Summer 2011 plans...

So it's January....this is when I really start thinking about the summer...camps, vacation etc...

The boys will be going away to camp with the church youth group in June...then on a mission trip to Jamaica this year in July.

T I think will want to go to a soccer camp...and P wants to go to a wrestling camp.

K wants to do a camp as well.

I also want to plan a family vacation. With T graduating next year...we want to do alot of family things together. Next summer after he graduates we will be taking a trip to Turkey. S's mom is from Turkey and said she wants to take each child when they graduate....so we will be making a family vacation of it! (need to be saving NOW)

This summer I originally was thinking of a trip to the Grand Canyon...but it was getting really expensive to do it the way we wanted to...there were some all inclusive trips....but we just were not sure.

Then I saw a cruise that leaves out of Charleston SC. S has always wanted to go to Charleston and so this way we can make a trip a day early to Charleston....go on the cruise to the Bahamas...then spend another day in Charleston before we head back home. There happens to be one the day after school gets out....so I am really leaning towards that one. A friend of mine just went last week on this same cruise so I am waiting to talk with her before I actually book it!

Cousins live close by

My sister A and her husband B and their three kids T, K and P live close by. It's fun having them only 3 miles away....we don't see each other all the time....they work alot and we are on some sport fields somewhere all the time. But we like having the cousins close by!

So they are apart of the Ragsdale adventure too...even though they are Hargroves!

Other members...M and C

Molly and Chelsea are our dogs...and very much apart of the family!

Molly is..well they said...and English Bulldog and American Staffordshire Terrier mix...we say she has boxer in her. She is such a loving dog and really thinks she is a lap dog! Last year she underwent two knee operations that can be read about here

Chelsea is a lab terrier mix...we think she has some pit bull in her. She is a good dog too. Loves the belly rub...and going on her walks each day! She is fast as lightening.

Chelsea likes to stare out the window and guard the backyard....and will alert Molly to any troubles that may have LANDED or RAN in the backyard.

We refer to them as the GIRLS...and we adopted them in 2009...they both were born in 11/2008.

Intro part 4...K

Introducing our girl....K. She joined us in July 2000. We did not want to know with the 3rd and final child what the gender was....but S and I really thought we were having another boy....but when SHE was born we were shocked and amazed and very excited....though we didn't have anything really for her to wear:)

K is 10 and is finishing up her final year in elementary school. She is so much fun! She loves to cook and serve others. She plays soccer....mom here is one of her coaches. She is very creative, loves to draw and design things.

She is talking about wanting to be a pediatrician when she grows up...but my goodness she still has a ways to go....so we shall see.

K will get in there and rough it up with her brothers. She loves to watch them compete in their games or matches....and loves getting out on the playing field herself.

We look forward to watching K grow as well and see what all God has in store for her!

Intro part 3...P

So P joined the family in July 1996....we knew we were having a boy this time. And we were excited about having two boys.

P is a great kid. Currently is 14...a freshmen in high school. A member of the varsity wrestling team. He ran cross country in the fall to get ready for wrestling. Will be playing lacrosse in the Spring as well.

He is loving high school and recently was moved up to fill a varisty spot on the wrestling team.

Just last week came in first at the Sonny Inskip Tournament at North Durham High School....NICE!!!

Currently he is talking about wanting to go into some type of law enforcement career...FBI, SWAT team, CSI....and wants to do it by route of going to the Naval Academy first. Yes he is only a freshman in high school and we told him he can change his mind whenever he wants...but are happy that he does have a goal that he working towards....so will shall see.

But for now he loves high school and is doing well. We are very proud of him as well!

Intro part 2...T

So T was to be born in Sept 1994....but decided to come a few weeks early in August 1994.

We did not know we were having a boy...we wanted to be surprised.

Now that boy has grown up into a good looking 16 year old that is taller then his parents...a junior in high school...the starting goalkeeper for his high school team and club team....and an active member of Young Life and the church youth group.

Where has the time gone....he will be going to college in a few years and time is getting away from us.

T is a good student and all around fun kid to be around. We are proud of him but are sad at how quickly he is growing up.

We look forward to the path God leads him on and what the future holds.

As of right now this moment he is looking to pursue a career in physical therapy....he is looking at Appalachian State University...we really only beginning the college search process....he wants to play soccer in college but is okay if he plays for the club team and not necessarily the varsity team of the school. So we will be updating this blog on his college search throughout this year and next.

Introducing the Family...S and A

S and A

We met in college back in MD in 1990...and started dating 2/23/90...yep we were at a party on campus and got to talking...hold up back up...we knew each other because we hung out with the same crowd and ended up at the same parties...but this night we got to talking and challenged each other to a race. Yes we did. Now there is a difference of opinion who won the race....of course I did :) but it was a friendly competition that started our lives together.

We dated for a year before we got engaged in February 1991. yes yes we know very quick...but it has worked for us. We had planned to get married in May 1992...but I got into nursing school and would have had summer clinical during that time.

So we moved the wedding to December 21, 1991....had a Christmas wedding. I was on break from nursing school so I had a month get our apartment set up and get all settled. It really worked out well.

S was working down in Waldorf....about an hour commute for him...and I had about 30 minutes to commute to school.

In December 1992 we bought our first townhouse....

I graduated nursing school in May 1993...we went to Disney World for a fun vacation....then I started working at AAMC in July 1993.

In December 1994 we found out that we were expecting our first child in Sept 1994.....

We had another child in 1996...

In 200o we moved into a house in the same neighborhood....and later that year had our 3rd child.

In 2002 S took a job in NC and we sold our house...packed up the kids and headed south...where we currently live!

So here we are in 2011...will celebrate 20 years together later this year....and will be hopefully keeping up with this blog on the adventures of our family!