Events & Holidays

  • Flashback Friday: It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

    Christmas Fun - Karlie and Brina (9 Months, Nov. 2005)c

    Karlie and Brina

    The girls were super thrilled with all the neat Christmas items around the house to play with.  We were constantly putting Christmas ornaments back on the trees and various decorations back in their place.  Their curiosity was peaked and they loved exploring all the cool stuff.  The most interesting place we found a Christmas decoration during their first Christmas Holiday was in a diaper.  We went to change Karlie one time and she some how managed to get a good chunk of an ornament that she pulled off the tree down her diaper.  We think she was chewing on it, dropped it and it fell down in her dress only to re-appear at her next diaper change.  We were pretty surprised, but it didn’t seem to bother her at all.

  • Erik & Laurel’s Wedding!

    'Three beautiful ladies - inside and out!'

    Three beautiful ladies – Renelle, Laurel, & Aunt Mary Ann

    I was able to attend my cousin Laurel Mura‘s wedding while in Colorado! She was beautiful bride, the wedding was well organized, lots of fun, and amazing! It was great to see a lot of family over the weekend too! Wishing her and Erik an awesome life together! Lots of love!

    'Uncle Rick giving Laurel away at the wedding!'
    Laurel & her Dad (Uncle Rick)
    'The kiss! :)'
    The Kiss!
    'Congratulations @[32508013:2048:Laurel Mura] and Erik! We are so happy for both of you! Welcome to the family E! :)'
    Congratulations!  Newly married couple!
    'Beautiful wedding!'
    Happy for my cousin and wish her the very best!

  • Boy Oh Boy – NICU Time with Sweet Kaelan

    'Meeting sweet Little Pumpkin for the first time! Brings back so many memories of NICU!'

    Recently, I had the opportunity to spend a week in Colorado with family. My cousin Renelle Broughton (who is like a sister to me) had her little one early and was spending a big part of each day in NICU. I was able to spend time with her, her husband Eric, and their new sweet little one Kaelan! It was a precious time for me.

    Words cannot express how honored and truly amazing it was me to spend time with this awesome Momma, caring Dad, and adorable little guy. Not to mention to have the chance to experience NICU from a totally different perspective from when the girls were in it over 10 years ago. Kaelan won my heart immediately and I am grateful for Renelle and Eric opening their home, sharing their precious boy with me, and everything during that crazy busy week.

    Thankful for a chance to spend some extra time with my Aunt, Uncle, cousins, my parents, and other extended family over the weekend as well! Wish I lived closer to see them and their little guy grow up. Love you guys! Lots of hugs, kisses, and prayers always from South Carolina! Thankful for an awesome husband Jake Hayes for taking good care of our two chickies while I was in Colorado that week!

    'The goodies we put together for Kaelan!'
    Goodies for Kaelan!
    'Momma waking him up for the next feeding!'
    Renelle is like a sister to me and it was wonderful spending the week with her.
    'The most adorable little feet! He was not too happy with us doing the footprints, but we got it done!'
    He was not happy about getting his footprints done and into the baby book, but his tiny little toes looked so stinkin cute afterwards!
    'He was a trooper taking his bottles!'
    Precious time with Renelle and her sweet little bundle of joy.  I cannot tell you how amazing this week was for me to spend with her, Eric, and her adorable baby boy!

  • Halloween Mystery

    'These blue gloves were hanging in our fridge since Friday night. The girls were very curious about what was inside these gloves and were being careful not to touch them per our instructions!'
    The most disturbing item that had the girls perplexed over the Halloween Weekend was discovered in our refrigerator on Friday night. Today they got to see what was inside the blue gloves this afternoon. They were pleasantly surprised to find edible green jello monster hands!
    'Our green monster jello hand. There was a fold in a couple areas, but it came out well otherwise. The girls thought it was great!'

  • School Activities, “Snow White & The Prince,” and Roller Skating!

    'Our girls!'
    Our girls at Falls Park

    These last few weeks have been a whirlwind of fun with Jake & I going on our anniversary cruise, the girls school activities, fun adventures, work, and more! 🙂 Here’s a little snip-it of some of the school and fun activities Brina & Karlie have been up to lately -“Snow White & The Prince” Play at the Peace Center, a School Roller Skating Fundraiser, Beta Club Induction Ceremony just to name a couple. Very proud of both girls for their hard work at school. They were both accepted into Chorus, STEM Club, National Beta Club (for maintaining an A or A-B grades for their past year in school), Library Assistants, Safety Patrol as well as a number of other school related extra-curricular activities. I had no idea how busy 5th grade could be! Thankful for their hard work, positive attitudes, and their love of learning!

    'Ready to go see "Snow White & The Prince" as a family! Thankful for Jake's willingness to take his girls to these fun events!'
    Hanging out with the family!
    'Having fun skating with Daddy!'
    Skating with Daddy!
    'Proud of these two kiddos for working hard, maintaining their grades, and getting accepted into the National Beta Club! Good Job Girls! Love You!'
    Beta Club inductions!
    'Waiting for the Snow White play to start!'
    Snow White & The Prince at the Peace Center

  • Flashback Friday: Girls 1st Halloween

    Flashback Friday - 1st Halloween - Brina the Bee and Karlie the Flower (Oct. 2005 - 8 Months)c

     We have a cute little Brina Bumblebee and a pretty Karlie Flower

    Today we Flashback to October 2005 when the girls were eight months old and celebrating their first Halloween!  They were good sports with the Halloween costumes.  We really didn’t go “trick or treating” instead we just stopped by to say “hello” to some family in the area that evening.  The kids had a lot of fun playing and hanging out a little bit with family.

    Brina looking very cute as a beec

    Our little Brina BumbleBee

    Happy little Karlie Flowerc

    Our little Karlie Flower

    Karlie and Brina saw Scooby Doo at Jake's work's Halloween partyc

    Karlie and Brina celebrating Halloween at Daddy’s work

    The flower and bee continue to play showing off their customesc

    Enjoying some play time on Halloween

    Brina and Karlie - Happy Halloweenc

    Brina and Karlie trying to figure out what the Halloween treats from Grandma Kay were.  They loved how the wrapping made crinkling noises.

    Brina with Jordanc

    Brina talking with cousin Jordan

    Karlie with Alecia ad Brina with Jordanc

    Karlie with cousin Alecia and Brina with Jordan

    Karlie with Jordanc

    Karlie and Jordan

    Rachel with Brina and Karlie with Alecia - stopped by BJU to show off the girls customesc

    Rachel with Brina and Karlie with Alecia