Our big baby....

Randy was cuddling with Maddox's stuffed animal "Monkey" the other day....awwwwwwww too cute!!

Randy is in NY for a business trip....We r going to miss you!!

Randy is gone on a company trip to THE BIG APPLE! He is right in the heart of Manhattan and we all miss him. He is having fun and just saw "The Dark Knight" and is planning to see a Yankees game in their stadium before it shuts down today. Of course the main reason he is there is to take a class and he is really learning a lot from it.

Mom and Wes are flying in today and we are all so excited to see them!! Will post more about their visit. Mom is celebrating her 50th birthday with us and we have some surprises lined up for her...shhhhhh!

A very busy week...

For all you people who keep up with our blog this week has been an extremely busy one. I am currently in training for my new part time job (it is so much fun) and Randy is gearing up to go to NY this Sunday. Guess what that lucky guy just got...the newest and greatest I-Phone. It is really the coolest phone we have ever seen...it is just like his 1st Christmas all over again. Maddox is unbelievable with the things he is now doing. He is starting to use the potty more frequently and is grasping more difficult concepts like letters in words and the sun going down the moon goes up. We talk about these things around the house but sometimes he just seems to pull a concept out of no where....like it just suddenly clicks. Amazing how the mind works... He is becoming more lovey every day and just says the sweetest things to his mommy and daddy. We couldn't of asked for a better son...he is perfect. There will be updates this weekend but since I will be nose deep in my study materials for my NIC test (a HUGE national test for interpreters) next week it may not be too exciting... but that's our life...

Music in the Park- Summer Concert Series

Greensboro has almost all the things we were looking for in a place to settle down...a great cultural feel to it, people who are very involved with community, a strong focus on the arts, and a strong sense of giving back. On NPR there was a whole discussion about when you move to find a place not only that will be a good work environment, but a good place for a family life, single life, or what ever goals you have. For example, I like running and it would have made sense to look in the community that I was moving to before to see if there was an active running community. Web sites like this one and http://www.bestplaces.net/ or http://top100.relocate-america.com/ really can help you research a place and see if it is a good place to settle down for you and your family. Fortunately Greensboro, NC seems to have everything we need right now...as a new family with new careers it has a great job market for our professions. Plus it has tons of fun museums, water parks, and zoo's for Maddox's age group. Music in the park is just one fun example of the richness of Greensboro, NC. We were lucky that we had family in High Point that led us here. Randy is learning just as much about the things to do here as I am. A place is a lot different when you are growing up to when you are an adult. I think it has to do with your priorities and the things you enjoy. We had no idea that there was so much to do here...and so many cool people.

We met up with Dawnenne and Carter and their son Parker there. It was a fun day...a nice way to spend Sunday.

It's my first week at Sorenson for training so I am actually working a full week in the summer. Wow!!

Sunday Morning at the Farmers Market

We bought some really yummy things at the farmers market....and it's wonderful exposure to all the different foods for Maddox. Plus we are supporting the Local Economy! It is just a win-win for everyone.

(Sarah) Where are we at right now?
(Maddox) Farmers Market
(Sarah) Farmers Market Yeahhh
(Sarah) Tell everyone Hi
(Maddox) Hi
(Sarah) Are we going to buy some…What are we going to buy? Are we going to buy some eggs?
(Maddox) Eggs…
(Sarah) And Bananas?
(Maddox) Bananas…
(Sarah) And fruits and vegetables.
(Sarah) We are at the Farmers Market…Check it out!
(Randy is on the phone in the background)

Who knew trains could be so fun!!

What a perfect day to go see the trains...Tyler and Maddox absolutely loved it, and so did all the adults. It is great to see the kids have so much fun and really the whole park is never too crowded, expensive, or too much to handle. It is just right for the younger kids. The train of course is the main attraction which circles around the park and has a bit of action with the cowboys and Indians. Although I enjoyed it there were kids crying on the train because the fighting was too much for them...lucky we raise our kids around violence on TV so they are used to it and aren't too shocked. LOL. Just kidding...that is my only complaint about Tweetsie Park WAS the violence in the shows that they put on during the train ride.They could make it a little more friendly and maybe focused on trade or something between the Cowboys and Indians. I am sure they did not fight ALL the time!! Also I was wondering about the Co2 that that Coal Train was letting out. Completely not environmentally friendly...but some of the charm of the park is the fact that it is a "real" coal train.

It is a beautiful park located at Blowing Rock, NC. Such a beautiful part of North Carolina. It just feels like you have run away to a part of nature and are so far away from your regular life. Both Maddox and Tyler were able to go on most of the rides at the park and the wait time for the lines were at the most 10 minutes but most of the time we just waited one ride before we got on. It's nice to be able to spend time with the family, it really makes Randy and I appreciate the wonderful family that we have. Tweetsie is on the list of things to do next summer for sure!

You are never to old or young to Dance

What a blast it was last night... We all enjoyed some really sensational music from Warren Bodle & Allen http://www.warrenbodleallen.com/home.html at "Music in the Courtyard" in Winston-Salem. There are music concerts during the summer all over the Triad but have never been to the one in Winston-Salem. It felt like a much more grown up vibe and it was a lovely place to relax and eat dinner with friends. It is added to our list as future "date night" place for Randy and I. (wink) It was really nice to see everyone that I knew from work relaxed and enjoying themselves with their families. We have got to get together and do that more often... Maddox did really well and I think wore himself out from all the dancing and running around he did! :)

My running inspirations....

Everyday there is a choice to be made...to run or not to run. That is always the big question...for the past 5 years now I have had a goal to run a marathon. Lucky for me I have set goal date of sometime in my life which gives me a lot of flexibility and dare I say procrastination time. Of course as women we know that it is our needs that comes last before the child, husband, chores, the list goes on and on and on. But...this can't be my excuse. There are many people out there who MAKE the time to reach their goals...not to say that I am a slacker. No, I think a better term would be a flexible goal setter. I like that much better :) Anyhow Randy lately has been encouraging me daily to get my runs in, buying me really cool running toys to keep track of my pace, my time,keep my knee from hurting, things to link up to nike.com, etc. He really has been a great support and a wonderful motivator. Almost like Bobby Knight but not quite...lol...okay maybe more like Lane Kiffin.

This nike.com web site has this avatar called runningoddes http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/?l=runners,avatar_viewer,81860578 and Becky can check this at her leisure...and before today I was topping 10 days with absolutely no run. It was almost time for me to attend a Running Anonymous meeting when my avitar started to play paddle ball on me and tell me that she was bored....(she is on my screensaver) It was about the same time that I started to get these e-mails from Becky telling me that she was going to send flowers to my avatar's funeral and that my avatar was looking like she just down in the dumps. Becky's e-mails are hilarious and really got the point across. Between Becky, Randy, and my avatar runninggoddes keeping me honest with myself...I think I might make my goal this year. I just wanted to say THANKS GUYS!!

Tweetsie

 

 

 

 

Here is our most recent trip to "Tweetsie" which is an amusement park in the mountains near Boone, NC. It was just Maddox and I and the most enjoyable day I have had in a while. He was so excited about seeing Deigo and Dora and the trains that there was no time for whining or anything. All we did was enjoy ourselves and eat ice cream and pizza for lunch! YUM! Having kids really does keep you young!! We are going back to "Tweetsie" this weekend with Tee & Papa (Randy's mom and step-dad) and Tyler our nephew. FUN FUN!

I am sure many of you have noticed the long stretches between postings on this blog....all I can say to that is that I have been enjoying my summer way too much! SMILE.

xoxo