Catching up

Inspired by my best friend to keep this updated for the kids to have when they are older.  We have been back the the US for 1 1/2 years.  We lived in Boiling Springs for about 6 months and could not make it financially with Shay Barbering.  So we had an offer for a house and a job from Shay's dad so we moved to Peachland NC and Shay is working for his dad at Piedmont Flooring.  We love Peachland have lived here a few times.  Our reason for returning to the States was for the kids.  They were not having the childhood we had envisioned for them.  They just finished their first year at Peachland/Polkton Elementary.  They were all at the same school.  They had a great expierence and are looking forward to returning in the fall.  Sierra will be in 6th grade and Jesse in 4th.  Damie should go to the Middle school but we have decided to homeschool him his 7th and 8th grade years due to the poor quality of the middle school here. 
I just went through my phone and picked the highlights over the past year and half.

Our first Easter back.  It was raining and the boys didn't want Sierra to get her new shoes dirty so they literally carried her to the car.  Proof they love each other even if they don't always act like it!!

Above are 3 pictures that represent some of the people we missed sooooo much and now get to see on a pretty regular basis.  1st is the Quinn family we consider them family and love being close to them again.

2nd is Eden, their cousin.  It is so good to be near family.

3rd represents the Kemp Family who we have come to love over the past few years and just want to be around them as much as possible. (they are a good influence on our kids and us as parents)

Scouts!!!  This was very important to Shay to get the boys and Sierra into a scouting program.  They all three have loved it and are better for it.

Birthdays!!  Not sure whose birthday this was, but just getting to be with family on our birthdays is a blessing!!!!!

FALL!!!!  Oh how we missed changing of the seasons!  It was beautiful to see all the colors.

 

Jesse was saved in the DR while watching Restoration online one Sunday morning.  But he was baptized at our new church Elevation.

I hope this doesn't bother anyone but this is at my Grandmothers funeral.  I was so glad for the year we were home and the precious time we were able to spend with her.  It was also a blessing being here to be able to go through this with my mom.

When we left the DR we had to leave behind Shay's truck.  He loved that truck but God blessed us with one I think he loves almost as much and maybe a little more.

Jesse has started dressing up!  For school at least a few days a week and everyday towards the end of the year he wore a dress shirt and bowtie.  He would also wear a suit to church every Sunday even though we went to a blue jeans and tshirt church.  He is a trend setter just like his Papa. (a family joke)

This is one Sunday that the kids did Praise and Worship at Elevation.  You can barley see Sierra in the back.  We thought when we moved to NC that we would never find a church like Restoration.  It took us a few months and being willing to drive about 35 min but what a treasure we found.  Elevation will have to be another post, there is just too much to tell.  We have been so blessed to be a part of this church for the last 8 months.

Sierra and Damie got braces!!!!!!!

 

2nd Easter, don't the boys look cute in their bowties!!!!

Grandmother (my mom) and Grandpa Jack have a sheep farm and border collies and my kids love to help around the farm.

I am not a very girly girl, so it has been good for Sierra to spend time with her Grandmother so she can learn how to dress up!!!!

One of Shay's lifelong dreams has been to have a canoe!  It came true!  We have really enjoyed it and I am sure we will for years to come.

The kids haven't got to fish much and the first time we went only the boys caught fish, but the second time Sierra showed them, she caught 3!!!!

Jesse and Shay built a Pine Derby car and raced it.

 

When we left the DR we had to leave behind 3 of the best dogs, it was very hard.  So we finally have a new member of the family.  Roscoe!!!

We got to spend Mother's Day with our Mothers.  What a blessing!!!!

Grammy Sugar!!!!!!!!!!!!! She has all of her Sugar Babies together, she is very very happy!!!!

 

Mr. Eikas.  Damie's 6th grade teacher.  He was just what Damie needed.

 

6th grade graduation.

For Sierra's Girl Scout award ceremony they had a Sock Hop!  It was lots of fun!!!

Last but not least our little garden.  Something I have wanted to do for a long time.  I know it looks a little sad, but it is really Jesses little project.  We decided to start small, maybe next year we will add a few more things.

 

Well, I know I have missed a lot of things, but his makes me feel better having this updated and hopefully I will continue.  Thanks Kelly for the inspiration!!!!

Christmas decorations 2010

We decorated for Christmas yesterday. We have a very small tree that was my Mama's and I love it! We put some lights on our top front porch and stockings on the stairs and snowflakes everywhere. It is so nice to actually decorate this year. It is the first time in 3 years. In Costa Rica we had paper Christmas trees. The first year here we had an empty house (still waiting on our container) and last year we had just moved and didn't decorate. I am like a kid too I love the lights!!!!

Christmas Pictures 2010 Dominican Style

We had a little photo shoot with the famous photographer Santiago (Shay) Griffin! They turned out pretty good - Grandmothers should be happy!!

This is the before!~ I can't keep a shirt on Jesse - He likes showing off his 6 pack!!
Sierra had to have her baby in the pics
So Jesse had to have his eagle!




Damie just wants to look as cool as possible. (He's doing a pretty good job) I can already hear the whispers of the teenage years (it ought to be interesting with these three!!)

They really do love each other this much, they just don't always act like it!!

This one was for a "Mom" Frame I have that has a picture of me and Damie and Sierra, before Jesse was even born. So I thought it was about time I updated it!?!? (What? I've been a little busy! lol)

Sierra

Grammy Sugar brought Sierra this beautiful dress so we had a little photo shoot!

It's been almost a year!

I realized I need to keep this up just for a journal, since I'm not a scrapbooker or a journaler. So I am going to try to catch up. I know it will be out of order and that will bother some of my friends, but at least it is here!!








This is what's going on right now! RAIN, RAIN and more RAIN!
This was taken by Shay on the way home from the Ranch.
We, as a family, are loving it, but it really isn't good for a lot of reasons. Most homes are not made to handle this much rain. Also Restoration Ranch is in the middle of expanding Fran's (the family that lives at Restoration Ranch) home. They are kind of at a point where they have to wait for the rain to stop to finish. They are very excited for more room and for the first time ever they will have a bathroom inside!!!!!!! We are all so blessed!!!

Our 1st Dominican Birthday Party 12-12-2009

1st Birthday's are a BIG deal here!! Shay's best friend Jorge's daughter Georgie. The invitatioin said `4:00pm, so like good American's we showed up at 4pm and the team was just starting to set up. Here the starting time of birthday parties, weddings etc... is when everyone starts getting ready for the party!! So about an hour later everyone started showing up and the party lasted until 9pm. The entire time was full of singing, dancing, clowns, cake (a huge cake), food, drink and last but not least the Pinata!!! There were two pinatas - one for the big kids and one for the little ones. It was total chaos, but lots of fun!!