Callaway Gardens 2008

We had a GREAT time.We went with my parents (thanks Mom and Pops!) and stayed for 3 nights back in the beginning of June. I hadn't been since I was younger, but for all you families who want a fun vacation thats not too far away- this one is a great idea! I've put pics from the butterfly house on here- it was a favorite of Kiley's and a really neat place-Don't forget to check out the safari adventure while you're in Pine Mountian! You get to drive their vans thru the safari animal preserve and feed the animals- this was really neat, of course, Shane was the biggest kid of all. ( Check out Shane w/ the giraffe.....hmmm! That's great honey-now lets make out....EWW!) We had great food and there was the CUTEST ice cream shop called the Purple Cow- believe me I gained a few lbs. there :) But more than anything I think my favorite part was just hanging out with the fam. at the pool in the afternoons- Ki and I got to spend some girl time tanning thanks to Daddy (he took Tate to nap in the room) and that was such a fun time for us girls. Just hanging out talking about nothing and catching some rays! Anyhoo- summer is flying by as always. We still have our home on the market and are waiting for God's direction on that. Please pray for us in this market! Kiley and Tate are finally starting to really enjoy each other- they play a lot during the day which helps me out and I LOVE hearing how much they laugh at each other and pretend play. It's SUCH a blessing to have children. We are going away this weekend (over the 4th) . I have planned a trip for the 4 of us- to a destination that Shane has no clue about! I planned it all and will tell him where we are headed when we are headed there. This is something I've always wanted to do for him( a surprise trip)....and we'll see how he likes it. It's not somewhere far away or anything exotic, just somewhere different than home. I'll write more about it later- since I can't let the secret out yet!

Like father, like son....

So, I've written a good bit about Kiley, mainly because she's 4 and can verbalize her feelings, thoughts, etc. not to intentionally exclude Tate :) But he has his own special way to communicate with us even though his most clearly spoken words at this point are words like, "ball", "mama", "dada", "woo,woo", "meow" and so on. So as many of you parents can relate, most nights he ends up in our bed at some point. He goes to bed in his bed but rarely stays there. Well, a couple nights ago it was about 2:40am, Shanes asleep beside me and Tate had just awakened and I picked him up and put him between us. Not often does Shane snore, but he had been sick with sinus congestion and that often leads to pretty loud snoring. So Tate and I were laying there trying to go back to sleep and here Shane goes...sawing some zzzzz's. I opened my eyes because I was facing Tate (he was laying on his back with his head on my pillow) and I could see that his eyes were opened I just closed my eyes again thinking he would soon drift off to sleep despite the commotion from Daddy's side of the bed. After a few minutes of some pretty loud snoring I gently tapped Shanes leg under the covers trying to rouse him enough to get him to stop. That didn't make a dent so I decided to just ignore it -seeing he does work SOOOO hard for us and has to get up SOOOO early for work...(thank you baby!) When I did that I noticed Tates eyes were still open - at that exact moment Tate looked over at me and made this noise that sounded like he was trying to clear his throat. At first I didn't know what he was doing, but I soon caught on! Every time Shane would breathe in and snore, Tate would mimic him and make his "throat clearing" noise....It was the funniest thing! Snoring just like Daddy! :) Even funnier though, is the fact that through his own snoring, Tate's mimicing, and my "silent" laughing Shane never missed a beat......keep snoring baby....we love you just the way you are!

Out of the Mouths of Babes.....

Ok, here we go again :) Today we were leaving home to run some errands, and our big oaf of a dog was running down the road chasing a poor runner that was trying to get some exercise with her dogs. Long story short- I had to chase him down our road yelling at him like some wild country woman (ie, redneck) "Sam! Sam! stop! Get back here you idiot!" and of course he didn't listen to me at all. So the runner ran on, and Sam eventually came back to the house. When we got home from our errands, as usual Sam came running up to my side of the car to greet me. I opened my door and proceeded to say, "Sam, you are a BAD DOG! Why didn't you listen to me when I told you to come back? You are in BIG trouble!" Kiley then in her matter-of-fact voice says to me, "Mommy, you KNOW that dogs can't talk." :)

A little lighter side....

Well, in my last blog things were pretty deep and heavy- but sometimes a little break is nice. Leave it up to my precious girl to give me that comic relief. I often catch myself calling Tate , "son". For example, if he's doing something hes not supposed to I will say, "Don't do that, son!" as opposed to, "Don't do that Tate!" Well this afternoon Kiley and Tate were rolling a blow-up ball back and forth between each other, and I was sitting on the couch folding some laundry. They would roll it and laugh, and when one of them would miss or roll it too hard the other would correct them- or if it was Tate he would "babble" Kiley. Well, when Kiley rolled the ball to Tate instead of rolling the ball back he picked it up and proceeded to start biting the ball and holding it over his head. Before I knew it, my little Kiley in her "grown up" voice said, "NO Son! You roll it back to me!" Of course, he totally ignored her and kept on about his way and then she said, "Son, you better give it to me or a you'll be in the corner!" Ahem.....do you think shes heard that before? A little Mommy already! Tell him Sassy!

New beginnings.......

Today is a day of new beginnings. Everyday is , actually. As a couple Shane and I have struggles and challenges as I am sure most couples do, but because of our Savior and because we try as often as we can to go before Him in prayer we are making it. To be specifically general :) we have made some decisions that were totally and completely about us and what we "thought" we wanted. Materially, spiritually, and otherwise. And we have finally realized that doing that doesn't work. It may for a while, and you feel good for a brief period, but that fades too. You go buy that new car, you think, "this is it, this is what I have wanted since I started driving, for so long- this will fill that void, that hole I'm trying to fill." But we didn't get it. We said we were "saved" and claimed to follow Gods plan- but we were lying to ourselves. Following Him means dying to yourself everyday. Not becoming something you aren't or losing yourself and becoming empty-or some cultish mumbo jumbo- but giving up the need to control your feelings and be on that "high". By no means does that mean we are perfect or that we have it all figured out, but each day is a new beginning....a chance to fill that hole with His love, knowledge and friendship. Thank you God, for my family, friends, and our children and especially for what you have taught us- how to truly start to live.

Under the weather and outside....

Well, I got some pictures posted- although a lot of them are from '07- I'm going to work on getting some more recent ones. Today we are all at home, Tate is sick woth the coxsackie (sp?) virus- I know, it sounds pretty hairy- but it is a virus that makes sores on the inside of the throat and from what the Dr. tells me its pretty painful. It sure does sound that way! He is SOOO fussy and is not happy. Poor baby:( I hate it when your kids are sick- you feel pretty helpless. Prayerfully he will start feeling better quickly. Kiley is of course, outside with Shane helping him cut the grass. Every pretty day there is I try to take them outside because they love it so much! But since little man Tate is under the weather the best we can do today is out to cut grass :). She doesn't mind- shes with Daddy!

This is cool! Thanks Haley!

Well, thanks to Haley my sister-in-law I am officially a blogger. For those of you who do not know us, we are the Padgetts (part of them at least)- Shane, Julie, Kiley and Tate. Kiley is about to be 4 and Tate just turned 1 in February. I am a stay-at-home Mom and LOVE it- there is nothing else on this earth that I would rather be! My husband, Shane is a dental technician in Buford (we are trying to sell our house and move south if anybody's interested in living in Murrayville,GA!) and he really enjoys his job. He's been doing it about 5 years - and really likes the people he works with. Kiley is my beautiful girl- so tiny and petite, all girl for sure. Loves to pretend play and really loves anything girly. Although she does LOVE playing in the woods and running around outside with her Daddy- she's definitely a Daddy's girl. Tate is our fireball. Full of energy and raring to go all the time. He is such a cuddler- I don't know what I'll do when he gets too big for that! More than anything our family loves God and just recently have started trying to really live in His will not ours - especially financially- So for all you believers out there say a prayer for us please! It sure is true that you live and you learn! Anyhoo- time to put the kiddies to bed and watch a movie with the hubby- check back soon- I'll try to keep this thing current!