Callaway Gardens!

Two weekends ago we went on a trip to Callaway Gardens. We had a great time. We visited the butterfly exhibit, walked the nature trails, saw the Birds of Prey show, ate yummy food, and enjoyed many fun activities at their Autumnfest. We also spent the night in a fun cabin. What a fun and relaxing time for our family after all that we have been through in the past few weeks. Thank you so much to out friends that sent us on this trip. You mean the world to us and this was so special for our family.

** For some reason the pictures are posting out of the order I put them in! Annoying!

Our cabin

Paige getting excited as we go in to our cabin. She always bring her doggie "Schwartzie" and blanket everywhere we go. She was also really excited to carry her backpack!

Watching a movie on the way there!

Smiling in the pumpkin patch.

Daddy and Paige

Mommy and Paige

So cute!

Paige loves all bounce houses. Here are some shots of her in three different houses.

Love this action shot!

Mommy and Paige on the beach.

Our family on the pumpkin patch with a random friend:)

The butterfly family!

Outside on a walk on day two.

Daddy and Paige

Mommy and Paige reading a story before bed!

A picture of our family in the butterfly house!

I took a bunch of shots of Paige playing in the tall grass.

Paige checking out all the butterflies! Paige showing off her leaf collection!

Last couple of weeks!!

Last week at Paige' s school they had a special day for dads! It was called "Doughnuts with Dad!" Brad came to school with Paige and she got to show off her dad while they ate some yummy goodies! Paige also made a nice poem for daddy and a special picture. Paige was so excited that Daddy was going to her class.

Smiling with daddy as they got ready to go.

Being goofy with daddy as they got ready to go.

They week before that my dad and Cheryl came into town to spend a week with us. We had a lot of fun visiting when they were here and celebrating their anniversary and Cheryl's birthday. I should have taken more pictures but I didn't! Here are Paige and Grandpa making pancakes (or as Paige says mancakes). Thank you so much for all the comments on our last blog post. We appreciate everyone. Thank you also for all the cards and phone calls. We feel very loved and supported by our friends and family. Having so much support is helping us more than you know. I went to the doctor last week and we learned that the miscarriage was not chromosomal so that leaves some more questions to be answered. I had to have some blood work done and they were running some tests on me now. So hopefully we will know more soon. We are healing a little more each day and Paige is a big help in that. She is an amazing blessing and we are so glad that we have her!

Coming soon: Pictures from our weekend away at Callaway Gardens!

Difficult times

In all of our lives we have many difficult trials we have to overcome. Earlier this week our family came face to face with one of those times. As many of you know I was pregnant for the second time and due in March. On Monday I went to the doctor for my 18 week check-up and found out that I had lost the baby. I was also far enough along that I would have to deliver the baby. Our family was beyond devastated and we still are this many days later. I delivered Gabe Rice at 9:35 pm on Monday night. It was the only chance that Brad and I had to say hello and goodbye to him at the same time. It was the hardest day of my life and I pray that know one I know will ever have to experience that pain. My doctors can't give me a reason as to why this has happened and that may be one of the hardest parts. We have so many feelings going on inside; anger, sadness, grief and so many more. I know some people are probably thinking why write all this on a blog. A blog is a place for happy memories and why share this with all. I disagree with that. This is forever a part of our family now and always will be. In order to heal and grieve we need to talk about it and remember Gabe. Thank you so much for all of the prayers, calls, e-mails, food, flowers, and support. Thank you for grieving with us over the loss of Gabe and the future that we will never have with him. Your support is needed more than you realize. Please continue to pray for our healing at this time. We love you!
Here are pictures of two beautiful bouquets we have received.

Saturday Fun!

This past Saturday was a busy day. Our church had a program where you could come in a decorate pumpkins with paint or stickers. We choose stickers! Less clean up!They were talking the pumpkins to a local nursing home for all to enjoy. We were so glad to help out.
Paige getting her stickers ready.

Daddy helping Paige.
Paige's finished products. Pretty good for a 2 1/2 year old!!
After that was over we had a birthday party to attend for a little girl from Paige's class. They had a petting zoo for the kids. Paige had a blast. Here she is with the rabbit.
Hey, ducks!
Guinea Pigs

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

Braves Game!

We took Paige to her first Atlanta Braves baseball game last Thursday night. She had a blast. The Braves are Brad's favorite team in any sport. They aren't having the greatest season this year but we still decided to go and support them. We figured we should go while Paige can still get in for free. She thought it was so neat to be there and she was cheering along with everyone. She kept saying "Go Braves".
Dancing to the music.
Getting a drink. Paige also ate a whole hot dog! It was one dollar hot dog night. (Which is a deal for sure. I know at most major league ball parks they cost a fortune.)
The field and the view from our seats.

Here is Chipper Jones on the big screen. He was getting ready to bat. He has the best batting average in baseball right now.
Mommy and Paige
Daddy and Paige singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". Paige knows all the words since Daddy is such a big baseball fan. She also has that song on a kids CD that we listen to in the car all the time!
Doing the Braves, "Tomahawk Chop". We all had a great time. Mommy and Paige both fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Gymnastics is fun!!

We signed Paige up for a gymnastics class at a local gym for once a week! Her class is about 40 minutes long and she gets to learn some basic gymnastics. They walk on a little balance beam, tumble on the floor, use the bars and the rings. She can move up into a higher class when she turns three. She loves it so far!!
On our way to class with her new leotard!
Standing in front of the vault.

Build-A Bear Birthday Party Fun!

Last week Laura's middle daughter Kate turned six. She invited us to her Build-a Bear party. Paige picked out a bear and had a great time building her bear. It was a fun party and I am so glad that Paige had a good time! She loves her bear and she has to sleep with it in her bed now!We are so glad that Kate invited us!

Waiting in line to stuff her bear.
Paige was the youngest child there! She still had fun with all the older kids.
Picking out a heart for her bear. Paige named her bear "Cinderellie" She loves Cinderella right now and wants to watch the movie everyday. She doesn't call her Cinderella, she always says Cinderellie.

Hugging her bear when it was all finished.
Washing Cinderellie.
They each got to pick out an outfit and Paige wanted her bear to be a ballerina. I think this picture is so cute. Our daughter is all girl:)
Kate and Paige smiling after a great party!

Paige's First Day of Preschool!

Here is a picture from this weekend of Paige showing her new school bag, lunchbox, and new sneakers! She was so excited for school to start this week. Paige will be going to preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-1. She will go on the days that I am at work. She will still go to Ms. Laura's in the morning and she will take Paige and her son Will to school! Laura and her family are wonderful friends of ours from church and they are also in our bible study! We are excited to have a similar routine to last year. Paige loves Ms. Laura and her buddy Will! I can't believe she is ready for school!
Showing off her lunch box!
Here is a picture of Paige and Will on the first day of two year old preschool! Will is actually younger than Paige by 3 months but is very tall for his age! Will and Paige are great buddies!
Ready for school! Paige loved her first day and said she had a lot of fun!

Paige's BIG News!

Yes, it's true!! We are expecting our second baby. We are very excited and Paige is ready to be a big sister! I am about 10 weeks along now. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat at the doctor's today and it was so amazing to hear that little sound again. I am due on March 9th so Paige will be three when the baby is born. So, now you know the reason why I haven't been updating the blog lately. I am so EXHAUSTED! I would rather sleep than do anything else. Hopefully when we hit the second trimester in a few weeks I will be feeling much better. I also started back to work last week so I have been even more tired. Many of you know that I teach first grade in a jobshare classroom. We share the classroom and we each work 2 1/2 days a week. I love it! We start that schedule next week. The first two weeks we work more of a full time schedule. The first week is getting our classroom ready and this week the kids started back on Monday. My partner and I each worked the first two days so they kids could get to know us both and we could learn about them as well. So today is my only day of this week. Next week I start my normal schedule I work Tuesday, Thursday, and and 1/2 day on Fridays. Enjoy the cute video!