Family Update

Last weekend we went downtown to the St. Patrick's Day parade. I know, it was AFTER St. Patrick's Day....but the parade was rained out on the 14th and moved to the 21st. It was the first parade the kids have seen, and both had a good time. They especially loved the music and all of the dogs! And I can't believe how many Irish Step Dancing schools are in the area...there must have been at least four participating in the parade! Maybe in a few more years Keira can take a class (and she and cousin Tessa can put on a family show).

Sunday night Chris and I went to the Canes/Caps hockey game. It was nice to have a night out without the kids, and an even better night because the Canes won! We had a great time tailgating with the Patenaudes (and friends) before the game...and I'm secretly hoping that the Canes/Caps will be 3 and 6 in the final standings so they'll meet each other in the playoffs.
Most of you have probably heard my recent job news...but just in case not, I wanted to update everyone. I was laid off on March 11th, but they gave me 30 days notice, so my last day with Nielsen will be April 10th. I am going to take my time finding something else, and in the meantime am looking forward to being home with the kids. I have a lot of SAHM friends here, and there are a ton of things to do in the Raleigh area. I am thankful we moved to Raleigh, as it gives us the flexibility we wouldn't have had in NOVA. Stay tuned to the blog for more family adventures!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Wishing all of our friends and family a wonderful St. Patrick's Day. Cheers!

Vacation! (click here for more photos on Snapfish)

Last week we went on vacation with the Shimpach Family to Ft Myers Beach, FL. We rented a house about a block from the beach and all had a fabulous time. It was cool our first few days, but that didn't stop us from enjoying the beach or the heated pool (it was just a little cold when we got out!). Luckily we had some great weather to finish out the week.

We decided to drive down there (about 12 hours each way)...and were surprised the kids did great. (although if I have to listen to the Cars movie one more time, I think I'll scream!) On the way back home, we stopped at my mom's house and spent some time with her, Nana and Russell to break up the trip.

Our families got along great, and decided we'll try to make it an annual event. Keira and Ava are 2 days apart in age, and Jenna is 9 months old....so with four kids under 3 in the house...there was never a dull moment! Keira and Ava are great swimmers and really enjoyed the pool. And all of the kids had fun playing in the sand. The week flew by, and we hope to see Dirk, Emily, Ava and Jenna again soon. I wish we lived closer to them!

First Dentist Appointment

We took Keira and Liam to the dentist for the first time Feb 26th. They both did great! The dentist only works on kids, so the entire staff made it a great experience for the entire family. Keira let them brush her teeth and poke around without any trouble at all. She earned quite a few "tickets" throughout the exam and cashed them in for some bubbles before we left. Liam wasn't as cooperative as Keira, but they did manage to brush his teeth and verify there was no damage to his teeth with his fall last month. He earned a few "tickets" as well, and picked out some crayons when he was done. Let's see if they are both as good in 6 months when they have to go back!

The newest member of the family is here!

Congrats to Regan and Ryan on the birth of their son!

We are so excited to welcome him to the family...and I'm grateful that I got to be a part of it. My nephew is absolutely beautiful and everyone is doing great!

Indie Clay Shriver

Born: 2/22/09, 6:23pm
6 lbs, 10 oz
19 3/4 inches




















UPDATE: I went to visit Regan, Ryan and Indie a few days after he was born and everyone is doing well. Regan is adjusting well to motherhood, and is managing to get a little sleep. My nephew is still the cutest!

Adventures in Atlanta

I went to Atlanta on business for a week, and was able to mix a little pleasure with business. On Friday night I went out with Emily and Jon Kent for some yummy mexican food and drinks. It was great to catch up with them, as I hadn't seen them since the last time I was in Atlanta a year ago. Saturday night I headed to the Gwinnett Gladiators (minor league hockey) game with Megan (Augis) and her two girls. Doug was working that night, so we got to see him too. The girls are getting so big and were so much fun during the game. (aside from when the Gladiator mascot came over and scared Kenzie to death!) And it was nice to catch up with Megan, who I hadn't seen since my last trip to Atlanta as well. Looks like our whole family will be heading to Atlanta over Labor Day weekend to see VT beat Alabama! So I can't wait to see our Atlanta friends again soon!

It's definitely good to be home (single-dad-for-a-week Chris agrees!)...and I have a few more months before I have to travel for work again. Next stop is Vegas, and the family may come out for a long weekend...that is if Chris is brave enough to endure a cross-country plane ride home by himself with the kids!

Debbie's Birthday!

Deb turned 40 this year, so we ventured up to NOVA to celebrate for the weekend. We drove up early Saturday morning, and met Deb, Haley and Kylan at Chuck E Cheese for lunch and playtime with the cousins. It was Keira and Liam's first time at CEC and they had a great time. After lunch, we headed to Chris's parents house and had a surprise visit by Cheryl, Nicole and Tyler. It was nice to catch up with them, and of course the cousins had a fun time playing. Saturday night the kids stayed with Chris's parents, and Chris and I went to Deb's birthday shindig. It was nice to have a (overnight!) night out without the kids. Deb's party was a blind wine tasting party, so much wine was drank, and fun was had by all. Happy Birthday Deb! Glad we could celebrate with you!!