The King's Adventures

"Boring" Adventures

2009-07-07T19:23:00.001-07:00

Today the kids and I went with friends to see the movie "UP". I thought of the title of our blog, "The King's Adventures", when the elderly man read his deceased wife's note which said "thanks for the adventures" just when he was sad that he felt he hadn't helped her fulfill her dreams. She had included pictures of big moments and regular moments. The little boy also told him that he guessed it was the "boring" times that he remembered most. I guess that's what our blog - my life - is all about! Big events and little everyday moments are shared in pictures and in thoughts. Although the recent All-Stars, Dance Recitals, Soccer games, School events, Church events, visits with friends and family, etc. need to be documented because they've been awesome; I too think the "boring" moments stand out most in my mind. Those moments of snuggling on the couch watching a movie, stealing kisses from my ever growing little ones, reading together, learning the books of the Bible, watching the kids' interact with others, playing cards, teaching how to use the microwave and the vaccuum, even cleaning out closets and cleaning the van together... Just thinking about even the last few hours, I hold so dear those bedtime moments. I think tomorrow I'll treasure the "boring" moments even more!

Wacky, Wonderful Days!

2009-03-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

The kids had wacky, Wh0-ville hair day to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday last week! Caris was brave and we braided her hair complete with pipe cleaners so she could change her do as often as she liked! David was a little more reserved, but had enough gook in his hair to spike it up for a couple of days! And then there's the constant crazy days with Joseph!!! These are just a couple of moments caught on camera - there is never a dull moment with Rudy around! Rich is feeding his little bird whipped cream straight from the bottle! And MommaC is letting Joseph play Monopoly on her I-phone while sitting in the middle of the kitchen island! We probably don't want to know what else MommaC and Joseph could get into! Oh, the fun days we have around this place....

Snow in March!

2009-03-03T07:29:00.000-08:00

The kids had a fantastic snow day yesterday! The snow continued to fall throughout the morning and is even still here today (but sadly, the roads are clear so everyone's back to school!). Joseph was most impressed with the snow. He would get down on all fours and lick it! Yuck! They all sledded down the back hill making sure to stop at the "yellow grass" before the lake - all except David's feet once! The boys enjoyed a snow ball fight complete with a fort thanks to Chris O. Caris loved the sledding and attempting a snowman at a friend's house. Joseph wondered why the rest of the neighbors didn't have on camouflauge coveralls! But after a day in the snow, even Caris was glad to be wearing them (with pink accessories, of course)!

Logic of the Sweet Tooth!

2009-02-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

Caris (our pickiest eater, but lover of all sweet things) was trying to convince me that she should be able to buy an ice cream at the cafeteria tomorrow. She has a choral program at school tomorrow night which she has been looking forward to for some time. So her reasoning for the ice cream splurge at lunch ... "If I eat the ice cream at lunch, it will freeze all the words to the songs in my brain so I won't forget them tomorrow night!"

At least Charlie Brown didn't do it!

2009-02-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's true confession time! When I was little I colored on the walls! In fact, I colored behind all the furniture because I knew I wasn't supposed to color on the walls! And even worse than that ... when we moved and all the furniture was removed therefore revealing my secret, I didn't even own up to it! I said, "Charlie Brown did it!" (Charlie Brown was my nickname for an adult family friend who liked to play like a big kid - and I loved that!)
Just an hour ago, I found Joseph and his best buddy happily decorating Joseph and David's entire rooms with wet sidewalk chalk! The furniture, toys, comforters, and doors were bright colors of the rainbow! I fussed and lectured while all three of us cleaned. I would love to call someone for sympathy but I'm sure I would just hear laughter on the other end of the phone!

The Gifts of Giving and Time Together!

2009-02-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

This Christmas the best gifts any of us gave or received were time together and the sacrifice of giving! We enjoyed a fun-filled visit with Grandaddy; a special visit from Mimi; a trip to DC with MommaC, Papa Joe, Aunt Babsie, Uncle Leland, Jared, Jake and Zac; and a celebration of Jesus' birthday with Aunt Sue, Uncle Ed, Uncle Matt, and the Sanzones!
We were all blessed by having a family Christmas gift swap where all three children combined their saved allowances to buy Rich and I and each other presents. They also all made presents for us. They very carefully chose the gifts they thought the other would enjoy most. The gift of giving brought us all great joy!
One added blessing was the trips to the Marine Corps Museum and the Vietnam Wall with my Dad. We all learned a great deal about the sacrifices of war, the comraderie of those who share in combat, and how the war impacted him.

Birthdays!

2009-02-06T14:02:00.000-08:00

We had fun celebrating birthdays in January! My mom turned 65 at the beginning of the month. The whole family kept a secret (which is amazing enough in itself) and my sister and I surprised her with a girls' weekend! Boy was she surprised! She cried and held us both as if we might vanish! The girl time and an afternoon with my great-grandmothers, dad, and Babs' family was quite a blessing (and a great birthday present for me as well)!

The little princess of the family turned 8 later in January! She enjoyed a family dinner at her favorite Mexican restaraunt and a birthday party with some of her friends and her cousin, Anna! The party was completely planned by Caris! I must say she was much more motivated to plan the details than to implement all of them! We all had a great time at the tea party for girls and dolls!

Trusting in my Heavenly Father

2009-01-21T06:44:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Caris' birthday! She wants to have her doll dressed up for her birthday - including a special doll brush to fix her hair! This morning Caris saw that I have a new hairbrush which she thought would be perfect for Kit, her doll. She was very excited to have found a good solution to her doll's hair problems. Caris sobbed when I told her it wouldn't be best to use my brush on Kit's hair. She got more hysterical as she watched herself cry in the mirror. I told Caris that I promised her Kit would look beautiful for her birthday. I asked her If I keep my promises, to which she sniffed out a "Yes". So I said, "Then don't cry; don't worry about tomorrow; and go have a great day today!" Caris replied that she thought she was just too tired to go to school now! (Of course, she's at school!)

What Caris doesn't know is that I love her and know her well enough to have anticipated her dilemna and asked for a family member to buy her the special doll brush for her birthday! I saw myself in Caris this morning. How many times do I cry before God about something - health, financial, relational struggles- when He is lovingly trying to comfort me by telling me "Don't cry my child. I love you and know you. I want the best for you. I have tomorrow under control. Go enjoy this day I have given you." So often, I miss out on God's best plan for my life by looking at my own problems (in the mirror) and continuing to cry instead of trusting Him! I think I've found the good solution instead of waiting on His perfect solution. I think I'm too overwhelmed with my circumstances to take on the day ahead. So many times in His Word He tells me exactly what I was telling Caris and as a perfect Parent, I'm sure He even more so wants to comfort and give good things. Lord, I pray I will trust more in you as my good, loving, and sovreign Heavenly Father!

Life Lessons from Joseph

2009-01-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was quickly walking Joseph to the car after pre-school because it was misting rain and, of course, there were things to do! He was pulling against me a little. Then Joseph said, "Mommy, why can't we stop and pick up rocks and jump in the puddles?" And I thought, "You know, why not?"! How many times do I miss the treasures, miracles, moments of fun, and wonders of God's creation in my hurry to complete tasks or to not be inconvienced? Joseph and I slowed down a bit yesterday, jumped a few puddles, and picked out a rock for his "collection". Hope you have a moment to slow down and take a look around you today at all the opportunities and blessings!

Miss Meredith!

2008-12-17T15:11:00.000-08:00

The time has come to say "Farewell" to our very dear friend, Meredith. As you can see from the recent pictures, she is much loved by our entire family. (Who else would give you permission to jump on the furniture?!) I will especially miss our time together! She has blessed our lives and we will miss her smiling face terribly. However, we are thankful that we will get to stay in touch and visit in Alabama!

Fun Reunions for Thanksgiving!

2008-12-03T11:16:00.000-08:00

We had a very blessed Thanksgiving because we got to reunite with old friends and family that we hadn't seen in too long! On Wednesday, we met Chris Raley (Rich's childhood friend who is like family) and his wife, Giselle; their two boys, Bryce and Jordan; and Giselle's sister and family. We all had a great time catching up and playing around in Williamsburg! We - and several spectators - enjoyed cheering for Bryce as he raced Rich down the Colonial Williamsburg street! I think Rich had to kick it into another gear! Good job Bryce!

Then we headed to Pennsylvania to spend the holiday with Rich's 1st cousin, James, and his family - Pam, Reagan, Payton, Snickers, and Fluffy! We enjoyed every second together! The guys took all the kids Thanksgiving morning to walk in the woods. Pam and I joined them to find two wet and cold little ones! We ate lots of great food, had a dance off, and watched the kids' performances. We went bowling - Joseph's favorite sport! On Friday we went to the Central Market; let the kids see a little bit of Amish life; and visited Hershey's Chocolate World! I don't think we could have all gotten along any better.

We are so thankful for both of these families and the opportunity to re-connect. It was so much fun to see my "biggest kid" with his buddies!

All Jazzed Up - and All Grown Up!

2008-11-25T14:25:00.000-08:00

David's 4th grade class did a chorale program entitled "All Jazzed Up". They were all dressed in black and white as they performed jazz songs. When I glanced at David on the end of the risers, I saw a glimpse of my little boy as a he might look as a man! It brought tears to my eyes. He is such a delightful 10 year old. He did a great job singing too!

Caris' Self Portrait Pumpkin!

2008-10-31T19:19:00.000-07:00

Caris has lost both front teeth within 2 days of each other! She had just recently lost two teeth on the bottom as well! She has two more loose on the top! She may be gumming her Thanksgiving turkey!

Trick or Treat!

2008-10-31T19:07:00.001-07:00

Our beautiful snow princess; rough and tumble Spiderman; and tough guy Ninja had a great time trick or treating tonight! It's a child's dream come true to fill bags with candy while running around with friends! Another big treat was having Uncle Jody here to enjoy gumbo and candy!

Look what I can do!!!!!!

2008-10-30T11:02:00.001-07:00

David's Prayer

2008-10-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

David was honored to pray at all four church services on Sunday! The sermon was about praying four wishes for your kids. At the end of the service, our pastor wanted to turn it around a little and have a child pray the same four things over all the church. David prayed that we would know God; hear and obey His voice; discover His purpose for our lives; and never grow bored with His church. He did a fantastic job and seemed very much at ease! I think his favorite parts were arriving early for sound check and rehearsal; hanging out back stage with the band; and getting to be on stage with Pastor Stu! It was a wonderful day!

The Competitive Spirit!

2008-10-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

By request, I am posting the picture of Rich that was left out of the "Double Digits" birthday! You must remember that this is the man who was explaining to me the need for our boys to learn to balance their competitive nature! Hmm ... I wonder who they get it from?!!!!

Crazy Hat Day!

2008-10-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Joseph had to choose a "crazy hat" for this fun day at school! After dressing him and before he put on his hat, he looked into the mirror very seriously and said "I not think I'm posed (supposed) to wook this hamsom (handsome) for crazy hat day"! What a Rudy!

Double Digits!

2008-10-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

David is thrilled to have come into the "Double Digits" birthday! He turned 10 on Monday! (Where did all the time go?) All David wanted was for a few neighborhood kids to get together, play kickball, and eat! (Boys are so easy in some ways!) David was honored that Chris Okyen, a teenage friend, and Meredith May, our church kids' director and family friend, also came to play ball. The girls and little boys joined us back at the house for cake, ice cream, and presents. Dad had to harass the girls at "the girls' table" provided by Caris! The day ended with everyone playing any kind of ball, tag, and battle imaginable! I am continuously amazed at the competitive nature of little boys in particular. David's shirt is covered in balls and says "All or Nothing"! Rich and I were talking about this competitive spirit later; but as I chose photos I didn't have enough room to enter the one of Rich taking on all the boys in the front yard with a Gladiator-like face!! "Boys will be boys" right?! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR WONDERFUL 10 YEAR OLD SON!!!!!!!!!!

Soccer?

2008-10-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

I know I'm new at this soccer mom thing, but this looks more like a football tackle to me! All joking aside, David is loving soccer! And I am learning a lot! I came up behind David and his friends watching the soccer game ahead of them. They were all sitting neatly side by side. I thought I would walk around to the front and get a good picture of David and his soccer buds. As soon as they saw the camera, I lost the tranquil photo to this fun tackle! It's definitely more realistic!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

2008-10-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

I had a great time exploring the Pumpkin Patch with Joseph and his friend. He asked every morning for a week if it was the "pumpkin patch day"! He got to pick out HIS pumpkin from the field we got to on a hay ride through beautiful sunflowers! Joseph is tremendously blessed to have a wonderful teacher, school and class!

Aunt Kristie and Alyssa visit!

2008-10-12T17:57:00.001-07:00

Mark and Kristie Benyo were some of our fantastic friends in Stafford, Virginia. They are lovingly called Aunt Kristie and Uncle Mark by our kids because they helped take care of them so many times! Although Alyssa wasn't physically with them in Stafford we all spent much time praying for her! We've gotten to visit with her a couple of times already, but Mark and Kristie are now stationed in Korea. While Aunt Kristie and Alyssa were making a busy trip home to see family and friends we were blessed to have them stay with us for a few days! We had a wonderful visit!

Time with Family!

2008-10-12T17:44:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we were thrilled to spend time with our family! Mama C and Papa Joe came to visit! They got to be a part of normal life around here - ballet, soccer, piano, school functions, and a yard sale! Papa Joe was one of Caris and Hailey's customers at "The Best Bake Sale Ever"! On Saturday afternoon we were joined by Aunt Sue, Uncle Ed, Heath, Bronwyn, Baxter, Abigail, Matt, Eric, Ashleigh, Josiah, Anna, Micah, Lydia, and my dear friend, Meredith! We all played kickball, watched football, enjoyed a time of fellowship, and of course, ate! Our family all got to meet Lydia! She and Momma C had fun with the screaming monkey! Baxter and Joseph are big buddies. Abigail and Lydia had fun with the letters and music makers on the frig. Then this Friday night Uncle Eric and Rich braved a camping trip with the 6 oldest kids! They all had a fantastic time! It is such a blessing to live near some of our family and to all get along so beautifully!

The "Big Boys" Fishing Trip!

2008-10-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

Rich and David had the pleasure of going fishing with dear friends, Jody, Drew, and Joseph Ogea this past weekend. I'm pretty sure the dads had as much fun as the sons! They caught some good sized sea bass - sometimes even two at a time! Great friendship, weather, and water combine for a fantastic day! They're already talking about going back in the Spring for the "bigger fish"! I thought I would publish the pictures of some of the fish before all the fishing tales began to grow!

New Experiences

2008-10-01T13:55:00.000-07:00

We've had lots of new experiences so far this Fall! Christmas came early with a keyboard for the kids. Caris and David are enjoying their first lessons! Caris started ballet classes with her great friend, Jill. Joseph and I experienced his first field trip. We had a great time collecting sea shells and meeting his new friends. Joseph has also begun the daily begging to play with his friend, Steven. In this picture they had put on their chef hats (aka Daddy's head coverings) to "help" me make pancakes!

A House Divided - AU vs USM!!

2008-09-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

Auburn (my alma mater) and Southern Mississippi (Rich's alma mater) played each other in football today for the first time since before we met!!!!!!!!! Unfortunately, Rich couldn't be with us; but the kids and I (and four neighborhood recruits) enjoyed the game from home despite Tropical Storm Hannah! The kids struggled to decided who they were cheering for. In our house, we've always taught the kids that "Go Eagles" is the preferred chant because it works for Golden Eagles and War Eagles! However, today choices had to be made. Our loyal kids couldn't decide so they mixed and matched outfits and face paint! (After all these years of cheering on Southern, I even had to show some support too!) Last week I told my nephew, Jake, to have fun painting up for the game and relayed to him that I had always wanted to paint my face half orange and half blue when I was in college. After that conversation I decided that I should go for it!

School Starts!

2008-09-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a historic day for the Kings! All three children went to school! (For the first time in 10 years, I have almost three hours a day without a child or other people around me.) Of course, I cried when Rich and I dropped off "my baby"; but the children had a great day! I had dressed Caris and Joseph in cute first day outfits. Joseph went to the big kid bus stop and saw that his big brother and other boys had on jerseys so he HAD to change into his too! I'm so glad I have a girl! When completing Joseph's "All About Me" poster it was evident that he is a real character and we found out that when he grows up he wants to be "a pirate with a big sword" (just like Uncle Leland?!). David is now in 4th grade and changes classes. Caris is in 2nd grade and continues to be a little teacher in the making. Joseph went to Pre-School - a little apprehensively at first, but he had a great time once he was there. It seems we've been blessed with great teachers and great schools for which we are tremendously thankful!

Haircuts for School

2008-08-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

All three kids got haircuts for school today! The big two are growing up so fast. David has suddenly insisted on having a "regular" haircut and not a "military" haircut! The lady had to promise him she wouldn't give him a high and tight! Caris has been begging for bangs all summer. She got to get long bangs and have her hair parted way on the side which makes her look much older. She loves that! She had about 4 inches of "summer" cut off the bottom. Next week they're off to second and fourth grades! Then the next week Joseph goes to Pre-school!

An Ogea Ice Cream Breakdown!

2008-08-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

We got to experience an Ogea tradition ... the breakdown! Amazingly, the Ogea 15 passenger van breaksdown quite frequently when passing Dairy Queen or Krispy Kreme! It doesn't take long when the driver starts saying "Oh No, the van is breaking down" for the shouts and clapping to rock the van! We all enjoyed the cool treats after a few hours playing at the park! Thanks for sharing the new fun trick with us!

Relaxing at the Lake

2008-08-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

You could just leave me at the lake and I would be quite content! Lake Martin is special for many reasons. I grew up going to my grandparents' lake house there. Rich and I were married there!! Rich even has family roots from Dadeville! The lake has a calming effect on me (and my momma) so I was thrilled that we got to spend some time there again this summer. I hope when I'm 64 my favorite thing to do will be something fun like riding a jet ski and discovering Pirate Island!

Fun in the South

2008-08-19T17:11:00.000-07:00

We are so blessed to have almost all of our family within 4 hours of each other. All the things we do on our visits "home" are wonderful, but the most special time is visiting with so many people we love. We always leave thankful for the visits, but wishing we had seen more loved ones and spent more time with each one! We are especially blessed to have spent time with our three great-grandmothers. We had fun with Granny in her garden, playing her Nintendo, playing with the dogs, and enjoying the wide open spaces. We enjoyed eating lunch with Mimi at the Davis Drug Store, celebrating her birthday at the lake, and having a little fellowship at Aunt Babs' the last night. The children love playing with Mom - blocks, school, beauty shop, and books.

Joseph's Pirate Party

2008-08-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

What could any four year old boy enjoy more for his birthday than a visit from a pirate who converts his entire family into pirates, kidnaps his grandfather's boat, helps him find the buried treasure on a real island using his map, and gives him pirate cake and ice cream?! Well, Joseph couldn't have been more thrilled and completely captured by this adventure thanks to Uncle Leland and Aunt Babs. And he got to share his birthday with his great-grandmother, Mimi! She loved the fun too!

Summer Camps

2008-08-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

This summer each child got to attend a special summer camp!

Caris went to Horse Camp with Nana. She absolutely adores animals - especially horses and dogs! She had a great time learning to "do the barrels and poles" with the big girls! This is a picture of Caris on Cupcake.

David went to Baseball Camp at the University of Southern Mississippi - Daddy's alma mater! He did a fantastic job and was a great hustler! He was so proud to be at "Daddy's School"! He was also glad Grandaddy got to watch him.

And Joseph went to Grandaddy Camp - complete with four wheeler, tent, and animals! What great fun and memories!

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

We've enjoyed a wonderful Fourth of July with our dear friends The Ogeas!