Day #3...

...but I think the fever finally broke! One more day at home to actually eat something and get his strength back in time for pizza day tomorrow!

Day #2

Pete has sick ward shift today. He just emailed and said Jack just threw up again...that is 3 times this morning, poor kid. Gracie is breathing into her shirt and praying!

Home with a sick Jacky...

We can always tell something is up when Jack refuses to eat. He woke up about 10:30 last night and walked into the living room, covered in vomit. Bad bug flying around Conway. Please pray that he gets better quickly, especially by Friday - his big concern is that he will not be at school for pepperoni pizza day in the cafeteria. Please pray that Gracie does not get it, as we have our big home swim meet this Saturday.

Stay healthy...D

I LOVE MY HUSBAND

Want to know why? Because he spent about 4 hours of his Sunday (trip to Lowes, trip to Home Depot, back to Lowes) total to install a new beautiful light in our little garage entry way, so now we can actually SEE what is in our coat closet. Isn't he the best?!?! Who knew that by removing the can for the old recessed light, would cause a rainstorm of cellulose insulation? THAT was fun to clean up!

Thanks Pete...D

Drumroll please....

...100% on the 3D animal cell science project!

Swim meet on Saturday...D

I love my daughter...

...geometry homework tonight with Pete:

P: "If you plot these 2 points on the graph, your line won't go horizontally, it will go the opposite..."

G: "You mean Viagra-ly?"

Oh my...D

Entertainment

Click on the picture to view it larger. This is how my 2 thesbians spent their time while I was trying on jeans in The Gap. Pete was sitting out on the bench watching. He said they freaked out a bunch of people by moving just a little as they approached - Jack would take a lick of his sucker, Gray would move her arm.

And yes, I found some jeans...D

So Thankful Today...

...for the blessing of two fabulous kids and two outstanding report cards! Jack started reading groups this week. He is very proud of this big step!

Trip to the mall this weekend to spend birthday money...did you know that Gracie is "the only 5th grade girl in America who doesn't own a shirt from Abercrombie?" Tragedy...D

It's a great day!

Happy Happy Birthday to my fabulous Mommy! Love you to the moon and back!

Stuff

This is a fantastic original painting that I received for Christmas! The artist?...none other than the beautiful and talented Nancy Karl. The frame was made by her equally handsome and talented husband Fred Karl. We are honored to have their handiwork in our home! If you click on the photograph to make it bigger for viewing, you can see Pete's workshop in the painting through the window. Do you also see the indoor wood shutter that is on my office windows? AND...the vase is an actual vase in my collection. Thank you Mom and Dad Karl for such a special gift!

And this is the painting's new home!

Cute picture of Pete making coffee

And then there are these two cutie pies in their striped shirts before school. Nana Brown - thanks for mailing back Jacks favorite shirt.

G had a swimathon fundraiser yesterday. She swam 2oo laps in 2 hours, which is 5,000 yards. Last night was the best sleep she had in a long time! J and I went to go see the Chipmunks 2 yesterday - cute movie. Today we are doing J's writing assignment, and researching for G's science project due in a few days - a 3D model of an animal cell.

The carwash was FINALLY open today...D

Have you chosen a focus word for 2010?

A word that challenges you, sums up what you want to accomplish in the next year, may help to give your actions focus and direction, can be used on many different levels.

Denise's word...share
Pete's word...appreciate

Gracie and Jack are still thinking...D

A Little Slice of Happiness

You may be wondering why the very first picture of our weekend getaway is a pizza with the center eaten out of it. Let's just say leaving a loose Daisy Duke in the car while we grabbed a bite at Burger King did not turn out to be a good idea. She proceeded to throw up in her kennel enroute. Good thing she was riding in Pete's truck.

And here is the little jewel of a retreat Pete found for us near Marshall, AR, about 40 minutes from the Missouri border. It sits on 320 acres of gated property, perfect for four wheeler riding, and has a 22 acre lake in the background stocked with bass. Cows roam free and came to greet us on Saturday morning. The cabin looks like a small, unassuming cabin from the outside, but you will see from the following pictures that the place was AWESOME inside.

View from the back - 2 levels, each with a screened in porch. Sleeps 12 total.

The view of the lake and the dock from the back yard.

Sitting by the outdoor fire pit, complete with Peter-built fire for me!

This is the living area. The front door is right behind Pete. Beautifully equipped kitchen, even a Christmas tree, TV/DVD with Dish satellite.

This is the living area from the kitchen. Behind the 2 chairs is the stair leading to the lower
level where the kids hung out.

The fireplace with our bedroom in the background.

Gracie chilling and sharing the peace.

Jack with his train. And yes, it was the coldest weekend so far this year in Arkansas, and Jack is in shorts.

Lower level - separate bedroom with queen bed.

The kid zone - 2 queen beds, game table, TV...

...and 2 more twin beds. Gray and Jack were in paradise in their own 'apartment' - just like in Cape!

Working on my latest project - a sports scrapbook for Gracie.

What a pair

And yes, there was a RECLINER! Perfect for snuggling with your purse dog.

Oreos anyone?

Grilled cheese and tomato soup during the Liberty Bowl. Razorbacks won! Side note...the kicker for East Carolina was named Ben Hartman.

Super Snuggler = Jackson Karl

MY MAN

Lovin' on G

And this is what we woke up to on Sunday morning! Like something from a Christmas-cabin-in-the-woods postcard.

Thanks to my wonderful husband for this special getaway!

Revived and refreshed to tackle 2010, and Monday...D

Btw...Pete wanted to post his resolutions...

1.drink more bourbon
2.smoke more cigars
3.burn more gun powder
4.smile

Happy New Year!

We are heading to a cabin for the weekend, up near Clinton, AR, where Pete's hunting lease is. 300 hundred acres of gated hunting ground, good for four wheeler riding also. Looking forward to hanging with the kids, reading a good book by the fire, and taking on my next scrapbook adventure - Gracie's sports. Oh, and the place is pet-friendly too!

Denise's Resolutions:
1.do a better job at remembering family birthdays - I was HORRIBLE in 2009.
2.exercise
3.plan a girls weekend in Chicago
4.bring a new puppy into the home
5.kids get to take a trip for each of their birthdays instead of a party
6.take more time off from work
7.learn how to make a killer dessert
8.don't sweat the small stuff

Love to all in 2010...D