Alex's first day of snowboarding

Alex got all the gear he needed to go snowboarding for Christmas and the poor guy hasn't had a chance to use any of it....until yesterday.  He had so much fun and told me it wasn't that hard to get the hang of it (he must get that "oh, I'm good at everything the first time I try" gene from Jason).  He can't wait to go again!

Project: FINISH THE BASEMENT has begun!

Right after we moved into our new house it became very apparent that we needed more spaced.  Moving from a house that had more room than we needed to a much smaller home is not an easy adjustment to make.  My boys share a room, which really is fine, but the room itself can't handle the space.  They are VERY crammed in there.  So, we decided the basement needed to be finished ASAP!  I'm so glad I married a handyman that can do everything he puts his mind to.  It helps that he worked as a project manager for a home builder because he observed and figured out how to do a lot of the stuff.  The best part of this project is that Jason is LOVING every second of it!!!  I don't think he's ever been happier (and that makes us all happier).

Here's my man at work....tool belt and all!

I personally love the safety glasses/ear plugs look!

Someday this space will be 2 more bedrooms, a bathroom, a workout room, a kitchenette, and a family/theater room.  I can't wait!!!

Rachel gets her ears pierced!

I can't even tell you how excited Rachel was when she got an empty box for Christmas from her Grandma....with a note saying she was going to take her to get her ears pierced (of course she got permission from me first).  So, the whole Braithwaite Gang met at the mall a few days after Christmas to get it done.

She kept saying that she couldn't wait to "look like a princess"!

Finally it was her turn!

Marking the right spot

I think she's a little nervous, who wouldn't be with a gun to their ear!

And Done!!!!

Okay, not done.  About an hour after we got home she came up to me and her right earring was sticking half way out and the back had come off.  I tried to gently push it back through the hole but the sucker had already closed up.  I couldn't believe it!!!!  So, I called the next morning to see how long we had to wait to get it re-pierced and they said they could do it that day (OUCH!!!)  Rachel was so distraught because now she didn't look like a princess anymore with just ONE earring that I decided to just do it that morning.

She's still smiling even though she knows what is to come....

AND DONE!!!!!

Love, Peace, Disco

It wouldn't be the Holidays without a good ol' JibJab, Enjoy!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Fam-Damily Pictures

We got the whole Braithwaite gang together (Blaine, Diane, Brain, Jason, Me, Alex, Rachel and Cole) at Wheeler Farm at the end of May for some family pictures.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE that even though JoRae quit doing photography as a business I can always count on her to snap a few family photos and put her magic touches to them to make them look like this:








Thanks JoRae for capturing these moments of our family!!!

Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife!!!!

Maybe I'm the only one out there that hadn't seen this yet, I dunno.....if you haven't seen this one yet, be prepared to laugh!!!!

How does that reporter keep her face straight?

Then, let's just follow it up with a fun little music video:

Have a great day!!!

How About a little Halloween Action?

Yes yes, I know. I seem to disappear for months at a time but so goes the life of a working mother. So, much has happened since I blogged last. We moved, Alex started 2nd grade, Rachel started Kindergarten, Cole fell off the fireplace and got stitches, Alex turned 8 and got baptized, Rachel turned 6, the list goes on and on. I thought I'd start out my updating with a little bit of Halloween...

Cole is obsessed with Cars. I usually don't go for costumes with cartoon characters on them, but the little dude gets what the little dude wants....

Rach really wanted to be a witch this year (soooo much better than another princess, might I add)

Alex wanted to be a robber....easiest costume EVER....plus he can wear all these clothes year round (just not together)

Alex seems to think that since he's a robber he needs to steal Rachel's hat....ugh!

Believe it or not, this is NOT a costume....the man actually smiles from time to time.

Stay tuned for more updates!