Pictures are up!

We finally got our Mexico pictures up. Hope you enjoy!

Our 1st Anniversary!

Today was our 1st anniversary! Seems like just yesterday, but at the same time it feels like we've been together for so long. Can't imagine life any other way! We spend a relaxing day together- it was so nice! We went out to dinner at Bonefish Grill. This was where we met on our 1st date & hadn't been back since, so good! After dinner we enjoyed our anniversary cake with Grandma. It was SO hard to save that cake for a year, but it was worth it! I was worried it wasn't going to taste the same, but it was as good as a fresh Cake Lady cake- that woman has serious talent! She even put a "1" on the cake-too cute! It was chocolate in case you're wondering. Cake Lady chocolate is the all time best, however 1 layer of our wedding cake was strawberry- a VERY close 2nd to her chocolate! Yummy! & a great anniversary! We celebrated in Isla 2 weeks ago & again today! Who says the honeymoon is over?! Just happy to be together & celebrate our 1st year.....any many more to come!

We're camping out with Grandma this week so mom can go back to work. What fun! (camping out w/ Grandma, not mom working!!) When I tucked her in she said she had never had "anniversary cake" before, there is a 1st time for everything! We were excited about sharing our cake with her. You all know I love my Grandma more than just about anyone! We thought sharing it with her was the perfect thing to do- after all she knew all our firsts 1st! I'll explain- it was quite a while before Seth & I kissed when we started dating. Grandma would always ask me if we had yet & I assured her she would be the 1st to know when the time came- she was! After that we made a deal with her- she would be the 1st to know all the news! When we got engaged she was the 1st phone call we made to share the news. She gets all the good news 1st! & tonight she got the 1st anniversary cake!

Get your buckets ready!

It is strawberry time again! We went to Smith's today to pick our 1st strawberries of the season. It took a little more searching to find those perfect ripe berries, but a little patience, several rows, & we had a bucket full! Sarah came over & went with us. We had a good time-picking is fun, but eating them is the best part! Smith's is just across the street from our neighborhood- makes for MANY trips throughout the season!! See, there are some perks to living in "Benson"! Come visit & we'll take you over to pick!

They've Hatched!

A few weeks ago a sweet little bird built a nest on our porch. We had a bird last spring on the far end of the porch, but this one built her nest on the corner right by the front door. We almost moved it, but decided to let her live there! Seth checked it a week or so later & he found 5 eggs! They hatched this week. SO cute! At 1st all you could see was fuzz, but today you can finally see all 5 of them! SO cute! Isn't nature amazing!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom!

We love you & hope you have a wonderful day!

You can open your present now! We tempted her- had to send it over a week ago since we were out of town, but told her she had to wait until today to open it!! She's tough under pressure though so no doubt she waited! Hope you enjoy!

Love & miss you!

Welcome Home!

Seth & I spent last week in Mexico over spring break celebrating our anniversary. We spent a few days in Playa Del Carmen & then headed over to Isla Mujures for the rest of our trip. We had a great time! We'll post our pictures to Picasa soon.

Welcome home Grandma! Grandma is finally home for good! She still needs your prayers, but we are SO thankful to have her home! She loves her new floor & the new paint!

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Happy 3rd Birthday to our niece Ashley!

Hard to believe she is already 3! 4 nephews & 1 sweet little niece- finally someone to buy dresses & baby dolls for!

Uncle Seth & Ashley having fun over Christmas- he was getting her ready for bed- yeah right! Getting her all excited instead is much more fun! Love to hear that giggle!

"Ashley Squared" snuggling up!

Happy Birthday Ashley! We love & miss you!

Happy Bithday Ty!

Happy 13th Birthday to our nephew Ty!

He's a teenager now.....this one will require a little note...
How am I the aunt of a teenager?? Seems like just yesterday he was born. They checked me out of school early & I headed to Rex- SO excited to be an aunt, bet I drove over the speed limit I was so excited- don't tell my mom!

I will never forget Tyler walking down the hall holding him with the nurse. I ran down the hall to them.....for some reason I thought I should see him 1st?? Sorry to the grandparents!....the nurse said, "don't touch him" but do you think I listened? That was my brand new nephew all wrapped up in his daddy's arms & I kissed his slimy little head! At that moment he had my heart & I became an aunt! What a precious little baby he was.
At 9 months old they moved my precious little nephew to Wilmington & that was tough for us all. A few weeks later I went to visit for the weekend & when it was time to get in the car to come home I lost it.....I had to tell my big brother good bye & my sweet baby nephew good bye & I cried & cried....got in the car & cried most of the way home. 13 years later here we are! I can't imagine home being anywhere but Wilmington for them & we've made great memories over the years!

Ty & I have a special relationship. He's the little brother I never had & I am the big sister he's never had. Works out well for us, but it drives his dad crazy! We are like brother & sister- love to tease, pick, argue at times & then love all over each other! We have our own special names for each other, but I won't put those on here! He's a great kid, guess he isn't a kid anymore! I am very proud of him & love him dearly.
Happy birthday Ty!

New Room for Grandma!

Grandma will be coming home on Wednesday 4/15!!!!! Can't wait! We had to do a little work to get ready for her return. Matthew took up the carpet & laid laminate flooring. Looks great! Seth was able to go by after work & lend a hand.

Grandma's room, originally mom's room, has been pink for close to 20 years. It needed a face lift! It is now a cool clean shade of green- water spout to be exact! The painting began early Saturday morning. Toni came by & was a life saver! Mom pretty much banned me from the trim- can't say that I blame her because my old room has been yellow, periwinkle, & now khaki- you can still find spots of all 3 in there where someone made a few mistakes!! Ooops! Toni taped for what seemed to be hours! 1 1/2 rolls of painters tape later we could start working on the trim! In my defense I didn't make any mistakes this time! Too bad mom was out of town & she didn't get to witness! When we were finished we were very proud! Had a great time too!

After the painting we began to put the stuff back in the closets- WOW!!! Toni & I had lots of fun doing that! Some things made their way into the yard sale pile! We found my bridesmaid dress from Toni's wedding- she wouldn't let me keep it! 7 1/2 years later it is still a beautiful dress! We found mom & grandma's dresses from all 3 weddings! Also found these precious little girl dresses! Seth had helped clean out 1 of the closets & came home & said he saw these cute little girl dresses- they were mine! I LOVED my dresses as a little girl, loved playing outside & getting dirty, but when it was time to get dressed up no one messed w/ me & my dresses! I had tons! We kept some of our favorites & there they were! Lots of fun down memory lane!

Can't wait to have her home in her newly renovated room!

Happy Birthday!

Today is a double birthday day!

Happy 7th Birthday to our nephew Cameron! He spent his birthday with Mickey Mouse & celebrated in the Magic Kingdom. Hope you all had lots of fun!

To the moooooooooooooon and back! Love you buddy!



Happy Birthday to Grandma!
She had 2 birthday cakes with her friends at Shell Point- now that is my kind of birthday! We love & miss you Grandma!

2 of our favorite people share the same birthday, hope you had a great one!

New Additions

Introducing Thomas Hayes Catchings- "Tommy"
Proud parents Davey & Emily
He's precious & the new parents are doing well!

Reagan is home! A little over 4 lbs & a little over 3 months old! Big sister Aubrey loves her new baby sisters!
Cameron is still at Duke, but hopes to come home sometime next week. The girls were born in December at 25 weeks. They are 2 tiny miracles!

Check out the den in the picture- does it look familiar? It should! It is Seth's old house!
When we put Seth's house on the market last spring before the wedding we started to pray. We prayed not only that his house would sell, but that the right family would buy his house & enjoy it. Low & behold our friends bought it! Not planned, they looked at it not knowing it was Seth's. Small world huh! Even smaller the Carters are Leslie & Seth- yes, Seth bought Seth's house! The Carters are a great family & the house looks great!