This past weekend we took a quick trip down to Georgia to see Tim's parents.  We had a good, low key visit and got to see Miss Myra and her friend Connie while down there!!  So very good to see her.  While there, we ate at Cracker barrel...twice, played outside, watched the Republican debate (because who doesn't, right??), went on walks with the dogs (which wore them out because they never take walks) and bummed around.  It's nice to be able to actually drive to see family.

Weekly Roundup

Last week was quite the doozy.  The kids LOVED the snow, but I think they spent a little too much time outdoors....causing both of them to get cold's.  Theo's came and went (thankfully...since his can escalate quickly sometimes!), but Madelyn's is still lingering.  We moved the humidifier over to her room and pumping down the tylenol and ocassional cough medicine.  Hoping she's on the mend this week.  We meet their new doctor next week so if all else fails, we already have an appt. made.

sick MJ

We've spent a lot of time together since the town shuts down during snow.  It was been so good and refreshing.  Life has been a little crazy over the past year and we haven't been able to do this enough.  Also thankful for a Pastor who is a family man and makes it a priority for Tim to take time with his family instead of work all the time.  I've been able to get to know his wife and daughter over the past couple weeks.  We've even started exercising at a gym together :)  I did jazzercise in Seattle and really enjoyed it.  The one here is about 30 minutes away...which means I'd probably never go.  The gym we joined has childcare included (woohoo!) and a bunch of classes.

Bubba and Tim got their first haircuts here a few days ago.  A gal that goes to Salem cuts hair at a salon downtown.  She did a really good job and was so fast!  Theo did say he misses Miss Julia :( me too buddy.  We've been texting she and Miss Isabel.  So fun to get to chat with them!

playing with mommy's phone

bubba's first haircut with Miss Ashley

Snow Day

Today marks our first "snow day" in Knoxville.  The weather channel predicted that it would start this morning and what do you know, it did.  A friend posted on fb last night that school was canceled for Wednesday already.  What??  This is new.  So I went to the school website and ,what do you know, since snow was in the forecast for the next morning they decided to close school.  In both Arkansas and Seattle, if school was canceled, it didn't happen until the morning of.  When it was definitely sticking and slick enough not to drive.  I remember one time when my brother and I were in high school and it was definitely snowing in the morning, but they didn't cancel school because it wasn't bad enough.  Halfway through the day they decided to let us out early because it was snowing even harder.  It took us HOURS to get back to the house and was definitely not safe to drive in.  Same thing happened when I was working at the school district in Seattle. Knoxville - smart move on canceling early.  I went back to look at their school calendar and they have 10 built in snow days before they add days onto the end of school.

The kids knew they might wake up to snow so they were soo excited when they looked out the window this morning.  We ate breakfast then they headed outside to play.  They made snow angels, tried building Olaf and went sledding.  Then it was time to thaw out and have some hot chocolate...and watch Frozen :)  After rest time we're planning to make some snow ice cream, yum!  The buckets are out and overflowing already. 

crazy Daisy checking it out

 

Monster Jam

A few pictures from Monster Jam that Tim was at a few nights ago...

Tim & Allen (Senior Pastor)

Weekly Roundup

Well, here we are...Saturday night.  Tim is with a group of guys at a Monster Truck Rally.  Never thought I'd hear myself say that.  I told him I would go if he didn't to...maybe next time!  Hopefully he'll take some video.  We had a good week.  Still settling in and unpacking...slowly unpacking.  We grabbed some storage shelves for the garage so that will help get some boxes up and off the ground at least!  Still working on finding a dining table and hutch to put some dishes in.

Salem had a welcome reception for us last Sunday night.  It was really nice.  This week the kids had preschool, team kid, dance class, kids choir at Salem and then we went out and about checking out the town on their days off.  I had my first MOPS meeting this week at a church in the community.  It's a smaller group than the one I was previously in, but it's easier to get to know everyone this way.  Today we went to a new friend's birthday party at a trampoline/jump around place close to our house.  The kids LOVED it!

silly bubba coloring

putting together our kids area in the kitchen

Disney themed night at Team Kid

momma and mickey

milkshakes at Chick-fil-a

 in her new shirt from Miss Nova

Dance class!

eating lunch

first day of preschool (last week)

in his new (and still in the works) kid area downstairs

mexican food!

Transition Update

Well, it's been a BUSY month...here's a run down of all that has happened....

Most of y'all know we moved out of our place near the beginning of December.  It was suppose to take the moving truck about 2 weeks to get to Knoxville so we planned to stay with our friends Tom and Izzy for a week before we flew out to my parents house in Arkansas. Right before this week we had the Edgewood Music Recital and Going Away Reception at EBC.  During this week, we had our Christmas Dessert at Edgewood, Madelyn's dance recital, Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach and the kids' last days of Preschool and Cubbies. All went well, but it was definitely a pretty emotional last week and weekend for us.  Even though we are excited about new relationships and new ministries ahead, it was hard to say goodbye to so many great friends in Seattle.

last get together with special friends

EBC preschool choir

going away reception at Edgewood

Shaun/Tim music academy recital

  

last days at preschool

Lights of Christmas

Dance Recital

Christmas Dessert

special time with Mrs. Herbison

time with the Harshaw's

donuts with the Hunter's

with mi amiga, Michelle

with Mill and Myra

last Sunday morning

with Grandma Izzy and Grandpa Tom

last night in Seattle with friends

After the program, we hopped on a plane with the kids and the dogs to head to Arkansas.  Everyone was great and we got there in one piece, whew!  A couple days after we got there, just about everyone in the family got a stomach bug.  So gross.  Our moving truck was also stuck in a snowstorm and ended up being delayed about a week.  Which meant more time in Arkansas!  We enjoyed Christmas with my family then Tim and I drove to Knoxville the day after to setup and start unpacking.  A group from our new church came over a couple days after to help us paint...thanks friends!  I would have taken us for.e.ver to paint it all ourselves.  Very grateful for this new church family.  I then flew back to AR to pick up the kids and my mom.  We drove out the next day to head back to Knoxville.  The kids did pretty well in the car (thank you technology!).  Mom stayed for a couple days to help out while we continued unpacking and setting up.  Tim and I celebrated 11 years of marriage on New Year's Eve!  We'll hopefully go on a mini vaca once things settle down a bit :). 

May 2007

 December 2015

seat by myself on the first leg! (that baby's name is Madelyn..spelled the same way)

painting nails with Aunt Crystal

guitar with Uncle G

  

with Steve, Angela and Ian

riding the train at Creekmore

  

baking birthday cake for Jesus

meeting baby Ben

  

movie date

drummin'

with Greg, Crystal, Garrett & Ben

  

Christmas morning

 with Uncle Wade

1st Road Trip

2nd Road Trip

painting

 

We're now slowly getting settled and finding a groove in our new home.  The kids have started their new preschool which they are enjoying.  We are enjoying getting to know new friends at our church.  Tim really enjoys working with the staff and it seems like it's going to be a great fit for us. 

 

It has been a very eventful month for us, but we are happy to finally be here and excited to see what God has in store for us in this new ministry and new community.