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Colorado on my mind.

Well, the anticipated trip to Colorado has come and has not quite turned out the way we expected... Grace and I had stay home while the boys headed for the Rockies (yet another beer commercial in the making) without us:( Grace got a cold that turned into an asthma issue so two doctors both suggested that we sit it out and not go. So, while the guys are riding the rails on the Combres and Toltec and hiking in the mountains, Grace and I are hanging at the house in the rain. Seems as if we now live in a tropical rain forest that rains constantly.... If you have read Twilight it is as if the town of Forks is now in the south? So you will not get a lot of pictures for a bit until the boys return until then, stay dry and we will talk soon:))

K3 Graduations

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Bad Blogger Bad!

So it has come to my attention that it has been forever and a day since my last post. Well, it has been quite some time and I know that everyone is on pins and needles awaiting to hear what the Gardner family has been up. I forewarn you it may be long so you have been warned ~ let's go:

1. Snickers the dog has become quite use to our family as have we with her. We all know now not to leave ANYTHING out that isn't bolted to the floor or she will eat it ~ from grill covers, grilling tools (thick plastic case included), outdoor CD players, Abita beer hats (Ed is still pretty ticked about that one). You name it and it is fair game in the world of Snickers:) Now, on the flip side she is truly and awesome dog! She absolutely loves us unconditionally as do we her. She tolerates pure torture from the kids and doesn't even bark at them, I can't say the same thing! So, we are all very thankful for our little destructive dog, we all call Snickers or El Dogo when she is on Ed's nerves which is less and less:)

2. The school days are slowly coming to an end. We have end of the year performances, parties and graduations. Stay tuned for updated pictures of the events to come this week. Yes I promise to actually post twice in one week, don't fall out of your chairs;) So with that said that school is coming to a close, PRAY FOR ME!!!! Oh my goodness it is going to be a long summer of the terrible twos coupled with potty training and sibling rivalry.... Seriously people get your prayer circles to add the Gardner clan to their list, we are gonna need it;) I am truly excited about a lot of pool time, zoo, park and anything else I can come up with but a bit nervous too so any suggestions are always welcome!! Also, any play dates that people may have ~ CALL ME:))))

3. We are preparing to go to Colorado for a week. Yes folks you heard me correctly ~ COLORADO, what else would the Gardner family be doing there but RIDING TRAINS!!! We are going to be riding the Combres and Toltec and the Durango-Silverton Train. This trip has been in the making for about a year now and William is so excited that he could just spit (well, he is). It is going to be interesting because after Ed and I went to NOLA for a weekend he decided (with a lot of persuasion from me) that driving with two kids would be a nightmare so we are flying! Can you imagine driving 27 hours with a two and four year old??? That is a panic attack waiting for me to have right there, I don't see how Ed's parents took four kids out west in a CADILLAC??? WOW, they are stronger people than I could ever imagine to be!!!! We are very excited about this trip, we are riding rails and doing a lot of hiking!! We just love being outside and there isn't a better place to do it than Colorado ~ I feel like I am a beer commercial now?

4. So, we bought a camper. Yep ~ we are officially the Griswald's!! Actually not even the Griswald's but Clark's cousins from Texas ~ even BETTER! My dear sweet Ed has ALWAYS wanted to camp with a camper and he swears this is gonna make for some great family time. I am actually kind of excited about it now that I have met our camper. Ed, Big Ed and William went to GA to pick it up and bring it back a week ago. Well, this thing is so big that ya gotta have a place to park it and we don't' have the room (and the conveyance of the subdivision doesn't look to kindly on RV"s in your driveway, not sure why??) so it is housed at Big Ed's house. I went on Friday to introduce myself to the butte and well, she is BIG ~ 32 feet of big I must say! It has every bell and whistle you can imagine and evidently it tows like a dream, I feel so country saying that!!! Anyway, it is going to fun and there will be tons of pictures of the COOL new places that we will all be going (Snickers included). So stay tuned....

Sorry for the long delay in a post but we have had a lot going on over here. Lots to do this week so I will update you all as the events happen. Thanks for hanging in there with us, we hope that we haven't bored ya too much with our happenings. Till next time, kisses from us to you and HAPPY TRAILS Y'ALL!!!!!

We have a new addition

So before you get too excited, no I am not preggers ~ that would be a TOTALLY different post titled, WOMAN GONE MAD;) We have adopted a dog by the name of Snickers. It is a situation that we really didn't expect to have but it has happened and this is how it came to be:
This past Saturday we took a family trip to Sam's, those of you that know us well know that we LOVE LOVE LOVE Sam's it is not just a trip but a shopping experience full of fun, food and the seasons best toys for us all! We picked up a bunch of things we needed and lots of stuff that we didn't and decided with a car full of food we really needed to eat out at Moe's?!!! We went and had what else but cheese dip and burritos ~ the entire family was in culinary delight, seriously! As we finished I suggested that we go to PetSmart to look at animals ~ we never do this and well, I thought it would be fun. I didn't think that we would walk in to meet our future dog but hey, it worked out that way:) We were looking at birds, cats and some sort of rat things and then we saw her... It was meant to be ~ Snickers the dog and William met face to face (rather cage to face). William sat next to her for seemingly ever and pet her in the calmest manner I have ever seen!!! It was truly a sight, our little boy found him a friend and honestly so did I. When we left (yes, we left without her) William asked what would happen to her and we told him that she would go to a good home... His direct quote was, "but we have a really good home and would love her".... How can you resist?? He made a valid point and that we did, give her a good home and we do love her. She is a survivor of heartworms and living alone so the least we could do is give a nice place to live and try to tolerate her jumping and chewing of stuffed animals:) She is getting better, we are working with her and the kids seem to really love her. William likes to get her to lick Grace because Grace hates it, it is a win win for boy and dog! So, if you see that I am a bit dark circled under the eye it is not due to barking or children waking ~ that would be due to my husband and the dog both SNORING in my ear every night;) So, sweet dreams to all of you from our family to yours!!!

Shew Wee, Spring Break Isn't for Sissies!!!

Good grief I am tired. I am not sure why Spring Break is suppose to be relaxing, there is nothing relaxing about it ~ pure nonstop action! The kids want to have a typed out agenda each morning with hour by hour explanation of what is next. We have had a busy week thus far and it is only Wednesday but we have had a lot of fun along the way. Our week started with the "dreaded" first dental visit. I had put it off long enough, William is four and should have seen a dentist two years ago but I have delayed for one reason or the other so no Mother of the Year Awards in my near future;) I decided to take both at the same time for moral support and to try and be as efficient as possible, crazy probably but it all worked out great! The kids LOVE Dr. Massy as do Edwin and myself (he is in our Sunday School Class and his wife is a great friend of mine). It was a fun experience and NO ONE CRIED, including me!! We were in and out in an hour with bouncy balls in hand and white smiles, nothing could be better right?? It gets better, we called our neighbor on the way home and Elliot, Elijah and Baby Ellison came over for lunch and playtime ~ WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY... Pictures are below for your viewing pleasure ;)

Well, to try to top off a perfect Monday we went for a terrific Tuesday and managed it!! Our dear friend Liv and her super mom Heidi came over for some playtime, lunch and sewing (the mommas). We had a sewing bee set up in my kitchen, the kids ran around and played with all the windows open to the house so we could hear and see them and we just had our Brother machines humming along. I was able to learn how to make pants and a halter top for Grace and the kids managed to get muddy from head to toe:) It is not a party until somebody does and mud dive in the back yard! Let's just say that no one napped, and I was washing dirt and mud from places I never thought would reach! The kids had a blast and so did I ~ Thank you Heidi for a sewing lesson that will prove to be so much fun for years to come!! We just don't know what the rest of the week will hold but I will make sure to fill ya in our adventures so stayed tuned!! Pictures are below of the mud fun and lovely creation that I was able to make for Miss Gracie. I do hope that your week be it Spring Break or not holds to be sunny, fun and full of love ~ from our family to yours ~ Kisses!!!

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Snow, Friends, Hair and Muscles

It has been a busy several days in our household. This past weekend was quite exciting with the SNOW DAY!!! We woke to an amazing blanket of white powdery snow EVERYWHERE, I should have known that we would be getting it because Edwin was tracking it like a hound dog.. He was watching every twist the front was making until the time we went to bed and he was READY! We had a big breakfast (fueled up with bacon and pancakes) and then hit the hills. We busted out the super duper fantastic sled that we all stare at in our garage like an alien in a foreign land. It is one of those things that you really hate having because it tends to take up space but when needed, it sure is fun! I have to say we were the best outfitted family on the hills Sunday, we had super speed with our Super Rubbermaid Green and Purple Sled. The kids had a fantastic time and quite honestly, so did Edwin and myself. WE were all somewhat fighting for the next ride. Everyone was all smiles until the cold started to set in and we all had to go in for hot chocolate and fireside rest ~ can we say PERFECT day!:)

William had a wonderful surprise, LIV got to come over and play while her mom did my hair:) It is always nice to have super friends that don't mind dealing with your stubborn hair and tends to enjoy doing so:) The kids had a blast and I have to say I did too getting a new color ~ what a new hair style or color will do for a person is just amazing... I feel like a new person. Liv, while playing with Grace and William declared her love for William as did he for her and said that she wanted to move in. We had to explain that it is a bit early in their relationship for marriage and cohabitation so that has been put on hold but many more play dates are to come;)

So, the Trussville Fire Department visited Paine Primary School today and William's class was able to explore the fire engine!! They learned all about fire safety and what firemen do. All the kids had a turn to ask questions of the firemen about their jobs and the truck. When it came to William's turn his teacher asked William if he would like to ask them anything and he said, "yes, I would like to ask the firemen a question" Long Pause..... "I would like to know, would you like to see my muscles?"... This is a direct quote according to his teacher. As she tells the story the firemen all laughed, one almost started crying because he was laughing so hard and a parent said that she almost wet herself laughing so hard. It was complete silence and he was completely serious about showing off his muscles.... Guess he thought that was pertinent to the conversations??? The thoughts of a four year old, I am just thankful it wasn't worse than that.... So, until next time ~ enjoy the weather be it sunny snowy or somewhere in between and remember to flex your muscles whenever the chance arises:) Family hugs to you and yours!

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