Three Chicks and a Dude

Norfolk Botanical Gardens

2008-11-07T13:12:00.007-05:00

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!

2008-11-07T12:05:00.008-05:00

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!

2008-11-07T11:14:00.007-05:00

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

2008-09-13T07:07:00.003-04:00

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

2008-09-12T11:03:00.006-04:00

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!

2008-09-08T21:48:00.010-04:00

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

2008-09-08T21:36:00.005-04:00

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! :)

Labor Day Fun!

2008-09-08T21:12:00.009-04:00

We spent our Labor Day at the Children's Museum of Richmond. The kids loved it, as did Dave and I. We especially enjoyed the fossil dig, the apple-picking tree, the giant treehouse, and the creative art area. Claire got to paint for the first time, and Caroline created a special banner that will soon hang as part of a children's art exhibit at the museum. To top off the afternoon, the girls got to put on their swimsuits and play in the museum's new "back yard," complete with a mini stream, playhouse and giant squares that played music when the kids jumped on them. It was a great last hoorah to close out the summer and get excited about school!

Girls Bring more Game

2008-08-09T12:01:00.003-04:00

Caroline wore a pink t-shirt with this on it as she attended soccer camp this week. This was her first experience with organized soccer, and she had a great time! The first day, she came home and said, "Mommy, I was about to make a goal, and then someone took the ball away from me!" :) I had to explain to her that this is the way soccer works, and that next time, she should just take that ball right back! She agreed. I didn't get any photos or videos of her at soccer camp, but here is a short video of her practicing in the back yard.

At the Beach

2008-08-09T11:36:00.006-04:00

Even though school doesn't start here until September 2nd (can you believe that?!), we feel the summer quickly slipping away from us. Last weekend, we decided to take advantage of some free time to take the girls down to Virginia Beach (about 45 minutes from our house). We all had a great time! Caroline, of course, made a little friend, and Claire enjoyed watching the waves and letting the tide rush over her feet. It was a great way to beat the heat.

Those Little Moments...

2008-08-09T11:03:00.005-04:00

Thursday evening, Dave brought out the camera as Claire was being a ham. A while back, she started tapping us on our heads and saying, "dong!" For a couple of months now, she has entertained herself repeatedly just by saying, "dong!" over and over again. Just one of those little silly quirks that makes her unique. This particular evening, she wouldn't stop. As Dave was capturing all of this on our camera, Claire spontaneously looked at me and said, "I love you." Now, to all of you skeptics: I know, I know, her jibbering may have just came out that way, but I don't care. We all heard "I love you" very clearly. And you never know, she could very well have really been professing her affections for me. Claire is a very smart kid. :)

Here is the video Dave recorded. Listen very carefully to Claire. Sorry about the mess on our kitchen table. We were in the midst of finishing dinner/cleaning up. And the video itself is a little dark. Just goes to show that those special moments don't wait for perfection. :)

The Shack

2008-08-04T22:07:00.004-04:00

Those of you who know me well know that words are my life. I don't just read for knowledge, information or entertainment; I let every word I read sit in my mouth so that I may savor its imagery. I am not one who typically loves a top-seller or commercial read (couldn't really get hooked on The Davinci Code, for instance) , but every once in a while, I find a book in such category that really grips me. One such recent selection has been The Shack by William P. Young.

Now, let me first say that, though most reviews of this book have deemed it nothing less than stellar, some people do find offense reading it. This is primarily because God is portrayed as (gasp) a woman throughout most of the book, although this portrayal later changes. Mr. Young has a good reason in doing this, but I won't explain, as this would reveal too much of the plot for anyone who might want to read the book. Also, some people have tried to pick at details in the book, complaining that some aspects do not line up precisely with the Bible. I am not a Biblical scholar, yet I do know the Bible well enough that I did notice some slight deviances. However, those small, wayward moments in the book were non-offensive and very menial compared to the absolutely beautiful story of God's love.

Though I certainly see God as omniscient and all-powerful, my view of God is primarily that of daddy and friend. I often find a pillow, close my eyes, rest my head on the pillow, and then imagine that it is God's lap. I imagine God comforting me in his lap just as I comfort my little ones in my lap. There, resting my head on God's lap, I talk to Him much like I would talk to my dad, and He, in turn, gives me comfort and love that is unimaginable. That comfort and love is very real to me. When I'm talking to God in this way, I feel like it is just Him and me. This book portrays God in a very personal and individualized way, and that is why I loved it so much.

I recommend you all go out and buy a copy of The Shack. I bought mine at Lifeway, although I'm sure you can find it at any bookstore, as it is a New York Times bestseller. I hope you all are touched by it as I was.

It's Almost Football Time in Tennessee!

2008-08-01T23:28:00.003-04:00

The Muppets and UT football have always been big in my life, so in celebration, I just have to share this video with you! Click on the link below. GO VOLS!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k0uPCTChpg

"Virginians will Dance or Die!"

2008-08-01T22:53:00.006-04:00

An 18th century diarist said it so well! For Virginians in the colonial period, dance was their dearest diversion.

While Mom was visiting, she sweetly offered to watch the girls one evening while Dave and I went out. We were originally going to try to see a movie, but we realized we'd have to rush through dinner to make it on time. As evident in so many of my posts, Dave and I LOVE spending a quiet evening in Colonial Williamsburg, but most of the time we have the girls with us so we have to forego the quiet, if you know what I mean.

So we were thrilled to get the chance to eat at one of the restaurants we'd been wanting to try and then stroll down the street to the Governor's Palace for An Evening of Dance. The event is spectacular! I wish I could have taken more photos, but to preserve the historic "aura," guests can only takes pictures before and after the dance. We all gathered in the palace ballroom and were greeted by some fancily-clad characters ready to host an evening of dance much like one often enjoyed by colonial Virginians in their large plantations by the river.

We watched as romantic drama played out among the colonial party-goers, and we watched them perform exquisite reels, minuets and cotillions. The musicians were wonderful and the candlelit chandeliers made the ballroom look lovely. Once in a while, the colonial dancers would pair up with the party-goers to teach a more complicated dance. Dave was selected to join one of the colonial ladies in a reel. He did quite well, despite his two left feet. :) Below is a picture of him and his dance teacher.

Nana's Visit

2008-08-01T22:24:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, we enjoyed Nana's annual summer visit! She stayed with us for a week and spoiled the girls with tons of kisses, hugs, slumber parties, sweets and other such goodies-- she's got this nana gig down pat! :)

While Nana was here, the weather was scorching, so we spent a lot of time playing at home. My mom is the type that loves to get down and roll all around the floor with the girls and make them feel like they are the most important people in her life. I enjoy how she turns into a big kid whenever the girls are around. But she's always been that way. I think my sister and I probably rolled our eyes a few times over it, but she was always super-involved and very interested in everything we did as kids. And now that she's a nana, she's that times ten. Where does all her energy come from?! :)

We had a wonderful time with you, Nana! The only thing that could have made it any better would have been having Pop with us, too! We miss you both so much!

Fun on the 4th

2008-07-06T20:56:00.008-04:00

In line with our plans mentioned in my previous post. we spent our 4th of July in Yorktown! What a special privilege that was! Come to find out, the 4th of July celebration is the biggest event historic Yorktown hosts all year. It was a lot of fun and evoked a lot of pride in all who attended. Some people traveled in from all over the country to experience Independence Day where independence was won.

We arrived in the afternoon and headed straight for the kids' play area. Caroline got the chance to run, slide and jump while we waited for the parade to start. Yorktown has some very large, old trees that provided some great shade for us to picnic in. Then we lined up along Main Street for the parade, which featured the Fifes and Drums and Uncle Sam dressed in overalls. Then we continued to stuff ourselves with hotdogs, popcorn and snowcones while we strolled the rest of the festivities.

We didn't originally plan to stay for the fireworks (since we didn't think the girls would last that long), but both Caroline and Claire seemed up to it, so we found a great spot at the Victory Monument where we camped out while waiting for the reading of the Constitution, the U.S. Air Force Band performance and finally the fireworks over the water. Well, just at the dramatic conclusion to the reading of the Constitution was drawing near, we received an announcement that the rest of the evening's festivities had been cancelled due to a storm headed directly for Yorktown.

Talk about a mass exit! Everyone had parked just beyond one of the British battlefields, which has a landscape of massive hills constructed by the British for defense in the Revolutionary War. Well, let's just say they worked really well. No one could get over or around them safely, so we all had to bottleneck through this tiny little trail in the rain. Once we found the van, the girls were a little damp (they had stroller hoods and an umbrella), but Dave and I looked like drowned rats. On our way home, we picked up a pizza for dinner, and once we reached the house, the girls were asleep. We ended up watching Colonial Williamsburg's fireworks from our house (they still finished their festivities despite the scarry weather). All in all, it was a great day!

Saturday, we took the girls to Chuck E. Cheese (or, as Dave would call it, "the home of the animatronic rat"). It was a lot more exciting for Claire now that she can walk, although Chucky's towering stance scared her a little.

Today (Sunday) we went to church and then Caroline and I went to the movies to see Kit Kittredge, an American Girl. Caroline loved it! She even cried during the sad parts. I thought it was a great film, and it teaches children all about giving to others.

I hope all of our friends and family had a wonderful weekend, too!

A Special Place to Be

2008-07-02T12:46:00.015-04:00

Independence Day proves to be an especially exciting time to live in Colonial America! The historic triange (Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown), is rich with tributes to people, places and events that contributed so much to the freedom we experience now. One such place is Yorktown. We have decided to spend part of our Fourth of July in Yorktown (just down the road since we live in York County) becuase it will be so thrilling and memorable to be in the place where America's war with the Brittish essentially ended.

Although Yorktown has every reason to boast a large, proud Independence Day celebration, I have been told their event has a small-town feel. I love Yorktown because it has all of the history and pagentry that Williamsburg does, but it has a bit of a more quiet aura. Friday, we'll enjoy a classic car show, live bands in the church yard, a colonial parade, the Fifes and Drums, the USAF Heritage of America band, and fireworks.

Below is a link to a Youtube posting of last year's Yorktown Fifes and Drum appearance on Independence Day. What makes it so amazing is that all of the players are just kids! And so, in the spirit of colonial times, I would have to give them a hearty "Hoozah!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpuJIKkJRM4

Hope you all have a fun-filled fourth!

Go, Claire, Go!

2008-07-01T14:02:00.006-04:00

I have always said my sweet Claire is easy going. Yes, lately, she's gotten a little...well... spunkier than before, but overall, she's so laid back. It was evident when she took her time wanting to crawl, pull up, and toddle. She just turned 16 months old a few days ago, and Thursday, she took her very first steps! Yea, Claire!!! We are so proud of her! And she didn't just start off taking one or two steps at a time-- she took off! Here's a video of her newly-mastered skills. Sorry-- you'll have to tilt your heads to the left because I filmed this with the camera positioned vertically. I don't know how to rotate the video.

June in a Nutshell

2008-06-30T20:19:00.012-04:00

Yikes! It's been more than a month since I've updated my blog! I really have been that busy. It's amazing how much less time I have to myself now that Caroline is off for the summer. We are having a blast!

We spent the first weekend in June at Dave's cousin Daniel's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding at a breathtaking cathedral in Nashville, and the reception was a lot of fun for all. Our congratulations go out to Dan and Sandy! And we really enjoyed getting the chance to see family we've missed so much. We stayed in a hotel nextdoor to the church. Oh how Caroline loves hotel stays! Grandma and Grandpa stayed in the room right across the hall from us, so the girls had a great time hopping around from room to room. While in town, we also got to visit with Dave's precious grandparents who were so delighted to see how much the girls had grown.

Then after we left Nashville, Dave dropped me and the girls off at Mom and Dad's in Knoxville where we spent the week. Caroline went to Bible School with Mom for four days during the week and had a ball (literally-- the theme was all about castles, princesses, dragons- that soft of thing). One afternoon, my sweet sister, Michelle, and favorite brother-in-law, Allen (yes, Allen, you'd still be my favorite even if I had more:) came over and Caroline tried out their slip-and-slide for the first time. How fun! Then on Wednesday, Mom and Dad took us to Dollywood where we made lots of fun memories. Dad drove us to Roanoke on Saturday where Dave met us and took us back to Williamsburg. I was a bit heartbroken to leave Tennessee, but my sweet husband anticipated it and had the house sparkling when I came home. We spent Father's Day at church and then took Dave to his restaurant of choice, Buffalo Wild Wings, for wings and trivia.

For a couple of weeks in June, Caroline went to gymnastics camp at the William and Mary campus. The camp was taught by the William and Mary men's gymnastics assistant coach and several W&M students. I didn't think to take my camera with me, so I unfortunately don't have any pictures of Caroline at the gym. She goes to soccer camp in August, so I'll be sure to mimic the papparazzi then. :)

I can't believe June has already come to a close. The summer is flying by!

A Must Read!

2008-05-28T20:22:00.005-04:00

I have recently been trying to expand my repertoire of inspriational fiction works. I suppose my love of prose makes me a picky fiction connoisseur. Until today, I'd never finished a contemporary work of Christian fiction that I love and respect as much as After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart. It's her debut novel, and it is exquisite! The plot is phenomenal, the characters completely believable, and the transitions solid. Hiddern throughout her novel are a trove of discoveries that the reader experiences right along with the protagonist. But what makes her novel intiguing is her beautiful writing style. Baart has published some original works of poetry as well, and I can see that ability in her ability to tell a story.

I can't wait to read Baart's next book, Summer Snow! It was just released on May 1st, and the reviews rave that it's as good, if not better, than her debut.

Visit Nicole Baart's Web site at http://www.nicolebaart.com/ to read the first chapters of both of her books. You'll be hooked, too!

Happy reading!

Pinkalicious!

2008-05-27T09:08:00.010-04:00

We spent Sunday afternoon browsing through the book shelves at Barnes and Noble. We spend quite a bit of time in the children's section there (and throughout the whole store, really). Caroline got a magnificent book called Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann. It's a Caldecott award winner, and we love every page! It tells the story of a little girl who eats too many pink cupcakes, ignoring her parents' warnings. She wakes up the next morning and is completely pink from head to toe. She goes to the doctor to find out she has pinkititis! She experiences many fun times and many difficulties being pink and struggles to get back to her original color.

So, of course, Caroline was curious. After reading Pinkalicious over and over again, she decided she wanted to bake some pink cupcakes and put the book's claims to the test. So yesterday after dinner, Caroline and I made a batch of pink cupcakes (strawberry cake with pink icing). Well, it turned out that Caroline, Dave and I stayed the same color -- but Claire turned pink (see pictures and video below)!

Gone Fishin'

2008-05-26T10:14:00.004-04:00

On Saturday, we went fishing at the York River. Caroline and Dave got to break in their new fishing poles! We left the rubber princess crown protector on the end of Caroline's line for a while so that she could practice casting without the fear of getting hurt. Then daddy loaded her hook with a large pink bait (just her style) and the two of them fished side-by-side. Claire and I lounged on a big blanket a little further behind the shoreline and watched. Unfortunatley, we didn't catch anything, but next time, those fish had better watch out!

Rachel's Visit

2008-05-26T09:45:00.007-04:00

Our Memorial Day weekend started off with a visit from someone very special to us! Our friend, Rachel Ormsby, visited with us while on her biking trip down the East Coast. We were so excited to see her! She hadn't seen Caroline since she was Claire's age, and so of course, she'd never seen Claire. It was a lot of fun watching her interact with the kids. I have told Caroline many fun and endearing stories about Ms. Rachel, but her favorite is the story of how Rachel brought me a McDonald's cheeseburger meal to the hospital after she was born. Caroline thinks anyone who would do that for a friend is definitely cool in her book. :)

We met up with Rachel in downtown Colonial Williamsburg. We walked around town while catching up. Rachel jokingly admitted that she was "trying her best to buy the girls' affection," as she spoiled them with giant chocolate chip cookies and bought Caroline a special pink cross at one of the gift stores. As we were leaving, Caroline said, "Mommy, every time I look at my cross, I will think of two people: God and Ms. Rachel."

Rachel has two precious children herself. Nathan, her five-year-old, is as charming and irresistable as they come. And Kate, her two-year-old, is spunky and sweet with delicious little curls. As I wrote about in an earlier post, Rachel's son Nathan has had stage four Neuroblastoma (a type of childhood cancer) for almost two years now. He is quite the little fighter. His disease is currently considered dormant, which means it hasn't progressed. Right now, the Ormsby family is waiting to hear from the doctors about which course of treatment they should consider next. Please remember to keep Nathan and his sweet family in your prayers!

Thank you, Rachel, for taking the time to see us on your trip! We hope you have a safe trip home! Please give our love to your family!

Preschool Days

2008-05-25T13:58:00.013-04:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Thursday was Caroline's last day of preschool (sniff, sniff). The montage shows highlights from all her preschool days.

Blessings

2008-05-21T11:15:00.001-04:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Catching Up

2008-05-20T19:01:00.027-04:00

Again, I have recently been a slacker when it comes to expanding my blog! So, again, I must attempt to update with a grand slew of new Frazier family happenings. Can you handle it? :)

April and May have been quite eventful. Caroline spent a week at Grandma and Grandpa Frazier's house in Loretto, Tennessee. She spent a lot of time helping Grandpa garden, helping Grandma cook, visiting family and spending time with Blackie, Grandma and Grandpa's sweet dog. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for a great trip! Here are some photo highlights:

I should add that the reason Grandpa (a.k.a Grandpaparazzi) is not in any of the pictures is because he is most often the one behind the camera. The only pictures of him in the batch from Caroline's trip are of Caroline styling his hair. Let's just say I may have saved him some embarassment by not posting any of them. :)

Then in May, Caroline's precious preschool teachers gave her a "pretend" birthday party! Because we arrived in Williamsburg a few weeks after Caroline's 4th birthday, she didn't get to celebrate with her new friends. So Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Keyhayes decided to create a special day in May just for her. I love that they truly see the importance of celebrating each child. As part of her celebration, Caroline got to be line leader, weather girl, pledge leader, song leader, and calendar girl all in one day! Plus, she got to have a party with her friends, complete with birthday goodies. I was so busy getting ready for the party, I forgot to take my camera (kicking myself). But I did take plenty of pictures of the cupcakes I stayed up until 1 a.m. making. And I didn't even think they turned out all that spectacular. But when my little girl woke up the next morning and opened the fridge to get her milk, she saw them and said, "Oh Mommy, those are the most beautiful cupcakes I've ever seen!" And so my late night hours were all worth it.

After Caroline's party, I took the girls over to Colonial Downtown to take some pictures of them in their new outfits in some of Williamsburg's beautiful springtime gardens.

I had the most wonderful Mother's Day I could have asked for! My sweet, thoughtful parents met us in Lexington, Virginia for quite a memorable weekend. We visited the Natural Bridge and downtown Lexington. The girls were as thrilled as I was to see Nana and Pop. We enjoyed hiking through the woods, finding tadpoles in the streams, strolling the serene streets of historic Lexington, eating ice cream at a downtown shop, having a slumber party in our hotel, and daydreaming about which grand, victorian home we'd buy if we won the lottery.

Recently, we've been taking the girls to Yorktown a lot to spend time at the beach there. It's wonderfully clean and safe, and because it's right at the mouth where the York River meets the Chesapeake Bay, we get the benefits of a sandy, salt-water beach without crashing waves -- just what Caroline needed to get her over her fear of the water (well, anything other than bath water, that is). Everytime we go, of course, Caroline makes a new friend. And Claire loves letting the tide sweep over her feet so much, she eagerly tries to make her way back toward the water as soon as we try to dry her off.

I have much more to update, but I'm waiting until I have more photos to share. Stay tuned!

Do Old Fads Really Die Hard?

2008-04-23T10:28:00.002-04:00

So, what do you think? Is Claire taking her hair advice from Flock of Seagulls?

Nastalgia often creeps into our house in funny ways. When Caroline misbehaves in the van, her first consequence is often that Dave and I find an '80s station and sing at the top of our lungs. I think it just might be worse than Chinese water torture to her. There's just something about relentless rounds of "99 Luftballoons" that changes her attitude. :)

Speaking of great products of the '80s, I watched the Today Show a couple of weeks ago to find out that the New Kids on the Block are getting back together! Many of you probably don't share my enthusiasm (especially if you were a pre-teen male in 1989), but for those of you who were fans of the boys from Boston, look for them to perform live together for the first time in years on the Today Show sometime in May. Check out the famous boy band's Web site at http://www.nkotb.com/ to see how the years have treated them. Can you beleive they're pushing 40?!

I wonder what kind of music, hairstyles and clothing trends my kids will find to be cool? Or will the word "cool" make its way out of the limelight by then? :)

I am my Kids' Mom!

2008-04-17T12:51:00.007-04:00

These days I don't have much time to read, so books on CD have been some of my best friends in the van. It's amazing how fast one can finish a multi-chapter masterpiece just by popping it in the player for ten minutes here and there. Recently, I have fallen in love with the book Parenthood by Proxy, by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. For those of you who don't know who she is, check on my link to her Web site on the top, left-hand side of the my blog. She is truly a champion for families and, in particular, kids' most important need-- a mom and dad who put parenting far above any other responsiblity they have.

The subtitle of this book says it all, in my opinion. It reads, "Don't have them if you won't raise them." And so I would say to all of my parental readers: Skip out on primetime TV tonight, cook a meal with your kids, take a walk down your street as a family, read to your kids as many books as they desire (this is a BIG one with me), don't be afraid to tell your kids "no," find at least three ways every day to praise your children, and read Dr. Schlessinger's book.

Have a blessed day!

Long Time No Post!

2008-04-14T14:21:00.038-04:00

Okay, so it's been quite a while since I posted anything new! What a slacker I am! So, let's see... Since January, much has happened. Claire celebrated her first birthday in February! Here's a little tribute to my baby!

We had a wonderful time celebrating with Mom and Dad, as Dad and Claire share the same birthday! (Dad claims she is his baby since they "have the same birthday, you know.") :)

In March, we had a fabulous visit from our friends, Kypp and Neda, who live in Florida. We were so sad to see them go! It's amazing how we don't see some friends for so long, but when we finally get together it's like there was never any time apart...

Then we celebrated Easter at Mom and Dad's house:

Then, in April, we enjoyed a visit from our friends from Georgia: The Frix family and Courtney! Here, the girls are making smiley-face pizzas with tons of pepperoni! Miss you lots, friends!

And, of course, we've been enjoying Springtime in Williamsburg and the Historic Triangle! Some of the following pictures are from when two Flat Stanleys visited from Missouri! For those of you who don't know Flat Stanley, he is a fictional cartoon character that has been flattened by a billboard and often mails himself to friends around the world. Some teachers got the great idea to have their students mail their own Flat Stanleys to friends throughout the counrty and around the world. Those friends then are to take Flat Stanley around their neighborhoods and cities and take pictures of him taking part in local activities and seeing the sites! Well, our Flat Stanleys had a great time in Williamsburg and Jamestown!

Prayers for Nathan

2008-01-28T12:00:00.001-05:00

When Dave and I moved to metro Atlanta, we knew no one, and it was hard to make friends during a time when I wasn't out and about as much due to the fact that I was expecting Caroline. At about seven months along, I remember sitting and staring out of my window while Dave was at work. I was feeling particularly alone that day, and I wondered if I'd ever grow out of my homesickness for Tennessee. Well, it was like someone knew, without ever having met me, exactly how I felt. I got a call that afternoon from another mom with a young baby. She had heard about me from her husband (who worked at Dobbins ARB with Dave), and thought I might like to have lunch. She and her family had also just moved from Edward AFB, she knew no one as well, and we were both in new territory, having both just foregone our old jobs to stay at home with our kids. I met her for lunch that week, and she soon became one of the dearest friends I have. She entertained me while all I could do was wait to have my baby. She made grilled cheese and tomato soup for me and propped up my swollen feet. When Caroline was born, she was the first (other than family) to visit her. She taught me how to get Caroline down for a nap. Her son Nathan was Caroline's first playmate. And when Rachel and her family moved to Alabama, I couldn't have miss them more... There are few people out there like her -- the world needs a few more Rachel Ormsby's.

So now, when her sweet son, Nathan, is battling stage four Neuroblastoma (a form of childhood cancer), I want to drum up as much prayer support for him (and his whole family) as possible. Please pray that God will heal Nathan. Please pray for wisdom and discernment for the doctors. Please pray for a continual sense of hope for all. And most of all, please pray that God will seem near at all times.

Here is a link to Nathan's Caringbridge site:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nathanormsby

SNOW!

2008-01-19T21:31:00.000-05:00

Today the girls experienced their first real snow! Caroline had seen flurries before but never snow that has stuck to the ground, never a snow that she could play in-- until today! She is thrilled!

Once a nice, white sheet covered our lawn, we bundled the girls up and out they went. The first thing Caroline did was plop backward and make a snow angel. But her favorite activity was throwing snowballs at Mommy and Daddy. She has good aim, too! I took Claire out just long enough to let a few flakes fall on her nose. Then she and I headed inside to finish preparing our dinner of turkey and rosemary potatoes while Caroline and Daddy stayed outside to enjoy the snow.

After dinner, we sat next to the fire, and Caroline watched "Heidi" for the first time. Meanwhile, Claire found a new favorite yogurt flavor-- orange cream. Now Caroline and Daddy are watching one of my all-time favorites - "The Last Unicorn" - together.

It has been a very blessed and memorable day!

Dejavu

2008-01-16T17:14:00.000-05:00

These are some photos taken in Williamsburg of the historic courthouse and one of the colonial downtown shops. But look closely at the people in them... The buildings haven't changed much, but those four goofey characters sure have! These pictures were taken (I think) the summer before my freshman year in high school, which means it was 1990-- almost 18 year ago... We had just been to Washington D.C. and were making our way back to Knoxville. I have to say I appreciate Williamsburg much more now that I did as a teenager with an attitude. Dave and I are trying to teach Caroline to appreciate the history that surrounds her living here. She'll probably be my age before it really sinks in, but for now, we are having fun searching for pirates at the harbor in Jamestown. :)

I may have not appreciated it then, but I'm so glad my parents took the time to plan such thoughtful, fun family trips, whether they were week-long vacations, weekend camping trips or dad's famous improptu day trips Michelle and I lovingly termed "excursions." I find that I, too, love the spontaneous. In honor of dad's spontaneous spirit, I have recently found myself rounding up the fam for last-minute trips to D.C. and Virginia Beach, each day trips, all in one weekend. We even decided to head for D.C. directly after church that Sunday, still in our Sunday best. We must have been the best-dressed family at the Smithsonian.

I think the unexpectedness of it makes it much more exciting. Hope you can join us on a Frazier family excursion soon, Mom and Dad! You'd be proud.

A New Year, A New Blog!

2008-01-15T16:03:00.000-05:00

Hello friends and family! Since we don't live near most of you, this is our attempt to keep you posted with the latest (and greatest) Frazier Family happenings! Spread the news! :) We have officially settled in Williamsburg, Virginia, as Dave has started his new job as a safety engineer working for Jacobs Engineering at NASA Langley. He loves his new job, as do we, since it is both rewarding and schedule-friendly, as well as a move up in the safety world. Caroline is enjoying her new preschool, Claire is a month away from her big first birthday, and I keep my hair on fire juggling my roles as wife, mother, homemaker and student. We LOVE Williamsburg and am glad God sent us to this beautiful part of the world! We are still acting like tourists; it seems like every weekend we find a new discovery to explore here. Among our favorite spots are Colonial Williamsburg and Merchants Square, the Waterfront at Yorktown, the Yankee Candle store (much more than what you get in your local mall), recent excavations at Jamestown, and the NASA Langley Air and Space museum. Caroline is dying to spend a day at Virginia beach, but the weather just hasn't cooperated yet. I will try to keep my blog updated with fun stories and pictures. To catch everyone up, here are some pictures from the past couple of months. We miss all of our loved ones and hope you are all off to a great start in the new year!