Ahhh, Day 30

I cannot believe that I actually blogged for 30 days straight! It has been fun and quite a challenge at times. Somedays I just don't have a thing to say. Other days, I do, but I don't know who in the world would really want to read about it other than family and friends. Oh well. This blog is for me as a way to record memories and events. It is not suppose to be anything more than that for me. Some people have very useful blogs and blogs that relate to specific things like my friend Adrienne. Her's is Sewing. Mine is just about me and my family and things that make me go "hmmm" from time to time. SOOOOOO, on that note! I gotta jet people! My favorite show in the world, Desperate Housewives, is coming on in 5 minutes so I gotta go claim my spot on the sofa!

Is That a Muscle I Feel??

Today, we had Harrison's official party at FunQuest with all his buddies from church and school. They got to roller skate and play in the jungle gym area from 1-4. They should all be good and tired tonight! We had pizza, drinks, and cake and opened some gifts, but the real fun was in the skating. Harrison had only been one other time before today, and he did great! Maia did pretty good too, but not as confident on skates as Harrison was. Chris and I also skated. Chris opted for the inline skates, but I prefer to be on 4 wheels. Especially since it has been a while since I skated myself.

Back in the day, my friend Debbie and I were the roller queens. I must say, it is kinda like riding a bike in that you never forget once you learn. The only problem is, this body is much older and heavier than it was in my early years. When I first started I was thinking there was no way I was gonna venture onto the rink where the wood is shiny and slick. I could hardly hold my balance. BUT, the carpet was grabbing the wheels and making it VERY VERY hard to skate without looking like an uncoordinated cow on wheels. Once I got to the rink, it was smooth sailing, er, skating! After about 1 trip around, I was feeling muscles I didn't know existed! Oh, the strain on your shins and especially, for me, my hips. It seemed to ease the more I skated around. I was quickly testing out my "moves" by turning around backward while moving to skate with Harrison and take his photo. Pretty impressive!!! LOL. Just glad I didn't bite it with the camera. I think I skated for several hours all together. I am totally anticipating not being able to move a single part of my body tomorrow.

The birthday boy, just getting started good.

Granddad and Chris help Maia skate.

A rare shot of Chris and I together in one photo! Thanks Tim!!

Maia and her buddy Ryan cling to the wall for dear life.

The three Toler Men, Harrison, Tim aka Uncle Tim, and Chris.

Harrison doing the limbo. He did pretty good!!

How low can you go?? Harrison was quite impressive...

Chris kept saying how long Maia's legs looked in these bell bottom jeans...

Ryan and Harrison's attempt at being serious for a photo.

This is what we got when we asked them to be silly.

On a side note... After uploading these photos, I must say I am NOT impressed at the quality of them considering I was using my brand new $250 camera. I exchanged it tonight for the same camera because I think it is defective. I hope it works better now. My friend has the same camera and hers works great! Leave it to me to get the bum camera!!

Old and New Friends

Today, instead of going out for all the door buster sales and the overzealous crowds, I slept in, then got up and took Harrison to the Dr. for his 7 year checkup, then met two old friends for our annual trip to McDonald's with our kids to chat, play and eat. Seems that lately, beginning at Halloween, is the only time I get to see certain people. I guess we are just all so busy... Anyway, its always fun to catch up with them and see how the kids have changed over the year. Gina and her Family live outside of Charlottesville, so we don't see much of her. Meghan lives here in Lynchburg, but with busy schedules, etc we just don't see each other that much. We do all manage to keep in touch via email, phone calls, and facebook though.

Gina, Meghan, and Myself have been meeting since the kids were babies. Ok, lets back up. Gina, Meghan and myself have know each other since we were babies. If I had a working scanner I am pretty sure I could find some photos of us together when we were about the same age as our kids are now. Probably at the pool, at a swim meet, or something else summer/pool related. We also all went to school together from grade school up through high school. Ahh, good times girls, good times!! Old Friends are the Best!

Lucky for anyone reading this, the earliest photos of our McDonald's get together start in November 2004.

Chloe (Gina's eldest daughter) and Alexis "Lexi" (Meghan's eldest child) in 2004

Miss Chloe in the jungle gym at McDonald's.

Collin (Meghan's son) sitting on Gina's lap. My son, on the floor as usual, in the background. My Saturn in the back background!! I've since graduated to a mini-van.

Lexi and Meghan having some lunch in 2004.

Gina rescuing a crying Maia from inside the jungle gym.

Miss Maia sitting inside the tunnel, Nov. 2004. On this particular trip, she had to be rescued from the tunnels/jungle gym several times by Gina. Usually, crying. At least she is happy here.

Harrison playing with the truck that Chloe and Gina gave him for his birthday in 2004.

The next year, November 2005, we had a new addition to our McDonald's get together...

Holly, (Gina's youngest daughter) was just several months old when we met up with each other.

The crew, minus Collin, who wanted NO PART of this photo. Harrison, Lexi, Chloe and Maia.

I managed to get a shot of Collin playing with Maia. He doesn't look real happy!


November 2006 was a bit more successful in getting all six kids into a group shot! Maia kinda disappears in the back, but she is there!


This is a better shot of Miss Holly and Maia. Aren't they cute!!

She (Holly) is such a pretty child. Love the blue eyes.

We must not have met up in 2007 because I KNOW I would have photos, but cannot find any from the event. These photos were taken today, November 28, 2008. Look how much everyone has changed!!

Maia, Holly, Collin, Harrison, Lexi, and Chloe November 28, 2008. Not an easy shot to get with six very active kids loose in a McDonald's Playland.

Holly, Lexi and Chloe pose for a quick photo. The two sisters could be twins if it weren't for their age difference.

Harrison in the tunnel slide.

Meghan and Collin.

Maia in the tunnel slide. Had to bribe her to get this shot. A Momma will do what she has too!!

Gina playing rescue again, this time with Holly, who refused to leave. Here, she is literally dragging her out of the tunnel slide by her foot. Not the most flattering shot of Maia...

Since our kids are all older now, we were able to get Harrison and Lexi to snap a photo of us together. Three old friends. I really really have to find an old photo and get a scan for comparison. Can't wait to do it again next year girls!

Seven Years Ago Today...

...Harrison Rhys Toler entered the world at 3:45 a.m. November 27, 2001 to be exact with the date. After a scary pregnancy and a looooooong, drug free labor/delivery, Harrison made his entrance weighing 9 lb 2 oz and 22 inches long. Hard to believe that this baby..

is now this baby, all 50 lbs and 51 inches of him ...

My! What a handsome boy you have grown into!! (TONS OF PHOTOS BELOW!!!)

We went to my mom's house for Thanksgiving Lunch and since all the family was there, we had a birthday party and let him open presents after we ate. Maia made him the card he is proudly holding above. So sweet. She worked so hard on it because she knew he would like the dinosaur picture she drew.

So much has happened in Harrison's 7 years of life that I could NEVER capture it here. He has grown into quite the dinosaur/space loving little boy. He is ALL BOY too. His first year of life he went to stay with my friend Shannon while I went to work, then alternated time with his two grandmothers those days as well. He spent all day with Grammie, aka Judy, and 3 1/2 days with Shannon and my Mom. He got lots of love! I remember driving by Shannon's house on my lunch break and seeing him playing with cars in her bay window that is right on the front of the house. Some days I would drive by just to brighten my day a little.

When Maia was born, I was lucky enough to be able to get my private daycare up and running and was able to stay home with both of them. Harrison has always been a Mommy's boy. I love it! He is such a loving, sweet child, with a devilish side on occasion. He holds a special place in my heart, and always will, as only a Mommy's boy can do! I hope that I am lucky enough to celebrate many many more birthdays with my boy through the years as I watch him grown and change from the little boy he is now into a teenager and man.

Things I love about Harrison: the way he rubs his head on me showing affection much like a cat does, the way he tells me I am the best Momma he has ever had, his blue eyes, the way the hair at the crown of his head always sticks up, that he STILL loves his baby he got in the hospital when he was born, they way he takes care of me when I am sick or sad, his artwork, watching him get excited over little things, the way he says "oh snap", the way he loves stuffed animals and gives the all names. Today, I got a photo of this ( how cute is that??)...

The stuffed cat is nursing it's kittens. This was learned from watching Milo and Otis over and over and over and over.

It is amazing to go back and look at photos over the years and see how he has changed. From birth ...

Age 1 - ( don't have any in between since this was LONG before I had a digital camera and relied on a scanner to get my images online)

Age 3 - (professional photos, here and directly above, taken by Jack Henley)

Yep, I caught them on the kitchen table with a jar of Vaseline. Fun times!! You can just see the devil in Harrison's face in this photo!

They are some big shoes you have to fill there my boy! Here is the baby mentioned above in "things I love about Harrison". Gotta love that he still had a pacifier at age 3! This is right before we took them from him and Maia.

Age 4 - Dinosaur Party!!!! This was the last party I had for him at our house, at least to date!

He has TWO babies, thanks to ebay. A backup is ALWAYS a good thing. You can tell how ragged the older one is in this photo. Look at the difference!! He still has them both, but they both look equally bad now.

Age 5 - Party at McDonald's with his preschool buddies

We had just gotten our Siamese kitten, Louie the day before this photo was taken. Harrison was so proud of him and still loves him to pieces.

Age 6 - Party at Nature Zone

Age 7 - Today, November 27, 2008 at Grandma's House for Thanksgiving Lunch.

We will have a party at FunQuest on Saturday for his buddies from school and church. Should prove to be a fun day. I am excited. It is a roller skating rink and has games and all kinds of fun stuff to do. Stay tuned! More photos to come, if you haven't had enough already!!

Happy Birthday Harrison! I love you!