the margrave quartet

2010-08-05T20:44:00.000-06:00

Camping Take two

2010-08-05T20:39:00.002-06:00

We tried camping again for the second time. Had to leave again at about 10 pm this time due to Soren and 104 degree temp...we will try ONE more time in October....

Everyday Life...

2010-08-05T20:35:00.002-06:00

Princess!

2010-08-05T20:31:00.001-06:00

Happy 4th Birthday Ellaiden! We love you!

2010-08-05T20:29:00.000-06:00

Easter Family Photos..ha ha

2010-08-05T20:22:00.003-06:00

Easter 2010

2010-08-05T20:20:00.001-06:00

Triathlete Mamma

2010-06-06T13:44:00.006-06:00

Jenny the Triathlete. Completed her first sprint triathlon this morning. Right under her goal of two hours or less. And in 347% humidity! I wonder if the airport experienced delays today, such was the air's general soupiness. But such was Jenny's general moxie (ness?) that it didn't deter her from bringing it all home. Good job, Ms. Triathlete, who competed with the help of her great amigas. Pic below taken before the race, when the smiles came easier.

Farmhouse Table

2010-05-30T18:13:00.002-06:00

Chris and I worked hard on this one....glad it is done!

latest makings and doings

2010-05-27T14:18:00.003-06:00

We done beautified a little of our outside areas. In the back, we built us some cedar planter boxes, drowned their perimeter in dark pine mulch. Just gonna be real pertty if we can keep it all watered. We also bought us some yeller' chairs for our house's front sittin and lookin place. Finally, we're in the midst of building a farm table for our back porch (pics soon). All this in time for it to be too hot to go outside.

New Bookcases

2010-05-03T08:00:00.001-06:00

The husband and I spent the weekend working on bookcases for the girls. I need a new workshop!

New Project

2010-03-31T14:00:00.004-06:00

Above is the wall before (no cabinets)

What I thought was a smaller type project turned into a larger than expected project. Thanks Mom and Dad for coming to help and thanks for getting us started Uncle Max!

This is the Laundry Room before...
Cabinets in process
Soren enjoying half built cabinets...

Finished Product

2010-03-31T13:56:00.001-06:00

My New Plants Aunt Dean Sent and Mom Planted

2010-03-31T13:54:00.001-06:00

They are all growing great! 83 degrees today- I am going to have to start the extra watering!

2010-03-31T13:45:00.000-06:00

New Year's in the mountains- Boone, NC

2010-03-14T14:35:00.000-06:00

2010-03-14T14:34:00.000-06:00

Visit to Jimmy and Angel's Farm

2010-03-14T14:33:00.000-06:00

2010-03-14T14:32:00.000-06:00

Fire Station with Cousin Ryan

2010-03-14T14:31:00.000-06:00

more Fire Truck Pics

2010-03-14T14:30:00.000-06:00

Looking at the deer and sitting on the heating duct

2010-03-14T14:29:00.000-06:00

Christmas Morning

2010-03-14T14:28:00.000-06:00

Fun at Santa's Village with Gram and Grandpa

2010-03-14T14:23:00.001-06:00

Christmas Pageant 2009

2010-03-14T14:19:00.001-06:00

Ellaiden was an angel and Soren put hay in the manger!

Fun with the Christmas Tree!

2010-03-14T14:17:00.002-06:00

Lots of Pics..too cute not to post

2009-11-12T21:51:00.001-06:00

2009-11-12T21:48:00.001-06:00

2009-11-12T21:36:00.000-06:00

Funny Stuff

2009-11-12T21:31:00.003-06:00

Me: Eating a Lean Cuising
Ellaiden: (looking over my shoulder) Mom, that looks scrumptious!

Me: Soren, what is something that made you happy today?
Soren: Daddy
Me: Soren, what is something that made you sad today?
Soren: Mommy
Me: hmmmm.... I then think to myself. She must not have understood the question...

My Little Lady Bugs

2009-11-12T21:18:00.004-06:00

Therapy

2009-10-18T12:55:00.002-06:00

Soren has been seeing her speech therapist for a couple months now and it has made a huge difference. She is still quite far behind in the speech department compared to other kids her age but she makes up for it in other areas.

Some of her favorite phrases....

What appened?
Thank you...mome, Thank you dad-deee
See sissy, see, see, sis-sy,
more cookie
mimi phone

Denial

2009-10-18T12:38:00.003-06:00

So,for the past few months we have been trying to deny the possibility that not only Ellaiden but now Soren has what the doctors have labeled as "loose anagen syndrome". I am not completely convinced it is the true diagnosis, but there sure is something wrong. I FINALLY got around to uploading some photos from a while back onto the computer and there was no denying it. We have two beautiful girls with funky hair issues. Seeing Soren's beautiful curls that are now gone made me face it.

Soren's Capitol Time

2009-09-14T21:49:00.008-06:00

Last Saturday, the day after Soren turned two, we had ourselves a grand time at the Capitol grounds. There were about three hundred and seven little girls in attendance. No little boys, unless you count the picture of my (Chris') dad when he last visited the Capitol, also in September, but of 1955. Nothing better than kids playing with, or rather on, heavy antiquated artillery.

Happy Birthday Soren! We love her!

2009-09-04T09:18:00.004-06:00

On Soren's first birthday she climbed out of her crib (for the second time..only it was on lowest it could go)

On Soren's second birthday I found her..

sitting on my dresser collecting my change

sitting on my bathroom counter washing her feet in the sink

peeing on my dining room table

pooping outside in the grass at the bottom of her slide

washing her bottom in my kitchen sink

It is now only 10:23. What else will the day bring? Makes you want to come eat at my house doesn't it? Good thing I have clorox wipes!

First day of school

2009-08-31T19:29:00.004-06:00

They only go two days a week, and it's not really counted in any of the K-12 grades, but darn't if we don't call it school...'cause they do get their learning on there.

It was Soren's first official school day though and she was mightily excited. She has Ellaiden's teacher from last year, Miss Suzie, and Ellaiden is now down the hall in Mr. Jeff's class.

Mustaches for the lassies

2009-08-31T19:19:00.002-06:00

Hud and Amanda came over for Amanda's birthday last week and some mirthful face painting ensued.

A Sad Day Once Again

2009-08-11T11:58:00.002-06:00

Not only has my high school burned down, but now the pool I grew up in....sad days

GIBSONVILLE — The clubhouse at the Gibsonville Swim and Racquet Club was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning.

A neighbor called 911 at about 5:04 a.m. to report the blaze on Dick Street, which is a dead-end road, said Gibsonville Fire Assistant Chief Glenn Martin.

When Gibsonville Fire Department arrived at the business, the roof was fully engulfed in fire and the gate was locked with a chain.

“We had to cut the chain to get in the gate,” Martin said. “By the time we cut the chain, the roof fell in.”

The clubhouse, which housed the snack bar, restrooms, and locker rooms, was located near the pool. It took firefighters about 20 minutes to get the fire under control. Two walls in the brick building had to be knocked down.

Investigators aren’t sure when the fire started, but it is considered accidental.

“It appears that it started in the roof, and it may be an electrical type thing,” Martin said. “The building is so far gone. We can’t put our finger on exactly what caused it. We tried to rule out everything else.”

Martin estimated monetary damages to be about $150,000.

No one was injured and because it happened early in the morning, heat wasn’t a factor for the firefighters battling the flames.

“It was dark when we first got out there but as the sun came up on us and started to shine, we were starting to warm up,” Martin said. “If this thing had come at lunch time, we would have been in trouble as far as the heat.”

The clubhouse was built in 1963. Firefighters never entered the building because the roof collapsed.

“There was nothing we could do really,” Martin said. “It was already gone.”

Firefighters from Whitsett Fire Department as well as station 28 in Frieden and squad 50 in Guilford County assisted Gibsonville.

The clubhouse and pool will be closed indefinitely, Martin said.

Amanda's New Business

2009-08-07T14:30:00.006-06:00

Several months ago I called my friend Amanda almost in tears. "Can you come help? I am bogged down in stuff and I don't know where to start." Amanda being who she is came over immediately and pulled me out of the mire in my kitchen and my bathroom closet. I told her then she needed to start her own business. Well, she finally took my advice and here it is http://simplifyspace.blogspot.com.

Yesterday she came over and helped with my paperwork and my office closet. I had four drawers full of papers just stuffed in there because I have two children under three and no system in place to take care of it. I did what Amanda told me, and now I have four empty drawers, and paperwork in envelopes for each year starting with 2003. So, if the IRS decides to audit because we didn't pay the $.50 we owe them I am set. Not only that, I now have a specific place to put all 2009 bills, statements, and all that other junk that didn't have a good place to live. Check out her blog. It's pretty cool to see what else she has done. She is fantastic!

This is a picture of my office before Amanda came. It was actually in decent shape in appearance because it literally had never been used :)

This is a picture after we reorganized into a neat, usable space

Knife

2009-08-07T14:27:00.002-06:00

Ellaiden: I eed a knife
Me (Jenny): Honey, you are too little for a knife...you may get hurt.
Ellaiden: I a big girl, I grew up yeste-day. I eed a knife.

Conversation

2009-07-23T13:42:00.002-06:00

Both girls were on their knees in the den peering at something on the floor in front of them.

Soren: "whatsdat ?"
Ellaiden: "that's Noelle's"
Soren: "hmm"
Ellaiden" don't touch it ok, Soren, don't touch it"

What were the two of them talking about? Why, Noelle's new baby, Madeline Rose, of course!

4th of July in Dallas

2009-07-23T13:33:00.004-06:00

For the 4th of July Richardson has this great little neighborhood parade and everyone comes to watch. Lots of fun. Lots of heat. Lots of time in the water!

This is the treehouse that Chris' Dad built for him when he was just a little tyke. Pretty Cool isn't it?

2009-07-23T13:27:00.000-06:00

Yard play in NC

2009-07-23T13:18:00.002-06:00

Beach Trip 2009 Kure Beach, NC

2009-07-23T13:12:00.002-06:00

Once again it is the annual family beach trip! Lots of fun! Lots of stairs! Lots of Soren everywhere!

2009-07-23T13:06:00.001-06:00

Easter 2009

2009-07-23T13:01:00.003-06:00

2009-07-23T12:56:00.002-06:00

2009-07-23T12:50:00.002-06:00

Ellaiden's Birthday

2009-07-23T12:19:00.001-06:00

Why Jenny Never Gets Anything Done

2009-05-12T13:17:00.004-06:00

You leave Soren out of your sight for two minutes and this is what you find. Girl in the sink with the water on.

Out and about

2009-05-11T08:37:00.003-06:00

A new smattering of pics

2009-05-08T13:37:00.007-06:00

Finally downloaded pics from my phone camera (and one from my mom's camera when the girls were in Dallas). These ones here go back to last summer and some as recent as a week ago. Sorry for our delinquency in posting.

just for fun

2009-04-09T14:29:00.002-06:00

Easter Dresses before Easter

2009-04-09T14:21:00.003-06:00

Fun with Mimi

2009-04-09T14:17:00.002-06:00

Sharing a Room

2009-03-22T21:08:00.002-06:00

My two lovelies are sharing a room now. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. This morning we woke up to LOTS of giggles in the monitor. Then a few minutes later we hear little feet and feel Monkey slung up on our bed followed by a climbing Soren. She climbs over me to lay in the crook of her Dad-De's arm, stick her thumb in her mouth and close her eyes. A few minutes later here comes a necklace, and a bear followed by Ellaiden snuggling into my arm and closing her eyes. This moment in time lasted about 3o seconds but how sweet it was. That moment was followed by jumping up and down and littles ones sliding off the bed saying milk and waffle.

The Locked Room

2009-03-22T20:57:00.003-06:00

Have you ever wondered what you would do if your kids locked you out of a room? Well, I started trying to find a key to get the door unlocked. I wasn't too concerned because they were in Soren's old room without too much in it besides a WHOLE lot of clothes that I needed to go through, Soren's old mattress, a chair, and a dresser. I had already called Chris and told him he could NOT be late home because the kids had been terrible. It took me 20 minutes to get the door unlocked and this is what I found.

Soren was standing on the dresser with only her shirt on turning the light on and off. That made me let out a small gasp. I then opened the door the rest of the way to find Ellaiden completely naked sitting in a tub that she had emptied a brand new extra large bottle of pancake syrup into. She had retrieved this out of the kitchen cabinet BEFORE locking her and her sister in the room. There was syrup on the floor, the clothes, the mattress, the chair, the walls, the dresser, Soren, and the light switch. Part of the punishment was both of them taking a cold bath which they did NOT like. At this point, I can now smile and laugh about it.

Christmas Pics

2009-03-22T20:50:00.001-06:00

2009-03-22T20:42:00.000-06:00

Chickens!!!

2008-12-09T21:44:00.001-06:00

Why we haven't been blogging lately...

2008-12-09T21:07:00.004-06:00

Soren climbed out of her crib so now she is in a big girl bed!

I left her alone for 3 minutes...

Just four little legs...

I left her alone for 2 minutes...

Happy Birthday Papaw!

2008-12-07T08:52:00.003-06:00

Christmas Clothes

2008-11-16T15:49:00.001-06:00

here we are getting ready for Christmas....

Put'n em to use

2008-11-07T08:24:00.001-06:00

Hergurt, Hiccups, and a belated Halloween Card

2008-11-03T10:15:00.008-06:00

Two videos, one picture. The first video, Ellaiden feeding Soren yogurt. Fortunately for our amusement, Ellaiden is unable to successfully pronounce yogurt.

Second video (which you may need to reload the page for it to play), Ellaiden's attempt to sing one of her bedtime songs is thwarted by the hiccups.

Below is the picture of Ellaiden we never got around to making into a Halloween card.

Halloween, 2008

2008-11-03T10:10:00.003-06:00

Two bees.

Ellaiden possibly throwing gang signs.

Brad chasing elephant son Cash with beer in hand.

Pumpkin time at the tree farm

2008-11-03T09:59:00.002-06:00

Couple weeks back we met some friends at the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm for a time of pumpkin appreciation and general autumnal mirthmaking. Hay rides, hay labyrinths, tractors, "train" rides, dry land boats, and of course, pumpkins.

Way back in September...

2008-11-03T09:09:00.006-06:00

...we went to California, sans the little wigwams. I (Chris) had some work stuff to attend to in Hollywood and Jenny came along. Then we bolted L.A. for Sequoia National Park (because why on earth would anyone want to stay/live in Los Angeles is beyond us) . Here are some pics of our most excellent trip, from the bungalow near Beverly Hills to the tent in the mountains.

Here's where we stayed in L.A., in a 1920's bungalow. Hmm, very nice.

The entrance to our campground.

The view from our tent.

A deer about to eat Jenny, who was reading in the tent.

The world's largest tree (by total volume), 275 ft tall, almost 40 ft wide at the base of the trunk, and estimated to be between 2,300 and 2,700 years old.

Jenny standing in the burned out recess of a giant sequoia
Last evening in L.A., on the pier at Manhattan Beach

Poloroidesque

2008-10-28T10:04:00.004-06:00

Found this free application that turns your digital pics into throwback style poloroids. I dig. Here are some new pics of our young ones, both of whom have been especially pernicious and cumbersome to parent lately. Thus the lack of posting in months. We still love them, despite their cantankerous behavior of late. I took the pics below with my phone, so don't blame the Polaroidization for the low quality.

Update on the hair

2008-08-21T08:50:00.002-06:00

This is what she is supposed to look like... before all this started
Many of you have been asking about her hair and this is what she looks like now...hmm...not so good. Right now her doc thinks it is a rare form of alopecia areata that does a "snake" pattern around her head but nothing is for sure. He is still working on it.

At the playground...

2008-07-28T15:28:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday Gram!

2008-07-24T20:02:00.002-06:00

Updates

2008-07-20T21:23:00.004-06:00

Yes, it has been a long time since we have updated the blog. Let's blame it on new things happening why don't we. Ellaiden has started going "pee pee pottie". Not all the time but pretty consistent and we are very proud parents. Soren is climbing on everything she can get near. We have found her lounging on Ellaiden's pillow on her bed, rocking in the rocking chair and pushing a box around the house to help her get up on things she wouldn't normally be able to reach. Elladen has started putting words together and has realized she can say "no" and "mine" which we are hoping she will forget. She has also been telling us "bless you" and "love you" alot. We hope she never forgets these! Soren has started calling for her "DaDa" and telling us "UhOh". Chris and I are just trying to keep up. Make sure you pop over to Liam's blog to see pics and info from our 4th of July trip to Dallas. Lots of fun!

Ellaiden wanted to include a self portrait....

Two little girls instead of dirty laundry

2008-07-20T21:20:00.001-06:00

Just Being Girls

2008-07-20T21:18:00.001-06:00

Annual Girls Trip

2008-07-20T21:15:00.001-06:00

Here we are once again on our annual girls trip. On our 10th anniversary, we decide to go back to our original stomping groud and visit Appalachian State University and the wonderful towns of Boone and Blowing Rock. If you are looking for a great vacation spot, head there!

Family Fun

2008-07-20T21:13:00.001-06:00

We took these pics on Mom and Dad's back porch. Wish it was this green here in Austin!

2008-07-20T21:11:00.000-06:00

Kure Beach, NC

2008-07-20T21:09:00.001-06:00

2008-07-20T21:08:00.000-06:00

Fun Pics

2008-07-20T20:33:00.002-06:00

Soren sleeps with her "lovey" and her thumb in her mouth and eats with sunglasses on. Ellaiden LOVES shoes of any kind

2008-05-10T12:05:00.002-06:00

Neither of my girls uses a paci. They found them in the toy box and thought they were great. Ellaiden sees her friends with them and every time she finds one she sticks it where it is supposed to go. Soren didn't seem to mind THIS time!

Trouble...in that is

2008-05-10T12:01:00.002-06:00

This is how we found them

2008-05-10T11:43:00.000-06:00

They each procured a hat and this is how we found them.

Picnic

2008-05-10T11:31:00.002-06:00

I found Ellaiden sitting at our dining room table acting like she was eating so I thought she needed to have her own dinner party. Soren was her only friend that could come since it was so late notice (about 5 minutes). We rigged up her seat to join her Sissy and they did some serious dining.

Going to the Pool...

2008-05-10T11:25:00.002-06:00

Ellaiden loved sitting in the cold water with Thea Claire. Soren, well....she lasted about long enough to take a couple pictures!

Hats

2008-05-10T11:23:00.001-06:00

Goin' to the farm (in the city)

2008-05-10T07:29:00.003-06:00

Last week we done went to Boggy Creek Farm, perched nigh up to downtown Austin, smack'em dab in the middle of a bustling city. Heck. We met up with Naomi and her pa' Mark and had ourselves some fun. Chickens, dogs, crops, flowers. And this here farm house, built in 1836.

Alopecia Areata

2008-05-01T11:06:00.003-06:00

This is the official diagnosis for Ellaiden. It is a autoimmune disease where your immune system, for unknown reasons, attacks the hair root and causes hair loss. Ellaiden has been losing clumps of hair for the last couple weeks and this is what she has.

They don't know tons about this condition but it doesn't have anything to do with her physical health, just her hair. The doctors don't really know what will happen in the future. The easiest way to sum it up is that she could fall anywhere in the range of no more hair fallling out and what she has lost growing back to all of her hair falling out including eyelashes, eyebrows, etc... and none of it coming back. There is no way to tell where she fits in the range until something (or nothing) happens. Her hair could grow back and never fall out again or a year from now it may all fall out again. Needless to say we are hoping and praying for the former. You know us women, we like our hair!

We have some cream we are supposed to put on the bald patches that might help. We will do this everyday for three weeks on and then one week off and continue the pattern for the next several months. You know Ellaiden is going to love sitting still for that! If you want more info you can go to http://www.naaf.org/

We are planning on taking some family pics and individual ones of E in the next few days just in case. Right now we can still hide her little bare spots. We will try to get pics up soon.

Oh, how does your garden grow?

2008-05-01T11:02:00.002-06:00

Here are some pics of our garden from last week. Everything has doubled since then, well except for the weeds and they have tripled.

Shower

2008-05-01T10:22:00.001-06:00

Our brother-in-law, Ian, redid our shower for us. Doesn't it look great? All his own design. You too can have a one of a kind shower just call him!

Soren, oh Soren

2008-05-01T10:17:00.004-06:00

This pictue pretty much sums it up. Soren is standing and has been standing since BEFORE she turned 7 months. She practices every chance she gets and we are EXTREMELY happy that she has now learned to sit. I'm afraid she may have knocked her brains around as many times as she fell when she first started standing. Needless to say she is crawing like the floor is on fire. I can't keep up with her these days. I leave her alone for a minute and I return to see her sitting in the middle of the fireplace. Yes, she climbed up there. She started climbing about 3 days after she learned to stand. Soren, oh Soren....sigh (i love that little thing). We will get a video up soon.

Duck

2008-05-01T10:12:00.002-06:00

Chris and I have been working on giving Ellaiden choices. So, when it was time to pick out what kind of cake for her party I gave her the choice of a butterfly or a fish. These were those flat pans that you just pour the batter in and you are done. I held each of them in front of her and she looked at the butterfly and then looked at the fish and turned around in the stoller and shouted "duck". I asked her three times if she was sure and she was sure. SO, here is the 3-D duck that took me about three hours from start to finish.

Ellaiden's 2nd Birthday

2008-05-01T10:09:00.002-06:00

April 11th Ellaiden turned 2! We had a huge party with Eli at our house and Ellaiden had TONS of friends show up. She is seriously loved by everyone :) The weather was perfect and we all had a blast!

2008-05-01T10:06:00.000-06:00

Where is all this learning coming from?

2008-04-07T21:51:00.004-06:00

Ellaiden came in our room this past week and pointed at a sign over our bed and said "O" and "S" which were both letters in the sign. Who taught her those we wonder? We have no idea. Then a couple days ago she asked for a cracker and I held up one finger and said one cracker. She responded back with "two" then later on counted to four. Who taught her how to count we wonder? We have no idea.

Chompers

2008-04-07T21:50:00.002-06:00

About a month ago we discover that Soren has chompers!!!

Visitors

2008-04-07T21:42:00.002-06:00

One of my best friends from college, Ash, and her daughter Ava came to visit for a few days. It was so much fun having her here . All you other ladies take note this is her 2nd visit. Now, when are you coming??? What do you think of rafting the Nolichucky or Ocoee for our girls trip this year? Some rafting and camping along the banks, it would be like old times in the woods.

Easter Baskets

2008-04-07T21:29:00.003-06:00