A little out of order . .

Having started this blog after my February trip to Arizona with Caroline I kept feeling that I should pay homage to such a great time with friends and how special it was to share my youngest with them.

I traveled to Phoenix for work and decided last minute to bring Caroline with me.  She of course was amazing during all four flights, the layover, security . .crying for a total of 15 seconds the entire time. 

Angie graciously offered to watch Sissy Thursday evening and all day Friday, while Heather watched her Saturday until my meetings came to an end.

Angie's boys were so great with her and still want to know when then can babysit "Bearoline" again!  Please note Connor's University of Tennessee jersey :).



February and March, work wise, were horrible months for me this year.  Working 24 hours a day, seven days a week was extremely tough as I was unable to spend quality time with my family.  To compound the guilt, any time I did have was normally taken up by Katie, simply because she's older and more active, completely normal . .especially when Caroline was so young and easy going.  By taking Caroline with me to Phoenix I was able to spend some wonderful one on one time with her - I can never thank Angie and Heather enough for watching her and allowing that to happen.  I love those girls!

I also failed to mention that Caroline met her Godmother Heather for the first time and as you can see below, loved her!

Although only four months old, never underestimate the "coolness" of bringing your child to somewhere of great importance (to you).  Arizona State University would be that place, it's where I meet Heather, Angie, Lisa, Kara, Lindsey and Janet, I wouldn't be who I am today without those people and the experiences I had in college.  

Hanging out on "New Row".  Don't worry Caroline, Fraternity Row is basically vacant now and a dead street, we didn't set you down in the middle of a busy road to take a picture :)

A - S - U,  A - S - U

View of Sun Devil Stadium

K & C Nine Month Comparison

Katie (above) and Caroline (below)

Caroline Mackenzie at Nine Months

What I've noticed about you lately:

• Other then honey and peanut butter you're now "allowed" to eat anything, so you're making the most of mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cheesits . .you're quite delighted by the new food development.
• You're almost crawling, you do somewhat . .backwards, school says that you'll be going forward withing the week.  You're 100% ready to be 100% mobile, we can see it in you, you can't wait!
• You're starting to stand up and can do so for a bit if you're holding onto something.
• You can now sit up on your own and I find you that way in the morning when I come get you.  Always so excited to see us.
• Breaking our hearts, you now cry when we leave you :(
• Weighing in at 20.8 pounds and 29 inches, 75 and 95 percentiles!

It may be time!!!

I'm going to be 100% honest . . .I'm not looking forward to potty training, it just seems like a lot of work.  Despite the pressure of people asking more and more frequently how's she's doing on this particular subject, our pediatrician said not to push it, let Katie decide when she's ready - so I'm adhering to his advice, one hundred percent :).  I was actually going to use 2 1/2 as the cutoff for when to start, for when Dave and I needed to make a true effort to help her.  BUT I'm thinking that now may be the time as she went "pee pee on the potty" twice today at school, actually asking to go the second time.  She was so proud of herself and you know what?  Her mama was too!!!!  We went out for ice cream to celebrate. 

Sissy was very much into Katie's ice cream and got a couple spoon fulls herself.  Look at her standing up, big day all around for the Farmer Family!

Remembering to Aunt Pam

We traveled back to Florence this weekend to say goodbye to Aunt Pam who lost her fight with cancer this past week.  It's always great to see family, but it was definitely a sad occasion, their family was exhausted mentally and physically.  Horrible when someone dies and untimely death - yet another reminder to make your time count and never have regrets.

Pamela H. Farmer

March 12, 1954 - July 13, 2011

(with Katie, July 2009)



Due to the nature and quickness of the trip, Aunt Tori came and watched her "boogie" (aka Caroline) at our home, while Dave, Katie and I drove to Florence.  Since we were staying at Aunt Marifaye and Uncle Scott's along with Aunt Brandy, Uncle Robert, Robby, Ben and Rhiannon I thought it would be good for Katie to spend some quality time with her cousins.

Katie and Hattie

Grilling out South Caroline style!!!  I didn't dine on the crab legs, but I certainly polished off a lot of the corn and sausage, YUM!



What's a trip to South Caroline without a little go-cart action?

Not to "city" - Katie had no trouble getting down and dirty :)

Out with the Old, In with the New

I went into the attic this evening and brought down a bunch of toys that I've long since packed up from Katie.  It was great to dust them off, to know how much Sissy will enjoy them and crazy to think we're at the stage of walkers and push around toys - storing away tummy time and activity mats! 

Katie loved the fact that Caroline was mobile . . .

Which led to getting pushed around and being in some head on collisions (turns out that Katie's not the best driver).

Big girl sitting astride her lion!

Of course someone else wanted a turn as well . .

Sweet Girl

It took Katie a while to enjoy dolls and stuffed animals.  On stuffed animals she's always had a soft spot for Simba and since returning from Disney she does love her Minnie Mouses, but that's it.  For dolls, she had no interest until we brought home Caroline, then I started finding them on on Caroline's activity mat, sitting in the excersauce, she changes them, burps them, feeds them and today I found one of them lovingly covered up with Simba's blanket on her pillow.  So sweet, Katie loves her blankets at night and wanted to make sure that her doll is taken care of as well.

After this post I went to check on Katie before we headed to bed, dolly is still well taken care of :)

Water Country USA

We bought season passes for Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country for the first time last week, today we tried out the latter.  To sum it up:  You know it's a good day when you drag your two year from the kiddie area screaming "big swimming pool, I want big swimming pool."  I finally bribed her with a passey (great parenting skills, I know) to change her clothes.   Once in dry clothes and passey in hand, she proceeded to put her swimsuit back over her pants so she could go on the"big water slide."  Good thing we're heading back for David's birthday in two weeks! 

Caroline enjoyed all the baby and zero entry pools! 

Just like Florida, Katie loved all the tube/rafting rides!

When we finished Katie told me "that was fun!"

What's in a picture?

It's amazing what a simple picture can represent, for me this photograph equals complete contentment!  The sun setting on a perfect Saturday, the day has cooled off and I can smell fresh cut grass in the air.  I'm tired, but it's a good tired as I've spent the day with my girls and David at the neighborhood pool.  Proof of our afternoon is skewed all over the deck in the shape of buckets, bathing suits and beach towels.  There's a book on the end table, a book!!!  It's been quite a while since I've been able to read, to have the time to read . . not because I'm the mother of two under two, but because any extra time I have is normally eclipsed with work.   Summer however is a time when work slows down and my weekends are simply weekends, where I can devote myself whole heartily to my family.  I'm not worried about deadlines or have an insurmountable workload hanging over my head.  I have the time to make blueberry muffins from scratch, cook dinners, read a book and just plain enjoy life with my family.  This picture represents the life that I want to live each and every day!

Practice Makes Perfect

Man oh man does our little girl want to crawl!!  She's been practicing and practicing and soon will be off like a bullet.  You can't keep this girl down, she tries at every opportunity.

Huh? I wanted to go forward, what happened?

Oh well, mommy's smiling at me, I'm going to try and go see her!

Wait, why am I getting further away?

What in the world is going on here?

Where did this come from?

Mommy!!!!!  Come help me!!!!

I knew she'd come get me - thank you mama :)

Blueberry Picking

I decided a while ago that every once and a while our girls would need "special" one on one time with either just mommy or just daddy.  It's important to be family and it's important for our girls to get quality time with their parents as well.

So on that note Katie and I went to the Swift Creek Berry Farm this morning blueberry picking (something I'd never done).  We only lasted an hour with the heat and humidity in full force, but it certainly was a fun 60 minutes!

Like with strawberries, it didn't take Katie long to realize that this was going to be quite a tasty snack.  

Pick, take a look, eat . . .

Running back down the row, after we've had our blueberry fill.

I love you Katie!

Later that night we made blueberry muffins from scratch - they were certainly tasty!!!!

So I don't forget the recipe for next year!

1 Cup  Milk ~ 1 Cup Sugar ~ 2/3 Cup Oil ~ 2 Eggs ~ 2 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Salt ~ 1 tsp Baking Soda ~ 3 Cups Flour 

2 Cups Blueberries

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.