The Salyers Suite

Holiday Wish Contest

2009-12-05T02:56:00.003-05:00

December 5, 2009

Hey everyone! I know it has been a while but I just had to enter this contest! You should check it out yourself. There are some awesome giveaways. I enjoyed entering because it really made me think when I had to answer the questions. It is really fun. You should do it too! Good luck!!

Mama’s Holiday Wish List MemeTodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.
1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year? I know this may sound boring but I would love to spend time with my husband and my son. That would cover all 5 of my wishes. My husband has been working 70-80 hours per week and yes in these hard times money is all well and good but I want my family time back!
2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received? My sister is a very talented artist and she paints something every year for me and it is always very special. Hard to pick a favorite.
3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle? I have a friend who is very creative with making Christmas cards every year. She is a photographer and she always comes up with the most beautiful and creative ideas. I would love to be that creative.
4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child? I would have to say my very own bicycle. I know that doesn't sound exciting but when there are 6 kids in the family (three boys and three girls..in that order) you tend to have to share a lot of things.
5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year? He told me in September that if I got him an Apple I-Pod Touch that he wouldn't ask for anything else. Yeah...right!!
6. What is your favorite holiday food? My mother's mashed potatoes and gravy!
7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays? I plan to try to be a little creative with some glass etching cream that I bought. We will see!!
8. What is your favorite holiday movie? Let's see?? That is a tough one. Typically we make it a tradition to watch Christmas Vacation and The Christmas Story.
9. Favorite holiday song? Silent Night and Santa Baby
10. Favorite holiday pastime? Fellowship with family and friends. Watching movies with my husband and son.

Surprise!!! 8-25-09

2009-08-25T01:55:00.002-04:00

I don't know what made me want to do this again except maybe to vent a little. I would like to ask everyone..if there is still anyone out there reading...to pray for my family. My dad had surgery last week to repair an anuerysm and he was readmitted tonight. Brian's dad is also in the hospital and they really aren't sure what is going on with him. We definitely need your prayers and would appreciate them so much.

On the home front...Landon started middle school and he is really enjoying the change in routine. He likes all of his teachers and has met a lot of new people. The one downfall so far is the enormous amount of homework every night. He is back playing soccer and loves it! I think he is just now fully recovered from his knee surgery. It has actually been a year and three months, boy does time fly.
Brian has been working a lot and it is like I told him, we are thankful because some people don't have a job, but we miss him when he is gone so much. Maybe I will try to update more often but you know how it is. Life is crazy sometimes. Thanks ahead of time for your prayers and I hope everyone has a great week.

Happy Anniversary...Happy Birthday 1-26-09

2009-01-27T04:18:00.002-05:00

I want to say how thankful that I am for my parents. They are the greatest parents a child could ever wish for. God is so good and He has blessed our entire family so much throughout the years. January 18th was my parent's 51st wedding anniversary. How great is that! I know that typically you have a huge celebration for the 50th but we had to put that on hold last year when my dad was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. Like I said we are so blessed and things could have been so different and now he is doing great. I have five brothers and sisters and we planned a party for my mom and dad. A lot of my aunts and uncles were able to come and my parents were so surprised. My mom and dad never had a wedding cake and I thought my mom would cry when she saw the cake. I will post some pictures later when I get a chance. It was a great night and the surprise turned out well. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.....I love you!!!!

Now I have to say Happy Birthday to my mother-in-law...Wanda A.K.A. Nana!! We don't get to see the grandparents as much as we would like to but we love them. Landon is so blessed to have 2 sets of grandparents that love him so much and we are so thankful for them. Please say a prayer for Wanda"s sister Doris. She is recovering from a hospital stay and she is in a nursing home at this time.

As for the rest of us...Landon is playing basketball and soccer and his weeks are busy with homework, church and sports. I took him to sell ads for his yearbook today and I was so proud of him. He was the one that spoke to everyone and presented the layout. He sold a couple and had some promising prospects on others. I hope you all have a great week! God bless!!

Hermit 1-21-09

2009-01-21T20:13:00.003-05:00

Has anyone else felt like a hermit lately? It has been so cold that we haven't really felt like getting out to go anywhere. Someone at work said when it gets to 14 degress, can really tell the difference between that and 4 degees? Not really...it is just very cold! Other than school and work we have been happy just to stay at home cook supper and enjoy family time together. I think Landon really enjoyed having an extra day off this past Monday and it was nice to sleep in a little.

Switching gears...Landon's class at school was allowed to watch the swearing in of our new president. He had mixed emotions and we had that discussion of being respectful and that God is always in control. As Christians I think we need to pray for our country as well as our leaders. I am sure that it is a very difficult job and I think that we have probably been through the toughest 8 years as a country that we have seen in a while. I pray that we can go forward and up from here. I usually do not talk a lot about politics but I have to say that the one thing about the inauguration that saddened me was when Bush came out and he was "booed". I think it was sad for our children to see adults treat another human being that way. No matter what has happened these last 8 years I feel like that was uncalled for. That is enough about that...I hope everyone has a great week and weekend. I have to work a lot over the next week and a half so I am not sure how much I will get to blog. Take care and God bless!

Catching Up on an Icy Sunday Morning

2009-01-18T10:26:00.004-05:00

It has been a rather long time since I have been on here. Life has been so busy and the time just flies by. Since we didn't get to go to church because of the icy roads, I will try to catch you up a little. I will begin telling you about Landon's 5th grade Christmas Party right before school let out. He really had a great time with all of his friends. They ate and sang karaoke all afternoon. I think he really loves school but I also think he is ready to move on to middle school next year. This is just a picture of a few of his buds at the party.

I had to work on Christmas Eve and when I got home at 6:10am I tried to sneak in the bed for a while and that didn't last long. As soon as Landon knew I was home he came and woke me up and wanted to open presents. I remember being that excited too so I got up and we started opening presents. The really big thing he got this year was a Wii Fit. It really is the neatest thing. You can put the controller in your pocket and actually run on the screen with the other people. It is so cool!

One of the other really cool things was his Manchester United Soccer jersey that has his name on it. For those of you who don't know that is his favorite Premier League team in England. His nick name on the soccer field is "Rooney" and he plays on that team. He was really excited when he saw that it had his name on it.

Two days after Christmas we decided to go back to Dollywood for one final trip this year. It was a beautiful day and we really enjoyed just being together after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. We had planned on going before Christmas and several things came up and we were unable to go. Because of the warm weather it really worked out for the best. The one thing I have realized even more throughout this holiday season is that God has a plan for all of us we just need to be patient and open our hearts and He will show us the way. I am so thankful that I have an almighty Father to turn to when I need answers.

Our family has been through several things over the holidays and God has really blessed us. Please say a prayer for Brian's aunt who has been ill over the holidays and please continue to pray for my mother who continually has to deal with pain everyday. I will try to do better to update more often but it is so hard sometimes with work, school, soccer and now Landon is playing basketball. I plan to post a few pictures of basketball later. Maybe today, I am not sure. Love you all! Have a great week! I cannot wait for Spring!

Thanksgiving Birthday 11-28-08

2008-11-29T08:29:00.003-05:00

We truly have so much to be thankful for, not only during this time of year but all year long. I am so thankful for my family and for the time I had off from work to spend with them. I have to work this weekend but I have enjoyed having the holiday free to be with family. We didn't gather for our big meal until Friday because a few of us had to work and this gave everyone time to be with their immediate family. Like always we had lots of food and fellowship. Our family has grown so much over the years. I am posting just a few pics from the festivities. We really did enjoy each others company and the kids had a great time. The weather was nice so they were able to get outside and play some football while the girls stayed in and caught up on things.

This is a picture of Brian's parents with Landon. He is very blessed to have a nana and a popaw tha love him so much.

This is a picture of my parents with Landon...he really is very blessed to have two sets of grandparents that love and adore him. He really has it made when it comes to being spoiled by grandparents.

This is two of my nieces...Charity is my oldest brothers daughter and the younger one, Aubry, is my other nieces daughter and my brothers granddaughter. They are really beautiful girls.

This is another one of my nieces, my sister Kathy's little girl. I am so amazed at how much she looks like Shirley Temple with those little curls and her blue eyes. She was definitely the center of attention with her little smile and she was singing and dancing so that everyone would notice her.

We really had a good time visiting with everyone. We really should get all of us together more often..but you know how that is. Everybody is always so busy and it is so hard to just get through our everyday routine with work and kids but I think we should at least make an effort. For those of you that have the opportunity to see family everyday, be thankful and enjoy them. It is a true blessing.

Now I would like to say Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband...I love you honey. You are the greatest blessing and I am so thankful that God put us together. You are a wonderful husband and a fantastic father. Landon and I love you so much.

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and please take time to dwell on all the things we have to be thankful for...they are there if we open our hearts and focus on what God has blessed us with. May He continue to bless you all.

Camp Explore 11-17-08

2008-11-22T06:49:00.003-05:00

This has been a very busy week for us. On Monday, Landon was off to camp with his classmates. He went to Camp Explore and they had a great time. The weather could have been better but I think that the kids really didn't mind. I sent plenty of warm clothes, hats, gloves and boots. Despite the weather they were able to do all the activities they had planned. They went out in a canoe, shot a bow and a rifle, and built a rocket to launch. Landon said they did get a little cold but all in all they did really enjoy the camp. I really missed him and I was glad they only stayed over one night. These are a few pics from the morning they were leaving. He is really blessed to have many great friends at school.

This is Cooper, Ryan, A.J., Landon and Reece. They have been buddies since kindergarten.

This is Landon and A.J.'s teacher..Mr. Koth...he is really a great teacher. He was Landon's

teacher in third grade and we were so thankful when he moved to fifth grade. I think it is awesome for boys that age to have a male role model in school.

I have been working all week and doing overtime to learn a new responsibility with my job. I am sorry that I haven't updated more this week. I will try to post more in the future. Landon spent the night with his cousin at his Mom Mom and Pop Pop's house..they plan to help her put up the Christmas tree. I am sure they will have a good time. Brian's aunt has been sick this week and is in the hospital. I would like to ask you to say a prayer for her. Also please pray for my mom and her constant battle with back pain. She has been put on new medication and I pray that will help. God is good and I know He can do all things if we believe. Love you all, have a great weekend!

Proud Parents 11-12-08

2008-11-13T00:57:00.003-05:00

This week has been so busy with work and school. It truly sounds like a broken record. We have been working so hard on school assignments with Landon and really trying to get him to take pride in his work. Fifth grade has been an adjustment for him because he has had to work harder to earn his A's. We received several papers today from school and they all said excellent and great on them as well as 100%. We are so proud of how hard he has worked lately. We have developed a routine every evening and I also think that it helps that soccer is over for a while.

This afternoon we were able to visit with nana and papaw and we really enjoyed spending time with them. When Landon got up this morning that was the first thing he asked me...when is nana and papaw coming today? He has a habit of asking me different things every morning about what we are going to do in the evening because he likes to have things to look forward to at the end of his day. Sometimes it is as simple as what we are having for dinner...but today he was happy that we were going to have visitors. After they left we went to church together and he earned another badge for AWANA...he was thrilled. Well that is our week overview. Not very exciting but we are clicking along. We did go to Dollywood last weekend and we had a good time. I was beginning to get a cold and by the end of the day I was tired but we still had fun. Have a great week...God Bless!!

Our Weekly Overview 11-6-08

2008-11-06T20:08:00.003-05:00

Hey everybody, I hope you are having a great week. It has been a very busy week for us. We have been tied up with school, homework, church and work. Brian has not been home before 10 pm all week. I feel as if I have been a single parent this week and it has been tough. I sure do admire the parents who have to do that on a daily basis. It makes a huge difference when you can do things together. I love you Brian and I appreciate all the money your are earning this week, but I like having you with us more.

Here are a few more pictures from our sleepover last weekend...these are from Saturday night when we put the mattress in the den floor and the boys camped out. They played board games and watched some football on television. I was so proud of them...they were so good and I think they had a great time.

Landon has a hermit crab and the boys had so much fun figuring out all the tricks he could do. The poor thing probably needed to be medicated after they were finished with him!

At Landon's school last week they handed out tickets to guess how many pieces of candy corn were in the glass pumpkin. If you were the student who guessed the closest you got to take the pumpkin filled with candy corn home. Landon was the only student out of 550 kids to guess the exact amount...897! The ironic thing was that his good friend Jacob was second with a guess of 894. Our plans for the weekend will depend on the weather. DB has a playoff football game and we hope to go to Dollywood for their Christmas Celebration. I hope you all have a great weekend. We have sure had some beautiful weather this week...I hope everyone has had time to enjoy it. After homework everyday, Landon has been out riding his bike. We went to church tonight for basketball tryouts...I think he is going to play Upwards at the church and also some indoor soccer this winter. God Bless you all!!

Halloween Sleepover 10-31-08

2008-11-01T11:51:00.003-04:00

Not only was it Halloween at our house but it was a rare opportunity to have two of Landon's friends stay over. AJ. and Jacob came over to go trick-or-treating and to spend the weekend with us. Their parents were out of town with their older siblings for soccer and a band competition. Here is a cute picture of all three of them before we went out for the evening.

Jacob was Mario, A.J. was a hobo and Landon was Indiana Jones. This is a great picture of them acting very silly. You would not believe the candy that they got from just our neighborhood.

It has always been a tradition for all the kids on our street to meet up and go trick-or-treating together. We have always had a great time. As you can see from the pictures below we continued to pick up kids as we traveled down the street. They always have a great time going out together.

By the time we got to the end of the street we had several kids in the group. It has been so neat seeing them all grow up over the years. I cannot believe how fast time flies. I think it won't be long and some of these kids will not want to go out anymore on Halloween. I think it is sad in a way. I guess we should be thankful that they are healthy and happy and growing up.

After we went around the neighborhood we went to our church and they played games ate smores and of course...collected more candy. There is enough sugar in our house to sink a battleship. I usually end up throwing some away after a month or so. They came home afterwards and we set up a camp in our living room and they watched a special about scary houses and then they wanted to watch the old classic Jaws. They loved it and thought it was so funny because of how fake it was. For three boys they were really good. They are out playing and riding bikes today because the weather is so beautiful. We are going to take them to play putt putt afterwhile.

The picture below is of my dear friend Cassie's kids. They were absolutely priceless and they came up with the idea all by themselves. Ian is John McCain, Macey is Sarah Palin and Cade is a secret service agent. Are they not just too cute? I love it!!!

All in all it was a great day. I want to say Happy Birthday to a very special person, Landon's Popaw and Brian's dad. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! We hope you had a great day!

10-28-08 Busy Days

2008-10-28T01:31:00.002-04:00

On Sunday morning we had to be on the soccer field at 7 am. Needless to say we had to get up very early...5 am or so. When we started the drive it was so foggy you couldn't see 2 feet in front of your face. I thought to myself...great!!!...they won't even be able to see the ball from one end of the field to the other. However, when we arrived at our destination it wasn't that bad. It was very cold and the ground was frozen. We played a team that we have played many times before and never have won. The whole team played awesome and we tied 2-2. I think this was a huge moral victory for our team. Sunday night Landon was invited to a Halloween party that was originally supposed to be on Friday night. He had a really great time...he was Indiana Jones and he looked great!
On Monday we have been very busy with homework, supper and our regular routine. I worked last night unexpectedly for a friend and I slept Monday while Landon was in school. I am working again tonight and we will have more of the same routine for the rest of the week. Please say a prayer for Landon and school work. He is trying so hard and he is now done with soccer and I think that will help. Have a great week!

Rainy Days 10-24-08

2008-10-24T19:42:00.002-04:00

Just a little note to catch everyone up on the week. We have been busy with work and school, Landon has been working very hard in study habits and he had several tests today and he seems to think it paid off. We will let you know later. On Wednesday night he went to church and he earned his first badge in AWANNA's, that made him very happy. He has had two nights of soccer practice because they have their last tournament this weekend. I hope the weather cooperates, it has been raining most of the day. He is excited because his Mom Mom and Pop Pop are planning to come to the game as well as his Popaw. I know they enjoy watching him play. I will update tomorrow and let you know how that goes. Have a great weekend!

God Bless You All !!

Sunday and Soccer 10-19-08

2008-10-20T05:51:00.002-04:00

Last night on Saturday the boys played at 8 pm. They played a team that was a year older than they were and they were awesome! We won 7 to 2. On Sunday morning however we did not fair so well. We played a local team that we have played several times before and we have never beaten them and I think the boys get a mental complex even before the game starts. They played well but they lost 5-2. That was our last game for the day and then we went as a family and volunteered in the concession stand from 4 to 5:30pm and we cleaned up and closed it for them. Needless to say there wasn't a whole lot of sleeping going on for me after working last night. I probably won't be bloggong a lot at the beginning of the week due to sleep and homework. Have a great day!

Soccer Saturday 10-18-08

2008-10-18T15:28:00.003-04:00

Much to a few peoples disliking I haven't had a lot of time to blog this week. Just a few things to catch you up. Last night we went to DB's homecoming game, it was cool for the first time this year. It was a great game though and we won 28 to 7. I took this picture before the game here at the house.

This morning was very cool and Landon said he was glad to finally get to play soccer and it not be so hot. Last Sunday when they played the boys were so exhausted from the heat. This morning was a totally different story. I think the parents were freezing but the boys love playing when it is about 50 degrees. They played well and they won their first game 3-2. They will play again this evening at 8 pm. This is the first time that our club has hosted the Appalachian Fall Festival. The leaves are beautiful right now. I heard several people from out of state say how beautiful it was here.

After the game we had to head home because we were going to baby sit the neighbors new baby while they went to watch their other son play football. Of course we were all too happy to help them out. We all love little babies...as you can see even Landon. He was so thrilled to get to feed Cooper but when it came to changing him, that was up to me. He is so cute and really brings back memories of when Landon was so tiny. We had an awesome day...he is such a great baby!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. I will let you know how well they do in the soccer tournament. Thanks to Popaw for coming to watch Landon play today.

Monday Madness 10-13-08

2008-10-13T18:41:00.003-04:00

Today started very early for us. Brian went back to work and Landon off to school. He had to be there very early because he was chosen to be on the school news team. He was very excited to be selected. He loves to read and he doesn't have a camera shy bone in his body. After school he said he did very well and the neat thing was he got to report on the World Cup and it's history. As you know he loves soccer so this was very interesting to him.

After I dropped him off it was time for all the chores I had put off over the weekend. This is my only day off as I am working the next 10 out of 11 days...bummer! I picked him up today because we had a yearbook meeting after school. He was chosen to be on the yearbook staff and he is excited about taking pictures and helping to create the book for this year. This is a picture of him working on the posters for marketing the yearbook. They learned about what it meant to "market" something and how to advertise. I think this will be a great learning experience as well as fun.

After that it was time for dinner and homework. One of Landon's favorite things to do...math (ha! ha!). He didn't have soccer practice and it was a beautiful evening so he played outside for a while. Brian went to a meeting so he could be a field marshall at the soccer tournament this weekend. I have to get ready for work now. Have a great evening!

Wild Hair 10-12-08

2008-10-12T21:00:00.001-04:00

Sunday morning brings church at our house. We have been attending a new church and Landon has been so excited and enthusiastic about going and learning the word of God. They have an awesome Sunday School class and he told us again this morning what a great time he had. It truly warms my heart to see him so happy. They also have a great AWANNA program on Wednesday night.

After church we got this "wild hair" to take off and go to Dollywood. It was a beautiful day and we knew it may be our last chance to get there before the harvest celebration ended. I love this time of year with all the pumpkins, flowers and scarecrows. The decorations at Dollywood are amazing during this time. I took just a few pictures and then I left Landon alone so he could ride until they closed. We ran into several people we know and visited a while with each of them.... we had a great time.

On the way out of the park several funny and scary things happened. We were headed to the tram stop to go back to our car and as we approached the entrance to the store there was a lady that was sitting on a stool right beside of this cart that was selling ornaments. As Landon walked through he looked her way (thinking it was a manequin) she said hello to him and litterally scared him out of his shorts!! She apologized several times but couldn't help laughing so hard she had tears coming down her cheeks.

The scary part was when we were waiting on a tram and looked over and saw this HUGE spider beside of us. I initially though it may be fake but it was very real. It had to be 2-2 1/2 inches long! Gross...I cannot stand spiders. Landon was the one who got close enough to take this picture.

As we were coming back we decided to put the top down on the convertible. For those of you who don't know, my husband Brian, bought a new car about 2 weeks ago. A mustang convertible...what I call his midlife crisis car...no just kidding honey! He has sacrificed for years so that I would always be the one to have a new car and I really feel as if he deserves that car. He is a great husband and father and always puts his family first. I love you honey...and I hope you enjoy your car. We certainly had a good time in it with you today! Have a great week everyone!

Soccer Saturday 10-11-08

2008-10-11T18:52:00.001-04:00

Saturday morning brought soccer to the Salyers' family. One of Landon's favorite sports. He had two matches today and it was a beautiful autumn day. This time of year you never know what you are going to get. Landon played great in both games. We are so thankful that he is playing again. For those of you that don't know, Landon tore his meniscus in his right knee last Spring which required surgery to repair. He is just now getting back to full strength and he really is not 100% yet. His coach said he is doing great.

He was able to play up front some today and he scored two goals. That felt really great because he has played defense a lot since he was injured.

If you will notice he still has to wear a brace when he plays and he has to be real careful stretching and warming up. I think it has taught him to be more grateful for the skills that God has blessed him with.

We really did have a great day. Landon's Popaw came to see both games and a friend from his school came to the first game. He and Brooke are good friends and have watched each other play sports some this past year. I better get off of here and get some laundry done. Hope everyone has a great weekend. Off to church in the morning!

Football Friday 10-10-08

2008-10-11T18:37:00.001-04:00

Friday night is all about high school football in September and October. Tonight before going to the game we met my parents and went out to eat. I was so glad to see them and they brought my nephew Thomas, he and Landon were able to catch up some on how things were going. We had a great time and a great meal. I miss seeing my parents everyday. For those of you who get to see your parents often you are very blessed.

After eating we went to the local high school game and it was an exciting game and very close through the first half. Luckily we were able to pull out a win and everyone went home happy...except for me who had to go off to work. I guess we all have to do things we don't necessarily like to do. I would love to be a stay at home mom...but I don't think that will happen. This is a picture of Landon at the game. He really enjoyed watching the game. A lot of the time he likes to go off with friends during the game but tonight he wanted to watch. As I was sitting there with him I thought to myself...it won't be long and he will be here as a student. I try to enjoy the time I have with him because it seems to be going so fast.

All is Well 10-09-08

2008-10-09T20:49:00.000-04:00

Today Landon was feeling much better and he went back to school. He had homework and then soccer practice. Brian took him to practice and I went to his school for a meeting about an overnight camp that they will be attending. He is looking forward to going. Thanks for all your prayers...we are thankful that what ever virus he had was short lived. God is good...all the time!!
Have a great evening!

A Little Under the Weather 10-08-08

2008-10-08T17:59:00.000-04:00

When I came home from work this morning it was raining. I woke Landon up for school and he was not feeling well. He ate a little breakfast and said he was feeling somewhat better. He wanted to go on to school because he had an assessment test this morning. I came home after driving him to school and I went to bed because I worked last night and I was exhausted. Around 10 am the school nurse called and said Landon had been to the clinic several times and they had tried everything to get his stomach to settle but now he was throwing up. I told her I would pick him up right away. He never says he is sick unless he really does not feel well. I got him home and he was sick to his stomach with a low grade fever. After taking a nap and "losing his lunch" a few times he feels better this afternoon. He has been able to eat toast and seems to be doing a lot better. A couple of his friends have called to check on him and that has made him feel even better. Thanks A.J. and Hannah! It is always good to have friends that are concerned with your well being. I hope everyone else is doing well. We are continuing to get some much needed rain and we are just resting up for another work night and school day. Brian is working overtime tonight and Landon and I were gonna go to church but with his fever I guess we will stay in. Take care and God bless! Please say a prayer for Landon that he gets better.

School Pictures 10-07-08

2008-10-07T18:25:00.000-04:00

Today is the day that the Lord has made. We shall rejoice and be glad in it. My dad, Landon's Pop Pop, is turning 70 years old. For those of you who don't know this past year has been a difficult year for my dad. God is so good and He has worked miracles in my dads life. Dad was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. Right after the first of the year he started radiation therapy after having a biopsy. He did great with all of his treatments and he is cancer free now. We have so much to be thankful for. Happy Birthday Dad...I love you!!

While I was on here tonight I thought I would post a pic of Landon's fifth grade school picture. He has grown up so much and I cannot believe he will be in middle school next year. He is doing so well in school and we are very proud of him. His dentist appointment went well today and they told us at this point he may not need braces after all. We are going to wait for all of his permanent teeth to come and then reevaluate. While we were in Florida he lost another tooth, and that makes several over the last few months that have come out.

I want to ask everyone to pray for Brian's dad and for my mom, they have both not been feeling well. I trust in the Lord and His awesome powers of healing and I know He answers prayers. Have a great week!!

Life As We Know It! 10-6-08

2008-10-06T18:03:00.000-04:00

It was really hard getting back in to the swing of things today. Landon did not want to get up for school and I can hardly blame him. I myself had a hard time as well. I love traveling, it's the part of going back to work that is hard. I could definitely see myself as a world traveler if I didn't have to work. I just thought I would say hello to everyone and I will try to keep you updated as the week progresses. Landon has a dental appointment tomorrow as well as soccer practice. Take care and I hope everyone has a great week.

Home Sweet Home!! 10-5-08

2008-10-05T19:56:00.000-04:00

This was the day everybody was not really looking forward to. We were up early and headed to the airport by 9am. As we were driving to the airport the boys were wishing we had another week that we could stay in Orlando. We all had a really great time. I want to say thanks to the Robbins' family for inviting us along. We are very thankful for such great friends. You all have become like family to us. Before we left Landon and A.J. took an art class at Hollywood Studios and I thought I would share Landon's artwork with you. Not bad for free hand artwork. Landon says that he is definitely not an artist but he had fun taking the class anyway.

When we arrived at the airport in Orlando we had time to spare so Landon thought he would draw a little to practice. We bought him a book that gave instructions on how to draw Disney characters. The lady at the ticket counter was very nice to let him borrow a pencil.

We landed in the Tri-cities at 1:15pm this afternoon. It is amazing that you can be home in an hour and ten minutes from Orlando. So much better than driving 11-12 hours with many stops in between. We are all unpacked now and ready to settle back in to the routine of school and work. I have enjoyed blogging this week and I will try to keep up now that we are home.

I would like to send out a few thank you's to several people for really helping us out. Thanks to Cassie for making this blog possible and for praying for our safe return. Thanks to Nana and Papaw for taking us to the airport and for picking us up. We really enjoyed your company and Landon was glad to see you both. Thanks to Cindy, Randy, Blair and Brooke for getting our mail and watering our plants. I would also like to say congratulations to our neighbors Chuck, Vanessa and Chaz for their new addition to the family, little Cooper is so cute! I am glad to be home but sad this vacation is over. God Bless You All!!

Our Last Hoorah in Orlando 10-4-08

2008-10-04T21:42:00.001-04:00

When we woke up this morning we really did not have a definite plan for the day. We knew it was our last day so we wanted to make the most of it. We decided to go back to Seaworld for half the day and then go to Aquatica for the rest of the afternoon. At the last minute the other Lisa and I decided that we would be the taxi for the day and we would go shopping. We went back to the outlet mall and we looked at all the things that we didn't get to the first day. We then went and picked them up from Seaworld and took them over to Aquatica. Afterwards we went to the Florida Mall. That has to be the biggest mall I have ever seen. It even has a currency exchange inside the mall. The security guards cover so much ground that they ride on Segways. For those of you who do not know what that is, it is like a scooter that you ride on standing up. They are really cool. Needless to say we covered a lot of ground shopping today. We had a great time while the guys were at the water park. At the end of the day the boys wanted to go to the largest McDonald's in the world. You would not believe this place. It is very over whelming. It is two stories tall and the menu is unbelievable. They have a gourmet menu including pannini's, pizza and pasta. It was so busy but the boys were able to play for a while.

We didn't get to stay long because we had to come back and get ready for our flight tomorrow. I can't beleive that our trip is over already. We have had a great time this week with our friends. I really am convinced that creating memories are so important to our children. I also believe that you don't necessarily have to go on vacation to do so. Everyday we are able to be with our children is a blessing. I feel truly blessed to be a mom. I love you Landon and I hope you had a great vacation!!

Disney's Hollywood Studios 10-3-08

2008-10-03T22:25:00.001-04:00

We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios today. I know it sounds like a broken record but really the weather has been gorgeous! Even though it has been warm there has been a breeze that you just don't get in the summer time. We arrived early and of course we went straight for the big rides.

First up was my personal favorite, the Hollywood Tower of Terror. This is the coolest ride in the park. It is so smooth and every time you ride the sequence of falls are different. That is what makes it so awesome. I think we must have rode this six or seven times all together. The lines again were minimal and it made it so easy to just keep riding.

When we first arrived early in the morning this is a picture of the wait time. We thought it was so ironic that it was not ten or twenty minutes but unlucky thirteen. We of course were teasing the boys about it before we got on the first time.

This is Landon and A.J. standing in front of the big Mickey hat right in the middle of the park. They thought it was really neat that it had a place that you could shop underneath the hat. Landon, A.J., Brian and I stayed until the park closed. We watched a big production called Fantasmic and then Joe came back and picked us up.

After we watched a Disney Animation show, Landon wanted to have his picture made with Mickey. I am glad he is still at the age where he wants to do this with some of the characters. It won't be long and he will not be interested in this anymore. I remember when he was seven and we brought him to Disney for his first time and we had to stand in all of the character lines. I can't believe how much time has passed already.

Well as you can see we had another great day. We actually ran into some people we know from Kingsport. It truly is a small word. I am not sure what we are going to do for our last day tomorrow, I will let you know later. I am trying my best not to think about this vacation ending but I'm afraid it will come whether I want it to or not. I hope you all are doing well. Say a prayer for us to have safe travel on Sunday and we will see you all soon. Landon says he loves you Nana and Papaw!! God bless everyone!!

Aquatica 10-2-08

2008-10-02T17:52:00.001-04:00

We went to the new Seaworld water park Aquatica today. The weather once again was beautiful and sunny. The crowd was minimal and the boys didn't have to wait long for anything. It really was a lot of fun. There were water slides that went right beside the dolphins and they were enclosed in the dark until you went by the dolphins and then the tubes were clear.

I think that the most fun we all had was the rapids pictured below. A.J. said that it was a lazy river on steroids. Instead of inner tubes it was required that you put life vests on. The currant was so strong it was hard to stand up. I think you cruised around the river at 15 mph. I was attempting to take a picture of Landon and A.J. and as soon as I focused on them Brian came floating by behind them.

We finished the day with dinner at Don Pablo's, a very good Mexican restaurant. We all ate so much that Landon and A.J. had to stop at the world's largest McDonald's to go to the bathroom...as put in their words...they had to drop the Brown's off at the superbowl. Only mothers with boys would think this is funny. All in all it was a great day. I think we are getting up early to go to MGM...Hollywood studios tomorrow. I hope everyone is having a good week. Take care and God bless!!

Epcot 10-1-08

2008-10-01T19:14:00.000-04:00

We decided to go to Epcot today thinking that it will be busier toward the weekend. I think we made a great decision. The lines were not long at all and we got to do everything and really we were finished fairly early. I did not get many pictures becuase it was blazing hot and the boys were moving from ride to ride very quickly. This is in the front of the sphere at the front gate.

It really was a beautiful day even though it was 90+ degrees it was breezy and not as humid as days previous. We all rode Soarin which is really one of the best rides at Epcot. Brian, who nomally does not ride, absolutely loves this ride. You feel as if you are truly flying over the ocean and Napa Valley. Test Track is another awesome ride that goes 65 mph and has stops and turns that are amazing. Landon and A.J. rode Mission Space but the adults passed on this one. I am not up for those spinning rides anymore....I guess I am getting old.

We just finished supper as well as dishes and the guys are all at the swimming pool. My friend Lisa and I are sipping coffee and enjoying the peaceful moments. We love our kids but sometimes it is just nice to have a quiet minute to ourselves. All of you moms know exactly what I am talking about. Bye for now...possibly off to Disney's Hollywood Studios or maybe Seaworld's new water park, Aquatica!!

Shopping and more Shopping!!! 9-30-08

2008-09-30T10:57:00.000-04:00

I thought I would post a picture of the guys feeding the dolphins. I forgot about this when I was blogging late last night. They really enjoyed getting so close to them. At the end of the session the trainer was able to get one to come over and stay for a minute so the boys could pet it for a while.

It is a rainy day and we have decided to go shopping today and take a break from all the parks. Everyone slept in late and we all needed some extra rest time. We will probably go to Aquatica tomorrow. The rest of the week is supposed to be beautiful and sunny. I will post more pictures tomorrow.

Sea World Orlando 9-29-08

2008-09-29T22:37:00.000-04:00

We were off to Sea World very early on Monday morning. We were excited because we (the Salyers' family) have never been there before. Of course we had to go see Shamu...the size of these animals are amazing. There were several that performed during the show. The best part is when they swim by the audience and drown people with their tales.

Journey to Atlantis was a boat ride that went down a steep hill and at the bottom just when you think you are finished....people were standing there ready to put quarters in and drown you as you went by. I think Zachary had the most fun standing there and drowning people as they went by. The look on their face was priceless when they would wave at their families and then all of a sudden they would get drenched with this water cannon. I think Joe ( Zach's dad) must have given him $15.00 worth of quarters. An entire crowd of people gathered around because Zach was so good at aimimg at people. It was really quite humorous!! When Landon and A.J. went by A.J.'s mom said not to aim at them....guess what happened when they got off the ride??? You would think they would be happy but they were mad because they didn't get drenched by Zach...go figure.

If you ever go to Sea World you have to ride Kraken. It is an amazing coaster that takes many twists and turn and it is so smooth. The best part is that your legs dangle free in the air and you take a big plunge down toward the water. We actually walked right onto the ride with no wait.

We had a great day. We laughed a lot and we went to a lot of different shows that were really great. I was surprised at how much there was to do. We hope to go to the new water park, Aquatica, later this week. Good night for now...we are all very tired and off to bed!! I hope you all are having a great week.

Daytona Beach Post #2 9-28-08

2008-09-28T20:21:00.000-04:00

I thought this picture was so cute of Landon. He was on his stomach trying to ride his boogie board. It really shows all of his freckles.

Remember the waves I was talking about before....this one took Lisa all the way under. Needless to say she had sand in everything that she had on. When we came back to the condo the boys took their swim trunks off and the bathtub was full of sand.

This is a good picture of A.J. with the waves rushing over him.

Landon looks as if he is trying to pass a kidney stone!!!

Fun in the Sun at Daytona Beach 9-28-08

2008-09-28T18:49:00.000-04:00

We had a tough time trying to talk the boys into going to the beach. We tried to tell them that we would have a lot of fun. In about an hour from Orlando you can be in Daytona. The weather again was very nice and the waves were awesome.
Landon and A.J. had a great time and if you notice in most of the pictures they are dressed very similar...this became a joke after a while because it was very unintentional.

The waves were awesome...there was several times they were taken out by them. I was able to get some really good pictures of the boys while they were attempting to jump the waves.

This is Brian (my husband) and our friend Joe ( A.J.'s dad) being overtaken by the waves. I think they felt like they had their sinuses washed out when they got finished.

This post took some time and for some reason my signature box went away again so I am just signing off like this.....Lisa.

Islands of Adventure 9-27-08

2008-09-27T22:06:00.000-04:00

First thing in the morning and we just had to ride the Hulk roller coaster.... all except for Brian that is. For those of you who don't know my husband very well, he is the one who is always great to go along and help carry everything but he doesn't like to ride. He is an awesome guy for all that he does for our family when we go on vacation. I love you honey! This is a picture of Landon and A.J. in the simulator seats for the Hulk. It was an awesome coaster. When you first leave out of the hanger you go really slow and then you get catapulted out like a rocket. I think we all felt a little rough afterwards.
This picture was a little out of order, remember I am still learning how to be a blogger. We are staying in a beautiful condo and this was taken out on the patio right before we left this morning. The weather is absolutely amazing today. Landon and A.J. had just finished breakfast and they were really trying hard to be patient while everyone else was finishing.
We all know who Curious George is...He is one of Landon's favorite childhood characters. Brian and I will never forget when we were headed back from vacation at the beach with my parents, we stopped and my dad bought Landon a Curious George book. Landon had just finished kindergarten and he was able to read the entire book. My mom and dad were amazed that he was only 6 years old and he was reading so well.
Landon had to have his picture made with doc from Back to the Future. This is one of his favorite movies.

We really had a great day. We were all very tired but I think we were able to squeeze everything in that we wanted to do. It was obviously busier today than yesterday. Probably because it was the weekend. I better go and get some rest now...we are headed to the beach tomorrow. I am sure I will have more pics to post later.

Universal Orlando 9-26-08

2008-09-26T19:46:00.001-04:00

Day one and the boys were excited. They were up by 7am and ready to go, even though the park didn't open until 9am. It was a beautiful day and it was very warm. The Florida sunshine this time of year is gorgeous. this is the entrance to an attraction called Posieden's Adventure. Everybody thought it was a water ride but it was more of a museum. I thought the entrance was really neat though.

This is my good friend Lisa, you know the old saying she just isn't right. I love her sense of humor. She is an absolute blast to hang out with. She and I are on the same page about a lot things. Our boys have played soccer a lot together and the last two times we have went on vacation together. We went to Shrek 4-D attraction and as we were coing out the boys had their picture made with Shrek. Donkey asked the boys which one of them "farted" and then he told them to go hang with Shrek if they were going to stink up the place.

Leaving for Orlando

2008-09-25T23:19:00.000-04:00

I decided to try to post a picture just to see if I could do it. Thanks again to my friend Cassie I was able to accomplish what I set out to do. This is a picture of the boys getting ready to get on the plane at Tri-Cities airport. They were very excited to say the least. Landon was glad that his friend A.J. and his older brother Zach were going on the trip with us. Landon and A.J. have been buds for a long time. They have played soccer together since they were 4 years old. I have to stop and go to bed now. We have a long day ahead at Universal. I will try to post more pictures later.

A Really Big Thank You!!

2008-09-25T22:27:00.000-04:00

I would like to start my first day of blogging by sending out a very big thank you to my AWESOME friend Cassie! She rocks!! Thanks to her and her creative designs she got me started and I am so excited about having my own blog site. We arrived in Orlando today with friends of ours and we have a huge week in store. We are starting out tomorrow at Universal and I hope to post some pictures soon. Be patient with me and I will keep you updated on our week of fun in the sun.