cuthbertson crew

catching up...

2010-04-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Why am I so bad at keeping up with this? I could think of a million excuses, but I won't. I will just pick up and fill in the blanks. So...my baby boy turned 7 in February! I really have to pinch myself to realize that I have a seven year old. We celebrated with a little laser tag action and anything from a galaxy far far away. I am so proud to be this little man's mama.
This was my birthday letter to him...
Dear Cam,
My young jedi you are! I love how you become so passionate about what you enjoy. It makes me giggle inside when you run upstairs to turn your Star Wars music on (rather loud I might add) and play out scenes with your Lego ships and figures. You have an incredible sense of imagination and creativity. I will not be surprised if you grow up to be the next Steven Spielburg. I am so glad you have your daddy's smarts! You rock right on through all your weekly spelling tests and read chapter books in a day. You are alot like your daddy actually, which is a good thing. You are a quiet soul, always have been. You have a very kind heart and it bothers you to see or hear of people hurting. I cherish the few hugs and kisses that I get from you these days. I know you are growing up, but if you could sneak in a few more snuggles for me that would be really great! I am so grateful that you know God and his love for you. You ask me good questions that challenge me...keep them coming. I hope the animals talk in heaven too! I love playing games with you, Uno and Guess Who being my favorites. I don't know if I will ever master chess, probably not. I have mastered making you the best cinnamon raisin french toast ever according to you :)
I love you every inch, Mom

10 Days of Christmas

2010-01-26T17:36:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it has been a month since Christmas.
Eeek! I am so behind on my posts.
Here is a taste of our favorite time of the year!

On the first day of Christmas we took a snowy trip to Blowing Rock to find the perfect tree...

On the second day of Christmas a sweet list of "Thing's I am thankful for" was presented to me with mom and dad being numbers 27 and 28. I am just glad I made the cut!

On the third day of Christmas an early present for our little student arrived from Nana and Poppy.

On the fourth day of Christmas we decked the halls.

On the fifth day of Christmas we ate lots of candy and managed to put some on our gingerbread house.

On the sixth day of Christmas we sat on Santa's lap with our cousin "baby Baker"

On the seventh day of Christmas we became a Spanish dancer in our school's "Around the World" Christmas show.

On the eighth day of Christmas Santa brought ballerinas and princesses...

and left us a special letter....

and the force was with us.

On the ninth day of Christmas and EVERYDAY we praise Jesus for being born to save us.

On the tenth day of Christmas we rang in the New Year!

A thankful heart

2009-11-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving day

walked into this sweet scene after washing the dishes from Cotie's birthday dinner...love!

the Christmas boxes came down from the attic this weekend, they crack me up!

craving the turkey with Nana

admiring her special turkey treats

we had some fun times with "baby Baker" this month

my little pumpkins

had the best visit from our aunt Sari and cousins Will and Emma (more pictures to follow)

our gratitude tree, a wonderful idea from sweet a friend Designing for the Soul

Emma and Eliza Grace

Yikes! I am way overdue for a post!

Fall is my favorite time of year. The brisk chill in the air, the vivid colors that take over the trees, the smells of pumpkin spice lattes and apple cider, all make my heart warm and fuzzy.
Fall also brings Thanksgiving. The holiday that I feel like gets rushed and skimped. The Christmas wreaths show up before the turkey's even hit our tables. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas! I am just grateful for Thanksgiving , because it reminds us to reflect and give thanks for all God has blessed us with. And I have SO much to thank God for....

Jesus = my saving grace
the 6:30pm call from Cotie to say he is on his way home
weekends...ahhh
the sound of Eliza Grace's footsteps coming into my room to snuggle every morning
living less than 5 minutes from my mom
Cameron's smile when he see's me pull up in the carpool line
the way my husband cuddles me like we are sleeping in a twin size bed rather than a king
once a month girl dinners with my best friends since high school
the flexibility of my work
Eliza's curly locks
insights from other women
my brothers and sisters near and far
blogs, facebook, google, and email
the stillness and quiet that comes over our house at night..well after 8:00pm
Cameron's creativity and attention to detail
COFFEE esp. Starbucks vanilla lattes
wine, NOT the kind my kids sometimes do, the kind you drink:)
God's forgivness (cause I make plenty of mistakes daily)
pajamas and slippers
Cameron's pride when he tells me how many chapters he has already read in his new book
the artwork and school work that come home in my kids book bags
Eliza's pure sweetness
the way my husband looks at me and knows what I am thinking before I can even say a word
having wonderful neighbors who really love my kids
being a mommy- it's not always easy but I absolutely LOVE... really, really love being
a mom. I consider it a huge blessing
hugs and kisses, lots of them!
laughter
seeing a glimpses of Christ through others, nature, and children

As we prepare for Christmas I know I already have ALL I could ever want or need.

A Halloween to remember

2009-11-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

I am pretty sure I have not fully dressed up for Halloween since I was like 12 years old. I have thrown on a witch hat or some cowgirl boots to amuse the kids while we trick or treat. This year I was at the costume store desperately searching for a full costume that I could comfortably wear. It is not an easy task, most are lacking quite a bit of fabric! What would inspire me to do this? Well, we got the invite of all invites to come to Charleston for my sister in law's parent's Halloween bash. This is not your average trick or treat party. Cassie's mom literally has a storage unit for all her decorations. She knows how to throw an amazing party! I think the kids felt like we were at Disney world. We had so much fun! I loved being with my silly big kid brother and his sweet family. I loved seeing the joy in Cameron and Eliza's eyes as they took it all in. We made great memories!

ballet slippers

2009-10-06T19:09:00.001-07:00

Last week at ballet Eliza Grace got to wear the crown for the day. I wish I had been able to get better pictures. The teacher doesn't like annoying parents, such as myself, to come into the classes. I can't say that I blame her. So, these were taken from behind the "viewing window"!

A Reading Celebration

2009-09-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

One of Cameron's favorite things to do is dress up and pretend. He has a great imagination! Every year at his school they hold a reading celebration day where the entire school can dress as their favorite book character. It is so much fun to see the creativity that goes into the costumes. The parents can also get in on the fun. The whole morning is spent with "special guest" readers. The books come to life for the students. Cameron knew he wanted to be frog from "Frog and Toad are Friends" right away. I am pretty sure he is the cutest frog I have ever seen.
If I were a little princess, I would kiss him!

Thank heaven for my little girl

2009-09-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

Eliza and I have had some yummy together times while Cameron has been off at school. I have to say I thank God everyday for blessing me with a little girl. I remember when I got pregnant how guilty I felt for hoping everyday that God was weaving a little one who would love pink in my belly. Knowing fully that a healthy baby is all that really mattered. I remember lying on the table for the ultra sound and praying that I would embrace whatever blessing was announced. The tears of utter joy flowed when we learned that we were going to have a baby girl. My Eliza Grace has exceeded my expectations for what it is like to have a daughter.
Here are a few snap shots of our past week together.

We went with Nana for our ballet shoe fitting. Of course we ended up leaving with more than just the slippers! She can't wait for class to start next week.

We had playdates with our BFF "Claire Bear"

We ate lots of mint chocolate chip ice cream with sprinkles after dinner. Really just had to add this picture because of that smile I get to see everyday!

We had a playdate with Austin, who in his words says...
"Eliza Grace, I am going to marry you"

More playdates! This is Ann Riley, another BFF! Eliza has more of a social calendar than I do!
She loves her friends and I love to see her having so much fun.

Ready, Set, Back to School

2009-08-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

The back to school shopping is done, the pencils are sharpened, the name labels are attached, the bookbag is packed, and now for the back to school haircut or should I say shape up?
It is called "No Grease" barber shop. I stick out like a sore thumb, but they always remember our names! It is just like you would imagine... TV set on the sports channel, heavy laughter in the air, the sound of clippers buzzing, a pool table toward the back, and the candy machines that only take exact change. It is an experience to be had!

Check out the finished product! Cameron started first grade today, I don't know where the time has gone. I was one proud mama today! He was so excited and had a pride about him. I told him what I always tell him as we walked out the door... "remember who you are and who lives inside your heart."

Summer days gone by

2009-08-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

As we get ready for sounding alarm clocks, filled book bags, dreaded homework, and packing lunch boxes I have to remember our summer days gone by. We did not go on a family beach trip or escape to the mountains. It didn't matter, we had such a fun summer staying right here. Home sweet home! The kids and I came up with our own top ten list for our summer fun.
It goes a little something like this...
1. Hanging out in our PJ's till noon.
2. Summer camps with new friends.
3. Staying in the pool till our fingers look like raisins.
4. Eating Ben and Jerry's with rainbow sprinkles of course!
5. Church staring at 10:00am rather than 8:45am
6. Evening thunder storms that we can snuggle to.
7. Slipping our toes into Crocs or flip flops.
8. Sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and games of Uno.
9. Going to the movies with Mommy's purse full of candy!
10. Yummy picnics and cookouts.

five dollar happiness

2009-08-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

My toes were hurting for some loving this past weekend.
I was about to head out the door to get a pedicure when Eliza begged to join me. I could not believe how still she was, even falling asleep at the end. It was too funny! Cotie thinks it is a little like the show "Toddlers and Tiara's" Don't worry we did not hit the spray tan booth on the way home. I think it was the best five dollars ever spent!

VCC

2009-08-03T05:59:00.000-07:00

This past week was vacation church camp for us. I taught a class of eleven pre- k kidos. It was a huge commitment to make for the whole week, but I am so glad I did it. I really loved making relationships with other children and other moms. It was cool to be able to peek in on Cameron and Eliza Grace as they went through their days learning about God's amazing love for them. We all came home tired with the songs of the day singing in our heads. It was a good tired though!

Family Day at Hendrick BMW

2009-07-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

Once a month the dealership I where I work closes down for an hour and a half and we have a luncheon for all employees. It's a great break from the chaos and a good opportunity for our General Manager to go over stats, facts, figures, and rankings. We usually have a good lunch and you never know who is going to spin "the wheel" for cash. Good stuff. For the July luncheon we have a family day where everyone brings the family and we all dress up in goofy shirts. This year we had hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. We also had a real race car, clowns and an ice cream truck. The kids were able to tour the dealership and just have fun with daddy at daddy's work. They liked it and I loved to have them at the place where I spend soooooo much time.

A shout out to Cam

2009-06-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it is almost July and I am just now giving a much deserved shout out to my Kindergarden grad! Cameron had such a great year in Mrs. Doran's class. My shy timid little guy really came out of his shell. He has really grown up and reminds me of it everyday (literally) ! The last week of school they had a spirit week complete with silly hat day and pajama day. So much fun! Of course I had to crash the party to snap a few pics.

I love you Cam man! You hate it BUT you will always be my baby boy!

Our #1 Dad

2009-06-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

We had a great father's day starting off with breakfast in bed. The day ended with us having a picnic at Pop's in the Park. We enjoyed yummy eats, played rounds of UNO, found animals in the clouds and moved to the music.

I mean what could be more fun?

I am so grateful that my children have such a wonderful dad.

He can create a firetruck out of a cardboard box, he can cause songs of laughter with his tickles, he is great at coming up with tricks to help us remember something, he leads dance jam sessions in our kitchen, he gets loud cheers followed by hugs and kisses when he comes home from work, he knows magic tricks, he works so hard for us, he is a computer wiz, he shows the kids how much he loves me, he is our constant calm from any storm.

We love you very much!

Amazing talent and heart capturing our family

2009-06-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

We have not taken family pictures since Cameron was about two years old. It was time and something I had been dreaming of doing. My precious friend Amy recommended her friend Jen Hunt to us to take some pics. Well, never in a million years did I think it would be such an awesome experience.

We had the privilege of spending time with Jen and Chris Hunt a few weeks ago. I literally left the shoot thinking to myself... if none of those pictures turn out it is okay. It was that fun! The two of them are such fun, talented, and simply sweet people. They also happen to be very beautiful. I am really becoming a little obsessed with them. Seriously though, when I saw the pictures that they took I was blown away. I really don't know how I got to be so blessed. I have the best husband in the world who loves me deeply no matter what. I have two breath taking children who make my heart dance daily. I am so thankful for the Lord's gifts.

So...I am officially madly in love with my family!

to see more go to

http://www.jenhuntphotography.com/mary-katherine-cody-eliza-grace-cameron/

Baby the Baker

2009-06-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

Eliza could not get enough of him!

Cameron being silly with Baker

Sold Separately

2009-06-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

Eliza's birthday was Tuesday and she turned 3 years old. As a present we decided to get her a sandbox. We did our research and weighed the options of plastic or wood; table or box. We looked online and at a couple of stores. We finally found one we liked and decided to purchase it.
Shortly afterwards we met up with my dad for a quick visit and for him to give us Eliza's gift. We told him about the sandbox we found and he followed up with one question. Did you get sand?
Somehow in all the excitement of picking out a sandbox we actually forgot the sand. So we made a dash to Walmart and picked up a couple of bags. Here is a picture of the sandbox I put together for Eliza (and Cameron) with sand.

I think if they put "contents hot" on coffee cups then there should definitely be "sand sold separately" tag attached to sandboxes.

My Birthday Letter to Eliza Grace

2009-06-02T18:55:00.000-07:00

A fellow mom and friend told me about this idea she had to write a letter to her children on their birthdays each year. I loved it! Of course in my new commitment to documenting the memories... here it is!

Dear Eliza Grace,

You are three years old today. The two's were anything but terrible! You started your first year of preschool and loved every minute. You made some really good friends. Claire or "Claire bear" as you like to call her and Ann Riley are definitely your BFF's. You have had many play dates filled with princess dress up and tea parties with them.
You have mastered life without a paci and pull-ups. Yes, you are "not a baby" anymore. You are your brother's best cheerleader attending soccer games, basketball practices, and spending Saturdays at the t-ball field. You are a real trooper! We are both having to adjust to Cameron's "cooler" side. He loves you so much I promise! He really can't stand to be without you. Sweet pea, you do have your habits. I would have to say your drug of choice is peach Yo baby yogurt. You can't get enough of it! Your lovie and pillow are two other things you simply can not live without. My sweet girl, do you know how many people stop us a day to compliment you and your curls? I really hope you love them and know how beautiful they are as you grow. Eliza you are such a blessing to me. You have the sweetest kindest heart. You melt me to pieces on a daily basis. You are my constant grace.

I love you baby girl! Happy Birthday.

Mommy

June Babies

2009-05-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

Eliza's birthday is June 2nd ,which makes her part of the summer birthday group at preschool. Last Friday her teacher's wanted to make sure and celebrate all summer bday's before the end of the year. One of Eliza's best friends, Ann Riley and her had a great time wearing matching princess hats and sharing cupcakes with the class. It was amazing to see what joy a little icing can bring to a group of 3 year olds! Thank you Harris Teeter!

A start

2009-05-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

My sweet hubby has had a blog up for almost a year now. It was his amazing anniversary gift to me. A year of simple romance. He has always told me that I should do a family blog. I blew it off thinking I have enough to keep up with in my life. Meanwhile he works 55+hours a week and still finds the time to do a sweet something everyday for me and blog about it.I have to say it was the birth of my new nephew Baker that gave me the nudge to get this family blog up and running. I realized as I watched his arrival how fast the time goes. All the amazing pictures my brother took documenting every precious moment was an inspiration for me. I look at the blank pages of Eliza Grace's baby book and how less detailed my entries are in Cameron's after age 3. I don't want more time to pass without documenting the little laughs we share, the sweet tender moments, the joyous occasions and even the sad days we sometimes face. So here it is. I can't promise great entries filled with insight or humor all the time or even posts every week. I can promise that this will be a spot where I can pour my heart out from time to time and record our priceless memories.

How do you know if someone is bi-racial?

2009-05-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Have you every taken a look at a child or adult and wondered, hmmm. Is she or isn't she? This is how you find out for sure. Take a radio and turn on some hip-hop music with an up tempo beat. Then wait and observe the person dance to the music. If you know for sure that mom or, in this case dad is black and they move like this...

They are definately bi-racial.