we've got a 'workin girl...

because of technical issues i was having at work i purchased a new phone a couple of weeks ago.

kate and i were out running errands when she overhead a conversation pete and i had pertaining to how my new phone would also serve as my music source. she's a sharp girl this one... and she quickly said well if you don't need your ipod anymore i'll take it.

instinctually the word "sure" almost slipped right out of my mouth but fortunately i caught myself. i replied instead with a "let's talk about this"...

we talked about the value of the ipod and the value of many other things. we talked about earning money. having opportunities to earn money. creating those opportunities. making choices and choosing to work to earn money...

there were lots of questions and lots of answers. it really was one of those quintessential parenting moments where i felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. wanting kate to understand the importance of work ethic and responsibility.

at this time two things were made known by kate.

she wanted the ipod and she was willing to work for it so she could pay for it.

i told her i supported that completely but I didn't want her to take any money out of her piggy bank. the money had to be earned!

EARNED??

yes earned.

this lead to more questions.

what if i feed the dogs?

for week?

is that worth $60?

it's a great idea and i like it but i'll pay you 50 cents.

quickly she came back with 50 cents... this going to take forever she sounded a bit deflated.

i threw the mommy cap back on and came back with but it's easy and you can easily do multiple jobs every day and you'll have lots of opportunities to earn money.

for the remainder of the ride home i could tell she was in heavy thought. i told her when we got home we'd work together and put together a proposal, which of course lead to more questions.

above is what she came up with and i signed off on. it took her just under two weeks to earn the money and now she is the VERY PROUD new owner of an ipod.

pete and i were very impressed with her ambition and her every growing capabilities. it's nice know that our 7 year old is now fully capable of doing a load of laundry which at our house means collecting, sorting, starting, switching and folding!

A+ kater pie. Job well done!

mom and dad are very proud of you~

I think she’s growing up…

She received a gift card for Christmas. Two months after receiving the gift card I finally make time to take her to the store so she can redeem it.
We enter.
25 minutes later after having carefully examined all of the merchandise she quickly darts to the back corner of the store, looks up above her head and asks me to grab a small gray and white stuffed schnauzer.
"This" I ask?
Yes!!!
She is beaming.
Bright eyes!
Huge smile!
I hand it to her.
She immediately looks at the price tag... "OK" she says.
"I think Trey is going to love this."
My heart melts.
In a store full of all sorts of heavenly temptations for young girls...
she thinks of her little brother first.

I think she’s growing up…

This evening she and her brother spend 30 solid minutes solving problems in a “workbook” that she created at school during some free time she had. Before dinner she brings the completed workbook into the kitchen with little brother following close behind to show us their work.
Proud poppa says “great work you two.”
Little brother grins and shakes his head in agreement while sister quickly replies –
"oh no Dad this was all trey!"

That girl of ours – I think she is growing up…

asheville hosts another hit!

wickedly awesome!!! (trying out a little allyson roe lingo on you.) apparently this place had it's soft opening October 30th but we just stumbled upon it this past weekend while we were out celebrating a birthday with friends. the ambiance is totally hip - yet warm. it has an amazing rooftop seating area and very friendly staffers. can't wait for it to warm up a bit so we can really enjoy it. if you haven't been yet we totally recommend you check it out.

ORDERED!

3 pounds of packaged bees! our package is to be picked up the last week in March from Dixie Bee Supply. Dixie is out of Lula, GA and raises and sells small cell bees and queens. They have been pesticide free since 1993. They breed Russian crosses. The dude that operates the show has 50+ years of experience and 30 years experience as a commercial beekeeper. He offers several weekend courses that I am considering. Let's just hope the package doesn't spring a leak in transit!

our valentine's day~

here comes kate

back up!

it's been a perfectly lovely day chillin back at home with the fam.

life is good - OH so good!

our valentine's staYcation...

Because there has been so much of this...

notice pete shoveling down there

we decided to throw a couple of things in a bag and get out of the house for a bit! we didn't go far - we just went downtown and enjoyed asheville.

the kids jumped on the beds, swam, jumped on the beds some more and took turns filling up the ice bucket merely for the fun of it. pete was out of the house therefore there was no snow to be shoveled, no wood to be brought up, no meals to be prepared, no groceries to be bought and NO work luring him into the office. i was out of the house and didn't think for a second about the piles of laundry we left behind, nor the destroyed house from the kids sleepover the night before, nor was i bothered by the sight of all of the dead poinsettias and miscellaneous other Christmas garb that is STILL sitting on the back decking waiting patiently to be disposed of properly. our little staYcation was just what the doctor ordered. this morning we packed back up, hopped in the car and enjoyed a six MINUTE drive home.

the ultimate gift...

while i suppose not everyone feels the way we do, without question we believe family to be one of life's ultimate gifts. earlier this week a very unexpected letter arrived in our mailbox that literally brought me to my knees. with 2 wide-eyed onlookers tears rolls down my cheeks as i read the letter. i proceeded to explain to kate and trey that an amazing gift had just arrived and that they were actually tears of joy. the gift was simply the letter - the kind deed that someone had passed on. another reminder of what an incredible family we have!

before you read the following you should know that my grandfather passed on last november and being Croatian our family affectionately referred to our grandparents as Mika and Cha.

Hey Kids,

Your mother and I are having a grand time up here in heaven. She was waiting for me as I hoped she would be, after I passed St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. She apologized for leaving so abruptly that day she laid down and took her final nap. She assured me that is was nothing personal. God gave her a choice of quick and quiet peace or fighting with the weak heart she had been given. You know mother – she chose the peace.

I’m glad I can finally express some of the things I was thinking those last 10 years after the stroke. First of all, thank you for all the love and attention you showered on me when I was feeling pretty worthless. I saw that you loved me just for being “Paul”, not because I was strong, or smart, or I could do things for you. Thanks, too, for loving me through my cranky moods. There were times that the medicine tossed my emotions around like salad in a blender-I know it wasn’t pretty. Thanks for the may miles you put on your cars and the stress you put on yourselves just to sit and visit for 30 minutes. Mother tells me that those were indeed her proudest moments.

It’s really nice to be on this side of life and enjoy all of your events from afar. Jessie’s wedding was a big day for mother and me. You know how mother felt about Jessie, and she was in all her glory when she saw how simply and honestly and personally Jessie and TJ celebrated their big day. Seeing the love as you all came together with your kids and grandkids was the greatest gift we have ever received. Mother commented that her greatest wish was granted – a loving family.

I thank you all for the wonderful send-off you gave me-both in Centerville (the 21 gun salute knocked my crocs off), the procession back home, and the final mass at St. Mary’s. When they tucked me in next to your Mother, your Mika, I knew I was home. She thanks Nancy for correcting the birthdates at St. Mary’s. I’m sending along a little cash that I don’t need any longer. I hope you use it for something you’ve been putting off. Your mother/Mika wants you to know that she hears all your prayers and worries. She hopes you’re listening when she answers.

See’ya mein stade,
Cha

As soon as Kate eye caught sight of the enclosed check she insisted we send it to Haiti - and that is just what we did.

Thank you Cha for all of the life lessons you so graciously bestowed upon us.

Thank you for loving us all as individuals.

Thank you for accepting our differences and embracing them.

Forever yours,

Sarah

welcome to the world baby sawyer~

Sawyer Erik Sundberg1/27/10 5:49 p.m.

7# 1/2 oz, 19

our dear friends the sundbergs welcomed their 4th child this past week. i was going to bed when i received the text. a huge wave of emotions swept over me as i remember getting the call when their third, baby sarah arrived and running to the hospital to meet her. the sundbergs moved to Tennessee shortly after we moved here to asheville. while distance separates us fond memories keep them close in our hearts.

on the top of my winter reading list is...

while the days are currently short, cold and wet i find myself dreaming of spring and all that awaits us in the yard. new this year will be the addition of our first hive. (an example shown below). now to place an order for some local bees.

mark your calendar!

it is official - pete is registered!!!

we'll be there and we would love for you join us.

found my next project...

i am certainly not a florist but i am going to give this a try. i gasped when i stumbled upon these images. i love the simplicity of them. i've always been a sucker for flowers but never roses. these however definitely do something for me!