Easter 2009

It is amazing to compare our family picture from 15 years ago...and now today! :)

We are growing into such an amazing family! :0

We had the best Easter ever this year! We started off our day by going to church with my family in Newport! We filled our entire pew...with Elizabeth and her boyfriend, Caleb....my mom and dad...Wes, McKenzie, and I...and my brother even came in from Maryland! :)

After church we spent time taking family pictures! It was so much fun!

Kenzie said she had taken too many pictures...I told her she was crazy!

You can never take too many pictures!

Yes, I am OCD! I had to make sure all of our outfits matched...even Wes' tie! :)

McKenzie is growing up so fast...

She was excited that the Easter bunny visited us!

Stressed, but happy! :)

I thank God for my wonderful friends on a daily basis. Although I don't get to see them as often as I would like to, I still love them all! :) When Wes and I moved to Knoxville I was so afraid that not only would I lose touch with my old friends, but I could never possibly find any new friends. Not only have I been able to remain in contact with most of my old friends, but I have even made some new friends along the way! :)

Over the last month I have struggled with patience in more than one way. With a million things on my plate, at times I have just wanted to climb in bed and sleep all day. Then I must think to myself, I signed up for this! In 2007 I graduated from ETSU with a degree in Criminology and Psychology. I always thought that I would go to law school or medical school or something like that, but when it came down to it, that was NOT what I wanted to do at all! Anyone that has spent much time around me knows how much I love children! When I graduated college I decided I wanted to spend each day surrounded by children. I now work for the Department of Children's Services, and I can honestly say I LOVE IT. Each day I go to work I know that I am making a difference in a child's life. Since I work for the state, I figured I might as well continue my education...since they will $pay$ for it. I began ETSU's Masters of Arts and Teaching (MAT) program in August 2008. Although it is tons of fun, and I look forward to one day having my teaching degree, I am truly overwhelmed right now. Working a full-time job and taking 10 hours of graduate level classes in not necessarily the easiest thing I have ever done in my life! Thank goodness I have a supportive husband and family.

Whenever I need to smile, I just pull out this CUTE picture of my husband when he was little. I can't wait to have a little boy one day...maybe he will be this cute! :)

Sometimes you just need a chocolate covered strawberry! :)

25 Things about ME

1) I had a Coarctation of the Aorta at the age of 4.
2) I have always loved children! When I was in 4th grade I told my mom I was going to have 12 kids. I even had all their names picked out!
3) I saved a 10 month old baby by doing CPR at a Kohl’s department store. I suppose all those lifeguarding classes paid off.
4) I began college as a pre-med major…wanting to be a pediatric cardiologist…I ended college with a criminology/psychology major…wanting to become a lawyer. I was accepted to UT Law School and declined because I wanted to work with children on a daily basis.
5) I attended the Summer Olympics in Atlanta and did a presentation for my 4th grade class when I returned. I watched Michael Johnson toss his gold shoes in the TRASH CAN while somebody dove in after them!
6) I bought my first house at the ripe old age of 22.
7) I graduated college with my Bachelor’s degree in 3 years and I have yet to regret it…although everyone said I would.
8) I will not go to bed without brushing my teeth and washing my face…in that order. I won’t let my husband get into bed without brushing his teeth either! It drives him crazy.
9) I lived in a 12 X 12 dorm room (or box) with Alison Winter for an entire year and we NEVER had one argument!
10) I bit my fingernails all the time. I have tried to stop many times, but have never succeeded. I will accept any suggestions.
11) I am working on my Masters in Arts and Teaching right now, but don’t know if I will ever actually teach. I just enjoy continuing my education.
12) My husband is my best friend. He is my shoulder to cry on and the arms I jump in when I am excited! He is amazing!
13) It drives me crazy when people mix up THERE and THEIR and TO and TOO!
14) I enjoy relating my life to country songs. My radio is almost always on 107.7…only so I can hear the next song…that might be my life in a nut shell.
15) My 6th grade teacher asked us to write a paper about our life in a nut shell and I wrote exactly that….”If I lived in a nut shell I would be very bored. I would not have any room….etc. It would be crowded!” LOL I guess it was the first time I had ever heard anyone say “Life in a Nut Shell.” Luckily she let me redo it without too much embarassment.
16) Although I absolutely love soccer, I regret not playing basketball in high school. Even though I am married to a coach…I blame the girls’ basketball coach at the time for me deciding not to play. I still loving playing basketball from time to time.
17) I make random noises and always have. I love walking through the house and just screaming for no reason. It used to scare my grandmother! She would make me go outside and run around the house. My husband has finally gotten used to it…I think!
18) Watching my grandmother surfer through Alzheimers was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but watching my mom take care of her with minimal assistance was even harder.
19) Very few people have seen my RED HEAD TEMPER, but trust me I have it!
20) My dad has eaten the same thing for breakfast for over 25 years….one grapefruit, V8 Juice, and Just Right Cereal (now Basic 4). My brother, sister and I would have to ask him on Monday morning to take us to Hardee’s on Thursday…just so we didn’t mess up his routine. I wonder where I get my crazy routines from?
21) When I smile my tongue sticks through my teeth. I absolutely hate it, but when I considered getting it fixed with veneers my husband said “I think it’s cute” so I decided not to fix it.
22) I despise emptying the dishwasher. That was my one chore when I was growing up…so now I would rather wash dishes by hand the empty the dishwasher.
23) I have never taken/smoked any illegal drugs. Everytime I was offered I would just say “I want to be able to tell my kids that I never did that.”
24) I absolutely love Reduced Fat Cheez-Its, but I don’t really like the regular Cheez Its. I buy at least two boxes everytime I am at the store alone.
25) I enjoy driving fast. My husband can’t stand it! He just doesn’t understand that the more he complains about my driving, the faster I am going to drive. Is that bad?

It's Getting Cold Outside~

Our family went camping in Hot Springs. We hiked to an old prison war camp.

The trees were so beautiful!

Wes just completed his first season at HVA. He has the best coaching staff in the state...I swear~

I am so excited about next year! Come out and support the Hawks!

The HVA football banquet was held at The Foundry this year.
Wes was awarded the Most Valuable Hawk Award for helping to build "Hawk Football."

We were so original...we dressed up as a football player and a coach for Halloween!

Wes and I had a great time at the HVA banquet!

Wow...I cannot believe it has been 4 months~

Being married is wonderful! I can't believe I have been married for 4 months already~

My husband, Wes, has been crazy busy starting a new football program at Hardin Valley Academy. We are looking forward to the season ending banquet!

My step-daughter McKenzie is wonderful. She is nine years old and is doing great in the 4th grade this year. She just finished an amazing soccer season and is excited about basketball!

Mr brother, Will, still lives in Maryland! We miss him so much, but can't wait to see him on Thanksgiving! That's him reading a book on our cruise last Christmas!

My sister, Elizabeth, is a Freshman at UT! She is doing great and loves being a member of the Orange Nation! You can read her blog at http://blogs.utk.edu/elizabeth/index.shtml Although she lives in Knoxville...I don't see her as much as I would like! That's her riding her horse!

Love and Marriage! :)

Above are some pictures from our HONEYMOON!


So Wes and I celebrated our 2 week anniversary yesterday....lol...by canning beans and chopping wood. What better way to end the honeymoon...haha!
We had a wonderful weekend.



Today we went to church with our friends Francis and Justin and their twin boys. We really enjoyed the church and look forward to finding a new church home soon. Please pray for us as we visit churches and make our decision! :)

HVA Football

Wes is enjoying the ups and downs of starting a new football program at HVA!

I hope everyone will be able to come out and support his team this year.

8/14 Time TBA Jamboree @ Knox Central
8/16 Time TBA Freshmen Jamboree @ Powell
8/25 5:30 PM Oak Ridge HOME Freshman only
8/25 7:00 PM Jefferson County HOME JV only
9/4 6:00 PM Seymour HOME Freshman only
9/8 6:30 PM Oliver Springs HOME JV only
9/11 6:30 PM Clinton HOME Freshman only
9/15 5:30 PM Fulton AWAY JV & Freshman
9/22 5:30 PM Austin East HOME Freshman & JV
9/29 5:30 PM Campbell County HOME Freshman only
10/6 6:00 PM Pigeon Forge HOME JV only
10/13 6:00 PM CAK AWAY JV only
10/14 6:30 PM Morristown West HOME Freshmen only
10/20 5:30 PM Catholic AWAY JV & Freshman