NC State Fair

Yes, off to the 2008 North Carolina State Fair, and of course our 1st and most important stop is to the Mini-Doughnut lady! There is nothing like starting off with a bag of HOT, FRESH mini-doughnuts ! I even texted Pam a picture of what she was missing! Needless to say, she didn't appreciate the picture, but Im sure her mouth was watering. Another reason as to WHY SHE SHOULD MOVE TO NORTH CAROLINA~

This was the 1st year that I can remember that it was actually COLD during our visit to the Fair. I wore a sweatshirt and only took it off once and that only lasted about 30 minutes. The girls rode rides, played some games, got a Henna tattoo (that was the worst one ever). It was supposed to last more than 30 days and didn't last even one. Good thing we didn't pay for it! All in all we had a great time. It was a Saturday and I usually don't go on Saturdays but we had anticipated Pam and the kids being here and Chris doesn't work weekends, so it just worked out that was the best time for everyone despite Pam and the kids not being here. It was rather crowded by the time we left and I was tired. All that walking and eating can really make a person tired!

These were pictures from the ride that all of us rode. Of course, they were action shots and Lauren was absolutely hilarious. Allison and I could hear her laughing and yelling the whole ride.

This was also the 1st year that Allison and Lauren were into the 'freak shows'. I think between the both of them, they saw every 6 legged cow, 5 legged sheep, the largest horse and the smallest IN THE WORLD! I think they had more fun seeing those than anything else.

More pics of the girls eating. We did venture through the education building where there were numerous craft things for sale and we ran into Kay Hagan,who happens to be a little taller than Allison!

Enjoy! I will miss the Mini-Doughnut Lady for another 365 days!

Look who's 40 today!

So yes, I was born 40 years ago today! Under 7 pounds...imagine that. I took today off, not really sure why.. guess I didn't want to be reminded multiple times today how old I am. Wishing things in my life were so different. How many roads do you have to take to find the right one? Guess I've been down too many to think there is one that I am supp to go down that would be the right one. I think alot of times, that if I would just accept that a 'normal' path for me just isn't in my cards. I guess I hate defeat thats why I don't just give in.


I really am happy about being a mom and the fact that I have two wonderful girls (if they could just keep their rooms clean), and the fact that its the ONLY thing that came out of a 20 year marriage to the biggest rectal abcess in the world! I definately learned what a relationship ISNT supposed to be. I never thought that I would actually want to be with someone again because its hard to believe after you have been told for a 20 year marriage that it was all your fault. Not

much faith left in me.

.
I look back on these pictures and realized how innocent life was. And realize this is probably what my kids think also. How the daily stressors on the road of life are no fun, not that they are supposed to be, but sometimes the paths turn out differently for different people. I don't think Im one of those that its supposed to ever be 'ok'.

I



Enjoy the pics!

Where were you 10 years ago today?

This is where I was. At work at American Express in RTP, having contractions. I drove to work having contractions but went to work anyway. As I was counting contractions, Valarie walked by my office and saw me holding my stomach and writing on a tablet. Val asked me 'what are you doing?'... for which I replied 'counting contractions.' Well that started a panic! The next thing I knew I had multiple people afraid I was going to deliver a baby in the middle of the floor! I left shortly after that, drove myself home and waited. The contractions continued as I waited and continued to count how far the contractions were apart.

Around 3p I finally lost the rest of my mucous plug and then the contractions were coming quicker, like in less than 5 minutes and definately more intense. I called the XY donor to advise him that now would be an appropriate time to come and get me from home. I called Dr. Zilavy's office and advised them what was going on and they wanted to 'check me out' before heading to the hospital. When I got to the OBGYN office, I was already dilated to 4.5cm and was advised to get my butt to the hospital. They had us wait in Labor & Delivery triage until finding us a bed. I found out that Dr. Zilavy was working, which was AWESOME because he delivered Allison. I later found out that he had only delivered one other woman twice. Yeah, I was setting a record. We were only there for a few minutes before they called us back. I did have time to make a call to work and spoke to Val, right in the middle of a sentence I told her to hold on.... when I got back on the phone with her she thought she was going to hear a baby crying..but instead I told her I was having a contraction! ha ha.

I chose not to have any medication for this delivery either. And at 1630 my 2nd child was born. Lauren went 2 whole days without a name. Everytime the RN's came to ask, 'do you have a name yet?' My response would be no. I hesitated, because I wanted a boy to be named Cameron, but then the delay came in wondering if I would ever experience having another child and what if that one was a boy? Then my boy name would be taken. Cameron is a great girl name too, so I didn't know what to do. So....going on the 2nd day, I decided..... Lauren Nicole. Isn't that such a beautiful name? I have always loved the name Lauren and Nicole came from a classmate of Matt Turner's.

I had an easier and less stressful time post-delivery with Lauren. Lauren had 10 fingers and 10 toes, and had a good Agpar score and wasn't headed to NICU like Allison. She was perfect. And about an hour from arriving at Rex until delivery. Dr. Zilavy told me if I ever have another child, that I shouldn't wait if I start having contractions, because I may not make it to the hospital.

Allison was so impressed by her new little sister. They are so innocent at this age and there is no feeling in the world that compares to being a new mom. Something that is 100% dependant on you and they ask for nothing in return. I think its the greatest gift of all.

Dont we look like such a cute bunch?

OK fast forward 10 years to TODAY October 10th, 2008. I took Laurens 5th grade Track 1 class in pizza, juice and cupcakes. Lauren had a blast and of course, I got to see what the famous Trevor looks like. He is actually cute!
Heres Lauren, Leah, Alli and Teeghan! I had told Lauren she could invite a friend out to dinner and putt-putt with us that night. She picked Bri. We headed to Logans and then to Adventure Landing for a round of putt-putt. It was great because there was hardly anyone there.

We headed back to the house for cake, ice cream and PRESENTS!!!!!

Lauren didn't get the Spring Hill Bakery cake, but this isn't her 'official' birthday party either. I got a cake from Sam's. It was good though. Lauren got $$$ from Grumpa and Mimi, a yoga mat and DVD, nailpolish and candy from Allison and hot curlers and pixi sticks from me. Chris is taking her somewhere to get something, but I can't say what yet, because it is based on another present she hasn't received yet. She had fun and then of course had to go to bed for lovely school tomorrow.

Thought I would add a picture of me when I was 10 years old. The same age as Lauren, only 30 years ago!

Once upon a time...in 1995 actually....

Once upon a time... about 13 years ago, I met Chris through the ex. Everyone raced so we seemed to hang out alot and actually then it was a pretty good size group of guys that raced so there were lots of great times. Chris' girlfriend at the time was a hairdresser so the many perms or cuts I went through, she did. Chris and another friend, MG actually lived in a duplex beside us when Lauren was born in 1998. But anyways..... in 1995 Chris had a minor mis-hap at Road Atlanta and he had to drive back to Atlanta to drop his bike off in order for it to be repaired and then drive back and go back later to pick it up. No one else could get off work so I volunteered to ride with him. We got down there too late to drop the bike off so Chris was going to get up early to take it the next morning. We stayed in a hotel and after he dropped the bike off the next morning, we slept for awhile before heading back to Raleigh. I think that was around August-September.

So low and behold October roles around and we all headed to Daytona International Speedway for the final races of the year. I remember being soooo tired all the time and wanting to sleep. Little did I know until after we returned that I was pregnant with Allison.

So the running joke for years was 'Uncle Rod' because the timing was around the trip to Atlanta, even though we all know the truth. It sure is funny now that 13 years later Chris and I are together.

I had asked Rod to help me put the FZR 400 for months if not years. Actually the more I think about it, it probably was years. The last thing I heard from Rod was that after his race at VIR in June 2007, he would put it back together. Now remember, all you people reading this, this was at the time that he was with Christine and I got told I couldn't go to VIR after he had told me the month before that I could go, because Christine said she could go if I couldn't. Anyway, needless to say that after he got back, again the 400 sat and a few weeks later he moved out. He had actually, at one point, years ago when he lived in Clayton said he would put it back together if I would let him ride it. My response was 'no' because I didn't trust him. I told him that. I didn't trust him not to do something to the bike so that I wouldn't be able to ride it. Can we say...WHATEVER!

So I guess I came to the realization that I had had all along.... do it myself. So I did. I put the bike back together, replacing fuses, getting on online forums and printing out the ENTIRE service manual. So I came to a standstill in July/August 2007, I think. So I thought about calling Chris to ask his opinion on what else could be wrong. I had already ordered a new battery and replaced fuses....Chris came over and put the little fine tuning that I couldn't and what do you know....the bike actually turned over. WOW! I actually did that myself. Well, for the most part.

Chris and I ended up catching up about what we had been doing and he didn't even know Rod had left again, so of course I updated him as to the current situation. I called him, again, to ask a question and forgot he was going on vacation with the family and he was in Key West. I really did hate him at that moment. Anyways, no big deal.

Chris called me after he had returned to see how the bike was doing. I kept hounding him about taking me for a ride. On September 28th, I headed to a co-workers baby shower off of 10-10 in Garner and had texted him throughout the night. Chris went to a bar to watch a friend play in a band and he ended up picking me up and we went to Char-grill and caught up, we came back to the house and talked for hours, it ended up being about 230am. Either the night before or the next night we headed to Raleigh Bike Fest. We laughed about how long it was going to take before someone saw us that was a 'mutual' friend. It took less than 1 block. Patrick Burman, Brock's dad saw us. He kind of glanced at Chris, then at me, made a gesture with his finger, pointing to both of us while knodding his head. We both just laughed.

Later that night, we ended up again talking until late and then he had to go. We headed outside and even with me standing on the porch, he was even eye-level. He is much taller than I am, if you haven't noticed. But I did notice that sometimes there are 2 rings around the moon if you look hard enough. That is pretty much where this relationship started a year ago.

I don't think anyone has made me happier than Chris makes me. I think alot about my friends telling me to look at internet dating and how much I was against it d/t not really knowing that person. And what if you got into a relationship and spent a year or 6 mos or any length of time, only to figure out it wasn't going to work. I didn't want to waste my time. I guess I never looked at finding someone I already knew. But, what a difference it makes.

Supermodels and the batting cages!

Allison had wanted to do ANYTHING for weeks with Taylor and Lauren. The 3 of them, together, define the 3 Musketeers! Out of the 1376 text messages last month, Im sure 1300 of them were to Taylor and Lauren! Since all of them are playing on the same team, I thought taking them to Grand Slam USA for batting practice would be great! I didn't actually get up with either parents until Friday morning, after Allison had left for school. But it was a go, both mom's said it was ok and I would drop them off at their homes after practice! Yeah!



Allison got home around 2:30 and I told her that both of them could come, however, she already knew it. How? I found out later from Lauren's mom that she had received a text from Lauren during school asking if she had talked to 'Allisons mom', as funny as that was, I later found out that Taylor had texted her mom the same thing. I love these girls!
They are so funny! Heres a pic of Taylor, Lauren (aka Giselle) and Allison on the way in to Grand Slam USA off of Western Blvd. On the way over we had the windows down and Lauren was sitting in the middle and I heard her say "I look like America's Next Top Model" so born the Lauren is now Giselle. I haven't quite come up with names for Taylor or Allison, but Im still working on it! They are all so beautiful that they could be America's Next Top 3 Musketeers, because they can't function without each other.

We bought 4 rounds a piece, which was 16 pitches per round. They each took turns and we stayed in the cage with 35 m.p.h. pitches. I tried to get them to head to the faster one at 55 m.p.h. but all of them refused. ha ha.

We headed from Grand Slam USA to take everyone home, but then the girls wanted to eat. I had both Lauren and Taylor call their mom's to see if stopping by Logan's was ok. It was ! Again, another YEAH! They had a blast, it was so funny to watch them. They were laughing so much at each other with cell phones in hand.


I have never seen girls so giddy with cell phones. Now I definately know that I am not the only parent that hears the 'beep' when a text comes through.

Taylor seemed to be able to color and text at the same time, however, I could not say the same about Lauren and Allison. Do you not talk anymore? Where was the texting when I was that age? Definately not. Back in the day......they didn't have cell phones.. as stated by Allison!

We did get everyone home before Taylors mom headed to work. I hope that we can do this every week and that one day, they can spend the night, and I hope their friendship grows. They have so much fun together!

Chilis with the Rivers Family!

Wednesday we headed out with the Rivers clan to Chilis for dinner. We were celebrating Chris' grandmothers birthday along with Laurens. Lauren got to pick the restaurant and she picked Chilis. Kim, Chase and Jordan were already there when we got there and then Patsy and Granny showed up. Drew and Kennedy were the last to come. Wow, how big she is getting. Hard to believe she is around 7 mos old. It wasnt terribly busy and we ate tons of chips and salsa with their awesome queso.



Patsy wanted everyone to have desert, which totally agreed with Allison and Lauren. Allison of course ordered CHEESECAKE and Lauren ordered the Chocolate Moulten Cake. Neither one of them finished their deserts, I think I should write that down. Im not sure if it would ever happen again.



The kids played throughout dinner and the typical Allison shot of her showing me her food along with trying to get Chase to do the same. It took many tries, but I finally got it.

Chase has grown so much. Look how BIG his hands are!
Allison took this great pic of us after leaving Chili's at White Oak. Even though Chase decided to hide. I love getting together with his family.