as the roes grow...

tis' the season

2010-11-23T07:57:00.000-08:00

thinking about making a come back...

And she's off...

2010-05-04T13:48:00.000-07:00

kate rode for a few feet unassisted over spring break but was hardly ready to hit the open road. this past weekend after hearing a charming tale of a sweet little friend of ours, that is much younger, i think kate felt the time had come to really get "rollin". all it took was about 20 minutes by herself and she was off. here she is this afternoon taking a ride around. way to go kater!

** you've gotta give the video a minute. she makes her appearance several seconds into the footage.

let's hear it for the love birds!

2010-03-28T10:20:00.001-07:00

congratulations john (pete's little brother) and cindy - on your ENGAGEMENT!!!
&

in the act ... sorry is it so small i stole the image.

congratulations allyson (pete's little sister) and mike

on your ENGAGEMENT!!!

No... they did not both get engaged on the same day my posting efforts are just slack. john proposed to cindy last month and mike popped the big question yesterday. both mike and cindy already feel like they are part of the family however it will be a treat to celebrate these two incredible bonds and officially welcome them into the family.

we can't wait to celebrate your love~

pinch ME!

2010-03-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

feeling so very blessed these days and giving BIG thanks

for so many wonderful things in my life...

family; first and foremost;

my good health;

my childrens good health;

my husbands good health;

parents;

friends, old and new;

knowing that spring is near;

daffodils;

yummy nourishing food;

asheville;

hiking;

birds singing;

a great job that allows flexibility;

running again;

the warm sun;

security;

a good cup of coffee;

kate and trey dancing... together;

digger;

working out in the yard;

planting;

celebrating love and life, both old and new...

it's all good!

happy times!

2010-03-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

gaw pushing kate
pete and his father enjoying time spent together, sunshine and a little cheer

the kids tearing it up on the drive

two of my favorite ladies!

how many boys can we fit ont he bench?

three gast birthdays to celebrate.

time for cake!

kate helped with the party preparations -

she really getting into that sort of stuff now

miles and pete having a moment...

and now it is time to show off some muscle

meme passing out some goodies!

i LOVE kates little head there in the middle

cheeeeeese

we couldn't have asked for a better time friday.

great friends.

good food.

meme and gaw.

yummy cake and

SUNSHINE!

WNC Magazine Brief

2010-03-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

yep...that's our bedroom!

another cuz is taking the plunge!

2010-03-18T16:28:00.001-07:00

congratulations amy and kevin!

probably the cutest darn save the date announcement i've seen yet.

can't wait to celebrate your nuptials~

ladies night out!

2010-03-18T15:49:00.001-07:00

the ladies: val, megan, mary, liz, amy, heather, rebecca and heather the preggos!

happy birthday to you

happy birthday dear heather

happy birthday to you!

oh my dear friend - what would i do without you?

i am not sure how i ever got so lucky.

landing here in asheville...meeting taryn by happenstance... and then YOU!

here's to many more birthday days and many more memories!

you are my sunshine - no doubt about it~

an ode to molly-MOO~

2010-03-14T09:37:00.001-07:00

tanner does too!

a very special little someone is having a birthday this week. we just wanted to let everyone know that we think you are

OUT OF THIS WORLD

and that we love you!

friends are like a good foundation...

2010-03-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

it was 1996... pete and i had just moved from FL to Atlanta and we were starting all over... a big new exciting city, promising careers, endless amounts of energy and absolutely NO FRIENDS.

turns out i had a cousin living in atlanta. a cousin i had never met but it was still nice to know i had a connection to at least one person. my mom suggested i call her and introduce myself, so i did.

turns out that very weekend her girlfriends were hosting her bachlorette party. long story short i went. not knowing a sole i somehow mustered up the courage to arrive at this party and met my cousin sara "then archibald" now marslek for the very first time.

sara welcomed me into her home and into her circle of friends. that night i met a woman named ellen who captivated me. she knew a little bit about everything and she had a laugh that could fill the room. that night i made my first real friend in atlanta and to this day, some 14 years later ellen is still a part of my life.

she is one of those women who says she is going to do something and she does it WELL. she is one of those women who remembers the important dates in life. she is one of those women that you can share the uncomfortable and unpleasant moments of life with and she doesn't judge she just listens.

as fate would have it Ellen and her darling family came to visit last summer and introduced me to her husbands cousin that lives here in Asheville. as if history were repeating itself a new connection was made and another dear friend has been gained.

since that last visit Ellen, Becky (the new friend gained) and I have been dreaming of a girls get-a-way that involves something physically challenging followed by a day or two filled with sun, sand, shopping, sitting and perhaps even a few adult beverages.

Unfortunately schedule conflicts and the budgetary constraints as a result of 2009 have prevented some of our more grand plans HOWEVER... we have committed to running the Biltmore Classic here in Asheville in mid May.

last week a large envelope arrived in my mailbox. return address atlanta. i opened it to find the contents above. i laughed - and once again i gave thanks for ellen.

until may~

looking forward to it my friend!

be there or be square!

2010-03-01T07:53:00.000-08:00

Our very own BlueRidge Roller Girls...First Offical Bout of the Season is on March 13, 2010 against ROCK (Rollergirls of Central KentuckyDoors @ 6pm - Bout @ 7pm$10 in advance/$12 day of. Fans 12 and under FREE. Get your tickets at The Asheville Civic Center box office or go to Ticketmaster.com

crisp corners are over rated!

2010-03-01T07:35:00.001-08:00

i've been trying to step back and move away from my anal retentive tendencies so that i can truly embrace all the work kate and been working around the house...

i mean really, they are clean and folded and soon to be put away. it's all good!

we've got a 'workin girl...

2010-02-28T11:24:00.000-08:00

because of technical issues i was having at work i purchased a new phone a couple of weeks ago.

kate and i were out running errands when she overhead a conversation pete and i had pertaining to how my new phone would also serve as my music source. she's a sharp girl this one... and she quickly said well if you don't need your ipod anymore i'll take it.

instinctually the word "sure" almost slipped right out of my mouth but fortunately i caught myself. i replied instead with a "let's talk about this"...

we talked about the value of the ipod and the value of many other things. we talked about earning money. having opportunities to earn money. creating those opportunities. making choices and choosing to work to earn money...

there were lots of questions and lots of answers. it really was one of those quintessential parenting moments where i felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. wanting kate to understand the importance of work ethic and responsibility.

at this time two things were made known by kate.

she wanted the ipod and she was willing to work for it so she could pay for it.

i told her i supported that completely but I didn't want her to take any money out of her piggy bank. the money had to be earned!

EARNED??

yes earned.

this lead to more questions.

what if i feed the dogs?

for week?

is that worth $60?

it's a great idea and i like it but i'll pay you 50 cents.

quickly she came back with 50 cents... this going to take forever she sounded a bit deflated.

i threw the mommy cap back on and came back with but it's easy and you can easily do multiple jobs every day and you'll have lots of opportunities to earn money.

for the remainder of the ride home i could tell she was in heavy thought. i told her when we got home we'd work together and put together a proposal, which of course lead to more questions.

above is what she came up with and i signed off on. it took her just under two weeks to earn the money and now she is the VERY PROUD new owner of an ipod.

pete and i were very impressed with her ambition and her every growing capabilities. it's nice know that our 7 year old is now fully capable of doing a load of laundry which at our house means collecting, sorting, starting, switching and folding!

A+ kater pie. Job well done!

mom and dad are very proud of you~

I think she’s growing up…

2010-02-24T17:13:00.001-08:00

She received a gift card for Christmas. Two months after receiving the gift card I finally make time to take her to the store so she can redeem it.
We enter.
25 minutes later after having carefully examined all of the merchandise she quickly darts to the back corner of the store, looks up above her head and asks me to grab a small gray and white stuffed schnauzer.
"This" I ask?
Yes!!!
She is beaming.
Bright eyes!
Huge smile!
I hand it to her.
She immediately looks at the price tag... "OK" she says.
"I think Trey is going to love this."
My heart melts.
In a store full of all sorts of heavenly temptations for young girls...
she thinks of her little brother first.

I think she’s growing up…

This evening she and her brother spend 30 solid minutes solving problems in a “workbook” that she created at school during some free time she had. Before dinner she brings the completed workbook into the kitchen with little brother following close behind to show us their work.
Proud poppa says “great work you two.”
Little brother grins and shakes his head in agreement while sister quickly replies –
"oh no Dad this was all trey!"

That girl of ours – I think she is growing up…

asheville hosts another hit!

2010-02-24T13:49:00.000-08:00

wickedly awesome!!! (trying out a little allyson roe lingo on you.) apparently this place had it's soft opening October 30th but we just stumbled upon it this past weekend while we were out celebrating a birthday with friends. the ambiance is totally hip - yet warm. it has an amazing rooftop seating area and very friendly staffers. can't wait for it to warm up a bit so we can really enjoy it. if you haven't been yet we totally recommend you check it out.

ORDERED!

2010-02-24T13:37:00.001-08:00

3 pounds of packaged bees! our package is to be picked up the last week in March from Dixie Bee Supply. Dixie is out of Lula, GA and raises and sells small cell bees and queens. They have been pesticide free since 1993. They breed Russian crosses. The dude that operates the show has 50+ years of experience and 30 years experience as a commercial beekeeper. He offers several weekend courses that I am considering. Let's just hope the package doesn't spring a leak in transit!

our valentine's day~

2010-02-14T13:12:00.000-08:00

here comes kate

back up!

it's been a perfectly lovely day chillin back at home with the fam.

life is good - OH so good!

our valentine's staYcation...

2010-02-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

Because there has been so much of this...

notice pete shoveling down there

we decided to throw a couple of things in a bag and get out of the house for a bit! we didn't go far - we just went downtown and enjoyed asheville.

the kids jumped on the beds, swam, jumped on the beds some more and took turns filling up the ice bucket merely for the fun of it. pete was out of the house therefore there was no snow to be shoveled, no wood to be brought up, no meals to be prepared, no groceries to be bought and NO work luring him into the office. i was out of the house and didn't think for a second about the piles of laundry we left behind, nor the destroyed house from the kids sleepover the night before, nor was i bothered by the sight of all of the dead poinsettias and miscellaneous other Christmas garb that is STILL sitting on the back decking waiting patiently to be disposed of properly. our little staYcation was just what the doctor ordered. this morning we packed back up, hopped in the car and enjoyed a six MINUTE drive home.

the ultimate gift...

2010-02-04T18:37:00.001-08:00

while i suppose not everyone feels the way we do, without question we believe family to be one of life's ultimate gifts. earlier this week a very unexpected letter arrived in our mailbox that literally brought me to my knees. with 2 wide-eyed onlookers tears rolls down my cheeks as i read the letter. i proceeded to explain to kate and trey that an amazing gift had just arrived and that they were actually tears of joy. the gift was simply the letter - the kind deed that someone had passed on. another reminder of what an incredible family we have!

before you read the following you should know that my grandfather passed on last november and being Croatian our family affectionately referred to our grandparents as Mika and Cha.

Hey Kids,

Your mother and I are having a grand time up here in heaven. She was waiting for me as I hoped she would be, after I passed St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. She apologized for leaving so abruptly that day she laid down and took her final nap. She assured me that is was nothing personal. God gave her a choice of quick and quiet peace or fighting with the weak heart she had been given. You know mother – she chose the peace.

I’m glad I can finally express some of the things I was thinking those last 10 years after the stroke. First of all, thank you for all the love and attention you showered on me when I was feeling pretty worthless. I saw that you loved me just for being “Paul”, not because I was strong, or smart, or I could do things for you. Thanks, too, for loving me through my cranky moods. There were times that the medicine tossed my emotions around like salad in a blender-I know it wasn’t pretty. Thanks for the may miles you put on your cars and the stress you put on yourselves just to sit and visit for 30 minutes. Mother tells me that those were indeed her proudest moments.

It’s really nice to be on this side of life and enjoy all of your events from afar. Jessie’s wedding was a big day for mother and me. You know how mother felt about Jessie, and she was in all her glory when she saw how simply and honestly and personally Jessie and TJ celebrated their big day. Seeing the love as you all came together with your kids and grandkids was the greatest gift we have ever received. Mother commented that her greatest wish was granted – a loving family.

I thank you all for the wonderful send-off you gave me-both in Centerville (the 21 gun salute knocked my crocs off), the procession back home, and the final mass at St. Mary’s. When they tucked me in next to your Mother, your Mika, I knew I was home. She thanks Nancy for correcting the birthdates at St. Mary’s. I’m sending along a little cash that I don’t need any longer. I hope you use it for something you’ve been putting off. Your mother/Mika wants you to know that she hears all your prayers and worries. She hopes you’re listening when she answers.

See’ya mein stade,
Cha

As soon as Kate eye caught sight of the enclosed check she insisted we send it to Haiti - and that is just what we did.

Thank you Cha for all of the life lessons you so graciously bestowed upon us.

Thank you for loving us all as individuals.

Thank you for accepting our differences and embracing them.

Forever yours,

Sarah

welcome to the world baby sawyer~

2010-02-02T18:08:00.001-08:00

Sawyer Erik Sundberg1/27/10 5:49 p.m.

7# 1/2 oz, 19

our dear friends the sundbergs welcomed their 4th child this past week. i was going to bed when i received the text. a huge wave of emotions swept over me as i remember getting the call when their third, baby sarah arrived and running to the hospital to meet her. the sundbergs moved to Tennessee shortly after we moved here to asheville. while distance separates us fond memories keep them close in our hearts.

on the top of my winter reading list is...

2010-02-02T17:54:00.000-08:00

while the days are currently short, cold and wet i find myself dreaming of spring and all that awaits us in the yard. new this year will be the addition of our first hive. (an example shown below). now to place an order for some local bees.

mark your calendar!

2010-02-02T17:52:00.001-08:00

it is official - pete is registered!!!

we'll be there and we would love for you join us.

found my next project...

2010-02-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

i am certainly not a florist but i am going to give this a try. i gasped when i stumbled upon these images. i love the simplicity of them. i've always been a sucker for flowers but never roses. these however definitely do something for me!

the BIG snow~

2010-01-31T10:10:00.000-08:00

tanner is all bundled up!
my car got stuck friday night. the boys work feverishly saturday morning to shovel it out.

not the best sledding conditions but the kids certainly gave it their all
treking up the hill...

every one jump on!

poor dig couldn't make it up the drive.

pete to the rescue!

time for hot chocolate!

icicles

this time we knew it was coming... i hit the store before picking both kids up early from school on friday and with baited breath we waited...

we waited for the snow to start falling and we waited to see if pete would make it home from his week spent in california.

at about 330 it was as if someone flipped on a switch... the snow started to fall fast and furious. fortunately by about 630 we saw someone with a large suitcase walking up the drive... pete had made it home -- thank you lord!

in those three short hours 4 inches fell and somehow i managed to get my car stuck in the drive. by morning 8-10 inches covered everything.

needless to say we've had an amazing weekend. all cuddled up and cozy. enjoying the splendor of the snow and taking advantage of this time to just slow down and soak each other up!

a rare evening out...

2010-01-25T18:13:00.000-08:00

pete sr. and holly joined us for diner

beth and steve

super Chorizo delish!
and then on to the Monk...
what do you suppose we were talking about?

just before the nasons packed up and started their trek back to maine the four of us managed to sneak out and spend a night enjoying each others company and conversation.

and there was EVEN bowling...

2010-01-25T11:01:00.001-08:00

thank goodness NC has finaly come on board with the NO SMOKING INDOORS. the kids enjoyed an afternoon at the local lanes. not sure score was even kept but who cares... look how much fun they were having! look how darn cute they are!!

PS - bare with us. i swear i am almost caught up with the holidays pics....

splish - splash~

2010-01-25T10:56:00.001-08:00

the washington sisters...

these kiddos of ours sure have developed some fairly hysterical personalities. grandma and grandpa had the kids all over to their hotel one afternoon for some pool time and kate and ella love pretending they were wearing wigs... like the one George Washington used to wear. fortunately we have a photo to commemorate the silly moment with.

it's time to make the cookies!

2010-01-17T17:49:00.000-08:00

and these four kiddos did a knock-out job!
check them out:

and then THEY arrived!

2010-01-17T17:35:00.001-08:00

trey and molly having a good 'ole time
ella and kate being cute!

grandpa swenson being a good sport...

uncle steve enjoying some of treys boy toys!

pete and pete sr. enjoying a moment together...

the highly anticipated arrival of the nason clan from maine did not disappoint. it was mid afternoon on the 26th when they arrived and within seconds the kids reconnected as if it hadn't been a year between visits. what a blessing family is!

Enjoying Christmas day ALL day!

2010-01-17T14:54:00.001-08:00

kate and grandpa roe being goofy!
grandpa swenson helping with toy assembly!

and grandma swenson helping keep things clean and orderly!

one of the perks to hosting the holidays are having a little extra time to hang out in your jammies and enjoy the day. and that is just what we did this year.

christmas day~

2010-01-17T14:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas explosion;

magic in the makin...
kate and trey dig into their stockings

trey Christmas favorite...

the Christmas table...

the Christmas cook...

and the Christmas bird!

notice the platter mom?

i got a little teary this year as i pulled this one out and wiped off the dust.

fondly remembering all of the wonderful meals

and memories my Mika created for all of us.

our chrstmas eve celebration~

2010-01-17T14:24:00.000-08:00

our crew getting ready for the Christmas pageant:

a couple of angels and a shepherd
our little angel...

two of my three angels...

kate and her wings

our goofy fam

i would have trashed this pic if it weren't for treys priceless pose!

and then there was dinner at home

enjoying the holidays with a little cheer!

2009-12-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

our friends tony and debra hosted a smashing good holiday party last weekend. kudos to the both for totally being the hostesses with the mostesses. the house looked amazing, it was decorated to the nth. devine wine! plenty of bubbly. recipes for suggested cocktails written in chalk on slate tiles, personalized wine glass charms for all in attendance, CHOCOLATE FONDU!!! And I could go on...

But most importantly the amazing comradery shared amongst friends - good friends.

So here's to a very happy and healthy holiday season to all of our friends and loved ones.

winter recital~

2009-12-15T17:50:00.001-08:00

kate and her best bud caitlin ham it up...
kate and jennings waiting patiently for their turn on stage

'da fam!

and this is how the little man passed the time...

year 3 for our FAT ALBERT

2009-12-15T17:30:00.001-08:00

kate and a her buddie bea...i know that i am partial but are they not precious?
still loving the horse swing. thanks mika and opa. lots of good fun!

we planted this evergreen when we moved in and have decorated every year since. i am thinking that a ladder will be required by year 5.

this year bea was over for a play date and joined in the funtah-DAH

fat albert 2009~

ahhh...

2009-12-15T17:27:00.000-08:00

what more can i say?

time to decorate!

2009-12-15T17:19:00.001-08:00

and now the real fun begins...

someone lost his britches!

the peebles tree farm in magestic madison county

2009-12-10T17:19:00.000-08:00

happy family...
snow - yum!

the gang: owen, kate, miles, trey & alex

kate thinks this is the one!

pete being cute!

MUDDY MITTENS!!! owen took a spill but it didn't bother him at all.

these two had fun hiding from us- as seen in the next picture

now this is the one!

hauling it away

and lookie there - heather found theirs!

the entire gast family stands and admires their tree-too-be

mission accomplished!

still eating snow...

alex climbing a muddy cliff

so much to do!

our gingerbread house

2009-12-10T16:48:00.001-08:00

i was able to join trey at school recently for the great gingerbread extravaganza. it only took about two minutes for the kiddos to start popping the sweet treats in their mouths instead of sticking them on their houses. i had a really great time watching trey create his masterpiece and i genuinely think he enjoyed himself as well. that is until a teacher paid him a compliment. then he took shelter under the table. ahhh - trey. our sweet little boy.

Christmas Shoes~

2009-12-10T16:38:00.001-08:00

yep - these are katers new sneaks and they make me so darn happy.

you lucked out - no sappy song.

birds of a feather flock together...

2009-12-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

these two have now been living under the same roof for almost a year and last weekend for the first time they snuggled up in front of the fire together.
& this was priceless!
tanner was sounds asleep and this one ear
of his was standing straight up.
not sure the picture really does it justice...

i soooooooooooo wish this would have come out better!

2009-12-08T19:39:00.001-08:00

pete and i nearly cried we laughed so hard at this photo...
do you see anything out of the ordinary?
do you recall that electric company ditty "one of these things is not like the other..."
more pantless decorating photos to come!

trey and his thanksgiving program~

2009-12-08T19:21:00.001-08:00

trey making his big debut. he was the native american that got to drive the car over the river and through the woods to grandmothers house!

OK - ok... i know i've said it before and with this one i am sure i will say it again but WOW! what a difference a year can make. not only did our little star make it through the entire performance without leaving the stands to join me in the crowd but he sang... LOUD. loud enough that both his aunt beth and i could hear him and we weren't even sitting in the front row. good show little man. momma is your biggest fan!

does it get much better than this?

2009-12-08T19:15:00.001-08:00

not according to these two!

in quest of the holiday pic...

2009-12-08T19:08:00.001-08:00

this is what we ended up with.

TAKE 2 tomorrow!

do you remember doing this?

2009-12-08T19:01:00.001-08:00

circling every item in the weekly circular in hopes that santa will soon bring it your way? personally i don't but my mother insists this is completely normal and a natural part of childhood. hmmmm.... nevertheless trey is shameless. rarely does he skip even a single item per page. barbie or bakugan... it looks good to him.

what to do...

2009-12-08T18:38:00.000-08:00

when all the leaves fall...

rake...

pile...
run...
JUMP...

kate & nat

dean-O

trey!

nothing like Autumn in Asheville.

so much natural beauty all around us.

so much fun to be had!

lookie there... is that clark kent & wonder woman???

2009-11-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

nope!

just allyson (pete's sister) and mikey

having fun and looking way cute on halloween.

HALLOWEEN after dark...

2009-11-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

appearances made by:

batman, a tourist, paul stanley, joaquin phoenix, cat woman, Aladdin & jasmine

who wears short-shorts? ilya wears short-shorts!!

nice boys!

halloween 2009

2009-11-01T07:12:00.001-08:00

harry & darth ready to hit the streets...

is that harry or mary potter?

come on - let's go!

this first stop of the night...

& we didn't let the rain
slow us down...

originally we had several Halloween events on the docket that were scheduled to begin in the afternoon and would have run long after dark. but thanks to the rain

we slowed things down a bit

and frankly it was perfect!

a perfect day for the park!

2009-11-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

nothing like Autumn in the mountains. this week before the rain started we enjoyed temps in the seventies and lots-O-sunshine!

good times with mika!

2009-11-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

let the carving BEGIN!

trey was pretty grossed out by the whole process this year- - -

ewwwwww!

a HOWLING good time!

treys creepy pumpkin pal

ooooooooooWWhhhh....

iowa... we miss you!

2009-10-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

here they are folks!

the future starting line-up for the Hawks,

plus one darn cute cheerleader-to-be!

jimmy, austin, charlie and alli

all gathered at mika & opa's

house to carve pumpkins this past weekend.

we sure do love you guys!

don't let this happen to you!

2009-10-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

sorry folks -- this is the best i can do at the moment.

i've been displayed. i am having all sort of technical difficulties so all of the fun pics i've been taking over the last couple of weeks are temporarily inaccessible.

sooooo...

when i received this little lovely earlier today

i decide it would make my friday post.

we are looking forward to spending this evening

with our dear friends the cummings

& tomorrow brings lots of fun.

several halloween parties to attend,

mounds of candy to be consumed & plenty of pounds to be gained. ugh!

so glad i started this morning off with crossfit!

we hope you all enjoy a super fun

& SAFE halloween weekend~

our day spent at the castle in the corn~

2009-10-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

i flew my little plane over the acreage and snapped this areal pic of the maze. cool huh?!!
our motley crew
tee hee hee

here we go!

no worries... miles has the map!

we love our ldyie!

the boys are plotting our next move

miles love his momma!

trey bear gettin a little love from lydie

heather knows trey's language!

the men in my life...

2009-10-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

oh how wonderful they are these men of mine...

they make me weak in the knees, they make my heart go pitter-patter, they make me wish for more minutes in every day. these men of mine make me want to be a better me, they make me want to live a longer life. these amazing men of mine are filled with so much love and so much zest for life!

oh how lucky am i that these amaZing men are mine!

a silly surprise~

2009-10-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

"pick your nose"

to the kids delight a box arrived on the doorstep saturday. a box full of good times! is there anything more fun then an unexpected gift? OK possibly but i gotta say they are pretty great!

thanks for thinking of the kids - you know who you are!!!

we've got ourselves an IRONMAN in the making~

2009-10-04T15:57:00.001-07:00

heading to the water bright and early
thumbs up - it's a go!

here he comes. 6.5 down and 6.5 to go!

kids waiting anxiously for a high 5

you can sure tell the "for-fun" group from the professionals...

we didn't see anyone in the front of the pack stopping to kiss the crowd!

the boys were passing the time...

dean and natalie run pete up the last hill and into the finish shoot.

poor kater, she had been vomiting every two hours all night long!

but she didn't even squawk when we told her it was time to get up and head over to the park.

we just found her a shaddy place to rest.

what a trooper!

pete and trey post race

trey has a thing for a little bling!

kate with her bag of ice...

and NOW for the real challenge...

we must get the very tired kids back tot he vehicle which is miles away.

thank goodness for the sweet talking ilya.

no much farther now...

tonight we are feeling so thankful for our friends. pete was so excited when the gorelick's said they were coming out to cheer him on but we would have never

guessed that we would actually NEED them so much today.

thanks for all of your help - not sure how we would have managed without you!

SKYTOP never disapoints!

2009-09-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

trey & his buddies
would you lookey there, he seems to be listening...

OK so it only looks like he is trying to put the plastic bag on his head.
actaully he was merely trying to look through it.

ummmmmmmmmm

soccer - are we having fun yet?

2009-09-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

trey wanting NOTHING to do with organized sports!
love the HUGE uniforms

so the game is over and trey is finally getting excited!

now he is going after kater

wrestling at a soccer game... of course!

and kate found a baby to play with (sweet baby will)

trey was certain that this vendors menu was a huge growth chart.

we indulged him!

picked these just for YOU!

2009-09-29T13:14:00.001-07:00

hoping your day was absolutely perfect!

i took the picture above at the farmer's market the weekend before last.

and i swear that is just lemonade they are drinking.

sure looks like they are enjoying it huh??!?

we need to do this MORE often!

2009-09-08T05:36:00.000-07:00

here andrew kindly shares in "time out" spot with kate

and NO he wasn't in time out.

look at that beautiful child.

he gives me goosebumps!

& he is as mellow as her appears in this pic

the kids and i trucked on over to mooresville to see a family we've been missing for months; the cummings.

not a day goes by that i don't think of these folks fondly. melanie has been an incredible friend for nearly a decade and it wasn't until i left her house on sunday that i realized just how much i've been missing her. melanie shared my first pregnancy with me and supported me fully as i tipped scales across town. post pregnancy melanie got me through my first marathon, she was the first friend that i told when we found out we were pregnant with trey. melanie has been the friend that i've been able to drag to the southern holiday home show year after year. she is that friend that has unconditionally loved our children and has always done her best to keep up with their busy life's. she has been the friend that always remembers to call me on my birthday and my KIDS birthdays just to tell us she was thinking about us. melanie is the friend that shares her secret recipes with me and has taught me how to host a party. i could go on and on...

it is a joy now to see her with her son andrew. he is precious and exudes all of the love he has been showered with.

can't wait to see you later this fall my dear friend!

trey heads to pre-K

2009-09-08T05:17:00.000-07:00

pete was away so this was our attempt at a mommy and trey picture...

kater takes on the second grade

2009-09-08T04:11:00.000-07:00

is the bag bigger than she is?

even dig got up to see her off~

ok - ok let's GO!

looking forward to another great year.

august: the month of parties for the roes

2009-09-07T18:31:00.000-07:00

yes - we had TWO dog themed party. "like sister like brother..."

here trey is getting the doggie dig underway.

heather, elyse and scarlett

whatcha find, whatca find?

our birthday boy

we actually had another birthday boy join us.
happy bday dave!

trey really looks like he is enjoying this doesn't he???

check it out -- the glowing green ball mid air!

feeling so fortunate to have such wonderful friends to share these moments with. lots of good memories made this summer!

trey turns 4...

2009-09-07T18:11:00.000-07:00

first things first...

trey loves a dounie

a new book from sis -- and what a hit this one has been

how can our little bear be 4?

i know i've said that as he's turned 2...and then 3...and now as he turns 4 i still find myself wondering where DOES the time go?

if only i could slow things down a bit...

it's party time!

2009-09-07T17:42:00.001-07:00

caitlin, kate & wylie ~ birds of a feather...
my attempt at puppy dog cupcakes

7 years young~

2009-09-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

good morning kate. happy 7th year~

that smile melts my hear!

bring on the wishes...

i think someone liked her gift. good job trey!

what's this?

ooooohhhh...

and now look who has the hat on...

there once was a girl...

2009-09-07T13:12:00.000-07:00

jessie & the girls

the archibald family

here we go!

i think they like eachother!

check out those crazy boys in the back row...

wonder what she is looking at?

goofy group shots...

indulging my picnik (editing) obbession

there once was a girl...

a very special girl named jessica and to know her was to love her. pete and i were so incredibly fortunate to have had jessie come and live with us for a couple of years while we were in mooresville. she was with us through the whole pregnancy, birth and first year of kate's life. she was truly a gift sent from heaven above (thank you mika #1). we will forever be grateful for having jessie with us during that time. she so openly shared her spirit and her amazing love of life with our new baby girl.

i could go on forever but i better get to the end of our sweet little story. it was actually days after kate's first birthday that jess moved back home and found her prince charming, TJ.

jessie + TJ = love and a wedding!

here's to a long and beautiful life together mr. & mrs. hodge~

our quick trip to chicago~

2009-08-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

i could have snapped pictures of htis little one all day. those cheeks, those lips, those eyes. she is a gift!

good morning girls
story time

trey doing who knows what!??!?

move over pamela anderson this little babe is beach ready!

heading to the park

pete getting a few baby squeezers in

trey practicing his P-U-M-P

melissa makes the tag as camryn comes round the corner

kate going head first

aqua

trey and camryn playing in the sand

who's toes are those?

many of our blog followers have seen or heard of our dear friends the guldbergs. we met them while living in mooresville and became fast and inseperable friends. inseparable until career paths lead us in opposite directions that is.

they currently live in chicago so while we were in iowa we made the most of our opportunity to pop on over for a quick visit. sure am glad we did. melissa and i caught up while the kids played. it was such a treat to be able to share in many of camryn's daily rituals and do some of the same things with her that melissa was able to do with kate when she was toddler.

until next time~

(hopefully next summer)

we love you guldbers!

the kids are keepin' it real~

2009-08-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

cousin alli

cousin austin

what would summer vaCay be without a couple of good ole' lazy days? despite all of the fantastic things we did while we were in iowa last month i am absolutely positive this is a day that the kids and i will remember forever.

not getting nearly enough time with my niece and nephew throughout the year i jumped at the chance to keep them home from daycare while my brother and sister-in-law worked. we walked around the yard and played with whatever we could find. we picked flowers and surprised mika with a bouquet. we read books and enjoyed a snack in the shade. we ate lunch on the drive-way (woo-hoo) and just soaked each other up.

what is opa up to now?

2009-08-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

this is me suiting up
a look inside the first of the 6 hives

even kate was able to suit up and get up close and personal with the bees

apiculture...

all that know my father (opa) knows he is a man that takes his hobbies seriously. last year when we visited we learned all about stones and we were all mezmorized as we watch opa take a stone fresh fromt he ground and turn it into a beautiful piece of jewelry. check them out: http://ringsofstone.com

so this year in addition to the stones he has also taken up beekeeping and was very excited to share the experience with all of us, young and old.

feeling inspired we hope to start a hive of our own come spring.

BEEFDAYS~

2009-08-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

candy collection. mika is showing trey how it is done...

pete, my dad and my "little" brother eric

cousins austin and alli cruise by on thier school float

carNi game - yehaw!!!

kate helping trey get over his fear of high rides

my sweet trey bear starting to loosen up.

aus totally into it!

here they all come!

back in the day we lived for this summer event, the only event that ever came to town. the carnival would come to town and set up shop. we haven't been in solon for this since we've had the kids so this summer we indulged them. the weekend consisted on a parade, rides, games, the fireman's challenge, the kids tractor pull, a hay bail toss and lots-O-beef! good stuff~

here we go!

2009-08-05T19:39:00.000-07:00

the men taking the kids out for a spin around the island

kate and kenzine being cute

trey and tait being boys

yes of course we took a slip-n-slide to the lake with us

chillin in the hammock

OK - time to try and get caught up!

our time spent in iowa last month could not have been more enjoyable. while we were there nicole and ryan invited us to spend a couple of days in guttenburg. we spent 2 days soaking up the sun and breathing in the fresh iowa air. the kids played long and hard while the parent kicked back and tried to relax a bit.

celebrating kate!

2009-08-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

hard to belive it was seven years ago that this bald headed beauty arrived and turned our world upside down.

as we celebrated her seventh year i gave thanks for one of the most beautiful gifts my life has bestowed upon me. our sweet little kater-pie!

so full of life and compassion. so eager to learn and explore. so silly and creative. so sweet and so tender.

happy birthday my love.

here's to many ~ many more!!!

a shout out to our "big man" in nebraska

2009-07-22T18:14:00.000-07:00

kid magic~

2009-07-22T05:35:00.001-07:00

as always, practicing patience....

2009-07-09T04:32:00.000-07:00

You cannot plant an acorn in the morning

and expect that afternoon to sit

in the shade of the oak.

-Antoine de-Saint-Expery

eden - you are my angel

our beautiful baby boy~

2009-07-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

is growing up too fast...

in just weeks he'll be turning 4 and in the world of kids 4 is so grown up!

thank you for all of your hugs and kisses. thanks you for all of your spills and your messes. thank you for all of the sweet nothings you whisper in my ear before bed and for all time time you assure me that i am indeed the greatest mom of all time.

know that we all love you trey bear, up to the moon and back a million times over and over.

they say new england is for lovers...

2009-07-04T06:11:00.000-07:00

and that is where these two California beach bums have been spending the last 10 days. OK, so they are not exactly beach bums they are actually extremely hard working bio-medical scientists aka aunt allyson and mr. mike. we don't see nearly enough of these two so when i saw this "way to cute" pic of the two of them posted on FB i stole it!

little gems~

2009-07-04T05:57:00.001-07:00

check it out! this is the work of my good friend liz and the sweet little peach modeling her work is her darling daughter kate; Ahhhhh what a great name.

anywho... with our marathon trip to the midwest fast approaching i ask liz if she consider whipped up a few pieces for me to take back to iowa and share with some of our loved ones and she kindly obliged. so thursday morning after crossfit the kids and i stopped by her house to pick out our favorites. it was difficult but we managed and i can't tell you how excited i am to give these gifts.

thanks liz - you are amazing!

one of these kids is not like the others...

2009-07-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

but who can tell...

so glad we were able to share such a happy day with you~

short but sweet~

2009-06-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

taking in the sights at the seneca zoo

and the scavenger hunt begins

kate found the rhino

our monkeys checking out the zoo monkeys

bubbles before dinner with grandpa

kate & grammy playing war

pete and his mom, grammy swenson

a quick trip to the park after dinner

kate & momma being silly

making the most out of the time we spent stuck on the runway

at long last...

this past weekend we flew up to rochester, ny to see grammy and grandpa swenson and to visit their new home and surroundings since relocating following retirement. although our time spent with them was short we made the most of it and covered a lot of ground. we were even afforded the pleasure of enjoying a two-fer with grandpa swenson. we were there to celebrate both his birthday and father's day.

we'll look forward to returning when the snow is flying to share in a thanksgiving feast.

the conclusion of camp

2009-06-23T18:01:00.001-07:00

drama team leaders

kate watching intently as some of the other groups preform

perched in the narrators chair and ready to go

the "Shetlands" preforming the

revenge of little red riding hood, scooby-doo style

the Shetlands take a bow

a proud poppa

camp wound

a little slice of heaven; HICKORY NUT GAP farm camp!

2009-06-18T18:36:00.001-07:00

the self-serve stand that is located at the entrance to the farm

yes indeed!

the one lane bridge that leads to the farm

playing in the clay every day. pottery has been a favorite.

the morning gathering circle.

complete with shout outs and silly camp songs

see kate - just about middle, blue shirt, jeans and pigtails.

she had no idea i was spying. tee hee hee

campers artwork hung to dry everywhere

kate too busy to chat - gotta run

the tree swing - where i've found kate every afternoon

one of many magical trails cut through the dense overgrown shrubbery

the gate leading to the pool

the BOYS changing room

& this is the GIRLS changing room

so much goodness happening out here this week. pete and i could not have imagined the impact a weeks worth of farm camp could have on kate. it's been profound. i am still having a hard time putting words to it. suffice it to say that it's been as close to magic as i've witnessed in ages. we'll join kate tomorrow at 3:30 for their closing ceremony and the much anticipated DRAMA performance. kate has a big role that she is quite excited about. she is going ot be the narrator. 3:30 tomorrow - be there or be square!

things are starting to fill in around here

2009-06-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

after two full seasons in the ground everything is starting to look a lot less new, much more settled and much more comfy. every time i drive up the drive i find myself wanting to let out a big ahhhhhhh!

while the CAT is away...

2009-06-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

the mouse WILL play!

after tucking in trey the night before last

i peeked into kate's room to tell her goodnight.

to my surprise she was not there.

guess where i found her?

down in our bed.

she said she just wanted

to keep me company while dad was away.

isn't she sweet!?

i must admit however now that she is getting older

and no longer tossing and turning all night

i enjoy those occasional sleepovers we get to share while pete is away

& i know she does too.
and then there is this one...

tanner has also taken to sleeping in our room.

i could be the next junkie...

2009-06-17T16:01:00.000-07:00

so happy and so energized since finding crossfit! if you are local come and join us. if not search for it in your area, you will not be sorry. never did i think i'd be able to do an actual pull-up... so maybe i still can't but i have to tell you i am getting close and i know i will get there.

if pete is in town i try and hit the 6 or 7 am classes, if he is not they offer FREE childcare at the 8 & 9AM classes. for more info check out the following link.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090524/BUSINESS/905240303

new day ~ new adventure

2009-06-15T13:49:00.001-07:00

today we had a happy camper and a happy crafter and a very nervous momma. the crafting actually helped to calm said momma's nerves while our little camper was out spreading her wings.

she was all smiles this mornings. we will see what the rest of the week brings. more details to follow...

orange profusion - ahhhhhhh.....

2009-06-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

just a couple pictures of the little gems that i find absolutely delightful. i think zinnias have been a foavorite of mine since childhood. i remember my father always planting at least a row or two in our garden as a child.

SO - for the record if i ever win the lottery i will take up gardening fulltime. i guess that means i need to start playing...

and this guy is another one of my favorites that is just about to bloom, a black-eyed susan. a sure sign of summer in the mountains.

we've found a fav~

2009-06-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

this evening as pete and i enjoyed a glass of wine and prepared dinner kate and trey shared in a good old fashioned game of charades. nothing but a little smooth jazz playing in the background and a load of giggles to fill the foreground. it was the perfect "appetizer." and the best part, they just can't seem to get enough of it.

SO you think YOU can dance...

2009-06-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

our little trey bear can MOVE and shake with the best of them.

i think his daddy has tought him most of his moves. lol!

wanna dance?!!?$#

2009-06-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

a summer MUST see...

2009-06-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

a real crowd pleaser and by far the best kids flick i've seen in years. the story was absolutely beautiful and evoking. full of funny moments and cool special effects for the younger ones in the crowd. a love story that stands the test of time.

so if you haven't seen it yet we encourage you to do so. but for you softies out there just remember to take your tissues.

& ThAt's a wrap~

2009-06-10T16:59:00.001-07:00

it's official...

school is OUT for the summmmmmer.

while kate was at school yesterday trey, betty (crocker), and i

whipped up a little something special for our rising second grader.

kate's summer book "review" begins~

2009-06-03T14:24:00.001-07:00

seems our rising second grader has an insatiable thirst for the written verb. pete and i thought it might be fun for her to keep a journal of her readings this summer and write a short review following the conclusion of each story. so saturday she was given a 7x5 spiral bound notebook and was treated to a trip to the local book store and this is what we've got so far. stay tuned readers. we promise a whole lot more to come...

5-31-09, Coroline

I like when Coroline goes through the door and looks for her kidnapped parents. The lesson I learned is that your parents would never stop loving you.

6-2-09, The Tale of Despereaux

I like the book Despereaux more then the movie because it was more believable. I really like him a lot because he like to read like I do. I also understand the black spots the princess has on her hearts. If i lost my family or Tabby I would have 2 very big black spots.

we just can't hide that OAKLEY pride

2009-06-01T17:43:00.001-07:00

kate & a few of her fellow SMARTIES getting ready to take the stage

kate is on the far right above & below

kate & her bosom buddy caitlin.

these two have become like frick & fran, arm & hammer, mac & cheese...

now what would the end of the school year be without a talent show? mrs. dotson's class preformed a rockin rendition of zip-a-dee-doo-dah complete with a dance and hand jive to go along. way to go SMARTIES!

a puncheon camp creek send off to summer

2009-05-31T17:05:00.000-07:00

thursday morning trey and his classmates all met at puncheon camp creek for their end of year celebration. and what a celebration it was! the kids sang songs, had a guided wagon ride, toured the farm and picnicked all before celebrating their graduation from the 3's class.

kate's year end dance recital

2009-05-31T16:46:00.000-07:00

warming up twirls

cheese...

ham!

kate and her long time dancing buddy krista

goofing off

ballet routine

jazz routine

talk about improvement. i can't even tell you how far these girls have come in just a year. no longer the youngest girls in the group kate's dance troop took the stage this afternoon and completely impressed us all.

into the WILD

2009-05-31T16:12:00.000-07:00

dinner?

home sweet home away from home

beer? in the wild - hmmmm

pete and kirk; his best friend since childhood, set out on a camping adventure with plans to explore south mills river. they had hopes of spending two full days and nights exploring the great outdoors, fly fishing and hiking.

after preparing myself for 48 hours without any type of communication i was delightfully surprised when i received a call halfway into day two. they had abandoned the hope of catching all of their meals after the fly fishing hadn't panned out and they made a trip back into town to fill their bellies and stock thier cooler.

highlights included; catching 4 fish, finding a rare appalachian salamander, birding and great camping.