Pickin' Daisies......

    was one of my Grandmother Cleo's favorite phrases.  She used this when you were doing something fun with someone you loved or just something nice all by yourself.  Well, this past Sunday I was able to pick daisies all by myself, which around here is a very rare treat.  Daniel stayed home with the kids Sunday afternoon so that I could go shopping, and not just any shopping, fun and for me shopping mostly.  I have been wanting to get to the fabric store since after Christmas and also to Super Target.  Neither of these places are very close, so I had to do a little driving.  I got to the fabric store at 2:00pm and didn't leave until 4:00pm, I was in heaven.  I walked slowly around the entire store at least twice and found everything I was looking for.  I'm going to try my hand at a few new sewing projects and start to get to know my new toy, the Cricut, so I needed a few supplies.  After that I went to the Super Target, I've only been one other time and that was for a specific thing, so I just got in and out, but not this time, I was there for about 1 1/2 hours.  I didn't need a whole lot, but I took my time going down each isle just to see what all they had.  It was a great relaxing afternoon and I really enjoyed myself.
     Today, Daniel and I are going to pick a few daisies together, but first he has to go have some minor cutting done on his chin.  When he had his bike accident this summer he cut his chin badly enough that it required stitches.  Well, since then he continues to get this spot under the scar that festers up with stuff and will eventually begin to leak(I know, too much information).  It's really gross!  Over Christmas he was showing it to my cousin who is a doctor and he said that the next time it happened to give him a call, so this week it happened and after Dr. Michael looked at it on Monday, he decided it need to be reopened and cleaned out.  I hope he feels ok, because after that we are going to Harris Teeter for Super Doubles, out to eat, and possibly to a movie.  I can't wait to see how Daniel handles the coupons, he typically doesn't do the grocery shopping unless it's just for a few things, so it is sure to be interesting.  It's so nice to be able to spend quality time together whatever we are doing!

Happy Weekend!!!

Happy Birthday Daniel!!!........2+ Months Late!!!

     Well, I know this one is really late, but we celebrated Daniel's 40th Birthday at the end of September.  He and his dad both have September birthdays, so we do their family party together.  At the family party his parents surprised him with a rifle that was made for Boy Scouts of America with the Eagle Scout emblem on it.  The company made 2 rifles related to BSA this year, the Eagle Scout one and a 100th Anniversary one. Daniel of course thought that would be his only party, but I had other plans.  On his actual birthday he took off work and played golf, so while he was gone the girls and I made signs for inside the house and for the mailbox(so everyone would know he's 40) and we decorated the house.  He knew I had invited Amber to dinner, but he did not know that I had also invited his parents.  We enjoyed chicken pastry, butter beans, hushpuppies, and a Smores' Cheesecake.  Two days after his actual birthday; myself, along with lots of help from our families and friends, threw him a surprise party.  He had no idea!  It was so much fun!

     Thanks Daniel for being such a Wonderful Husband and Father!  

I Love You Very Much!

Happy Belated Birthday Daniel and Granddaddy!!!

Daniel and Granddaddy's Party:

Daniel's B-Day Day:

Surprise Party: 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

     The girls and I started the day early by making blueberry and regular pancakes and sausage for Daniel.  We let him sleep until 9am since we weren't doing Sunday School and he was actually going to stay home from church with Amelia since she's been sick since Friday afternoon.  We gathered all the little gifts except for one that we forgot until the afternoon and the girls headed in to wake him up.  I went to get John Mac while they woke him up.  He opened his gifts and then had breakfast in bed quietly while the kids and I ate in the kitchen.  He was really lazy, because he ended up going back to sleep.  Edi and I got ready for church and when we got home he had gotten back in the bed after lying John Mac down for his nap.  Can you say LAZY!!!  Anyway, it's his day!  He, Edi, and John Mac went to his parent's house for lunch while I stayed home with Amelia.  She and I tried to nap, but she wasn't wanting to nap today, so I dosed while she watched TV in our bed.  The other 3 got home later afternoon and John Mac went back down for a nap while the rest of us relaxed and watched TV.  Daniel did decide to go for a bike ride around 6:30pm and rode 12 miles.  I think all in all he had a great Father's Day!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO OUR GOD IN HEAVEN, DANIEL, MY DADDY, AND MY FATHER-IN-LAW! 

He Loves Blueberries, he had to have one!!!

All his Gifts!  (his mix CD from Amber is missing from the picture, because it's in his car already)

Amelia's Preschool Creations, too cute!

The butterfly Amelia made for him with my Mom at a local pottery place!

Edi's gifts!  She also made him an e-card online at Disney.com and emailed it to him on Friday and told him not to open it until today, it was really cute!

Anniversary Trip to the Beach

     Last weekend we went to the beach just the 2 of us for our 11th anniversary. We had a great time and it was nice to be together just the two of us. We missed the kids, but they had a lot of fun going between the grandparents' houses. My grandparents bought a house at Emerald Isle back in 1982-83 and now it belongs to my mom and her twin sister. We get to go pretty often and love it there. We left for the beach Friday morning around 8:30am and finally got there around 1:30pm after making stops along the way. I took an afternoon nap while Daniel went for a bike ride. Friday night we ate at the local Oyster Bar inside Jordan's Restaurant since it was the last weekend for fresh steamed oysters, they were so good. Then we visited the Dairy Queen for dessert and went home and watched a movie we rented. Saturday I was really lazy, I watched TV, played on the computer, read, painted my toenails, and took a nap. Daniel took a nap too after his bike ride. Saturday night we went to Portafino's a local italian restaurant, then went to the movies to see Date Night, and then another trip to Dairy Queen. Sunday we got up rather early and went to Frost Restaurant for a big breakfast, then to Fort Macon to look around. We then headed home to see our babies!!!  It was a great weekend!

This pictures shows were a cannon ball was fired at the Fort and then rolled down the stairs making cuts as it went.

Our 11th Anniversary

Today is our 11th Anniversary.  11 years ago today we got married outside at my parent's house, the house I grew up in.  The weather was not good.  It was 50 degrees, windy, and rainy.  I didn't care.  Our love has grown stronger everyday and through all the good times and bad, we've stayed true to one another, never forgetting that our love for each other, God, and family is always the most important thing.  This weekend we have entrusted our family to care for the kids while we spend some quiet alone time at the beach.  We miss our babies, but we know that it is so important for us to nurture our relationship just as we nurture our children and other aspects of our lives.   

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2009 Man of the Year

   On Monday January 11th, 2010 Daniel was awarded the 2009 Man of the Year Award in our local Community.  Daniel founded a Cub Scout Pack in 2003 and later a Boy Scout Troop in our area.  He grew up in Scouting and received his Eagle Scout rank in 1988.  He is currently the local Troop Commissioner and holds several other positions in local Packs and Troops.  One of his scouts nominated him for this award without his knowledge.  On Monday the 4th I got a call from the scout's mom telling me that Daniel had been chosen and that we would need to trick him to get him to the awards ceremony on the 11th.  I told him that the scout was getting an award and that he really wanted Daniel to be there. 
    On the 11th we got ready and I hid the video camera in my pocketbook and we headed to the banquet.  There were a number of awards given out that night and we ate a great dinner.  When the award was announced I got out my camera and the presenter started talking about Daniel without using his name.  About 3 seconds in he realized that the award was not for the scout but for him.  He was speechless.  It was a wonderful surprise and he still cannot believe it.  He has done a lot for scouting in our community and continues to do so.  I am so proud of him!

Daniel with Don (the scout that nominated him)