Norfolk Botanical Gardens

While my friend Neda was in town, we visited the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, and I was blown away at how beautiful they are, especially this time of year! I wasn't expecting the blooms and buds to be as beautiful as they were, so I just had to go back before winter, but this time with my whole family. So last weekend, Dave, Caroline, Claire and I visited the gardens on a gorgeous Fall afternoon. Dad Frazier, we thought of you a lot while we were there. It is definitely a place you would enjoy!

Fall Festivities!

Virginia is such a beautiful place to live, but especially in the Fall. We have been busy with all sorts of Autum activities this year, and we've been lucky to get to share them with some special visitors and freinds!

October began with a fun trip to the Virginia State Fair with our church youth group. The kids loved it and especially enjoyed seeing the baby animals. Claire's favorite event was the pig races! Caroline was especially happy that she got to spend the day with her friend, Jackson.

Our sweet friends Kypp and Neda arrived in October to spend a week in Virginia while Kypp was at a work-related conference. It was, as always, wonderful to see them and spend time with them! We are truly blessed to have friends like the two of them! They are simply matchless! Neda is an incredible photographer, so I am posting several of her pictures to show them off. You will notice the difference. :) Thanks, Neda!

We also really enjoyed our October visit from Nana and Pop! The girls got to catch up on their play and snuggle time with them and, as always, Dave and I loved their company, too! It's always very hard to see them leave. Here are some fun pictures from their visit!





Then along came Halloween! The girls had a great time trick-or-treating with our friends, the Querys. Claire dressed as a sweet little furry mouse, and appropriately, Caroline dressed as a black cat.

Whew, what a packed month October turned out to be! Looking forward to more fun in November!

Better Late than Never!

I am so ashamed at the amount of time I have let pass before updated my blog, especially since so much has happened since my last update! Caroline had a wonderful time celebrating her birthday! We spent the weekend before the big day with Nana and Pop in a cabin in Virginia's beautiful Allegheny Mountains. The trip was so much fun for all, as it was soul-refreshing to spend time with loved ones in a place where I've never seen the stars so bright.

Then we celebrated Caroline's birthday with her church and school friends with a movie night party at our house. We rented a projector and the kids watched "A Bug's Life" in our living room movie theater. Treats included a popcorn bucket cake, hotdogs, pizza, chicken nuggets, fruit, Twizzlers, Skittles and popcorn from a large movie-theater-style popcorn machine. We missed Grandma and Grandpa Frazier VERY much during all the birthday festivities and wish they could have been with us! Caroline was excited about the special package (she loves to get mail!) she got from them!

National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day

It is 7 a.m. on a Saturday, and I am a little droopy because Miss Caroline woke me up a bit before I was ready. She's all snuggled at my side, resting her little head on my arm. As I logged on to my email account a few minutes ago, I found an update message from one of the Caringbridge sites I visit often. It's dedicated to a precious little six-year-old boy named Cooper who passed away about four months ago after a long battle with neuroblastoma, a grueling form of childhood cancer. His mother wanted to remind us all that today is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day.

For those of you who may be new readers of my blog, I have written on a couple of other occasions about this horrible disease called neuroblastoma. I first learned about it when some dear friends of ours, the Ormsbys, learned that their sweet son Nathan had stage four neuroblastoma. In most cases, there are no signs or symptoms of the disease until it is in its advanced form. This was the case for both Nathan and Cooper.

Nathan just started kindergarten last week. We are so excited about this tremendous milestone for him. It is our prayer that he will get the chance to enjoy many more years of school. Please keep the Ormsbys in your prayers today and everyday, especially as you watch the healthy children all around you. I could be a little cranky right now because my little one woke me up at 6:30 on a Saturday morning (when on most days I have to pry her from her bed at 7:00 to get her ready for school), but I am going to choose to count it a blessing that she is healthy enough to have the energy to start her day so early.

I encourage you to visit the Lonliest Road Campaign Web site at http://www.graceoughtoncancerfoundation.org/loneliestroad/ It features a group of dads whose children are either currently fighting neuroblastoma or have passed on. These dads bike long distances to help raise money for neuroblastoma research. If you get the chance, take the time to watch the video on the home page and/or visit the Caringbridge sites listed for these dads' children. And if you feel so led, the site gives an opportunity to make a donation of any amount to help fight neorblastoma.

I am going to go make breakfast for my daughter-- one that she will have the appetitite to eat. And then I am going to help her clean her room-- one that she has the energy to mess up. :) And then I am going to spend the day enjoying my family.

May you all thank God today for the healthy children in your lives.

Retro Sherry

For those of you who read my blog often, you know that most of what I post is about my kids. However, today I'm airing a bit of my own dirty (well, in this case, fringed) laudry. I can't believe I'm doing this, but I figure- if you can't laugh at yourself, you're taking yourself and everyone else way too seriously. I certainly don't mind a good laugh at my own expense sometimes. Here's the catch, though. I'm making a game out of it. Posted below is a link to a video I found on YouTube of Club Dance, a country dance show I used to appear on regularly in my college years (I know, this is very hard for some of you to imagine). There are only three or four legitimate Club Dance episodes on YouTube, and most of them were before my time. However, I did find one episode that I appear in. There's a somewhat lengthy closeup shot of me and some other folks doing a line dance. However, you can't see my face because the camera men were shooting us from behind. So, see if you can guess which one is me. Leave a message on this post and give me your guess based on what I am wearing.

And if you do figure out which dancer I am, please feel free to roll on the floor, since that it what I do every time I see it. :) P.S. I am not being interviewed in this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTZ-9mNBT30

First Day of Kindergarten!

Here's the post you've all been waiting for! Caroline started kindergarten last week! She awoke extra early in great anticipation of her day. York County Schools are hard core; no half days for her! We took her to school at 8:15, and I picked her up at 2:56. Dave, Claire and I walked her into school as soon as the doors opened. I told Mrs. Bennett, her teacher, that I was going to be one of "those moms" who annoyingly documented everything her child did before they finally kicked me out of the school. But it didn't really happen that way. Dave took Claire out into the hall to walk around as I took a few pictures of Caroline at her desk, and then she looked up at me, rolled her eyes a little, but then spoke gently so as not to hurt my feelings too much and said, "It's okay, Mom. It's time for you to go now." I was thrilled that she felt so comfortable and excited about her first day of school, but I secretly yearned for her to throw her arms around my neck in a last-ditch plea for hugs and kisses. When it didn't happen, we watched from the door as she quickly introduced herself to the little girl sitting next to her. Then after Dave went to work and Claire went down for her morning nap, I noticed how very noisy a quiet house can actually be...

This week, Dave and I each went to school to have lunch with Caroline. We were both so impressed with how well mannered she was in the cafeteria. She surprised me this week, and despite my apprehensions, wanted to ride the bus, which I think might be her favorite activity of the day. And so far, she loves homework and insists on doing more than is assigned. I hope this enthusiasm keeps up all throughout all her school years!

Take your Child to Work Day

I meant to post these pictures a couple of weeks ago, but there's no time like the present. In August, Caroline got to enjoy Take your Child to Work Day with Dave. I must say that NASA went all out, providing several projects, crafts, experiments and displays for the kids. Caroline couldn't stop talking about all the fun she had. She was especially thrilled that there was "a real live astronaut" there for greetings and pictures. Caroline is beginning to take after her daddy, showing great aptitude for math and a tremendous interest in science. Her latest career goals include mommy, astronaut and soccer player. I don't doubt that she can do it! :)