My 4-H Testimonial, In Honor of Ava's 1st Year

As certain as I was that “one day” I wanted to have children, I was equally as certain that those children would “one day” be in 4-H. Well, this year, that certainty has been realized. I am officially a 4-H mom. Not that I was going to impose sewing or baking or livestock on my kids…ok, maybe I did…but I’m pretty sure they’ll thank me for it later.  Sure, each kid has to figure out what they enjoy and discover what they are good at. But with 4-H, there are so many projects for a child to choose from, that there just about has to be something to fit their niche. It’s not necessarily about the project a kid chooses, anyhow. It’s about exploring hobbies and careers and science and history. It’s learning specific skills like how to read a pattern or measure flour or know when to worm your pig. And then it’s about broader skills; like leadership, citizenship, responsibility, flexibility, determination, goal-setting, time management, and self-evaluation. It’s about building relationships, confidence, humility, and a heart for service, attitude, and character. Joining 4-H means that you work on public speaking skills and parliamentary procedure some days and then it’s field trips and 4-H camp, water fights and barn pranks.  It’s about families spending quality time working together toward common goals and it’s the whole 4-H community helping to support one another.

4-H was such a big part of my life from 9-19 years of age (and even beyond because I had 2 younger sisters who were still in 4-H after I finished). There were joys and triumphs and there were challenges and disappointments over the course of my 4-H career.  Looking back, the rough times were probably just as important to my development and learning as the rewards and recognition. When the “going got tough” I was taught to be resourceful and resilient. Like in my 2^nd year, when my prize-winning ewe died before I could bring her back and show her as a yearling.  Or in my 3^rd year, when I cut through the strap of the jumper I’d spent days sewing for my clothing project. That was not a happy afternoon with my mom. And now I “get it”. As a parent, trying to help your child with a project, you become pretty invested.  After teaching high school sewing for years with very little drama, I was surprised by the stress involved with teaching my own young daughter to sew her first clothing project. There was the time that the plastic cover on one of my poster projects bubbled up from heat, just hours before the fair. There was a dumped plate of cookies or muffins that needed to be re-made dangerously close to judging check-in.  And I seem to remember an incident with the clippers and the underside of a wether as we were shearing sheep before the fair.  This resulted in a frantic ride to the vet, holding onto to that lamb, in the back of my dad’s truck and praying that he would be alright…and that I’d still be able to show that Wednesday.  I could go on.  And I know that I’m not alone.  Ask any 4-Her, they all have these stories of near failures. “Learning experiences”, we like to call them. But did we throw up our hands in defeat? NO!  We figured out how to fix it. How to complete what we started. If plan A and B don’t work, what is plan C? At an early age, 4-H taught me that important life lesson that sometimes things don’t go exactly as you want them to. Sometimes you have to adapt. Sometimes you need to go back to the good ol’ drawing board.  And sometimes you need to ask for help.

 In my 4-H community, if I asked for help, there was always someone willing to take their time and help me or teach me.  If the person I asked first couldn’t help or didn’t know how to help, they would find someone who could. How great is that?! Let’s translate this “actions speak louder than words” message into a kid’s point of view:  If kids know they have people that they can count on and who will take the time to teach and help them, doesn’t that make a kid feel worthwhile? Not to mention more secure and trusting (and not in a naïve, talk to strangers kind of way).  And then, one day, that child might emulate the behavior that was modeled to them. Thus, helping others and investing their time, developing a can-do attitude that not only might make them well-liked but possibly even more successful in their professional lives. And there’s that whole sense of satisfaction that comes from doing the right thing. It feels good to help others!  Okay, now I’m rambling….but I’m just sayin’!

4-H also offered me opportunities to travel outside of my little community. Trips like 4-H Round-Up at Purdue University at the age of 13, when I got to stay in a dorm room and meet other 4-Hers which began my love affair with that campus in West Lafayette, IN. I was able to visit college classrooms and participate in workshops focused on career choices that eventually led me to study there and earn a degree. There were trips to Washington, DC through Citizenship Focus and REMC that enabled delegates see our nation’s capitol and develop an understanding for how our government works (or fails to work) and interact with our legislators. And because 4-H focuses on record keeping, I was able to complete Achievement record books and compete to win a trip to 4-H Congress in Chicago where I spent a week in the Hilton and Towers meeting with corporate sponsors, exploring the city, and making new friends from all over the country.  In my own region, I attended workshops, took service/work trips, volunteered, and served as a camp counselor. These experiences were packed with fun, learning, and friendships.

Speaking of friendships, those I made through my time in 4-H have endured a lifetime. As a 4-H Jr. Leader, I made some of the best friends I could ever ask for. And when our 4-H community was faced with the loss of two fellow Jr. Leaders, we bonded together through our grief. As difficult as it was to comprehend the loss of one of our peers at the young age of 15 or 16, we supported one another. In true 4-H fashion, we sought to give back to the community in the form of a tribute to our friends that still stands 20 years later in the form of a Memorial Garden at the fairgrounds.  I’m still a little astounded when I type the words, “20 years later.” How can it be possible that much time has passed? These days I enjoy looking at the pictures of my friends’ children doing 4-H back in the county where I grew up or wherever in the country they have moved and started their families.  It’s pretty awesome that we’re all going through this stage of our lives together too. Parenthood. Experiencing what our parents got to experience as 4-H moms and dads.

So yes, it may sound strange to say that I knew my kids would be in 4-H before I even had children. But it’s true. Because 4-H made such a positive impact on my life and I want that for my children as well. This past year my husband took a job that requires a good deal of travel. I was essentially acting as a single parent during the week.  Mike’s travel schedule, combined with me working full-time and having a new baby in the house took their toll on the amount of time and attention I had left to give at the end of the day.  I could feel the loss of quality time with my daughters. Teachable moments were slipping through my fingers and I just did not have the time or energy to make them happen.  By the time I got home for the day, I was exhausted. It was dinner, homework, pack our bags for the next day, and the bedtime ritual. Weekends were spent cleaning up the house, yard work, grocery shopping, homework, lesson plans, and finally church on Sunday.  I know this situation is not unique to us and I know that many of you are living this. So, no judgement. Each family does what they need to do and what is best for them.  In April, I resigned from my job. In May we started our 4-H projects. As it turns out, Ava’s projects were just what the doctor ordered to reconnect with my kiddos.  Eventually children are able to be more independent in working on their projects. However, this 1^st year, I needed to provide guidance for Ava as she navigated the 15 learning activities for her nutrition project and the 10 sections of her sewing project. We were side by side as we tackled these projects. Or I should say side by side by side because Emily was right there with us learning and asking questions, eager to participate. Or maybe even side by side by side by side, because baby Aidan was in the mix as well, although often underfoot.  Yes, there were moments of frustration. “Mom, WHY are you making me practice this over and over? I want to go out and play.”  But for the most part, we had fun and we learned, and we talked.   We spent quality time away from the Kindle and I pad and real hands-on learning and bonding happened!  And I think, for now at least, that I have even gained a little respect for my teaching methods from Ava. She gave me a bit of a hard time when I emphasized precision with her sewing project, making her carefully measure and press and sew straight seams. But after her first victory on the fashion revue stage this summer, she was on Cloud 9. As we walked into the parking lot after the show, she announced enthusiastically, to no one in particular, “My mom was right! Always listen to your mom! She knows what she is talking about…” Ha!   I may never hear her say those words again, but it certainly was the highlight of my evening.

Nearly 20 years have passed since I completed my 4-H experience and even though I hold that time dear to my heart, I think I forgot how much I really loved being part of the 4-H program. This summer I re-caught the “4-H fever” and I’m happy to announce that the girls caught it too! Even baby Aidan, who wasn’t a fan of the pigs until this final week before fair, has come around. I have loved every moment of our swine project. From driving out to the barn while signing songs at the top of our lungs with the windows down, to watching the girls overcome fears and tentativeness around livestock and learning to deal with “things that are gross”. It has been especially exciting to see the girls work as a team (because Lord knows they have their share of sisterly spats) to take care of “Pork Chop and Bacon” and execute the daily exercise regime (lots of pig walking!).  Whenever anything goes wrong in the barn I can always count on Emily to instruct, “Toughen up, Buttercup!” or Ava to say, “You’re fine, rub some bacon on it” followed by a giggle. It’s been awesome to see our family work toward a goal together. At home it might be a struggle at times to get the kids to clean up their rooms or complete other chores, but in the barn it’s like we’re all the best version of ourselves. There is very little complaining when I say, “brush this, sweep that, grab a shovel, it’s time to practice showmanship…” I am so proud of these kiddos! This time spent working together and making memories has been invaluable and I am grateful.

With that said, here are some pictures of my favorite” barn moments” this summer. To view, just click the link.
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Hilton Head Travel Journal

To see more Pictures from our Hilton Head vacation click the following link: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbNnDlq4ZN2QO
Last week we took our first "beach" vacation in almost 9 years. We've had many wonderful family vacations over the past 9 years, but the last vacation that our sole destination and purpose for travel was "the beach" happened when Ava was around 20 months old. 

We travelled to Hilton Head Resort on Hilton Head Island. The trip itself was an adventure. 2 adults, 3 children (including a 12-month old), and one very brave 17-year old (Heather, beloved babysitter to the Almkins) all piled into our Dodge Journey for the trek to South Carolina. All of the luggage strapped to the top, I felt a little like the Griswold’s cruising toward Wally World in the family truckster.  Aside from one tedious hour at the end of the drive on the first day, during which Aidan was truly losing his baby mind AND the fact that he only slept for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes on the entire return trip, it was smooth sailing. (Although, I wouldn’t ask Heather about that, she was in charge of breaking up all of the catfights between Ava and Emily in the backseat).

Hilton Head Resort is dated. As in, not fancy. However, it was perfect for us. We had a beach view, a nature-filled boardwalk over the marsh to the beach (which the kids loved), indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, deli, Coco’s beach bar, and an awesome beach. We were blessed with gorgeous weather. Tropical Storm Arthur was threatening off the Atlantic coast, so when we checked the forecast in the days leading up to the trip, and even on our drive down, it was bleak. It was supposed to rain every day. Boo! But thankfully, the storm hit north of us (Sorry to all of those vacationers in the OBX that had to evacuate). Our weather was absolutely beautiful. On the one overcast day, we headed to 40 minutes South to Savannah, where it was still sunny.  

Since the weather was perfect for the beach, we spent at least part of each day in the sand and waves. Perhaps the amount of time elapsed between having a baby on the beach all that time ago dulled my memory of just how un-fun it can be to have a baby on the beach. I mean, don't get me wrong, we had a great vacation. But babies and the beach are not the greatest combination. Babies want to eat sand. And it gathers in their little baby rolls. And then, babies want to rub their sleepy little eyes with their sandy hands when they are tired or upset. Babies want to make kamikaze runs for the ocean and then splash the stinging saltwater into their poor baby eyeballs. Babies don't understand that all of the sand toys on the beach do NOT belong to them. Babies like to smash sandcastles, no matter who built them. Babies are NOT good neighbors on the beach.  And finally, babies need a LOT of sunblock. Which they then want to rub into their blazing red (by the time they've been exposed to sand, saltwater, and chlorine) baby eyeballs. All of that said, there is something magical about watching my babies discover the beach for the first time. Watching their little toddling forms navigate the sand and explore is all kinds of adorable. It never gets old, even with baby #3. And the upside of all of that "fun" in the sun and trudging around through the sand is that Baby Aidan took awesome naps (in a Pack n Play in the condo bathroom) after each trip to the beach.

 While Aidan needed abbreviated beach visits, Ava and Emily are the perfect age for enjoying all that the beach has to offer. They became boogie boarding pros. They caught fiddler and hermit crabs. They collected the shells of horseshoe crabs that washed onto the beach after a nighttime storm. They learned where NOT to touch a jelly fish and would even throw them back into the ocean. There is so much nature on Hilton Head Island and the girls loved exploring and discovering all of the sea life. And now for a SHOUT OUT: We owe part of our beach experience to my dear husband. Mike became an expert at the beach “set up”. He’d head out in the mornings with one of the girls and chose our spot, setting up a canopy and beach chairs for a full day of beach enjoyment.

Because Aidan is an early riser, he and I cleared out of the condo for an early morning walk every day so that everyone else could sleep in. These early walks were a highlight of my day. I love mornings on the beach. On the second day, we discovered an inlet just down the beach from our boardwalk. This inlet was filling the marsh that we walked over to the beach. The inlet became a favorite destination for the girls 1-2 times a day to look for sea “creatures”, watch the birds, and hunt crabs. Plus the water there was calm and great for wading during low tide. There was also some great mud for a “low country spa treatment”.

As is my usual tradition, here is a day by day account from our vacation.

Day 1- Sunday June 29th 

We rolled into Hilton Head Resort late Sunday afternoon. After unloading the car, Mike and the girls were off to the pool and Heather, Aidan, and I headed for the grocery to stock our kitchen.  By dinnertime, our belongings were put away, there was food in the fridge, and the girls were sufficiently chlorinated and waterlogged. We were all itching to plant our feet in the sand and feel the surf, so we set out across the boardwalk for dinner on the beach. Coco’s on the Beach is the ONLY bar/restaurant on the beach on Hilton Head Island and it just happened to be situated at the end of our resort’s boardwalk. Owned by an Ohio native, Coco’s definitely had that laid-back beach feel. Although it wasn’t busy, we were assured that no matter what we ordered the food would take at least 40 minutes to arrive. No problem! We left Mike to chill at the open-air restaurant (it’s more like a beach shack with a big wrap-around patio) and the rest of us hit the beach. This was Aidan’s first time at the ocean. He alternated between charging the water and attempting to collect beach trash. Yuck!  After two days in the car, all of the kids had a lot of energy to burn. We had fun walking down the beach until our dinner was ready. Burgers, onion rings, crab cakes, and even a fried bologna (house specialty!) sandwich were spread out on our table as we ravenously dug in.  It was all delicious! Luckily, there was a bit of a walk back to the condo. We probably needed to burn the calories after such a feast.

Day 2 Monday, June 30th

Aidan and I were up and at em’ early, so we went walking. We enjoyed the golf course and bay views, strolling under the palms and Spanish moss-covered trees. We returned while everyone was still sleeping and made our family’s signature breakfast of biscuits and gravy for the family to wake up to. We spent the rest of the day chillin’ by the pool and at the beach.  Our friends, the Rodusky’s, were vacationing in the next resort over, so they joined us on the beach that afternoon. Once everyone had showered off the sand and been slathered with aloe from a day in the sun, we decided to get out and explore the island a bit. We ended up at Coligny Plaza, where we ate on the patio of The Frosty Frog. We enjoyed the live entertainment. Aidan was excited about the frog mascot who was wandering between the tables, greeting the guests. Apparently, Aidan thought that the frog was his own, personal, stuffed toy. When the frog reached out to shake his hand, Aidan latched on and wouldn’t let go. Even after the frog graciously wriggled out of Aidan’s grasp, Aidan would lunge for the frog as he passed by.  With our bellies full and tired from our first full day of fun in the sun, we headed back to the condo for bed.

Day 3  Tuesday, July 1st

Began the same as day 2 and almost every day of our vacation. Aidan woke early, so I plopped him in the stroller and laced up my shoes to pound the pavement (or sand) and see what the morning had to offer us. On this morning, we walked down Folly Field Beach at low tide, looking in tide pools and watching the waves roll in. We discovered an inlet a little way down the beach that flowed into the marsh. This became our destination with the girls 1-2 times a day while we were hanging out at the beach. The inlet offered a changing landscape depending on the time of day (low tides vs. high tides) and tons of wildlife. After breakfast, everyone headed to the pool while Aidan took his morning nap. We all met up for lunch back in the condo and then drove over to Palmetto Dunes to spend the afternoon at the beach with our friends. We returned to HHR (Hilton Head Resort) for Aidan to take a late afternoon nap. The girls took another trip to the pool and then we all cleaned up and loaded up the car to meet up with the Rodusky’s for dinner in Sea Pines Plantation at The Salty Dog Café. We ended up at The Wreck of Salty Dog, just across the marina from the original Salty Dog as the wait was much shorter at “Wreck” and the menu is the same.  As it turned out, there were fun activities for kids in front of the “Wreck”. The girls had their faces painted and participated in a hoola hoop contest. Aidan really loved watching the parrots in The Salty Dog tee shirt shop as well. We were in great company and the food was delicious. Definitely a meal to remember! We topped off the evening by driving over to Harbourtown to see the lighthouse and have some ice cream before calling it a night. After the kiddos went to bed, we left Heather in charge of the condo and Mike and I decided to walk the boardwalk out to the beach. I am so glad that we decided to do this! The stars were so bright and beautiful over the dark marsh and even prettier once we got to the beach. We even saw 2 falling stars!  I can’t remember if I’ve even seen the stars from such a dark beach, but the beauty of the Heavens shining over us on the beach that night was truly breathtaking.

Day 4 Wednesday July 2nd

With another gorgeous day forecasted, we chose to post-pone our trip to Savannah until the next day when the clouds were supposed to roll in. We spent a glorious day on the beach.  The waves were big as a result of tropical storm Arthur- perfect for boogie boarding!  Ava, Emily, Mike and I all took turns with the boogie boards. So fun!  We wrapped up the day with pizza in the condo and then travelled a couple of miles down the island to Shelter Cove where we enjoyed the sights, did some window shopping,  listened to live music, and had some ice cream. There was a kid’s festival going on at Shelter Cove, so the girls had fun jumping in a couple of bounce houses too. We ran into our friends as they were leaving dinner, so the girls got to catch up with their friends for a while we walked across the bridge at Shelter Cove to check out Disney’s Hilton Head Resort. 

Day 5 Thursday, July 3rd

The weather report predicted an overcast day and showers over Hilton Head, but 40 minutes down the coast in Savannah the sun was shining! We drove to  Old Town Trolley Tours in Savannah. They parked our car in their garage so that it would be safe and out of the sun while we toured. A nice service considering that temperatures topped out at 97 degrees on Thursday! We enjoyed seeing the sights and having the opportunity to hop on and off of our trolley to better explore the places we really wanted to see. We hopped off the trolley at City Market first where we sampled cookies at the Byrd Cookie Company . Can you believe it’s someone’s actual job to hand out free cookies all day?!? That’s got to be a great job, meeting people from all over the country/world and handing them as many delicious, free treats as they care to taste. Maybe in our retirement you will have to look for us in Savannah. That’s gotta beat being a Walmart greeter. Ha!

The next stop we chose to hop off of the trolley was at Forsythe Park. This was a perfect stop because not only is Forsythe Park and the area around the park absolutely beautiful, but there is a very nice AIR-CONDITIONED Visitor's Center with a clean bathroom. It was time for a “rest stop”. We walked the sidewalks of the park under giant Spanish moss-laden trees and admired the flowers and the famous fountain before getting back on the trolley.

The next stop we planned to see was The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, however it was closed when we passed by because they were having a service. This was actually ok, because Aidan had fallen asleep on the trolley, so he took his morning nap as we cruised on to the River Walk. We chose to eat at The Shrimp Factory because 1. Everyone was “starving” and 2. It was next to the trolley stop. In retrospect we should’ve menu-shopped a bit before settling in for lunch. It wasn’t a horrible meal, but definitely not our favorite of the trip. After we were sufficiently full, we ambled down the River Walk, enjoying the beautiful day and scenery and popping in and out of shops including the Savannah Candy Kitchen  and the Savannah Bee Co.

There was also a quick “grown-up” stop at Wet Willie’s for Mike and me to grab a frozen daiquiri. They have a ton of fun flavors and you can get them to go! Finally, we tried out the River Walk elevator. We ascended to street level and admired some more sights and statues as we walked toward our trolley stop to complete the last leg of our  tour. Since we had to bypass the cathedral on our tour, we drove ourselves back to St. John the Baptist and toured before leaving Savannah.  What a beautiful church! Definitely check out the pictures from our time there.

 By the time we got back to the HHI, there was just time for Mike and the kiddos to take a swim while I headed over to the Kroger to pick up supplies for dinner and beach food for our final day of vacation. Travel Tip: If you’re in Savannah and looking for some inexpensive Southern home cookin’ go visit the ladies at the Kroger kitchen. Seriously.  All of the food is made from scratch and delicious. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Day 6 Friday, July 4th

The 4^th of July and another beautiful day on Hilton Head Island! We spent the day at the beach. I loved the energy on the beach. Everyone was there with their families, celebrating the holiday. It was like a big beach party! For our final dinner we chose to go to The Black Marlin in Palmetto Bay Marina. The food was wonderful, the service was great, and the patio atmosphere was fun and laid-back, complete with a live country band. It was our favorite meal of the week and a great way to finish out our vacation. After dinner we walked out to the docks and caught a glimpse of the sunset. We debated going to see the fireworks at one of the advertised locations, but we needed to get on the road toward home early the next day and didn’t want to get caught in the crowds.  As it turned out, we didn’t even need to leave our condo to see fireworks. As we walked through the door after dinner, we could see fireworks exploding on the beach from our balcony door. The houses on the beach were putting on a firework display. We watched the fireworks from the balcony for a while, then after I put Aidan to bed, Heather, the girls, and I walked out to the beach to watch fireworks. Again, beach party! People can bring their fireworks, coolers, and chairs out to the beach and have their own celebrations on the beach. Who knew?! It was a great way to end a wonderful family vacation.

Day 7 Saturday, July 5th and into the wee hours of Sunday...

Back to reality. Well not really, we left the island before 10 am and returned to Medina around midnight. That much time in the car, even with the people I love most on this planet, isn’t the kind of reality I want to live through on a regular basis. Ha! But really, the trip home was long but uneventful and most importantly we arrived home safe and sound.  I am so grateful for the time that we were able to spend together as a family, making memories.

To view the pictures from our trip click this link: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbNnDlq4ZN2QO

Aidan's 1st Word

So in the last week or so Aidan has been saying "mamamamaaaa and dadadadad". However, I don't count those as words. Those are just the sounds babies make when they start putting sounds together. Granted, he generally uses "mama" when he is most upset, crying and staring RIGHT at me all the while. And this morning, as he was playing in his bouncer, Mike walked up and Aidan looked directly at him and said, "dada" clear as day. But that could just be a coincidence, right? I mean the kid is just 6-1/2 months old.

But yesterday, I was trying to put away laundry in his room. So, I set him in his crib and I summoned big sister Ava to join us.

"Please keep him entertained so that I can put these clothes away." I instructed.

To which she replied, "Sure, mom. Piece of cake."

Aidan mimicked her, "CAKE".

 Ava and I looked at each other in such surprise. "Did he just....? Nah, no way."

Then Ava said, "Aidan, say cake."

He answered, "Cake".

She did it a couple more times and he responded with "cake" a couple more times.

"Get my phone!" I yelled. "I've got to record this!"

And so she did. Here is the video of Aidan showing off his speaking skills.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
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With 2 big sisters, maybe this 3rd child has to talk so that he is heard! Or...as the youngest in a family of 5, maybe he's just got lots of people teaching him new tricks.

Back to Blogging

As I rode shotgun to Mike on the 5 hour trip back to Ohio from our 4th and final family Christmas celebration last week, something made me think of our "old" family blog. I actually had to "Google" it to go to the site because I couldn't remember the web address. Once I tracked down the site, we had fun reminiscing as I read the posts and showed the pictures to Mike and the girls. At some point, Mike said, "You really need to start posting again". He is right. (I'm sure he looooves it when I use those 3 words).

From June of 2008 to April of 2011, I wrote 105 posts, capturing the goings on in our household. When I started "Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice", we were living in Georgia. Ava was 3 and Emily was just 5 months old. Our blog survived 3 moves (and as many computers as my fingers tapped away on the keys through a desktop and then 2 laptops). I wrote about our travels, milestones reached, the funny things the girls said or did, and on occasion, reflections about being their mom. I posted pictures as they grew and videos of everything from choir performances to Ava's first time riding a bicycle.

Once upon a time, people wrote in their diaries or journals. But in this "digital age", the ability to take pictures and video is literally at our fingertips. This forum is perfect for us to combine the media we collect in the day-to-day with those writings and reflections that were once written into journals. Whereas I have pored over the yellowed pages of my grandparent's writings, hopefully my children and their children will be able to read these words one day. As I read old posts and shared pictures on the road back from Indiana last week, I realized what a treasure this blog is for our family.

Unfortunately, life was busy with two small children, a new home, and the 4 part-time jobs I was working back in April of 2011 and I stopped writing on our family blog. Then I went back to work full-time in November of 2011. Last October, we found out we were expecting our 3rd baby, and in June, we welcomed baby Aidan Michael into the world. Which is why, more than ever, it is time to start writing again. I want to preserve our memories for all THREE of our children. And it's true what those "seasoned" parents say (even though in those moments when your toddlers are losing their precious baby minds over God knows what and there are toys all over the floor and the laundry is piling up and we are sick-to-death of macaroni and cheese and we really don't want to hear it....)"They grow up so fast".

They really do. Ava is 9 years old and in the 3rd grade. Emily is in kindergarten will be 6 next week. And baby Aidan, well, he is almost 7 months old! I can hardly believe it myself.  I won't call this return to blogging my New Year's resolution, but I will try to make it a priority to carve out a little time to capture what is going on with our little family. Because Lord knows, I won't remember the "little things" that I hold so dear right now if I don't write (type) them down. : )

You will notice that our blog is sporting a different name: Alm Adventures. Why? Because 1)"Sugar and Spice" no longer fits with a little boy in the house and 2) because my creativity stores are currently depleted and that is the best I could come up with. : ) The blog description, "Our sweet life with two little girls" has changed, as has the appearance- shades of pink just didn't seem right. At least we have a couple more years before Aidan becomes offended by the hot pink and zebra-striped bathroom that he will share with the girls. Changing a blog background is much easier than re-painting... But all of the old posts are still here, archived by date in the right sidebar.

To wrap up this first post of the "new" blog, here are 20 snapshots from our Christmas break:

 On the Cuyahoga Valley Polar Express

 Emily helped to set up our biggest tree ever!

 Making Christmas treats for her teacher.

 The annual making of the gingerbread. Emily was on "red hots", Ava on sprinkles, and Aidan chewed the cookie cutters and screamed for a cookie.

 Aidan spent some time with Great-Grandma Shirley. She hadn't seen him since he was 1 month old!

 Santa baby.

 Miss Emily opening presents. Isn't she huggable?!

 Ava, all ready for her basketball league, which begins this month. I can't get over how grown up she is!

 Aidan visiting his Great-Grandpa Bailey. He really liked Grandpa's cool Christmas tie. : )

 Christmas Eve morning. Aidan and Emily happily playing under our giant tree while I made cinnamon rolls for Christmas breakfast.

 So big! Aidan showing off his balancing skills on Christmas day with the toy Santa brought for him.

 On the road again! Aidan sitting shotgun on the trip back to Grandma Pammy and Papa Nick's on December 26th while Mike and the girls ran into a store.

 Ava and Emily in front of my sorority house. We visited Purdue to show the kids around campus and have dinner with friends who were visiting from California.

 Goodbye Mammoth Tree! Mike hauled the tree out to the back yard so that we can burn it this summer in what has become a yearly tradition with our neighbors. I was not sad to see it go. Big trees require lots of lights, decorations, water, and.....time! In the words of Clark W. Griswold, "Looks great! Little full, lot a sap."

 Big trees are also very messy. Between braving the cold, muddy, tree lot with small children, carrying the heavy tree around the back and into the house, wrestling with the electric hedge clippers to trim the thing, getting tangled up in the lights both while decorating and un-decorating and all of that vacuuming, I am  re-thinking a real tree. Mike and the girls are anti-artificial tree. I used to be. We'll see who wins this debate next year... At least this year we made a memory!

 Oh, how we love this little guy! Could he be cuter?!  Before bedtime on December 30th.

 New Year's Eve. Even Aidan was feeling festive.

 Ava and Emily had a blast bringing in 2014 with our neighbors.

 Of course, baby Aidan goes to bed at 7:30 pm and takes 2-3 naps per day. The rest of us are T-I-R-E-D after our wonderful, blessed, fun-filled, Christmas break.

Happy New Year to all of you!