the sears scene

A Six-year Old!

2010-06-12T09:11:00.002-05:00

She's One!

2010-05-30T22:51:00.003-05:00

Kindergarten Days

2010-05-21T10:12:00.005-05:00

Last Day of Kindergarten - May 2010

First Day of Kindergarten - August 2009

May 2010

2010-05-07T15:03:00.006-05:00

swinging on his own!

swinging at the playground

flowers from daddy for her birthday!!

A Day at the Park

2010-04-03T23:08:00.004-05:00

It was a normal day at the park...

Dad wanted a few pictures, so we obliged:

But then she just HAD to kiss me...

...and apparently, she thought it was hilarious!

oh, man... sisters!

Not a favorite?

2010-01-06T10:41:00.004-06:00

I'm guessing by this face that broccoli is not going to be a favorite of Sabrina's...

The Note

2009-12-05T09:46:00.003-06:00

So I found this note last night on the counter. I never mentioned a Christmas list, so he's picked up on that somewhere - probably one of the millions of holiday cartoons where the characters are making lists... I think it's hilarious he felt the need to write Noel at the bottom of it... I guess that's a little extra for the holiday spirit?

When Stone saw me with it, he explained he doesn't need a Wii since we already have one, but he wants a Nintendo. He didn't know how to spell Nintendo so he just wrote Wii because he knew they were related. I told him I have one downstairs he can play that I got when I was in the 5th grade. He was thrilled!! I can't wait to get it hooked up and see if it actually still works:)

First Day of 3 yr. Preschool

2009-09-10T22:52:00.003-05:00

Thursday, September 3rd

all ready to go

waiting with grandpa

found my name and hook and can't wait to get inside!

The First Day of Kindergarten!

2009-08-18T13:33:00.006-05:00

all ready to go

waiting to go in

headed into the building

found the classroom

chose a seat - time for mom and dad to go

anxiously awaiting stone's bus

getting home

she missed him this morning!

For the grandmothers...

2009-07-15T15:46:00.003-05:00

napping on the floor

the cloth diaper!

looking out her window

relaxing in the baby papasan

Sabrina Charlotte Sears

2009-06-06T17:02:00.004-05:00

She is here!

June 1st

7:49am

8lb 3oz

20 inches

Stahley is 3!!

2009-05-02T18:24:00.005-05:00

We had Stahley's party today at the zoo. She loved it! The kids colored, ate cupcakes, worked puzzles, and played "frog toss" with some bean bag frogs. They also had a story about frogs and got to see some real ones of different types. It was a success!!

(yes, mom - she has on jeans... but it was too cold for the cute hot pink shorts that went with the shirt:)

yummy cupcakes

checking out real frogs!

singing froggy songs

the birthday girl and daddy

fun party friends!

lately

2009-04-29T23:02:00.003-05:00

Welcome Spring!!

2009-03-28T10:30:00.006-05:00

in the snow with gran

prepared to go out

this morning

last night

Baptism

2009-02-22T21:20:00.003-06:00

The church we attend here is not the same demonination from which we came, so some things are different. Doctrine and theology are the same, as we would not stray from what we believe to be principal foundation, but some things we were "used to" are noticeably different.

One thing that stands out to us is less frequent baptism. This church doesn't baptize each week, but baptizes several like once each month. Then, once a year there is a celebration baptism where many people are baptized. This happened to be today.

Stone is now going to "big church" with us. His age class does the same lesson, craft, etc. each hour, so he is pretty bored in the second hour if he stays in "extended session." So, we've been taking him to the service with us for several months now. This morning's service was a little different as it was "Celebrate Baptism" Sunday as well as the church's 50th anniversary celebration.

Fastforward to tonight around 8:30pm. This is what I hear from the bathtub:

Stone: "Stahley, what do you believe about Jesus?"
Stone (in a whisper): "Stahley, say, 'I believe Jesus is the Son of God.'"
Stahley: "Jesus is Son of God."
Stone (in a whisper): "... and He died for our sins."
Stahley: "huh?"
Stone: "nevermind, just hold your nose."

Water is splashed a lot. Stahley begins coughing... then laughter erupts from both of them.

Stahley: "your turn!"
Stone: "Oh, I'm way too heavy for you, Stahley!"

Gran

2009-02-01T14:50:00.004-06:00

Today would have been my Gran's 84th birthday. I miss her so much some days! She was truly a special lady. I can say that with even more certainty now that I am a parent and see my parents as grandparents. They are such special people.

Gran was always up for fun. We giggled together, told jokes, and laughed a lot. My mom would often roll her eyes at us and walk away. Now I know why - I've done it to her with my kids:) It is even more fitting that my kids call my mom "Gran." It's such a reminder of what a special relationship I had!

Some of my favorite memories of my Gran are:

- Sunday afternoon lunch at her house every week (even though I didn't really like the menu!)

- Saturday morning shopping - grocery & the mall

- playing cards in the car on long trips to Tennessee

- eating lunch with her and grandad on Wednesdays when I finally left college and went to work!

- sitting in church on Sunday mornings with her and grandad when I was little

- her singing "Holy Spirit, breathe on me" in church... and then making fun of her singing it afterwards!

- whispering to her a "marginal" joke and us laughing hysterically about the punch line

- her pound cake - NO ONE can make one like she used to

- eating lunch (usually tuna fish sandwiches packed by her) at rest stops on long road trips

- Disney World rides with her beside me - and laughing the whole time

- spending the night at her house and her letting me skip brushing my teeth at night (which now I think is gross:)

- her washing my hair in her kitchen sink when I was little

- her loving on Stone until he was 9 months old

I do miss my Gran. Mostly I'm sad she didn't get to see all of my children. I do know, though, that would just be for my benefit. She is pain free, care free, and made whole - worshipping our Lord every moment of every day. I will see her again one day, and in that I take comfort.

My Husband Is Awesome!!

2009-01-29T20:45:00.006-06:00

Okay, now that I have your attention, I must let it be known that Chet is actually writing this blog. My wife is with child which means I have to pick up a few more tasks and I guess this update falls in that category.

Christmas was awesome. We spent time in Shreveport and Calcasieu.

The new year is going well. It has been pretty cold in Kansas this winter but we are getting by just fine. I would say that we can't wait for spring to get here but I'd rather have 10 degree weather than hail storms every other day.

Consider yourselves updated on the goings on in the Sears household. Hey, I'm a guy so be glad you got this much detail.

Here are some pics:

Keep it real. Oh, and here's a little blog comment fodder: Our third child will be raised with cloth diapers.

Think we're crazy? check out bumgenius.com

And if you think we are doing this for the environment, you forgot who Ashley married.

My current favorite picture

2008-12-07T22:24:00.001-06:00

By the 8th of June, they will have a sibling to hold in the picture:)

A Super Fun Birthday

2008-11-16T21:35:00.003-06:00

I had the best birthday this weekend! I totally have to give my sweet hubby brownie points for a birthday beyond my imagination!

First, I got breakfast in bed. (Actually, he does this every morning before he leaves for work because it helps with morning sickness... if I eat before I get up my stomach seems to do better.) Then, around 9:30am he took us to The Copper Oven for a second breakfast (for me - first for them) and it was awesome!

When we got in the car after breakfast out, he said, "Road Trip!" I could not imagine where we were going, but he drove us about 45 minutes northwest to a small town people like to call "Hutch." We toured the cosmosphere there and saw and I-max film. It was lots of fun and the kids really enjoyed it too. He totally thought this one through because he knew we should go somewhere the kids would be happy and attentive so I didn't have to constantly discipline my second-born on my birthday!

On the ride home around 4pm he told me I had to be ready to leave the house at 6pm because that's when the babysitter would be there!! WOW - a fun family birthday and a night out with my husband too!! So, the babysitter came and we went to Granite City for dinner where I ate the Honey Rosemary Tenderloin and Foccacia Salad. It was AWESOME! Then, we went and saw Quantam of Solace...

What a birthday! For a man who doesn't particularly enjoy planning and executing surprises, he did fantastic. Thank you, honey, for an unforgettable day!

BABY

2008-11-05T16:56:00.002-06:00

For those of you who have asked... baby #3 is due early June, 2009. I don't have a doctor appt until Dec, so after that I will have more details! Thanks for all the congrats:)

2008-11-03T17:53:00.003-06:00

My fall days are full of...

2008-10-13T15:16:00.005-05:00

stain remover:

hide & seek:

decoys in the living room:

toys EVERYWHERE:

pampers boxes & more hide and seek:

over-flowing laundry baskets:

and clean kids ready for bed:

and I wouldn't change it for the world!!!

First Day of School

2008-09-15T08:36:00.004-05:00

Friday, Sept. 5th:

Monday, Sept. 15th:

Now, time to myself on Mondays... what to do?

A Little Young!?!

2008-09-07T19:31:00.002-05:00

I had always hoped he'd be a little older, but I guess it was wishful thinking. He LOVED it!!

before:

after:

The "Creative" One

2008-08-08T14:14:00.001-05:00

Summer

2008-07-21T08:39:00.005-05:00

I love summer! I love the hot weather and the fun that comes with just the idea of summer... and then the fun we actually get to have. Grilling on the deck, play days with friends, swimming at the YMCA, summer play days at church, eating summer fruits and veggies, etc. We have done a little of it all! Here is our Y:

And here is dinner last night. The kids loved eating corn on the cob. It was hilarious!! When Stahley was done, hers was completely bare. I think she knawed every single kernel off of it.

...and EVER!

2008-07-03T15:34:00.002-05:00

Having been tipped off by a good friend of mine who has a daughter Stone's age, I had the following conversation with my child recently:

mom: Stone, do you kiss your friends?
Stone: yep.
mom: Do you kiss them on their cheeks?
Stone: sometimes on the cheek, sometimes on the mouth.
mom: It's not good to kiss your friends on their mouths.
Stone: why?
mom: Germs. You don't want to give others your germs or get their germs.
Stone: I have germs?
mom: Everyone has germs in their mouth. you just should keep those to yourself.
Stone: but I brush my teeth to get the germs out.
mom: I know you do and that's great. Let's just not kiss our friends on the mouth. Mommy and daddy kiss on the mouth because we're married.
Stone: what's married?
mom: It's when you pick a girl to be with forever.
Stone: Forever and ever?
mom: Yes. Forever and ever and ever. Daddy and I will be together forever. That's what it means to be married.
Stone: when do I get married?
mom: Well, first you have to go to first grade and then second grade and then third grade... all the way through grade 12. Then you have to go to college, and then after college you can pick a girl to be with forever.

(long pause)

Stone: mom, I don't think I want to be with a girl forever and ever and EVER!

Grandparents

2008-06-19T15:35:00.005-05:00

Grandparents are the best! The kids and I are at Chet's parents in Calcasieu this week. We've been...

watching tv with grandpa

eating out

taking lots of pictures

having water gun fights

playing with bubbles

and dressing up.

We love grandparents!!!

He's FOUR!

2008-06-12T14:35:00.004-05:00

donuts with sprinkles for breakfast!

a lightsaber for the big boy -

uncle Troy is so proud!!

The First Ever Sears Family Camping Trip

2008-06-09T19:11:00.006-05:00

Two weekends ago my husband decided the weather was in perfect condition here in Kansas to take me camping for the first time in my life. I was a little hesitant - not because I didn't think I would like camping - but because I didn't want to try to sleep in a tent with my 2 year old. Anyway, I put those anxieties aside and decided to dive in with all of the excitement I could muster up. I went to Target and purchased some fun camping foods including oatmeal cream pies, hot dogs, smores ingredients, Sprite for Stone, and even eggs and bacon to cook over the fire for breakfast on Saturday...

Friday around 5:30pm we headed out. The camping site was only about 35 minutes from our house so we arrived around 6:30pm. For those who are doing the math, we had to stop for gas and for Chet to get some live bait with which he and Stone could fish. We set up the tent and started the fire while the kids played with their new camping toys. They each were allowed to choose one toy at Target to take camping. Shortly after that, we roasted hot dogs and made mashed potatoes - the kind where you only add water! That was fun. The kids and Chet went for a walk while I cleaned up dinner and got the smores ingredients ready to roast. When they got back we made smores. It was fun but since the kids wouldn't eat but a few bites of theirs (only my children wouldn't eat those!) Chet and I suffered and ate the rest...

All was well... then came bedtime. We got in the tent around 9pm. Clothes were changed into pajamas and the kids settled down pretty quickly. We layed there while Chet cleaned up the site and then got in. Well, Stahley decided that since daddy was in the tent now, it was party time!! She ran around the tent and jumped on us and had the time of her life... until 11:30pm. I wasn't very happy with her and neither was her daddy:) Everytime we tried to make her lay down she had a crying fit as loud as I have ever heard her and we had neighbors - so we tried to settle her with pleasant discipline. This doesn't work with a strong-willed child, apparently!! So, at 11:30pm she calmed down and we finally got to doze off (or on and off in my case)....

...until about 3:30am. Lightning struck nearby and Chet sat straight up, immediately. I just layed there knowing my experienced husband would know what to do. Mind you, we are in KS where the weather proves to be completely unpredictable. This lightning went on for about 30 minutes, but still no rain. Chet decided to go to the car and see if he could get a weather report on the radio. In less than 2 minutes (and the car wasn't too close) I saw the headlights headed for our tent. The site was a good ways from the road where you were supposed to drive, so I figured we were leaving. Chet got out of the car and ran toward the tent. I think his exact words were,

"Tennis ball sized hail predicted. We are leaving NOW!"

We promptly picked up the kids and put them in the car. Chet folded up the tent with everything in it and shoved it in the back of the vehicle. We drove home in the pouring rain and dime-sized hail with very little visibility.

We slept until 10:45am on Saturday.

Landscaping

2008-06-02T11:01:00.003-05:00

I never thought I could be so happy about bushes and a fence!! The bushes look tiny, but they'll grow. For my mom (and anyone else who might care!) - they are "dense spreading yew" in the back & "variegated leaf wiegalia" in the front. I'm sure I butchered the spellings!! I am so glad to have the fence, especially so the kids can play outside without me having to be out there the whole time. We're moving up in the world:)

For the Grandmothers...

2008-05-19T20:26:00.011-05:00

goofing around

serious dinnertime conversations!

at Pump It Up jumping in the "jumpers" as Stone says

playing on the deck

we have pigtails!!!

Way To Go Uncle Troy!!!

2008-05-13T16:00:00.003-05:00

I don't know if he caught all of these, but I thought it was a cool picture. He did catch the one above...

She's TWO!!

2008-05-03T22:49:00.002-05:00

My girl

2008-05-01T15:43:00.001-05:00

Gran, you should be proud of my girly girl!

A NEW COMPUTER!

2008-04-26T14:12:00.008-05:00

Yay - We got a new computer! We also went wireless and it's SO nice. We're probably the last people we know to go wireless... but we love it. Now we're addicted to our computers. It's fun to be in the den typing away - or in my bed in the evening checking my email. I sure don't understand the technology but I love using it:)

We haven't been up to much except the usual and a fun visit from a new sweet friend, so I'll leave you with pics... Sidewalk chalk rules!

Lots of candy filled eggs!!

Egg hunting with friends is so much fun

Meg is now prepared for 3 after being here for a few days. She had lots of practice whether she wanted it or not!!

Sweet yawning Naomi - we sure had fun holding her!

Pictures of our girl at the dinner table are always amusing... this face reminds me of someone from my childhood. And yes, the plate is turned upside down if you're wondering.

What's up bro?

The Y Update

2008-04-12T11:15:00.003-05:00

So I went on Monday and did the Exerball Class. If any of you haven't exercised with the Exerball, you MUST try it. I always thought I was coordinated until Monday. I'm sure I was the comic relief of the class... trying to stay on that thing and do leg lifts and push ups and such. Glad I was in the back... although there was a large mirror for everyone to see my sloppy attempts at this form of exercise. I must say it was probably similar to my experience with Meg and the Kick boxing tape we tried in college. Meg was laughing so hard at me she could NOT do anything herself. Needless to say, the Kick boxing experience lasted only about 10 minutes - never to be attempted again.

Tuesday - my back and arms were hurting so bad I could hardly get out of bed for Bible study. I daresay if I wasn't a group leader, I may not have shown up... The gym was far from my mind!

Wednesday - I ran on the treadmill. It was great - I felt like the old me again until...

Thursday. I must use the same back muscles for posture as I run... my back hurt so bad I didn't get out of bed until it was too late for MAPS. Which was just as well since my second child had a horrible cough and runny nose. I'm sure everyone with kids in her class was glad I kept her home.

Friday - we didn't even attempt to go since child #2 was even worse. Instead I made a doctor's appointment so the doctor could tell me what I already knew - she had a mild ear infection and major sinus drainage which caused the cough. Not to downplay the seriousness of the medical profession - Lord knows if I had to be a doctor we'd all be in trouble! I just knew because we've been there many times before with her.

Maybe next week will be better at the Y. We'll start again on Monday:)

The Computer & The Y

2008-04-06T22:52:00.002-05:00

So, our computer died about 2 weeks ago. I have no computer except for my husband's work laptop at the end of the day. I had no idea how much I used it during the day until it died... now I miss it terribly. Also, our pictures are piling up on the camera since I don't want to download them to his work computer. I guess I'll have to eventually... otherwise our children will have a lengthy gap of time missing from their life in pictures - seeing as we probably won't have a computer any time in the near future and the card's almost full... but that's another story for another day.

In other Sears' news - we joined the YMCA today. I have committed to work out at least 3 days a week for the next year. It's a lofty goal, I know, but I am committed. I must get back into the wardrobe I own. We cannot afford for me to purchase a whole new one and I'm sick of wearing the same 5 outfits each week... not to mention my friends are sick of seeing them! Anyway, the treadmills at the Y are calling my name. I hear there's a great ab class, but I'm not sure I could do more than 6 situps... therefore eliminating me from the class even before it begins. I'm sure they do more than 6 in a class that lasts 30 minutes - YIKES - 30 minutes of abs!! Maybe I'll check the schedule to see if they have a 3 minute class of abs..... oh, and the YMCA here is NOTHING like the ones from where we came. They have a whole water park in the back for the summer months... it's AWESOME! The Kid's Corner is good too - there's a 2 hour limit, though, so I don't guess I'll try to leave them there while I go grocery shopping.

Hope you all are enjoying your computers ALL DAY EACH DAY. I'm thinking of you...

A First for Us

2008-03-18T10:09:00.006-05:00

Stone & Gran (the bow is actually Stahley's)

Yesterday was a first for both of my kids. Both grandmothers are here so went to see Horton Hears a Who in the theater. We haven't tried the theater with Stone yet because has trouble with his ears and loud noises. We didn't know how it would go and were completely prepared to leave, but he really enjoyed it. Before we went, we made a big deal out of ear plugs and he thought they were very cool... so the noise factor wasn't even an issue. Stahley did pretty good, too. It was her naptime so she was somewhat still most of the time. Grandma and I took turns holding her. It was fun and the movie was cute.

Mom, Stahley, & Grandma

A Cookbook Study

2008-03-12T08:40:00.004-05:00

After several of you asked me what a Cookbook Study is I reread my previous post and realized in the context it sounds different than what it actually is...
I am chairman of the Cookbook Committee for a Wichita Service League to which I belong and we are doing a study over the next several months about whether a new cookbook would be profitable for our organization with its current financial obligations. That's all. Should we decide to create a new cookbook, you will more than likely hear about the process on this blog. Apparently they take approximately a year and a half to put together!!
Thanks for inquiring:)

Leadership

2008-03-10T10:17:00.003-05:00

Leadership is a funny thing - the more you lead, the more you're asked to lead. Kind of makes me laugh...

I've lived in KS for 10 months now. I've been asked to lead in 3 different groups in which I participate. One of them is a committee chair, one is a group leader, and one is the director of the whole organization. Interesting that they all come at the same time...

On one hand, I'd like to believe it's my superior God-given skills that make these people think I will be a great leader in each of these capacities. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure 67% of it is I'm "fresh meat" and I haven't been worn out in these areas yet like the rest of each group!! I do believe in one instance God has specifically directed someone to ask me to lead - that would be in the director position - because I know this girl well and I'm sure she (and others) have bathed it in prayer. In the other areas, God is teaching me and growing me in ways I never thought He would... whether I like it or not!

So for now, I remain in limbo about the director position because I haven't heard from Him on it yet. As for the others, I have already obligated myself to them (not knowing the director position would come). One is large and one is small, but they are both work. I do like to be busy, though, so for now I'm leading a Bible Study and a Cookbook Study... one day I'll let you all know how they turn out:)

A Weddin' :(

2008-03-01T08:36:00.006-06:00

My new favorite tv show is "My Big Redneck Wedding." Ok, so I guess coining it my favorite is a little over the top, but it's hilarious. Here's a quick recap of last night's episode on CMT:

1. they met (6 or 7 or 8 years ago - they couldn't remember) and he proposed to her during a hog hunting adventure
2. the "happy" couple met the ranch manager and let him know the wedding would be in the pasture and the reception would include mattress surfing and mud wrestling
3. they went to the "Farm and Pet Supply" store to pick out the groom's jacket
4. the couple went over the to do list as they made the reception favors out of tiny clay pots and deer corn
5. the bride's (disgusted) sister tried to "girly" her up and took her to a very nice spa for a full spa treatment. the bride simply could not resist belching for all the attendants while getting her pedicure... sister was not happy. spa attendants were unimpressed by wedding plans!
6. meanwhile, the groom and best man worked out the details of the mattress surfing - tying a mattress behind a 4-wheeler and pulling each other around said pasture.
7. fast forward to the wedding day - where there stands a sign at the entrance to "The Back Forty" which reads: "Kevin and Christy's Weddin' :(" There really was a sad face drawn on it!
8. guests are dressed in cutt-offs and camo and are sitting on a number of things - hay bails, lawn chairs, and truck beds backed up to the site.
9. the groomsmen and bridesmaids roll down the aisle on 4-wheelers
10. the bride follows in on horseback - and oh, the dismount in a wedding dress...
11. the vows were interesting and included, "Christy, do you take Kevin, in spite of his hog hunting, to be your lawfully wedded husband; and will you love him and his dogs as long as you both shall live?"
12. at the end of the ceremony, the preacher rode out on a 4-wheeler.
13. the reception topped it all off - the first one to mattress surf was the groom - and he was driven around and thrown off the mattress by none other than his bride. again, the dismount in a wedding dress...
14. and on to the mud wrestling in a blow up kiddie pool - where the bride went first - in her dress!!!
15. the bride and groom exchange gifts - he got her snake boots in which to hunt hogs... and he told her, "them look gooder than an a new set of mud tires."
16. and my favorite moment - the groom says, "let's go home and constipate this marriage!"

if you haven't seen it, watch it!! (in case you can't wait - you can see it on cmt.com)

More Funnies...

2008-02-22T22:01:00.004-06:00

I know I just did quirks about me, but Michael did this on his blog and I thought it was hilarious!! Do it if you want...

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Pretzel MDX

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Chocolate Slipons

3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Orange Fish

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Renee Shreveport

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): Seaas

6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Red Coffee

7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): John Robert

8. STRIPPER NAME ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent,favorite candy): Happy Skittles

9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Thompson Tampa

10. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Winter Tulip

11. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing rightnow): Kiwi Sweatshirt

12. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Trail Mix Ginko

I've been Tagged!

2008-02-17T15:25:00.003-06:00

Angie tagged me. Check out her quirks at http://www.angiesparker.blogspot.com/

6 Quirks About You Rules:
1: Link to the person that tagged you
2: Post the rules on your blog
3: Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself
4: Tag at least 3 people at the end of your post and link to their blogs
5: Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog
6: Let the fun begin!

1. I like Diet Coke but can't stand Coke... and I like Dr. Pepper but can't stand Diet Dr. Pepper.

2. My right foot is 1/2 size larger than my left... consequently my left foot slides around a bit in most of my shoes.

3. I am a perfectionist about certain things... not usually the appearance of my home though I hope maybe one day when my children go to college it may be clean again... but on any given day if you open my wardrobe my shirts are stacked by color and by use. For instance, the whilte t-shirts in one stack, the running shirts in one stack, the colored t-shirts in one stack... also, my pants are hung in the closet by color and use - the nice khaki pants on the left all the way to the black running pants on the right... you get the idea. Now if I could get my husband to understand there is a logic to my madness...

4. My family opens Christmas gifts one person at a time - and I love it that way! I get to see what everyone else gets!

5. I didn't get fever blisters until I was 25 years old. The first one I got came the week I took my engineering intern exam and we bought our first house - all in the same week. Stress, people, it was stress that brought them out for me!

6. My favorite movie of all time is The Scarlet Pimpernel. If you've never seen it - rent it today! (I'm sure it's in the dollar section!)

I am tagging these people:

shandra: http://andrewsmommy.blogspot.com/
jessica: http://abbeylush.blogspot.com/
tara: http://www.treyntarasmith.blogspot.com/

Cathcarts

2008-02-16T13:54:00.002-06:00

Some of you may remember Chris Cathcart and/or his wife Darla Bowen Cathcart from high school or college. Darla gave birth to twin boys Thursday February 7th. They were only at 27 weeks. The boys are in NICU at LSU and will be there for a while. I have linked their site on the right under my "friendly blogs" so you can keep up with them as they grow and develop. Leave Chris & Darla a message on their site and continue to lift them up to our Father...

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T16:14:00.003-06:00

News

2008-01-31T10:00:00.000-06:00

Monday it was 71 degrees. Today it is 21 degrees. Here is what we woke up to:

It kind of makes me laugh that the weather is so crazy. I always longed for real seasons in La, but here some days I long for no seasons:) We definitely get the seasons in Ks. Most days I truly enjoy it. The days that are not so fun are those days I have to get out with my kids in it. If we can stay in and watch it or play in it for a bit before nap time it's fun...

In other Sears news, we traveled to La two weekends ago for Don Echols' wedding. It was a long trip for a few short days, but we wouldn't have missed it! Don's bride Kelly is precious. We love her and are excited for them as they begin married life together. We helped decorate for the rehearsal dinner and Stone took pictures for us. He's quite the up and coming photographer:

Lastly, I am continually reminded that my God is faithful. He has given me so many precious friends in such a short time. Since August, I have gotten involved in a Ladies' Bible Study, Mothers of Preschoolers, a Couple's Small Group, and a few more things. In each area He has provided the kind of Godly friends a child of His needs for encouragement and building up. In only 8 months, Ks has become home for us. He is awesome...

play group

Mealtime...

2008-01-24T18:40:00.001-06:00

This is my child at mealtime.

Will she ever eat like a lady?

Some Holiday Family Fun...

2008-01-11T15:17:00.001-06:00

And the Winner Is...

2008-01-04T09:13:00.000-06:00

COUNTRY LIVING
by Gran & Stone

The places were:

In first: Country Living - Gran & Stone - with 16 votes
In second: The Church - Uncle Bob & Uncle Troy - with 11 votes
In third: The Bungalow - Ashley & Aunt Charlotte - with 9 votes
In fourth: The Duck Blind - Chet & Grandaddy - with 4 votes

Thank you all for voting!

Your Vote Counts!

2007-12-28T11:51:00.000-06:00

This Christmas our family launched the Annual Gingerbread House Making Contest. There were four teams of 2 and each team had to create a gingerbread house with (approximately 90%) edible components. The teams included (in no particular order) Stone, mommy, daddy, Gran, Grandaddy, Uncle Troy, Uncle Bob, & Aunt Charlotte. The only required piece was a mailbox. We did it on Christmas Day, but we had no unbiased judge... hence this post. Please vote for your favorite. You may only vote once and no anonymous vote will count! I will post the winner a week from today on Friday, January 4th.

Entry #1 - The Bungalow
complete with pretzel fence and gumdrop mailbox.

Entry #2 - Country Living
complete with hunters, gingerbread snow angels, and hershey mailbox

Entry #3 - The Church
complete with cross steeple and birdhouse mailbox

Entry #4 - The Duckblind
complete with boat, mojo, and airmail box

Dessert...

2007-12-19T09:37:00.001-06:00

Dessert is a rare thing at the Sears' house. Can you tell?

SNOW!

2007-12-15T12:28:00.000-06:00

For us southern folks, this is a first...

My Little Elves

2007-12-12T09:50:00.000-06:00

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1327717656

La vs Ks

2007-12-08T16:33:00.000-06:00

La: high is 82

Ks: high is 30

La: coat closet held our china
Ks: coat closet actually holds coats (& scarves & gloves & hats)

La: carport nice
Ks: enclosed garage necessary

La: runny noses due to allergies
Ks: pneumonia due to under dressing in inclement weather!

La: don't run errands with 2 kids because you don't want to tote them in
Ks: don't run errands with 2 kids because you don't want anyone to get sick AGAIN...

Kiddos

2007-12-04T14:30:00.001-06:00

Stone is "Star of the Week" at school this week. He got to bring home the class mascot and will be presenting show & tell both days this week. He took Lightning McQueen to school for show and tell. I tried to encourage something different, but Lightning won.

Stahley is quickly figuring out how to unwrap the gifts under the tree. She often runs from me like it is a game when I catch her! I may have to move the presents - we'll see how long I can keep her from them without losing my patience. It may just be until she gets one open...

Try them

2007-11-13T20:44:00.001-06:00

We have been trying different Kashi products for a while now. Kashi uses 7 grains to make all their foods. Their advertising is about making healthy food taste good and I think they do a pretty good job. These trail mix bars are really good - all 4 of us eat them for breakfast sometimes:) Also, the blueberry cereal is good. I'll keep you posted on the things we try and like and if you try something of theirs and like it, let us know!

Smell My Feet

2007-10-31T21:20:00.000-05:00

I do not like halloween. Never have - even as a kid. So every year, (after kids I mean) I have not gotten excited about it or planned for it - mostly because I figure my kids are too young to know the difference anyway. I always knew that would change, but I was hoping for later rather than sooner...

The first year Stone was only a few months old. The second year, Chet and I were out of town. The third year we had friends invite us to trick or treat in their neighborhood and we did because it was a chance to get to know them better... but the best part was the friend had an old costume Stone could wear. So we went and had a nice time with them and their boys. This year, I figure we're new here and we'll just skip it - UNTIL we turned on cartoons this morning and all the characters were decked out and knocking on doors. Stone of course wanted to know what his costume was and when we were going trick or treating.

Suddenly I felt like a terrible mom. Why deprive my young child of knocking on a few nice neighbors' doors and getting a few pieces of candy (of which he can have a piece tonight and tomorrow night and then I will confiscate the rest and he'll forget about it)? Now, what to do. I have no costume, no candy bucket, and certainly no candy to pass out... did I even think of that when I was walking past all of it in the stores?

Once again - a friend to the rescue. My sweet friend Katie whom I was talking to this morning (and wishing a Happy Halloween Birthday) came to my aid and lent us a cowboy costume her son had worn the year before complete with boots and a hat!

So there you have it. I managed to locate the cow costume Stone wore two years ago with his grandparents when Chet and I were out of town and we went trick or treating. The kids loved it. Stahley got the hang of it really quickly! She would hold out her bucket and when they would put candy in it she would shove it in their faces even more as if to say, "more, more!" Stone was gracious and said thank you every time. We'll have to get him to teach his sister some manners next year... if we go next year!!

Made me Giggle...

2007-10-30T14:12:00.001-05:00

At age 4 success is... not wetting your pants.
At age 12 success is... having friends.
At age 16 success is... having a driver's license.
At age 20 success is... having a girlfriend that thinks you are really good looking.
At age 35 success is... having money.
At age 50 success is... having money.
At age 60 success is... having a girlfriend that thinks you are really good looking.
At age 70 success is... having a driver's license.
At age 75 success is... having friends.
At age 80 success is... not wetting your pants.

Food for Thought

2007-10-18T21:42:00.000-05:00

Okay - many have asked what I feed my children. I'm guessing this is because a little bit ago I endorsed (as if I have any clout) the book "The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood" by Dr. Sears. So, here are the top ten quick and somewhat healthy things I put in front of my kids that they actually eat. My kids are 3 and 17 mos - so I can't get them to eat wheat germ or anything, but I am not cooking more than one meal... so they have to eat what we do or they don't eat (which has happened a few times). By one meal I may mean fish sticks for the kids and baked fish for me and Chet, but I am baking them fish, too - not making them grilled cheese when we eat fish... anyway...

1. quesadillas: whole wheat tortillas, minimal cheese, & black beans. Put the tort in a pan, add cheese and beans, fold tort in half and melt cheese. Cut with a pizza cutter into triangles and dip in salsa. They eat these like I haven't fed them in a week. (I add sauteed onions and bell peppers to the adults')
2. blueberry pancakes: Aunt Jemima makes a wheat pancake mix that even Chet will eat. Sprinkle a few blueberries while they're in the pan and voila - brain food! No syrup needed - the berries are sweet.
3. fish & veggies: mostly fish sticks, but occasionally I can get them to eat bites of the fish Chet and I are eating. Hey, I figure they're getting omega-3's somehow! My kids will eat green beans plain, but if yours won't, try sprinkling a little brown sugar on them. I hear it works.
4. chicken pot pie: Paula Deen has a "Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie" that I make. If anyone wants the recipe, I'll email it to you. Granted, she puts a whole stick of butter on hers, but I cut it to a minimal 1/4 stick of the healthiest sort of butter I can find. I'm sure hers is better, but I'm going for getting the chicken, carrots, and peas down my kids and they don't know the difference.
5. baked chicken: melt butter in one bowl. in another bowl put equal parts of bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese, some parsley, a little garlic powder, and whatever italian spices you'd like to throw in. dredge chicken tenders in butter then in crumb mix. bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes. my kids love it! (you can even cut up the chicken before you dredge it and it's more like chicken nuggets...)
6. pb&j roll: whole wheat tortillas (left from #1 - see above), spread natural pb & low-sugar jelly lightly on it. Roll up and cut into four pieces. It's a different twist on pb &j they think is cool!
7. omelets: scramble how ever many eggs you want with a little salt, pepper, and milk. While in pan, add tiny chopped veggies (small enough so they can't taste them or pick them out!). Fold in half and cook on each side until egg is done. Sprinkle warm omelet on plate with a little cheese (to camouflage the veggies even further of course).
8. fried rice: (this if from Chet's mom): cook 1 cup brown rice. sautee a chopped onion and carrot in a large pan (with some breakfast sausage for the not-so-healthy recipe). when the onion is done, turn fire way down and crack a few eggs in there and let them cook on the hot onion, carrot, (and sausage). add rice to pan and pour some low-sodium soy sauce in. serve warm.
9. nachos (much like #1 - see above): put whole grain chips mixed with blue corn chips on a tray. sprinkle with black beans and cheese. dip in salsa to eat. Stone loves the blue chips!
10. spaghetti: boil whole wheat angel hair pasta (we prefer angel hair because it's the most like white pasta in texture). in another pan, brown lean ground beef and a chopped onion (again, chopped really small so as not to be noticed by the little ones!). drain beef, put back on burner, and add one can Del Monte spaghetti sauce (it's like 98 cents or something at WM). sprinkle in lots of seasonings of the italian type - garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley, etc. pour over drained noodles and serve. I highly recommend removing the shirt of any child under two before feeding them this meal!

So there you have it. We are NOT the healthiest eaters - as we do occasionally order pizza from the Pizza Hut across the street, but these are some of the things I feed my kids so we don't eat pizza, chicken nuggets, and mac and cheese all the time. I figure as long as I can control what they eat, I might as well try and shape their tastes towards somewhat healthy things! I keep threatening tofu, but we as adults haven't brought ourselves to that new level yet... when we do, I'll let you know!

It's what?

2007-10-16T08:46:00.001-05:00

It's 45 degrees at 9am on an October morning. What will it be in January?
Lord, only YOU can help me get used to this!

Lately

2007-10-01T21:24:00.000-05:00

We've been...

hanging drywall on ceilings...

playing "Elefun"...

having our lawn seeded...

baking 70 dozen cookies (no - that's NOT a typo)...

... and just being the Sears.

Commission

2007-09-23T22:15:00.000-05:00

Today is payday in the Sears' house - not for daddy or mommy, but for Stone. I must say he is adapting to his chores very well. I know he's only 3 (which seems a little strict to already be doing chores) but he has to learn sometime how to earn and manage money, so why not start early? After all, if there is one thing I will do differently with my children than my parents did with me, it's teach them about money and the responsibility that comes with it earlier. I learned, but more often by the hard way and not by being taught directly (which I know was because my parents didn't want me to have to worry about it - and I am TRULY grateful!!)

So, Stone has a chores chart. Each week he has to: 1. put his shoes in his closet 5 times 2. dust 3 times 3. put his clothes in the hamper 5 times 4. pick up his toys 4 times and 5. say his Bible verse 6 times. On Sunday we review the week and he counts the stars in each row to see if he earned his commission for each job. (Yes - commission, NOT allowance - it is EARNED) This week he did very well. He earned $2.50 - 50 cents for each row. I am proud of him.

I have found, however, there are a few downsides to chores with a 3-year-old. One, he asks to do his chores about 10 times a day because he "wants more stars." Two, I have to remember to get cash in quarters to give him... and three, I have to take time to give stars when it's bedtime (instead of just getting the kids in bed so I can have some me time). Besides these things, I am happy to report the chores are going well and the commission is being earned in full.

One last thing I just have to add is... Sunday when we went to church, Stone took a tenth of his commission for the offering. I told him that Jesus gets a quarter each week (he earns 10 quarters each week, so a tenth = one quarter - and yes, I did that on purpose). Anyway, all the way to his classroom, he told just about anyone who would listen that the quarter in his hand was for Jesus. It was too sweet.

Happy Bday Daddy!

2007-09-17T16:16:00.000-05:00

Daddy was the birthday boy on Sunday. Stone helped me make him a cake and he had the best time decorating it with sprinkles! We got a babysitter and went out for dinner and a little birthday shopping on Sunday night. It was really great to have a night by ourselves to talk over a nice quiet dinner!

Glamour Girl

2007-09-11T21:05:00.001-05:00

First Day of Preschool

2007-09-06T22:46:00.001-05:00

A Special Friend

2007-08-15T14:59:00.000-05:00

We had a special friend come visit last weekend...

He came bearing gifts & the kids loved them...

He played games...

... and even held the baby a lot:)

It was tons of fun to have him here! Thanks for your visit, Uncle Beef!

A Good Book

2007-08-08T21:58:00.000-05:00

Having been reminded by a friendly blogger (see Amy in my links to the right) about eating right and exercise being a part of our responsibilities as Christians - I decided to pick up one of my favorite and most convicting books (in the eating category) and re-read it. I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone. Dr. Sears does a wonderful job of outlining how to teach your children to eat right and make healthy choices. I'm not saying I'm a pro at eating healthy by any means, but I have picked up some great tips that are working with my kids... and if you don't have children, it's still a great read about how what you eat affects your health from when you're born to the end of your earthly life. It will definitely make you think twice about the things you purchase in your next trip to the grocery store!!

The Pool

2007-07-30T09:32:00.001-05:00

This is what we do most days for at least an hour and a half or so - that is, when it's not raining! Our neighborhood has a pool and it has been wonderful!! They love to play in the baby pool and I love the time to just lay by the side and read...

On a more comical note, there was a lady at the pool the other day with her kids. When she got in, she loudly exclaimed, "Well, I guess they turned off the heater this week!" I asked her what she was talking about and she said they usually leave the pool heaters on until mid July when the sun will warm the water itself. (I did notice the water was a little chillier than usual, but I didn't really think anything of it!) I had to laugh. I just can't imagine having a pool heater until mid-July. She asked why I was laughing and I told her we swim from the end of March through the end of October some years in La with NO heaters. She could not believe it!!

The New Stay at Home Mom

2007-07-17T21:51:00.001-05:00

The top ten things I've learned since becoming a stay-at-home mom:

10. it is impossible to do anything before the contacts go into the eyes in the morning
9. peanut butter, jelly, and apple juice must always be on the grocery list no matter how often you shop
8. there is less time during the week for laundry than i anticipated
7. theme songs for any nick jr show that's on in the morning after 8am (and probably any recurring songs within the show like backpack, rescue pack, or many of the backyardigans melodies)
6. babysitters during the day at least once a week are of utmost importance
5. going to the swimming pool everyday will not turn your kids permanently into prunes
4. daughters require way more maintenance than sons (at the Sears' at least)
3. my hair will not come out no matter how much i pull on it during the day
2. videos aren't going to ruin my children - in fact, some of them are VERY educational!
and
1. engineering is much easier than being a stay-at-home mom

Jen was beautiful!!

2007-07-10T19:20:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've been to a wedding of someone I am close to. I mean, I've been to weddings lately, just not of those with whom I share roommate experiences... and Jen's was wonderful:) She was a beautiful bride and certainly had the "glow." I'm so glad we got to go! Chet and I left the kids with my mom and uncle at my uncle's house in Dallas and headed out for the wedding - and we were not disappointed by the event. Jen was gorgeous, Brad cried (and let me tell you - I can usually keep it together at a wedding, but when the groom cries - the tears flow), the reception was loads of fun, and most of all, I got to see one of my dearest marry a man with whom she will share a precious lifetime with. Yay for Jen and Brad!!

Here are some of the fun friends I got to hang out with at the reception...Beach-trip lovin' Bufkin

Beth Ann (whom I know better now through blogs than I did back in the day) and Groper Ginn

Stacy the snow-ski queen Colvin

and fashion-police Meg & the girl whose most likely least enjoyed rooming with me - I could be cruel to Jill - but it was all in fun!!

Some Highlights

2007-06-18T11:33:00.001-05:00

we have arrived!

helping with the unpacking

more helping with the unpacking

the first ponytail

at the neighborhood playground

her favorite place at the neighborhood playground

the fishing i see in the evenings from our deck

My 3-year old

2007-06-13T15:05:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STONE

He was 3 on Monday, although he thought he was already 3 since we had his party in La before we left. Either way, it's official now. I have a 3 year old and he is a joy!

His party was the Cars theme. He loves that movie and watches it as much as I'll let him. I try to limit it to once every 3 days or so, but sometimes I give in. Anyway, the cake was made by my friend Christine Griffith. She's the best cake maker in the Sport regional area, I think. Stone has a hilarious fascination with traffic cones, so I figured why not - it goes with the theme! Once again, Christine amazed us with her talent...

Since the last post, I've...

2007-06-11T22:29:00.000-05:00

hosted a three-year old birthday party for 40 or so guests at my parents' home
packed randomly assorted things like socks in boxes with cleaning supplies, craft items, & pictures
driven through 2 states to get to my new "home state" with a 1 & 3 year old (with the much appreciated help of my mom)
watched movers unpack crates of boxes and move them through my muddy yard into my front door and down to the basement all while getting very few scratches on the paint
unpacked NUMEROUS boxes of randomly assorted things packed by others - for instance a sewing machine with Christmas decor and an Easter egg
lived 12 days without cable tv or internet (which, I must say, was easier than I expected)
unpacked things I never knew we owned
separated the "immediately necessary" items from the "can wait to be unpacked" items
re-packed the "can wait to be unpacked" items
taped paper over our windows for privacy until our blinds are installed " in 3 to 4 weeks"
said a tearful goodbye to my mom at the airport after 10 days of her wonderful help
visited a new church by myself (due to storms on saturday night with kids in & out of our bed)
enrolled my son in VBS at a church down the street & took him today

Now, I am finally in communication with the rest of the world - pictures will follow soon.

My One Year Old

2007-05-14T20:53:00.000-05:00

always a pose for the camera...

Stone's gift for his sister - he picked it out all on his own - and she knew just what to do!

grandparents' gifts are endless!

where's the rest of my cake?

Sooner rather than Later...

2007-05-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

My real estate agent, Marie, called me last week and said the builder set up the signing date for May 25th!! I'm very excited - and pleasantly surprised! Wow - I never guessed a contractor would be done sooner rather than later. I guess that's my experience in the commercial building realm. Anyway, we're excited. I don't know whether I'll be there with the kids at the signing or not - trying to work all that out. That is the Friday before Memorial Day, so we won't have our furniture (or anything) until the following Tuesday at least. So, we'll see...

Stahley's first bday party with family was fun. She proved to be a much messier eater than her brother! She's walking around everywhere. Stone picked out a baby doll and stroller to give her from him and she pushes that thing all over the house! It's such a fun age.

Update

2007-04-30T22:11:00.000-05:00

So, my parents have dial up... that's why there hasn't been any updating until now. So, here's a quick overview of my life these days (without pictures of course - due to the before-mentioned absence of high-speed):

1. Living at my parents - staying in the same room with my daughter, who at one year of age, has decided not to sleep through the night anymore. NOT good for me. I was hoping sleep deprevation would go away after the child was 3 months old. Apparently, I haven't learned the lesson the Lord is trying to teach me through this. Lord, please hurry - I'm tired!

1. (con't) Chet has come in a few weekends. It's been GREAT to have him here even if we do have to sleep in a double bed (of which my precious man takes up the whole thing) in the same room with our no-need-for-sleep daughter. We may be walking around like zombies but we are together!!

2. My daughter will be one on Thursday. Wow - this Thursday... that means it's been a whole year and I STILL have baby weight to lose. Was it harder with the second child for everyone?

3. Our new home will be complete no later than June 4. That's the contract date, so I'm not holding my breath that it will be any sooner - however, our real estate agent has been by there several times and she says it's coming along great. The cabinets, molding, and painting are done... and Chet went last week to finish picking out appliances and light fixtures. I'm anxious to see what it all will look like!

4. My son will be 3 in June. We decided to have his party here before we go... so that means I'm planning two bday parties in the next three weeks. One with girly stuff which is more fun that I (who is not so girly) thought it would ever be... and one with Lightning, Mater, Sally, and the whole Cars bunch. It should be a big blowout with a spacewalk from Duvall's Amusement. My poor parents - they didn't really ask for all this excitement at their house!!

5. The last few days has been a chore cleaning out my parents' garage with a good bit of my grandparents' things. Garage sale will be May 12th. Hopefully it will all go - if not, I'm taking it to the Rescue Mission. NOT keeping any of it!!

Well, this is just a peek into our lives for the last few weeks. Hope you are all enlightened! Maybe I'll be able to persuade someone (Troy) to let me use his high speed internet and post some pictures after the aforementioned upcoming events.

House Found!

2007-04-06T22:18:00.000-05:00

So, I used to think house hunting would be so much fun. Well, I guess if you're not in a hurry to find one it is. Monday was fun, Tuesday was okay, and Wednesday, I was so confused I couldn't remember what I looked at on Monday. Even the engineer within me who created a checklist for house hunting was confused!! More about the checklist later...

So, here it is:
This is the house we will inhabit - come end of May. It won't be complete until then, so we will be at mom and dad's a little longer than expected... however, we will have everything we wanted with this one. After looking at about 35 houses in three days, we decided this was the one. So, there you have it. We'll be Kansas residents come June. We're VERY excited!

And about the checklist - yes, this is the engineer type in me - I highly recommend making a checklist if you're looking at houses. I made one of all the things I "had to have" and "preferred to have" and "did NOT want" and it made looking a lot quicker. I just walked through each house and put checks and "x"es in the columns and on to the next house we went. It made reviewing them at the end of the day much easier - not to mention answering questions Chet had about them... since you can't take pictures and all.

Just for fun - here's what it looked like when we left for La this morning (yes, in April):They say this isn't normal for April - I sure hope so!

And... I can't blog about this without saying how the Lord has completely taken us through this process step by step. He has blessed us with selling and buying in a short time, with Chet's new (really wonderful) job, with grandparents who are perfectly willing to keep the kids while we work out the details, and most of all, with His desire for us in, "...plans to prosper and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future." May He be glorified in our lives.

new pics

2007-03-29T21:56:00.001-05:00

Elizabeth - you sure are demanding!

SOLD

2007-03-27T08:25:00.000-05:00

Well, our house sold the first day!! It is a blessing, for sure. God has truly seen us through this whole process with ease and I pray that He will continue to guide us...

Since I've been asked (ahem, Elizabeth) to update my blog more regularly with the moving news, I'll try to post more frequently! We are headed to Kansas to look for a house (and hopefully purchase one) this coming Sunday. My beloved starts work there on Monday and I will be with him for the first week - looking at houses and checking out where to get my hair done during the day - and then he'll see the few I've narrowed it down to in the evening. We will be back on Friday for his going away party with the office here and then he'll head back up there the next Sunday.

The movers pack and load our belongings the next week and we're out! The kids and I will be moving in with my parents until we are able to close on a home in Kansas. Hopefully, it won't be too long...

So, that's the update. I'll let you know what we find in wheat country!

You know you're hooked when...

2007-03-21T19:43:00.000-05:00

... you order a "Grande Decaf Skinny Cinammon Dolche Latte with one Splenda." Yes, I found my self saying those words very recently. Never before had I ordered coffee with the "appropriate" language, but somehow, it just came out. At that very moment in time, as I stood glaring at the menu just above my head, I knew I would no longer be a casual coffee drinker. It was certain - I was now a member of the latte society.

Moving

2007-03-07T11:00:00.000-06:00

Well, the process has begun. If I'm not talking to a relocation agent, it's a real estate agent or a moving agent or a mortgage agent... they're all agents. Some of them are VERY helpful... and some are not so much...

You know how when you tell people you're pregnant they tell you their horrible birthing stories? Well, when you tell people you're moving, they tell you all about the things they had lost, stolen, or broken! It's a little disturbing. I told Chet he would have to pull a U-Haul behind us full of everything we can move and the movers will be carrying only the heavy things we can't pick up ourselves! We'll just have to see how it goes, I guess. The lady from the moving company is coming to "inventory" our belongings tomorrow. That should be interesting... and probably a little convicting - I mean about how much unnecessary "stuff" I have... anyway, the house goes on the market on Monday. If you know anyone who might want one in our area, let them know! We have a fantastic real estate agent who will show it to them, gladly! This weekend will be spent painting, fixing cracks, cleaning out flowerbeds, etc. I can't imagine how I'll get everything done before then, but it will happen one way or another. Amazing how many things you just learn to live with - but you know no one else will want... like chips out of paint and weeds and such.

Wichita, here we come!

2007-02-26T09:56:00.000-06:00

We are moving - to Wichita, Kansas! Chet got an offer from Johnson Controls - Controls division and we can't pass it up. He will be the Quality Manager at the JCI Facility that makes Heating and Air Conditioning units in Wichita. We are sad to leave friends and family, but excited about the new ministry opportunities the Lord is giving us in a new place!

Chet and I went this weekend and checked out the city and the housing market there. I was pleased to find a Starbucks and a Talbots (and also a Williams-Sonoma that Chet says he'll have to limit my trips into!) Anyway, we were pleasantly surprised to find out we'll have plenty of room for anyone to come visit ANYTIME - so, when we get settled, come on and we'll put you up in the Sears' Hilton - or maybe just the Sears' hotel...

I am excited to be staying home with the kids when we get there. It'll be a new adventure for me as I've always said I wasn't cut out for full-time stay-at-home work... but here we go - hope I can stay sane! There are many parks (a list of like 45 - really!) so we'll be outdoors a lot... and there are several museums along the Arkansas River to visit so I'm sure the kids and I will be checking them all out very soon!

Chet will be leaving soon to go up there and work - so pray for us as I finish working in Shreveport while trying to get our house ready to sell... which should be an interesting task! Also, pray that the Lord will provide us with Christian friends there who will encourage us and lift us up in Him. I'm sad to be leaving the precious friends he has given me here, but I know He will provide for us there too!

We'll try to keep you posted as things progress... but until then, check out how far you are from Wichita at Yahoo Maps:

http://maps.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTExNmIycG51BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLWJ1dHRvbgRzbGsDbGluaw--#mvt=m&q1=Wichita%2C%20KS&trf=0&lon=-97.36084&lat=37.701207&mag=13&env=F

We can handle it!

2007-02-14T20:26:00.000-06:00

There must be a sign on our front door that says, "Bring it on - the Sears can handle it!" Last week, Stahley got the chicken pox. This is the calamine before she had the worst ones... then, yesterday morning around 4am, I woke up sick. I threw up until around 10am. I was okay after that besides being so dizzy I couldn't even sit up! Wow - I watched tv all day lying down. NOT my idea of fun.

Tonight, Stone got sick at the dinner table. He was fine 5 minutes later, so I'm thinking he just gagged himself with too much food. He tries to cram so much in his mouth at once. I still don't understand that, but we're working on it. Anyway, time will tell. If he gets sick again, I'll assume he has my virus. If not, it was just the food... or maybe the cook!

Stone's mom & Grant's mom

Andrew's mom & Philip's mom (in the background on the futon)
Maggie's & Olivia's mom

On a more fun (or CRAZY) note, we DID spend the night to get into preschool at St. Pauls. We were fifth on the list. Stone's 5 little friends were 1-4 and 6. Jenifer, Kelly, Kim, Lauren, and I made a night of it, ordered Outback around 6pm, watched movies, and got Starbucks around 9pm. It was an interesting evening, but all in all, we're glad we did it. By 7pm Sunday night (yes, we were there at 1:30pm on Sunday!!) all the 3day a week 3 year old slots were full. Would I do it again? Probably...

Carrots

2007-02-06T15:44:00.000-06:00

What is it with carrots? Why don't I like them? I have tried to make myself like them time and time again, but I just can't do it. I really would like to eat them for my deteriorating eyesight, but I just can't bring myself to like them. Every time I try and eat carrots, they almost gag me.

I had some carrots today at lunch, but I did okay since they were soaked in Ranch dressing - which brings up a good question. Should I eat them for their nutritional value when I'm soaking them in salad dressing made of not-so-good products like mayonaisse and oil? Am I counteracting my desire for good health by soaking a nutritionally high valued food with fat? Something for a good doctor to answer maybe...

Does anyone have any great tricks to making carrots not taste like carrots while not devaluing their nutritional properties? Just a question.

That's My Girl!

2007-01-24T22:54:00.000-06:00

Month One

Month Five

Month Eight

So, my sister-in-law Angie has inspired me to take pictures of Stahley on each of her month birthdays. She did it for Davis until he was 24 months and now she's doing it with Lane. I must say I'm totally impressed with her ability to remember to take the picture first of all, and then actually get it! At about month three, Stahley's month birthday picture turned into her month and a half birthday picture since I can't even remember to do it on the correct day! So, hers aren't quite to the day, but you could say"in the eighth month." Anyway, Angie has this cute way of spelling it out with blocks. I just grab the first number I can find... although in month five and eight, Stahley grabbed the number!

Preschool

2007-01-13T17:36:00.000-06:00

So why am I stressing over this? I guess it's because my first child will actually be enrolled in school next year. It's amazing how time flies...

Stone will be in 3-year old preschool next year. I am stressing over where to send him and for how many days. There are too many options. Everyone says St. Pauls is the best, so if it's the best of course that's where I want him to go. But then there's the "spend the night at the church in line to get a spot" rumor. Is it true and if so, do I really need to spend the night up there? Surely there are other preschools where he can get the same (or at least close to the same) education...

So, the next question is for how many days? 2, 3, or 5 days a week? I have a few friends who I trust that have studied childhood education (something I know nothing about!) who say he's far advanced for his age and he needs to be challenged - that I should send him for 5 days a week... but, he's only 3!!! (well, he will be in June) He has plenty of years to spend in school behind a desk - especially if he takes the 8-year college plan like his mom (but then I really didn't spend all 8 years behind a desk, I guess). Anyway, you get the point... so, I guess 3 days is ideal for me - but if three days a week fills up before I get to the front of the "spend the night in a sleeping bag" line, then am I depriving him of knowledge, brain stimulation, and success if I only do two days or should I do all 5? I guess, after all, that it's only from 9-12, so it's not like he's there from 8-3. Oh the drama going on in my head these days...

Any of you teachers or mothers of older children have advice or suggestions? I am all ears!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2006-12-20T09:23:00.000-06:00

a special thanks to magnolia alley designs for a fabulous card this year!

The Kids

2006-11-14T15:00:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that Stone is almost 2 and a half years old! Time flies so fast... He is so precious - a sweet little disposition and a joy to raise.

Stahley was 6 months old on the 3rd of this month. Wow - time does fly! She's a sweet girl - and she is most definitely a daddy's girl already!!

Howdy Partner

2006-11-01T08:21:00.000-06:00

Last night we went trick or treating with our friends, the Stuarts. Thanks to Kelly, Stone had a precious costume. Not being a fan of Halloween, i hadn't really put a lot of thought into a costume, but she helped me deck him out to be a precious cowboy! Tony & Kelly live in a gated community with lots of young families, so it was very kid friendly. We had fun watching Stone figure out how to trick or treat. At first, he thought he was supposed to go in all the houses - but he eventually got the hang of it and we had a good time. I didn't dress Stahley, but she had fun riding in the stroller watching everyone run around her.

The 80's

2006-10-30T17:35:00.000-06:00

We were invited to an 80's party last week and I had no idea what to wear - until I remembered I was in the Captain Shreve High School Pep Squad in 1989! GO GATORS!! I knew my mom had my uniform, so I went and got it and lo and behold - I could wear it!! (it was a little snug) So anyway, I was a Gator Pep Squad member and can you guess what Chet was? FUN times were had by all!

The Sears in September

2006-09-26T21:21:00.000-05:00

Stone had breakfast in bed on Saturday. It took him about an hour and a half to eat an eggo and a scrambled egg. I think he was really enjoying it. Diego was on tv and he was glued.

Stahley is growing and growing. She is off the charts in weight and height. We like to think she's just "setting the records." You go girl - set those records!!

Chet is 30. He's finally in the next age bracket with me - you know the bracket where you have to bubble in the 30-35 or the 30-40 in a survey. Yea - that one... We went to Lake DeGray, Arkansas for the weekend of his birthday and it was very relaxing to be away from the demands of everyday life - just quality time together. We slept for 12 hours one night. It was GREAT! We had fun playing golf and fishing...it was nice to be able to talk to each other one on one with no "background noise!"

Pictures

2006-09-05T12:50:00.000-05:00

http://www.kellycathey.com/slideshows/

For those of you interested, here is a link to my kids' recent professionally done pictures. The password is one of our four first names (see if you can guess which one!) This girl is REALLY good with kids and VERY reasonably priced...so call her for an appointment if you're in our area anytime soon.

I'm Back!!!

2006-08-21T14:30:00.000-05:00

So, I'm back at work and I love it. I've decided I'm just not cut out for full-time stay-at-home mom work. I need adults and something in which to direct my energy that doesn't COST money! Being an engineer is GREAT and I'm glad I'm back.

I was telling some of my friends yesterday that on Monday morning I'm totally ready for coffee, Diet Coke, and adult conversation. By the end of Wednesday, I'm excited about apple juice, teddy grahams, and spit-up. A reunion with my children for the next four days is fun and then Monday comes around again. Part time is the perfect situation for me. God is good!

Pictures will come soon (but not today seeing as I let the camera batteries run down and I don't know where the charger is).

Stone is a few months over two and TONS of fun. He's talking in sentences I can understand and he soaks in all kinds of information...so, we're working on Bible memory. He's learned two verses (of course, they're somewhat paraphrased for a two-year old!) He knows the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 and Ephesians 4:32 - "Be kind to each other." He loves to recite them and it thrills me that the Word excites him! We'll see how much more I can cram into that little sponge before video games begin tempting him...

Stahley is 3.5 months and precious. I call her my "big smiley" because when she smiles, her whole face smiles. She still isn't sleeping all the way through the night, so Chet and I are very tired these days, but she's a joy. I just love my children to pieces.

Anyway, I'm here now. I'll try to post new pics soon.

Growing Up

2006-06-21T16:33:00.000-05:00

Stone's 2nd birthday was on the 11th. We had his party last weekend. He had a great time with all of his friends. Here are a some pictures of what has been going on at the Sears house over the last couple of weeks. Isn't this a cool cake! Our friend Christine made it for us. She made Stone a red wagon for his first birthday. Christine's creativity far exceed's our imagination.
Here is the closest thing to a smile we have been able to capture on film (or memory stick). Stahley is a sweetheart. She is beginning to sleep a little longer too.
Stone was playing with one of his birthday presents here. According to him, everything is "o-tay".
We had some special visitors a couple of weeks ago also. Stahley really liked her new friends.

Pink

2006-05-31T14:10:00.000-05:00

Pink is a shock considering all of the boy stuff that we've dealt with for the last two years. Stahley wears it well, though. Here she is relaxing after a bath earlier this week.

Stone's 2nd birthday is coming up soon. He is a super brutal dominator and is already showing signs that he will be much smarter than his dad. We are currently working on state identification with a puzzle that he likes to play with. When he is concentrating, he can identify Texas, Washington, Oregon, California, Louisiana, Florida, Alaska and Tennessee. He pronounces Louisiana, "We-see Anna" as if it were two separate words. He also calls Tennessee "guitar" because there is a picture of a guitar on the state. Here is a picture of Stone goofing off at the dinner table.

Smile

2006-05-17T14:52:00.000-05:00

More Pics for you blog nazis:

Stahley's first recorded smile: (she was two days old when I took this picture)

This is a picture of Stahley at her first trip to the doctor's office:

2006-05-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

It has been a little over a week now. Stahley is doing fine other than she sleeps all day and is awake all night. She could be considered a "midnight yoker" since she is awake during Broughton's chief operating hours and sleeps when the sun is up. Ashley is doing fine. Both Ashley and Stahley are going to see their doctors today. Ashley has been dying to get out of the house so I am sure she welcomes the opportunity even if it is to go to the doctor.

Here's another picture of Stone and Stahley. Stone has become quite the helper around the house. His responsibilities are to throw away all diapers and to put the empty bottles in the sink. He is a champion of his chores so far and they will continue to increase as the years pass.

--Chet

Stahley Madeline Sears

2006-05-08T14:33:00.000-05:00

Stahley is doing great. She is eating like a champ and sleeping well and often. Ashley is recovering well. Here are a few pics for your enjoyment:

Her eyelashes are very very long.

Stone welcomed her home with joy.

Hanging out in her fancy going home clothes waiting to be released from the hospital.

Stone checking to make sure his baby sister is okay.

Stahley practicing the martial arts.

New Pics

2006-04-18T13:41:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter!

egg hunting at aunt megan's dad's house

morning hair...i get it from my mommy!!

two of my FAVORITE things - playing outside and painting...

reading with my uncle Troy and great-uncle Bob