see ya 2011

Goodbye 2011-its been a pretty good year with only a few bumps and bruises along the way.
This year brought new responsibility with a job promotion, new vehicle, new peanut in the belly, we lost my mammy but she lived a great life.  The kids are thriving in school, sports and have enjoyed spending time with friends.  I love seeing all the kids jumping on the trampoline and giggling.

 Vacation for  2011 was great and relaxing and we have already booked vaca for  2012.  Lowel and I celebrated 7 yrs in marriage and spent a lot of time dating, renewing our marriage and falling in love all over again.....which is apparent with the peanut in the belly.  We made some changes to the inside and out of the house and have really enjoyed being a family, spending time with family and putting our marriage and kids first. 
My resolutions for  2012 is to take time to breathe, enjoy this moment and stop worrying about work and instead just be me and enjoy the journey that we are about to take even if that journey is a rollercoaster.

I'm prego

If you haven't heard by now we are expecting another baby. Due date is July but I already look 6 months pregnant......boy they aren't kidding when they say the 2nd time around your uterus pops right out there. I'm a few days away from my 4th month, 2nd trimester, and I'm looking forward to feeling like I have more energy. Working and pregnancy are working just fine together and I hope it continues. We are very excited, surprised and blessed. Can't wait to see you Baby Bolin!

I knew a day would come when my blog postings would get less and less, and apparently this is that time.  I hate it too cause I love blogging.  Life just sometimes gets in the way.  Life has been good to us lately and for that I feel very blessed.

What have we been up to lately....
Traveled to VA to visit my moms new house, spent Thanksgiving in TN, working, tore up carpet off steps, decorated for Christmas, doctors appt, Prestons half bday is coming up-I will not forget this year as I did last year at school-who knew they celebrated that, constant updating of the house, yardwork, events, changes are coming our way and every day life....thats what we have been up to.

Its been an emotional and busy year.  I got a job and a promotion, we had major house repairs to do, Preston was diagnosed with asthma, stepfathers funeral, grandmothers funeral, celebrated 7 year anniversary and stay tuned....thats all I can say.

Yes we are alive

I know its been forever since I have written on my blog.  Work has kept me busy and I got a promotion to Executive Director for the Chamber of Commerce so now Im even more busy if thats possible.  Im amazed at moms who work, volunteer, cook, clean, have kids, sports, events, activities and Im pretty sure thats why Starbucks stays in business.

Football season came to an end this past weekend and its sad and happy times here in the Bolin house.  We love football season but happy to see it come to an end when we are worn out from it.  3 days of practice a week, 1 game a week, being involved in everything football related, all the time and effort as a football mom, volunteering numerous amounts of time, hubby as football assistant coach and director this year, its nice to finally have a break.  The boys did great with only losing 1 game the entire season. We are so proud of them!

We finally finished our house from the water damage.  The outside has new siding and the hole in the house has been fixed.  No more hole in the wall, no more water and new floors to boot!

I went and did it after I swore I wouldnt ever not ever ever....got a mini van.  Yep thats right this gal is a minivan driver.  I still have my xterra but drive the mini van as well.  The kids love it.  All of the seats fold into the floor so its like having a pickup truck inside the van.  Lots of space,nice ride and will be great on trips. 

Preston is loving school, he loves his teacher he has straight A's and really likes going....what a change from last year.  Its his fresh start from all of the medical issues and personal issues we faced last year at school.

I will try and post pics soon of stuff we have been doing.  Later Gater.

Its hard to believe that in a week my little boy will be a first grader.  I have so many different emotions going on about this and he does as well.  His first question was how long am I going to be at school.  My answer was that you will be home a little after lunch, and his response was well I guess I will see you for dinner before its bedtime.  Thats his perception of school that if he isnt home for lunch then he must be home at dinner time.  Trying to explain the logistics of school to a 6 year old is not easy its just something he will have to see for himself the first day. 
The back to school supplies and clothes are bought and Preston and I
have been trying to do fun special things up until school time.  We have had breakfast at Tim Hortons together, dinner at DQ after football with friends, movies, park, you name it we have been trying to squeeze it into my work schedule.  I asked him what he would like to do most before going to school and he said bowling so the plan is to fit that in one day as well. 
At first I was apprehensive about taking this job but now that Preston is going to be in school full time for the first year I think it will be good for me to get my mind off missing him.  It will be hard not to have him here with me during the day, Im so used to hearing his laughter, fixing him lunch, playing with him ....getting chocked up now just writing this.  I wish they could stay little forever.  Im sure all mothers go through this but it doesnt make it any easier for this mom. 
To my family as you say your prayers please remember Preston next week as he goes to school and that he will be the fine young man that we all know he is, that he will be excited, loving, amazing, and a good listener.  That his fears and mommy's will be gone by the time the first bell rings for school.

This is a gooey ooeyy love sick post about my husband.  I will keep it short and sweet so you dont gag. 

I love my marriage, I hope that each and every one of you married can say that and mean it.  Being married isnt easy but when you find someone who makes you laugh, smile and happy then it makes it all worth it.  I feel that I am blessed to be married to a man I can talk to about anything, we laugh together all the time, we enjoy our time together, we hold hands  and we talk to one another over the phone or instant message throughout the day, it is nice after all this time after all that we have been through to still be so in love.

Lowel brought me home roses on Wednesday and then again on Thursday just because and its not the roses that make me love him.....its the just because!!!

To match the newly painted front door and shutters I also painted the mailbox and used my cricut to jazz it up a bit.

Sometimes storm damage doesnt suck after all

During a recent storm our house suffered some damage so we were able to get the house resided. 

Here is the before pics

Here is what is looks like now with darker siding and black shutters.  We also removed the large bushes in front of the windows.  We are looking at possibly putting on a front porch.

Front door house numbers using cricut

We had new siding put on our house while away for vacation (it was necessary there was storm damage).  Anyways, when I returned home I started painting the front door, mailbox and shutters to go along with our new siding color.  My old door was sage green with black lettering that said welcome but this time around I changed it up a bit.  Since my door is now black I used my cricut to cut out beige numbers and put the house number on the front.  I love how it looks and we have had so many people drive by and stop to say they love the colors of the house.  More pics of the house to come after we get the shutters back up.

I am still using my coffee filter wreath that I made last year, I just change the accent decor to match the season or holiday.  I still have up 4th of July stuff but soon it will change to football stuff since we are right around the corner from football season.

Working hard for the money, so hard for it daddy.

We don't always give the kids allowance, in fact we only give it to them when they ask. They know that asking for their allowance means that they must do the work that we tell them to do and it's not easy jobs, which is why they don't ask often in fact we have gone months without being asked. Today both kids asked for their $5.oo and then waited to hear what they had to do to earn it, sometimes it's inside jobs such as vacuuming, dusting, cleaning windows etc. Today was outside work cleaning up pine cones and other stuff from the yard that I had pulled from the flower beds. After about an hour both come up to us and asked if they can stop now and get something to drink....whoops we totally forgot that they were still working, we were busy mowing, cleaning out flower beds. The yard looks good thanks to the kids and I'm glad that they know they have to earn their money. Now if they could just ask for indoor work next time cause that makes for one happy momma when I don't have to clean windows.

Right before we left for vacation we got sad news that my 97 year old Grandmother had passed away.  She went very peaceful with my mom by her side.  She prayed that God would take her and I believe her faith in God was so strong that he did, right then and there.  She was an amazing Mammy to all of us and Great Mammy to the great grandkids.  Im so glad that Preston got to know her and he will always remember her. 
Here she is at Thanksgiving of 2010 with 3 of her great grandkids.

Here is her obituary . Normally I wouldnt attach this however I want to take this moment to brag about her, she was a very accomplished woman and spent her life teaching others in school and church and was honored on many occasions for her work.  If you want to know what a Godly woman is like then here she is........http://www.springhillfh.com/obituary/user/show/template?id=46162

We have been out of town for the past 10 days so today has been catch up day...catch up on life, work, cleaning the house, stocking the house with groceries, washing clothes and sleep.  We had a wonderful time at Cape San Blas Florida, the beaches were beautiful white sand, the water was crystal clear, the pool and the house were amazing. Here are more than just a few of the pics from our vacation.

Here are both grandmothers with the kids

We went to Gulf World one day in Panama City

Preston with Flipper

Trinity with Flipper

Mammy with her grandkids

Lynda with Tara and Katie

We woke up one day after a storm and this had been washed up on beach just a few houses down from us.  Its a hammer head shark.  It was already dead so we let the kids touch it....come on when are you ever going to get to say I touched a hammer head shark.  If the kids could of lifted this bad boy up we would of took a picture of them holding it as if they caught it themselves and none of you would of been the wiser.

I have a confession to make.....I pick up furniture off the side of the road for garbage and bring it home.  There I said it.  And let me be the first to clarify I never pick up stuff with stuffing, pillows or anything with material cause ewww thats gross.  I picked this console table up the other day that someone was throwing away.  It had a lose leg but hubby fixed that with his man tools then I spray painted it.  Im also convinced that spray paint was invented by a woman cause what man could come up with something that glorious.  Total cost of new console in my office $2 for the spray paint.

Fathers Day

Happy Fathers day to my wonderful Husband who is the best dad to our children,

To my Dad who has always made me laugh and has always cheered me on,

to my father in law who is always there when we need him,

To my brother who is experiencing his first year of father hood,

To my stepdad who is in heaven but is always with me and my family, who dressed up as Santa this past Thanksgiving for the family. 

To all of these men in my life I am thankful to have you, to know you and to love you!  Happy Fathers Day to each and everyone of you. 

Happy Fathers Day!!!

Happy Fathers Day to a wonderful daddy to the kids and dog and a great husband to me. 

Amen!

It's A Dad's Life

 With Fathers Day coming up I thought this was cute

Our day at COSI

Our day at COSI.  It was Dinosaur month and Big Machines week at COSI so Preston and I headed there this week when it was too cool to be at the pool.  We had a blast.  Here is your warning if you are not a family member....this post will contain a million pictures of my little man...you have been warned if you chose to move forward with the post and all the pictures.

Below is Preston trying to walk with dinosaur feet on

Climbing the wall

Digging for dinosaur bones

Dinosaur puzzle wall-make your own dinosaur

This dinosaur moved and roared-it was very life like

Big Machines.

Hanging from the crane

They allowed the kids to actually play with the equipment.  Preston moved dirt with a backhoe and made the bucket on the bulldozer go up and down.

Big Lego time

The not so innocent face after knocking down the legos.

It was a great day which ended with a visit to daddy's office since we were already downtown. 

Prestons 6th bday

Prestons 6th Bday party with family.  It was Thor themed he got lots of Thor toys, lego batman wii game, star war legos, ipod, new star wars beach chair for our trip to the beach in a few weeks, he even had a Thor cake. 

Happy Birthday my 6 year old boy!

Last day of kindergarten

Thursday was Preston's last day as a kindergartner.  It was bittersweet for me and just sweet for him.  He had field day and it was nothing like my field days used to be like.  His field day included big slides, water, dunk tank, laughter, and much more.  I was glad that I got to share some of his excitement on his last day with him at school and then we went and had ice cream with a ton of his friends.  Thursday night he spent the night with his friend Joseph.  It was the first time that he had ever spent the night away from us EVER in almost 6 yrs.  I think I was more nervous than he was.  He did great and had so much fun.  It helped that the house that he went to is like his 2nd home.  He is all grown I guess. Thursday was filled with so much excitement, first times, and new beginnings.   We couldn't be prouder of him.

 Congratulations Preston-we love you.  Your family and those in heaven are so proud of you!!

I picked up this cute little chalkboard the other day at Lakeshore Learning store while shopping for Preston's end of school year gift for his teacher.  The chalkboard was on clearance for $1.99.  I wasn't sure what to do with it yet so I added this saying for now with my chalkboard pens-I'm not a huge fan of chalk, I don't like the feel of it.  I smile every time I look at it since it sits above my kitchen sink , some of my friends know why this saying is humor to me and will get a kick out of it as well.  Cheers to all my friends in small houses!!!