Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
winding down....
Playing some music at the park...
Summer is winding down quickly, but we have some serious traveling left to do before school starts on August 9. We leave Thursday for a trip to Charleston, SC and I am really excited. Luke and Sara are meeting us there and I have always wanted to go! We are going to try to drive back through Savannah - another place I have always wanted to visit.
We return from that trip and leave 5 days after for Orlando and then Fort Lauderdale for a wedding.
Stephen is ready for anything at the fountains on the Eastenr Shore...
Summer is winding down quickly, but we have some serious traveling left to do before school starts on August 9. We leave Thursday for a trip to Charleston, SC and I am really excited. Luke and Sara are meeting us there and I have always wanted to go! We are going to try to drive back through Savannah - another place I have always wanted to visit.We return from that trip and leave 5 days after for Orlando and then Fort Lauderdale for a wedding.
Stephen is ready for anything at the fountains on the Eastenr Shore...
Friday, July 16, 2010
Sweet Macy...
In 2001 Jamey and I moved into our new house. Our first house as a couple. We pulled into the driveway. we could see 2 eyes shining in the darkness. A black dog - mostly lab we thought - wagged her tail at us as we got out of the car. "Go home" we told her. She just looked at us. Then she sat. "Look, Jamey, she can sit! " I said. She stood back up, I said "sit" and she did just that. Jamey then picked up a stick and threw it. She ran to get it, ran it back and dropped it at Jamey's feet.
"We can't keep a dog. We both work full time. We have a new house to take care of. We will put up some signs, put an ad in the paper. Someone obviously took care of her. Who in the world would abandon a dog like this?"
But she never left us. The vet estimated her at 2 years old, so we have no idea where she was before she came to us, and we had no idea how much she would mean to us through the next 9 years.
We named her Macy. When Jamey propsed to me in 2000, he sang part of a Macy Gray song to me, so we thought it was a good name. She learned it instantly.
"She will be an outside dog."
Right, I can't exactly remember, but Im willing to bet she did not spend one single night outside in the backyard. She moved right in and that was that.
She was ours and we loved her. Jamey worked nights at the mall back then and Macy was my companion. She was more than happy to sit right next to the bathtub while I took a bath at night, right next to me while I brushed my teeth and then right by the bed as I fell asleep. Jamey came in one night with a hat on and Macy did not recognize him. That is the only time I had a glimpse of her in a moment she felt compelled to protect me. He quickly called her name and she relaxed.
We loved her when we brought Ansley home from the hospital. We have video of bringing Ansley in the house for the first time and Macy going to look in the car seat at her with a gentle wag of her tail. In those foggy, emotional days after our babies came home from the hospital, she would sit right by my feet while I nursed and rocked, nursed and rocked. Many times we would find Macy asleep right next to the crib and then later next to the kids' beds.
I could not count the number of people who said how special Macy was. She would never think of jumping on someone or eating something without getting permission first. She loved the water. We would take her to the beach or lake and she would swim herself to exhaustion.
Sweet and gentle, she would lay as Ansley or Stephen climbed on her or sat on her or kissed her. Never once did I worry with her around. When it appeared a few years ago I may lose my job through cutbacks, I came home one day, sat down on the kitchen floor and cried. Macy sat right with me while I cried and cried and cried every tear I had held in for probably the past year or two. She let me cry with her head in my lap and hands and I was better for it.
She did not like for us to leave. We left her one time at a swanky boarding house for animals while we went on vacation. She worried herself sick - literally. So we never ever did that again. Sitters were brought to the house for her or she went to stay with my dad - where I am pretty sure she slept on the couch (with his full permission of course)
She loved playing fetch and she loved to sit by my dad who would sneak her bites of his supper.
When we lost her this week so suddenly....
She went for her checkup in May and was great. Healthy, aging, but looked great.
The past 2 weeks she was losing weight - losing interest in food - even people food. I think I knew in my heart before I was ready to admit it that something was wrong. Our trip to the vet Thursday confirmed my fears.
She was our first baby. Our sweet, gentle Macy who wanted nothing more that to love us and be with us. I hope we gave her all she deserved. I hope she was not scared in the end.
I have pictures of her I want to post - but its too hard to look right now..
I know for some without pets, this might be a tad difficult to understand. But for those who have made these bonds, who have spent years caring, you understand our pain.
I still catch myself looking for her....
"We can't keep a dog. We both work full time. We have a new house to take care of. We will put up some signs, put an ad in the paper. Someone obviously took care of her. Who in the world would abandon a dog like this?"
But she never left us. The vet estimated her at 2 years old, so we have no idea where she was before she came to us, and we had no idea how much she would mean to us through the next 9 years.
We named her Macy. When Jamey propsed to me in 2000, he sang part of a Macy Gray song to me, so we thought it was a good name. She learned it instantly.
"She will be an outside dog."
Right, I can't exactly remember, but Im willing to bet she did not spend one single night outside in the backyard. She moved right in and that was that.
She was ours and we loved her. Jamey worked nights at the mall back then and Macy was my companion. She was more than happy to sit right next to the bathtub while I took a bath at night, right next to me while I brushed my teeth and then right by the bed as I fell asleep. Jamey came in one night with a hat on and Macy did not recognize him. That is the only time I had a glimpse of her in a moment she felt compelled to protect me. He quickly called her name and she relaxed.
We loved her when we brought Ansley home from the hospital. We have video of bringing Ansley in the house for the first time and Macy going to look in the car seat at her with a gentle wag of her tail. In those foggy, emotional days after our babies came home from the hospital, she would sit right by my feet while I nursed and rocked, nursed and rocked. Many times we would find Macy asleep right next to the crib and then later next to the kids' beds.
I could not count the number of people who said how special Macy was. She would never think of jumping on someone or eating something without getting permission first. She loved the water. We would take her to the beach or lake and she would swim herself to exhaustion.
Sweet and gentle, she would lay as Ansley or Stephen climbed on her or sat on her or kissed her. Never once did I worry with her around. When it appeared a few years ago I may lose my job through cutbacks, I came home one day, sat down on the kitchen floor and cried. Macy sat right with me while I cried and cried and cried every tear I had held in for probably the past year or two. She let me cry with her head in my lap and hands and I was better for it.
She did not like for us to leave. We left her one time at a swanky boarding house for animals while we went on vacation. She worried herself sick - literally. So we never ever did that again. Sitters were brought to the house for her or she went to stay with my dad - where I am pretty sure she slept on the couch (with his full permission of course)
She loved playing fetch and she loved to sit by my dad who would sneak her bites of his supper.
When we lost her this week so suddenly....
She went for her checkup in May and was great. Healthy, aging, but looked great.
The past 2 weeks she was losing weight - losing interest in food - even people food. I think I knew in my heart before I was ready to admit it that something was wrong. Our trip to the vet Thursday confirmed my fears.
She was our first baby. Our sweet, gentle Macy who wanted nothing more that to love us and be with us. I hope we gave her all she deserved. I hope she was not scared in the end.
I have pictures of her I want to post - but its too hard to look right now..
I know for some without pets, this might be a tad difficult to understand. But for those who have made these bonds, who have spent years caring, you understand our pain.
I still catch myself looking for her....
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Summer Shots...
Slow down summer! we are having too much fun...
We made it through a few days of sickness (here are my 2 little sick ones on the couch)
Ansley and Carson finding a shady place..
Stephen enjoying the water slide in the backyard...
Ansley balancing down the middle..
It is HOT on this bike ride...
Cool at the water park...
cuttin' the grass.....
Our message to Jamey on Father's Day when he was out of town... we missed him so much!
We made it through a few days of sickness (here are my 2 little sick ones on the couch)
Ansley and Carson finding a shady place..
Stephen enjoying the water slide in the backyard...
Ansley balancing down the middle..
It is HOT on this bike ride...
Cool at the water park...
cuttin' the grass.....
Our message to Jamey on Father's Day when he was out of town... we missed him so much!
Monday, July 5, 2010
8 questions....
I was tagged by my good friend KPH to answer 8 questions she came up with and let me tell you - this is going to be hard!
So here are the questions my sweet friend Kelly came up with:
1. If your life was a sitcom, who would you cast to play yourself and your most important costars?
This is really tough b/c I never know anyone's name on TV. But I guess for me I choose Kellie Martin. Most of you will not know who she is, but she played in the Christy series, She played Lucy on ER and also Becca on Life Goes On - a series that came on around 1990. I think she has always seemed down to earth, fun, and has always played characters who seemed somewhat realistic.
And since I am choosing her - I will choose Noah Wiley from ER to play Jamey. Mostly b/c I think he is cute :) and they were sort of together on ER. Now how confusing is that!??
2. Outdoor concerts: Yay or Nay? And why?
Want to know what I think of when I think of outdoor concerts??? Jamey and I were together, not together, together, not together over the course of college years. One time. when we were NOT together, we went on a road trip with about 12 people to see the Counting Crows and the Wallflowers in Birmingham. I spent the whole time flirting with him , he spent the whole time pretending not to notice and his friends spent the whole time teasing him about me. We did NOT get together on that trip. But it was such a fun memory. So I say YAY for outdoor concerts.
3. If you could learn one skill tomorrow and be awesome at it, what would you pick and why?
Oh this is EASY - i need to learn Spanish. Seriously. It would make my life so much easier at work.
4. What would your name have been if you had been born the opposite gender?
I have no idea! I would have to ask my mom. Im guessing maybe Luke bc that is my younger brothers name.
5. Uhoh! Its Karaoke time. What do you sing?
Easy again - MJ. Michael Jackson - probably Billie Jean. Or Thriller. LOVE him!
6. What's your guilty pleasure?
I love celebrity gossip. People.com is a website I hit regulary. I also watch those awful shows with the Kardashians, The Girls Next Door and Kendra. Jamey HATES all 3 and they are too awful for me to watch in front of the kids so I watch them alone :)
7. What's #1 on the bucket list?
traveling with Jamey through Europe. It will happen one day.
8. Best thing you ever ate?
Well, today I ate my mom's homeade ice cream. It is an old recipe made with raw eggs. I have been eating it for 29 of my 30 years and I have not keeled over yet. I love it. But this question might have a different answer on another day....
So here are the questions my sweet friend Kelly came up with:
1. If your life was a sitcom, who would you cast to play yourself and your most important costars?
This is really tough b/c I never know anyone's name on TV. But I guess for me I choose Kellie Martin. Most of you will not know who she is, but she played in the Christy series, She played Lucy on ER and also Becca on Life Goes On - a series that came on around 1990. I think she has always seemed down to earth, fun, and has always played characters who seemed somewhat realistic.
And since I am choosing her - I will choose Noah Wiley from ER to play Jamey. Mostly b/c I think he is cute :) and they were sort of together on ER. Now how confusing is that!??
2. Outdoor concerts: Yay or Nay? And why?
Want to know what I think of when I think of outdoor concerts??? Jamey and I were together, not together, together, not together over the course of college years. One time. when we were NOT together, we went on a road trip with about 12 people to see the Counting Crows and the Wallflowers in Birmingham. I spent the whole time flirting with him , he spent the whole time pretending not to notice and his friends spent the whole time teasing him about me. We did NOT get together on that trip. But it was such a fun memory. So I say YAY for outdoor concerts.
3. If you could learn one skill tomorrow and be awesome at it, what would you pick and why?
Oh this is EASY - i need to learn Spanish. Seriously. It would make my life so much easier at work.
4. What would your name have been if you had been born the opposite gender?
I have no idea! I would have to ask my mom. Im guessing maybe Luke bc that is my younger brothers name.
5. Uhoh! Its Karaoke time. What do you sing?
Easy again - MJ. Michael Jackson - probably Billie Jean. Or Thriller. LOVE him!
6. What's your guilty pleasure?
I love celebrity gossip. People.com is a website I hit regulary. I also watch those awful shows with the Kardashians, The Girls Next Door and Kendra. Jamey HATES all 3 and they are too awful for me to watch in front of the kids so I watch them alone :)
7. What's #1 on the bucket list?
traveling with Jamey through Europe. It will happen one day.
8. Best thing you ever ate?
Well, today I ate my mom's homeade ice cream. It is an old recipe made with raw eggs. I have been eating it for 29 of my 30 years and I have not keeled over yet. I love it. But this question might have a different answer on another day....
Friday, July 2, 2010
making me smile...
a fellow blogger challenged her readers to make this list - so I challenge you guys! Can I really come up with 100 things?? I guess we will see.
100 Things That Make Me Smile:
1. Sleeping Babies
2. Real Letters that arrive in the mailbox
3. Santa Shopping
4. collecting sea shells
5. Planes that arrive on time
6. Thunderstorms when I am home for the day
7. little baby tomatos and watermelons in my backyard
8. my water aerobics class
9. reading blogs of people I know and love
10. listening to Ansley read
11. listening to my kids sing the soundtrack to Annie
12. texting my mom - especially when she uses :)
13. getting a movie in the mail from Netflix
14. the farmers market on Saturday mornings
15. crossing the finish line at my first 10K
16. Running with Shannan - the best running partner I could ask for
17. My kids whispering to each other
18. Girls nights to the movies
19. overnight trips with Jamey
20. planning vacations online
21. coffee
22. my church family
23. Howell Easterling reminding me to picture everyone naked but wearing socks when I speak in church
24. movies with Adam Sandler
25. walking on Main Street in Disney World
26. Wesley saying "As you Wish" in the Princess Bride
27. waking up on summer days and having no where to be
28. Watching my kids run through the sprinkler
29. Ansley's loose teeth
30. Stephen calling Ansley " Sissy"
31. Scooby Doo
32. Halloween
33. My moms Chicken and Dressing
34. Elizabeth's chocolate dipped strawberries
35. Eli's curls and grin
36. Seeing a movie opening weekend
37. The swingset in our backyard
38. flower headbands
39. Luke and Sara coming for a visit and setting up camp in Stephen's room
40. Scrapbooking
41. Friends I have known since I was very small
42. Friends that are coworkers
43. Emails during work from friends
44. Ansley's field trip days
45. Stephen calling erasers "wiper offer things"
46. Clean babies right after bathtime
47. Jamey talking with Stephen about his day.
48. Harry Potter books
49. Getting my hair cut and colored
50. Finding an outfit that looks good
51. browsing for books on amazon
52. texting with my friends
53. christmas lights
54. new friends
55. Riding bikes with Jamey and pulling the kids in the bike trailer
56. Zumba
57. a clean house
58. going to lunch with my mom
59. Jamey teasing me
60. my kids with their grandparents
61. my kids with the aunts, uncles and cousins
62. Christmas morning with my parents and Luke and Sara and Jamey's parents and Elizabeth here with us.
63. playing the Wii
64. Reading my Real Simple magazine
65. puppies
66. taking my kids on mission trips
67. watching my kids run through the sprinkler
68. The home daycare where Stephen goes each day
69. texts from "my person" Jillean
70. Hugs and Kisses from my babies
71. reconnecting with old friends on facebook
72. packing my kids suitcases for their sleepovers at grandparents houses
73.Old Dutch Ice Cream shop
74. Secret jokes between good friends
75. New York with a blanket of snow
76. Cabins in the mountains
77. the beach
78. dualing piano bars
79. picking blackberries
80. candles
81. getting my carpets cleaned
82. being married to my prom date
83. watching my kids perform the stage version of Peter Pan
84. Ansley making chicken and dumplings with her great grandmother
85. Stephen traipsing through the yard with his great grandpa
86. My lunch group at work
87. Kindergartners the first week of school
88. The childrens section of the library
89. pedicures and facials...and massages
90. finding money in my pockets
91. listening to Jamey talk about a day of golfing
92. baking
93. having a neighbor who I can chat with and swap childcare
94. inviting lots of people over for a cookout
95. watching my kids jump on the beds the morning of a Disney World day
96. my new wreath
97. kisses on my kids' bellies
98. the fact we have a 2000 square foot house and all 4 of us spend most of our time in probably 10 square feet -including the 2 dogs
100. Sunshine filled days of swimming and snacking
100 Things That Make Me Smile:
1. Sleeping Babies
2. Real Letters that arrive in the mailbox
3. Santa Shopping
4. collecting sea shells
5. Planes that arrive on time
6. Thunderstorms when I am home for the day
7. little baby tomatos and watermelons in my backyard
8. my water aerobics class
9. reading blogs of people I know and love
10. listening to Ansley read
11. listening to my kids sing the soundtrack to Annie
12. texting my mom - especially when she uses :)
13. getting a movie in the mail from Netflix
14. the farmers market on Saturday mornings
15. crossing the finish line at my first 10K
16. Running with Shannan - the best running partner I could ask for
17. My kids whispering to each other
18. Girls nights to the movies
19. overnight trips with Jamey
20. planning vacations online
21. coffee
22. my church family
23. Howell Easterling reminding me to picture everyone naked but wearing socks when I speak in church
24. movies with Adam Sandler
25. walking on Main Street in Disney World
26. Wesley saying "As you Wish" in the Princess Bride
27. waking up on summer days and having no where to be
28. Watching my kids run through the sprinkler
29. Ansley's loose teeth
30. Stephen calling Ansley " Sissy"
31. Scooby Doo
32. Halloween
33. My moms Chicken and Dressing
34. Elizabeth's chocolate dipped strawberries
35. Eli's curls and grin
36. Seeing a movie opening weekend
37. The swingset in our backyard
38. flower headbands
39. Luke and Sara coming for a visit and setting up camp in Stephen's room
40. Scrapbooking
41. Friends I have known since I was very small
42. Friends that are coworkers
43. Emails during work from friends
44. Ansley's field trip days
45. Stephen calling erasers "wiper offer things"
46. Clean babies right after bathtime
47. Jamey talking with Stephen about his day.
48. Harry Potter books
49. Getting my hair cut and colored
50. Finding an outfit that looks good
51. browsing for books on amazon
52. texting with my friends
53. christmas lights
54. new friends
55. Riding bikes with Jamey and pulling the kids in the bike trailer
56. Zumba
57. a clean house
58. going to lunch with my mom
59. Jamey teasing me
60. my kids with their grandparents
61. my kids with the aunts, uncles and cousins
62. Christmas morning with my parents and Luke and Sara and Jamey's parents and Elizabeth here with us.
63. playing the Wii
64. Reading my Real Simple magazine
65. puppies
66. taking my kids on mission trips
67. watching my kids run through the sprinkler
68. The home daycare where Stephen goes each day
69. texts from "my person" Jillean
70. Hugs and Kisses from my babies
71. reconnecting with old friends on facebook
72. packing my kids suitcases for their sleepovers at grandparents houses
73.Old Dutch Ice Cream shop
74. Secret jokes between good friends
75. New York with a blanket of snow
76. Cabins in the mountains
77. the beach
78. dualing piano bars
79. picking blackberries
80. candles
81. getting my carpets cleaned
82. being married to my prom date
83. watching my kids perform the stage version of Peter Pan
84. Ansley making chicken and dumplings with her great grandmother
85. Stephen traipsing through the yard with his great grandpa
86. My lunch group at work
87. Kindergartners the first week of school
88. The childrens section of the library
89. pedicures and facials...and massages
90. finding money in my pockets
91. listening to Jamey talk about a day of golfing
92. baking
93. having a neighbor who I can chat with and swap childcare
94. inviting lots of people over for a cookout
95. watching my kids jump on the beds the morning of a Disney World day
96. my new wreath
97. kisses on my kids' bellies
98. the fact we have a 2000 square foot house and all 4 of us spend most of our time in probably 10 square feet -including the 2 dogs
100. Sunshine filled days of swimming and snacking
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
It has been over a MONTH since my last post! Our computer went to that great electronics dumpster in the sky...so no computer has been rough. We both have internet on our phones, so we haven't been 100% disconnected. But let me tell you - I have computer dependent and I am not ashamed to say it. Paying bills online, news, weather - I am addicted.
So here are a few highlights from The Duke Family:
1. We have a new addition - no, not the 2 legged kind - the 4 legged kind. Tilly is a 3 month old black puppy we adopted and let me tell you, puppies are a TRIP. Its like a toddler on speed. She is all over the place, wants to chew everything and is scared of the sound of the toilet flushing. She will run and hide under the armchair if she hears it. She is funny and sweet but we have a lot of work to do. We are learning right along with her, and if I can get her trained before Jamey drop kicks her into the next zip code (Kidding, kidding animal lovers out there!) I think she will be a good dog for our family. She annoys the heck out of Macy - but I think Macy kind of likes the company.
2. We traveled to South Dakota on a mission trip with a group from our church. I know a lot of you saw the pictures on facebook but I will load a few on here for those family members not on facebook.
3. I joined a gym! Yes, I did it. This one has childcare and a pool and I have really enjoyed going. I know I am still in the honeymoon phase of working out but I honestly am enjoying it. I have several friends going too and Im starting to meet new people there. Hopefully this means I will have some success in the baby weight losing department (can I call it baby weight when Stephen is 3?? Of COURSE I can)
4. Jamey and I will be married 10 years in December this year. He tells me, choose Vegas or skiing - oh my gosh that is a hard decision, but let me tell you, I am already looking forward to this trip that has not destination yet! We will be gone the week before Christmas and will actually be there on our anniversary. We went to Las Vegas for part of our Honeymoon, so I'm leaning toward that for sentimental reasons...but I am enjoying researching different trips right now. 10 years. Woah. That is A LOT. The average marriage in America lasts 7 years (or so I have heard). I can't imagine life without him...
5. We are enjoying our summer break. Well, the kids and I are anyway. Poor Jamey has worked almost every day at 3 seperate jobs. I am proud of him and thankful for his willingness to work so we can get a new computer soon and plan our anniversary trip. Stephen still goes to his sitter a few times a week for the summer and she recently took the kids to learn about safety from a "real policeman" and "McGruff the Crying Dog" . Stephen was confused that McGruff never actually cried....
Here are a few pictures...
Ok, so I can't get the pictures to move on this little netbook (grrrr) so you have already seen them up at the top of this post)
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