Ohio in October

Nick is a part of the client advisory council for Aileron which is located in Dayton, Ohio, so we have the opportunity to tag along with daddy to see Mimi and all the family that lives in Ohio. It's a LONG ride for the kids.  We've tried to do it during the night, but that just wears out Nick to do that, so we've journeyed during the day this time. 

Tillman and Caroline got to go to a huge farm and did all things "Punkin" (as Tillman says). They had hay rides, mazes and we all got to pick out a pumpkin to take home. We even journeyed on of the pumpkins all the way back to South Carolina to enjoy.  

Mid-west Farms

Out in the patch

Mimi and Caroline

Tillman ushering daddy to the perfect pumkin

Our finds

Caroline dressed up to visit family

Playing at the mall

Tillman acting as the Ice Cream man

Caroline enjoying her bottle in her new boots

Tillman doing his assignments from school while on our long car-ride

Apple Picking, Mountain Climbing, and Brevard Loving

On the day we received a fully ratified contract on our Hollywood Home, we headed to Brevard, NC for a family weekend.  Nick and I honeymooned there, and it was our first time back to the cabin.  The kids enjoyed it as much as we did.

Apple picking at Sky Top Orchard. 

 Lunch at the Wrinkled Egg

Family Sight Seeing at Looking Glass Falls in Pisgah National Forest 

Rock climbing at Devils Court House (Balsam Grove, N Carolina)

 Daddy cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway

Mommy and Kids in the sweeper van following daddy on his ride!

Caroline's first hair cut....mommy mistake

Blondie After Her Cut

As I seek to remember what has happened over the past quarter, I sadly have to look at Facebook and reference the quick post I put on there.  I'm reminded of a mommy mistake...allowing the hair cut lady to "even things up."  She all but gave baby C a boy cut.


Quote from Facebook:Caroline is sporting it today along with her new hair cut! Feel like a bad mommy cutting off the curls, but I hope they will grow back fast! She was pulling out her hair bc it was in her face...crazy girl won't wear a hair bow!

Right before the big cut

In my defense, it was out of control

And cutting and cutting

I did get a bag of her curls from the cut

Yes, curls came back...but not the dark hair...yet!  

Sept 21- Sept 27, 2013 (The House That Built Me)

6 acres in Hollywood, SC

This was a defining week for our family. Saturday, Sept 21st, we had to hurry to get out of the house for yet another house showing.  Little did we know that it would be THE ONE! The feedback from the showing came immediately and it wasn't positive. "no laundry room, backyard not configured as buyer desired." Ugh, I thought. So much to our surprise, they wanted to come back for a second showing.  Little did the buyers know that this was our only second showing since our home was on the marketing.  So, we packed up again and cleaned, made the house pretty and prayed this would be the one.

Caroline's Room

Though a long week of negotiations, questions, and heart-ache/excitement (let's just call it emotions), we had a deal. We were set to close on Nick's Birthday! And we indeed closed on Nick's birthday (the advantage yet again of writing this much delayed).

Tillman's Room

 We called Hollywood home for 5 years (tears for mommy). This house has likely been one of the biggest lessons for me, a "grow up" moment, a marriage challenger, and a blessing in disguise. While I view it as a mistake of moving out to the country, a mistake is always a blessing. Had I not had to live with this mistake, I wouldn't be half the person I am today, and your parents' marriage wouldn't be as strong as it is today either. There's a country song that is titled "the house that built me."  I really believe that this is that place. It will hold a special spot in my heart.

The den AKA play room

In November of 2008 when we moved to this house, I didn't know how we were going to pay the bills.  It was a way bigger mortgage than we'd ever tackled, and we had renovations ahead of us to make it our "dream home." Nick was the "general contractor" for the project and had very few "sub" help. The renovation lasted a full year (we lived upstairs in now Caroline's room and our bathroom was our kitchen, restroom, and only source of water). We had our first family "get together" for Thanksgiving 2009, and two short months later, I was pregnant with Tillman. 

Dinning room (time out is to the right of the china cabinet)

 This house built our marriage through many counseling session. All of the issues were underlying, but the stress of the house caused us to face them. I don't feel our relationship faced anything unique, but the house gave us the extra push to seek help. We learned many tools to carry us through the walks of life together and as parents.  We sought counseling before the birth of Tillman and then again before Caroline was born. We've luckily been on cruise control for a while now, and we've met one of our biggest goal in counseling-selling the house!

Living room
(where both kids slept in their Moses baskets & swing)

 This house built our family of 4!  We brought Tillman and Caroline "home" to this house.  Hollywood is all they know as home. I do believe that home is where family is, so I hope they will find comfort in calling the next place home. (Tillman already knows his new address)

Kitchen-over looking the back yard where the kids play)

 As we spend our last week at our Hollywood Home, I feel blessed to have been faced with the challenges and growth this house brought to me, my marriage, and my family.

Master bedroom-grand central station

After all it is the house that made me a better wife and a mother...It's the House that built me...

Happy 3rd Birthday to our T-T, Tiny T, Till, Tillman

It doesn't seem possible that you are 3 years old. Everyone said time would fly, but I guess I didn't believe it until I'd experienced this myself. Two was OK for me, as it still sounded young, but 3 seems so old!  You have been our "test" child. Everything we do with you is a test in hopes that we get it right. You are extremely independent, strong willed, and cute as a button! 

Right up there will Elmo is all things John Deere!  Here's you and your gift from mom and dad-backhoe & front loader. This screamed TILLMAN when we saw it. Before bed each night you usually pick daddy for stories or mommy to look at the (com)"puter." When we look at the computer, you always request John Deere "stuff." Chick-Fil-A and John Deere certainly have a wonderful marketing teams, as they have gained your brand loyalty at such a young age!

Your love for tractors and all things outdoor, solidifies that your name fits you to a T (no pun intended). 

Tillman \t(i)-ll-man\ as a boy's name is of Old English origin, and the meaning of Tillman is "one who plows the earth". Occupational name. In agriculture, tilling the soil meant turning and loosening it before it was planted.

Remoting the monster truck in undies!

 In your 3rd year, you have grown a love for no clothing.  Hints the picture above. You go to bed fully clothed, and you wake up with things missing. You enjoy walking around with limited items around the house. You are something else, when it comes to clothes!  However, you do love a jacket...with a hood.  If it is 60 degrees or less, you claim it is cold and won't go outside without a jacket...that is zipped!  You are a true Southern boy (or bro as your dad would say...especially since you love a bow tie!).

Hands down your favorite gift from MiMi!

 At your 3 year old visit, you checked out just fine and growing well according to Dr. Clifford. He doesn't think you will be a basketball star (height 2%tile and weight 10%tile), but none the less you are growing and developmentally great!

Dough Nuts! Your favorite!

Tillman's 3rd Birthday Bash and a small world moment

It's Party Time! In his shirt made by CiCi

If there is one place that Tillman loves to go, it would be Chick-Fil-A...hands down.  He really doesn't enjoy eating there. Rather he plays his heart out and then eats his food in the car on the way home. The first meat he would eat.  We thought his was a complete vegetarian until he discovered the kids meal at Chick-Fil-A.

Caroline in her party dress for T-T bash

 So, needless to say his party was at "the chicken place," and it was Elmo-themed.  This kid simply loves Elmo.  Unsure how Elmo has captivated so many children's attention, but I'm sure glad it is he and not Sponge-Bob!  Tillman has a stuffed Elmo, Elmo phone, and an Elmo radio.  These toys get a lot of action. Since Tillman loves them so...Caroline naturally does as well. (sharing tends to be an issue :-) )

Tillman invited his school friend to his party. We had good eats and the playground to themselves.  Being that his bday falls during football season, Chick-Fil-A was dead, as everyone was at the game(s).

Jackson, a school buddy, joining in the
Celebration.

Looking back on the picture above, it is an example of how small the world is.  Now looking back on this (since I haven't written on the blog in forever), this is actually a distant cousin.  We are related through Jackson's mom side and my side of the family-the Sutherland Family.  My great great grandfather and Jackson's mom's great great great grandfather is the same person!  Due to the family being so large, they ended up spanning two generation.  We are lucky to grow up with some of our "kin folk" here in Charleston.  Wow, how the world is so small!

Last Summer Fling! Hilton Head Family Trip with Friends

 So, it has been far too long since I last posted.  I'm going to work my way through our last quarter of life!
We had the opportunity to go with some family friends to Hilton Head Island over Labor Day Weekend. It was fun for Nick to go since he used to vacation there as a child. Some of the same places we went were those he used to go with his family.  Hilton Head was his first taste of South Carolina. I'm sure he would have never thought back then on family vacation that SC he would call home one day.

 Here we are on the pier in Harbor Town looking at Daufuskie Island. Caroline looks a little sad in these photos, as she started running a temp on the trip.  Of course, I thought it was just teething, but I sure was wrong.  She ended up having an ear infection. Thank goodness to MUSC After Hours for being open on Labor Day, as we had to get her on some meds as soon as we got back to town.

 The fun still went on at the beach and pool for our two little ones.  This was a trip that we still had a 2 year old and a one year old.

Brother and sister love

Queen of the Beach

Tillman and his buddy Cole (and Mr Monkey)
 enjoying the yachts in Harbor Town
Tillman Popeye smile! 

Locking her in for safety at the pool

Water Hose-No Swimsuit required!

Sweet (and Wet) Caroline!