The other Half of 2016

JULY

Well as seen in this picture here, we opted for the surgery to get rid of Jaitz's tumor.  The sucker was the size of a softball and was pretty much draining Jaitz of his sugars and blood!  We have an amazing vet and I am so glad we opted to get it done!

He was pissed.  Had to stay in the bathroom for a good 2-3 weeks because he couldn't control his bowels.  His tumor was attached to his colon so they had to remove a part of it.  Better than the alternate right?

Cru had another great year of baseball.  He is really enjoying it and has a natural knack for the game. Zac also helped out assistant coaching.

We went to some waterfalls near Asheville with Ashley and Mack and klan.  It was pretty awesome and you could go behind the falls and slide out on the rocks under them.  Super cold though!

Zac and I went to a show I like to call "the summer of '03 tour".  It featured The Early November, Saosin, Taking Back Sunday, and Dashboard Confessional.  We saw Ace Enders (TEN lead singer) walking by and snapped a picture and got a guitar pic from him.  He looks like Nick. 

Here is me at the beginning of another triathlon.  This was another sprint distance but the twist was it was in the evening rather than the morning.  And it happened to be the HOTTEST day of the year of course.  It was 97 degrees when we started our swim.  The water felt like a hot spring. 

And yes I did finish and this time I had my whole cheering section there with me!  I did fall twice on the run because it was on a trail and my legs were like jello.  It was fun though and the bike leg was BEAUTIFUL!

 AUGUST

We've been hitting up the sprinklers a bunch this summer.  The kids keep ending up just running around in their clothes and its been fun to not care about it!

This was a highlight of girls camp...I for some reason decided it was a good idea to let two grown men "blob" me.  Needless to say, I got some major air.  Girls camp was SO much fun.  I had such a good group of girls and the leaders were a blast to hang with too. 

This was one of my favorite birthday surprises I've had in a LONG time.  I turned 33 this year and a couple of my friends (Christine and Eliza) got wind I was a Larry Bird fan and they ran with it!  I had my front lawn forked with small pictures of Larry Bird taped to the forks, a happy birthday sign, some Larry Bird socks (which are amazing), a small Larry Bird stuffed figure, and a Boston Celtics mini basketball.  It made my day...nay, year! 

Also for my birthday, a group of us got together and went to a roller derby bout and then ate at Viva Chicken afterward.  I learned how delicious the Maracuya drink is there... We had such a fun time and I felt super special.  

That's my HEP!!  Heather took the 4 1/2 hour drive down to visit me for the last of their summer break.  We went to Carowinds for the first time and rode the fastest giga-coaster in the world.  Lets just say it did NOT disappoint! It was so much fun to have her and her family stay with us and I am glad we are in driving distance from each other! 

I had another last hurrah of the summer with my buds Christine and Eliza.  We went to Charleston, SC and it was a literal kick in the pants.  They both have friends in C-town that just had babies so we got to visit them and do the Charleston thang.  I am surprised we (me and Christine) got any sleep because Eliza snores like Jatiz on steroids when she's pregnant. 

SEPTEMBER

We had a ward fun run on Labor Day and I love this picture of Zac and Zoey getting their run on.  I came in third out of our ward!

Cru got hooked (ha!) on fishing after catching a fish at Woodland Discovery.  He saved up his money and bought a fishing pole so we went to Mountain Island Lake to try our luck.  We didn't catch anything but had a good time. 

This little whipper turned 5 this year.  She is smart and determined and a good helper. 

We get another year of Woodland Discovery with Miss Carolyn!  We are so fortunate to have found this preschool and Zoey LOVES it! 

I also took on a part time gig.  I help Carolyn teach an after school program at a school in Davidson.  I go twice a week and do forest activities at a private school with a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds.  It is nice because I can bring Zoey with me!

Here she is finding the crawlies of nature. 

This was the last tri of the season and I stepped up and did Olympic Distance.  I placed first in my age group....which isn't saying much since there were 3 women in my age group but I got some apple sauce out of it!  It was a really great triathlon and I am glad I went for it! 

Jaitz has healed up right nice as you can see.

OCTOBER

Cru had a day off school so we went for a run/bike ride and found this covered bridge.  It is the entrance to a neighborhood.

Here is my big first grader!  Cru is a people pleaser and anxious to learn.  So many people tell me how nice he his and how he is a friend to everyone.

Here is Zoey after her soccer season.  She has potential and seems to like it which is great!

This was our Halloween experience...Cru got a fever that afternoon and couldn't go trick or treating.  Zoey and me went with Kerri, and Sam (Kerri's son) gave half of his candy to Cru.  It was really sweet.

NOVEMBER

This is me and some of the YW leaders in the stake helping out at a stake dance.  This is such a fun group of women and I'm so glad I get to serve with them!

For Thanksgiving this year we got a treat.  Dave (Zac's mission companion and friend), has connections to a beach house in the Outer Banks.  Since moving to NC, I've wanted to go to the OBX.  Dave told us to meet us there for turkey day so we made the 6 hour drive and got to spend it with them!  It was so much fun.  This is Cape Hatteras light house which was pretty sweet to see.

 DECEMBER

Well guess who is YW president again....Yep. Me.  Round 3!  I guess I'm not learning something.  This is my presidency and Laura had the BEST idea to do an awkward photo and give it to the girls (along with cookies) for Christmas.  So amazing.

Ugly sweater Christmas party.  We like to dress up... 

Zac has started reading Harry Potter to the kids.  This picture is just pure magic for me!  Even though I read these books as an adult, I've been so excited to share them with my kids.  And in front of a Christmas tree?? BONUS!

I took this picture from the back porch of my house.  To say I love it here in NC is the perfect statement.  I was so scared to move this far away from all that I knew and it has been such a wonderful experience.  The beauty of this place hits me in the face daily.  I have been so fortunate to meet such wonderful people, be a part of great schools, and enjoy a different part of the country. This past year of 2016 has been one I hope to remember forever.  It was a VERY good year.

Half of 2016

Since I reviewed the last year, I decided to get back on the groovy train and review the last 6 months of 2016.  So far its been pretty good.  Let's see what has been happening...  Zac got a job in March at another Electrical Company.  He is essentially doing exactly what he did for Rosendin and I'm not sure how much more of it he can take.  Let's all pray he doesn't lose his mind and can find some kind of employment that he somewhat enjoys.  I am with the Young Women again at church.  Can't seem to shake that calling.  I am a Mia Maid advisor which is a good spot to be in.  I love that age and these girls are super fun and get along well with each other.  I am also the camp director again so I will get to go to girls camp again.  I actually really enjoy girls camp so it should be fun.  The only bummer of the thing (well not really bummer) is that Eliza my buddy was going to come but went and got pregnant so she is out.  Its really for the best though. :)  So onto more pictures--

JANUARY

This is one of my most favorite pictures.  I love that these two have become such good friends.  They giggle together so much and help each other out when they get hurt.  Cru has such a good heart and I am so glad he is a big brother to Zoey.

First time seeing snow!  We had a storm blow through that canceled EVERYTHING for the day.  It was so much fun to experience a snow day together.

Mmmmmmmm

For Serbian Christmas Zac got the quarter the little punk.

My good buddy Dawn (Leavitte) Bates was in Raleigh visiting her sister and had a layover in Charlotte.  I trekked down to the airport and got to chat with her and her mom for a few hours.  It was such a fun surprise!

This is pretty much how most of the winter went for us.  No joke.

FEBRUARY

See.

New jammies huggin on each other.

I was SO close to buying this shirt but I feel like it needs to be worn by a true southerner.  I couldn't pull it off but I hear it said occasionally here in the south.

This is Emily and is one of the young women in the ward and one of our babysitters.  She is a rockstar and took Zoey in the play place at Chic fil a.  Bright future for this one.

We had an 80's workout night for mutual and yes I planned it.

MARCH

Spring is a JOY here.  I have missed having four seasons and have forgotten how much I love spring after winter.  The seasons are pretty mild here and I really enjoy the mix up.

This guy turned 6 this year!  He wanted Fruit Loops and a park party which I totally obliged to.  Hope he doesn't find out about expensive parties...

These are his buddies.

I was in the bathroom and came out to this.  They are such creeps and I love it.

I am a room mom this year for Cru and it has been nice to be involved in a lot of his class activities.  He has such an amazing teacher and staff.  I am so grateful we got in this school.  He can read. WHAT? My Kindergartener can read which is crazy to me.

We were totally twinning so we took a picture.

APRIL

Zoey cracks me up.  Every so often we will be eating and I look up to see this face.  She knows it makes me laugh so she sneaks it in quite often.

Why yes that is Michelle. And yes we are in Charleston SC together!  She took a trip with some friends to Charleston so I hopped in the car and drove 3 hours to hang with her for the weekend.  It was so much fun being with one of my favorites.

This tree.  Wow.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  If you find yourself in Charleston, go to the Angel Oak tree.  Magical.

Jaitz pointing at a bird.

MAY

This is Zoey at her preschool.  I can't say how much I have loved this school.  She was afraid to get dirt on her hands at the beginning of the year and now look at her at the end with a pile of worms.  It's been a great chance for her to develop a love for nature.

We went strawberry pickin' and got way too many.  Made some jam and ate until we almost poo-ed our pants.

This is Zoey at her final dance performance.  She has really enjoyed dance and has a knack for it.

Here we are with the Gardners again this time at our single A baseball game The Charlotte Knights.  I had so much fun.  Afterwards they shot off fireworks and we were so close that Mike got hit with some shrapnel and I found a whole thing of cotton candy under my seat that hadn't been touched.  Score for sure.

A big highlight in May has been the arrival of Mack, Ashley, Odessa, and Hazel.  Mack got an internship with a company here in Charlotte for the summer and so we told them to shack up with us.  It has really been so much fun thus far and dinner has never been better.  Ashley and I trade off and she is a good cook so it's been a good experience.

It has also been fun to see my kids interact with younger ones.  Cru is a big helper and so is Zoey.  She has turned into my little mother helper and is always trying to make Hazel laugh.

Since she has a September birthday, Zoey will go one more year to preschool.  I am actually okay with it because she has turned into my little buddy.

JUNE

I have a garden.  I am somewhat of a gardener.  I grew peas!!

This is Cru's class on one of the last days of school.  It has been such a good experience for him and I will be forever grateful for that.

Last day!

We live really close to a plantation and every year they do a civil war reenactment.  If one lives in the south, one must go to one of these.  It was something else and the cannon they shot was terrifying.

I coaxed Ashley into coming to a show with me.  The band Daughter was in town all the way from over the pond in England.  It was such a good show and I had so much fun with her!

I am back at it for tri season!  I was hesitant to do this tri but I am so glad I did.  It was at Latta Planation and I basically train the bike portion so it was good.  I did really well in the bike (which is where I usually suck) and blew up on the run (which is where I usually do well). I ended up coming in 30 seconds under my goal time so I was so happy!  I also had a sinus infection that I had gotten antibiotics for the day before so I was very satisfied with the time.

Mack and Ashley kicked us out and made us go on a date the other night.  We went to the White Water Center which is close by and it was AMAZING.   I want to go back and do everything there (raft, kayak, zip line, ropes course, paddle board).

Another year of golf camp and this kid is killin it!  He has a very nice swing and LOVES getting out there.  I hope he stays with it as long as he enjoys it.

This is a sad picture for me.  Jaitz has a tumor in his belly and we aren't sure what to do about it.  I thought he might die after this night because he was having such a hard time.  He has turned around since then and seems to be doing better.  We are giving him meds and trying to figure out if we want to try and get rid of the tumor with surgery.  So far we are just wanting to give him a happy and pain free life so we shall see.

Alright--that is it for now.  I can't let another year go by and not update so hopefully I will be more on top of it.  I sure do love my family and my life.  I am so blessed to live in this free country and experience new places like North Carolina.  I have enjoyed it here so much!