Pop Top Can

Ok - so I got this ADORABLE idea from my friend, Jackie. The pop top can craft is super easy to make (see more details on my friend's blog). I filled mine with Lindt chocolate truffles and will be handing them out to my team at work and the daycare teachers.

Most crafts are fun once, but this one was so easy and turned out so well, I suspect I'll be making these again. :)

Icy Twig and Berries

Charlotte was hit by the storm that rolled through the east coast yesterday.

None of the white stuff for us. Only a good coating of ice.

First Gingerbread House

Megan and William got to decorate their first gingerbread house this Christmas season.


Ok.. so it's not beautiful, but the kids sure had fun!


Click here to see all pictures.

If you take a mouse to the movies...

This year for my birthday, Ryan got the whole family tickets to see "If You Take a Mouse to the Movies."

We have been to the Children's Theater in Charlotte in the past, and it's always a wonderful experience. I can't wait to see how the kids react to today's performance.

Congratulations Elizabeth!

And the award goes to... Elizabeth!!!

The Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Awards is presented annually by Brandon Hall Research, one of the leading research firms in training and development.

In their first submission to the competition, and using one of Elizabeth's courses, TWC won the gold medal in Best Online, Custom Content Courses (the Best Picture category).

You can see the award listing here:
http://www.brandon-hall.com/awards/award_winners/2009_winners.shtml

Congratulations Elizabeth!!! We are all so proud of you!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Ethan!

Happy Birthday Uncle Craig!!

Happy Birthday Craig!! We'll see you soon!

HAZZAH!!!

Fall in Charlotte means the Renaissance Festival!! Hazzah!!

This annual tradition is always a winner with the kids.

This year, William came away a knight, and Megan became the fairy princess we all knew she was.

Trick or Treat!

This year, William and Megan were robots!

The kids got tons of compliments on their costumes, and they had a blast being robots. However, mental note for next year: Avoid costumes that become completely destroyed if you pick Megan up. Either that - or coach William's patience as we stick to Megan's slower-than-normal pace. I guess, another mental note could also be: Avoid costumes that make it difficult for Megan to walk. ha ha ha Good times.

Click here to see more pictures of Halloween night.

This is Halloween

William and his classmates are getting geared up for Halloween. Yesterday he came home with this drawing. I'm not sure exactly what the assignment was, but here is the result.

A little explanation is required:

• Starting on the Far left, that is a "Bad Man". You can tell this because of his squiggly mouth and off-center eyes.


• In the middle is a ghost that has eaten two people.
  It must be nice to be eaten by a ghost, because they are both smiling. There are also some other scribbles in the ghost. According to William, those are crackers. I guess that people aren't very filling.


• Finally, on the far right, another ghost that has eaten, you guessed it, more crackers.

Happy almost Halloween!

How do you know when Halloween is near?

Here's how! (ha ha ha)

Another sure sign of Halloween is a trip to Patterson Farm for face painting, corn pits, and a hayride into pumpkin patch. Click here to see photos.

John's Wedding

Congratulations John and Erica!

Click here to see photos from our visit to the Natural History Museum in DC and the National Zoo.

Happy Birthday Michael

Happy Birthday. Hope you have a great day!!!

Darn Glass

"Water Day" Weekend at the Beach

All summer long, Megan has been calling our weekly trips to the local pool, "Water Day". So for Labor Day Weekend, we decide to take an impromptu trip to the beach and turn Water Day into Water Day Weekend.

Our hotel was right on the beach and the sand and surf was great. William, of course, loved running in the water. But Megan was a little concerned about the size of the waves (the were actually bigger than she was), and the taste of the water.

The first morning we woke up, we were greeted with this sight.

I tried to get past them, but wasn't so lucky.

Just kidding. It was actually an allagator park just across the street from where we were staying.

I've never seen so many gators in one place before.

We were even lucky enough to see a feeding. Man those things are big.

Oh, and remember the Shark Family drawing from a couple of weeks ago?

Well, apparently William isn't just creative, he is can also see into the future.

Here are the rest of our pics.

The Wedding Cake

Here it is!

Seems like such a small accomplishment for 12 hours of work. However, what you don't see are the 4 sheet cakes and the additional back-up wedding cake.

All I have to say is... phew!!! I'm glad that's over. :)

Happy Birthday Grandma Geibel

Many Hppy Birthday Wishes!!

Happy Birthday Megan!

This August, Megan celebrated her 2nd birthday. A birthday that turned out to be extra special because it involved a trip to Jackson, TN to visit the Geibel family, AND the Cunningham side of the family also met us there to join the celebration!

The whole weekend was great fun:

First, there was a trip to the Pink Palace Museum in Memphis.

On Party Day, there was water fun!


And then blowing out the candles.


Cheers to everyone for making the trip!

Megan couldn't have asked for a better gift.

Click here for more pictures.

William's Octo... er, Quindecimpus

New Bed... Well almost

Since Megan is now a two year old, we decided to break out the toddler bed.

She is starting to get the hang of sleeping in a bed without sides.

Although it was a rough start. The first couple nights were spent half out of the bed...

and on the floor.

Happy Birthday Aunt Tarra

Here is the Drawing from William that you wanted. It is you (on the right) and... another you on the left. One Tarra for each birthday!! HA!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! See you soon!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma Cunningham

See you in an a couple of days!!!

Water Pipe Day!

Family Fun strikes again! I think every time I get a new issue of that magazine, Ryan and I try something new. This time, it was Water Pipe Day (click for more pictures).

The idea is simple: Go to Lowe's and get a few 10 foot length of 3/4 inch pvc pipe. Get a few tees elbows, and caps and an adapter to hook it up to a hose, and you've got a whole day's worth of entertainment for the kids. (some dis-assembly required)

Ryan did have to cut the pieces of pipe down to a smaller size and drill holes into everything to get the sprinkler effect, but overall it was little effort on our part.

Sir William

Sir William riding his trusty steed.

Protecting us from the treacherous Goblin King.

Happy Birthday, Aunt Kelly!

William's Family Picture

Awww - how cute... William's first family drawing.

From left to right, you can see the distinctions between each of us. Dad (left) has a shaved head with a 5 o'clock shadow. Then there's Mom with her hair disheveled as usual. You can see Megan, the little one. And finally William with crazy his blonde hair.

The image is beyond adorable, except.. where are we? Oh right - we are in a sharks mouth! This is a cute little drawing turned horror show with the entire family getting gobbled up by the ocean's most ferocious predator! I suppose I should be glad that all our limbs are attached.

A Night at the Movie Theater?

... at least, that's what it feels like.

This week, Ryan took some vacation days to install our new projector, just in time for Friday night's pizza-and-a-movie!

For an extra-special bonus, Ryan also installed our surround sound! Hurray!

Happy Birthday Courtney

Surprise!

June 27th was very much like any other Friday. The kids were anticipating our weekly Friday night pizza and a movie ritual. Ryan and I were stressing about our planned Saturday at the car dealer with the kids... that was until we learned that Grandma and Grandpa C were on their way to our house to drop off cousin Kieran's old train table! What a surprise!

The kids LOVE the train table, and were very excited to play with Grandma and Grandpa all weekend.


The stars must have definitely been aligned, because, as it turned out, we got to buy a new minivan in peace, while the kids got to hang with Grams, Gramps, and Laddy. Fun!!

Click here to see all pictures.

That. Was. Awesome.

This is what William says on the 4th as we're launching sparklers off in our driveway. Ok - so I admit, a four-year old is not hard to impress. Fire? Loud noises? Yup - William's signed on.

In spite of our neighbors, yet again, showing off with commercial-grade fireworks that they smuggled across the SC border, our little light show was a lot of fun.

Happy Independence Day, everyone!!

Long Overdue

I understand that it's the 4th of July, but the task of uploading close to 200 pictures takes time, ya' know? Ok - Enough excuses.

On Memorial Day we got an opportunity to visit my Mum and Dad!

I think we all agreed that this was a perfect snapshot of William's and Megan's personalities. William's jumping right in with both feet, while Megan's cautiously testing the waters.

And the highlight of the weekend: Getting to see Uncle Brian, Aunt Christina, and this cute little guy (Ethan)!

Click here to see more pictures.