Why

not sure why blogspot will not let me download pics anymore....hmmmm I better put in a call to Leslie and see if she has any theories... anyhow

I was thinking today...with my illness and all that: I have been getting sicker more and more and having things go wrong...and now I have a theory as to why. I'm not good at asking for help and I like to put my kids-my family first, and when you put your family first and never yourself first....things can start to fade or get sick, get old, get ugly and get down- maybe that's what is happening to me...so it's time that I try to find time for me--I am making a promise to myself to find sleep when I need it, to find time to start scrapbooking again, find time for me to do yoga and get back in shape and find a little time for just me without little-ones attached.

yay for potty training

well today I have had a small victory. Evan went into the bathroom, pulled down his pants and bigboy underwear, climbed up on the big potty and went potty. This is a big deal because I was on the phone with my dad and thought he was watching tv and usually when I don't hear his quiet announcement of "I gotta go" it usually ends up being a pretty big mess for me to clean up but NOT today. I just hear him a few seconds after I hang up with dad yelling,"I made poopie" and expecting the worse I walked in to find him on the potty with everything the way is should be....yay for me and yay for Evan.

My kids

Evan Christopher Link: his job right now in life is to have fun, ingest as much of the world as possible and.....to play drums-last week or so he was introduced to the wave drum: a very cool piece of electronics that plays alot of cool sounds when you bang on it--it's perfect for Evan

Twyla Noel Link: her job right now is to eat, sleep and be as cute as possible. And she's really good at being pretty and very cute. This is Twyla doing her first tap step: heel-touch--not that I am pushing or anything but I prefer ballet and jazz first, then tap and some hiphop and lyrical maybe...we'll see .....

where we re-charge our batteries....

There is nothing better then being on a beach. It's relaxing and rejuvenating. John and I are so happy when we're there and there's no other place we'd rather be (being on the farm is a close second). When we were in Europe we drove from pretty crazy distances just to sit on a windy cold beach for half a day but it was worth it--everytime. So glad that these beaches are only 3 and half hours away- And now that Evan is old enough to really enjoy beaches we hope he feels the same--and eventually we can't wait to see Twyla and Evan building a sand castle while we watch and listen to the waves crash--there's nothing better then that...

The Link Family

Here is Karleigh--not hiding from the camera for once, along with John's grandparents and John's dad. We were so glad we got a chance to visit in Aug. Karleigh is also doing great and we are so proud of her. She is starting to get John's humor--She's quick and funny-a great combo. She is still passionate about sharks and really smart. It really is amazing to watch Jess and Kar grow, mature and become educated--we really can't wait to see what they are going to do, whatever it is-we know it's going to be great-we just know it.

so a little about Jess: we are so proud of her in so many ways-she is now playing guitar (video to come-I just can't get it to download correctly yet) and she is amazing with her younger siblings. I have never seen such a patient big sister. Jessica is constantly amazing John and I, she's college bound and is smart, sweet and talented on top of that....

just one super cute kid

First glimpse of DriftWood Beach on Jekyll

Griffin and Erika the seaturtles

Here's Griffin: got an update on his recovery which is happening at a slow rate. The black patches are a type of velcro where they attach divers weights to him to retrain him to sink him to the bottom-since one of his problems is floating.

This is Erika she weighs 207 lbs-she's bigger then Griffin and has the same problem: floating but for different reasons, here she gets her block of ice with fish in it and video of it to come!

Jekyll Island

This weekend

So we are headed to Jekyll Island for the weekend: Dogs are in the kennel, we are packed and when John gets home from work; we start the 3 hr journey south: We spent a day here a couple of sundays ago and spent another sunday checking out another beach close by so we feel like we've got the lay of the land and know exactly what we are gonna do. It's still high 70's to low 80's during the day so we should be fine for playing on the beach and my personal highlight going to see the seaturtles.

www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org

www.jekyllisland.com

Can't wait to see the babies actually the babies are diamondback terps rescued...there are alot hit on the roads and when females are hit and die they take out the babies and save them-it's such a great story....

Above pics: Griffin and baby diamondback terrapins

It's been a while since I've gotten a chance to blog. I feel like my life is topsy turvy right now and I'm learning that just because it gets crazy it doesn't mean life can be put on hold: so Twyla is now 11 pounds and 3 oz (a big deal because 40 days ago she stopped gaining weight) and Evan is as much of a terrible two as possible but learning so much and making us be the best set of parents we can be. The dogs are actually doing really well. We get a chain link fence in on thursday which will help me alot when I can't walk them. Georgia is more of a challenge then we anticipated but we are making the most of the things that we can and went to the beach on sunday (only 2 and a half hour drive) and we loved it and loved the drive --to Savannah it's just such a neat area. The people here are really nice--I mean really nice-everyone will stop to talk to you and I really like that, everybody is just genuine and warm. We miss Europe more then I thought we would but I AM LOVING SONIC yay for there drinks! Rasberry sweet ice tea has been yelled into the sonic drivethru more then I will admit

Evan gets a Bobby Car

the start to the Diddlina room for Twyla

Well I hope I've got a great start to a girlie Diddlina Room--I can't wait to start decorating when we get to Georgia. I was thinking today that this is the perfect theme....it unique since it's German, it's got a lot of pink and purple, girlie, a ballet theme, a cute animal, and a story line with friends--I never thought I'd have something like Winnie the Pooh was for Evan--LOVE IT

Our drummer today....

Sometimes, bedtime can wait

Tonight, Evan went to bed pretty late, I wanted to show him one of my favorite movies of all time: Disney's Lion King--and he loved it- since we have a book with the characters in it, he named alot of them and it was so cute to watch him completely engrossed into this movie-I don't think his eyes even blinked But the best part came at bedtime after "twinkle twinkle little star" I started to back out of the room and said good night big boy-I love you and he replied, "I wub you too mommy" and that's why it was worth the late bed time. I just melted.

"not tired,no nap"

yea right, does this look like a two year old who isn't tired--mommy says it's naptime

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by Evan

My mom and dad tell me the story: that when I was little-all I did was sing and sing in the bathtub so I guess like mother like son.......

Bedtime routine

Well, I thought I was lost with out John, especially at bedtime. Evan's bedtime routine starts Twyla's witching hour, she's high maintenance and wants her mommy's undivided attention until she goes to sleep so this got really hairy when John left, I tried to divide myself as much as I could but I'm only one person, and then for a couple of nights I just had to let her cry while I took care of Evan and got him to bed But then I thought of a way to take care of both--just include Twyla in on our routine (except she didn't have to brush her teeth) :) So I quickly found out that she loved sitting in her bouncer in Evan's room next to Evan in his soccer ball bean bag listening to Jamie's animated story time--and it has turned out to be enjoyable for all three of us, now I do have to be slick because if I leave her for one second the crying begins but we are learning how to do it and it's working. I just have to learn when to stop with a little boy's voice begging-"one more, one more" there are always way too many one mores. But I don't care.

I hate the letters...TDY

Really- truely- hate the letters TDY--any other spouses with me on this--this is where I would vent...but I'm not gonna cuz I'll regret it later and I don't want John to feel too guilty about his job so I won't and I won't compare....I won't be negative....I won't feel sorry for myself....I won't. Okay I feel better.

Internet back up and running...Yay

So this isn't the best image of her but this is Diddlina or Diddl the mouse. She is a new favorite character of mine since moving to Germany--she's german....anyway I have decided to do Twyla's first room in the states in Diddl (since she sleeps in our room--Georgia will be the first place she gets a room and I am very excited about painting pink walls and decorating in Diddl. I am still learning about her and all her friends. She is a mouse with big feet-cuz she's a good jumper-she has a boyfriend and many friends to include a horse, turtle and more

Saturday trip to Rothenburg Germany

John gets credit for the pic below--good eye.

This was a great town behind city walls--it screamed germany as it technically is part of Bavaria-Germany. The town was beautiful. Now we know why Sam K. said this was a "must see" if you live in Germany.

"PopPop drive tractor"

Well today is June 1st and Evan said his first three-word sentence. He has been putting two words together, working on his number and letter recognition and copying what he hears but today he put his first sentence together. I have been working with him on who drives what....Who drives the fire truck? "Uncle Clyde" Who drives the tractor? "Pop pop" but he's never told me in sentence form so while changing his diaper today after I had asked him who drives the fire truck and he said uncle clyde==he then tells me: "PopPop drive tractor" I love seeing/hearing him develop--there proud mama moments even though they might be silly and small to others, they are not silly or small to me-they are quite significant.

Strasbourg France DayTrip

Stopped to eat a lil Turkish food yum--I was craving a Pide, and it was best one I've ever had!

Dance Recital, as an audience member:

It was so good to see my students again, so many of the girls have grown and improved. I so miss them and wish I could have taught them this year--they're great girls!

Castle trip

Last Saturday we drove to Vianden, Luxembourg. "It's this whole nuther cuhntry" hehe. We just had to walk up to the castle...and yes John pushed a doublestroller up hill the whole way. It was beautiful....so Leslie--if you guys haven't been-here's your next trip to plan. It is about an hour and half away-not too bad. Evan was a very good boy and Twyla went with the flow-it was actually pretty relaxing for having two little ones. I finished the afternoon off with a Nutella Crepe for the way home and it was exceptionally awesome.

Rapseed fields in full bloom

Just another thing I will miss about Germany...the beautiful cover crop that blooms this time of year-all over the place.

Evan's bike

Thank goodness for technology

EVAN IN TV LAND--"GO DIEGO GO"--gave me a few min to eat

TWYLA IN HER BOUNCIE SEAT-It vibrates a plays music-so I'm not tempted to rock and hold her 24-7

I'm so glad to have all these things and more to help me get some time to do things--What did my mom and grandmother ever do with out all of this technology??????

TnG Band-Mark Featured on AFN

So it's 10:30 at night and John and I decide to watch a few min of tv before going to bed, and who pops up on an afn commercial/afn news update: Mark Frandsen's face with "Band Doctor"....with TouchNGo Band-Feature: Very cool, Again Mark we're so proud of you-congrats

Twyla today-April 23-almost one month

Evan gets a Johndeere Tractor

Evan gets a Tractor!!!!!! (gently used but a great surprise from Jonathan and Luca that live down the street from us) Thanks guys what a wonderful gift

Easter 2010

Evan loved the Easter Bunny--we had to trick him to look at the camera because he was kissing, hugging and touching the bunny-he thought that rabbit was pretty cool and then gave him a fist bump before leaving--it was cute.
Here's the Easter Fire for Gonbach--we didn't stay long--it started to pour down raining and the smoke was pretty thick but still got a chance for everyone to see Twyla

Running around and playing games at the Easterfire--Evan had a ball and was muddy head to toe when we left

Brother and sister--hanging out at the end of the day