Closed for the Season...

To Whom It May Concern:

I began blogging back in the day on MySpace as a way to say some of the things I felt needed to be said, but at the time I had no outlet in which to say them.
As my blog progressed, it somewhat told the story of me and life lessons that I was learning at the time. Through time, my blog has become a way for a lot of you to keep up with the happenings of our family. Lately, and let's be completely honest here, it's just been lame. The posts are few and far between and I try to come up with things to say just to let you in on the happenings of our life. Not that Belle and Ashton couldn't keep us entertained for weeks though.

Today is another new day for my blog. I'm closing up shop for the season. I don't really know what direction I want to take this blog right now. So, I'm going to sit and think on for a while. There are enough Coupon Mom blogs to make me want to gag! At this point I'm not really looking to make money blogging. I could post endless updates on me and family, but I find myself seeking solace these days. For those of you who genuinely care, I will be opening a new blog to keep you all posted on my family. It will be for invited readers only. So, if you want to be invited, you must let me know. As for me, I have so much to say, but I'm just not sure where to start or how to say it all...at least for now. Those of you that really know me know it won't last forever (or even long for that matter). So, before you think of stealing my catchy and clever hook line...think twice, I will come after you! ;)

I will leave you all with one final note. The garden has grown wonderfully. We have feasted on its wares all summer long. I made 18 jars of blackberry jam this week. I can't wait to share them with everyone. We have tried to share our harvest with as many people as possible. We have had a really great summer.

Belle is obviously bored and ready to start school. So, it's a good thing that it starts this Thursday (AHHHH!!!! I can't believe this day has arrived.) She is reading up a storm, and informed me the other day that her brain was "computering all the time". Ashton is just one amazing little guy. He is so smart, in an "engineering" sort of way. He can put together a puzzle like no other 3 year old I know. He also LOVES hard work. He is always asking to help do things. Last Saturday, he carried a dining chair across the yard. I tried to help him but was informed that he could do it himself.

A baby bird made its home in one of the flower pots on our porch. This week it fell out, and its mom obviously abandoned it. Brian and the kids rescued the bird. Belle and Ashton named her Annie. They took her to the pet doctor where she was well-taken care of and sent to a special home to recover.

I am currently reading Amos Yong's "Theology and Down Syndrome". I must admit I was a little envious (ok, a lot envious) when "Amos" wrote a personal reply on Dr. Alexander's facebook status...SOMEDAY! After 35 years, I have come to the realization that I really enjoy working with my hands - crafts, gardening, canning, yard work, etc. Was I born in the right century? Maybe I spent all this time and money just to figure out that I should have been a hairdresser!? (Just Kidding!!!) But, I am enjoying this break from school. School is just a whole new ballgame when toddlers are in the mix. I learned so much last year. I am also thankful that it is complete. I am also thankful that I had a wonderful husband who supported me the entire way and took a lot on his plate to help me finish. But, enough of that mushy stuff.

I found a statement on someone's facebook that has enamored me for the moment. It said that the grass only looks greener on the other side because they have more crap to fertilize it with. I think that is probably true. I will ponder that thought until LOST returns in the Spring and gives me something better to think about!!! ;)

Finally, my dear friend and her husband are about to adopt a new baby. They are about to launch their website which will tell their story and help them raise the funds needed for the adoption. So, please check back here for a final post with a link to their blog. I know they would appreciate your prayers and support.

I appreciate those of you who took the time to read my blog and even comment sometimes. Writing brings me so much joy. I plan to keep doing for a very long time, even if it is absent from this venue for a while.

Sincerely (and thanks for your support),
Kelly

DELETE

It pains me to tell you that I accidentally deleted the video of the "groovin grannies". I almost cried. Ok, well I did tear up because all I could think of was all the money we would never see because it would never be posted to YouTube or seen on AFV. So the above image will have to suffice. Just imagine Elvis singing "You Ain't Nothin But A Hound Dog" in the background, and the three of them reminiscing about their younger years.
Our garden is now full of treasures. Those of you who are local are sure to get some. It is full of things that only I will eat. I still can't get over how big the sunflowers are. It really has been a lot of fun to see the kids watch it grow. It really is an amazing thing to see God's creation at work. Some of the tomatoes are now turning red. The tomato plant in the picture has about 30 tomatoes on it. We have also now picked two peppers and four zucchini. AWESOME!!!!


I haven't been blogging much. By this you could assume that I found something to fill my free time. Honest truth is - I let my kids stay up until almost 10 every night. It is so fun to play outside with them until dark! By the time I get them in bed, I have lost all motivation. I have been catching up on every TV show I missed for the past 10 months. I have enjoyed it, but it's getting old. None of them seem to compare to LOST, and I know I have better things to do with my time. I also loathe reality TV. So, what's a girl to do? Something productive, I suppose.


Back to our treasures...these are the blackberries that are also growing. I hope they are sweet, but I'm not sure we have had enough rain. By the way, I am actually going on vacation next week...at my house, but it's vacation none the less. I'm so excited to spend dawn to desk with my babies (who aren't so little anymore).
I'm not making any promises, but will try to keep you up on all the fun.


I have nothing profound to say. But, I will leave you with one more photo of me in my graduation get up. Yeah, I'm proud. No comments from the peanut gallery (yeah, that means you Nic). I know it took a long time, but at least I finished! Hopefully, the next one won't take quite so long.

Dazed and Confused

I have had a lot of mixed feelings about this blog of late. I have thought on more than one occassion that maybe it was time to leave this blog behind and forge on to new and better things. But, I know that there are some of you who really want to know what is going on our little neck of the woods.
So, since life is slowing down a bit, I plan to let you in on some of the happenings of the last month...especially GRADUATION!
I will be posting some pics and videos. I also have a great video of my Mom and her sisters dancing to Elvis at my cousin Michael's wedding. It is PRICELESS!
So, if you gave up on me, please keep checking back. Besides, I have to do something with all this free time on my hands!

Update

Hello Everyone...whomever you may be -

I am almost finished with my thesis. In fact, I will hopefully finish my writing tomorrow and turn it in on Monday or Tuesday. I can't believe I'm actually going to finish. There were days when I thought I would never get there.
Also, I made a 100% on my Counseling Skills mid-term. I haven't gotten my Gospel of John mid-term back yet. It is hard to believe that there are only 3 weeks of class remaining. When the thesis is done, I will have about 4 papers and a lot of reading to do, plus 2 finals.
*(As if you all really wanted to know the gory details!)*
The kids are growing so fast. They are quickly approaching 5 and 3. Belle went to the train museum today. Ashton is all about his "tricks". They usually involve jumping and crashing himself into the floor, couch or trampoline.
We had to move mid-March. Our big, outdated, 70's looking house was mold infested. So, we packed up the whole joint and moved - not before disinfecting EVERYTHING mind you. We are finally getting settled. Just for future reference...moving and writing a thesis don't mix. BUT, we had some great help. We were blessed with great friends and family who helped us get it done in just about a day and a half. You know who you are - THANKS A MILLION!
Also, for those of you wondering where the last post went. If you really want to know, you are welcome to ask and I will happily give you the answer. Otherwise, you will have to suffer in silence.
Maybe, just maybe, you will be hearing more from me after next week.
Until then...

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Well, since I never finished Christmas reporting, I feel like I'm safe using Christmas song lyrics for my title.
My kids are in this.....

...and once again the snow COMPLETELY bypassed good ole' Clevegas.
Honestly, my heart is sad that they experienced their first real snow without us. They made snow angels and snow men. (Hopefully, I will have pictures to show!) Evidently, Belle was quite the rage with her stories about the different types of dinosaurs. She is quite fascinated with the T-Rex who eats meat and "we are the meat". You just have to hear her tell the story.
Ashton, on the other hand, plays the shy guy. I think it's his own mysterious way of getting attention. Of course, once he decides that he likes you, he won't shut up. He is discriminating. Whereas Belle just doesn't care.
Anyway, here is another picture of the snow and even though it is dark, you can see about how thick it actually got.



I'm back to the drawing board!

Signs of the Times

Well, it has been a month since I've written anything. I still haven't finished posting about Christmas and the New Year, Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras have all passed and before I know it St. Patrick's Day will be upon us.
So, here's a short briefing of life (for those of you that care) and for those of you just being plain nosey, you'll just have to wait for the juice! ;)
We had a great new year in Richlands with Matt and April Quesenberry and their children Luke and Anna. I have known April since my first semester of college. She is actually the reason I came back to Lee after my first semester. It has been wonderful to walk through different seasons of life together, and it is most fun to be able to watch our children play together.
Both kids are doing great in school. Belle is reading up a storm. Ashton is talking up a storm. Both of them are so precious, smart and beautiful. Yes, I am their mom. I am biased, but every word I just said was true. Belle had a "penguin program" in January - so cute! They both had fun Valentine's parties at school.
We have had flooding issues in our house that we are still trying to get fixed after more than a month has passed. I am almost finished with my internship. It has been a lot of fun. They have taken really good care of me, and I truly appreciate the relationships that I have been able to build there.
The rough draft of my thesis is due Monday. So, count yourself lucky that I took time to even write something. Three months until graduation and counting!
March will prove to be no less busy, I'm sure. The kids will have fun school activities and field trips. I will be working on the final draft of my thesis - along with the thousand other things that I do. I will thank God with every breath and continue to count the days to May 30th.
Lately, this blog has been a place just to keep you up on our life and to show you some pictures here and there. I'm sure that I will have some stuff to share later on, but for now I have enough writing to do. So, I hope you will understand. If you really need to read something from me, I'll forward you an exerpt of one of my papers.

See you in the funny papers!

Ice CreamIER

Belle's field trip to the IMAX left Ashton feeling a bit left out. He kept saying that he wanted to take a field trip with Daddy. We decided to do something that we want to make a new holiday tradition for our family. The first Monday after school was out, we picked up Grandma and the five of us headed to Athens to the Mayfield Dairy. We thought that we were going to see cows being milked and the whole nine yards. Actually, what we got was a short video followed by a tour of the plant where they bottle the milk and package the ice cream. They have a cute little gift shop and an ice cream parlor. The best part was the red hair nets that we wore on the tour. It was really a fun day. It was so cold, but here we were gobbling up our ice cream. FUN, FUN, FUN!!! I can't wait until school is out in December this year. I wonder what new flavor they will have for us to try this time?

Fun Sunday

School let out on Friday the 19th. Nana and Papi came to visit that weekend and deliver their Christmas present to the children. That Sunday, the kids also sang two little songs at church. This is also the same Sunday that they received their reply letter from Santa. Needless to say, it was quite a weekend. Both sets of grandparents were on hand for the wonderful song and dance (literally) at church. If I can figure out how to upload the content from my video camera, I will post video of that as well. In the meantime, here they are in their beautiful outfits and having fun on the trampoline!

Christmas Goodies

Some of us love to bake and create at Christmas time. I am one of these people. Here is a picture of the lovely Rice Krispie Christmas Tree that I made for Belle's Christmas party at school. January is almost over, and I am still making homemade Chex mix (a long tradition in the Woodard family line!). I realize that Valentine's Day is upon us, and I'm still wrapping up Christmas. Without internet service at home, it can be a little trying to keep you updated at time. Sometimes, I think the people at Panera get tired of seeing my little face.
Oh, the kids at Belle's school also had a lovely little program for us that day. I will post video later on. I'm sure that you will love it. Meanwhile, bask in the glory of my creation!

Reply Requested...and Granted

Well, I think these last few posts will be short and sweet to get us caught up to the new year. I think the pictures and the videos will say a lot.
This is a picture of the kids at the Cleveland Post Office. They set up this nifty little box where kids of all ages can drop off their letters to Santa. Both of my kids wrote their letters. This year, Belle was actually able to write it all herself. She did have to have some help with spelling, but overall she knew how to do it herself and was proud to let us know! The nice thing about this specific box is this - if you write your return address on the outside of the envelope, you actually get a letter back from Santa (with a lovely coloring page too). At the end of the holiday season, the Cleveland post office actually sends the original letter that the child writes back to the parent. Someone in the post office is certainly thoughtful and thinking of all of our scrapbooking pleasures. The kids received their letters back on a very cold Sunday. They were very excited that Santa thought enough of them to write them back.
So, for those of you who don't do "Santa" with your kids...PLEASE, don't ruin it for mine. These years go by so fast. I love to see the excitement on their little faces. Besides, I've decided that I'm like the guy from Polar Express - I may be 35, but I still hear the bell ring. Hopefully when my kids are 35, they will still hear the bell too!

The Polar Express

Belle's December field trip was to the IMAX in Chattanooga to see the Polar Express. We had never seen the movie before. What a great way to experience it for the first time. We loved it so much that we took both kids back with a couple of their friends after school and work were out for the holidays. It is one of our new favorite movies. Although, I must admit that sometimes the animation seems so real that it creeps me out a little. One of the best parts of watching it in 3D with youngster is watching them constantly reach out to try and touch things! Belle kept sticking out her tongue to try and catch the snow. It was also a consensus that it was really cool, neat and awesome when the train almost smashes into your face. The video below is of the kids playing in the lobby before the movie. We all brought sack lunches and ate them in lobby before the movie. I forgot how much I loved field trips as a kid. It was just as much fun, if not more, as a Mom. I love seeing her smile. As a result of this fantastic field trip, we decided to take one of our when school was out. More details in a post to come. I tried to upload some cutie patootie pics of us in our stellar 3D glasses, but kept getting error messages. I'll try to add them again later. For now, you can enjoy the v v video.

Decorating the Tree

...gets more fun every year. I'm so glad that we have a "makeshift" tree full of the wonderful treasures that our children have made. I wouldn't have it any other way.
We started decorating Thanksgiving night at Papa and Grandma's and moved the fun to our house the day after. Thought you might enjoy the pics of our fun. The first picture is a tent they made at Grandma's while we were decorating the rest of the house. Don't you just love the way they decorated the outside with stockings?






I just love this time of the year. Honestly, I'm sad it's gone.

Lee Christmas Tree Lighting

The Christmas Tree Lighting at Lee was our first "official" event of the Christmas season. It was a cold night, but we had fun. The kids got to meet Santa and Mrs. Clause (although she was a bit overbearing and certainly a "FEMINIST" - even I was weary of hearing her talk of how Santa got all the glory while she did all the work!). We drank cider and ate cookies. At one point, we weren't sure if the tree was really going to light up, but alas it did. Grandma joined us for the grand event. Afterwards, we took the kids inside to warm up and play a little. The Christmas Tree became the "Kissmas" Tree as the college students cozied up for a intimate dance party. Let's just say that PDA certainly didn't bother them. All in all though it was a fun way to kick off the season, and we got a free photo opp with Santa. Who can beat that?

The Gingerbread House

Our second grand event of the Christmas season was building our very own gingerbread house. It was so much fun. The kids ate as much candy as they put on the house. You know you're in trouble when you see your kids scraping sugar off the counter with their fingers. (It's even worse, when Dad swipes the sugary candy off the iced roof every time he walks by! By Christmas' end, our Gingerbread house looked like it had been through a hail storms because of all the holes left where candy balls once held residence.) It was a great experience. The kids loved it so much that they made a second house with their Nana when we went to SC to visit. Making a Gingerbread house will definitely be a new Christmas tradition in our home. Maybe next year, we will try the Gingerbread Sleigh or Christmas Tree or have a Gingerbread making party. I seem to be all about having parties at our home lately. If you're lucky, maybe you will be invited (HA! HA!)

Catching Up...

Well, it has been well over a month since I've written anything.
I was told to "get to it". So, I'm back.
I'm going to split up the past month into several blogs. That helps us both...you won't get bored with one long post. And, I can take my time writing them.
Hope you feel all caught up in the end.