George K. Salhofer

While we were visiting Key West we came across an artist and I purchased a beautiful beach print from him. If you get a chance check out his website. It amazes me when I come across such talent. His work is just beautiful and evokes such a peaceful feeling. Check him out at www.salhoferstudio.com. It also amazes me how it's such a small world. Turns out in speaking with Mr. Salhofer that he and his wife come all the way to Florence, SC to go to the dentist at an office right down the street from where I work. It's a small world after all!

Fireproof

At the recommendation of a friend (thanks Amy!) I made Lee go to see this movie with me last night on our date night. (He's not fond of going to the movies). You MUST take your significant other to see this movie. It will change your relationship for the better and give you a whole new perspective on what love really is. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Cruisin'... again...

Yep, we went on another cruise. Just Lee and I because the kids couldn't miss an entire week of school. Lauren is 18 and Erik is 16 and we decided that this time they would be ok to stay by themselves. Usually we have our friend Evey stay with them (she loves them!) but she just had her little baby boy so that wasn't an option. So... I worried the entire time. Not so much that they would get into trouble but just the same things I worry about everyday. Car accidents, etc, etc. With no family in town it made me really nervous for them to be alone. We have plenty of friends, neighbors, etc. that they could call if they needed to. And Lee's Dad (Grandpa Haun) was really good about checking in on them while we were gone. Still, a Mother will worry!

We went to Key West and the Bahamas and did manage to have a really good time and make lots of new friends. Maybe next time I won't worry so much... but probably not. : )

This is a picture of the beach that we layed out at while we were in the Bahamas. Lets just say those waves are fierce down there! I went out to wade in the ocean and got knocked down several times and barely stood up good before another one would knock me down. A group of kids were a little further out and I could tell they were having a good laugh. Women, be warned, wear a one piece! I flashed hundreds of people when the waves stripped me of my bikini. So embarrassing!! Beautiful beaches though!

This is a picture of Atlantis. Very pretty place!

I LOVE Carnival Cruise lines beds! Not to mention the cabin boy who makes the bed everyday and cleans the cabin.

They leave towel animals on the bed each night while we're at dinner. Here's our Frog!!

Sunset leaving Key West. Beautiful!!

Sloppy Joe's is a place in Key West where we stopped to eat. I didn't realize I loved the banjo so much until I heard this guy play. He was amazing!

Prayers answered...

On March 30th, 1992, Erik was born. He was the sweetest, most perfect baby.

Aside from some awful colic, you couldn't have asked for a more perfect, precious child. As long as he was fed and dry he was happy. He slept all through the night from the very beginning. As he got a little bigger he was always happy to just play with his toys for hours on end, especially his helicopters and fire trucks.

Fast forward to kindergarten and trouble started. First of all he had absolutely NO interest in learning the alphabet. I really had my doubts that they would allow him to start school at all once they have him the screening test. They did let him start and within a week he knew the alphabet (I loved his teacher)! Anyway, I usually got called every week for silly things that Erik would do. For instance, once, the teacher had the kids trade papers to grade them in class. Erik had one of those tiny staplers that I had strictly forbidden for him to take to school. Well, he took it to school and that particular day he proceeded to staple this other child's papers together all around the margins so he couldn't get them apart. Erik, of course, claimed it wasn't him. I never did get that stapler back after the teacher confiscated it. Another time that I got a phone call was one day when one of his teachers had another teacher stand in for her for a few minutes. Erik took that opportunity to get up and run around the classroom flapping his arms and making sounds like a chicken. Over the years there have been countless conferences about not turning in homework, talking in class, etc. etc. I tried everything imaginable to get him to do right but nothing really ever worked. I prayed, and prayed. Then prayed some more. Oh, and cried. That never really helped anything but I was just so frustrated. Here's this smart boy with so much going for him and I can't get him pointed in the right direction. Then he turned 12 and it turned into a full scale battle of the wills. Then suddenly this year everything is different. He's doing projects and homework left and right. He's talking about college and wanting to get a good score on his SAT's. Just today he said, and I quote, "I like school this year." Go figure. I about passed out when he said that. For the past four years I felt like I had an alien in my house but ever since he turned 16 it's like my sweet boy has returned. The Lord has answered my prayers. I love my sweet boy!

New hair do...

Last Friday Lauren & I had a girls day where we went out to eat, went shopping and went to the movies. We went to see Nights in Rodanthe with Richard Gere and Diane Lane. GREAT movie, you have to go see it, although the guys need to be warned that it is a chick flick. Anyway, throughout the whole movie I kept looking at Diane Lane's hair and thinking that I would love to have my hair cut like that. For years I've been getting my hair highlighted and it's cost a small fortune to keep up. So I finally made up my mind to go back to my natural color and chop it all off. I'm still getting used to it and I'm still shocked when I look in the mirror but everyone says it looks great. It is so much easier! What do you think? Is it better than the bleach blonde look?