North Carolina Mountain State Fair

We went to the North Carolina Mountain State Fair this weekend. Violet rode 3 rides! This is a big deal. She is normally timid when it comes to anything at all adventurous outside of home or the backyard.

It all started with the bumper boats. She saw them and said, "Ina ride dat." So we went with it, putting her in line with Eleanor. We assumed that by the time she had to hand her tickets to the woman (a carnie) and be lifted and placed on a boat in a huge pool of water, that the fear would overcome her and she'd be right back by our side. Nope.

She willingly handed over her three little tickets and even lifted up her arms to the stranger to be picked up, (this is huge for Violet) and off she went. I was okay with it, as long as her boat was on the outer edges of the pool, within my arms reach. When she would steer into the center of the pool, I would panic, but I'm pretty sure I did a decent job of hiding it and smiling and encouraging her and all of that good stuff... She had a blast.

After the bumper boats she saw the circus train, and cried until it was her turn to go. She didn't even care that she was on her own on this one, no Eleanor. She insisted on the front car... Again, she had a blast.

Just when I thought my little girl had gotten over her wimpiness and was becoming some sort of daredevil, we saw the carousel. We all got on, and just as I began to lift her onto the 'pity pupple hoowas' that she had chosen, she screamed- "Pity pupple hoowas eat me! No, he eat me!" (top photo) I guess she's still a wimp!

The Biltmore Estate

We took the girls to the Biltmore Estate yesterday for the first time ever after living here for almost 6 years. We had free tickets from the Mom of a student who rides to school with me. Anyhow, it was fun. There is so much there. The house didn't really do it for me, but Casey and Eleanor really liked that part. There is also a farm and horses and so much pristine land there, it is truly gorgeous. You could spend days and days there and never see the same thing twice. We ended up buying season passes, so we'll probably end up going quite a bit. Here are some photos of the girls. I didn't take any of the house or anything, oops. Oh well, the girls are cuter anyway.

Eleanor's first day of 1st Grade

Violet's 2nd Birthday!

I feel awful that I didn't post these photos after her party. She had a great time, but was not thrilled when everyone sang to her. Violet, unlike her big sister, does NOT like to be the center of attention. We spent her actual birthday in Louisville visiting the Peytons.

Ocean City 2008

Violet and Landon
Violet and Riley Eleanor and Lily

These photos are from our trip to Ocean City, Maryland in June. All of my siblings (and a lot of my cousins) were there as well as both of my parents. We had a blast, the kids really loved spending so much time with their cousins.

SWEET BABY GIRL

HOPE YOU CAN MAKE THESE OUT... I HAD TO TAKE A PHOTO OF THE PRINT OUT SO IT DOESN'T LOOK AS CLEAR, BUT IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING... SHE IS REALLY CUTE, ALTHOUGH I MAY BE BIASED. HER LITTLE ARM IS COVERING PART OF HER FACE BUT IT'S A GREAT SHOT OF HER NOSE AND MOUTH.

AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE

If you don't know, Casey and I have a weakness when it comes to our children and sleep. What I mean by this is that when the girls were babies they NEVER slept in their crib, they slept with us. Even now at 2 and 6, they usually sleep with us in our California King. If not we have to lay in their bed for atleast 30 minutes before they fall asleep, and then they each end up migrating into our bed sometime in the middle of the night.

In Violet's 2 years of life, she has NEVER fallen asleep without snuggling one of us (or the occasional babysitter)


With littlest girl on the way, we've realized that they need to not only sleep in their own beds ALL NIGHT but also fall asleep without Casey or I.


Hallelujah! After 3 long evenings of crying, whining and a lot of guilt on my part... it worked!

So this photo may appear to some of you as a pile of little girls, baby dolls and stuffed animals, but to us it is nothing short of a miracle. Maybe now we will have our big bed to ourselves, that is until January, of course.