Roebuck Family

2010-11-12T08:12:00.007-05:00

The kids and I spent the night in Darlington while Sam, Larry, and Greg headed back to NC to get Greg on a plane back to WA. I had promised the kids a trip to the beach this summer, and I was officially out of time, so to the beach we went. I've stayed in oceanfront accomodations before, but I've never had a campfire in the sand, or slept outside at the edge of the continent. With the kids on board, I made plans to camp next to the ocean. Suprisingly, there aren't many public places that allow such a thing, but I found Carolina Beach on Paradise Island. Access is by 4-wheel drive only, and let me tell you that driving in sand for the first time is an experience all to itself, lol! The kids couldn't wait to jump in the water, so we staked claim to a spot in the sand and we played, and played, and played.

The time with my kids was priceless.

And the scenery was breathtaking.

More to come...

The Lady In Black

2010-11-03T11:02:00.004-04:00

Back in August we got to go watch the trucks race for the first time at Darlington!
We always enjoy watching Daddy "at work".
Greg's trip was short, but glad he got to see some racin'.
The night didn't turn out well for Ricky.

The Great Smokey Mountains

2010-10-29T08:29:00.003-04:00

The United State's most visited National Park. In one word: stunning! The haze you see in the mountains is how they got their name.

Fireworks

2010-10-19T13:45:00.001-04:00

Gatlinburg had a fabulous fireworks display on the 4th!

America's First 4th Of July parade

2010-10-12T08:42:00.003-04:00

The fact that this Gatlinburg, TN parade begins at 12:00am has earned this parade it's title. I can't believe that such an enormous number of people can fit in such a small town! This was the first time I had ever seen one of those giant "balloons" (like in the Macy's parage) in person, pretty cool!

Pigeon Forge, TN

2010-10-06T15:16:00.004-04:00

Took a weekend trip to TN for the 4th of July. Fun place with lots to do...

Titanic Museum

Fun Science Place

Panning For Gems

Riding Go Karts

Pre-4th Fun

2010-09-29T08:14:00.001-04:00

Emily really wanted to light off some fireworks, so the night before our trip we set a few off.

NASCAR Hall Of Fame

2010-09-06T11:23:00.012-04:00

Back in May we were lucky enough to be able to visit the HOF on the inaugural induction day, very cool. The kids and I really enjoyed the visit. It was more interactive than museum style, but still alot of stuff.

Hey Northwest, you are even represented!!!!!!

Some of the celebrities:

Trucks @ Charlotte Motor Speedway

2010-08-06T20:59:00.003-04:00

After a loooong rain delay, a few of us crazies were still around for the Truck race. ;p

NASACAR Rev'd Up

2010-07-17T20:06:00.005-04:00

Had our good friend Larry here for a visit so we drug him uptown for this new event. Not as nearly as big as I thought it would be, but Blake enjoyed it ;).

Afterwards we went to the Epicenter for dinner at Wild Wings, yummmm...

Miss Emily could feel the energy in the air and fell in love with the city at night. Oh boy, we're going to be in for it with that girl!

Loch Norman Highland Games

2010-07-11T22:30:00.004-04:00

On Your Marks...

2010-06-03T13:55:00.003-04:00

Get Set... GO!

Blake ran track this year for the MMS Red Imps. The 800 was his event of choice. He learned alot about the sport and himself. Way to go buddy!

A Teenager?!

2010-05-27T16:59:00.004-04:00

How can it be that I have a 13 year old?

Bowling (next to Travis Kvapil)
Gifts

Good eats

More Gifts

Cake

Happy birthday buddy!

Grandma and Poppy Made It!

2010-05-12T08:26:00.010-04:00

We were finally able to share our new lives in person with Ray and Madge. It was a long time in coming and sometimes we wondered if it would ever really happen, but they made it to NC March 11th! We even got to have friends Leonard and Marj stay with us too. They were wonderful guests! We were so excited to share with everyone the things we love out here. Unfortunately, there is never enough time. Here are a few:

Dinner at Lancaster's BBQ

Turner Motorsports

Martinsville Speedway

China Grove

Downtown Mooresville

We are so grateful for the visit! Love you

So Talented

2010-05-03T07:36:00.003-04:00

This year Emily did tumbling for the school's talent show. I Someday I'll learn to catch action shots better I promise!

My Valentines

2010-04-26T16:12:00.002-04:00

My babies each got a memory foam mattress topper for Valentine's Day. Strange? Maybe, but they've wanted them for a long time, so it worked for them! XOXOXO

More Snow Fun

2010-04-21T16:06:00.004-04:00

Christmas Day

2010-04-14T17:36:00.004-04:00

Blake & Em in front of the main tree

Me in all my morning glory

Papa and Gizmo

Our "Nana Tree" decorated with teddy bears and angels in honor of my mommy.

Dinner of Filet Mignone, Lobster Tails, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, and Baby Red Potatoes. (Blake had ham, lol!)

Christmas Eve

2010-04-06T19:51:00.003-04:00

Making cookies for Santa

Flowers from my Sis & her family

New books and pjs fell from the sled, time for bed!

Milk and cookies are ready

The stockings are full!

Presents under the tree

Small Town Parades

2010-04-01T10:03:00.003-04:00

Nothing beats a community coming together to celebrate.

Ice Skating On The Green

2010-03-20T19:11:00.003-04:00

So a park smack in the middle of the city puts up an ice skating rink during the winter. It's no Rockafeller Center, but it's pretty cool.

Snow much fun!

2010-03-17T19:57:00.003-04:00

Sleding at the neighbor's house December 09. The second snow of the 9th coldest winter in NC history. Lucky us ;)

Ice Ice Baby

2010-03-01T09:41:00.002-05:00

A wintery December day here in NC.

First Band Concert!

2010-02-15T21:35:00.003-05:00

Blake is 4th chair trombone in this video. The band did a great job, and I tip my hat their instructors! We were very greatful that Papa Jim hurried up from NOLA to see the performance too.

Story: Blake tells me he's interested in band last year, so we go to the parent night/sign-up thing-a-ma-bob. He went straight for the trombone (said it could make race car sounds, lol)! The instructor was impressed and said we have a future all-state player on our hands and directed us to the instrument rental/sales area. HOLY CRAP! These things are not cheap (okay, it IS less than a race car). We could purchase a new one for $500+, purchase a used one for $250, or rent for $35/month. Hmmmm... Well, renting for a year would be more than purchasing a used one, but they won't buy a used one back for much. Being unsure about how committed Blake was going to be, I decided to snag a cheap used one off Ebay. It has served it's purpose, and Blake has never once complained. The night of the concert, I asked if he needed me to hang on to his case. He said I didn't need to because they had found a place to put them backstage. I asked if he'd know which one was his, to which he snorted and replied casually, "Uh, ya Mom. Mine's the only one from 1960." It made me snicker, and feel terribly guilty, but proud of him too, for never complaining. Later when I asked how he came up with 1960 he said he'd looked up the brand name and it said "since 1960", LOL! I assured him that was how long the company had been in business, not when his trombone was made ;) As time goes on, it appears this is something he enjoys and plans to stick with a while, so I may be shopping for a "newer" instrument this summer.

Happy Hallowdega

2010-02-06T11:21:00.005-05:00

With Talladega was only another 2 hours from Atlanta, how could we pass that up? After Emily's birthday fun, we headed to Alabama to meet up with Papa Jim and experience the one and only Dega. Wow, that palce is H-U-G-E! Unfortunatly it was a wet, cold day. It took forever to get the race started, but we had a good time once it did. We had heard there would be lots fun Halloween activities, but never really found it. I'm sure it was much more fun for those who had consumed a good amount of alcohol, lol!

Emily Hits Double Digits!

2010-02-02T00:27:00.008-05:00

- October 2009 -

Her birthday always has to include a steak dinner. Since daddy was leaving, we enjoyed it a day early!

Mini-pancake tower birthday breakfast and cards and gifts from afar started her actual birthday.

A newly decorated room was a surprise after school!

She requested a trip to Atlanta again for her birthday. Since they had Friday off, we hit the road!

A new treasure from her favorite store.

Dinner at the mall food court, lol!

An evening swim back at the hotel.

Popcorn and a movie ended our great day. Hope it was a day to remember!

Balloon Festival

2010-01-26T22:36:00.004-05:00

This was a fun first for Blake, Emily, Papa Jim, and I. The festival takes place at a small town airfield in October. There were activities set up for kids, food booths, wine tasting, and live entertainment. I was surprised to find that the balloons are setup and launched right in the middle of the crowd. It was a beautiful sight to see all the colorful balloons rise and float off in the sunset. Definitely something I would go to again. One day, I'm going to hitch a ride too!

Computer is up and running!

2010-01-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

Look for some updates the next week.

Sorry

2010-01-08T17:07:00.002-05:00

Sorry it's been so long since posting here. Both our computers crashed, but they should be up and running within a week or so! Thanks for continuing to check in.

Martinsville

2009-11-11T14:14:00.003-05:00

Rain was in the forcast and ran we got; all day. It quit just in time for the the truck race though. It ended up being a beautiful day enjoyed by all!

Blake after getting Jack Roush's siggie :)

Day trip to Charleston

2009-11-08T18:57:00.003-05:00

So Jimmy T got here on Tursday the 22nd. On Friday we made a little trip to Charleston. Have I mentioned how much I love that city?

Rah-Rah-Rah

2009-11-05T07:19:00.003-05:00

A few pics from Emily's 1st football game. She has had a great season.

One Month Ago...

2009-10-21T09:01:00.002-04:00

I lost my best friend.

I miss her.

Carowinds

2009-10-18T19:37:00.004-04:00

Bear with me as I'm way behind, again. Carowinds theme park was our big end-of-summer activity. It is so cool that such a fun place is just 45 minutes from our house! We all had a great time and look forward to going again next year.

On one of the last rides of the day, when it was 95 degrees with 95% humidity, we got stuck on a ride. After about 15 minutes they got us off, but it was a miserable 15 minutes!

Oh So True

2009-10-13T16:19:00.003-04:00

Important Do Not Over Inflate This Could Cause Item To Split At The Seams

On journeys

2009-10-07T21:49:00.003-04:00

"A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed, ..., It feels an impulsion...this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons." - Illusions by Richard Bach

Bye Bye Bobby

2009-09-15T10:51:00.002-04:00

At 8 weeks little Bobby went to be with his forever family, which is just across the street! The kids were extremely emotional when we dicussed him leaving, but when the time came they were troopers.

Miss MJ is still with us, but we think she'll be going to her forever family soon too.

Happy Birthday Memere!

2009-09-14T06:39:00.001-04:00

Love you so very much!

Happy Birthday Chip!

2009-09-13T14:05:00.000-04:00

Have a fantastic day!

Lotsa Lightnin'

2009-09-12T11:21:00.002-04:00

A summer evening storm. The flashes were occurring every 3-5 seconds for over an hour.

Happy Birthday Madge!

2009-09-10T20:36:00.001-04:00

Hope you've had a wonderful day!

Painting Pottery

2009-08-13T18:10:00.004-04:00

Emily has been asking for quite awhile to go and paint pottery. For one of their summer fun activities, I took them to a studio one morning. I knew Emily was going to enjoy it, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much Blake enjoyed it.

Kitten Cuteness

2009-07-31T15:26:00.004-04:00

Aren't they sweet?

Independence Day

2009-07-28T07:21:00.003-04:00

I had to work during the day on the 4th, but we still had an enjoyable time. Sam grilled dinner for us and then we packed up. We stopped in old Mooresville to check out the "Cruise-In" they host once a month. After that we headed to the lake where we played some putt-putt before settling in on the dock for more fireworks!

Kwinky Dinks?

2009-07-24T22:50:00.004-04:00

So Blake comes up to me and says "Hey mom, Kevin Harvick is 33 years old and Ron Hornaday's number is 33." Cool, huh!
Well it got me thinking and I realized that Kevin's number plus Ricky Carmichael's number equals Ron Hornaday's number (29+4=33)! Also Hornaday's number minus his record number of truck series wins equals Harvick's number (33-4=29). I had amused myself, so I decided to try and come up with some more. The first thing I looked at were truck series points standings. Here's what I found as of last week: RON HORNADAY, JR 12 starts 4 wins 7 top 5's 10 top 10's (12+4+7+10=33)! DELANA HARVICK 17th in points, 12 starts, 1 top 5, 3 top 10's (17+12+1+3=33)! DELANA HARVICK 17th in points in 12 starts (17+12=29)! Crazy stuff, huh?
Here's some more Blake just came up with: Last year was NASCAR's 60th anniversary, Harvick's number was 29, Sprague, et al's number was 2, Hornaday's was 33 (60-29+2=33)! Last year Ryan Newman's number was 12, Harvick's was 29 and Ryan Newman drove the 2 truck and the 33 car for KHI (12+29+2=33)! KHI fields the 33 car,the 33 truck, and the 4 truck. Harvick's number is 29 and he's 33 years old (33+33-4-29=33)!
I am so wound up about these silly numbers I can neither sleep nor think straight, lol! I have a feeling we could come up with many more, but it's late, so if you're up reading this, how many can you thnk of?

Fourth Of July Warm-Up

2009-07-24T12:00:00.002-04:00

On July 3rd the local YMCA put on a family fun event that ended with a great firework show.

She Takes The Cake

2009-07-22T09:35:00.004-04:00

Emily L-O-V-E-S to watch Jon & Kate Plus Eight and Cake Boss on Monday nights. A month or so back, the Gosselins got to go to Ace of Cakes and decorate cakes using fondant. Afterward, she was begging to make fondant. I'd never used it before, but had seen the pre-made dough for sale at Michael's. I did some research and discovered that it was not only spendy, but not very appetizing. We came across an easy recipe for marshmallow fondant that got good reviews, so I agreed to give it a try.

16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)

2 to 5 tablespoons water

2 pounds icing sugar (please use C&H Cane Powdered Sugar for the best results)

1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

Generously grease your mixer bowl and dough atttchment.

NOTE: Please be careful, this first stage can get hot.

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total.

Pour marshmallows into mixer bowl and add 3/4 of the powdered sugar. And begin kneading. If the mixture is too sticky, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it's too stiff, add a bit of water.

It is best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.

We made two batches since Emily needed two colors. The first we colored blue with food coloring. The second we added chocolate chips to the hot marshmallow mix to make brown.

When you roll out the fondant to cover the "dirty frosted" (covered with a layer of buttercream) cake, make sure to generously grease and powder every surface that will come in contact with the dough. For an 8-inch cake, roll the dough into a 14-inch circle. Ours was too thick this first time, but I was a little nervous about getting it too thin, lol. When rolled to desired size, roll around the pin to lift, then unroll over the cake.

Miss Em was delighted how our first attempt at using fondant turned out.

More cuteness

2009-07-21T15:08:00.004-04:00

On day 3 kittens and Gracie continued to do well!

New Babies!

2009-07-21T14:55:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday June 30th, Gracie and Timmy welcomed two little ones to the world. Blake and Emily witnessed the little girl arrive first and the boy followed later that evening. All are doing well. Here's a glimpse of the cuteness!

Day Trip

2009-07-03T10:38:00.009-04:00

A couple weeks ago we took a day trip to find the infamous Sliding Rock. We headed west toward the "Land of Waterfalls" in the Pisgah National Forest. I got us most of the way, but suddenly realized we'd missed a turn somewhere. Of course I hadn't brought a map and nobody at the minimart we stopped at could give us directions. Luckily they did sell maps and after 20 minutes of scouring through them I found one that showed our destination. Map in hand, and attitudes back on track we continued on. It was a beautiful drive through some quiet little towns. Kinda reminded me of the western part of White Pass (Packwood, Randle, etc.). First we stopped at Looking Glass Falls, the most photographed waterfall in NC. They had good parking on the side of the road and a nice overlook.
There were also stairs built so you could walk to the bottom and even swim in the waters below.

I wouldn't recommend being in the falling water though. The force looked like it would hurt somethin fierce. Blake got as close as he could without swimming. This photo looks blurry, but it's really water spraying.
We played there for awhile and enjoyed the serenity.

It wasn't long though before Emily was anxious to get to Sliding Rock.
It's a smooth rock formation that has become such an attraction that there are lifeguards on duty during the summer months to supervise all the people. Most of the water here in NC is warm, but up in the forest the river temp this time of year is 45-55 degrees. We were warned how breathtakingly cold it was, "but you gotta do it" friendly folks in the parking lot told us. The kids and I went first while Sam stayed below to be the photographer.
Blake went down by himself, then Emily and I together.

After her initial panic subsided, Emily was ready or round two so Sam went this time.

She again paniced when they hit the 7ft pool of freezing water at the bottom of the slide. Once she and Sam made it to the edge, she announced "no more", lol! I couldn't talk Blake into going again either, so we headed out.
We took the Blue Ridge Parkway to Ashville and marveled in the amazing views.

The kids loved all the tunnels and insisted we honk every time.

We enjoyed dinner at TGI Fridays before going home. It was a really fun little day trip!

Playin' In The Rain

2009-06-22T08:12:00.003-04:00

The kids were enjoying their time outside so much they weren't going to let a little rain ruin it!

Pretty Little Things

2009-06-19T17:42:00.001-04:00

I love flowers! Here are a few from around the house.

Way to go Em!

2009-06-18T16:01:00.003-04:00

Both kids did well in school this year. Emily was lucky enough to be recognized for excellence in Science Lab as well as for making the A/B Honor Roll. She missed the A Honor Roll due to having a 91% one semester. Sheesh! When I was school, anything in the 90's was an A, 80's was a B, 70's a C, and so on. Now, a 92% is a B and a 84%is a C, crazy! Regardless, We're proud of both of them!

Camping World Truck Series

2009-06-08T08:10:00.002-04:00

Sam was able to secure my parents and I SEL's for the truck race while they were here. I think they enjoyed getting to see all the hard work and details that go into preparing for a race. I got a few shots of Sam at work in the pit and during a pit stop. This race marked one year with KHI. I'm still pretty proud of him and how hard he works!

Pit Crew Challenge

2009-06-05T08:45:00.002-04:00

During my parents' visit, we went in to Charlotte to watch the Pit Crew Challenge. It was my first time in the Time Warner Arena, nice place. It was fun to watch, I'd go again. Thank you Troy, for sharing some tickets!

Congrats Mom!

2009-06-01T11:14:00.003-04:00

ABC's of Retirement A - Adventure B - Blessings C - Celebration D - Dear friends E - Enjoy F - Family G - Grandkids H - Hobbies I - Independence J - Joy K - Kudos (for job well-done) L - Lazy days M - Memories N - New Experiences O - Opportunities P - Play Q - Quiet time R - Relax S - Stress-free T - Travel U - Uninterrupted time V - Vacations W - Wonderful X - X-citing Z - Zzzzzz's

I hope this new beginning brings you years full of more joy than you ever imagined!

2009-05-26T14:11:00.005-04:00

I bought two hanging ferns for our front porch just before Easter, but unfortunately I put them out a little early and a cold night got to them. I was taking them down to replace them when I found a bird nest with a single egg inside one.
So much for replacing that one, lol! I couldn't do that to the mama bird. I just had to do my best to nurse the fern until the egg hatched and ready to leave. For 4 more days, mama bird layed another egg each day.

We found that bird eggs take 2-3 weeks to hatch, so I carefully watered the brown wilted fern every day and waited with excitement. Finally, the big day arrived and all five baby birds hatched. They were ugly little things, but we enjoyed watching them grow and turn to fuzz balls and eventually to birds big enough to leave the nest.

Through it all, my pathetic fern has survived, and may even be begining to thrive!

Wow

2009-05-07T20:31:00.004-04:00

I always loved the rare summer afternoon storm we'd get in WA. On our move out here, we encountered our first real storms. In Wyoming, we weren't sure we'd be safe through the night. The thunder sounded like a train, the hail was pounding, and the lightening was constant. In Nebraska we saw a couple thin twisters in the distance and learned that public safety brodcasts really are made and not just annoying weekly tests. Since being here, we've been through several severe storms and tornado warnings, but last night was the first time seeing a funnel this big forming.

Luckily it moved over us very quickly (10 min) as the clouds rotated and churned, and never dropped. I'm pretty sure as big as this formation was, it would have caused some big damage. To get a feel for the size, Blake is that little stick of a figure to the left of the fence. There were a couple tornados confirmed in central NC last night, but as far as I know, everyone is safe. The weather folk weren't kidding when they said it would be an active weather week!

2009-04-26T11:15:00.000-04:00

The Hunt

2009-04-23T15:13:00.003-04:00

I can't say for sure, but I think the kids found the eggs quicker than the Easter Bunny hid them, lol!

Easter Baskets

2009-04-21T16:16:00.003-04:00

The Easter Bunny scores again! The kiddos loved their Easter Baskets. They also loved the goodies that came in the mail. *wink-wink*

Coloring Eggs

2009-04-20T07:47:00.003-04:00

Over Spring Break we took some time for our annual tradition of coloring eggs. The kids had fun and did a great job.

World Record

2009-04-15T08:17:00.003-04:00

Emily's choir performed as part of a successful attempt to break the Guiness Book Of World Records for the longest concert. The event was brodcast as a live web cast around the world! I've listend to her group on several occassions, but they gave their best performance EVER this time. Woo-Hoo!

Paint!

2009-04-03T08:49:00.003-04:00

We got the Foyer, Living Room , and Dining Room painted a cuple weeks ago. I also found a coffee table that matches the tables we brought from WA, score! Here are some updated pics.

Blake's 12th Birthday

2009-03-30T12:24:00.007-04:00

We spent Blake's birthday playing arcade games, kicking butt in laser tag, and bowling. Afterward we had dinner at Red Robin followed by yummy ice cream cake back at home. Blake's friend Jonathan joined us and stay the night. Blake is loving the cars, collector cards, and skateboard he got. He put on his Dale Jr shirt right way despite my trying to convince him to exchange it for a smaller size (he loves it). They've even put his new slip-n-slide to use already. He's having a bast with the NASCAR Kart Racing game for the Wii. We put a deposit down to reserve a Nintendo DSi for him and it's scheduled to be released on the 5th. He used some cash and a gift card to buy a new slot car track and plays with it ALL the time. We enjoyed our day with our little man and think he enjoyed it too. Blake says thank you for all the cards, calls and gifts!

The Cinderella Ball

2009-03-28T10:35:00.003-04:00

On the 13th, Sam escorted Emily the the Girls Scout Cinderella Ball. They danced the night away and had some great father-daughter time. Aren't they cuties?

She's got skills!

2009-03-17T07:56:00.004-04:00

Miss Emily was chosen for and performed in her school's talent show. She dazzled the crowd with a fun hula-hoop act. It was fun to see all the kids. Performances included LOTS of Taylor Swift Songs, dancing and gymnastics, piano and violin playing, and even The Blues Brothers!

Valentine's

2009-03-09T08:30:00.004-04:00

We enjoyed a nice Valentine's Day together before I went to work. Even though Sam had gotten home in the wee hours of the morning from Daytona, he went out and got me a coffee and cinnamon roll before I woke up. He also got me a box candy, a teddy bear and some flowers. Isn't he the sweetest?

Bike Riding Weather

2009-02-11T20:50:00.003-05:00

For the last few days the kids have really been enjoying riding the bikes they got for Christmas. Thanks Papa and Nana!

Snow Day

2009-02-08T13:05:00.008-05:00

Wednesday school was cancelled due the nasty weather. We got 2 inches of snow!

It was Gracy's first experience and she thought it was pretty fun to play with.

Emily grabbed a garbage bag and headed for the hill (our side yard).

Snow angels

Our beautiful girl all bundled up

Unbundled

Emily and her friend warming up with some hot chocolate

Tagged

2009-02-04T09:16:00.003-05:00

I was tagged to post the 4th photo from my 4th file.

This is out little Boo Bear. =)

More From Historic Charleston

2009-02-03T08:00:00.009-05:00

A walk down King Street is a great experience. While you feel the history still alive in the centuries old buildings, you find yourself looking into an Apple store full of modern technology. There are numerous stores and fabulous art galleries. King street is a "Don't Miss" area of Charleston.

We took a tour of the Edmondston-Alston House. This home is full of original furnishings and is beautiful. The guide was very knowledgeable and shared lots of interesting tidbits.

A lovely Camellia greets you and is a sight for sore eyes in the middle of winter.

Notice the sidewalk and stairway. Can you imagine all who have passed here?

In the distant harbor you can see Fort Sumter, where the first shot of the Civil War was fired.

We hope Sam enjoyed the trip and had a great birthday.

The Beach

2009-01-31T09:27:00.006-05:00

Sunday morning after breakfast at the hotel we headed for the beach at Isle Of Palms.

We were greeted by a flock of seagulls that had Emily squealing because they wouldn't stop chasing us. Sam and Blake got a good laugh and Em and I finally figured out they'd leave us alone if we stopped running, lol!

It was warmer than the day before, but the wind off the ocean was mighty chilly. It's amazing how quickly we become accustomed to our enviorments. It was 56 degrees and we were bundled up like we were visiting the arctic!

Emily couldn't resist and quickly had her pants rolled up so she could splash in the water.

We spent some time walking along the beach and then through some fun shops. At one we met a hilarious talking bird. I told Sam I'd love to have a little shop on the ocean someday!

Dinner, The Battery, and Bridges

2009-01-29T15:43:00.012-05:00

After leaving Patriots Point we cruised around the Historic District of Charleston a bit and were all taken back by the beautiful homes and churches.

The narrow (often one-way) streets and sidewalks were bustling and finding a parking spot was next to impossible. We stopped in at a small shopping center and walked through one of the many antique stores. There was some amazing stuff. Sam spotted a table selling for $750,000.00! Sam asked one of the employees where a good place to eat was and he recommended Jestine's. He also said we could leave the rig in their parking lot, sweet. On the way, Sam asked another guy if Jestine's was any good and he replied "It doesn't get any better". I remembered reading about it and how it had been featured on the Food Network, so we figured we'd better try it. There had been a line earlier when we drove past, but we got lucky and were seated right away. It was traditional southern cooking and was delish. Emily loved the fried chicken!

We decided to drive around a bit more to see the homes lit at night and it is lovely, especially the gas burning lanterns. We drove down along the riverfront and got some beautiful photos of the bridge over the Ashley River.

Then we crossed back across the historic district and over the bridge spanning the Copper River to our hotel for the night.

Patriot's Point

2009-01-26T14:34:00.012-05:00

For Sam's birthday the kids and I took him on a road trip to Charleston, SC. This city is steeped with history and you can feel the significance as you stroll about. I'll recount our trip in a few segments =)

Our first stop was at Patriot's Point, the world's largest Navel and maritime museum. It's home to the USS Yorktown, commissioned during World War II, it was the tenth aircraft carrier to serve in the US Navy. We were able to tour the ship from the lower living quarters to the captain's bridge. Very neat experience. Emily was a little freaked out, I think she sensed some of the history. It was surreal knowing what that ship had been through and imagining the stories of those who had served on it.

Cannons to protect the harbor.

Walking the Pier out to the ship.

Down the hatch to living quarters.

Operating Room

Hanger Deck

Flight Deck

We were also able to tour the submarine USS Calamagore. Wow, it totally creeps me out imagining living in such tight quarters UNDER WATER.

Gotta watch your head!

I'd recommend this site to anyone visiting the area (although you have to be able to ascend an descend steep stairways).

Toyota All Star Showdown

2009-01-24T22:38:00.002-05:00

Good Luck in the race tonight Jeff!

You too Ron and Ricky (KHI drivers)!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Well, that race didn't go as well as we'd hoped. =(

We are so pleased with how well Jeff did until the big wreck. He should feel extremely proud of what he has done.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-08T17:19:00.003-05:00

Ya, a week late, I know. Work was crazy busy the last month and I feel like my days all ran together. I finally had a few days of and regrouped myself. Oye.

Hope the holidays were great for you all. I had to work the night before and the day after Christmas, but we enjoyed Christmas day with the kids. Our friend Larry Pryor joined us for a rousing game of Life.

I also had to work New Year's Eve and New Year day. The kids had mentioned how much they enjoyed last year, so I managed to pull together some goodies for them to open through the night. Before I left for work I put out a spread of finger foods to feast on. I was dejected to be away from them, but was glad I pulled off the goodie bags so they had something to do. When I got home my heart san when they told me they opened the bags, but saves all the activities to do with me. Sweet little monkeys! So we popped the poppers and lit the sparklers, and toasted with sparkling cider!

Merry Christmas To All And To All A Goodnight!

2008-12-26T15:04:00.001-05:00

Fun and Games

2008-12-26T14:53:00.003-05:00

Unwrapping!

2008-12-26T14:50:00.001-05:00

Santa Was Here!

2008-12-26T14:45:00.002-05:00

Decking The Halls

2008-12-26T14:41:00.001-05:00

Trimming The Tree

2008-12-26T14:37:00.002-05:00

A Sunday Afternoon Matinee

2008-12-11T08:56:00.003-05:00

Emily and I joined some of her girl scout troop for a presentation of The Nutcracker. I had a heck of a time finding the theater and made us late, but we still enjoyed most of the show.

On the way home as Christmas music was playing on the radio Emily said, "Mom, can you change that? I'm tired of music with no words.", lol!

Atta Boy!

2008-12-09T18:11:00.004-05:00

I'm late posting this, but better late than never.

So proud of our little man...

Blake received an award in recognition of "Positive Behavior" AND was Student Of The Month!

His name and photo are posted at school as well as being run on the school news channel. He was treated to a bus ride to a local favorite pizza buffet to top it all off.

Way to go buddy!

Going Once, Going Twice, Sold!

2008-12-08T12:32:00.004-05:00

Last week we got a flyer about an auction taking place in our neighborhood for model home furniture. I went to check it out, but it ended up being postponed. I got the company's web address though and found out that they had two other auctions going on in the area. I had to work Saturday morning, but Sam went and found some great things. By the time I got there it was almost over, but it was a laid back and fun event, not to mention a very inexpensive way to get some furniture! We are now the proud owners of these beautiful tables,

and these chairs,

as well as a mattress set for the guest bedroom.
We're looking forward to Saturday, to attend the rescheduled auction in our neighborhood. Hopefully we can pick up some more bargains!

Congrats Jeff & Shelby

2008-12-03T08:08:00.003-05:00

The Wedding

The Reception

A week full of thanks

2008-12-02T07:54:00.011-05:00

We are home-sweet-home after a week-long trip to Washington. We flew out of Charlotte Friday evening and were greeted at the airport in Seattle by Larry and Greg Gargett as well as surprise guest Don Simmonson! Thanks guys! We met Jeff, Shelby and a few of the wedding party at a local pizza place before checking in to a hotel.

Saturday I met my dear friend of 23 years, Michelle, at the Space Needle for brunch. We had great conversation, fabulous service (being on the VIP list is fun!), and an amazing 3-course meal. Thanks Michelle!

Time flew by much too quickly and we had to rush to change and make it to the wedding. Unfortunately we realized none of us had directions to get there, acckk! With Mike Longton to the rescue, we made it (and weren't the last ones to arrive). The wedding was beautiful and the reception was a lot of fun. Thanks Jeff & Shelby!

After the wedding the guys wanted to drive to Yakima, so we abandoned our hotel room and headed over Chinook Pass. Four hours later we arrived in Yakima where Larry dropped us off to crash at his parent's place. Marj treated us to breakfast in the morning, and we are grateful for the hospitality. Thanks Marj & Len!

Stephanie came to pick Sam up so that we could use their van for the rest of the week. Calvin had gotten it all cleaned up for us, and it was so nice to have our own transportation to get around town. Thanks Cal & Steph!

After a quick drive by our old house and lunch at Taco Time, we headed to Sam's parent's neighborhood clubhouse to get ready for the surprise party. Cal and Steph did a great job putting the event together. Thanks again! We were grateful to finally be able to help them out. We spent the afternoon doing final food prep and decorating. Ray and Madge were coming down to "have their portrait done with Cal & Steph's family". The guests they'd had for the week (Madge's sisters, niece & family) had said they were going shopping, but were really hiding out at the clubhouse. When Cal brought Ray & Madge, Steph and the kids greeted them first, followed by the rest of the family (including Chip, Alyssa, Tracy & Taylor). Madge was overjoyed! When the photographer (great artist and friend Stephen Wolf) asked if everyone was there, we could hear Sam's mom saying "my Sammy's in North Carolina". Stephen asked if she was sure and pointed as we walked out of they building. It was a great moment. When everyone composed themselves, Stephen took some shots for us. Thanks Stephen!

(disclosure: these are my shots, not Stephen's)

A few more shots were taken inside before the next surprise (Ray's sister and niece from CA). Before we knew it, guest started to arrive and the celebration was in full gear. It was wonderful to have so many friends and family there. Thanks everyone! Chip put together a great slide show of photos and video clips through the years and he also gave a touching toast. Thanks Chip! It was so fun to see Ray and Madge cut the cake and share a piece (something the didn't get to do 50 years ago since they eloped).

The time flew by and before we knew it, it was time to clean up. We ending the night by visiting Sam's friend's Steve & Christy for a bit before heading out to crash at my parent's house.

Monday was spent visiting floks around town and enjoying dinner with the Roebuck family.

Tuesday Em and I met my mom for lunch while Sam and Blake met Ray, Cal and Stephen. That evening, my step-dad Jim put on a great get together at their home. We got to visit lots of family and were surprised by some friends that he had contacted. Thanks Jim (and mom)!

Wednesday Sam ran around town visiting again, while my mom, the kids and I did some shopping. I also finally got to eat the food I'd been craving for a year for lunch. Thanks Mom! That evening the kids stayed with my parents while Sam and I went to the pre-opening of Second Street Grill. The place looks amazing and was packed, so hopefully that's a sign of things to come for our dear friends.

Speaking of friends, wow, thank you to everyone who came out to join us. It was so great to see you all! We didn't have enough time with each of you, but thank you for coming!

Thursday was crazy as we split the day visiting with all three families. Apparently, I didn't use the camera much that day =(, but I did get a few shots of family at my mom's. Thanks for coming over Rick, Tracey, Pat & Jami! Your kids are great!

Friday we said our goodbye's before Cal and Steph took us back to Seattle. We had a nice dinner before they dropped us off at the airport, Thank you again Cal & Steph. You two really made the week for us!

It was a great trip, but sooooo busy. We are still trying to catch up on sleep and get back to our schedules, lol. (((((HUGS)))) to you all!

Pumpkin Fest

2008-11-12T12:23:00.003-05:00

A cute old town about 15 miles North of here has an annual Pumpkin Fest. We had a fun afternoon pumpkin smashing, pumpkin bowling, listening to music, sampling food, browsing booths, and playing.

Trick Or Treat

2008-11-11T14:15:00.002-05:00

The kids had a great time trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. Lots of people go all out with decorations and costumes (even adults handing out candy). Most people sat out side and visited instead of being inside. A few folks had big bonfires and one guy turned his yard in to a haunted "house" of sorts. Fun stuff!

Fall Fun

2008-11-07T16:02:00.007-05:00

Last Thursday evening we celebrated the season with a couple fun activities.

1. Making Caramel Apples

And sampling too =)

2. Carving Pumpkins

Both the kids carved and cleaned their pumpkins completely on their own. Blake thought it was a momentous occasion, lol!

The evening was great "together" time.

Slumber Party!

2008-11-06T15:33:00.007-05:00

So the bribe to keep Emily from being sad about not being able to get her birthday wish to go to New York, was to let her have a slumber party. It worked out that the kids were out of school on Thursday and Friday, so we were able to have the party on her actual birthday. The girls all came by between 4 and 6. Until the last one made it they entertained themselves playing games, and showing off their talents.

We had pizza for dinner and for dessert the girls frosted and decorated their own mini cupcakes. After that Emily opened her presents and then we started activities.

They each got to make a sleep mask and decorate a pillowcase. They played "Truth or Dare" and version of "Spin the Bottle" where they took turns spinning bottles of nail polish. Whoever the end was pointing at had to paint one toenail with that color.

Then we did blindfolded makeovers where the person applying makeup on another girl was blindfolded. What a hoot! The girls laughed and laughed. Even the self proclaimed "tomboys" got in on the action. Next the girls were blindfolded and had lipstick applied for our version of "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" where the tried to lay a smooch on a poster of The Jonas Brothers. They played Musical Sleeping Bags (substitute for Musical Chairs).

There was of course a pillow fight before popcorn and some tv. After a busy day at school and a fun night, everyone was asleep before midnight. I made pancakes for them in the morning and they played with Em's new toys until their ride came. Emily had a great time!

What A Weekend!

2008-10-31T16:57:00.005-04:00

I mentioned briefly here about my plans to surprise Emily with a trip to her dream store, American Girl. As far as she knew, it required a trip to New York, that we just couldn't take. Truth was, there is a store in Atlanta, GA which is much more doable, lol. With Sam's team racing in Atlanta the weekend before her birthday, it was a great way to get her there without questions. I decided to keep the plans from Blake too. Saturday morning at 6am I woke them up and asked them to get dressed because I had a surprise. I already had their bags packed and the car loaded, so we jumped in and left town. Not one time did they question where we were going, but Blake's suspicions were confirmed when we crossed the Georgia state line. Sam had put us in for credentials (garage/pit passes), so we made our way to the tunnel and hopped on a tram that took us to the infield. Sprint Cup practice had just gotten over, so it was really crowded. We were crossing through a barrier when Blake spotted Dale JR. His chin dropped to the ground! We hussled to the truck garages only to find them empty, so we continued out to pit road. Blake, again in awe, kept asking "Are you sure we're supposed to be out here Mom?". We found the ACL pit area, and that's where we stayed for the entire race. Blake was in heaven being about 10 feet away from live pit stop action! I had a tough time following the race and at one point I looked up at the tower and saw 2 in the first spot. I had to ask Blake how many laps were in the race, lol, and when he told me there were only 5 to go, I got giddy! I took out the video camera and started recording the guys in the pit. Most were perched on the wall, Ernie & Kevin were on their feet, Sam was pacing. When I gave him a thumbs up, he said "we've been here before" and shook his head. He rested his head on the pit box for a bit before pacing again. On the last lap, everyone heard Andy say "inside, inside" and they all threw their hands down in defeat. Ryan dug in and made a comeback though, and when he rounded turn four, they all jumped with joy! It was quite the moment! The first thing Sam did was come give Blake a high-five and then joined his guys to celebrate and head to pit road to greet Ryan and lead him t Victory Circle. The kids and I didn't have Victory Circle credentials, but Sam got us in and we were able to savor the moment with the whole team. Very cool! I tried to back out of the team photos, but Mr Newman (Ryan's dad) pulled us in. As much as a goof as I feel about being in them, it is pretty special for the kids. Post-race inspection took a long time and the kids started asking if we were staying the night, so I told them "Yes, that's surprise #2". We hung out and watched some of the inspections and went out to play kick the can where all the other haulers had cleared out. When things finally wrapped up, we headed North to Alpharetta. The entire way Sam kept sighing, he was so happy and relieved. Happy Anniversary! That day marked 11 years of marriage for us and I know he'll never forget that day. =)

When we arrived at Embassy Suites, Emily was thrilled. It's been her favorite hotel since our trip to CA in 2005. We went in and after watching some clips of the race/celebration on the Internet, headed for the pool. We played for quite awhile and Emily asked to go back to the room. We crawled in bed and said goodnight to a great day.

The next morning we took our time getting up-and-at-em. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast and had to convince Emily that it would be fun to go to the mall. We packed up and drove to North Point, which is a big place. As we drove past directional signs, Emily was reading what stores were listed. Suddenly she got quiet. Sure she must have misread something, she started again at the next sign. This time she screamed out loud "THERE"S AN AMERICAN GIRLS STORE HERE"! When I said "Happy Birthday Emily", she started to cry tears of joy. When we arrived, the store wasn't open yet, but she refused to budge. We waited and she was the first person in the door. She must have spent 2 hours in there looking at everything. She picked out the Bitty Twins, a couple outfits, a couple toys, and a carrying bag. Then we went in the Bistro for dessert. She never stopped glowing. She said at one point "Mom, I know I've said it before, but this is the best birthday ever". I hugged her and told her that it's a good thing that the best keeps getting better!

A Breather

2008-10-31T16:21:00.005-04:00

Between work & household duties and getting ready for Trick-or-Treating, I've found myself with a spare minute, so I thought I'd get a post in. =) For starters, I got my old camera working. I guess it was the rechargeable batteries that were bad. I was relieved and disappointed at the same time. I'll be sticking with my 3.1MP camera for a while longer.

I mentioned that we had taken a trip to the pumpkin patch with a neighbor family, so I'll start with a few pictures from there.

I had also mentioned Emily's chorus performing at the PTO meeting. Here are a few pictures Sam took.

I'll fill you in on last weekend next...

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T09:37:00.003-04:00

I promise as soon as I have time to post more than a sentence or two I will. Until then, Happy Haunting!

TAG

2008-10-29T17:16:00.002-04:00

I was tagged by Karen on this one...

Name/Meaning: Blake Allen Roebuck - His first name is just one we both liked. His middle name is from Sam's dad.

Age: 11 1/2

Nicknames: Bubba, Bubbie

Favorite Activity (ies): Playing video games, watching races

Favorite Foods: Mac & Cheese, Hot Dogs

Least favorite foods: Vegetables

Favorite Music: Rock

Favorite toys: Video Games, diecast cars

Favorite books: NASCAR Magazines count?

What makes him happy: His dog, making his dad proud

What makes him sad: Getting teased

WOOOO-HOOOO

2008-10-27T11:04:00.001-04:00

Wow, what a weekend we had! More to come soon...

Sorry For Being A Slacker

2008-10-23T22:00:00.002-04:00

Things have been kinda busy here I guess. During the week school and work takes up most of our time. All of which are going well.

Saturday before last we had been invited to the Hornaday's Halloween party, but getting Sam to dress up in a costume was out of the question, lol! We did go to a party at the home of our friend Dan Deeringhoff(from Walla Walla). Our other friend Doug Lusk (from Yakima/Tri-Cities) built an incredible grill that he towed over to roast a pig. There was a musician from a Lake Norman piano bar there for entertainment and the sprint cup race was playing on the projector outside. It was really good to see our WA buddies. I think we only saw the Craig's once this summer and haven't seen Damon and Robin Lusk since the weekend we moved into the house. Good times!

Sunday afternoon we took Blake to get a haircut and then the kids picked out their Halloween costumes.

Last Thursday Emily had Girls Scouts. I was able to take her and it seems like a nice group of girls and parents. Their leader surprised them with pumpkins to decorate. Good thing, because the one Emily picked at the pumpkin patch already went rotten. With a replacement, it was a little less emotional.

Last weekend Sam's hope for a win went down the tubes when the truck ran out of gas on the last lap. He tells me the Toyota's get better gas mileage and they hadn't been in their fuel window yet when Benson came in, but they had to come with him. Had their been more cautions (like the 18 in the spring race) they would have been okay. Just wasn't in the cards.

Sunday afternoon Sam took the kids and met up with our good friend's The Craigs at the Renaissance Festival. I posted pictures from last year when I took them. It's like you wander in to the Sherwood Forrest. Sam said they had a great time. This year Blake did the bungee-trampoline thing and loved it.

Tuesday night Emily's chorus performed at the PTO meeting (which are big events here). I had to work, but Sam was able to get her there and watch. Monday she said she was a little nervous because it had been so long since she performed in front of people. When I got home from work I found her in my bed though. Apparently she was wound up and couldn't get to sleep. Silly girl.

I'm glad Sam has been able to spend quality time with the kids lately. It helps ease the guilt I have over taking them so many places while he's been at work. ;)

Tonight he is down in Atlanta getting things all set for Ryan Newman who will be driving the #2 truck the next couple weeks. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, but I hope it holds out or clears enough that they get some good practice in.

I'm busy getting things together for Emily's sleepover next week. School is out the 30th & 31st, so she gets to have her party on her actual birthday.

I think that's about all the excitement we've had around here. I'm going to sign off and tend to my owies (got about a dozen fire ant stings while running the weed whacker behind the back fence a couple weeks ago, nasty buggers).

Tune in to cheer KHI on Saturday afternoon. Good luck to Jeff Barkshire in the last West race of the year too!

Happy Birthday Kerri!

2008-10-17T12:00:00.001-04:00

You are a great friend and I am so blessed to have you in my life! Enjoy your day!

Top Five

2008-10-16T23:09:00.007-04:00

Since my camera broke down, I've been doing a little research on newer models. I really like the Canon I have and since I'm so comfortable using it, I'm hesitant to switch brand. Although, our film SLR is a Nikon, and I'd love it if it were digital (never thought I'd say that). A D80 would toot my horn, but I really don't know how to use many manual features (I can't imagine using a D300 or D3!). Besides, what I need is a small point & shoot that is easy to carry around. I loathe lugging the big one even though it yields extraordinary photos. From the info I've gathered so far, here is my top 5 list of cameras:

1. Nikon D80

2. Canon G9

3. Canon SX110is

4. Canon A650

5. Canon SD790is