A Day in the Life of a Lackey

Rockies Team Pictures

2011-11-03T10:43:00.000-04:00

Tonight we had team pictures for the Rockies. It was a cold, rainy and just plain nasty night. Tyler knew that he did not have to play a game that night so when I told him to get dressed he had a meltdown, a complete meltdown. After 20 minutes of sitting in a laundry basket ~~crying~~ wailing we made it to the church for our pictures. I just told him that when everyone else is so excited to play in the Spring to just remember the laundry basket and not to ask for us to sign up (not that I think that is even a worry at this point)!

Lucy Jane

2011-11-03T10:42:00.000-04:00

Sarah loves Lucy Jane and I deeply wish that the feeling was mutual from Lucy’s side. Lucy was our third cat and by far the tiniest animal that I have ever owned. She fit in Chad’s shirt pocket when we brought her home and we nursed her with a little dropper for a couple weeks until she was old enough to eat. She has always loved Chad and I but has equally hated noise and other people. I think Lucy has been in a hibernating state since we had Tyler and then Sarah and now Mack and Molly have just put her into a tailspin. Nonetheless, Sarah is in awe of this animal and here is a moment when Sarah actually caught Lucy to “play” with her.

Playing at Nana & Pop's Creek

2011-11-03T10:05:00.000-04:00

Tyler and Sarah love playing in Nana & Pop’s creek. There are all kinds of critters, plants, rocks and water – cold water. Every time the kids are there for more than 20 minutes they are asking to go to the creek. Tyler likes it more than Sarah but they both like to walk down there. In fact, this was the first time that Tyler coaxed Sarah to walk in the creek for more than 5 steps. And, when she got wet she still played which is unheard of for her! It brings back so many memories of all the times that we played here as kids. We love to just be outside for a breath of fresh air and the feel of cold water in our toes.

When Did It Happen?

2011-11-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

When did Sarah go from a baby to a little girl? These pictures tell it all – no more baby in our house. Just a genuine sassy little girl!

(winking)

Sand Art

2011-11-03T09:58:00.000-04:00

I always have these great ideas for doing projects with the kids after Tyler gets home from school. Some days we actually end up doing a project and other days we just end up hanging on the couch depending on how busy school was that day. Today, we decided to do sand art. The kids loved it and really concentrated on what they were doing. We made bracelets, bottles, necklaces and a gigantic mess. I am pretty sure that I will be cleaning up sand for a loooonnnngggg time but they had fun and that is all that matters.

Just Loving Life...

2011-11-03T09:31:00.000-04:00

I adore my family and these two provide me with endless smiles....

A Weekend with Hunni-Bear

2011-11-01T22:43:00.000-04:00

Tyler was beyond excited to be chosen to bring home Hunni Bear. The coveted little bear is from Miss Hunnicutt and is awarded to one special student each week. You get to bring Hunni Bear with you everywhere for the weekend and then get to be the special helper for the entire next week. Tyler also got to take a book to share with the class and had to write a summary of the weekend. Here is our summary:

I was so excited to have Hunni Bear spend the weekend with my family. We all had a great weekend. I let Hunni Bear hang out the sun roof with me and even sit on the roof of Mom’s car. We went to my Nana & Pop’s house to spend the night on Friday. They have a really big yard with a creek. We got to take Hunni Bear down to the creek to see the rocks, water and fish. I had to wear my “creek boots” so I would not get all wet. On Saturday, Hunni Bear played Indiana Jones with me on my fort. We were really tired and went to bed early that night. On Sunday, we went to church and then out to lunch. After lunch, we went to my Gran & Papa’s house to play for the afternoon. Hunni Bear and I played Indiana Jones with Papa (he was the bad guy)! Thank you Hunni Bear for spending the weekend with me. I loved having Hunni Bear this weekend and look forward to being Miss Hunnicutt’s helper this week!

Love,

Tyler Lackey

Have I mentioned that we are really loving Kindergarten now?!?

GOOOOO ROCKIES!

2011-11-01T22:29:00.000-04:00

We Tyler decided that he was ready to try a sport this year so we chose baseball. I told him that he could not play until he was 5 so the day after his birthday he was ready for sign-ups. It did help that Dalton was also playing baseball and they had the opportunity to be on the same team so we went for it. Tyler signed up for the Rockies through Hebron and enjoyed going to practice for the first couple times. He did really well hitting the ball even from the coach’s pitches and has a pretty good aim when throwing the ball to another player or coach; however, the fielding is another issue. Like all 5 year old ball players, there was a lot of dirt twirling, airplane pointing, arm swinging and just plain disinterest when he was stuck in the outfield.

We were so excited for our first game (minus the fact that they chose royal purple for little boys to wear – not a popular color choice for them). Tyler looked adorable in the uniform and he was so excited to see all the other players geared up and ready to go. We had a successful first game and beat the other team to start our season off on the right foot. When we were leaving, Tyler said that he had a great time and that baseball was fun. Two days later we had another game to which Tyler exclaimed, “What? You mean we have another game? I thought that we just played one and then that was it. I really didn’t know that I was signing up for so many of them.” With 10 more games this season, the verdict is out on whether or not we will like it – regardless we will be there as part of the team. Go Rockies!

Three Years Old

2011-09-09T13:19:00.000-04:00

It is so hard to believe that three years have already passed since we were blessed with Sarah. It doesn’t seem like that long ago we were headed to the hospital for our induction, yet, I cannot remember life without her here. Sarah has been such a special, sweet addition to our lives and has definitely brought us much joy, excitement and fun. I feel so lucky to have been chosen as Sarah’s mother. She teaches me new things every day. Things about patience, love, understanding, compassion, stubbornness, being headstrong, loving the little things in life, embracing the power of a popsicle and even that ice cream really is a good breakfast food. I have enjoyed the last month that Sarah and I have spent together 1:1 as Tyler started Kindergarten. It has been such fun to have some girl time and some “mom & me” time that we have never been afforded until this year. I have so many hopes and dreams for Sarah and what she will become, but for now, I just leave it with her favorites for now…..she has so many!

· Although you fight, you adore your brother and you actually stood in the middle of the yard when the bus took Tyler to school and screamed “Why are they taking him again?”
· You LOVE candy of any kind (just like your mom)!
· You are my coffee buddy and love to snuggle up with a cup of coffee and a movie.
· Your favorite movies are Shrek, Dennis the Menace, Little Rascals and Harry and the Henderson’s.
· You like to be scared and live for that little feeling of fear (even if you watch something scary with your head under the covers).
· You keep moving from sun up to sun down.
· I often say that you have ‘muddy toes and hair bows’ which pretty much sums you up. You like to be prissy as long as you can still get dirty.
· You love to ride the Gator in the backyard.
· You have great affection for Mack, Molly, Bella and especially Lucy (even if she doesn't really like you back).
· Favorite Foods: Popsicles, Chobani yogurt (peach and strawberry), olives, pickles, cheese and Sun Chips.
· Favorite Songs: The Children’s Song (We Are the Children), Country Road by James Taylor and any other toe-tapping gospel.
· You love to cut paper, you know your ABC’s, 123’s and we are working on recognizing all the letters and sounds.
· You are often found playing store or taking our “orders” for an Italian or a sandwich and asking us to recite our phone numbers for payment.
· You are headstrong, passionate, loving, creative, respectful, thankful and most of all wonderful.

I am blessed beyond measure to have you in my life and I cannot wait to see all that you become. Thank you Sarah for just being 100% you!

First Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-09T15:33:00.000-04:00

We are finally here. The first day of kindergarten. The day that everyone always talks about with mixed emotions. The day that every child longs for with that sense of adventure and independence. And, the first day that this mama really has to let go and see what happens. I have been excited about this day for some time and really was not sure what to expect. My anxiety certainly did not let me down.

I spent Sunday night holding Tyler until he went to sleep and then held him some more. I came to realize in that moment that there would not be that many more days he would want me to hold him while he drifted off to sleep. There would not be that many more days that he longed to twirl my hair and have me wrap my arms around him so he felt safe. The days slip away all too fast and you realize this in an instant. So after Chad took him to his bed I did what any other mom would do on the night before your baby starts Kindergarten, I cried and then cried some more. Not because I was sad but because I was proud, excited and nervous all at once. I reflected on the days when we first brought him home and all those feelings that are surrounded by those moments. I reflected on the days when he went to preschool for the first time and the separation issues that were all too real. I reflected on the last year that I ended my career so I could soak in every moment of him while he was still "little". And I reflected on how I am immensely grateful that I had the opportunity to be a full time mom and soak it all up. Chad and I reflected and cried together which was great.

So now it is Monday and I have my game face on. My little guy is ready for this new journey and I can see in his eyes that he is terrified, excited and curious. With tears streaming down his face, he made the walk to the top of the hill to catch the bus and we were right by his side. As I stood in line with the other kids and Tyler standing with me, I was trying to be encouraging as I was breaking on the inside. Those little tears almost killed me and I so wanted to scoop him up and snuggle on the couch. But, I didn't. The bus stopped and the neighbor took him by the hand, his big 8-year old hand, and told Tyler that it was going to be a good day and everything was going to be alright. The doors closed and in that moment I knew he was going to be just fine. I came home with Chad and Sarah and cried some more. Nobody can prepare you for the feeling you have when your baby rides away with a stranger to an unknown world. So you just trust that they will be there to give him a hug when he needs it and encourage him that it will all be okay in a way that only you can.

I have never longed to see a bus drive down my street the way that I have today. The absolute best feeling was to see those doors open and my smiling, full of pride 5 year old bounding down those stairs. He smiled from ear to ear and told me of all the friends that he made that day. How he went to the cafeteria and ate lunch, he went to recess and music, learned math and reading while I sat at home wondering. I am so proud of Tyler. He is such a sweet, caring, loving little boy with just the right touches of bravery and apprehension. And each and every day he carries my heart in that book bag. Here are a few pictures of the day:

Waiting for the bus.

Sarah was excited until he left.

Heading for the bus line.

Nervous getting on the bus.

Right before I completely lost it!

Waiting for her best friend to come home.

Best thing I saw all day :)

Tyler in all his silly glory!

Love you buddy to the moon and back! Cannot wait to see what this year holds for all of us.

5 Years Old.....Really?!?

2011-07-15T21:28:00.000-04:00

WOW - it is so hard to believe that Tyler is 5 years old. Time literally is flying by and while I miss those sweet, little, cuddly days I am equally excited that he is a healthy, vibrant, intelligent 5 year old little boy. There is not a day that goes by that I am not amazed by what he has learned, what he says and just his all around awesomeness. Here are some of your favorite things right now:

The Wii and DS in particular Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars and Harry Potter
Movies: anything that Sarah did not pick :) but really you still like the westerns, you like anything black and white (you are an old soul so to speak) and you have gotten to the stage where you like movies with people rather than cartoons for the most part
Generally speaking, you are shy and like to not be the complete center of attention
You are so ready for kindergarten and cannot wait to get on that bus
You are still really, really sweet and caring
You love your sister more than she knows and you are a very protective big brother
Daddy is doing a good job teaching you how to be a loving husband one day since you make sure that you tell your sister and I at least once a day that we are beautiful and that you love us (one day a lady will be lucky to be yours)
You love to be a helper
You have mastered saying yes ma'am and no ma'am to get your way
We just signed you up for baseball this Fall will be your first experience with that
You know all your letters and sounds, just a step away from reading
Sleeping in your own bed all night is still a challenge but we are getting there
You love fireworks and anything explosive
Favorite Foods: any kind of fruit, peppers, cucumbers, corn, salmon, olives, rice and gum
Favorite Color: red
Eyes are turning green
You are almost 4 feet tall and 54 pounds
You are mature for your age as I hear this all the time
You are loved more than you could ever know

I am so blessed to watch you grow. You are tender, quiet and loving. I cannot wait to see how you change and grow this year as we embrace kindergarten and all it has to offer. You, my dearest, are simply amazing and I love being your mother. Thank you God for entrusting me with this truly wonderful little boy.

Tyler's 5th Birthday Party

2011-07-10T22:33:00.016-04:00

We had Tyler's party this weekend and just kept it low-key with his best friend, Caleb and two cousins, Dayton and Dalton and of course Sarah too. We also had other family come over and celebrate all things Tyler. We started the day at Monkey Joe's which is always a hit for the kids and the adults as well. After a couple hours, we headed home for pizza, cake and presents. We had a G.I. Joe party this year. Not because he loves G.I. Joe, but it was on super clearance at Party City so it definitely took the cake this year.

Tyler got everything that he wanted and more. I love that he identifies who the present is from and has to sit with that person to open the present. He expresses his excitement with the gift, delivers a hug and then thanks the person for the present. It is really sweet and totally unscripted by his parents for once. I hope that he makes everyone feel as loved as he does from them. Thanks to everyone who celebrated the day with us. We love you all!

After everyone had left the house and T took the nap pictured above, we shared the following exchange:
T: "Mom, I don't really look 5"
Me: "Oh, honey, you won't be 5 until Wednesday"
T: Sigh. "You mean after the party and everything, I am STILL 4? I can't believe this."

Soon enough you will be 5! Enjoy your days as much as I do!

Pigtails

2011-06-12T22:20:00.002-04:00

I don't think that words can describe how unbelievably adorable I think pigtails are on my little girl so here are some pictures:

Cousins

2011-06-12T21:21:00.000-04:00

We are so lucky to have cousins that live close to us on both sides of the family and ones that we actually like is a serious bonus! But, we have the pleasure of spending every Tuesday this summer with two of the sweetest little boys on the planet, Dayton and Dalton. I love them to pieces and probably love them almost as much as Tyler and Sarah do. It makes my heart smile to see them all together, they all get so excited to see one another and I know as they get older it will only get better. Here are some pictures from our first Tuesday together - 4 kids, 1,000 laughs and 0 arguments - what more could I ask for?

Sarah's Style

2011-05-22T23:13:00.000-04:00

is unmatched by any other.

Love her.

Kindergarten Registration: Say it Ain't SO!

2011-05-12T22:10:00.001-04:00

We had T’s kindergarten registration today. He is really excited to go to school and all things that encompass school. We decided to make it a really special day for him so we took Sarah to Mom & Dad’s and it was just Chad, T and I for the day. We headed to Puckett’s Mill Elementary for orientation which was really just filling out some paperwork while T roamed the library. He just walked right in and went to the other side of the library from Chad and I to check out the books. After registration, we headed to Chuck E. Cheese for some fun – T really soaked up the fact that it was just us and we were 100% focused on him for the day.

The day was bittersweet for me. T has always been a little shy and it takes him awhile to come out of his shell when he is in unfamiliar territory. However, today he did everything without looking back and was even interested in spending time in a classroom. I realized today how quickly time flies with my children. It is hard to believe that he is almost 5 and already starting school. Sometimes I look back and think where did all those newborn and toddler days go? I have no regrets with the amount of time that I have gotten to spend with Tyler or Sarah; I was even afforded the opportunity to stay at home with them full-time to soak up the days. But, that still doesn’t change the fact that time literally flies by when you are raising babies. I try to savor these sweet moments, forget the bad days and just bottle up their smiles, laughs and hugs. Here is to change in the fall…maybe I can embrace it with dry eyes!

Happy Birthday, Caleb Farr!

2011-05-01T21:54:00.000-04:00

T’s best friend and one of my favorite little boys, Caleb Farr, turned 5! I remember like yesterday when Hollie and I were pregnant and expecting these two blessings and now they are both turning 5 (have I mentioned before that time flies). Anyhow, we went to the party and had a great time. Just kids being kids and loving every minute of it. We enjoyed spending time with Josh and Hollie and loved the festivities. Happy Birthday, Caleb. We look forward to spending many, many more birthdays with you and LOVE to watch you grow! You are such a blessing and we love you.

2006

2011

Zoo Atlanta

2011-04-18T22:06:00.000-04:00

We made our first trip to the zoo with Ashley, Dayton and Dalton and had a great time. The kids loved seeing all of the different animals especially Sarah. I had to remove her from the rhino exhibit as she was heading under the fence to just “pet it”. I am convinced that she will have some profession that deals with animals – hopefully a vet and not a circus J We looked at all the zoo had to offer, rode the train, climbed the rock wall, rode the carousel, played on the playground and just plain had fun. Thanks for the invitation to go to the zoo Ashley we had a great time!

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-17T21:32:00.001-04:00

Easter Egg Hunt

We attended the Easter egg hunt at our church on Saturday. Tyler and Sarah picked out special Easter baskets to take in order to collect the most possible eggs. They were poised and ready to “hunt” for the eggs. Sarah’s group was first and she quickly filled her basket with all kinds of pretty eggs.

Here she is showing Tyler her loot and getting a lesson in how to open the eggs the fastest. He was impressed with her egg hunting ability. Now we were ready for Tyler’s hunt. He planned out the best place to start with the least amount of children, the most egg capturing potential and the biggest eggs. Here is Tyler:

When we were finished with the hunt and walking back to the car we asked Tyler and Sarah what they thought. Sarah loved it and expressed that by all of the chocolate and other candy crammed into her mouth. Tyler said that he was disappointed. When we asked why, he told us that it was not a “hunt” and they should call it an Easter egg pick-up next year. Apparently, when he says “hunt” he means he wants a hunt. Maybe next time!

Patience

2011-04-12T21:05:00.001-04:00

–noun

the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation,annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss oftemper, irritation, or the like.

an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness orannoyance when confronted with delay: to have patiencewith a slow learner.

quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence:to work with patience.

Cards (chiefly British ) . solitaire ( def. 1 ) .

Also called patience dock . a European dock, Rumexpatientia, of the buckwheat family, whose leaves are oftenused as a vegetable.

Obsolete . leave; permission; sufference.

Whatever the definition, Lord, please grant me more tomorrow. Thank you. Amen.

Happy Birthday Jean-O

2011-04-08T21:24:00.000-04:00

My great aunt, Jean, just turned 89. She is a trooper. When I think about all the things that she has seen in her lifetime, I am truly amazed about how much she has seen. From her parents traveling in a covered wagon, literally, to losing everything to fires and storms to having 7 older brothers and sisters passing on before her it is just amazing to think about all the different things that she has seen and done. Her days are now mostly spent alone with the television and her little dog, Lollie, by her side. She is blind, diabetic, has broken her hip and now has trouble walking for very long, her mind goes in and out sometimes but through it all she keeps on trucking. My Mom is her primary caregiver which is a daily challenge for both of them. I think my Mom's wings will be bigger in heaven for what she does for Jean - that is where she will be rewarded for the daily chores that she does because I know that she doesn't get the praise that she deserves on earth.

For Jean's birthday, we took her out to go shopping for a new bedspread, lunch and the Dollar Store. Yes, simple things seem big when you don't get out much. I think she had a great day and slept well that night!

Tax Season

2011-04-06T21:15:00.000-04:00

Is almost over. Thank you LORD! It has been a rough couple of months for me, the kiddos and especially Chad. He was working Saturdays which is not happening anymore (fingers crossed there are only a few Saturdays left in this season) but he has been working ridiculous hours during the week. We have stopped having dinners as a family and it is definitely dark when he gets home. My hat literally goes off to single parents, how in the heck do you do it? Being the entertainer, caregiver, housekeeper, cook, chauffeur, lawn care, teacher, wife and friend is hectic when you are doing it from 7am to 8pm every day. I honestly have no clue how single parents keep their heads above water. Kudos to you all!

The positive of not having Chad home very often is that we realize how important the time that we do have together is and there is a lot less wasted time. It has made us notice what contributions each member of the family brings to the table and we appreciate each other more.

I am so looking forward to April 21st when the tax deadline has passed and the period for amendments has come and gone. Easter should be great this year, it is really late and I think that is the perfect planning of God to allow the tax world to enter Easter with a clean slate!

Good Intentions

2011-04-06T21:00:00.000-04:00

I have such good intentions with this blog. I am going to update it regularly, use it to keep everyone updated on the happenings of the Lackey's (if there is anyone out there that cares), jot down funny things the kids are doing as well as milestones that we pass, yadda, yadda. The reality of it is that I just forget about it and by the time that I have a minute to sit down and write something I inevitably have one hundred other things that I put first. So, here is my attempt to post something and maybe I will do it more often. Maybe.

Painted Toes and Feet and Floor

2011-04-04T23:03:00.000-04:00

Sarah is obsessed with painting her toenails lately and T has no problem joining in every once in a while. He likes to paint and he just takes the toe painting as something fun to do which I have no problem with if they can stay quiet while I hold a conference call or two. He is a great big brother and typically plays along with all of the craziness that Sarah and I do. One day he will make a lucky lady really happy :)

Sarah's Painted Toes

T's Painted Toes

I told T that I was going to give this to his kindergarten teacher and this was his response!

Magic Carpet Ride

2011-03-29T22:53:00.000-04:00

What do you do on the hopefully last day of a rainy week when the kids are going absolutely stir crazy and you have run out of movies to watch? You go on a "magic carpet ride". We had a blast running around the house until our carpet went a little too fast and a passenger fell out into the bookcase. Before the injury to the carpet rider occurred, we were having a great time...we just go slower now!

Snow (and Ice) Storm 2011...Take 1, 2, 3, 4, 5....

2011-01-31T21:34:00.000-05:00

We were really excited to have a white Christmas this past year, it is the first time that I remember having one in Georgia. It was a lot of fun (other than Chad having the flu) playing in the snow with the kids. When the second snow of the winter rolled around we were excited as well. "Plan for 8 inches of snow," the weather people warned on television. Chad and I rolled our eyes and thought that we would get a couple inches if even that much. Well, here we sat with snow over our ankles and right at 10 inches, not the 8 that was in the forecast. So, we bundled up the kids and went out to play. We had fun running around, making snow angels, watching Mack and Molly hop around and loved having Daddy home for an extra day. Then the ice started. On top of the 10 inches of snow came 1 or 2 inches of ice.

Day 2 we were excited having Daddy home for an extra day but I did not think that we would all survive another day of confinement so we shoveled the driveway and braved the roads in the speedy car (AWD) and went to Wal-Mart. It was wonderful and took us 10 times as long to get there as it normally would but it was okay - we were out of the house. We got some new movies, toys and snack foods and were pretty happy the rest of the day.

Day 3.....seriously. Daddy went back to work and we went to visit Nana & Pop. A 17 minute ride on a normal day took me one hour and fifteen minutes. It was worth every minute. The ice had created the perfect track for sledding in Mom & Dad's yard. We slicked up the bottom of a dog crate and slid down the hill for an hour. It was the most fun that we had all week.

Day 4....OVER IT. I was so sick of looking out the door and seeing white. I want to see all of the brown grass and what is soon to be mud in the backyard. We decided to go to the mall (the kids, Mom and I). I let the kids just run and run through the corridors. I was the mom that I typically despise and it felt great. We were gone the entire day and it was just what we needed.

Day 5....not really anything to say. It was the fifth day of crappy ice in Atlanta.

I was so excited to see the snow and ice melt this week - there are still a few patches here and there but by and large the snow and ice are gone. Now they are forecasting a wintry mix this week and I think that I heard all the viewers of the newscast scream in unison, "UNCLE!"

Hello 2011....Goodbye 2010.

2011-01-22T20:30:00.001-05:00

I recently compiled a scrapbook of all our happenings in 2010 and realized how truly blessed our family has been. 2010 was a great year for the Lackey's, a year of growing, a year of change and a year of fun with family and good friends. With all sections of the CPA behind him, Chad returned to work at Beacon Financial to pursue his passion of helping people reach their long and short term financial goals, saving, planning, and investing all things that he is wonderful at doing. The firm has increased since he has been there and I know there is only one way to go from here. I resigned from Google in October and have been having so much fun with Tyler and Sarah. I am doing some consulting on the side but I have more than enough free time to spend with the kiddos. With all of the changes that we embraced in 2010, I think that we are ready for the challenges of 2011.

Of course you cannot enter a new year without resolutions so we have a few. We are going to focus on family this year in different aspects. We want our family to be healthier by moving more, watching less television, eating healthier and maybe even planting a garden now that I am home to care for the fruits and veggies. We are also focusing on spending more quality time together both with the children and without. 2010 was so busy that oftentimes we looked up and realized it was weeks since Chad and I had any 1:1 time, it is our promise to have at least one date night per month with more if we can swing it. We are working on the kids routines and sleeping in their own beds (doing pretty good already). And I am sure that there will be more as the year progresses. But most of all, Chad put it the best when he said, "Babe, this is going to be our year. I just know it."

Here's to 2011 and the joy that it brings. Happy New Year, People!

First Day of Preschool

2010-11-20T16:40:00.000-05:00

This marks Sarah's first year of preschool and T's last. It is so hard to believe that he will be going to kindergarten next year and just not a little boy anymore. Something tugs on my heart with the disbelief that time is just flying by. I love this age for both of them but I also get excited thinking about what lies ahead. Anyhow, the first day of preschool was great - no trouble getting out of the car for either kiddo and they were beaming at the end of the day. The second day was a little different with screaming, crying and all out lunging for the car when I was leaving. I know that it will pass soon but it is so hard to pull away when they are visible shaken at the whole process. To quote one of our favorite songs, "It won't be like this for long....one day you'll drop her off and she won't even know your gone...". I know that day is coming but for now I will just go with the feeling of being so loved that they want to stay with me :)

Happy 31st Chad

2010-11-20T16:31:00.000-05:00

September is a celebration of Chad and all that he means to our family. He turned 31 on the 5th and we had a very low key celebration - a little Mexican food, a little cake and a lot of fun. T and Sarah both get super excited for birthdays. They love the presents but the best thing is the excitement that they get from singing 'Happy Birthday' and telling the individual to make a wish. Chad's birthday was no different. We had a chocolate chip pie thanks to Gran and they sang, loud.

Chad, I hope this year is one of the best and all your wishes come true. We love you!

It's OK to not do it all.

2010-11-20T16:27:00.000-05:00

I had sort of a meltdown weekend over Sarah's birthday. Things at Goog were crazy with 900 deadlines on the same day, presentations going awry, client expectations were more than ridiculous, the house was a mess and we had people coming for the party the next day, the kiddos were screaming and I realized that Chad and I had not really spent any time together in over a week. So I turned to the most comforting thing at the moment, Dove chocolate. A little bit of heaven in one pretty little blue foil wrapper with a "promise" on the inside. When I opened the chocolate and read the message it simply said, "It's OK to not do it all". I am not saying that I make life decisions based on the inner writings of a candy wrapper but for some reason I needed to read this at this time. I put it on the fridge and calmly went about the rest of Friday and Saturday.

When Sunday rolled around and everything was cleaned up, Chad and I sat down and looked at everything that was going on at the moment. It was always my plan to leave Google when Chad went back to a firm and that had happened months ago. He is now stable in his job, the kids are stable in preschool and the Lackey's just don't operate smoothly unless something is changing. So, I decided that it was time to pull the plug on Google. After over 8 years at a great company, I am branching out on my own. Taking some time for my kids, my husband and perhaps myself. I am excited about the change but I would lie if I said that I wasn't a little nervous at the same time.

Google has always been a constant in our married life and a security blanket is something that is hard to let go. I am at peace in my mind and heart with the decision, but in an unstable economic environment and always the inevitable that comes up it is just plain hard to pull the plug. And, I also put the weight of my team at Google on my shoulders and just have to wonder what stresses will the incur when the person who has been there the longest is not there anymore. Those things are yet to unfold but the future looks bright for the Lackey's and I am excited to end this chapter and begin another one.

Catching Up

2010-11-05T08:20:00.001-04:00

Every day things happen and I think to myself, I should blog this, and then I never do. So, today and this weekend I am going to play catch up and post the things that I have jotted down. My goal is to publish this as a book at the end of each year and with two months left of 2010, I better get crackin'.

Hanging with the Lackey Family

2010-09-06T21:41:00.000-04:00

Chad's family has always celebrated monthly birthdays since I can remember but recently we stopped doing that for various reasons. Finally, we are back on track and had a dinner not too long ago. The kids loved playing with each other and it was really fun to catch up with everyone. Here are a few pics of Sarah, Tyler, Dayton and Dalton. I would add some of the adults but they are just not as fun.

It's my birthday, I am 2

2010-08-29T09:29:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Sarah's 2nd birthday yesterday. She was so excited that all the people were coming to see her and loved telling everyone that it was her birthday and she was 2. I, however, cannot believe that she is already 2. Although, as a family, we have had some interesting times since she was born and some days seemed r-e-a-l-l-y l-o-n-g for all of us, the past 2 years have flown by. To be a tad cliche, it seems just like yesterday (at this time actually) that we were packing up the hospital room to take this little 24 hour old baby home. And now, we celebrate this 24 month old little girl and all that she has brought to our lives in these few short months.

Sarah, you are one of the most caring children and are very social. You love to play with anyone as long as there are babies involved at some point along the way. You love to read, cook and sing and most of all you L-O-V-E all your babies, all of them. You have brought so much joy to our lives and we love to watch you grow. You make my heart smile bigger than I knew possible and have shifted my priorities in life even farther. I am honored to be your Mom and as you shed the title of being a baby and move into a full-blown toddler, I am beaming with the anticipation of what you will bring to our lives. Thank you for being such an amazing little girl. I love you more than you will ever know!

Some of your favorites and things to note right now:

As I mentioned above, you love your babies....all of them and you have to have them with you at all times - morning, noon and night.
You have been potty trained for almost a month and you make sure that everyone knows that you are a big girl and how proud we are of you.
You love balloons - in pictures, books, television and especially in person.
You like to sing the "Bible" song (Jesus loves me) and love to read the Hungry Caterpillar.
You like to eat chocolate and candy the most, corn, olives, pickles, yogurt, cheese, coke (thanks Daddy), ham, ice cream and popsicles to name a few.
You know your ABCs, can count to 10, know all of your animals and their respective sounds and we are working on all your colors.
You have terrible nose bleeds anytime someone even touches your nose.
You haven't passed out in over 6 months!
You grit your teeth and have a great "mean" face when you are angry.
You give the best hugs and have a great pucker and an Eskimo kiss!
You have a great set of "pipes" as Daddy says.
Your determination is unmatched and you give T a run for his money on a daily basis.
You have the biggest, brightest blue eyes.
You love Nana & Pop and Papa & Gran and Corey more than they know.
You love to watch Shrek, UP and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
You love to share my coffee with me.

Some of your favorite sayings:

"Yee-haw Cowboy, giddy up"
"Come on, (insert name), Come on"
"love you" and "love-up sign"
"I have it"
When cooking in the playroom: "Very hot", "Very good", "Eat it"
ABCs
"Dinner time"
"Mack and Molly, stop"
"Tyler squeeze face"
"Good Morning Sunshine"
"Coffee. Mmmm, hot?"
Maybe not a favorite but an often: "Go poo-poo. Go out there. Privacy"
And just good ol' squealing

We love you, Sarah. Happy Birthday baby girl!

Thanks Tom and Ashlee - this horse is not going to know what hit her!

Wonderfully handmade dolls from Nana.

Getting at least one hit at the pinata.

Ending the day with coffee, definitely my child!

A Visit to Dr. Kwon

2010-08-29T08:40:00.000-04:00

The kiddos had their first dentist visit and it went very well all around. Dr. Kwon is right around the corner from our house and has a great practice for kiddos. The staff was great for keeping them calm and unafraid of the dentist. They checked out their teeth and they have no cavities, are brushing pretty well and have no reason to return for 6 months. T was just excited that this is one check-up where there were no shots and he got to keep his clothes on!!

Potty Trained

2010-08-29T07:44:00.000-04:00

I am so happy to report that all of the Lackey's are diaper-free as of August 1st :) For the first time in over four years, Chad and I do not have any diapers to change. We are shedding the diaper bag and putting away all of the changing tables and items that go along with that. I am so proud of Sarah for accomplishing this with really few accidents before her 2nd birthday. She is really excited about her 'pincess panties' and just prances around the house - wedgies and all :)

Good Morning 30, Nice to Meet You.

2010-07-28T20:57:00.000-04:00

Today I turn 30, and I have to start this by saying Happy Birthday to my Mom. She has always told me that you should really honor your mother on your birthday since you would not have a birthday if it was not for all that she did to get you here. I did not truly understand this until I had children of my own. So, for the last four years, I have started my birthday by telling my Mom "Happy Birthday" first. Happy Birthday, Mom. Thanks for all that you have done for me and continue to do for me daily.

I am really excited to be turning 30. And with a big smile, I say goodbye to my 20's. It has been my experience that the 20s are a time of "finding yourself" so to speak. Trying to determine who you are, who you want to be and be with, what you want your life to look like and what you stand for, defining the important things in your life and the important people as well. Just a decade of finding.

All in all my 20s were amazing as I had some major, life-changing accomplishments over the last 10 years. I graduated college, landed my first "real" job that I am still employed at today, married my best friend and built a family with two great kids, loved unconditionally and have been loved unconditionally, met my best girl friend and truly learned what friendships were about. I have grown in my relationships with my family as well and love them dearly. I also experienced some heartache and disappointment, loss and even death. I learned how to trust people and how not to trust people which has helped shape who I am today. And through it all, I have learned that Chad and my family will always be there for me. Thank you for that.

I feel like I am very solid in the person that I am today. In my faith, my personality and the core of who I am. I am happy with myself and my family. I have great friends and know that I have a group of people that I could call at any time of the day and they would be here in a flash....with a smile. I am so blessed and I look forward to everything that the 30s has to bring. I hope that you will join me in my journey into a new decade.

So, Mom, does this mean that I am 4 now?

2010-07-26T21:30:00.001-04:00

Yes, Tyler Andrew, you are four. It is hard to believe that four years has flown by. It seems like yesterday that we were eagerly awaiting our induction appointment bursting with excitement to meet God's latest miracle. We were so excited, nervous, unsure and just plain inexperienced in the world of parenting and the experience of bringing a life into the world. Little did we know that 4 hours after they started my labor that you would enter the world. With a fabulous set of lungs and the most perfect little person that I had ever seen.

You still continue to amaze me to this day. Your tenderheartedness is unsurpassed. You have a deep love for your family and are always concerned with their well-being. You love, love to learn anything new and to share that knowledge with others. You are a quiet thinker and really don't like to be the center of attention. You often take the 'back seat' to others and allow them to take the full attention of the show. You are one of the fastest learners and smartest four year olds that I know. You have a photogenic memory and can recite things that I am not even sure how or where you learned. You love your sister and ask for her first thing in the morning and the last thing you say before bed is that you love her. You always lend a helping hand around the house and even though a few good 'fits' have been pitched, you still complete the task asked of you, eventually. You are very headstrong and determined.

My hope for you is that you continue to be that great thinker and genuine character that you are now. I am so blessed that God entrusted your Dad and I to be your parents. You have been life changing in more ways than I can express. I cannot imagine a day without you in my life. My heart has grown bigger than I knew it was able to in order to hold all of the love that I have for you. I so look forward to this year, your last year before elementary school. I cannot type too much about that because I get really teary eyed. Not because I am sad for a new chapter, but because I know that the years are going all too fast. I have immense enjoyment in being your Mom and I know that will never change. But I also know that you can now dress yourself, potty alone, fix your own breakfast, clean your room, feed yourself, ride a bike, swim and so many other things that you just don't really need me to do for you anymore. As the days go by, the 'things' that you need me to do for you are replaced with things that I can do with you and that makes my heart smile. I can read with you, color with you, play with you, chase you, sword fight with you, pretend with you and most of all just love you.

You, Tyler Andrew, are such a blessing and I am honored to be your mother. Thank you for helping to shape me into the Mom that I am today and for growing with me as we both learn the ropes of being a parent and a child.

Here are some of your favorite things right now:

Movie: Star Wars - all of them except for the ones that are PG-13. You also love Toy Story, Little Rascals and Davy Crockett.
Favorite TV Show: Wipeout, Imagination Movers and Curious George (especially at bedtime).
Favorite Foods: Any type of fruit, olives, pickles, peppers from Pop's garden, Superman ice cream, cucumbers, carrots and chocolate milk.
You never sleep in your own bed and have a very hard time falling asleep without holding a handful of my hair.
You love your dogs - Mack and Molly - and even help me take care of them during the day.
You like to watch movies in other languages (not sure about that one).
You have a really hard time being separated from Mom and Dad for any long period of time.
You are 100% boy, worms, slugs, guns, swords are all included.
Height: 45ish inches. Weight: 45ish pounds. Shoe Size: 12
Favorite Color: Red
You adore your grandparents and Corey more than they know.
Favorite Saying: 'No, harm done. We can fix that.'

Brand New


First Birthday


Second Birthday

Third Birthday

Fourth Birthday

Tyler's 4th Birthday Party

2010-07-10T23:15:00.001-04:00

We had Tyler's 4th birthday party today and he enjoyed himself so much. The day started off a little rocky, T just hates being the center of attention so the thought of him having a big party is slightly overwhelming to him; this year, we just stuck to our family members to make it a little more comfortable for him. We celebrated with only four kids and it was fantastic.

We had sandwiches, fruit salad, pasta salad, chips and cupcakes. It was a stress-free day for Chad and I since we decided to keep it simple this year. Tyler was great during the party as well. When opening his gifts, he would hug each person before and after opening the present to express his gratitude. We were proud since he was not even prompted to do that. When everyone left, he thanked us for his party and very excitedly asked, 'So, does this mean that I am four now?' Yes, baby, you are four (not really until the 13th but that is too much to explain). Happy Birthday T, I cannot wait to see what year 4 holds for us. It is certain to be a wild ride. We love you!

6:45 am: rolled out of bed for a pizza breakfast and making cupcakes.

He just hates being the center of attention.

Happy 4th Birthday T!

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

2010-06-24T16:11:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Chad and our Dad's this weekend. Our kids are not really old enough to understand that Father's Day is a day for Dad to relax and take it easy. To kick up his feet and watch golf all day if that is what he would like to do. For our kids, Father's Day is just like any other day, kid-centric :) We did cook breakfast for Daddy, steak, eggs and fried potatoes. And, we ate on the back porch for an extra special treat. We spent the day doing yard work, although Chad did escape for a couple hours to lay down with T to watch a movie.

I am never more impressed or in love with Chad then when I see him interact with T and Sarah. The love that he shows to our children is immeasurable. He has more patience than most of the fathers that I know and he is always willing to change a diaper, fix a lunch or rough around with them on the floor. After spending 18 months with them at home as a stay-at-home Dad, the relationship that he has with them is different from most dads. Chad knows what it is like to want to pull your hair out from the screaming that has surely taken place during the day. He knows what it is like to put to rest 100 squabbles before 11am and he knows what it is like to go into the bathroom for 2 minutes and come out to what seems to have been a tornado flying through the house. He has experienced all of this first hand over the last year and a half which has given him a different perspective. I have been blessed with not only an amazing best friend and husband, but a truly outstanding father for our children. One day T and Sarah will realize what they have in Chad and love him even more than they do today. Thank you Chad for everything that you do for T, Sarah and me. We love you more than you know.

Turned a Corner

2010-06-16T22:25:00.000-04:00

The last time that our children spent the night away from home was July 3rd of 2009 only because Chad and I were running the Peachtree Road Race the next morning and had to leave before 6am. Otherwise, if T had a choice, he would have been cuddled right next to me in the bed. Until last Friday. I picked up T and Sarah from my parents house and was informed by T that he was coming back on Saturday to sleep at Nana & Pop's house because they have lots of fireflies and he needs to catch them. I was pretty surprised that he would initiate that and actually brushed it off. The next day after swimming lessons that is all that he talked about and he and Sarah ended up spending the night with my parents without turning back once. There was not even a mention of Mom & Dad when he was going to sleep.

The next morning, Chad and I went and grabbed some bagels to take to the house. When we got there T said that he did not want us to come because he had not had enough time at their house (he had spent 3 days that week there and the night). Sunday night as we were getting ready for bed, I came out of the bathroom and T was crying. He was crying because he wanted to be at Nana & Pop's, not our house. It is really bittersweet. On the one hand, I want him to spend the night out and be comfortable. On the other hand, I want him to still want to be at home too! We definitely turned a corner in the sleepover realm but I am thinking that maybe we turned it a little too sharp :)

Mommy, you are my hero

2010-06-10T22:12:00.000-04:00

Tyler and I were looking at old pictures last night. Pictures of when my life was seemingly easier than it is today. Easier in that we had no children, minimal stress, the ability to pick up and go on a whim and the time to just enjoy one another as a couple. Easier in that we had no diapers to change, no little mouths to feed, no lives that depended on us to thrive. Easier in that we were not consumed with teaching ABCs and 123s, making sure that little ones know what is truly important in life, we were not playing ball in the backyard nor were we blowing so many bubbles that our heads hurt. It was just easier. Oftentimes, Chad and I reflect on the 'easier' days and think that it would be nice to just go on a date whenever we choose, sleep until, dare I say 8am, eat junk for dinner if we wanted to and just be lazy if that is what we wanted. There was not someone waking us up before the sun and hitting the ground at 100 miles an hour from the second they awaken. It was just easier.

Easier, yes. Complete, no. I have always wanted to be a Mom and I feel fulfilled each day when I lay my head on the pillow. These are some of the pictures that Tyler and I flipped through and our conversation is below each picture:

"This is when you were growing in Mommy's tummy. You were just a tiny, tiny baby but you kept growing." I explained.

"I was little there too, right?" Tyler asked. "Yes, baby, you were tiny here too. And you kept growing and growing."

"Until you grew so big that you were ready to come out of Mommy's tummy. We were so excited to meet you and hold you."

On July 13th of 2006 you were born. Tyler looked at me with that look that he gets when he is really trying to figure something out. "Mom," he said, "with all the pictures we looked at you and Daddy went to a lot of places before I was born." "Well, yes, some things were just easier before you were born and we tried to do those things when it was just Daddy and I." "Mommy, I really didn't want to come out of your tummy when I was born. I wish I was still in there" he said. I explained that he could not grow forever because my belly couldn't get any bigger. Why would you want to stay in my tummy, I asked. "Because when I was in your tummy, I got to go everywhere with you and we were never apart. I wish I could stay with you always and never leave you. Mommy, you are my hero" Tyler said. With a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat, I hugged him tightly and reassured him that we would be together as much as possible.

The little moments like these are the reason why I am overjoyed to be a Mom. Yes, my life was easier but with ease you tend to miss the little things. If my life was easier then I would not have the precious little faces waking me at the crack of dawn, I wouldn't be fixing broken toys or justifying why we don't have lollipops for breakfast. If it was easier then I wouldn't have boo-boo's to kiss, stories to read, nursery rhymes to recite and songs to sing. If it was easier I wouldn't have these precious conversations, I wouldn't be the hero, I wouldn't have four big blue eyes loving me with all that they are for exactly who I am day in and day out. I will take a challenge any day in exchange for the Lord entrusting me with these two precious blessings. I love you Tyler and Sarah. You both have made our lives a challenge and complete.

Sarah's First Haircut

2010-06-08T12:56:00.000-04:00

I took Sarah for her first haircut today. You can tell by her expression that she was totally excited about the entire experience. Sarah hates to have her hair touched by anyone. She hates washing her hair in bath time, she will not let me get close to her with a barrette or rubber band and she cringes when T gets near her head. Needless to say, we waited until she was 21 months to attempt the first haircut and I went alone.

She surprised me beyond belief. She climbed into the car and sat there the entire time with the above expression. She never cried or screamed in fact she didn't utter one single sound. There were a couple moments of intense eye rolling but that was the only reaction. I think the pure terror of a stranger touching her head with scissors was enough to keep her quiet and focused on finishing the haircut as quickly as humanly possible. This experience just confirms that Sarah will always surprise us. Here are the after pictures, cute as a button!

Happy Birthday, Cooey!

2010-06-05T22:45:00.005-04:00

Tonight we celebrated my nephew, Corey's, 16th birthday. I always like to reflect back on the previous year and years when someone's birthday rolls around and this one was no different. Chad and I started dating when Corey was just 2 years old. Considering that Chad was an only child, Corey became more of a little brother to Chad than a "nephew". They have had a special bond since they met and it continues to this day.

We have so many great memories of Corey and things that we have done with him over the years. From trampling through the creek to sleepovers when we were in college to visiting elementary schools for lunch to attending band concerts to vacations in Florida and Disney to making the trek to Camp Rainey Mountain for an hour dinner to tutoring, tutoring, tutoring our way through high school to playing with T and Sarah to shopping to just chilling out and for all in all just being a great kid to spend time with. We treat Corey as if he is one of our own and for the most part always have a laugh or two along the way. He has helped us with T and Sarah over the last couple years and has been a big part of our family this year as he spent a few nights a week at our house for tutoring. There are definitely two little kids that look up to him and miss him terribly when he's not here. We have all learned a lot this year and have grown in our maturity (Chad and I included). Some days were smoother than others and some days we were just tired but I would not change a thing if I had to do it again.

We are so proud of the young man that Corey has become and is on track to become in the next few years. He is inspiring to many young scouts which was recently reconfirmed as he served as a counselor at Cub Scout camp. He is a leader in his troop and is submitting the final paperwork for his Eagle Scout this summer. We are immensely proud of this accomplishment for Corey and Nana, too. All things considered, Corey, you are a wonderful teenager so amazingly tender hearted, genuine, thoughtful, resilient, intelligent, humorous and fun! We love you, Cooey and are honored to be a part of your life.

Swim Lessons

2010-06-05T13:14:00.001-04:00

We had our first swimming lessons this morning at Swim Atlanta. Chad and I have really, really talked up the swimming lessons so T and Sarah would be excited. As a child, I only had one lesson where I proceeded to cry so hard that I vomited in the pool and my Mom made the decision that I probably wasn't going to be the best swimmer. Chad, on the other hand, wore goggles as glasses when he was a kid and has always loved swimming. It was not until I was required to swim in college (it was a graduation requirement to be a survival swimmer) that I developed a love of water, in a pool that is. Here we are getting ready for the lesson:

No, we did not go to the lesson bearing arms we left our guns in the car.

The whole way to the pool, T informed us that he already knew how to swim. He could do it all and really did not need the lesson. Remember, Mom, we went swimming at Tom & Ashlee's pool last summer? The one and only time the child has been swimming. We proceeded to the lesson and let's

just say that Sarah takes after me (minus the vomit) and T takes after Chad (minus the goggles). Here's to summer!

Turtle Day

2010-06-05T12:13:00.001-04:00

We took a trip to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center to see the turtle exhibit. We were able to see turtles of all sizes and some other marine life as well. This is the biggest of all the turtles that we saw:

More than the turtles, we really enjoyed the water exhibit.

They have an interactive area where you can learn about the cycles

of water from rain to plumbing to treatment plants. Tyler had a great

time.

We even had the chance to play with our cousins, Dayton and Dalton. They definitely showed us the ropes on how to do everything. I love these boys. They remind me that, yes, things do get easier when you don't have to deal with diapers anymore. And, more than anything, they are just great boys that love their "lady" aka me :)

Seven Years, Seven Amazing Years

2009-10-05T17:12:00.000-04:00

7 years, 2,556 days, 61,361 hours, 3,681,641 minutes. Seven years ago I was a young lady with butterflies in my stomach, intense excitement about the future and the unknown and had an amazing best friend that would soon be my husband. Seven years ago I had no idea what it really meant to stand side-by-side with someone through the ups and downs of life. Seven years ago I was unsure what it was to be a wife, to own a house, to have a pet that I actually had to take care of, to hold a "real" job, to have mail in the mailbox with my name on it and then to have to pay that 'mail' in the box, to cook dinner nightly, to have children, to raise children and to balance. Seven years ago I was very naive, so young, so ambitious and so eager to get on with life.

So, in seven years what has happened? I did marry my best friend who is still my best friend, confidant, safe place and best thing that I have going. We have had some ups and downs. There were times that we were unsure that all of our 'mail' would be paid at the end of the month and just how in the heck we were going to do it. We have gone through career changes and times of uncertainty with work. I think that I am growing and understanding more each day what it means to be a wife and I strive to be the best wife that I can be - supportive, loving, enduring, resilient, encouraging and always there. We own a house, yep, we own it and it is all ours. We actually have 4 pets now, 2 cats and 2 dogs. A few fish here and there that now take up residence either in the sewer or heaven. I have been at Google for seven years and I could write a book about what a 'real' job has come to mean. We have enough mail weekly to grow a forest. I try to cook dinner nightly, sometimes dinner is toast, but it is something in your belly. And, we have multiplied we have two little cherubs that are amazing, simply amazing. So, in seven years so much has happened, but most of all, in the last seven years I have learned what is truly important. Family, immediate and extended is the most important thing to me and is what drives me daily. My husband, kiddos, parents and in-laws are amazing.

Chad, you are amazing and have made these last seven years possible. Thank you so much for the last seven years of patience, love, support, encouragement and just for being you. For growing with me, for loving me and for being there day in and day out. There is no way that I would make it through this crazy world without you by my side. You are irreplaceable and I am forever grateful for all that you have brought to my life. I love you and look forward to many, many more years in the future!

Bubbles Galore

2009-09-08T12:10:00.000-04:00

We love bathtime in the Lackey house - it is about 20 minutes that my kids are contained and cannot get out. An absolute mandatory time for the kiddos! Sometimes we pitch a fit, sometimes we throw water balloons, sometimes we tinkle in the water but we never ever have a boring time. Here is a picture of a recent bathtime that we had - bubbles and bubbles and more bubbles. One HUGE mess to clean up but one elated little boy made it worth all of the 'bubble trouble'.

Sarah Bug is One

2009-09-08T11:54:00.000-04:00

We made it to a year. As a mother I feel a sense of accomplishment when we reach one year - we obviously did something right over the last year to make it this far. Sarah has been crying less, laughing more and growing into her personality a little more each day. She puts up a good fight with her brother and has a really strong will. We had our one year appointment at the pediatrician today and she checked out very well. She is a little over 20 pounds and 30 inches long, for those of you that know percentages - she is 41% for weight and 74% for height....maybe she will be a slim, tall one when she grows up! We have been having "episodes" with Sarah lately. Apparently, she is just a dramatic little girl but here is her latest trick. When she gets mad she has decided to hold her breath. Not just for a second, she plays out the full episode by turning blue, falling over, going limp, gives Chad and I a heart attack and after about 30-45 seconds finally takes a breath and starts audibly crying again. She has done this twice and each time is a little more dramatic. The doctor said that she is perfect, just has an attitude when she gets mad but hopefully by age 3 or so she will grow out of it. If this lasts for 3 years, I will look 60 by the time that I am 32. I love her to pieces but I really wish that she would be dramatic in another way....we will see how this develops!

The Power of a Water Balloon

2009-06-16T07:30:00.000-04:00

Sunday afternoon was beautiful, overcast skies, breezy and not too hot for mid-June. I was sitting in the driveway painting some chairrail for a frame we are building and the kids across the street were out in their driveway playing with water balloons. They had this launcher contraption that would fling the water balloons up the street. It was like a super-slingshot just for water balloons. They shot a few at me and they only made it half-way through the cul-de-sac. Then the Dad came out to help and shot one across the street. It zoomed through the cul-de-sac and right through the glass in our front door. BOOM! The glass exploded and there was glass and water everywhere. Chad was standing on our stairs and heard the explosion and got hit with glass and liquid. He thought something had happened to me since I was outside and came running. I still don't think he has laughed too much about the incident. We get a new one in 2 weeks.....the joys of homeownership!

No More Excuses

2009-06-11T12:34:00.000-04:00

Most of my posts are about my kids but occassionally I do have a thought that is not kid-centered. That is my stomach in all its glory - you could easily play connect the dots with my moles but it is what it is. I recently had my 10th mole removed for biopsy at 28. 8 of the 10 have been pre-cancer and the other 2 were just for kicks I guess. As most of you know, my Mom has had 2 stage 4 melanomas and numerous other skin cancers. I am probably more diligent than most 28 year olds about going to the dermatologist but I should not be. Here are some fun facts about melanoma, the fastest growing cancer in the USA and one of the cancers that people have the least knowledge about. Consider this among the things that you learn today and go to the dermatologist. I have a great one, Cynthia Dolan or if you prefer a man (yes, guys, men can get skin cancer as well) then you can see Dr. Friedman - North Ga Dermatology: 770.962.5040. No more excuses - you don't even have to look up the number.

Melanoma is now the fastest growing cancer in the U.S
There have been no significant advances in the medical treatment or survival rate in the last 30 years.
Melanoma cases are increasing at an epidemic rate of 3% a year.
In the U.S. there are as many new cases of melanoma each year than there are of AIDS.
There were 59,000 new case of melanoma in the U.S. in 2005.
Melanoma is the sixth most common cancer in the U.S.
Melanoma is the most common cancer in men and women ages 20-29.
In women 25-29, melanoma is the primary cause of cancer death, and in women 30-34 it is the second most common cause of cancer death.
In the U.S. your chance of getting melanoma in 1940 was 1 in 1500. By 2004, it was 1 in 67. By 2010, scientists predict it will be 1 in 50.
If caught in the earliest stages, melanoma is entirely treatable with a survival rate of nearly 100%. If untreated and allowed to spread, there is no known treatment or cure.
Wear suncreen, put sunscreen on your kids and DON'T go to the tanning bed. Remember that tan skin looks good but it is in no way healthy. I would rather be pale and cancer free than tan and covered with cancer.

Coming down from my soap box now, please just make the appointment to go. A few stitches and a little discomfort is really not that big of a deal.

Sarah Jane.....

2009-06-10T22:56:00.000-04:00

There is just something about a little girl. She is so much fun (now), yes she screamed for about 6 months but at the ripe old age of 9 months she has decided to shape up! She is crawling, attempting to walk, talking and squealing. That is one huge difference between boys and girls. From an early age, girls have that ability to imitate a screeching parakeet that ear piercing squeal that makes the dogs cover their ears. It is usually when she is the happiest that it is the loudest. She loves to wave bye-bye and definitely knows her Da-Da. He walks in the room and she says 'Hey Da-Da' as for Mama, she calls me Neh-Neh. No clue where that one came from. One day I will be Mom but for now I will take Neh-Neh with that sweet, almost toothless grin!

Please tell me why we spend so much money on toys? To stimulate the economy? An empty egg carton works WONDERS in this house!

In Touch with Our Feminine Side

2009-06-10T22:47:00.000-04:00

Tyler is my side-kick and we do pretty much everything together. Even though he is ALL boy, I try to introduce the softer side of life as well. I want him to be well-rounded and masculine with a sensitive side. He has a gazillion trucks, plays in the dirt, squishes bugs, the whole nine yards. He also loves to paint. The other morning he decided that he would join me in painting his toes. I ended up leaving the house with no polish on - do you know how hard it is to remove nail polish from in between a ticklish 2 year olds toes? FOREVER! He still has polish on his feet and for the life of me there is no amount of scrubbing that can get it off those sweet little toes.

Chaperone = Exhaustion

2009-06-08T06:20:00.000-04:00

I feel old. My nephew turned 15 last week. Chad and I started dating when he was almost 2, just for perspective sake. He is a great kid and this weekend we caught a glimpse of what it would be like to have 7 15 year-old boys. Let's just say that I am glad this is not a full-time job and that I am not octo-mom! Corey decided that he wanted to have a camp out at my parent's house - easy enough they will be outside. And, they were all really well behaved. They played man hunt until 4 in the morning and then were up at 9 (if they actually went to sleep which I am not convinced that they did). T was up until 2am, yep 2am, new record for him. He woke up on Sunday morning at 9 so the level of crankiness was at an all time high as well all day Sunday. We heard boys all night - I think that Chad and I slept for maybe 3 hours on Saturday night. When you are 30 or right around the corner from 30, things just don't work as well the next day when you have 3 hours of sleep. Chad and I are known for not sleeping/requiring much sleep/getting much sleep. But, after Saturday night, I am still hurting and just want to crawl right back in the bed. After these puppies expel a little more energy, I just might do that!

Meet Molly and Mack - the Newest Addition

2009-06-05T08:15:00.000-04:00

Meet Molly

and Mack

the Dynamic Duo!
We got the puppies! Last night we made the trek out to Loganville to get the dogs from the Fagan's and they are awesome. Some people have told us that we are crazy, some people have said that we will love them and some just look at me in awe of our crazy life. If you ever hear me say that we have a 'normal, calm' life then you better run! We love them. They are 7 weeks old and full of energy and fun. They are definitely warming up this morning and I was out in the rain at 5am with them cheering them on to pee. They slept from 11 to 5 so no complaints here and although it was raining there is just something about puppy breath that can get you excited at 5am. Tyler is in heaven and in love. Sarah just pulls on their faces. I am sure that I will have many, many more posts about the trials and tribulations of training the little ones but for now I just leave you with the pictures. I think we are complete - 2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats - we like symmetry and our house is full at least for a while!

A Day at the Goog

2009-06-05T08:08:00.000-04:00

Tyler went to work with my the other day for the annual Bring Your Kids to Work Day. It is a very unrealistic vantage point of life in corporate America. Clowns, science experiments, chicken fingers, toys, the whole shabang. The morning started with Tyler informing me that this was not what he wanted to do today. Fridays have been dubbed as 'Nana Day' and it really threw him off to miss that - won't be happening again anytime soon. We did have a good time. He walked around the office like a little man, asking with each desk that we passed, "who lives there, mommy." Oftentimes, it feels like people do live there. In the world of a cube :)

Sometimes We Just Forget

2009-06-02T20:55:00.000-04:00

I love to run. Period. It is my release for stress, frustration, emotions, everything. I have recently recruited Chad to join me in running and I have to say that I am super impressed with him. Historically, he has HATED running - all caps definitely - but he is a trooper and ran 5 miles with me on Sunday and 4 today. We are also running the Peachtree on the 4th so we are gearing up for that.

Today we took the kids on the run since we didn't really think that T would be able to feed Sarah and change her diaper. We always start out walking and then start running - T informed me that we needed to move faster for it to be a run - gotta love that. Then about a mile or so later he asked me how I was feeling. Dying is what I wanted to say - you weigh almost 40 pounds and the stroller is at least 20 - but I said "Oh, I feel great. How about you?" His response, "Not so good, Mama." Then he says, "Mama, you know, sometimes we just forget. It just happens sometimes." Which I replied, "Yes, honey, we do forget. What did you forget today?" "I have to poop," he yelled "and tee-tee!" Fabulous, we were in the middle of the road with houses and traffic galore. I held out my arm and he sat on my arm laid his head on my shoulder and sat. Sweat pouring, legs and arms shaking, I just knew that I would have a pile on my shoe any second. But, he did go and informed the world that he was feeling much better now. Wonderful - now we can continue on the road - Chad was happy for the break though!

We played, watched the skateboarders and were on the run back. I decided that he could run when we got to our subdivision. He had his iPod (which also doubles as a cell phone, gun and remote - we got the super model) and he ran around the subdivision for about 2 feet. That is how far it took him to find a worm that had a bad day. Those are the ones that fry in the sun before they can get from one grassy patch to another. And with each crispy little critter, he picks it up, crumbles it and says "Mama, another one, he had a bad day too." I am just thankful that I have had a good day! On to the shower now :)

Never Underestimate the Power of a Deere

2009-06-01T08:48:00.000-04:00

We are so blessed to live in a county that is actually using tax dollars to preserve land and give us these great parks. We have one park at one end of our street and another one at the other. On any given sunny day you can probably find us at one of them. It is a great outlet for the kiddos and for Chad and I to have a moment of sanity out of the house! This past weekend we made it to both. Chad took the kids to the 'playground park' as T calls it, and we all went to the 'duck park'. He decided to take his tractor, John Deere with a full 12 volt motor, trailer and everything green. He usually does a great job and it is amusing to watch the people dodge the tractor as we make our way around the park. This week for some reason he was determined that we would go to the playground at the duck park and climb the "hill" - if you have been there then you know the 'hill'. Now, we have not been to this park and done the hill since before I had Sarah and for that matter before I was really pregnant so probably a year or more. It amazes me that this kid has such a memory and remembers random things on the turn of a dime. T got to the trail that goes up the hill to the playground and made an immediate turn and started for the swings. I was running with Sarah and Chad pleaded with the kid to keep going around the trail. T vacilated for a moment and came to the conclusion if he could not go to the playground that it was a much better idea if he ran at this point and abandoned the John Deere. So, with a smile on my face - because you know that Mom's just put that smile on, that I cannot believe that I am going to do this but I have to pee too bad to argue smile, I jumped on the tractor and rode it around the park. Yes, a grown woman on a power wheels in a crowded park. The looks amused me - seriously, is it that strange that an adult takes her power wheel to the park - I mean what could be more normal, right? About 1/2 mile into the ride my knees were cramping so bad that I had to persuade my kid to ride the tractor again or leave it for another child that would want to ride. He begrudgingly jumped on and completed the 2.2 miles of fun!

Finally Getting Around to It....

2009-05-29T15:51:00.000-04:00

So, it has taken me years, yes, years to finally post something to a blog. I have been asked why I don't do this more often (or at all for that matter) and the truth is that I just don't think that people are that interested in what is going on in our little world. Much to my surprise, there seems to be interest so here is the blog. Deanna, please don't pass out - I really am doing this :)

We have been so busy lately, work, CPA preparation, work, school, work, Sarah, Tyler, church, family, yadda, yadda, work, yadda. With all that is going on I have finally decided to take a little time for myself. Just to breathe. So look for some updates, pictures, maybe even a video or 2 if I get advanced with this whole blogging thing!

A Day in the Life of a Lackey

Rockies Team Pictures

Lucy Jane

Playing at Nana & Pop's Creek

When Did It Happen?

Sand Art

Just Loving Life...

A Weekend with Hunni-Bear

GOOOOO ROCKIES!

Three Years Old

First Day of Kindergarten

5 Years Old.....Really?!?

Tyler's 5th Birthday Party

Pigtails

Cousins

Sarah's Style

Kindergarten Registration: Say it Ain't SO!

Happy Birthday, Caleb Farr!

Zoo Atlanta

Easter Egg Hunt

Patience

pa·tience

Happy Birthday Jean-O

Tax Season

Good Intentions

Painted Toes and Feet and Floor

Magic Carpet Ride

Snow (and Ice) Storm 2011...Take 1, 2, 3, 4, 5....

Hello 2011....Goodbye 2010.

First Day of Preschool

Happy 31st Chad

It's OK to not do it all.

Catching Up

Hanging with the Lackey Family

It's my birthday, I am 2

A Visit to Dr. Kwon

Potty Trained

Good Morning 30, Nice to Meet You.

So, Mom, does this mean that I am 4 now?

Tyler's 4th Birthday Party

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Turned a Corner

Mommy, you are my hero

Sarah's First Haircut

Happy Birthday, Cooey!

Swim Lessons

Turtle Day

Seven Years, Seven Amazing Years

Bubbles Galore

Sarah Bug is One

The Power of a Water Balloon

No More Excuses

Sarah Jane.....

In Touch with Our Feminine Side

Chaperone = Exhaustion

Meet Molly and Mack - the Newest Addition

A Day at the Goog

Sometimes We Just Forget

Never Underestimate the Power of a Deere

Finally Getting Around to It....