MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We are wishing everyone a happy holiday season! The 2008 year brought addtional changes, as always. The first one is the best on, we added Grace Elizabeth to our family on Jan. 15. She has been so much fun. Her belly laugh is contagious and she loves following big sis around...most of the time. Other changes included a job change for me. I am now working with the Small Business Development Center. I complete a variety of tasks but mainly assist with business plans. Lately I have been in budget changes, which has kept me very busy! My position is government funded so I thank God for my job, because I love it, and ask him to keep it and do not become subject to budget cuts. My girls still love to go to Grandma & Papa's while Steven and I are at work. Now, if they'd just quit traveling this country I could keep my babysitter year round (ha ha). The Archers face the same challenges as most everyone else....economy, busy lives, etc. We are active in our church, try to keep up with friends, and enjoy attending as many high school sporting events as possible. We mostly attend events that our nieces and nephews participate in, which feels like almost everything. Steven is now assisting in teaching a youth sunday school class and active in other areas of the church. I am teaching / keeping babies on Sunday mornings and assist my mom with a 1st grade class on Wed. nights. Kayla is active in her "Cubbies" group, a division of Awana's. She loves learning bible verses and making new crafts each week. She also attends pre-school 3 days per week at the church and LOVES her teachers. Grace has been a different baby all together. It has made it fun and interesting. We had tubes put into her ears 1.5 wks ago and I can tell a difference. She is much more vocal now. Grace is almost ready to walk but realizes she can make it much faster by crawling, so that is usually her course action. We hope 2009 brings many blessing to everyone! Again, Merry Christmas and God Bless!

ps - I've attached some fun pics from our beach trip in November and some shots around the house!

Whirlwind of a Life

One of these days I might get to post some pictures from the beach and decorating for Christmas. As for the Archer's........Just when we thought it could not get busier, it does! Grace has been having problems with ear infections since the beginning of October, after many doctors visits, primary care physician changes, and 5 different antibiotics we finally got the ears cleared up but still alot of fluid in the ear. I took Grace to ENT doctor on Wednesday and amazingly we got tubes put into her ears yesterday. It happenned quickly but we are glad to report everything went wonderfully. She had some problems in the hospital keeping food down but by last night was eating and playing normally. Kayla keeps us in stitches most of the time. She was a big help in decorating for Christmas by helping to put ornaments on the tree. Most are near the bottom -but as she says "I was here first Mommy!" She is enjoying learning about baby Jesus and that we celebrate his birthday this time of year. Merry Christmas to everyone!!

God's amazing ways

Ok - so this might be a little sad, but I feel like I need to say it. It is amazing the way God can teach us to be so thankful. Poor little Grace is very sick. She started with cold symtoms the middle of last week, has continued to pull on her ear even though she went through 3 rounds of antibiotic (is now on her 4th) and woke up Saturday morning with blisters in her mouth. Although the urgent care NP diagnosed one thing, I disagree. Anyway..she goes back tomorrow for a visit to her new PCP so we'll see what she says. Because of her blisters we are trying to get her to eat or drink anything...ice cream, ice pops, kool aid, anything. We haven't had much luck, everything seems to hurt. The part that breaks my heart is knowing she is hungry. I was rocking her last night in the lazy boy (where we have been sleeping) and she cried and cried. I could hear her little belly rumbling a little. I tried again to give her anything - it just hurt her too bad. So how can God be so amazing through this...it made me realize how lucky we are. I go out and buy what I need to try to make her feel better, jello, applesauce, anything...some people can't do that. So yes, I am thankful God gives me the means to do whatever it takes to try to make her feel better.

Happy Thanksgiving. I know what I am thankful for.

Fall, Halloween and More

It has been a crazy month or so. Steven was gone most nights working as a referee for sandlot football and soccer. Things don't seem to really ever slow down - do they? Here are some pictures of the girls in Halloween sweathshirts (thanks Donna) and their Halloween outfits. Grace was a ladybug and Kayla was a lion (thanks to Donna again) - actually Simba the Lion. Grace is eating all solid food just about and cries if we are eating and she is not - there is nothing she won't try! She is scooting along tables and standing alone sometimes. Yikes! She will be walking before i know it. Kayla is Ms. hypochondriac with a boo boo always. At least her teachers at school laugh about it! Let us know how you all are!

Never a dull Monday

I thought little girls did not lock themselves in the bathroom until at least the age of 10! Boy was I wrong. Well, sorta! As I was getting ready for work yesterday I was running around the house as usual. Sometimes Grace will follow, sometimes not. This time she did not. She closed the door to the bathroom, opened the bottom drawer and boom, she had wedged herself in! I tried my best to get my hand through a 1in. crack but it just did not work. So, calmly I tried to persuade her to close the drawer - somehow I knew a 9 month old would not listen. Finally, I called Steven for reinforcement. Good thing he works like 2 miles away. He came home and was able to stick the handle end of a golf club through the door and close the drawer. When he went to put the child safetly lock things on last night he said they are solid oak and he can't use just manpower - he needs his drill. Hope he gets it done before next Monday - I can't imagine what trouble she could get into if I forgot to close the bathroom door!

Trip to the Zoo

Steven and I decided to take the girls to the NC Zoo this weekend. Kayla is our future zoo keeper, vet, or something - she LOVES animals. Grace is our little curious George. She kept quiet most of the day but was sure to take everything in. The polar bear loved the attention and played ball through the glass with everyone. It was quite cute. I recommend a visit to this zoo anytime. We stayed the night before so we could get there early, took our lunch, and worked great!!

Almost a new house...

No! We are not moving again, but we did some updates to the house, sorta. Steven spent last Friday and Saturday removing the carpet in our living room and hallway. We have beautiful hardwood floors underneath that carpet that needed ZERO work. He sprayed some cleaner and presto - like new! We just have to finish the touch up work. I am sure we will removed the carpet from the 3 bedrooms one day - but I can't handle that additional distraction yet.

Ok. So I always said I would not blog or do facebook. I gave in with facebook so I might as well try this. I think this might be easier to post a few pics and update to those that wish to take a look. Right now I am trying to figure out how to make it all work so forgive me as I learn new technology! (I know it is probably old to most people, but I am catching on)