Going Crazy

How would you like to live on a mountain with a view like this?

Yeah.  

Me too.

This is the view from the top of Signal Mountain, TN.  

We "went crazy" yesterday looking at the area, trying to figure out where we want to move if Chad finally gets the transfer we have been waiting on for almost a year.  

You may recall that "Crazy" is where we tell our kids we're going if we have no specific destination in mind when we set out.  We don't get to do it very often anymore since our weeknights and weekends are filled with baseball practices and games, Tae Kwon Do, church meetings and service projects, scouts, etc.  And with gas prices being what they are, we may have to eat Top Ramen all week to make up for that little excursion yesterday, but it was totally worth it to have a day to just be with our kids.  

We happened to find ourselves with a day of no commitments since a couple of the kids were too sick to leave with a babysitter so we could attend the adult session of stake conference.

 They were all so well behaved and got along pretty well with each other (for the most part), of course, the cough medicine they were on may have had something to do with it!  

Signal Mountain is very high on our list with it's small town feel and good schools.  

Chad would have a 15 minute commute down the mountain into the heart of Chattanooga, as opposed to the hour he spends in the car each way now.  

We were driving through a neighborhood with several houses that we are interested in and came upon this lookout spot.

I made Chad pull over so we could take pictures.  

It was a very impressive view of Lookout Valley.

This move is something we have prayed and fasted about for a very long time.  

We found out last week that the position Chad was offered back in December got swallowed up by a massive re-organization that TVA is going through right now.  As depressing as that was, we also got word that there are other things afoot that may be better for us in the long run.  

The Lord works in mysterious ways...and He really thinks we need to learn to be patient

 because He loves to make us wait!  

We have had several people ask us why Chad is looking for other jobs and the simple answer is that things are not looking good for the department he is in. 

 If he doesn't find something else he may not have a job to commute an hour each way to much longer.  

Keep your fingers crossed for us!  

We'll keep ya posted...

Sophie Brielle at 16 Months

I have been meaning to take Sophie's one year photos for a while...four months to be exact.

After having actually lived through the one year photo session I remember why I put it off for so long!  It was very easy to postpone it due to weather/sickness/weather/laziness/sickness...are you seeing the trend?  I think I could have just sucked it up and gotten them done if I didn't already know how much fun it is(n't) to take portraits of a one year old...especially one with Miss Sophie's...er..."attitude".  

The funny part about it is that to look at the pictures you would have no idea what a horrible experience it was.  The only evidence will be the most likely higher number on my scale tomorrow from all the mini cadbury eggs I ate afterwards trying to forget the whole thing (and get my blood sugar up...I was shaking so bad)!

My mom found this little vintage dress and jacket set in an antique store several months ago and I have been reluctant to have Sophie wear it to church until I got her pictures done because it looks so delicate and my mom spent hours repairing different spots on it.  

It is truly a treasure and fits Sophie so well!  

Thanks Mom!

What's that?

Oh, you want me to stop talking and show you?  

Ok then.

Here you go!

I owe a huge shout out to my sister, Jennifer, as well for coming with me and running interference...and bribing Sophie with gummy bears in between takes!  We got some cute pictures of my niece while we were at it, but I will let Jennifer blog those when she's ready.  

I will let you in on all the cool and crazy things Miss Sophie is up to at 16 months another day.  I'm off to run the boys to Tae Kwon Do and Scouts.  

Gotta love $1.99 kids meal day at Sonic!

Easter Fun

We spent last Saturday at my parent's house for our annual "Easter Egg Hunt Palooza".  

This year my sister Karen graciously offered to be in charge and planned a fun evening of egg decorating, egg hunting, volleyball for the more brave souls, a bbq (or as we Southerners like to say, "cook out") and a few little relay races for the kids. 

 It was great fun and it was nice to see how excited the kids got. 

 Even my big boys were stoked to hunt for eggs.  They tried to play it cool, but I know the truth!

Here is the photo montage: 

(You'll have to sing your own catchy song as you scroll down since I spent almost six hours at church with four kids mostly on my own and I am stinkin' tired and don't want to go to the effort of 

putting anything to music!)

Sophie was such a hoot to watch!

 Look at me talking like an eighty year old granny...after six hours of church I am feeling my age I guess! 

When she realized that not only did she get to carry around a basket, but she got to pick things up off the ground and not have it taken away from her we couldn't hold her back!  

In the end she and my niece sat next to each other and opened up all of their eggs, which to Sophie's extreme delight had candy in them! 

 Life just doesn't get much better for a one year old!

Happy Easter Everybunny!

I know, I know. I just couldn't help myself.