tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33548056802083848742012-01-21T23:32:40.294-05:00Emily Colenoreply@blogger.comBlogger3041100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-57576475896304555032012-01-17T19:45:00.009-05:002012-01-17T21:51:25.093-05:00

I'm actually trying to stop feeling like a dragon-mom who is constantly breathing fire down my children's necks! Ok, so with a lead-in like that, who doesn't want to read this post? Right? In reality, this is a very serious topic if you're a parent (if not, you can go read another blog today). I've found that teaching my children to listen and be responsible while keeping my sanity is proving to

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-84686188473437517162011-12-22T20:34:00.009-05:002011-12-22T22:38:24.874-05:00

Whew! Winter Break time!!!Before we're allowed out on winter break, the kids have presentations in their classrooms - Taylor Anne had Science and Social Studies research projects to show off, and Anderson's classroom sang some songs in Spanish for their parents. His classroom is a Spanish immersion class, so the kids know quite a bit of Spanish by this point in the year. (click on the pictures to

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-82486099730998603172011-11-19T22:33:00.006-05:002011-11-19T23:24:33.729-05:00

Yes - we're busy. Here's some of what we've been up to lately (in no particular order):Anderson completed his first soccer season with CASL. He had a lot of fun and really enjoyed talking with the coach and scoring goals!Anderson is all about action! (is anyone surprised?)Taylor Anne has enjoyed riding Maddie, and is now cantering and going over her first vertical jumps. She loves riding and

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-1766414165531543912011-08-06T23:01:00.004-04:002011-08-06T23:14:49.715-04:00

I had a little bit of 'free time' this weekend. Instead of cleaning the house or doing laundry, (which both sorely need to be done) I thought to myself, "I really love those caramels from Dillsboro Chocolate Factory, I can make those myself!" I haven't ever made caramels or worked with 'real' chocolate before, but I thought I would be able to learn and it couldn't be too hard.... right? The

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-54675719475222821852011-07-10T22:27:00.003-04:002011-07-10T22:39:13.857-04:00

This is just a glimpse into the wonderful time we had at the Hemlock Inn!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-89989811570849872042011-06-06T21:18:00.005-04:002011-06-06T21:33:47.601-04:00

One of my young friends has made a wish for her 8th birthday - she wants to raise $208 for the children in La Lemonada, Guatemala. She's been involved with Lemonade International with her family for years, but this year she decided she wanted to do something herself as a birthday present to others. Please follow the link below and see her story and please consider donating toward her cause! We

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-46907225718392656252011-05-19T20:30:00.004-04:002011-05-19T21:13:14.117-04:00

Because Taylor Anne is in third grade, she took her first 'End of Grade' exams last week. I'm super excited and proud that Taylor Anne was only 'a little' nervous about taking the tests, and really glad that she came home feeling confident that she did well.These "EOGs" are the state standardized tests that tell if the student has learned what the state wants them to learn (curriculum-wise) in

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-24329406173101505272011-04-17T20:29:00.007-04:002011-04-19T21:48:50.949-04:00

My Girl Scout Troop ROCKS!Yesterday, we headed up to a local Girl Scout camp because it was Camporee weekend - something we've planned to go to for months and one of the highlights of the Girl Scout year. There were severe thunderstorms forecast, and although many of these were producing tornadoes, the girls still wanted to go and participate. There are safe places for campers to go in each unit

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-63010764036141149342011-04-06T17:46:00.004-04:002011-04-06T18:15:33.462-04:00

We got home from our trip to Greensboro for the memorial service today. We were very excited to check on the little broody hen we had in our back yard. You see, we bought 6 fertile eggs from a local farmer we met at the Tractor Supply store here in town. One of our hens, Silver, had been broody for a few days, so we set the eggs under her in the nesting box and waited to see if she would stay.

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-90815384491774572072011-03-31T09:11:00.006-04:002011-04-01T17:05:06.974-04:00

My grandmother, also known as Bootsie and Great Boo, died early Thursday morning. She was a master Jello Maker, Bridge Player, and Swedish Rummy master. She had Alzheimer's and for the last year (maybe more) was very frustrated and confused. She is at peace now. We will miss her. Here are some good photos I have of Great Boo. Our last Thanksgiving beach trip.Great Boo and Anderson

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-86807365049547548142011-03-21T17:07:00.004-04:002011-03-21T17:16:57.167-04:00

Anderson broke his arm last week at school. He didn't listen when his teacher told him to stay off the monkey bars because they were wet and slippery... and he fell, breaking his arm just above the elbow. He wore a half-cast covered in an ace bandage for about 5 days, then we took him to the orthopedist to get a cast on. He'll wear it for 2 weeks, then we'll take him back to the orthopedist and

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-58685870402434283732011-02-27T08:35:00.007-05:002011-03-06T09:24:53.520-05:00

Have you ever had a memory so complete you could smell, hear, taste and feel where you were? I had the chance to reunite with a memory recently at Yum-Yums. Yum Yums is a hot dog place in Greensboro, NC. It's actually just "Yum Yum". And it's known for it's ice cream just as much as the fragrant red hot dogs. It's location right on the edge of UNCG's campus is probably it's saving grace. We used

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-37266113553455873932011-02-14T07:57:00.005-05:002011-02-14T08:27:35.522-05:00

Yesterday, it was gorgeous outside.I got to hang out with my sweet boy in the backyard and all I needed to keep warm was a sweatshirt. We visited with the chickens, checked for eggs, took a look at the garden (totally ruined by all the snow we had a while back) and then we checked on the bees.We had seen several leave the hive, and some others had been coming back with full pollen baskets - light

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-88983495293821536382011-02-09T21:07:00.003-05:002011-02-09T21:41:01.818-05:00

Since I joined a mug-rug swap through The Quilting Gallery, and the deadline is approaching, I decided to get some sewing done! I decided to use the Dresden plate tutorial on Ryan's blog, so I wouldn't mess it up again! (my last attempt at a mug-rug was a disaster)My secret partner likes muted colors... this is what I came up with. It was a 'blender pack', I think I got it as a gift. The more I

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-10817687635894312972011-01-29T19:45:00.006-05:002011-01-29T20:58:32.381-05:00

Today, I was a volunteer.I'm going to try to give you a taste:I showed up at a local Middle School, and the gym was empty - that didn't last long! Bleachers were pulled out, tables set up with timers and scoreboards, and the athletes and coaches arrived.Soon there were basketball players all over the place, scrumming around for the ball, making shots and passes, and giving high-fives amid lots of

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-83791310267754911502011-01-17T17:48:00.006-05:002011-01-17T18:08:41.462-05:00

Yum... and Super Simple!loaf 1I did a search for simple crusty bread - this is what popped up...When I checked back from my bookmark, I couldn't get to it again, so I thought I would just post it: Adapted from “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day,” by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François (Thomas Dunne Books, 2007) Time: About 45 minutes plus about 3 hours’ resting and rising1 1/2 tablespoons yeast1 1/

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-57402387821266282992011-01-16T19:56:00.003-05:002011-01-16T20:04:06.070-05:00

Yes, It's sideways... Just have to finish up the outer border then figure out the backing for it...then sandwich, quilt, and bind!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-83607289993551756712011-01-16T11:11:00.004-05:002011-01-16T12:38:49.645-05:00

Weird... The fabric I ordered looked exactly the same in the photo... but take a peek - the little piece on top is what I had originally, the piece on the bottom is the new stuff... I guess it's a dye-lot issue? The colors are just darker, or more saturated... I'll use it and hope that no one notices... oh well...Today I finished the last two blocks for the Star Quilt along.Here is block #12And

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-92150607059279503972011-01-12T20:50:00.004-05:002011-01-12T21:05:20.233-05:00

Happy Birthday to Nella!Don't know who she is?Check this out! (please click the link!)Look at all of the beautiful children, read the blog, think of how you might be able to help create a culture that fully accepts and includes individuals with Down's Syndrome.

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-54488534770893629462011-01-05T21:13:00.006-05:002011-01-05T22:01:52.551-05:00

Did that get your attention?Get your head out of the gutter, folks... and get your hands IN IT!(picking up trash, that is)I know there are only about 16 people who check my blog, and maybe 10 of you read it whenever I post something new, but I want to try to get the word out about this really cool friend I have.Angie.She's very passionate about the environment - especially our impact on the

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-70999062672885523152011-01-03T20:17:00.005-05:002011-01-03T21:06:25.703-05:00

I really like the Mug Rugs, Mug Mates, Tiny Placemats, whatever you want to call them, and yesterday afternoon I thought it would be neat to make one using some scraps from the quilt I am working on. I thought I could make one to send to my husband's Aunt Carol because I know she drinks coffee, and she just sent us an unexpected subscription to Better Homes and Gardens! I just thought it would be

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-76210629328344608522011-01-02T12:24:00.003-05:002011-01-02T12:28:41.679-05:00

Wow - there are a lot of folks having giveaways for the new year! Another really great one is at Stray Stitches - a blog I just found out about today. Check out her giveaway - it's a great pattern and fabric to go with it! Awesome! I hope I win, I really like that pattern!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-84144552196727104952011-01-02T12:04:00.004-05:002011-01-02T12:08:04.217-05:00

There's a giveaway going on at the new "Vignette in Stitches Blog", and I'm helping get the word out about their new blog... It looks like they've got a great magazine going, and although I've never seen it, I would love a chance to win a copy! You can too! Just click on the link above, and take a peek at the new blog. They're holding the drawing on Jan 6th in Australia. Good Luck!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-88283915649022670752011-01-01T16:36:00.002-05:002011-01-01T17:32:46.951-05:00

When this happens? (other than cry...?) How do you prevent it?Need a closer look?See it? It's because this block didn't turn out EXACTLY the same size as the other blocks... so it puckered (and not a good kind of pucker, either!)I'm trying to decide whether to rip it all out and redo the block... and the row... and the top... I am also afraid it will happen again somewhere in the other 3 rows I

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-55739487611509336272011-01-01T16:05:00.005-05:002011-01-01T16:28:55.781-05:00

My husband complains because I "never blog about him"... sorry sweetheart - it's not intentional! Here's one dedicated just to you:He's Fun...He plays with the kids in the snow (so I don't have to!!)He's silly!He takes us on adventures!And just the other day... He bought me something I've wanted for a long time!Thanks Sweetie, you're the best!!! (he is, isn't he?)(Thanks, Honey! I love it!)

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-89179641578749987212010-12-31T10:31:00.003-05:002010-12-31T11:52:24.642-05:00

I'm not one to make resolutions, in fact, I don't think I made any last year. I just didn't really think about it. But this year I have been thinking about it and I made a list of things I would like to accomplish this year:Finish the UFOs in my sewing roomKeep up and do well in all of my classesRun a 5k without having to walk any of itTeach my children to be more considerate of othersMake Bread

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-27928098935983958942010-12-30T17:02:00.003-05:002010-12-30T17:21:51.789-05:00

I found it - the fabric I need to complete the quilt without it looking way too random!Of course I could have found another fabric that would have coordinated, but for only two more blocks? I drove all around Raleigh to Joanns, Hancocks, Carolina Sew-n-vac, Mill Outlet Village, Bernina world of sewing, WalMart (yes, ours has fabric) and Quilts like Crazy looking for even a bit of this fabric.

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-24954263176581109892010-12-29T11:06:00.003-05:002010-12-29T11:18:09.640-05:00

Block #10 for the star quilt-along (which was 2 years ago... Ha ha!)Block #11 - This is the fabric I have no more of... 2 more blocks to go, and I'm out! I guess I'll have to use more of the above fabric than I really want to... Urggggg!!!Working on finishing up those last 2 blocks today, then sashing sections and we'll see if I can put the top together!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-85015060499118228952010-12-28T10:30:00.006-05:002010-12-28T14:49:41.870-05:00

Ha ha... I'm laughing at myself today... I cleaned out my sewing room, hoping to paint it sometime soon, but I also organized some of my fabrics and shelves. While doing that, I 'found' my unfinished quilts. Yes, that's plural... there is more than one UFO in my sewing room. I will not fess up to how many right now.It's apparent with my crafting and going back to school that my ADHD has never

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-44547424646204809972010-12-27T18:25:00.003-05:002010-12-27T18:51:20.047-05:00

This is my house... no wait - my parent's house! (Wonder when I'll be able to let go of it?) Gorgeous in the snow, isn't it? We were at my parent's house for Christmas morning, hung out for a while, then visited with my grandparents, Great Boo and Nick-Nick, for the afternoon. Great Boo slept most of our visit, but we had fun hanging out with Nick-Nick, Aunt Betsy, Uncle Fred, and Aunt Kathy.

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-9226625498344146352010-12-21T20:51:00.003-05:002010-12-21T20:59:34.091-05:00

OK, I know the Lunar Eclipse was last night... I didn't stay up or get up for it. Oh well... I just needed my sleep, OK? Tonight, Taylor Anne was freaking out after taking a bag of trash out to the trash can, and she insisted I come with my camera. It was getting cloudy, and I told her I didn't think I would be able to get a good picture of it for her, but check out what I got!She wanted me to

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-71130975966109664232010-12-20T19:09:00.005-05:002010-12-20T21:31:54.428-05:00

Tonight I made "Fat Tuesday Skinny Red Beans"... one of the recipes we first got to try when we were on our Road Trip this summer. My friend Anna made it for us while we visted, and I loved it. I made it tonight using her recipe book that she gifted to me for my birthday. (Thank you, Anna!!!) I made it with rice for myself, and cornbread for the other three in my household. Of course the kids

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-17329210953224841402010-12-13T21:32:00.004-05:002010-12-13T21:56:41.022-05:00

So, no - Santa wasn't made by me, but Anderson was! We went to the American Legion Hall's Pancake breakfast this morning, and Santa was there!!! Anderson was SO excited to see him. He ran right over to him, and I could just get a fuzzy picture of him leaping into Santa's arms! All of the 'mature' people in the room (the majority) said "Awwww" in unison. It was really cute! Santa got Anderson to

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-33664957235756793212010-12-08T17:28:00.002-05:002010-12-08T18:12:21.525-05:00

Way back in December 2006 - Anderson and Taylor Anne! Look at Anderson's sweet ROUND face!Here I am (I guess at about 7 or 8?) visiting with Santa... not sure where. Maybe at the Jefferson-Pilot Club in Greensboro? Not sure...

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-61518729950905734512010-12-04T16:08:00.002-05:002010-12-04T16:14:26.180-05:00

It's SNOW fun around here! (ha ha ha)It was just supposed to be a dusting, but we've gotten about an inch over the past 2 hours, and it's still coming down! It's really pretty outside... pretty early for snow around this part of North Carolina... fun though!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-8145107772790346952010-11-25T04:00:00.007-05:002010-11-25T15:25:03.855-05:00

Yep, it's my birthday!I guess I'm 34 this year... Yikes!I was a "Thanksgiving Baby" - my mom had me on Thanksgiving Day in 1976 - and the story that I always hear is that she got to have two Thanksgiving dinners, one from the hospital, and one that my Granddad brought to her from home... my Aunt Betsy always reminds me that she was there when I was born. Isn't that sweet? It's nice having my

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-35444152641453769722010-11-19T09:00:00.000-05:002010-11-19T08:58:15.373-05:00

So, it's getting to be that time of year again, and I would like to avoid the frantic requests for lists from family members and friends. Here is a list of things Taylor Anne and Anderson would like for Christmas...Generally for clothing:Taylor Anne is in size 7 tops and 6x/7 pants (pants need to be slim or have adjustable waists) size 1 shoesAnderson is in 4s for clothing (pants need to be

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-35455517344242752352010-11-14T15:35:00.003-05:002010-11-14T16:06:02.645-05:00

Sick days CAN be useful and productive, I guess... look at this sweet stripy sweater I finished up!A little collar for a little neck...Some little sleeves for some little (long) arms...Some stripes for a sweet boy! This is going to Korea along with some other stuff to fill out the box. I hope it fits, and keeps my nephew, Maverick, warm!Now I'm itching to find the next thing to go on the needles!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-16834617553074687742010-11-07T09:09:00.004-05:002010-11-07T09:23:29.743-05:00

My sister is in Korea...with her husband,my neice and nephew,and our Mother....I miss them...let the penny-saving begin...I think I need to renew my passport.(Mary's pictures)

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-72598710833942574782010-11-03T21:55:00.003-04:002010-11-03T22:05:37.941-04:00

So, tonight I'm going WAY WAY back, and I wish I had a relevant picture to show you... when I was a kid, I would listen to my parent's albums... yes - with a record player. One of my favorites was Harry Chapin. I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that my parents loved his music and played it often as we cleaned house or hung out on the weekends. As a kid, I didn't 'get' the 'adult'

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-10631857338833951462010-10-31T20:52:00.003-04:002010-10-31T21:00:13.853-04:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-34911571833552683132010-10-27T22:20:00.003-04:002010-10-27T22:36:22.073-04:00

Way back!Some older Halloween photos...(playing along with Jaclyn and my Sister)

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-77894620790187973192010-10-16T21:08:00.004-04:002010-10-16T21:43:32.864-04:00

See that little orange dot in the middle of that Magnolia?That's my daughter... She's about 30 feet up in the Magnolia in our backyard. I did not give her permission to climb the tree... I just came outside, and there she was. Hmm... I couldn't punish her - I nearly LIVED in a Magnolia tree when I was her age. My best friend, Jonathan, and I would climb the Henry's Magnolia tree all summer when

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-5940515727736133712010-10-06T21:35:00.011-04:002010-10-07T23:36:04.525-04:00

I've recently been reading a few blogs in my free-time (between homework assignments) about Fostering children and Foster families - It's a topic that interests me greatly.One of the bloggers posted a 'Meme' (A list of things about yourself) about being privileged - what it means, how it's perceived, and one possible way to measure it. I thought it would be interesting to see how I 'measured up'

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-2777846156091559062010-09-29T12:54:00.005-04:002010-09-29T14:06:33.013-04:00

Fall is apple time...and we couldn't miss out this year!Because there is a really nice, local orchard between our house and the NC Zoo, we decided to visit on our way home from our last Zoo visit. It was a beautiful day for apple picking!Most of the apples were really too high to reach, so Mike lifted Taylor Anne up to reach the ones we wanted. It was hard work, but it was really worth it! We

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-89859911730888796452010-09-24T21:24:00.001-04:002010-09-24T21:25:37.809-04:00

Be Real... REALLY REAL.

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-2996529775564732092010-09-05T18:57:00.003-04:002010-09-05T19:28:48.348-04:00

OK, so these aren't in chronological order... but they are some sweet shots that I haven't posted yet...My Grandmother Audrey, holding her latest Great-Grandchild, Maverick McIntyre...she has 7 children, has 12 Grandchildren, and 11 Great-Grands so far. (I think?)Anderson sneaking a kiss! He loves his cousin, Maddox!Silly Cousins!!!At Maverick's Baptism - First Lutheran Church, August 29, 2010.

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-27804495936179271152010-08-16T12:00:00.009-04:002010-08-17T21:45:11.234-04:00

Day EightWe left Daniel Boone National Forest on the final leg of our journey home...I'm not sure where we were when we found this, but I think it was still in Southern Kentucky - it's a really cool looking "Tersa Sphinx Moth". None of us had ever seen one of these before, and it was really nice to sit still for me to take a few photos. Our budding entomologist, Taylor Anne, wanted to take it

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-62443778149911811252010-08-16T10:21:00.012-04:002010-08-16T21:48:38.888-04:00

Day Seven Buckle up... it's a long one!Driving through Indiana... we found a wind farm!It was SO cool - there were these huge windmills as far as the eye could see... and we decided to investigate them further... We wanted to see if they made noise! We were also a little curious if we would be allowed to get close to one.We got off the highway... and drove through a little town towards a

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-53072101472230748892010-08-14T13:33:00.005-04:002010-08-15T14:32:31.981-04:00

Day Six - we woke up EARLY to get going toward the Chicago area. Most of our drive was 'backtracking' so we didn't make a lot of stops. We did stop at the Illinois Welcome Center...And at one of the cool 'Oasis' Pit-stop kind of places on the Illinois Toll Road. We had seen them on the way up, but didn't want to stop... this time we needed to find something to eat, and suddenly an "Oasis" pops up

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-89458955522017253292010-08-13T17:40:00.008-04:002010-08-13T20:35:59.854-04:00

On the road again....Well - yes, but not leaving Minnesota just yet! On Sunday, we got back in the car and went to visit Mike's Grandpa Vernon. Taylor Anne and Anderson had met their Great Grandpa Vernon a few times, and were excited to see him again! Anna and Sylva came along for the ride down to Belview, where Grandpa Vernon lives. Anderson was 'into' his Leapster during the ride!Sylva enjoyed

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-77715756776011802522010-08-11T16:47:00.006-04:002010-08-12T10:21:51.291-04:00

Day FourAfter a fairly leisurely wake-up, we had a great breakfast of Anna's homemade oatmeal, got dressed and headed over to visit with Anna's Grandma Mercedes. She moved to Minnesota after Anna and Rick both found jobs there. She lives in a very nice nursing home which is very close to Anna's house, a very short walk! We visited for a short time, Mercedes was busy on the stationary bike when we

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-41230435144158613282010-08-09T23:16:00.007-04:002010-08-10T08:55:49.950-04:00

Day ThreeMike and I woke before dawn, transferred the two sleepyheads to the van, then packed up camp and left Warren Dunes Campground with our headlights off... so we wouldn't wake other campers. The place was packed with sleeping campers! We had to leave SOOOO early because we heard that morning traffic in Chicago can be a little difficult to maneuver and we didn't want to waste 3 hours sitting

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-6862052009202478752010-08-09T18:20:00.005-04:002010-08-09T19:42:29.839-04:00

Day Two We left from the campground in Southern Ohio and drove North toward Michigan... After the kids and I enjoyed a few Krispy Kreme donuts that we brought along, Mike decided he needed something more substantial, and we stopped at "The spot to eat" in Sidney, Ohio. The sandwich he got was ginormous - a country fried steak sandwich that was easily 2 inches larger all around than the bun it was

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-64284207202399514362010-08-08T17:47:00.008-04:002010-08-10T00:01:13.406-04:00

This summer my family took it's first ever LONG road trip together! (it won't be our last!) Our destination point was my best friend, Anna's house in Minnesota. She lives there with her husband, Rick and daughter, Sylva. Recently, Anna's Mom also moved there to be closer to Anna, and Grandma Mercedes... who happens to live in a nursing home within walking distance of Anna's house! Cool, Huh?

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-84012438270880356232010-07-27T20:03:00.003-04:002010-07-27T20:29:43.400-04:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-40065102661451788212010-07-18T00:34:00.003-04:002010-07-18T00:42:42.398-04:00

Knitting, Car Riding, Card Playing, and Picture Taking! You can figure out which ones are which!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-976309951323440762010-07-12T21:29:00.004-04:002010-07-12T21:36:49.275-04:00

As you can see, we found a whopper of a cucumber in our garden yesterday! What's interesting is that it's not all seedy and 'old' like you would expect for an overgrown fruit. Poor Taylor Anne is squinting because of the sun in her eyes...One of our new chicas named 'Oreo' allowed Anderson to love on her a bit also. She has a 'bad' leg... I think it was dislocated at the hip one weekend when we

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-90227758343819804792010-07-05T16:21:00.005-04:002010-07-05T16:35:21.864-04:00

My little lady has gone to Girl Scout Camp again this summer. One week away from home with other little girls her age out in the woods swimming, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, singing, doing crafts and archery... I think she's gonna have a blast!Taylor Anne chillin' out on her bed after setting up her 'space'.Taylor Anne and her buddy, Zoe, who went to camp with her last year too!Taylor Anne's '

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-61085520694126208182010-07-01T23:33:00.004-04:002010-07-01T23:52:35.444-04:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the first ever Girl Scout Day Camp in my Girl Scout Service Unit this past week. It was certainly a learning experience (4 PA's are too many!), but it was also a LOT of fun! I was a 'Unit Leader' for a group of 12 Girl Scout Brownies, some of which had never been to any sort of camp before! The theme for the week was "Passport to Adventure", and

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-28129502863314802842010-06-27T23:23:00.002-04:002010-06-27T23:37:36.453-04:00

I won't be driving the whole time... what should I do other than read...? Ideas are welcome!(H is also A, by the way...)View Larger Map

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-88502443505574953572010-06-26T19:28:00.002-04:002010-06-26T20:29:25.641-04:00

Anderson has taken it upon himself to learn how to swim this summer! In the past 3 weeks, he's turned into a little fish. I think it helped that he never had a fear of water, and of course until this year, that meant DANGER! We will keep a good eye on him, as always, but it's pretty exciting to see him swimming all of a sudden!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-1640066653203082192010-06-26T16:57:00.003-04:002010-06-26T20:32:57.811-04:00

My Grandparent's who are called "Great Boo" and "Nick-Nick" are having their 65th wedding anniversary today. Because of a very busy summer schedule, we are not able to be there. We made a video for them instead:

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-37289905390147077202010-06-22T11:15:00.007-04:002010-06-22T13:03:01.400-04:00

This weekend we headed up to my parent's lake house. It's a tiny little thing where a TON of fun happens! Luckily my sister and her daughter were also there, so my kids got to spend some time with their cousin. My sister's family (soon to be a family of 4!!) is going to be moving to Korea for a year after their new baby is born, and after that year, they will be in Germany for several years (

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-16100590331627416832010-06-10T22:40:00.005-04:002010-06-26T20:33:34.270-04:00

This year we had a really low-key birthday for Anderson. We were going to have a small friends party for him, but it ended up just not happening. Here are our photos from our family celebration!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-56459098930274083302010-04-21T19:06:00.000-04:002010-04-21T19:07:55.892-04:00

Hen-side the Beltline Tour d’Coop Saturday May 15, 201010am- 4pm rain or shine The Fifth Annual Tour of Raleigh’s Urban Chickens and Their Coops Sponsored by Whole Foods Market Raleigh’s city chicken owners invite you into their backyards for a first-hand look at keeping chickens in an urban environment. Discover the variety of breeds that might be nesting in your neighborhood,

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-37623237607957984322010-04-19T20:31:00.005-04:002010-04-20T21:51:06.215-04:00

The package was buzzing like crazy! Those 3 lbs of bees didn't like being stuck in that little box... so we let them out - slowly of course!I put on a bee veil that my friend Dave lent to me, along with my long sleeved white jacket, and some gloves. I had long pants on, and put rubber bands around the bottom so no bees could crawl/fly up my pant legs.They were very gentle bees, none of them were

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-45779322436321907562010-04-11T08:22:00.003-04:002010-04-19T20:30:08.291-04:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-22017863778595038862010-04-06T15:49:00.004-04:002010-04-12T21:05:01.138-04:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-79019981848349572032010-04-03T11:21:00.003-04:002010-04-03T11:30:08.898-04:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-35795317570403099252010-03-07T09:51:00.006-05:002010-03-07T10:59:10.132-05:00

In my Biology class, our assignment this week was to analyze a drug ad in any popular magazine. We had to think about the condition it treated, the listed side effects, and decide whether or not we would use the drug if we had the condition it treated, then tell why or why not.Well, one woman chose to analyze the drug Vyvance - which so happens to be the drug we have recently put our daughter on

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-48878531501522077822010-02-28T11:11:00.003-05:002010-02-28T12:06:35.836-05:00

One of our beloved girls died yesterday... Gray Whitney... named after Ray Whitney of the Carolina Hurricanes (our favorite player).Our chicken, Gray Whitney, had developed 'internal laying' which means that she had something wrong with her body which made her not develop eggs completely, then when they traveled down the oviduct, instead of coming out of the vent, they dropped down into her

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-15153833797994591432010-02-19T13:25:00.001-05:002010-02-19T13:29:24.729-05:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-72388068688215827712010-02-15T11:31:00.003-05:002010-02-15T11:45:23.593-05:00

It's a little baby hat - made to match the blue vest I made earlier for Ryan. The lighting in this photo isn't great. I haven't successfully made anything with double pointed needles yet...I had to frog the socks I had started for Taylor Anne. Anyway - this is the start of a little hat, it's supposed to come together quickly - so we'll see how long this takes. I'm finding that knitting while

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-20336051740190818342010-02-14T14:24:00.003-05:002010-02-14T14:28:31.332-05:00

I don't know who this one is for yet... I like this yellow though!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-91616614559776821102010-02-08T21:15:00.002-05:002010-02-08T21:18:45.945-05:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-38468357844872030232010-02-06T09:57:00.003-05:002010-02-06T10:58:59.488-05:00

Ryan Wesley Miller was born February 4th and weighed 8lbs 4oz.Isn't he a cutie???Look at those sweet cheeks - and he's got some hair - yay!! I like babies with hair!Here's Mike's Mom - the happy, happy Grandma!!!Welcome to the family, little guy!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-71048918987878890742010-01-24T11:53:00.004-05:002010-01-24T12:01:32.380-05:00

How do you like it?I love it!Isn't it a beautiful little baby vest? I found the pattern on Ravelry - It seemed simple enough... even for me. It's for a special little baby boy who will hopefully be born in the next few weeks!I'm so glad that I started knitting again - it's so relaxing.I love being able to create something nice out of yarn! So much fun!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-40953805767097318042010-01-08T09:33:00.003-05:002010-01-08T10:42:20.632-05:00

Wow... the holidays flew by! The kids left a note with the Milk and Cookies for Santa... (I may post other Christmas photos later)I'm knitting again... it's relaxing... and I like feeling productive... I'm knitting a present - I am NOT saying for whom!I'm also back in school. Last semester was hard... I took 17 credit hours (5 intense classes) - this semester I'm taking it kinda easy, only going

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-2933418906155062452009-12-22T19:32:00.002-05:002009-12-22T19:54:57.211-05:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-56874581944792553022009-12-20T15:34:00.003-05:002009-12-20T17:53:38.135-05:00

Cookies!Anderson and Taylor Anne making peanut butter kiss cookies!Maddox jumping on the bed!Silly faces at our Dinner Picnic!After baths, Taylor Anne reads a story to the younger ones!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-57351499576520066632009-12-18T18:43:00.008-05:002009-12-19T08:11:05.264-05:00

At my kids' school, the classes have Cultural Presentations before their Winter Break. Anderson's class sang a couple of songs from other countries, and Taylor Anne's class performed a play about Native Americans. Taylor Anne's class had to do research and make tri-folds with examples showing the types of Native American housing, clothing they made and wore, and foods. The whole class was

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-36961333632451390642009-12-13T11:39:00.003-05:002009-12-13T11:49:49.289-05:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-46830044913960201772009-12-06T20:36:00.005-05:002009-12-06T21:08:57.253-05:00

Although it was pretty chilly, we headed to the lake house to spend some time with my Dad after Thanksgiving. When we got to the lake house, there were whitecaps on the lake! We walked down to look at the water, but didn't spend a lot of time outside. The next morning was Dad's Birthday - Happy Birthday Gramps! The kids insisted on fishing even though the wind was blustery, and the temps were in

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-39626141734586202009-12-06T20:29:00.001-05:002009-12-06T20:31:25.430-05:00

After having yet another 'spammer' comment on my last posting, I have decided to make it only possible for REGISTERED Users to be able comment. If you have registered with Google, yahoo, or blogger, you're good. Just log in to leave your comments. Thanks! Sorry for any inconvenience!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-45188168629775008432009-11-29T23:09:00.001-05:002009-11-29T23:11:02.451-05:00

But I'm missing my uncle tonight... check out the video below... it's awesome.I love being able to listen to his voice, and see photos of him. Miss you, Uncle Andy!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-24042435278494912972009-11-22T14:52:00.004-05:002009-11-22T15:55:40.544-05:00

Today, we met a blog-friend, Anna (of Chickensinthebasement) at Blue Jay Point to do some hiking and letterboxing. Anna has been interested in what it is, and decided to come along today for the fun... Although we had some difficulty finding the first 2 boxes, we were persistent and finally found all of the ones we were looking for! YAY! I think she had a good first letterboxing experience, and I

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-84702713150674735822009-11-21T13:29:00.003-05:002009-11-21T13:41:03.755-05:00

My daughter has decided she wants her own signature stamp - so we came up with something small and sweet - just like her! She's Bluebutton, and today she planted her first letterbox "Little Gem" You can find out more information at www.atlasquest.comAnd yes - she was eating blue ice cream before this picture was taken!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-67488159362754556782009-11-15T12:36:00.001-05:002009-11-15T12:47:17.265-05:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-40956286545040453122009-11-11T17:23:00.002-05:002009-11-11T17:25:37.691-05:00

One of the coolest things I've seen in a long time! (I would ask for my fabric back though... if the receiver isn't the sewing type... check it out!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-81754527247028281172009-11-09T22:34:00.007-05:002009-11-09T23:36:28.685-05:00

We are really enjoying Letterboxing as a family. On Sunday, we planted our first box! I'm so excited to see who is the 'first finder' and what everyone thinks of the stamp I drew and carved for the box! Hopefully it's not too hard to find! We have found another couple of spots where we want to 'plant' boxes, so I need to figure out what the stamps will look like and get to it (in my free time -

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-36781658633583303252009-11-07T15:23:00.005-05:002009-11-07T15:31:37.481-05:00

While I was doing some homework and taking an online quiz this morning, the rest of the gang (Thanks, Mike!) was out riding bikes and looking, and looking, and looking for the "Hesta" letterbox. They couldn't find it - but did find a GeoCashing box (which they looked at but re-hid)! They then decided to take a longer hike and check out some of the surrounding areas - Mike, Taylor Anne, and

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-84575256505353383812009-11-03T23:06:00.001-05:002009-11-03T23:08:44.870-05:00

These are the best kind of gifts! Check out Sew, Mama, Sew for some great ideas! (now if I only had time to get out my sewing machine!)

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-78252146582929933122009-10-31T22:28:00.003-04:002009-10-31T22:46:51.382-04:00

Happy Halloween! Dorothy and the Lion from the Wizard of Oz, which I don't think Anderson has seen... Taylor Anne may have only watched parts of it! We had Toto, so this was a fun idea for this year! Anderson had to stop by Grandma's house to use her eyeliner pencil (Mama doesn't have any), for the whiskers! Here he is admiring the new whiskers in a mirror.Here they are again - ready to go!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-15682860272819753282009-10-25T20:58:00.003-04:002009-10-25T21:14:32.453-04:00

After the Halloween Party last night, we all slept in (a little) then decided to do some Letterboxing! We found 3 brand new letterboxes, and were the 'first finders' in 2 of those three! The theme was 'Halloween 2009', and although they were store-bought stamps, it was a fun find. The last box was in a cemetery! Spooky!!!

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-81085788211594861472009-10-25T11:13:00.003-04:002009-10-25T11:18:07.328-04:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-57372777496974015282009-10-11T21:54:00.002-04:002009-10-11T21:56:26.031-04:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-75464262849692775702009-10-10T21:09:00.004-04:002009-10-10T21:48:16.341-04:00

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-42694887056949694322009-09-29T00:21:00.004-04:002009-09-29T00:39:52.857-04:00

I finished my first (and it will NOT be my last) triathlon!!!! I had a really great time participating in the Ramblin' Rose Sprint Triathlon in Huntersville, NC... that's near Charlotte for those of you not from 'round here! It was a 250m swim, 9 mile bike, and 2 mile run. The morning started out kind of chilly and quite wet, but by the time the race was over, it was drier and just overcast. The

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3354805680208384874.post-90370023078150886152009-09-07T21:02:00.002-04:002009-09-07T21:05:43.592-04:00

There is no excuse for keeping your child from hearing this speech by our President... NO EXCUSE!*******************************Prepared Remarks of President Barack ObamaBack to School Event Arlington, VirginiaSeptember 8, 2009The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from

Emily Colenoreply@blogger.com0