I'm not sure if any of you are fans of Antique Roadshow on PBS, but I sure am! It is my favorite show. For those that don't know anything about the show, people bring their family treasures or items they bought at a garage or estate sale to have them appraised by experts. You can learn more about the show by going to their website.

Click here to see a video of the appraisal of the highest priced item ever shown on Antiques Roadshow. You'll just love the sweet man who owns the blanket. There are also video clips from the remaining top 10 items brought to the show.

We had a full house Monday at our cook-out! Even though it was in the temperature was in the low 90s, we had a blast! Here's some pictures:




Rob














Rob and Tom trying to take down the canopy with a few helpers















Robert reading to the boys

Samuel, Andrew, Noah



Brooke and Keith



Kids' Table



Cutie Caden!





Shelley and Hannah trying to stay cool in the house





Chandra and Ally - I wonder where Ally gets those blue eyes!





Piersen





Shanon - Piersen's mom





Amy

I can't believe you are 9 years-old today, Samuel!! Happy Birthday!

After getting up at 5:30, and working like crazy people until our first customers arrived at 6:42 (to a 7:30) garage sale, we are finished! We are all worn out! But we did enjoy spending 10 hours with Brian and Zerita. Thanks to my mother-in-law for volunteering to watch the boys!

Here's a recap of our profits:
Garage Sale Total (4 families) - $555.70
We made $321.05! We were thrilled with that total. When you add in the Ebay, consignment, and the used book sales we are at a grand total of $485 which is going straight into our vacation fund - except the money for dinner after the sale! All the work was definitely worth it.

What did I learn from this sale?
1. Sort your kids' clothes by size in bins.
2. Don't take a shower - you'll get all sweaty.
3. Selling cold drinks is smart - especially when it's 87 degrees!
4. Have plans to get rid of the things that don't sell. Then you don't have to look at it.
5. Have plenty of bags for peoples' purchases.
4. Have fun!







BEFORE SHOT
This is just a small portion of all the stuff!



TOYS!
















We couldn't even sell this chair for a dime! It went to the dump!











This picture is in honor of our friends, Brad (Chandra's husband) and Laura. The four of us took a picture just like this while shopping for a Christmas party for our Singles' Ministry about 5 years ago. Wish you two could have been in the picture!







AFTER SHOT















A tired Rob removes all the signs

In an effort to get rid of some extra stuff we have lying around, we are having a garage sale on Saturday. If you've ever had one, you know how time consuming they can be...all the sorting, pricing, arranging, etc. Hopefully our trash will be another's treasures. I started the process with different stacks - Ebay, kids' consigment store, used books, garage sale, charity, and trash. If you are in town, we'll be here! We have a lot of stuff (along with Kristie, Brian and Zerita, Heidi, and Cindy) so come by if you "need" anything. I'll let you the final total after we come up for air.

Monday was our somewhat monthly "park day." Several moms and their little ones met at a park to play and have lunch together. Recently, we've had to move park day to the church gym because of the weather. Yesterday, I was determined to get outside - even with rain threatening. We made it at the park for about 40 minutes before the rain started. Then we moved to our house. We had 5 moms, 4 babies, 8 toddlers/preschoolers here.




(Nicole - If you want to know who belongs to what mom, just email me.)

Today is Rob's birthday! Thanks for being such a wonderful husband and father! I love you!

I borrowed these pictures from Kristie's blog. They're just too cute not to share!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear Kristie! Happy Birthday to you!

"35 is a very attractive age; London society is full of women who have, of their own free choice, remained 35 for years." - Oscar Wilde

Ok - this one is obviously staged. Chandra and I couldn't believe that we actually got them to do it. (It looks more like "What's in my ear? I'm really not looking. I can't believe you just did that.")

What do you do to entertain two toddlers who eat crayons, and a mother who isn't patient enough for playdough and not crazy enough for finger paint?

We shut all the doors in the hallway, and we run, jump, crawl and slither like a snake!


Holding Hands while Hopping



Ready, Set, Go!





Jonathan the Snake





Running together!






Getting in the crawling position

Today, for Mother's Day, I was asked to honor my best friend, Kristie, at church. I wanted to share it with those who didn't hear it at church.

Titus 2 3-5 says: “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and to train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their husbands, that the word of God my not be reviled.”

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to honor my best friend, Kristie, on Mother’s Day. Even though we will both celebrate the same milestone birthday very soon, in my eyes she is an “older” woman because she has been and remains an excellent example to me. She is one who displays amazing humility and one who has taught me about biblical womanhood by her example.

Although Kristie and I met at freshman orientation in 1989, our friendship didn’t really begin until 1991. By that time we had both become Christians and were active members in Volunteers for Christ. Throughout college, we were inseparable.

Here’s where the “older woman” characteristics start to emerge. In 1996 Kristie married Matt. Their first son, Samuel, was born a year later with a second son, Josh, arriving 14 months later and Noah arriving 2 years after that. Needless to say, Kristie was a very busy woman as she was caring for her family. All this time, I was a single woman desiring to be married and have my own family. I frequently babysat for the Cormany family during this time. I had countless opportunities to see God’s work in Kristie’s life. I observed her being very patient with her young boys and growing in submission to her husband. She enjoyed being at home even if it was an 800 square foot apartment (with 5 people in it). Her servant’s heart was evident during this time. Even though she might not have realized it, she was serving me by allowing me to be a part of her family. Many times after work, I would ring the doorbell - just in time for a home-cooked meal. I loved being with her family since I didn’t have one of my own, and Kristie always graciously took me in without complaint. She fed me; she counseled me and corrected me. She even threw a surprise 30th birthday party for me. All of this while having three boys under three years old.

As the years pass, I have seen Kristie grow in humility. She’s always quick to admit when she’s wrong. She asks for any observations I see regarding her children. She is careful not to gossip or slander others, and she genuinely wants to serve people– whether that’s by making meals for families in her care group, keeping her friends’ children - usually after a last minute call for help, lining up others to serve, calling others to check-in on them, inviting families over for a meal. On Christmas Day 2003, Kristie and her family brought dinner to Rob and me at the hospital after the early arrival of our boys.

Here we are 17 years later, and our friendship has only grown (so have our families). Kristie, you have been there with me on the best day of my life and the worst day of my life – from my wedding day to my mother’s funeral. I am so grateful that God kept our friendship strong even when you were a wife and mother of three (now four) boys and I was a single woman with no prospect for marriage (that I could see.) Now that I have a husband and two young boys, I am grateful for the opportunities I had to observe you as you cared for your family. Thank you, Kristie, for always being there – for always being my friend and for leading by example. I know you are only 6 weeks older than me but you are still my favorite “older” woman. Happy Mother’s Day!

Don't these four look like the Beverly Hillbillies!

Ashlee and Marshall's mom, Heidi, and I switch out keeping each other's kids once a week so that we can run errands, etc without extra "helpers." Heidi is 7 months pregnant with a baby girl. So things may have to slow down a bit for her!

The boys' language development has been skyrocketing lately. I'm constantly amazed at this aspect of their development.





Jonathan's latest word is glober. You may need a little background to understand this one. His pediatrician is named Dr. Glover. What do doctors use every time you visit? This picture should help you figure out what a glober is.




Henry has decided to make a word that is already a possessive even more possessive. He's turned MY into MICE. I guess in his little head he decided to add an 's to my.

Yesterday we were meandering the aisles of Sam's Club when Rob stumbled upon a great set of books. It is 12 unabridged hardback classics for $14.88! We swiped them up too quickly to see if there was another set with different books. So, if you visit Sam's Club any time soon, check out the book section.

We all remember our children's first steps, first teeth, first bath, etc. Last night we got to witness our boys' first prayer. Recently, every time we would pray with the boys, they was ask us to pray for Poppaw ("Pray Poppaw"). After we prayed for Poppaw, they wanted to pray for Nana. Last night, Rob told the boys that they could pray for Poppaw and Nana. Henry said, "God Poppaw Amen." Jonathan was next. He said, "God Nana Amen."

Henry is anxiously waiting for the next bubble.



Jonathan almost has one!



I'll get it!














We lost one over the fence.

When Kristie and I were roommates in graduate school, I don't think either one of us imagined that we'd have six boys between the two of us. What a joy it is to see them all together!


Samuel and Josh



Henry and Jonathan



The Crew



More of the Crew



The Three Little Guys



Gabe, Jonathan and Noah