The latest...

Where to start? I have so many blog entries I need to write. For now, I will try to write a Cliff Notes version and expound later.

We celebrated Doug's birthday on July 3rd. He turned 37 years old. We headed over to Paula Deen's cousin's bakery (East of the Marietta Square) for dessert. We asked what their most popular dessert was, and then picked up their Strawberry Cake with buttercream and fresh strawberries. I can see why it is a favorite!

We celebrated the Fourth of July in the Marietta Square. Both kids did really well staying up for the fireworks. To think that Doug was sick as a dog last year, as I "dragged" him to the square for the festivities. Looking back, I think I was in the early stages of labor with Liam. This year Liam was able to appreciate the sights, and not only the sound of the fireworks!

Doug's parents also celebrated FORTY years of marriage together on July 12th. Doug and his siblings all chipped in and treated them to a night at a casino in Windsor, complete with a giftcard to the restaurant at Casino Windsor. It sounds like they really enjoyed their night out. We (each sibling and their respective family) also all got our pictures taken at a Portrait Innovations studio. We all had landscape pictures taken (with the same background) and put a 5X7 picture of each sibling's family in a larger picture frame. So Jim and Mary now have a current picture of each of their kids' family in one large frame. It was kind of neat that this worked out, because all four siblings live in different states! (AZ, GA, MI, NV) Thanks to the siblings for pulling together to make this happen! Congrats Grandma and Grandpa Carey on 40 years together. That is an amazing accomplishment!

On the job front...
Doug continues to look for a permanent job, but firms don't seem to be hiring right now. Most firms he calls say they think things will turn around in the Fall, which is right around the corner. Truthfully, I'm a little apprehensive for when he DOES have a job to go to everyday... The mad rush to get out the door, the mad rush for him to get home to spend time with the kids... We've been blessed to have him home with us during this time. (And trust me, I think he would agree that watching the kids takes more energy than a job that pays a salary!)

My job remains stable right now. I'm bringing my "A-game", so as not to be the one lopped off the cherry tree, if the hatchet should fall... I also interviewed for a job in the Farmington Hills, MI office last week (while in MI - more on the trip later). In interviewing, I found out the job would be a serious pay decrease (would be hourly, in the office, quite a commute), so we've decided against it.

I also have the opportunity to put my name in the hat to be trained formally as a Solutions Engineer at Sprint. There were 90 people who attended a meeting regarding this Engineering program. There are 16 training class slots available. I will need to update my resume, take many pre-requisite training courses, apply for the program, obtain a recommendation from my manager and finally go through a panel interview in order to be considered for one of the 16 slots. I am really praying that the panel will select me for one of the 16 slots. Learning this new skill set can open up many doors for me, and round-out my telecom knowledge, allowing me to remain competitive in this job market. Please keep this, as well as Doug's job situation, in your prayers.

While in Michigan for Tracy's bridal shower, we stayed with Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly. I worked most days, but we were able to do quite a bit! We were able to: enjoy the beautiful summer weather, visit Spencer Park and swim in the lake, visit with Sherry, see her new place, see Grandmother, Aunt Linda, Uncle Danny, Jamin and Ginger, go to the Rochester park, celebrate Grandpa Carey's and Uncle Bill's birthday, go on a kid-free shopping trip to Somerset to shop for Tracy's shower gift, visit the cemetery, inspect a house my Mom is interested in buying, eat at Kim's! (they just don't make egg rolls the same in Georgia... :( ), check out some classic cars next to Kim's, make cookies with Grandma Dolly, go on a job interview, drive to Port Huron with Tracy to pick out flowers for her wedding, go to Tracy and Tim's bridal shower in Plymouth, visit with Aunt Jackie and Uncle Bill, eat at Lipuma's Coney Island, feed the ducks (or should I say feed the "Liams" at Rochester Park, grill-out at the Careys, visit with Dolly's sisters, Chris, Olivia and Sophia, run around Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly's backyard, pick blackberries with Daymian and Jordan in their front yard, made a pie with their blackberries, pick Grandpa Carey's tomatoes (oops!), ran around with the plastic lawnmowers on Grandma and Grandpa Carey's deck and backyard, .

Grandmother made a quilt for Liam and gave it to him while we were there. It is beautiful! Ava also has a quilt that Grammy made. Thank you, Grammy!

Other than the pictures of Tracy's shower, I don't think we took ANY pictures while in MI. It was nice to just relax and enjoy time with family.

Some other fun things to note...

Ava refers to Grandma Carey as "the Grandma with the curly hair". Truthfully, her hair isn't really that curly, but Ava still uses this term of endearment.

Ava refers to Grandpa Carey as "the one with the white beard". She KNOWS their names. It's funny that she has used this description to refer to him, on more than one occasion. Grandpa Carey asked her if she wanted to touch his beard. She likes feeling his beard. :-)

Liam LOVES Megablocks. Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly have Megablocks similar to those we have at home. When Liam wakes up in the morning, the first thing he goes for (after his feet hit the floor) are these Megablocks. He points to them and says "This? This?"

Liam also now says "Uh-Oh!" He says it very clearly. I think I heard him say "Grandpa" this past Sunday morning. He still doesn't really refer to me as "Mama", believe it or not... He makes many sounds and REALLY wants to talk lately. He may have said "Mama" quite a bit a few months ago, but I didn't know if he was saying "Mama" or "more".

This kid can eat. Ask anyone who has witnessed mealtime with Liam. He loves blueberries. I don't think he even chews them before he swallows them. He eats more than Ava does, at this point. We've continued to give him soy milk, because we think he might have a slight allergy to dairy. He has eczema on his forearms, but we're not sure if it is from cow's milk, or not. We'll be trying cow's milk again soon, to confirm.

We're knee-deep in Liam's "wanting to climb" phase. Fortunately he listens to us very well and will stop when we ask. I really want to avoid the "boy jumping off furniture" scenarios, if at all possible...

Liam loves corn on the cob. My Dad and Dolly got the biggest kick out of watching him eat an entire ear of corn. Give Liam a corn and he's fine for 20 minutes or so. He cleans off the entire thing. And you should see his face when he's seeking out a little more leverage when biting into the cob. Priceless!

I told Doug recently that Liam is happy "at a cellular level". I know I sound like a bias and doting mom here, but I truthfully have never met a baby as happy as Liam. He would cackle especially when Grandma Dolly would mess with him. It takes him a minute to warm-up to someone, but once that moment is over, he makes fast friends!

Ava is very intuitive and contemplative, as well. For example, Doug and I call Liam "buddy" often. Grandma Dolly was driving with Ava somewhere and got cut-off by someone in traffic. She said "Hey buddy!", not happy with the traffic situation. Ava asked "Grandma Dolly, what does 'buddy' mean?" :-) Ava is very in-tune with people's emotions. She watches movies ad nauseum. (The same movie over and over again). I think she does so to try to understand all of the intricasies of the characters, etc.

Ava is also very mature for her age. She talks to adults as if she was one of them :-), and often chimes in on a conversation to which you might not think she was listening. She asks questions lately that I didn't think I would be answering for a three year-old. She is also very athletic, in my opinion. She loves to dance. We turn on the cable tv music channels (current dance hits station) and all go to town in the living room. Liam likes to dance, as well. It's hysterical to watch. Ava loves "crafts" and tells me when she "needs" to do a "craft". :-)

Her latest infatuation is with Pocahontas. She LOVES watching the movie.

The kids remain in day care two days a week, due to a "scholarship" the day care gave us when they learned of Doug's lay-off. We have seriously been blessed by having this day care in our lives. They are like family to us!

Doug is able to get some work done on the days when the kids are in day care. He is currently working on the drawings for a remodel in Vinings. The homeowner is also a real estate agent. We pray some leads come out of this project. Doug is also finishing some basement plans for one of my co-workers. He learned the other day of another basement project. Doug has also drawn plans for an addition for my Dad and Dolly, too. We're thankful to have all of this added work.

Well, I think that covers it all!

With love,
Doug, Shelly, Ava and Liam