Avery's 1st Day of Preschool

Today was Avery's 1st day of preschool. I am still recovering from carpal tunnel surgery so Grandma and Papaw had to drive us there.

This is Avery having breakfast in bed. :) Sausage and eggs were on order today and washed down with chocolate milk.

In the driveway waiting for Grandma and Papaw. She put her new tennis shoes to good use!

THINGS YOU NEED FOR GOING TO PRESCHOOL:

A really cool tote bag and a Tinkerbell lunch box.

A pillow pet!

A Princess Tiana blanket for nap time.

And of course a cute face for the teachers. :)

After dropping her off at preschool I came home and thought I was doing fine until I read a poem from another blogger. I stole it from her:

She started school this morning,And she seemed so very small. As I walked there beside her in the Preschool hall.And as she took her place besidethe others in the class,I realized how all too soonThose first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw her asShe first learned how to walk.The words that we alone made outWhen she began to talk.This little girl so much absorbedIn learning how to write.It seems as though she must have grownTo girlhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred by hastilyI brushed the tears away

Lest by some word or sign of mine
I mar her first big day
Oh how I longed to stay with her
And keep her by the hand
To lead her through the places
That she couldn't understand.
And something closely kin to fear
Was mingled with my pride.
I knew she would no longer be
A baby by my side.
But she must have her chance to live,
To work her problems out,
The privilege to grow and learn
What life is all about.
And I must share my little girl
With friends and work and play;
She's not a baby anymore --
She's in Preschool today."

It' really captured how I felt today. I love you Avery and I know you are going to do GREAT!

Lordy, Lordy Lee is 40!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful hubby! He is the best husband, father and provider that I know. We love him dearly! Hope you had a good day.


Lee is a huge potato head fan and Tennessee Vol fan so I put the 2 together and got him an ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins. Yummy!



Avery trying to give Daddy some birthday "sugar".



Blowing out the candles!



Can I please have just a lick off the cake before Mom sees me??

Lee with his mom.

Alyson's 3rd and 4th Grade Musical

It's been a while since I have added anything. I have been waiting to transfer over some pictures so I could add them to my posts. Hard to believe almost a whole month has went by since I last blogged. Time has sure flown by. Here is some pictures of Alyson's musical. She did such a good job. We were all so proud of her. She was a bookworm.

Yawning in between parts. :)

Saying 1 of her 5 lines.

What a sweet girl..... I love her so much!

Showing out before the program began.

My Typical Day

I am linking to Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life for the first time! Today is about what is your typical day like?

I normally get up around 7:00 and get my 9 y/o ready for school, pack lunch, feed breakfast, gather back pack and they (my husband and her) are out the door by 7:30. I then come immediately downstairs and start my work day. I have been blessed for the past 9 years to be able to work from home as a medical transcriptionist. I LOVE it. If I have to work, then this is what I want to do. I type for 3 full time doctors so that is a LOT of work in and of itself. It is an orthopaedic group so they see a lot of patients. I normally work until my 3 y/o wakes up (usually around 8-9) and then I fix breakfast for her and come back down and keep working. We usually stop and do lunch and get her down for a quick nap before heading out the door at 2:30 to go pick up sissy at school. We usually come home and get homework and then they play until daddy comes home around 6:00. I TRY to be through with work by school pick up but some days that just isn't possible and I might have to work some more until daddy gets home. Once daddy gets home they tackle him at the door and I start fixing us something for supper and then it is baths, snacks, and finally bedtime for them hopefully by 9:00. Some evenings we play board games, other times we play Wii, or watch something on TV together. After they go to bed Lee and I usually hang out either watching TV, surfing on the computer or reading until bedtime, which is usually 11:00, to get ready to do it all over again the next day!!! Being a SAHM mom/working from home mom is challenging at times because you want to play and be with them and I do stop an interact with them but then have to get right back at it. They are used to it and have always respected my work time and they really do well all in all! Thank you Lord for giving me this blessing to be home with my kids and still supplement our income. I firmly believe He will give you the desires of your heart. I began praying years ago that I would eventually be able to stay home with my kids. As most of you know, this day and time that is hard without supplementing your income in some way, but I am blessed that he gave me the "best of both worlds" so to speak. So that is a typical day in the Culbertson house!!! :)

SNOW DAY #12

Well, we were out again today for snow. But to look out the window right now you would never believe it. This morning there was some snow laying around and reports of black ice so I guess they dimissed under the "safer than sorry" rule. I think it was slick out this morning but not so much now. Instead of sitting here at the computer working all day on this snow day I want to be out in town just shopping and looking around. I THINK I have decided to do a tea party for Avery's 4th birthday. That means I only have about 3-4 weeks to get it together. I would rather be doing that today instead of typing. I may do a little of both. :) We will see how the day goes.

So, with the dismissal of school goes the dismissal of the musical too. Yes, again. I am beginning to wonder if we will ever have it. This happened with the art exhibit in February too. We had to reschedule it 2 or 3 times. Oh well, all good things come to those who wait.

Avery Spungy Jumping

Avery "spungy jumping" at the mall. She had such a great time. She thinks every time you go to the mall you are supposed to do that and of course they have it right at the food court where they can beg every time you go. :)

Sad News

We got news a little earlier that a friend Lee works with, Phil, had passed away. He had battled cancer for a little over a year now and it was the 2nd time in his life of having to do that. Such a sad loss to those who knew him but such a gain for heaven. He was a strong believer and definitely wanted to take as many with him as would go! Love and prayers are going out to the Adcock's tonight!

We have had a really uneventful day today. We are pretty boring people most of the time! :) Alyson was at Nana's most of the day until around 5:00 and the rest of us just piddled and did this and that. I even slept on and off after Avery laid down for her nap.

Tomorrow is church day. Lee and I are teaching Children's Church tomorrow. Hope it goes well.

Snow Day/Angie's Birthday

Well, snow came again this week. We woke up yesterday (Thursday) to another pretty snowfall. So, school was canceled but unfortunately so was the musical. :( However, it has rescheduled for next Thurs/Fri. YEAH!!

This week has been crazy busy. Not anything to really write about just busy every day stuff. Alyson is finally feeling better. Tonight we went to mom's for supper for Angie's birthday dinner. She had the best dinner. Turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, green beans, deviled eggs, salad, rolls, and for dessert lemon cake and banana pudding. She really outdid her self. I so love to go to mom's and eat. It is comfort food at its best. :) Alyson wanted to spend the night with nana and Ronnie so we dropped her off there and came home.

Tomorrow is Saturday and not a whole lot planned. Just a day at home. I am hoping to get some things tagged for the consignment sale coming up in March. Not much time left now to get ready for it. Got to get busy on it.

Wednesday/Spungy Jump/Valentine's Party

Wednesdays are so hectic. With school and church with homework and other things fitting in there in between it is just hard to fit it all in. Choir practice is after church on Wednesdays so by 9:30 on Wed night my brain is mush.

Me & Ave took Alyson some lunch today and then did some errands at the mall. She got to "spungy jump" which she loves to do.

The kids FINALLY got to have their Valentine's party at Awana tonight. The last 2 Wed nights it has snowed and things have been canceled. Needless to say they were excited. And Miss Avery finally got her long awaited coveted Cubby vest tonight. Lee said she pranced and pranced around once they got home. She was cute in it.

Alyson seems to be feeling better thankfully. Antibiotic is causing some "issues" but other than that she is doing good.

There is snow in the air again and are waiting to see how much if any that we get. If there is a delay or cancellation the musical will be pushed up to next week.

That's about all I got today. Happy Wednesday!

Whiner

Yesterday as Avery was coming down the stairs it was obvious she was ALREADY in a bad mood.

ME: Avery, why are you whining already today?
AVERY: I don't know (while sucking her thumb).
ME: Well, do you think you can change that. You know people don't like whiny girls.
AVERY: Yes they do.
ME: Well mommy doesn't. Who does?
AVERY: Grandma and Nana....... (thinking)........ Well, Nana doesn't but Grandma does. :)

I love you, you little whiner!!!

Wonderful Husband

MY HUBBY!

Last night, on the way home from a trip out to town, my hubby asked me when I was going to do a Wonderful Husband post. I told him I wasn't sure, I guess on Wonderful Husband day! I guess that would be today. I think the world of this man and he is the most wonderful provider for our family. I don't give him enough love and respect but I try. I need to work on that. He is better to me than I am to him. I need to work on that too. He loves me unconditionally (well, most of the time) and NEVER keeps "score". He is the best father to our 2 wonderful girls. They have a wonderful, healthy example of what to look for in the man of their dreams. Thank you honey for being all that you are. I know we have a "lot to work on" but I wouldn't change anything about the last 16 years. God has us on a journey and I truly pray we have 50+ more to go here on this side of heaven. I love you!! Happy Wonderful Husband Day! :)

One Of Those Days!

Well, today was one of those days you take 2 steps forward and 3 back. Alyson woke up still sick so I kept her home and made a doctor's appt. I knew they would probably either test for strep or do blood work for something else and sure enough, they did both! She did pretty good for the strep swab but then started going to pieces when she realized there was more. She did pretty good though and all in all I am proud of her. The end result was bronchitis! She got her antibiotics and hopefully is now on getting on the mend.

This week is her 3rd & 4th grade musical at school. I can hardly wait. It is always so good. Mr. Gibson has to be the best elementary music teacher ever! Our school is a sacrifice but we love it and am thankful that the Lord has provided the funds for us to do that. Only He deserves the credit for that.

Just got Miss Avery down for the night. She is doing better about not having to have someone lay down in the night time. I remind her each night that if she gets up I will tuck her back in but I won't lay down. Last night she didn't even get up at all. HALLELUJAH!!! That is a treat for sure. She is at the age where naps are good and bad. Good that they get her through the day without a melt down but bad because they put her in bed later and she doesn't sleep as well. So depending on what the day holds I pick the lesser of the 2 evils. :)

To go or not to go???

Alyson is still running a temperature today. She hasn't felt well except for a brief period of time she perked up this morning. Since then she hasn't been feeling very well at all. Tonight though the http://www.livinghopeintl.org/ China Angels are coming to church. We have been excited about it for so long. We had to cancel it recently on a Wednesday night because of snow in the area. Avery has been looking forward to the "little China girls" for way too long now. Lee is doing sound tonight at church and said Alyson could sit there with him so she wouldn't "contact" anyone else so maybe that is our answer. Better hit it and get going. I know tonight is going to be a blessing. We are also having a reception for Ken and Karen, a couple in our church, who have been involved with youth for lots and lots of years. Through prayer they have decided to step down so we are going to show our appreciation through a reception for them. Also it is Family Night and we are having Brunswick Stew. Mmmmm.... can't wait.

We had some family pictures made in Jonesborough by a good friend, Cyndee Rees.


This is our first born, Alyson Rachel!



And our "baby", Avery Rebekah!

First Blog Post!

My first blog post. I have been so lousy at scrapbooking that I decided this might be a good way to keep a journal of our comings and goings in our family.

We have been having lots of winter weather lately but today the good Lord blessed us with a beautiful day of sunshine. The girls got to go ride their scooters outside and they were grateful just to be out side. After coming in we found out that Alyson has a temperature.... grrrr..... Lee, Avery and I have just gotten over colds/bronchitis/crud and now I think she is coming down with it. I was so looking forward to church tomorrow. I don't know if I will be able to go now or not. :(

Last night Alyson and I went to see the Tooth Fairy together and it was one of the best kid/adult movies I have seen in a long time. I really liked it and she was laughing most of the time. It was nice to spend time with my firstborn and have a little bonding time with her. Those times are few and far between but I am grateful for the opportunities we have.