3F-2kLoU-UrGKYqYOKRBxrDHYpJ0FbXBNCxGv6/s1600/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Art+Table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhd245JFZJMT3i5kHQXS4Q0ghOjdaAZImAPv5Mw06-Grt95q-zZkGsdbbNrPc7yv6-hcKhnnWQ0Q5S3A1s7tA3MiDCn3CnFz5T2W-4R3F-2kLoU-UrGKYqYOKRBxrDHYpJ0FbXBNCxGv6/s320/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Art+Table.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We decided painted canvases and jewelry boxes would be good projects for this age group. I covered our dining room table in butcher paper. And, each girl had supplies at their spot - canvas, paint brushes, paint tray.</span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-X8KYlOMSpGuhu0cepbalu6y9tFZxw2aCp_EY4g13ChngB_EqY-4WpbI5-reFHRShznkxlkXRxtL-o6L1tAYoXbo0DXOiWT5Dvpi4s9_SmAvfctvSklAifV02XAuw9cZiyb3iLsj18NJ3/s1600/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Ava+Painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-X8KYlOMSpGuhu0cepbalu6y9tFZxw2aCp_EY4g13ChngB_EqY-4WpbI5-reFHRShznkxlkXRxtL-o6L1tAYoXbo0DXOiWT5Dvpi4s9_SmAvfctvSklAifV02XAuw9cZiyb3iLsj18NJ3/s320/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Ava+Painting.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We had several color schemes to pick from for the canvases but, it seemed all the girls either wanted blue or purple. We began the project by taping each child's initial on the canvas. Then we had the girls paint a stripe of dark and a stripe of light colored paint down the canvas - one after another. It was not easy as I thought it would be - the pin I had did not mention that the tape might easily pull up. We had to have the girls constantly go over the tape with their fingers to get a tight seal before they started painting. </span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8yrO_42QTEZoAthRhUKlnnqWGQa8K2B2arIhyphenhyphen4Bex_1dTrKZZjVZsNXWY4wB1wvcjE8tbc6XC0pnUqqwQ_MVPmId-UWljvhrD1BhuFHgr5-BR21RWILDCSgybsqEA2TQVkLCFkWnkEFa/s1600/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Lindsey,+Maddie,+Lily+Painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8yrO_42QTEZoAthRhUKlnnqWGQa8K2B2arIhyphenhyphen4Bex_1dTrKZZjVZsNXWY4wB1wvcjE8tbc6XC0pnUqqwQ_MVPmId-UWljvhrD1BhuFHgr5-BR21RWILDCSgybsqEA2TQVkLCFkWnkEFa/s320/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Lindsey,+Maddie,+Lily+Painting.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When the paint dried we pulled up the painter's tape. Some edges still pulled up and paint got underneath during the process.Thankfully, I had purchased white paint and it was easy to touch up the canvases. Here was my daughter's finished canvas - </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuy9MCXD6L6Aocm1ydJl8aj2TUulDRe3XIV7PoD-giZa08bjJRJriXStD7VMdRk4Tfk7BjD43jf3Ef95NBCSOuIdH4nLWNIb24uki_1DXFaYtyAyqajJA4kAZHEjMTb_qOVpfhhAk_koSi/s1600/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Canvas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuy9MCXD6L6Aocm1ydJl8aj2TUulDRe3XIV7PoD-giZa08bjJRJriXStD7VMdRk4Tfk7BjD43jf3Ef95NBCSOuIdH4nLWNIb24uki_1DXFaYtyAyqajJA4kAZHEjMTb_qOVpfhhAk_koSi/s320/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Canvas.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Food for the party was simple ... we had lots of colorful things to pick from - fruit, veggies, crackers, and various dips. For the cake ... we did cupcakes. All were frosted in different colors and we added breadsticks which resembled paintbrushes stuck in a pot of paint.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMalMAC8XRIJBmGgoVU70lqlCxE6VJsDMUuizP9wSR1hQNA9FCT5AC-FYHUE083lkRgUtgUZDvImTkqKT9_RgCn9qBYvjaUfEfKjW9FEPUwwf6lvgI4gnGfeqcyPV-fe3MQwx537WBeIs1/s1600/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMalMAC8XRIJBmGgoVU70lqlCxE6VJsDMUuizP9wSR1hQNA9FCT5AC-FYHUE083lkRgUtgUZDvImTkqKT9_RgCn9qBYvjaUfEfKjW9FEPUwwf6lvgI4gnGfeqcyPV-fe3MQwx537WBeIs1/s320/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Cupcakes.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A bonus for this type of party is that you already have a nice favor ... we also gave the girls some art supplies in their favor bags to take home. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Linking this up over at <i><b><a href="http://seejamieblog.com/autumn-crafts/" target="_blank">See Jamie Blog</a></b></i> and her <i>Pinterest Challenge</i> for November. Hop on over and see what others have been working on ...</span>Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-29116827626355230002013-11-13T07:00:00.000-05:002013-11-13T07:00:07.326-05:00A Season Ends ... <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimB1aH6jnDm-5lQtKWPx4YPO0Ci0N6dSqm7sxuNnJmjmiDEGB6EGhPt4U3FE_n0CrUIyjUEOEyCsUaWSdbuH978-FEw7x2Atn_BMzbeYuLBIGGQgWndJSR5xNJiXTSeZamNHdCcvc0Wv3w/s1600/DSCN9153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimB1aH6jnDm-5lQtKWPx4YPO0Ci0N6dSqm7sxuNnJmjmiDEGB6EGhPt4U3FE_n0CrUIyjUEOEyCsUaWSdbuH978-FEw7x2Atn_BMzbeYuLBIGGQgWndJSR5xNJiXTSeZamNHdCcvc0Wv3w/s320/DSCN9153.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last month a season came to a close in our lives ... our adoption journey ended.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To protect Hope's privacy we will not be going into all the details publicly. It was a very sad ending but, we have peace in the way things came to a close.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thank you to all of my blog readers - who prayed for our family and supported us in our journey. Please know how grateful we are! Our ways are not God's ways ... we can only be obedient to him in faith and know that He is sovereign.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text 2Cor-4-16" id="en-NLT-28836"><sup>"</sup><i>That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are<sup> </sup>being renewed every day.</i></span><i> <span class="text 2Cor-4-17" id="en-NLT-28837"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>For
our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they
produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!</span></i>" <b><span class="text 2Cor-4-18" id="en-NLT-28838"></span>2 Corinthians 4:16-18</b>Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-42235516832514016832013-11-12T16:24:00.000-05:002013-11-12T16:24:10.683-05:00Ava Mae Turns "9"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchjwzeLqr7TQ690r4OeyNJMD_Hx_umVShobzTC_ZTWF1SDl59QGw6mTS4a2ADFh4IRAWptqBXGspp9SM5ofh0kli0P9u-l5lvrJeJPMmR-9zX8A3_SpyCixqJKIRhxrwAzFTWxe-lHuIM/s1600/November+-+Ava+Mae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchjwzeLqr7TQ690r4OeyNJMD_Hx_umVShobzTC_ZTWF1SDl59QGw6mTS4a2ADFh4IRAWptqBXGspp9SM5ofh0kli0P9u-l5lvrJeJPMmR-9zX8A3_SpyCixqJKIRhxrwAzFTWxe-lHuIM/s320/November+-+Ava+Mae.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last week Ava Mae turned "9"! She was finally brave enough to get her ears pierced with a gift card she received from MeMaw and PawPaw. We celebrated a few days after her actual birthday with an Art Party {<i>a more detailed post on that later</i>}. Ava Mae invited over seven little girls who all enjoyed an afternoon of painting. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishxfFkTl8sTom-0ej28owKuzrAunn3t7MxlfI7I0UAvbarsCCEITR7nVfHVwvaqq8v6h4r0bs859vG_yb7TAzJr0C_FSAJFjTblnaMun2jmgTJp9riNRDpIFlGlUsUZdV9T2VuIyO4Z4X/s1600/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Ava+Painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishxfFkTl8sTom-0ej28owKuzrAunn3t7MxlfI7I0UAvbarsCCEITR7nVfHVwvaqq8v6h4r0bs859vG_yb7TAzJr0C_FSAJFjTblnaMun2jmgTJp9riNRDpIFlGlUsUZdV9T2VuIyO4Z4X/s320/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Ava+Painting.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Such a sweet group of crafty girls ... everyone went home with a painted canvas sporting their initial and a painted jewelry box.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1aZtoIAHeRYJCsWWjGSSo6tfxLI_2aOGzOHtJ3u5YFJ6gWTMgJnUUDtCCGy7soymuhl5o9Yhq7fB2ihX3CoOd3GhXBs5CqLioV9KVpAPsmbvg9QdDzCk_RoX8UlOiSlsFeFxH7VyZGN6/s1600/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Girls+with+Paintings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1aZtoIAHeRYJCsWWjGSSo6tfxLI_2aOGzOHtJ3u5YFJ6gWTMgJnUUDtCCGy7soymuhl5o9Yhq7fB2ihX3CoOd3GhXBs5CqLioV9KVpAPsmbvg9QdDzCk_RoX8UlOiSlsFeFxH7VyZGN6/s320/November+-+Ava%27s+9th+Birthday+-+Girls+with+Paintings.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ava Mae our talented little dancer and acrobat! You are our vivacious little girl who never meets a stranger. Life with you is never dull!!! We love you!!</span>Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-49379716838637060952013-10-12T16:02:00.000-04:002013-10-12T16:02:01.079-04:00Lexi Turns "11"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrJXcU2g-ELeUQEbNwyqDtc1gJwrFwEnAX_qnsAtU40KK6kfQsJtEfsm4Zz9nOsKmObPRZr6K_qoWOTdp8MiHqE6QA7aOzuA3egDQ4AtnzWMxuc6L28jPSd0HFzG302NMUFaQy46Fehva/s1600/September+-+Lexi+Birthday+-+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrJXcU2g-ELeUQEbNwyqDtc1gJwrFwEnAX_qnsAtU40KK6kfQsJtEfsm4Zz9nOsKmObPRZr6K_qoWOTdp8MiHqE6QA7aOzuA3egDQ4AtnzWMxuc6L28jPSd0HFzG302NMUFaQy46Fehva/s320/September+-+Lexi+Birthday+-+3.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last month our ballerina girl turned 11-years-old. It was a low key celebration ... we had a family dinner out at her favorite restaurant - The Marietta Diner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A few days later we let her take a few friends for shopping and lunch after church. All the girls had gift cards for Bath & Body Works and Michael's {<i>two of Lexi's favorite stores</i>}.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-jjkL5VpC-oS0KhZgSvVwqCdWOKkDFVwDsNqiYwXrSHN8iKKWlbUAPWxRrB_g7NyEhvEgSLbwvIkGd2qwUSP83UzvG9wnfNTyHGUBIYaLE6exhu5NHiB1TkfPvJ53TtOICzNB4Rx4NHY/s1600/September+-+Lexi+Birthday-+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-jjkL5VpC-oS0KhZgSvVwqCdWOKkDFVwDsNqiYwXrSHN8iKKWlbUAPWxRrB_g7NyEhvEgSLbwvIkGd2qwUSP83UzvG9wnfNTyHGUBIYaLE6exhu5NHiB1TkfPvJ53TtOICzNB4Rx4NHY/s320/September+-+Lexi+Birthday-+2.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Lexi, you surprise us so much ... you are mature beyond your years but, also know how to be silly and fun. You light up any room you walk into and you have the ability to make friends easily. Some days I wish I could stop time and keep you that sweet little girl with two pigtails in her hair following me around the house asking to help take care of Ava Mae.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lgeFVTJv4Q4ZlAAi05K71F75G2_1E5lz_Oc6Pvjrgs8Eo4BzHIPIPG5Y8nsxuGJqF1sAazMakk1MDBPvB4qFXwyfFRFJI1TVw4yLkAshTY85-bKC3KXvMr4t1JSkq2W3l18ok9xGI_Pr/s1600/September+-+Lexi+Birthday+-+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lgeFVTJv4Q4ZlAAi05K71F75G2_1E5lz_Oc6Pvjrgs8Eo4BzHIPIPG5Y8nsxuGJqF1sAazMakk1MDBPvB4qFXwyfFRFJI1TVw4yLkAshTY85-bKC3KXvMr4t1JSkq2W3l18ok9xGI_Pr/s320/September+-+Lexi+Birthday+-+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thank you for the joy you bring to Dad and I!</span>Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-59504917980400099162013-09-21T19:44:00.001-04:002013-09-22T17:47:11.832-04:00Easy Orange Cranberry Scones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07dJiR087MXwmG7UE7EcZdFWU0Q4N5D4Rbg7hLWuwff9A8ShtpBl1mlSPsOD-91EeJOCv4oSSMX9XX3J1NwQwdmrpGXdjJySTCpu-_XZFyjgwx-YA8evG6cZicEfostnzaYa8AdRE7M_X/s1600/September+-+Lexi+making+scones.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07dJiR087MXwmG7UE7EcZdFWU0Q4N5D4Rbg7hLWuwff9A8ShtpBl1mlSPsOD-91EeJOCv4oSSMX9XX3J1NwQwdmrpGXdjJySTCpu-_XZFyjgwx-YA8evG6cZicEfostnzaYa8AdRE7M_X/s320/September+-+Lexi+making+scones.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am always in search of the perfect yet, simple, scone recipe. I like the Bisquick ones as they always seem to rise in a more uniform fashion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My daughter {<i>pictured above helping zest an orange</i>} and I attended a baby shower this weekend for one of the teachers at her ballet school. I was asked to bring my well loved orange cranberry scones. I decided I would finally write down the recipe I use and blog it for future reference.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nLkJbjBo_oGqMw7wnmswJbT4omF46GLXhzvFWhOH9GKHGZPWol3BGp0gDmvUvPcvkJB_Z4DeuaUcwYms4pcCrMem2REdpkniV0E2IDUWWW6klNnIDLoRFNfMzTWWUBDjVxqorD2IGN7i/s1600/September+-+Scones.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nLkJbjBo_oGqMw7wnmswJbT4omF46GLXhzvFWhOH9GKHGZPWol3BGp0gDmvUvPcvkJB_Z4DeuaUcwYms4pcCrMem2REdpkniV0E2IDUWWW6klNnIDLoRFNfMzTWWUBDjVxqorD2IGN7i/s320/September+-+Scones.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><u>Ingredients:</u> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3 cups of Bisquick</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1 cup dried cranberries (craisins)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1/2 cup orange blossom honey (I used Tupeolo Honey as I had run out of orange blossom) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2 eggs </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1/4 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed is best but, Simply Orange works too)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Zest of 1 orange</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<u><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Directions:</span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine Bisquick, cinnamon, and dried cranberries. Add honey and mix well. The add, eggs, orange juice, and zest - mix until all ingredients are combined - mixture should be moist, if not add a little more orange juice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2. Scoop out using a medium size cookie scoop onto ungreased cookie sheets.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes or until scones are a light brown on top.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Makes 18 scones. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<u><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Glaze:</span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1 cup of powdered sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3 Tablespoons of Orange Juice (more or less to your preferred glaze consistency) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While scones are still warm - brush with glaze. Store scones in an airtight container - best served the same day or the day after baking.</span><br />
<br />Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5363437845089985568.post-54332271330351963652013-09-20T21:47:00.000-04:002013-09-20T21:47:36.317-04:00Weekly Rewind {September 20, 2013}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwjjMCyo3S1qlQ2Whe4fVfwIK6j7sPAi2FYGS_QQrSGrxMC-NmaMZlkyt4gDJnznwy39frcK95iKnPD13yUYd3yNKB79YpVBX4Ze5wxvGErb63-ffW5qCxKuiZve4usbdXScUfFmAtiWp/s1600/September+-+Ava+Mae+as+Pirate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwjjMCyo3S1qlQ2Whe4fVfwIK6j7sPAi2FYGS_QQrSGrxMC-NmaMZlkyt4gDJnznwy39frcK95iKnPD13yUYd3yNKB79YpVBX4Ze5wxvGErb63-ffW5qCxKuiZve4usbdXScUfFmAtiWp/s320/September+-+Ava+Mae+as+Pirate.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Week four of school is behind us ... here is our week in pictures. {<i>Pictured above Ava Mae dressed as a pirate for Talk Like a Pirate Day - it earned us a dozen donuts from Krispy Kreme.</i>}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Devin pitched for the first time for his middle school baseball team. He was so excited and nervous! I was sad to miss but, had girls at the dance school that had to be picked up at varying times. Thankfully, my husband was there and could text me a play by play. :) Devin did a great job and had a good time pitching. It really was a surprise to us as we figured it would be a year before they allowed him to pitch. Loving his baseball team and the sweet boys and parents!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6J6_U4HQ2DKJhLi1ZsyjqwwG5CJ68yF5YHxYeve0uuhkLXmFiKwsl4LrKyqTsdDQZvsfDAg8CMZdGkQLoKG5izrrsw1dKDltTfTlDaXwP0HbhFWLZSAfZPO09SCWS_2vTfUa-PawNVV_/s1600/September+-+Sept+20+Rewind+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6J6_U4HQ2DKJhLi1ZsyjqwwG5CJ68yF5YHxYeve0uuhkLXmFiKwsl4LrKyqTsdDQZvsfDAg8CMZdGkQLoKG5izrrsw1dKDltTfTlDaXwP0HbhFWLZSAfZPO09SCWS_2vTfUa-PawNVV_/s320/September+-+Sept+20+Rewind+Photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Pictured above, Devin and one of his teammates during prayer after the game. Ava Mae doing a science experiment at Classical Conversations. Our history and science cards from school this past week. And, the last picture is Lexi and Ava Mae on a cool fall morning doing their school work outside on our deck - along with their golden retriever, Maggie.</span>Alicia Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485418214729726432noreply@blogger.com0