Family Night at the Circus

The circus elephants were impressive. We also enjoyed the tigers. The little dogs had lots of good tricks too. It was fun to watch.

This is one of the many circus acts that made me NERVOUS! The tightrope made me nervous too. The catapult through a ring of fire was quite alarming as well. I told Scott NOT to even think about joining the circus... it'd give me a panic attack no doubt. He expressed NO interest in trying these stunts at home, much less as a job.

Scott with the Circus Strong Man

Caroline & Mackenzie at the circus with cousins Mia & Kalea.

Actually, they had 16 cousins present, as well as 13 aunts & uncles, as well as a set of grandparents. It was a fun family night!

Trueloves at the CIRCUS: Scott, Caroline, Eric, Mackenzie, Cherre

Pinewood Derby 2010

Scott enjoyed the Pinewood Derby this year, as his friend Hagen was able to join & his friend Jacob won 1st place this year. Eric & Scott enjoy shaping and painting a car each year. Lots of fun!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Look who CUPID drug out of bed... 3 little sleepy heads. We enjoyed omelets for breakfast before heading to church. The kids had fun playing the word search and tic-tac-toe Valentine place mat activities. We feel blessed to have such a loving family. Love ya Scott! Lots of Love for our sweet Caroline & we love you too Mack-a-doo!

Outdoor Iceskating

Eric helped Mackenzie ice skate. This is only her 2nd time on the ice.

Eric treated the kids to outdoor iceskating in downtown Raleigh on Valentine's weekend. The kids had a great time. Scott & Caroline had fun chasing each other around the rink. Afterwards, we enjoyed a trip to Krispy Kreme... a family favorite.

Snow days

Scott

Caroline

Mackenzie

The kids enjoyed some sledding earlier in the month in the NC mountains, but, they were just as excited to get snow at home this week. They were SO excited to wake up to snow. Though they didn't wake up as early as they did on Christmas morning, they were just as excited it appeared. We were able to get out & enjoy some sledding in the neighborhood on Saturday. Come Sunday, Eric & I were very SICK, so the kids did a little sledding in the yard by themselves. It's been nice to have some down time as a family. We've been able to enjoy some snow cream, hot chocolate, cinnamon rolls, sausage biscuits as well as some down time reading & playing together. On our 1st sled ride, Scott took the top of the his & vered left, dodging a mail box, but then, he was out of our sight & a neighborhood dad nearby ran to Scott and tackled him. We couldn't see it, but, Scott was heading to a rocky drop-off, backwards, so we felt blessed that our neighbor saved the day. After that, we were much more careful in our sledding endeavors. Now, that's what neighbors are for.

Flying High

Eric told me that the helicopter Scott received for Christmas was an "indoor helicopter". Is there such a thing? So far, there have been no major accidents to report, so it hasn't earned a shelf in the garage YET. Eric is guilty of running down the battery by playing with it before giving Scott a turn, so, I think I know what to get him next Christmas. Boys will be boys!

I dare you to...

stick your elbows in the banana splits bowls! It was cold & sticky, but, I did it! The kids thought is was hillarious. I think I started something by tossing them their rolls at the dinner table that evening. Sometimes it's good to mix it up. My children help me realize that sometimes it's good to relax and not take things too seriously. One evening I said, "Caroline, sometimes you're so silly it's not funny." Scott commented with a smirk, "Mother, sometimes you're so serious it IS funny." I had to laugh at the witty comment & I'm trying to let my kids see my fun-side a little more, as they know my serious side quite well at this point.

Who's that girl?

Cherre & Eric at Maggiano's for the Rehearsal dinner

Dave & Camillia exit the temple, welcomed by family and friends. CAMILLIA is definitely THE girl in the spotlight this weekend... isn't she dazzling? She was ALL smiles & we're SO happy for her.

Camillia sets a wonderful example for all her little nieces by being married in the temple. All the girls were VERY excited to see her wedding gown.

William, Scott & Hayden James await the happy couple outside the Apex temple.

The wedding cake was BEAUTIFUL & delicious: chocolate, cheesecake with strawberries & raspberries, as well as carrot cake. Mother is a fabulous baker & Cerah did an incredible job with the icing & flowers. Love it!

Growing Up Is Hard To Do

The kids were in the mountains with PaPa Truelove on Eric's actual birthday, so he got to celebrate twice this year. For Eric's 1st party, he was SO exhausted from the long hours he's been pulling lately, that I ordered take-out from Outback for him to pick up on the way home from work so we could enjoy a nice evening without heading OUT. It was great! But, Eric was SO exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open to open his presents. That's a true sign of aging! But, a few days later, he was able to catch up on some sleep & celebrate again with the kids... they didn't let him sleep through this party. We sure were glad to have them back home!

Basketball

Scott's getting schooled in the game of basketball this season, as he's one of the shortest kids on the court. He's fast & knows how to hustle, which gives him an edge. We enjoy watching him play. We've missed several practices & games this season due to sickness/inclement weather/schedule conflicts. I'm learning how to use my new camera... can you tell?