Swing Set is Done!

Like most things in life, the swing set was hard work putting up, but totally worth it. Now every day after lunch we go outside and play. Scott and Jake came over last Saturday and then Charlie was able to finish it up Memorial Day Weekend. Scott came over two Saturdays in a row, and we would not have been able to get it up so quickly without him! We are so thankful for him. We were prepared for how long it was going to take, and excited to now have some more time to get other projects done around the house....like keeping our house clean...haha! It basically took us all of May to complete and we missed out on Chick Fil A Tuesday night Family nights. But again, totally worth it. I think Charlie now things he can build anything. Yay for us!

I did order a baby swing for Abigail that should be coming in the mail this week!

Update on Our Playset

Jackson trying to put a screw in. He can be a great helper!

Jackson using the wrench on the level...

Scott and Charlie trying to understand crazy directions

What our playset will eventually look like...

We were so excited to buy our playset on May 7th 2009. I called Toys R Us and they had the Pathfinder Adventure Playset in stock and they had my rain check for $120 off which made it $379.99 and then we got an addition to 10 percent off for opening a Toy R Us credit card. Rain Checks are Awesome! We will be paying around $50 a month for six months with zero percent interest. We will close the credit card after we pay off the swingset.

I know many people who have gotten this Pathfinder playset and have been very happy with it (however, it does not have monkey bars). We were able to take the seats out of our minivin and fit it in. I know Walmart usually has it for $400 and if you call around many stores do keep it in stock. You can also open up a Walmart credit card and pay zero interest for 12 months.

So we bought it May 7th and our goal is to have it installed by May 28th which will be 3 weeks after buying it. Our wonderful brother in law, who is an engineer, came over Saturday and I think they are almost half way done with it now. Maybe on phase 11 out of 27 phases. That is crazy, but Jackson is so excited about it and is already climbing on the ladder and figuring out how to go down the slide that is up against the fence. Jackson wanted to help them so bad and he even applaud for himself when he put some random screw in the wood. It is also crazy to pay someone $1,000 to install it. I do think it takes 20 hours to put together.

We will also be getting baby seat for Abigail to swing with. I am so glad I sought out advice from friends and did my research. Thank yall so much for all your help!

My Best Mother's Day So Far!

Today was definitely my best mother's day I have had in the few short years I have been a mother. My beautiful baby girl was dedicated today at church and all my immediate family was there. Even Aunt Sandra!

Jackson makes me thankful for every little thing that we take for granted.

Abigail makes me enjoy being a mother. I love having a baby and some days I just never want her to grow up!

Abigail looked so beautiful in the dress I wore when I was dedicated and the necklace I wore. She also had the ring on that Charlie's sister had when she was a baby. She did great and even smiled up there! Dr. Estep preached a wonderful sermon. Probably one of the best mother's day sermons I have heard.

Charlie wrote the most beautiful mother's day poem to me I could ever imagine. I am almost too embarrassed to link it because I wish I could be half the women the Proverbs 31 women is. Words really mean more to me than any gift could. Charlie is such a great writer all I really ever want for him for gifts is homemade cards that he writes.

I am so blessed. I have always wanted to be a mother. I think I was ready at 20 years old. I have always dreamed of having babies and being able to stay at home to raise them. I know this sounds crazy but for me there is not a day I wake up staying at home that I dread. There were many days going to school that I just dreaded the entire day and wanted the week to be over. Every since I married Charlie and had our babies I have felt complete. Motherhood is such a high calling, and a life that is lived for eternity.

Christmas Pictures 2008

Every year we take turns with Thanksgiving and Christmas at each others parent's house. We think it is important to be surrounded by family on the holidays. This year was my family's Thanksgiving and Charlie's parents Christmas which worked out well for us since Charlie's family is in Columbia and Abigail was just born like two weeks prior to Christmas. On Christmas Eve we went to Rock Hill to see all of Charlie's extended family and Abigail got to meet her great grandmother! Yay! It was so special. Kelly joined us Christmas Eve since she basically has to work all of Christmas. Christmas day we went over to Charlie's parents house for brunch and got to spend time with Charlie's family. It was such a special Christmas being able to share it with this precious miracle (Abigail) that God so gracious gave us. It just makes me even more thankful this year for the birth of our Savior. Praise the Lord our Savior was born!

Here is Charlie holding Abigail on Christmas day. She has thrush and we have had to put medicine on her mouth 4 times a day which has been hard. She is such a trooper!

She already seems like she is smiling to me. I think girls mature faster than boys!

Great family photo
Pray for Jackson. His tantrums have been frequent recently since his schedule has been messed up among many other factors. Papa is being very patient with him here

Mimi and Papa with their grandchildren. There will be one more grandchild next Christmas since Charlie's sister is having a little boy at the end of February.

I am so glad KK was with us on Christmas! It made it so special.

Praise the Lord Jackson loves to love on Abigail. He is so gentle with her!

Grandkids

Here is Charlie's mom's brother, Uncle Norman, holding Abigail in Rock Hill on Christmas Eve. Doesn't Charlie like similar to him?

Geemaw getting to meet Abigail. She is so blessed to have two living great grandmothers. I was so glad we were able to come!