Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Nutcracker Bound

The girlies went to see The Nutcracker at the community college with Grandma this past weekend. They enjoyed getting all dolled up for the performance and Joely couldn't pass up the opportunity to "crash" their picture together. He is getting this little brother thing down to a T!

Monday, December 13, 2010

Excuses

Bet you're all wondering when I am going to stop with the excuses (well all two of my readers, that's probably all I have left due to my "hiatus")? I'm not sure when the excuses will stop but I'm going to give it an effort, not making promises for a best effort but at least an effort.

It's been a very interesting but life changing Fall 2010 for the Hively family. At the end of the day GOD is good and He is very good to us. Let's just say I have the very most amazing husband anyone could ever ask for and am so thankful for what an amazing man of God he is. I am so excited for the future God has for our family. I will be very thrilled to be past this "test" so that I can start sharing my "testimony" and helping others.

I'm enjoying being back to work again, well at least most days. Except icy, snowy days like today. Our St. Louis Memory Walk left us with a little money to make up so I threw together this little Holiday Fashion Show at Plaza Frontenac in an effort to raise a little more funds before the end of the year. That's been keeping me busy for the last two months and after last Wednesday night I finally took a breath and now I am so excited for Christmas!

The family is doing wonderful! Corey's job is going very well, the girls are doing great in school, Joely is talking up a storm...little words but still so sweet to walk into the room and see his big smile and hear him say "Hi"!

We lost my 88 year old great-aunt about a month ago. It was difficult to close that chapter of my life, she was the final link to my grandparents on my Dad's side. She lived a good life and I feel blessed that I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with her and the chance to minsiter to her in her final days. Thanksgiving weekend, we started what we hope to be an annual family trip to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetary. We had a great morning visiting our family members gravesites and reminicsing about the good times we had with them adn the impact they made on our lives. It was great to get my parents, siblings and Jamie's Dad together for this trip!

My Omi (my Mom's mom) is still battling colon cancer and we did not get the most promising report the week of Thanksgiving. My grandparents were unable to make it to Thanksgiving dinner at my house, my Omi doesn't get out much except to go to doctor appointments and chemo treatments. Corey had the brilliant idea to make them a dvd of all of us preparing the feast and then my Mom delivered it to them along with Thanksgiving dinner that weekend. It was fun to make the home movie just for them! My Omi was in the hospital this past week but she allowed me the opportunity to visit with her while she was there (I haven't seen her since June). What a wonderful gift, I'm so happy she was up for a visit. My grandparents have a wonderful outlook on the diagnosis and we are just going to continue to stand in agreement with them and lean on what the promises of God are and what His word says!

So all that's left is the burning question for the day. We were watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas last night (Jim Carey version) and the conversation goes like this:
Aly: "Hey Dad, one question"....
Corey: "yes"
Aly: "Does the Grinch have a penis"?

Seriously? Only my kids would be wondering about the Grinch's "junk" underneath all that fur!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Blog Slacker

I really do miss blogging and documenting everything! Honestly the last thing I want to do at night is be on the computer, maybe I should get a phone that I can blog with so I can sit on the couch and blog with the family...or I could just use the laptop, now that's a novel idea, again it goes back to this whole "don't want to be on the computer thing". I might be blog slacking but I do take lots of pics and even manage to get them on Facebook with a little more frequency.

So much going on at work. I have the big St. Louis Memory Walk at Busch Stadium on September 11th. I'm just now starting to realize the magnitude of being the walk director for an event at Busch Stadium...it's kind of a big deal, don't know why I didn't realize this sooner. Works been really fun, I'm totally enjoying being a career mom. My aunt makes it really easy for me to go to work everyday because I know she is taking excellent care of my kiddos and they are having a blast with her. It truly is like having another Grandma around...a kid can never have too many grandma type influences in their life!

Ash started preschool yesterday and was so excited to be back in her groove with her friends. She really lit up yesterday, guess she thrives on routine and daily agendas...I can't imagine where she gets that from! Preschool has a tradition where you decorate a paperdoll that resembles you...you know ours was "bling bling" all the way complete with a purse, make-up and a cell phone. The kids enjoy getting their pics taken on the front porch and we always get a kick out of their "grinch" faces!

I'm training to run my first 5k. I've been sidelined lately due to ankle injuries, completely frustrating but I feel as though I am well on the road to recovery. My first 5k will be the "Run for Mercy" on October 16th to benefit Mercy Ministries! We love this ministry and have faithfully supported it since 2003. Feel free to run with me if you feel so inspired...I could use the inspiration!



Monday, August 16, 2010

What a Difference a Year Makes!

My baby girl started 1st grade today. Hard to believe she will be going to school all day, riding the bus, eating lunch with her friends and learning so much. 3 of her best girlfriends are in her 1st grade class as well as the boy that kissed her on the bus last year.

We had a fantastic summer! Aly spent alot of time hanging out with Aunt Peggy, Ash and Joely. She had her first slumber party a few weeks ago and went to her first sleepover this past weekend. Aly is reading so well, she is at the stage where she sounds out and reads everything. This summer one of her favorite words to read to the family was "Hooters" on our way to and from Gulf Shores. I'm so proud of her already and today is only the first day of school!

2010 1st Day of 1st Grade





















2009 1st Day of Kindergarten

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Too Much to Mention

We've done a ton since the last post from Father's Day to vacation to 4th of July holiday to Magic House, birthday celebrations, etc. Have had tons of family in and out of town for the past 2 1/2 weeks, almost everyone is back home and things will start returning to normal...whatever that is. Enjoy a few random pictures!







Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Darling

I went outside and found Aly and her friend from school chatting at the edge of the driveway...they look so precious. This little guy was in her Kindergarten class and his heart is as big as Aly's...such a nice boy! I had to sneak this picture from inside the house!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Truly Stellar Week...

We decided to take the plunge and buy a really nice, sort of expensive grill...then...we have had a ton of drama with refinancing our house from the appraisers and banks so we are out $$$ and I don't even want to give a figure because I have nothing to show for it...then...I found out I have tendinitis in my ankle from training for a 5K and have to have physical therapy, in my spare time...then, my CHI shot craps...then my coffee pot died...

Bright spots...good friends in town for the weekend and had so much fun hanging out with them on Friday night! Alzheimer's Gala Saturday night...at least I get to wear my new dress...and I got vicadin to get me through the night because of the tendinitis...Dance recital Sunday...vacation starts in about a week, we get to go to the Gulf...non-refundable hotel...we should be nice and oil slicked by the time we get home!

Hoping to post pics soon!