The Applings

Fun time with old friends

2009-09-11T18:25:00.003-04:00

Occasionally we are able to spend time with some wonderful friends we made from our old neighborhood and church. Jenna is such a dear friend and we don't get to see each other near as much. She has children almost the exact same ages as mine, give or take a couple months. Only she is ahead by one and will eternally remain ahead for those that wonder. Ally and Molli Beth have been best of friends since they were 5 months old and will always consider each other best friends. However, after moving to Pleasant View and them to Brentwood it makes it more difficult with busy schedules to see each other. Jenna also has a daughter, Carrie, Harrison's age. She likes to hang with big sister Ally and Molli though. Then along came Bobby who is actually a year or so younger than Harrison, but they have an incredible resemblance to one another. It is kinda scary how alike they look. However, Jenna and I favor a bit. We were able to meet up only one time this summer, but maybe it's about quality not quantity. Molli went to Bible school with Ally and we went to their neighborhood for a swim after. We had a great time and Molli begs for Ally to come over. It is really hard to explain distance sometimes. Hopefully they will be able to see each other more.

Summer Vacation

2009-09-11T18:09:00.004-04:00

In the midst of baseball we managed to fit in a summer vacation to the grandparents. We love having a "low cost" vacation destination. My parents live in South Carolina and the kids LOVE going to MiMi and Granddad's house. There are so many fun things to do there. We enjoyed the beach, the Children's Museum, downtown Charleston, fishing, and hangin with the grandparents.

We're Back!!!!! Summer happenings.

2009-09-11T17:44:00.003-04:00

Even though it's been, oh, many months I thought I would just catch up a bit. Baseball pretty much consumed our spring and summer. Harrison's Al-Star team did a fabulous job. It is amazing that 5-6 boys can have such an instinct in baseball. They won their sub-district, went on to win their District against Goodlettsville, and finally placed 3rd in the state of TN in their age category at state. We were all very amazed at their endurance and hard work.

We spent most of our extra time at the pool for some R&R, between games of course. Then it was time for school to start. Molli Beth has done an exceptional job at her behavior, which is an area that we have struggled with up to last year. She has improved dramatically. Harrison had a rocky start, but is now getting the hang of it. I think the shock of having to go "every day" was a bit much for him. He had the same preschool teacher for 2 1/2 years. Change is not something he does easily. However, it only took him 3 days of pulling cards and mastering the "rules" for Kindergarten. He has not gotten in trouble in 2 weeks. We thank God for answered prayers when it comes to Harrison. When looking back at how desperate we thought the situation was last year, we wonder if we have the same child. He is truly a joy (and I didn't think I would ever be able to say that). God has really blessed us with patience and unconditional love in that department. Mommy has had to fill her time so that I don't miss him so much. The first week or so was VERY difficult for me. He had grown up so much and I enjoyed being with him so much. I wished for just a bit more time to spend with him, but now he's a big boy and I have to let him grown up.....as hard as it is.

Well, until next time.......hopefully it won't be 9 months.

Harrison's Bday

2008-12-19T20:16:00.002-04:00

Harrison is 5, I can't believe it! My baby is 5 years old. It seems like yesterday I was rocking him to sleep or he was crawling around. Time really flies by. We have had a really rough year this year with Harrison. He has come so far in his behavior. I am so proud of him working so hard. All of the time and effort we put forth has truly paid off.

The boy loves Chucky Cheese. Honestly, I had rather do just about anything else, but it was his birthday and we let him pick the location (within reason of course). Most of his friends were able to come, some couldn't and some got lost, (jk Windee!) He loves his birthday and milks it for all its worth. He got great gifts from great friends and loved being with them.

It is really hard to believe that he will start Kindergarten next year. I hope he's ready.

Children's Christmas Program

2008-12-19T20:03:00.003-04:00

Molli Beth was involved in the Christmas program at church again this year. Although her favorite way to participate is to sing, there were not solos this year. She, as well as several other children, had speaking parts. They all did great. MB loves attention and loves the stage. Maybe we can use this to our advantage one day. It was a good program. It helps the children to focus on the true reason of Christmas. With all of the commercialism that is a hard thing to accomplish sometimes. God Bless

2nd Annual Christmas Party

2008-12-19T19:48:00.002-04:00

December 5th was our 2nd annual Christmas party. We had a smaller turn out this year, but it is all about quality, not quantity right? We played adult games and had a great time of fellowship and EATING! Dirty Santa did get a bit dirty this year, hence the name! We really did have a great time. Now it's time to start planning for next year, and not waiting until the last minute.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-19T18:51:00.002-04:00

Thanksgiving seemed to sneak up this year. With the Disney trip it came a bit quicker than I was ready for. It turned out fabulous and we had a great time visiting with family. My parents came from South Carolina and my sister and her husband were here from Atlanta. Even though my house is a bit on the small side we all got along reasonably well.

On Thanksgiving Day we went to Travis' family in KY. We had a bit of drama while at his mother's house. Harrison and MB decided to climb a tree, however could not get down. Harrison decided to just jump out of the top of the tree. Well, on his way down he was injured by a limb. That led us the the rural Emergency Room of Russellville, KY, BLESS! They did a great job giving him his 4 stitches. Harrison, of course, would not be Harrison if he did not pick one out on the way home, goodness! Saturday we had Thanksgiving with my family on Saturday, at my house, that I cooked, for 25-30 people. WHEWWW!

Molli Beth's birthday

2008-12-19T18:37:00.004-04:00

Molli Beth chose not to have a party this year and instead have a night out with her mom, how sweet! We started the day by having cupcakes at school for snack time. Then after school she got a big girl, 7-year old hair cut. Actually I was hoping to get that baby look to her face like this haircut produced when she was 5, but this time it had the opposite affect. Oh well. We then headed off to Opry Mills. She got a moose named "Holly" at Build-A-Bear Workshop. If you know Molli Beth at all you know her love for stuffed animals. Then we headed to Libby Lou to get her all done up. She also got a Jonas Brothers CD from Carah and a Jonas Brothers t-shirt! She had a blast and so did I. It was nice having her all to myself.

Playdates

2008-12-19T18:25:00.003-04:00

The kids enjoyed having some friends over to play, different days of course. I can't handle that much at once. Molli Beth had a great time at the movies and playing with Maddie. Having friends over seems to get easier the older they get.

Harrison and Graham don't get to spend near enough time together. They are best buds and love being boys together. They were rockin on Guitar Hero. Perhaps they will be a new "boy band" of the future. The park was fun but it was freezing.

Basketball

2008-11-15T19:43:00.003-04:00

Molli has embarked on a new adventure, basketball. She has a great time and has potential. Her first game was today, Saturday. Unfortunately they did not win, but winning isn't everything. They are teaching fundamentals and Travis is thrilled with that. She also loves the social hour! She looks so grown up out there playing on the High School Court, :(

Disney World

2008-11-15T19:11:00.006-04:00

Well, we survived the wondrous trip to Disney World. The kids had a blast and well, Travis and I, we were exhausted. Truly I can think of many fun times, but we really needed a vacation from our vacation.

I discovered that there really is no "magic" age to take your child. Disney does a great job at accommodating every age. There were even people there are their honeymoon and 25Th anniversary. Can't say that would be me, but to each his own.

Molli Beth's favorite things were, of course, the princesses, but she also enjoyed the roller coasters. She was stoked that she got to ride Expedition Everest and the Rock N Roller Coaster.

Harrison loved Space Mountain, as he was not quite tall enough to ride the big coasters. He loves Tigger and enjoyed getting to meet him.

We got to meet many characters and do so many things. Travis and I liked Epcot and Hollywood Studios the best. Molli Beth even got to participate in a High School Musical show! She was flattered that a boy picked her out of the crowd. We also enjoyed the experience of the "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party", which was a parade and trick-or-treating in the park. The characters were out in full force and they had a blast. Unfortunately we experienced record low temps in Orlando for several days. I think it was 40degrees the night of the Halloween party. We broke in our one pair of jeans pretty good, haha.

Overall the trip was fantastic. This was also the kids first time at flying in an airplane and loved it. We probably won't be going back due to the cost and the stress level but it was a great, great experience.

Molli Beth's Baptism

2008-09-09T14:50:00.002-04:00

There are many things that you look forward to in your child's life and one of the biggest for me is when my child decides to make Jesus Lord and Savior of her life. Molli Beth did that, actually sometime at the beginning of the summer. We then spoke with our pastor and children's pastor, she then took a "new christian's" class that helped her affirm her decision. So on August 24, 2008 our little girl was baptized. She is such a smart little girl and knows so much about Jesus, The Word, and His will for our lives. She has even shown that she is quite the evagelist at school. We are so very proud of her and her decision for her life. As we watched her in the baptistry with Brother Michael is was as if she was an angel from Heaven. I don't think I have ever felt emotion like that. Words can't express how excited and proud we are.

We were also very lucky to have our family there the day that Molli beth was baptized.

Sally

2008-09-09T14:26:00.003-04:00

Well, June went fast, but July went even faster. Not much has happened, but I did get to take girls only trip to Panama City, Florida with some friends from church. We actually had a blast. It is amazing what 4 days away from the "routine" will do for your life. The children had a hard time at first, but they soon adapted to Mom being gone, especially since they have a great Daddy that does so much for them. He was so gracious to let me go, he even arranged childcare for a couple of days. It was great. I got to know several ladies that I would have never probably known otherwise. We had great funfilled days on the beach, getting tatoos (airbrush of course), eating lots of great food and other GREAT times.......

Of course I had to bring home the kids a gift since I had left them for soooo long, so I decided to get them each a hermit crab. Knowing that these things were pretty low maintenance and inexpensive I thought it was a great decision. Little did I know that they did not have a very long life expectancy when cared for by a 4 and 6 year old. We named them Harry and Sally. Unfortunately, Harry did not last but about 2 days once he was brought to Tennessee. This was Harrison's crab and he was upset, but not as bad as I thought. Sally, on the other hand, is still alive and digging. She is a very friendly crab who loves to get out of her cage and play with her Mom, Molli Beth. She does a great job taking care of her and making sure she has food and water. So we shall see how long this pet crab will survive.

Lindsey's wedding

2008-06-27T11:33:00.003-04:00

Lindsey Claytor's wedding was this past weekend and Molli Beth was asked to be the flower girl. She was so pretty ( I know I am biased) and she did a great job. Lindsey was such a beautiful bride. Molli Beth actually looks more like her child than mine. She loves being a flower girl.

I aslo actually got this great picture of her and her Daddy. How precious.

She lost her first tooth!!!

2008-06-27T11:30:00.002-04:00

Molli Beth lost her first tooth about 3 weeks ago. Ironically we were at the dentist office for a routine cleaning. She was so excited. The tooth fairy broought her $5. We will see if that lasts.

Who doesn't love Bible school

2008-06-27T11:25:00.004-04:00

Another Bible school has come and gone and it is so amazing to lead someone to Christ. I had the privilege of helping one young girl understand what it means to be a Christian and a follower of Christ. I also loved hanging out with my Bff and the great 6th graders.

I also owe many things to a very sweet girl, Amy, here with Harrison. She was Harrison's buddy that week and I don't think we would have made it without here. What a great, special girl.

Pool time fun

2008-06-27T11:21:00.002-04:00

Well, summer is here and we are now enjoying, most of the time, our time at the YMCA. We especially love it when we can enjoy this time with friends.

Just playing

2008-06-27T11:18:00.002-04:00

I got a new camera and I was just playing around, but I thought this was precious.

Vegetation

2008-05-10T09:18:00.004-05:00

When we moved in about 3 years ago we planted a few blueberry bushes. That was only the beginning of my quest to grown my own fruit and vegetables. My grandfather who passed away last year taught me so many things about growning gardens and my great Aunt Jo taught me how to can and freeze the products of those planting. To me there is nothing like planting and watching your hard work pay off.

Well, we lost one blueberry bush and many other greenery bushes in the frost last year. Thankfully, two of them lived and my quest continues. I also have many sentimental plants such as my peonies, yes Michelle PEE-o-nees!, that were my grandmothers, who has gone to be with the Lord, from the early 1970's or perhaps before. They were transplanted to my other grandmothers where I dug them up and brought them to my house. So I guess you could call these "antique peonies". They have probably 30-40 blooms this year, I'm so excited. I also have about 6-7 hydrangea bushes. 2-4 of those are getting ready to produce many beautiful flowers as well.

The big job this year is our garden and tree collection. We planted 2 pink dogwoods and 2 apple trees. I can't believe it...the apple trees have small apples on them. Although they may not be edible for several years it is amazing and a good lesson for the children about growning.

My garden is doing great as well. I have strawberries, green peppers, red peppers, habaneros, tomatoes (a lot, so don't hesitate to ask for some), squash, and several herb plants. Travis and I decided to enjoy the fruits of our labor and partake of the two red strawberries...delicious.

I just wanted to share with you God's creation at work. I love teaching Molli Beth and Harrison that food doesn't "grow" in the grocery store or in a can. What a great experience.!!!!

Baseball

2008-05-09T18:42:00.002-05:00

Baseball season is in full swing. They really are enjoying it. Little Harrison is absolutely precious. The bat is almost as big as he is. His first game he his 2 homeruns. It took Molli Beth a few games to get real serious. She is more of my social butterlfy. She plays first base and really loves it. She can be quite territorial over her position. She probably gets that from her mom. We are already thinking scholarship for little Harrison.

Easter

2008-05-09T18:36:00.002-05:00

Better late than never. Molli Beth is much more cooperative with photography than her brother. He will wonder one day why we don't have pictures of him.

The boys

2008-03-10T10:01:00.002-05:00

Harrison has really enjoyed having a new boy around. Although there is not much interraction yet Harrison does really love Caleb. He even asked at one time if he could come a live at our house. Then when I said no, he wanted a baby brother. We all know that is not EVER going to happen. I happily explained that Mommy Michelle would let us borrow Caleb any time.

Another Snow Day

2008-03-10T09:38:00.005-05:00

Well, we got, yet, more snow. This time Daddy got to engage in the festivities. This time there was much more snow to make a snowman. Mommy stayed inside and made lunch and hot chocolate for the frozen little snowbunnies. Although the snow is fun we are definitely ready for spring to get here.

2008-02-28T00:23:00.002-05:00

At some point between Christmas and now my sister and brother-in-law came for a short weekend visit. It is always fun but interesting how my children react to having company in the house. Sometimes I think we could set up blow up people and the would have a strange behavior about them. I can't believe how grown-up my baby girl looks. Anyway, we had a great visit and here is just a small momento of the visit.

Retrospective Post

2008-02-28T00:20:00.002-05:00

I do have one cute moment to share. Molli Beth is embracing her academics and loves to tell me about every day's lessons. On Presidents day she learned about Abraham "Linconton" she called him and they make a hat a beard. I thought this was precious and had to share.

2008-02-28T00:10:00.002-05:00

Okay, Okay, Okay! I have been harrassed enough. I am finally blogging. I know things have happened since Christmas, but my brain will not allow me to go back that far. No major events have occurred so I will pick up here at the end of February. You are only missing the stomach bug/flu and I think that description and/or pictures are a bit much.

So today we enjoyed a snow day. We even managed to make a small, yes, very small snowgirl. Her name was Molli, imagine that. We then enjoyed some hot cocoa and then a bit of bouncing off of the walls. Really, they (the kids) were not as bad as expected. They even both took naps. About 30 minutes after returning from the snow adventure, Harrison began to run a fever. So the saga ends that tomorrow I am taking him to the doctor to see if he has the flu or not. He has almost every symptom described as the flu, so I would like to somehow prevent the rest of the family from getting it.

Christmas party

2007-12-02T23:19:00.000-05:00

We had our first annual Christmas party this past Friday and I thought it was a blast. I know that some may have thought that the games were corny but I thought it added to the excitement. Sometimes adults have a hard time letting loose and I think the games helped that issue. As you can tell from the photos, those who were able to attend had a great time and those who were missed, well, we did miss you, but maybe next year.

James Maxwell was a "sweet gangster" sporting the pink UK hat that he had chosen in the wonderful game of Dirty Santa. And yes ladies and gentlemen that is Danny Davidson, Auburn Tigers fan, with a Kentucky Wildcats hat on.

Sickly boy

2007-12-02T23:16:00.002-05:00

Well, I had to publish this one. Harrison has Asthma and then he hurt is neck from a certain little girl pushing him off the couch. That is what playing "rough" will get you sometimes. I thought it was hilarious that he had to lay on a heating pad and get a neb treatment at the same time. I now understand that men truely are the weaker sex and it starts at a very young age.

Halloween

2007-12-02T23:07:00.000-05:00

For Halloween we decided to forgo the trick-or-treating and head over to the Harvest Festival aka Trunk or Treat. The kids always have a blast and we get to hang out with our wonderful church family. Molli Beth was Ariel and Harrison was the ever strong Spiderman. Trunk or Treat is a great way to turn this secular Holiday into church fellowship and focus on Jesus. I helped with face painting using the colors Gold, Black, Red, Green and White and telling kids about Jesus. What a great opportunity. It was so uplifting.

The kids also enjoyed seeing some of their favs, Makayla Baker, Rebekah and Michaela Hines. They love those girls!

Molli Beth and Carah had their picture made with Snow White, aka Hannah Swindle at her trunk. They thought that was fabulous.

Life in the Fast Lane

2007-10-29T19:24:00.000-05:00

Okay, I have been warned. I NEED to blog. Although, people are going to be a bit disappointed when they see that our LIFE has been soccer for the last 2 months. These are the only pics I have, because that is all we have done, as a family anyway. Travis and I did get a weekend together for the marriage conference at Grace Baptist. That was fabulous. We loved the conference and got to catch up on some "conversation" that never gets finished. The conference was so great, like maintenance for your car or home, we didn't realize how much we needed to spend time together.

Well, on to soccer. The kids both had their tournament games this past weekend and we are all exhausted. Harrison's team came in 1st place and MolliBeth's team won second place. They both did a terrific job. Travis and I feel so blessed to have such athletic and talented children. These are some pictures from some of the games throughout the year. Although the season was fun, we are glad to have an end. And now.................the holidays!!!!!!!!!!

Busy Life

2007-09-30T06:02:00.000-05:00

Life IS SO BUSY! I have totally neglected the blogging. Some ask if I scrapbook, are you kidding, I can't even keep up with blogging. We have been so busy with soccer, soccer, soccer and more soccer. Travis and I did manage to fit in a date night on Friday. We had a nice dinner and went bowling with some friends. Anything without kids would have been great. I love my kids, but good gracious, one can only hear "momma" so many times. Work has kept us both busy as well. Unfortunately I don't see any light at the end of this busy tunnel until the end of October, and then, well, we begin the holidays. Christmas will be here before we can turn around good. Laura, if you read this, you really need to blog about something. Sorry, no pics this time. My camera got a bit damaged on the boat ride with the Davidsons. I do have some previous pics I need to post, so you can be looking forward to those. Talk to you soon.....

Sleepy Boy

2007-08-28T10:24:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Harrison played at Graham Marcum's house while I slept after working the night before. Tonya said that they played very hard all day and was probably tired. After picking him up we came home to do homework. He was very whiney and since I don't speak that language I told him to go play or sit down and rest until he could talk like a big boy. Well, he decided to rest in the chair in the living room and while waiting to watch a movie or whatever it was that he wanted he fell asleep, sitting up in the chair. I thought this was hilarious and just had to share

Holiday World

2007-08-28T10:13:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we went with the youth on a trip to Holiday World in Santa Claus IN. We left about 6:30 am on Saturday and returned at about 12:45 am on Sunday. We had a fabulous time and got to know the youth a lot better. We realized, however, that we are not that young anymore and can't hang. We were exhausted on Sunday. Travis and I haven't been to a theme park since we got married. Man have we been missing out. We had a blast!

You will notice Travis holding a shirt saying, CREEPY JON. This is for Jon Boese. Next time you see him you will have to call him this, he is taking it quite well.

Soccer time

2007-08-28T09:57:00.000-05:00

With school comes fall ball. MolliBeth is starting her 3rd season of soccer and loves it. Harrison is playing for the first time. He argued that he wanted to play baseball, that not being an option he is playing soccer. MolliBeth had her first practice last Tuesday and Harrison last Wednesday. They both really like it. MolliBeth doesn't enjoy the sweating, but Harrison could care less. Their games start on September 8th for anyone interested in attending. I can't wait to see Harrison in action for the first time.

Harrison's first day

2007-08-28T09:46:00.000-05:00

As we know Harrison is not the adventurist that MolliBeth is. He likes to stay close to his Momma. I don't know if that is the boy in him or perhaps just his personality. I don't actually have pictures from his first day because he cried and didn't want to stay. The first picture is at home, before he realized his fate. We could not have crying school pictures. We already have crying Santa pictures and that is enough. Anyway, this is Harrison's second day, first day of doing well, with his teacher Ms. Betty. They tell me he really enjoys it and has a great time, once I am gone. He has not sat in time-out even once! I picked him up one day and he even had Ms. Lindsey for a substitute. He loves Ms. Lindsey. I am glad he is doing so well. It makes me fell a bit better about enjoying my time away as well.

First Day of School

2007-08-28T09:38:00.000-05:00

The time has finally come for "real school". Last year MolliBeth attended full time preschool and had a very interesting year to put it politely. We are starting fresh here in Kindergarten and we have all prayed diligently for her and her teacher. We found out that her teacher is Mrs. Crystal and she is very excited. We know that God has a special plan for MolliBeth. We know that she is going to do great. As for Mom, I didn't think that I would be as emotional, however I did tear up and walk out quickly. It is such a bittersweet. You want them to go to school and develop their independence, but you also are sad at the same time. Well, she had a great day. We are working on not being so social- mouth closed in the hallway- but other than that she is doing fantastic.

More Fun in the Sun

2007-08-28T09:28:00.000-05:00

As our days of endless summer fun are coming to an end I had to post some great pics I took at the pool. It has been awesome to be able to hang out at the pool and the kids have really enjoyed it. This was August 6th or so. MolliBeth had gone for her testing day at school so Harrison and I had a day with our friends Beth, Anna, and as you see here, baby Gavin. I had a great picture of Beth, but I know that she would kill me if I put it on here. Harrison is a water bug. MolliBeth is as well, but here fair complexion can't hold up in this heat. She had a great day at school. She is so excited about Kindergarten.

Vacation Bible School

2007-06-24T12:49:00.000-05:00

We just finished a fun-filled week of VBS. I know that all of the kids enjoyed it and I certainly was spiritually renewed. It is amazing how God uses his servants and how through teaching others they too can be renewed. God is so good. I really enjoyed working with the 5th grade girls. I thought that girls weren't my thing and I was certainly wrong. They are precious. Although I had trouble keeping up with such high energy I felt young again. (Hitting the big 30 has not been good to me). Anyway, thanks girls and most of all God for such a great week.

I also had the opportunity to spend the week with my best friend. What a better deal. I found out through this week that God works in amazing ways. We found how thankful and how plentiful our church family is. Our family lives out of town and we don't see them often. Our church family has become our support and we thank God for that.

Wedding/Vacation

2007-06-24T12:38:00.000-05:00

As most of you know my sister go married in May and we took that opportunity to have a family vacation as well. With gas soaring we needed to conserve where we can. We had a fabulous time and the kids of course love the beach. Leaving was a very difficult thing to do. The wedding was beautiful and the kids did great, most of the time. There was a minor issue with Harrison throwing the ring pillow and it accidentally hit the bride in the head, twice. No harm no foul. He was ejected from the wedding party and all was well. My sister and new brother-in-law went for a fabulous vacation in Mexico. Oh to be young without kids, anyway. I can't wait to get back to the beach.

Fishing

2007-06-22T16:33:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday we took the kids fishing at the Boucher's home and they had a blast. As you see we caught many fish. You could hear Harrison yelling from quite a distance away. Kelsey was an amazing help and the kids really enjoyed having her out there. She has much more patience that I do. I was very surprised to see that they even caught fish since they couldn't leave the line in the water. That is definitely an activity we will be doing again.

Fun in the Sun

2007-06-22T16:24:00.000-05:00

Since returning from the beach we have had an amazing time at the pool. The kids are so much more independent now and enjoy swimming with very little assistance. And of course for me this means peace and sort-of quiet. Harrison doesn't stay in one place very long and is such a water bug. We are also going through sunscreen rapidly. We hope for a safe and sunny summer.

Beautiful

2007-06-14T00:21:00.000-05:00

BEAUTIFUL

Time Alone

2007-06-14T00:13:00.000-05:00

While in South Carolina, Travis and I had the opportunity to spend some time together. We stayed down at the beach in a "sea cabin" or condo for 2 nights and then the kids joined us for the 3rd night. After working out some kinks in the dirty room we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We walked the streets of Charleston several times, spent a lot of time at the beach and realized that we did still know who each other was. This was also our anniversary celebration since our 9 year anniversary is June 5. We had a fabulous time and can't wait to do it again.

The Catch Up

2007-06-13T23:21:00.000-05:00

Yes, Yes, Yes, I am finally posting. I have all of the excuses that every other busy Mom has so I won't go into them. Anyway, let's begin in April. Our Easter was good. I absolutely love church on Easter Sunday. I am reminded of the unconditional love that our Lord and Savior has for us. Life is precious, but new life is amazing. The kids had a great time getting thieir gifts from us, not the "Easter Bunny".

Molli Beth started playing baseball in April as well. She loved it for the most part. She was the only girl on the team and really wasn't bothered by that fact. She can really play well when she gives it her all. Her hitting skills far out-weigh her catching and fielding skills. She also looks really cute in her uniform. She played for the Cardinals and turns out they were undefeated all year. They had an end-of-the-year trip to the Sounds game. While there, they got to do special things and Molli Beth got to race Ozie, the mascot, around the bases. She talked about that for days.

May brought a time of playing outside and getting ready for "the wedding". Molli Beth learned to ride her bike without training wheels on the first day of may and was so excited. She is growing up so fast. I can't believe that she will be going to kindergarten in August. We went to Kindergarten round up and there again she talks of be a "Kindergartener" instead of a "preschooler" now. She doesn't know that there is not much, but it is sweet to hear her talk about it.

Harrison has finally developed a realationship with a little boy. He now has a friend named Graham who is about 4 months older than he is. They absolutely love playing together and have a blast. The only problem is we don't get to see him as much as we want with life going on. Anyway, we are just glad that he has finally found a little boy who like to play as rough as he does.

The end of May brought our trip to South Carolina for the wedding. My sister got married on May 26th and ALL of us were in the wedding. It was very beautiful and my little princess did perfect. She looked amazing in her dress and dropped the petals like a professional. Harrison on the other hand did well down the isle, but got bored about 5-7 min into the ceremony and decided to throw the pillow up into the air and hit the bride. Luckily she laughed and all was well until 30 seconds later he did it again and his Daddy came and got him. I could tell that I had gained a bit when putting on my dress. After getting it zipped I had to pant to breath. Oh well, it stayed on and all was well. We loved being at the beach and had a much needed vacation and break from the everyday hustle and bustle of life.

Since we have been back from the beach, the kids have really enjoyed going to the pool and hanging out at home. Harrison has started school for the first time (away from our church family at FBCJ of course) and is doing wonderful. He really enjoys it and has no problem with the rules.

Let's not forget our recent month long bout with strep throat. At the end of school, Molli Beth was sent home with a fever and soar throat, she started the long session of strep throat. I then awoke the next day with the same symptoms. After our break for the beach and wedding, luckily, Travis came home and on Tuesday, after returning on Saturday, was diagnosed with it as well. I then got it again and now Harrison has been diagnosed. Hopefully this is the end of it. You would think with my nursing knowledge we would limit contamination, hopefully we can learn from our mistakes.

Tea Anyone?

2007-03-07T22:41:00.000-05:00

Michelle and I took our two oldest out for tea. They had a blast and felt very grown up. They both enjoyed a cup of hot tea and a bowl of warm potatoe soup. It was very fitting for the cold day we were having. They were both very good and loved spending time together and with their Mommies.

Painful Rewards

2007-03-07T22:32:00.000-05:00

Molli Beth finally quit sucking her thumb. After the dentist and other issues telling us that it was a necessity, she finally did it. We are so proud of her. Her reward was getting her ears pierced, and as you see this was a frightening, painful experience at the very least. She is now glad that she followed through with it, but was very hesitant during the process. She is growing up so fast. This, if nothing else, proves her strong will. In the midst of crying and being scared, I said, "You don't have to do it if you don't want to." and her response was, "Yes, Yes I want to!!!" , while crying. What a brave girl.

Superheros at Work

2007-02-07T00:27:00.000-05:00

"All in a days work". Today Harrison and Cate were busy fighting crime or making it. Cate played a great Batman, unless Kaiser got too close, and Harrison played a good Power Ranger, until he went to time out. They both do so well at playing each other's games. Princess or Superhero they have a great time and love each other dearly.

SNOW DAY!!!!!!

2007-02-07T00:14:00.000-05:00

As most people we enjoyed our much needed break, even if it was a day later than predicted. The snow was welcomed, especially by a certain 3 and 5 year old. The kids were chomping at the bit to get outside and enjoy the white powder. Mom on the other hand found any way to stall. It was inevitable and I must admit that once we were out there we had a blast. After wrestling with Kaiser and throwing snowballs with the kids, they decided to ride their battery operated vehicles. As expected the ATV did much better than the ever so stylish Princess Jeep. They had a blast. We enjoyed about 1 1/2 to 2 hours of fun and by then we were all frozen. We thawed well with hot chocolate. We hope everyone else had as much fun as we did.

New Culture

2007-01-31T23:26:00.000-05:00

We had dinner tonight with some great people that work at A O Smith in China. They are here on business and wanted to see how a "normal" American household functions. Yes I know you are wondering why they chose our house, luck of the draw I suppose. We really had a great time and got to learn some interesting facts about Chinese culture. The kids where suprisingly well behaved, for Appling kids anyway, and Molli Beth loved hearing their conversations. Did I mention that only one of the people spoke fluent English? It was an experience that I will always be glad that I had. Harrison learned how to say Hello and Goodbye in Chinese. Actually I think he would speak that language better than English, he did a great job. They were really impressed.

2007-01-31T23:21:00.000-05:00

Now that Winter has finally arrived Molli Beth has decided that she is ready for Spring. I can't blame her really. The days of fun in the sun sound pretty good compared to 26 degrees. She truely looks precious in her new poodle outfit and her slippers. She gets her good fashion sense from her Dad!!!!

When Harry Met Sally

2007-01-31T22:59:00.000-05:00

We recently had a playdate with Cate and Michelle. We actually decided to stay home and let the kids play instead of going shopping. We had a great time playing, having lunch and chit chatting. However, we did learn one very important thing, Harrison and Cate will need future driving school, together! Harrison drove his 4-wheeler until the battery went dead and Cate drove the Princess Jeep, quite appropriate. After losing juice Harrison got in the car with Cate and it was precious. We thought that Cate was not driving well and she needed more practice. As it turns out Harrison is a much worse, yes worse, driver than Cate. Cate almost took out a van (the Sienna of course) and the basketball pole, but when Harrison got behind the wheel LOOK OUT!!!!! He actually did take out several things, including: a small tree, several bushes, sever toes, and the hotwater heater. We thought it best to give them driving training for a wedding gift.

Growing Up!

2007-01-31T22:45:00.000-05:00

Wow! The kids are growing so fast. It seems like yesterday that they were babies. I was recently watching home videos of Molli Beth as a baby and I literally wanted to take her out of the TV and hug her. She is now 5 (going on 20) and growing up so fast. She wanted a big girl haircut, which made her look even older. It is quite a bitter sweet of course, however, I try to enjoy every moment and consider it a blessing.

Harrison has informed us that Tommy is his favorite. Tommy is our future brother-in-law. He is also Harrison's best friend. I believe that it is a mutual friendship. There is no one in the world Harrison would want to be with than Tommy, other than Mommy of course. Tommy should consider himself lucky (I think).

Dirty boys

2007-01-31T11:47:00.000-05:00

You really have to love someone to take a bath with them, even if it means your dog. The truth is Harrison was in the bath and Kaiser came in with his legs covered in mud and this was my option. The less stressful one anyway. They both enjoyed it and Harrison got to share in the responsibility-the big resposibility- of washing the dog.

The Princess and the Warrior

2007-01-07T20:47:00.000-05:00

Finally, we have remedied the issue of Harrison dressing up like a princess. He looks much better as a Power Ranger, don't you think. I am still working on him wanting to wear lipstick. Molli Beth so fits the role of princess. She is growing up so fast. She has long legs and is beautiful if I may say so. Travis is already thinking of tactics for the guys, however I think she can take care of herself. They love dressing up and pretending.

A Boy and His Dog

2007-01-07T20:40:00.000-05:00

As most of you know we have a new member of the family, and when I say member I mean a full size member, Kaiser. He and Harrison have a very special relationship. They love each other very much. Kaiser is the first thing Harrison asks about when he wakes up. He and Molli Beth love each other as well, but there is nothing like the relationship between a boy and his dog.

Fun with old Friends

2007-01-07T20:26:00.000-05:00

We recently rekindled a relationship with my best friend from high school, and it has been wonderful. We have really enjoyed spending time with them and their children. Their oldest son, Devon, was the ring bearer in our wedding when he was three and he is now 11, almost 12. So hard to believe. We feel so blessed that God intervenes on our behalf to surrond us with Christian friends that feel like family. Thank you God for you mighty power! This is a picture of Devon and his younger sister Leah, 6 years. They also have a son, Heath who is 3. Harrison really enjoys cuddling with Devon and Devon is so good with him. Molli has enjoyed getting to know Leah as well. However, we had to overcome some memorizing of names at first. Molli Beth kept calling Leah, Emma and called their Mom Heather, Mrs. Rachel. Out of the mouths of children is all I can think of. Now that we have that straight we are good to go.

Sunday School Christmas party

2006-12-27T16:49:00.000-05:00

On December 22 we had a Christmas party for the Seniors at our house. Not a lot of planning and organization. Just a good dinner, some Playstation, and some phase 10. We did however have free entertainment from our kids. Harrison smashed fudge on the window and had multiple potty accidents. Molli Beth topped the night off by breaking a very expensive plate. I think that Satan was trying to intervene on our night, but I don't think he won. We had a great time. Everyone didn't leave until about 12 am. We had to cut our 3 1/2 hour phase 10 game short due to curfews. We will definitely have to do that again, soon: WITHOUT the entertainment.

It has been suggested that we get a babysitter and have a Super Bowl party. We will visit that idea soon.

Christmas

2006-12-27T16:07:00.000-05:00

It has come and gone in a flash. Christmas was pretty big at our house this year. The kids really enjoyed their gifts. Santa brought them both hot wheels vehicles. Unfortunately it rained for two days after Christmas and they were unable to ride them. When they did it was crazy. We are now finding out we should worry now for when they are 16. Molli Beth stomps the petal and turns with a jerk of the wheel and Harrison, as most boys I guess, likes to run into things. I guess that is why insurance is so high for boys. My parents were here from the Low Country and we had a crazy, but great time.

My sister is getting married in may so we went shopping for dresses the day after Christmas and had a good time visiting. It was nice to be around family.

When celebrating Christmas it is comforting to know that our children know the reason for the season and we celbrate that first.

As you also know we have a new member to our family. I say member because he will eventually weigh more than anyone in our family. His name is Kaiser and he is an English Mastiff currently 6 months old and weighing in at 100 lbs. He eats about 12 cups of food a day and many treats and snacks. We love him dearly and he is VERY patient with our children. I must admit, I dreaded the hair and the massive amount of drool, but I couldn't imagine our house witout him now.

This is our first post to the blog so please excuse the sideways picture of Kaiser.