Skylar and Carter

Peachtree Jr. / Lil' Peach Dash 2010

2010-05-22T23:11:00.007-04:00

A family favorite for more than 20 years, the AJC Peachtree Junior allows children age 7-12 the experience, excitement and prestige of the “big” Peachtree under safe, supervised conditions without pressures of competition. The course is completely inside the boundaries of Piedmont Park, and friendly course monitors are stationed all around the course to offer guidance and encouragement.

AJC Peachtree Junior is strictly for fun: there are no time limits, results, or awards, and children are grouped by age. By limiting the field to 2,500 entrants, they hope to increase the enjoyment for kids and their parents. Skylar's first year of eligibility was also her first year of participating! Here's to 5 more years of the Peachtree Junior!

Starting this year, the Atlanta Track Club has arranged for a 50 meter dash for younger children. The Lil' Peach 50m Dash for children 6 and under is held before the Peachtree Junior and is limited to only 100 kids! Carter got a slot on the first day of registration and was there ready to rock!

Both kids had a lot of fun. Carter loved his finisher's ribbon and Skylar was excited to get her pennant. Both kids want to race again next year. This is a tradition we can get behind! Love it! Nana came with us this year -- next year we need even more family there!

Skylar and Carter's Soccer

2010-05-19T22:31:00.003-04:00

Skylar is playing an organized sport for the first time this spring with soccer. She is on the Atlanta Fire League team "the Lightning". Here's a photo from a recent game:

Carter has tried a little soccer himself, participating in a mini-soccer camp. Carter got four weeks of twice weekly lessons with other kids his age!

Cousin Grace's 8th BDay!

2010-05-15T23:26:00.000-04:00

We celebrated our Cousin Grace's 8th birthday this weekend. We had a great party at her house. Grace wasn't feeling too well at the start of the day, but by the time of the party, she got going and had a good time. There were lots of kids there and we got to play a lot. It was fun!

Our New Favorite Park!

2010-03-14T13:27:00.004-04:00

A new park opened yesterday and the best thing is its only 2 minutes from our house! Its called Gary Pirckle Park and we've been waiting for it to open for 2 years now. It has tons of soccer fields and a covered giant playground. Me and Carter had a lot of fun playing there today.

This morning, before Carter and Mommy woke up, me and Dad went there and played soccer for an hour. We had the whole place to ourselves! It was a lot of fun. Here are more pictures for you to enjoy:

First Soccer Practice

2010-02-23T22:26:00.003-05:00

Skylar started her first soccer practice tonight. She is part of the "Lightning" -- a team of 6 and 7 year old girl from the local area. Wouldn't you guess it -- her friend Sara from her class this year is on her team! Amazing! Skylar braved the cold weather to have a great first practice! Go Skylar!
She's definitely looking sporty. Go Skylar!

Donuts with Dad

2010-02-07T15:57:00.003-05:00

My dad's favorite food in the whole entire world is donuts! Specifically, Jelly filled donuts from Krispy Kreme. Me, Dad and Carter went to Krispy Kreme today for a little treat! We were so excited because they had Valentine's Day donuts. I had a chocolate and pink icing covered heart and Carter had a red, pink and white sprinkled heart! Check it out:

Skylar and Carter at Play

2010-01-31T07:46:00.000-05:00

Skylar and Carter both love playing but in very different ways. Carter is definitely a "toy" person. He loved Hot Wheels as a baby, then Thomas the Train as a toddler, and now Star Wars and Legos as a kid. Skylar on the other hand is more into crafts, science, music, reading, and make believe. Skylar bought this weekend a very interesting "toy" -- an artificial Owl Pellet!
She bought it at one of her new favorite stores, Hobby Lobby, in the "learning games" section. It is a reproduction of a regurgitated barn own pallet complete with a mole skeleton inside! You pick apart the clump of lint and clean feathers to find a resin coated skeleton of a small animal (a mole in this place). Weird fun for sure but also very educational!
Carter, on the other hand, spent the weekend playing with his Lego Star Wars figures and sets. He's more interested in the characters than the boxed Star Wars Lego sets. Instead he uses regular Lego to build his own space ships, forts, and speeder bikes!
Carter saw a new Lego set in the store last week. It is the Landspeeder bike from Episode 3. Again, its not because its a landspeeder that he's excited -- its because the Lego set comes with six (6!) minifigs -- Luke, Obi-wan, C3P0, R2-D2, and two bad guys. We decided to create a rewards chart to help him earn enough money to get it! Good luck Carter -- it should hopefully taken only a month.

Pizza Date Night!

2009-12-23T21:54:00.003-05:00

Tonight me and Dad went out for Pizza. I had a special coupon from school from the reading program. I got my own personal pizza for free! I had it with cheese and black olives. Me and Dad had a lot of fun and he was making a lot of jokes.

Aunt Morgan's 15th B-Day!

2009-12-22T21:36:00.000-05:00

Tonight we went to Aunt Morgan's 15th birthday party at a restaurant near her home. Me and Carter got to see our cousins and Morgan's other brother and sister. We had a lot of fun. Morgan got some cool gifts -- I hope my birthday party will be this fun! Here a photo of Carter and Aunt Morgan:

And Mom (shown here with Aunt Sabrina) and Dad had fun too!

Playing Monopoly!

2009-12-20T22:04:00.000-05:00

Today me, Mom and Carter played Monopoly together! It was Princess Monopoly (but Carter didn't mind). It was a lot of fun.

Carter's 4th Birthday Party (with Family)

2009-12-12T22:10:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrated Carter's 4th birthday. We had a big family party with lots of people there. Carter got a lot of great gifts, especially Star Wars stuff.

Mimi got him some oranges or clementines. What? He is getting to be quite a big boy.

Skylar and Carter go to a Birthday Party

2009-12-05T15:57:00.004-05:00

Today me and Carter went to a birthday party for Carter's friend Jayson. He and Jayson go to Pre-school together and we were all invited to his 4th birthday party.

Best of all was that the party was at CiCi's pizza! We all got to make our own pizzas and then eat them. There were also games and cakes and lots of kids! It was a lot of fun.

Carter the Dare Devil

2009-11-29T14:50:00.002-05:00

We all went to the Park today. Me, Mom, and April went to the dog park (I rode my bike) while Dad and Carter went to the Skate Park area.

Carter was a real daredevil today. Good thing he had his helmet and pads on. He crashed a few times but he had a lot of fun and did some cool stunts.

Afterward Carter and Dad went for a little ride on the bike trail.

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-26T14:05:00.000-05:00

Today we had a Thanksgiving Feast over at MiMi's house! My cousins were there and we even had our own table to eat at. Here is a photo of us enjoying our Thanksgiving meal:

My parents, my Aunt, my Mimi and Morgan, my Grandma, and my Nana and Granddaddy were all sitting at the grown up's table.

There was a lot of hard work done to make this meal a feast:

We even brought April over to enjoy the time!

Afterward Carter and Grandaddy looked at toys in the Toys'R'Us advertisement.

P.s. My cousin Grace made me this dress using grocery bags. It even has my name customized on it. Check it out!

3rd Annual Skylar's Run

2009-11-07T20:57:00.001-05:00

No, it's not my run, it's for a boy named Skylar who has Muscular Dystrophy. Even though Skylar uses a wheel chair, he competes in sports through Special Olympics and in road races. Skylar's Run is an annual event to raise money for Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett and Gwinnett Special Olympics. My dad did the 5k race and came in first place in his age group. I ran the Kids Fun Run and I got a medal! Take a look:

Halloween Haul 2009

2009-11-01T20:52:00.000-05:00

Check out all the candy me and Carter got last night from trick-or-treating! It was awesome! Tons and tons of candy -- who wants some?

Netherworld Haunted House 2009

2009-10-24T20:43:00.000-04:00

Tonight we visited the Netherworld Haunted House. No, no, we didn't go in the haunted house. It's too scary for kids. No, we visited the parking lot instead. It was great! Carter was a little scared but not me! Me and my cousin Grace and my friend Alivia had a great time.

Cousin Dev's 10th Birthday

2009-10-17T22:08:00.000-04:00

Today we went to Devon's 10th Birthday party. It was at a jump zone place where they had lots of jumping things and fun. We had cake and lots of fun. Take a look at these awesome photos.

Little Five Points Halloween 2009

2009-10-17T20:14:00.004-04:00

We went back again to Little Five Points, Atlanta today to see the 2009 installment of the Halloween Parade! It was a lot of fun. We met up with our friend Temper (he's a thug this year) and had a day of it. Before the parade we made trick-or-treat bags at a crafts area and got a snack at Sevananda. This is now our annual tradition and we look forward to next year's parade!

Six Flags Fright Fest 2009

2009-10-03T22:30:00.003-04:00

We were all excited about going to Six Flags over Georgia Fright Fest 2009 but it wasn't very scary. Sure it was fun, especially with my friend Alivia and Carter's friends Derick and Taylor but it wasn't very scary. Oh well, there will be scarier times this Halloween season.

Little Five Points Halloween 2008

2008-11-16T01:58:00.004-05:00

We went to see the Halloween parade and festival at Little 5 Points this year. It was a really cool time. The parade was crazy with people dressed up and people playing music on trucks. Here are some of my favorite photos! We really are looking forward to going back next year and checking it out again. We will bring more friends and family with us so they can share the fun with us.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-05T23:29:00.005-05:00

One Step Closer to Haunted Houses

2008-10-19T12:19:00.002-04:00

Skylar and Carter took another step closer this year to visit a haunted house. Yes, five years old is too young to actually go in a haunted house, so that's why we did the next best thing. Last night Skylar and Carter visited the parking lot of a haunted house. Not just any haunted house, but he #1 haunted house in the U.S. -- NETHERWORLD Haunted House.

Check out the photos:

Visit with the Grandparents

2008-10-12T23:11:00.003-04:00

Skylar and Carter are really glad that they live close to their Grandfather and Nana. They get to see them usually on a weekly basis. They also live close to their Mimi and see her a few times a month. It is really nice to be home again, back in America, and get to live close to the grandparents.

Here are some photos from recent time together:

Saving Peoples Lives

2008-10-11T19:26:00.003-04:00

Medical science is all about saving people's lives. What if you could do something that could help save your own one day? This is the idea behind C'elle and the amazing service they offer. C'elle has developed a revolutionary paradigm shift in the health industry -- collect your own stem cells and bank them until you need them. Medical technology is leading us down the path to where one day your own stem cells could be used to treat your own illnesses. Research is ongoing and the future is very bright for these amazing cells. C'elle has developed a safe, fast, and easy method of collecting stem cells found in a woman's menstrual fluid each month. Its easy to do and safe. You send in your sample and C'elle stores the cells for you in a cryogenic manner. This preserves the cells virtually indefinitely for future use. Check out their website for lots of C'elle Client Testimonial and FAQs. When the day comes when stem cells can be used for medical purposes, you will have your very own collection, waiting for the use. Visit the C'elle website today and find out more. Now you can do something that may one day save a life -- your own!

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis.

Dayona Vacation Part 2

2008-08-04T12:40:00.003-04:00

Here are some more photos from Skylar and Carter's vacation in Daytona Beach last month. They had lots of fun at the water. Carter spent time looking for crabs on the beach while Skylar was more interested in sea shells. She collected a whole bucket full!

Dayona Vacation Part 1

2008-07-24T23:34:00.004-04:00

Skylar and Carter accompanied their parents on a summer vacation to Daytona Beach, Florida. They had a lot of fun. Here was a sample day -- wake up, go to the ocean, go to the pool, head inside to escape the midday heat, eat lunch, rest, go back to ocean, go back to pool, shower, eat, sleep, repeat! Enjoy some great photos:

Beautify Your Home

2008-07-16T17:46:00.003-04:00

How can you improve your curb appeal? A fresh coat of trim paint and new shutters! Since 1982, Larson Shutter Company has been providing high quality shutters for less.
From Primed Solid Composite Wood Shutters to Genuine Real Wood Shutters in Pine, Cedar, Redwood, or Cypress, Larson Shutter has the right shutter to match your home's decor and your budget. They have a limited time free shipping offer on exterior shutters so don't delay. Check out their selection and find the shutters of your dreams. No seriously, some people actually dream about shutters.

Family Photo

2008-07-16T17:37:00.002-04:00

Here is a photo of Skylar and Mommy posing. We were all about to go to the photo studio to get a family photo made, but Carter decided once we got there that he didn't like to have his photo taken! It was like he had "photogphobia". Sure he's fine at home getting his picture taken, but at the portrait studio he got really upset. Oh well, there is always next year.

Are You a Financially Fit Parent?

2008-07-11T21:42:00.004-04:00

Financial fitness is perhaps as important as physical fitness when it comes to being a parent. Just like being physically fit will help you keep up with your kids, being financially fit will allow you to provide for them, teach them good money habits, and be able to retire young enough to enjoy their lives.

Here's a quick, easy and fun way to measure your Financial Fitness -- take the 10 minute IQ test over at BillsIQ. Yes, it's an IQ test about smarts, but not just any smart -- financial smarts! I took the quiz -- it was fun. Here are my results:

Not bad at all. Some of my weak points were my "rainy day" fund was not as big as it should be and that I'm not saving every month for my kids' education. Aside from that, I'm rather fit.

Why not you give it a try? The results may surprise you. Once you finish the quiz you can get free tips on how to improve your IQ from how to Consolidate debt to how to save for emergencies. This site is a really fun way to gauge your financial situation and intelligence and identify your spots for improvement. Its cool to be smart and there's nothing cooler than being financially intelligent. Find ways to improve your situation today at bills.com.

Painting Fun

2008-07-11T21:39:00.002-04:00

Skylar was working on quite an amazing piece of art today. She is painting her head in silhouette. Her head is blue and the background will be yellow. She was a puffy pony tail. It should be finished by the end of the weekend and we will then share it with all of you. Stay tuned.

Woman, Health Thyself!

2008-07-07T19:16:00.004-04:00

That's the potential promise as found in a recent CNNmoney.com newswire feed. Read the article then check out the C'elle Client Testimonial stories for yourself. C'elle has a potentially revolutionary new approach to capturing stem cells -- those amazing cells which can be made to grow into one of any number of specialized cells. C'elle offers a method for women to capture their own stem cells using their monthly cycle as a cell source. The menstrual cells are captured, processed and cryo-preserved now in hopes of future usage as a life-saving treatment. It's like banking your current health and vitality for a future use.

This unique medical service takes advantage of the fact the cells can be preserved for future use, when medical or cosmetic technology can use them. Repair joints, renew skin, or even repair your heart -- these things could be a medical reality using stem cells in the next 10-30 years and having your own cells cryo-preserved can help you realize it.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Flashback - Roma

2008-07-07T19:09:00.003-04:00

Skylar and Carter visited Roma, Italy back in 2006. This is a photo of Skylar at the Roman neoclassic Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II. It has the Italian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier commemorating the World War II dead.

It was a wonderful trip to the ancient city, with Carter riding around the bumping roads in a stroller. He was certainly a shaken up kid those few days, but he still managed to sleep. What a baby.

Sometimes You Need One...

2008-06-29T22:51:00.002-04:00

A good lawyer that is! Sometimes life conspires against you and you can find yourself in a situation where you need legal representation. Find a qualified lawyer like these Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers | California Criminal, DUI Defense group. What time of attorney makes the best defense attorney? Someone who played for the other team! This means a former prosecutor -- when they are on the defense, they know exactly what the other side is planning and will try to do. Contact Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP for help if you live in the LA area -- they know what it takes to win!

Build-a-Bear Party!

2008-06-29T22:47:00.004-04:00

Skylar went to her friend's birthday party today at the Build-a-Bear workshop at the mall. It was a lot of fun -- everyone got to make an animal and choose an outfit! Here's a picture from the party:

Afterwards, the party headed to the food court for cake and gifts. It was a great time and a lot of fun.

Up Sized? You Need Furniture!

2008-06-27T23:10:00.002-04:00

Have you recently up sized your living space and need more Furniture? Don't laugh -- this can really happen. Whether you have just started out of college and have your own place now, or have moved into a larger house to prepare for a new baby, you will probably need to buy Bedroom Furniture, Living Room Furniture, or maybe Home Office Furniture. If so, check out the selection from Furniture From Home. They have both contemporary and modern furniture like this modern home office desk. Prices are very reasonable and the service is very responsive. Chat with a live customer service rep whenever you have questions! Check out the site and browse their great collection of home furnishings.

Backyard Fun

2008-06-27T23:08:00.002-04:00

Skylar and Carter love to play in their backyard. This is the first summer they have with a fenced-in backyard. Much better than the alternatives -- no backyard or tiny backyard -- their newly fenced in backyard is a great place to play. Its safe and sound and can be left a little messy if needed. Let the good times roll.

Hand Blown Glass: Amazing Art

2008-06-27T22:01:00.005-04:00

Hand Blown Glass is a beauty to behold. No seriously -- there is just something amazing about hand-made, hand-blown glass work. From a simple vase to an amazing art installation like the one shown below, hand-blown glass is a real art form and one that is great to collect and display.

[Photo from handblownglass.net]

Art installations like this are simply amazing. They start at around $25,000 but that includes on site installation by the artist! Amazing -- the piece you see above had over 100 individual pieces to it.

Of course, hand-blown glass can be much smaller and more affordable. Glass vases and bowls can be just as special, gracing your table as a centerpiece or on display on a shelf or in a cabinet. Look at this piece here:

[Photo from handblownglass.net]

Check out this piece, from artist Darren Goodman, and many others at this great site handblownglass.net. They offer all these pieces for viewing, in multiple angles, and the pieces are available for purchase. Every piece they sell is backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. All art is packed in secure packaging for safe and sound delivery with a flat $40 delivery fee.

Visit the site and learn about the history of Hand Blown Glass and even watch a video demonstration on how it is done on the site. Did you know that the craft of hand blown glass has been around or over 2000 years? While other cultures had their own glass art techniques and styles, it was the spread of the Roman Empire which brought hand blown glass across Europe and into Asia.

If any of this sounded interesting to you, then you must visit the site handblownglass.net and see the collection for yourself. You will surely fall in love with at least one piece they have -- maybe more!

Build-a-Bear Birthday

2008-06-27T21:59:00.002-04:00

Skylar is going to a birthday party this weekend for a former classmate of hers. The best part about it (aside from seeing an "old" friend from Pre-K) is that the party is being held at the Build-a-Bear Workshop! What fun! I wonder what they will do? Make Bears? We'll give a full report at the end of the weekend.

Keep Up with Ease

2008-06-26T19:47:00.003-04:00

How can busy parents, workers, and professionals stay current with their favorite elements of pop culture? I mean, we don't have hours a day to surf the Internet or zip through hours of TiVo. Well now there is an easy and fun way to stay current on your favorite topics -- no mater how diverse they are! The service is called Pop Bandit and like all great ideas on the internet, it's free! How does it work? Well the site is pretty self explanatory, but here's a synopsis. Just enter in a subject you want to stay current on -- from the new movie Get Smart to Tom Petty to Jordin Sparks, and Pop Bandit will find you all relevant information on it! From news and gossip, to concert dates and new products, you can stay current on your faves without missing a beat. If you love it, then you can sign in and get your own page tracking your stuff. Want to know when the Weeds Season 3 DVD come out? Well Pop Bandit has scoured the web and found the answer even before you asked it! Give it a try.

Letters Before Sentences?

2008-06-26T19:44:00.002-04:00

Carter is a wild kid -- here is one example. He knew all his letters of the alphabet on sight before he could speak three and four word sentences! Isn't that a little amazing? Don't worry, Carter quickly picked up his language skills shortly thereafter and now chats it up with the best of them. Let's see if he does math before reading... or something strange like that!

Amazing (and Free) Music

2008-06-26T19:28:00.002-04:00

Don't want to pay for CDs or Satelite Radio subscriptions? Well you can get digital quality music for free anywhere you go! How? The answer is high definition radio. Instead of regular radio which is broadcast over analog signals, HD radio is a digital signal which broadcasts both AM and FM radio in high quality. There is no subscription required -- the signals are flooding the airwaves of most major cities around the country now. All you need is a radio which can pick up the HD radio signal. It even supports iTunes Tagging which means you can "tag" a song you here to look it up in Apple iTunes later! Its really the next level of radio for your car and home. Find all the new radio stations "hidden" on the HD spectrum using this guide and find out where to buy a car or home stereo which supports this signal. Once you do, HD radio is free for you to enjoy, forever!

Summer Fun at the Beach

2008-06-26T19:25:00.002-04:00

Skylar and Carter will be headed to the beach in a couple of weeks. Skylar's been there before but it will be the first time Carter has seen the Ocean (Atlantic Ocean, to be exact). This is going to be a fun adventure for them -- stayed tuned for photos and a recap of the fun.

Amazing Medicine -- Cryo-Cell

2008-06-25T22:41:00.005-04:00

Just what is Cryo-Cell and what do they offer that's so revolutionary? Well Cryo-Cell is one of America's most trusted umbilical cord blood bank. They have helped over 150,000 families in the last 15 years save and protect the amazing natural substance that it cord blood. Now their New Family Stem Cell Combo is an amazing opportunity not only to potentially help the baby but also the mother. With the amazing powers of stem cells only now being understood, banking your newborn's cord blood could mean access to these cells. Who knows what sort of diseases and aliments will be able to be treated with stem cells in the future. Cryo-Cell Innovative Stem Cell Solutions lets you bank the cord blood for future use. Think of it as an insurance policy for the future, that's why its called Cryo-Cell's "Protect Baby, Protect Mom" plan. Currently over 70 ailments can be treated using cord blood stem cells -- just imagine what the next decade will bring. Cryo-Cell has a "Protect Baby, Protect Mom" Special Limited-Time Introductory Offer so visit the website and learn about this amazing opportunity. It only comes once in your child's lifetime -- don't miss the opportunity.

Hot Summer, Cool Pool

2008-06-25T22:39:00.002-04:00

Skylar and Carter love going to the pool in the summer. The best time of day is the evening, right after the sun has set. The water is warm and there less chance of a sun burn. After 2 and 3 weeks of swimming lessons, respectively, these kids love being in the water and get around great just with water wings.

More Adventures to Come

2008-05-28T20:09:00.003-04:00

What new adventures will the future hold for Skylar and Carter? We are not saying for the moment, but another international voyage could be in the works. Where will they go? South America? China? Canada? Stay tuned and find out where these globe trotting kids will be end up!

Colloidal Silver is Not What Pirates Hunt!

2008-05-16T20:38:00.002-04:00

If you asked Skylar or Carter what "Colloidal Silver" was, they'd probably say it was something that Pirates hunted or what robbers steal. In fact, colloidal silver is a mineral supplement that is supposed to cure hundreds of ailments and provide relief to aches and pains. Containing almost 100% pure silver nanoparticles, colloidal silver is ingested as a supplement. Known for centuries as a health supplement, this substance is still used today in one shape or form for water filtration systems. As a nutritional supplement, colloidal silver is very easily absorbed by the body (due to the nano-particle size) which makes it very effective. MesoSilver® - Nanoparticle Colloidal Silver is one of the purest colloidal silver products on the market with over 99.99% purity. It is non-toxic and does not interact with any medications you may be taking. Check out the site and read up on dozens of articles about the history of colloidal silver as a health supplement and the research done on the subject.

School is Out (Almost)

2008-05-16T20:36:00.001-04:00

The end of the school year is upon us. Carter is lucky -- he got finished with his "baby school" yesterday. He was attended a pre-school program at a local church. Two days a week, three hours a day. Big Sister Skylar must wait until next Wednesday to finish he school year out. Oh well... the summer is a long one and the kids will probably get bored of it by July. I can hear them now, getting excited for school 2008-2009!

What is Term Life Insurance?

2008-05-05T21:31:00.002-04:00

Term Life Insurance shouldn't be a mystery. It is actually one of the oldest forms of insurance. It basically is a policy which is set for a specific "Term", or period of time, let's say for example 10 years. During this period you pay a monthly premium which is usually fixed. If the term expires without claim, there is no cash value left over. You then have the choice to extend your Term Life Insurance for longer by paying new premiums or find new insurance. To learn more about Term Life Insurance, visit the website of IFG Insurance. They have a worldwide network of over 50 companies to find the best coverage and policy for you and your loved ones. With this size of network, IFG can minimize your insurance costs while finding the right term life insurance for your specific situation. All these factors make Term Life Insurance very affordable and usually holding the lowest premiums to pay. The opposite of Term Life Insurance is Whole Life Insurance which builds a cash value and lasts and entire lifetime (open ended). The difference is that with Whole Life Insurance your premiums will usually rise with age and are not fixed. This can make it a more expensive proposition. Visit IFG and learn all about your insurance options.

Petting Zoo Fun

2008-05-05T21:23:00.002-04:00

Want to know how warm it is in Georgia in December? Well when the Skylar and Carter visited Santa Claus this past December, there was actually an outdoor petting zoo at the place! No seriously. It was like 70 degrees out and poor Santa was sweating. Carter had fun feeding the goats while Skylar thought the camels were very funny looking. Stay cool Santa -- see you next year!

What's Up With Illinois Nursing Home Neglect?

2008-05-05T19:08:00.002-04:00

These are the kind of stories which make me sad -- stories of New Jersey or illinois nursing home neglect (or which ever state you live in). We trust these facilities to take care of our elderly family members and sometimes things go very bad. When funds run, sometimes so do morals and we get stories of neglect hitting the National airwaves. If you need chicago nursing home abuse attorneys to help your family out, check out the services of Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, LTD. They are the attorneys who will fight for your rights and the rights of your loved ones.

Here's a poignant quote from an attorney at Horwitz:

There is no more justified use of our courts than to prosecute those who abuse and neglect the aging patients they are entrusted to care for.

As our U.S. population ages, we need more protections for our elderly parents and family. But at the same time we need people out there like this illinois nursing home negligence lawyer to help protect them. Its sad that we need lawyers to protect us from this sort of thing, but the fact of the matter is it exists and you need to know who can fight for your rights and your loved one's safety.

Italy 2006

2008-05-05T19:03:00.004-04:00

We went to twice in 2006. The first time was a weekend trip to Rome for Easter. The second time was to visit Gardaland -- Italy's largest amusement park -- for Halloween. We had a great time! Here is a photo of Skylar after a run-in with a face painting artist!

Structured Settlements -- Get Your Money!

2008-05-04T22:58:00.002-04:00

Structured Settlements occur quite frequently in the world. When you a party to a lawsuit and settle out of court, chances are your winnings will be in the form of a Structured Settlement. The other party's insurance will pay you a fixed amount payable over time in return to you dropping the suit or claim. Sure you win -- but you don't necessarily get all the money you need right away. But since you don't have to spend a lot of time and money in court fighting your case, a structured settlement is often better than the alternative of a drawn out legal battle.

A company like Stone Street Capital will offer you cash immediately in return for your smaller regular payments. You get the cash you need now, like to pay the medical bills or make repairs, while avoiding a prolonged fight. If you have a structured settlement and would rather get a large chunk of the money now, contact Stone Street and see exactly how they can help you get the money you need now. Call them at 1-800-LUMP-SUM to get a quick and free estimate for cash now. Their lump-sum offer will make the whole endeavor over with. Stone Street has paid over ONE BILLION DOLLARS in settlements lump sums -- now that's impressive!

Did I Mentioned We Love Halloween?

2008-05-04T22:49:00.003-04:00

I think I have, but it bears repeating... These kids love all things scary and they really love Halloween. Carter runs around the house all day saying he is a "witch" or a "monster" -- it is really a hoot. And Skylar loves watching the Addams Family on the Internet (lots of free episodes over at Hulu.com!). Here is a photo of Skylar dressed up for school back in October for Halloween. No costume party -- just Skylar dressing spooooky.

What Are Computer Forensics?

2008-05-04T22:33:00.002-04:00

What? You've never seen an episode of CSI? No seriously, Computer Forensics is the science of recovering, reconstructing and analyzing computer files and data. This sort of thing is not just for cool TV shows -- it's the real deal. A computer forensic company like DataChasers uses state of the art tools and techniques to extract data from computers for reconstruction and usage. This sort of information is used in lawsuits, criminal trials and civil litigations to prove or disprove data history and viewing. It is really quite amazing stuff. All of DataChasers professionals hold professional certifications including the necessary Certified Forensic Computer Examiner. This means they know what they are doing. Whether you find yourself on the giving or receiving end of a legal preceding, you might need help from a service like this. They can help you prove or disprove very important things that might have a big impact in your case. How? Well lets say you are the defendant in a criminal preceding and the prosecutor is trying to prove that you visited this website or downloaded that piece of data (e.g. music). They will certainly have their own "expert" witnesses to testify against you. It only makes sense to have your own data to shows where the files came from and whether you put them there. Yeah, that's a lot more serious than some TV show!

A Baseball Game

2008-05-04T22:17:00.004-04:00

Today Skylar and Carter went to the Baseball Game at Turner Field. It was the Braves against the Cincinnati Reds. Did you know that base in the 1950s when fear of Communism swept across America, that the Cincinnati Reds changed their name to Redlegs? Yeah, those were some crazy times.

Well anyways the kids had fun at the game to say the least. Carter loves baseball even though he doesn't really know what's going on. Here's another fact -- did you know that Jackie Robinson, the man who broke the Major League's color barrier - the first Black Professional Baseball player - wore number 42? And in 1997, Major League Baseball retired the number 42 for the entire league?! No one new can ever wear the number 42 again.

B-rrring, B-rrring -- Who's Answering The Phone? Answering Services!

2008-05-03T07:14:00.003-04:00

The phone is ringing for your business. It could be 3 p.m. and you are too busy to answer it or it could be 3 a.m. and you are asleep! The global nature of business and the "always-on" function of the Internet means that your business could be fielding calls 24 hours a day. So how to do manage? Who is there to answer it?

This is where an Answering Service provider like MAP Communications has been providing value-added services top companies like yours since 1991. They offer some of the fastest answer times in the industry while giving you your own nationwide 1-800 number.

Their staff is professional and training to provide top notch service. The company's infrastructure allows for specialized call screening, voicemail services, and even online messaging. You customers (or potential customers) will be completely taken care of and will think you have your own staff of receptionists and customer service engineers! All these things make professional Answering Services a great value for your business.

[Photo from mapcommunications.com]

Skylar's 5th Birthday Party - A Wishlist

2008-03-22T11:44:00.001-04:00

I'm Ready for my Closeup!

2008-03-08T00:34:00.001-05:00

Me and Dad went to see those crazy blogging guys. Here is the video of our visit!

All I Want for Christmas... is a lot!

2007-12-07T23:57:00.000-05:00

Enjoy this video wish list:

Ted is Crazy dot Com

2007-11-02T22:21:00.000-04:00

Tonight me and Daddy drove to downtown Atlanta and met the PayPerPost guys -- Ted, Ashley, and Travis -- at the Varsity. Ted is crazy! I told him I would have my Daddy make a website called that and I would put him on it.

It was kinda boring -- too much talking. Well at least I got to sing for them -- "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergalicious. Look for it on an upcoming episode of RockStartUp:

Disclosure Policy

2007-05-17T08:52:00.000-04:00

This policy is valid from 28 April 2007.
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.
This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

A New Adventure Begins...

2007-04-17T16:50:00.000-04:00

Skylar and Carter are back home and ready to take America by storm!

Get Ready!

Skylar's 4th Birthday (American Party - Part 1)

2007-04-17T16:26:00.000-04:00

Being an International Superstar, Skylar had her second (or third) 4th Birthday party, this time in the U.S.

Carter STILL Loves Reading

2007-04-17T16:21:00.000-04:00

You remember when we showed you about how Carter loves to "read". Now here's some photos about his progress. He is really good at holding the book and turning the pages.

All Good Things Come to an End

2007-04-17T16:14:00.000-04:00

Flash back to September 4, 2006, the first day of German kindergarten:

Flash forward to April 5, 2007, the last day of German kindergarten:

Skylar's 4th Birthday (Kindergarten Party)

2007-04-17T16:01:00.000-04:00

Here is Skylar and her Kindergarten class: "Die Hasen Groupe".

They have a special way to celebrate birthdays. Here Skylar is performing a little act with her pretend "mother and father".
Then a little dance around the room and it's time for treats!

Skylar wears a special crown.

Skylar's 4th Birthday (Germany Party - Part 1)

2007-04-17T15:19:00.000-04:00

Skylar's 4th Birthday (Germany Party - Part 2)

2007-04-17T15:18:00.000-04:00

Visitors (Part II - Nürnberg)

2007-04-17T15:09:00.000-04:00

Skylar and Papi take Mimi and Morgan to Nürnberg.

That Amazing Natural Light....

2007-04-17T15:05:00.000-04:00

I can't get over how the natural light loves these kids. Here is Skylar at the Erlangen Schlossgarten:

Visitors (Part 1 - Airport Pickup)

2007-04-17T15:01:00.000-04:00

We had visitors in Germany -- Mimi and Morgan. Skylar was at Kindergarten, but Papi, Mommy and Carter went to the airport to pick up the guests.

Carte had a great time running around the place.

Just Carter

2007-04-17T14:49:00.000-04:00

He is really wonderful.

Hiding from Brother

2007-03-25T13:40:00.000-04:00

Where is sister?
[Scroll Down]

Surprise!

The "Ba-Ba" Prince

2007-03-25T13:34:00.000-04:00

In the morning, Carter likes to grab all the empty bottle from the night before and walk around the house with them.
The only one that's got anything left is the water bottle, but he still grabs them all (2 or 3) and walks around with them all.

Rubber Ducky

2007-03-25T13:32:00.000-04:00

You make bath time so much fun.

Skylar is More Than Cute!

2007-03-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

She is a beautiful little girl.

Making Friends

2007-03-25T13:22:00.000-04:00

We go to the grocery store every Friday night for our weekly stock up. Over the past several months, we have made a friend who works there. Her name is Melanie. We always go to her line and Carter makes "googly-eyes" with this nice lady.

Skylar's Kindergarten Friends

2007-03-25T13:16:00.000-04:00

Her two "boy friends" -- Enrico and Julius.

Skylar and her girl friends -- Tamara, Teresa, Celina, and Marie (and Skylar).

Clean That Floor, Carter!

2007-03-25T13:07:00.000-04:00

Clean up -- Earn your keep!

Big Girl Birthday

2007-03-25T09:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Skylar went to a birthday party for her Kindergarten friend Celina. Celina is 6 years old now and is in her last year at St. Bonifaz Kindergarten. Although she is in her last year ("senior") and Skylar is in her first year ("freshman"), the two are great friends.

Celina will be coming to Skylar's birthday party next week. Hurray.

Fun at the Park

2007-03-21T13:11:00.000-04:00

We went to the park on Sunday. I met two nice girls.

One girl pushed me on the swings.

And then we climbed up the big slide...

Whoa....

It was a lot of fun!

Carter had fun too.

Alysa's 2nd Birthday

2007-03-20T13:28:00.000-04:00

You all remember when we went to my friend Riley's 4th birthday in September, don't ya? Well now it was time for his little sis Alysa to have her birthday.

Me and Carter and Mommy went.

Papi had football practice.

That's me and Sophia sitting at the table.

Alysa turned the big T-W-O!

She got lots of gifts.

Carter Loves Walking Outside

2007-03-20T13:25:00.000-04:00

Just watch him walk and clap! He's cheering himself on.

More Fasching Fun

2007-03-17T19:01:00.000-04:00

Skylar celebrated Fasching at Kindergarten and then got to go for a ride in the city with Mom and Carter.

Little Boy Blue

2007-03-17T18:18:00.000-04:00

Fun Outside at Brahmsstrasse

2007-03-15T19:06:00.000-04:00

Here is Carter hamming it up for the camera outside out apartments.

And this is Skylar with a neighborhood friend. She speaks pretty good English!

Golly Gee, Carter.

Healthy, Hungry Kids

2007-03-11T16:40:00.000-04:00

Grow Kids, Grow!
Carter: Age 15 months. Weight 26 lbs.

Skylar: Age 3 years, 11 months. Weight 42 lbs.

Carter and Momma

2007-03-11T16:32:00.000-04:00

Skylar KNOWS German

2007-03-11T13:07:00.000-04:00

You all have heard that Skylar speaks good German now, but have you actually HEARD it yet? Well here's your chance. This exchange was caught at the playground between Skylar and a new friend:

Just Carter

2007-03-05T15:23:00.000-05:00

Skylar the Ballerina

2007-03-05T01:06:00.000-05:00

Skylar loves to dress up like a Ballerina.

Day or night, summer or winter.

Especially when she watched her "How to be a Ballerina" video!

One Hot Mama

2007-03-04T18:33:00.000-05:00

We asked Mama to put on her wedding dress today.

Carter thought it was fun!

She still is a beautiful princess...
[flashback 5 years:]

Sunday in Nürnberg

2007-03-04T18:29:00.000-05:00

Sunday is a great time to visit Nürnberg. Pizza Hut is open and so are the shops at the train station!

Fasching at Kindergarten

2007-02-28T16:01:00.000-05:00

On the 16th of February Skylar had a Fasching, Carnival in English, celebration at school. They had themed the school for a Zirkus, Circus in English. The children dressed up and the teachers. They had the children perform songs and had lots of food and fun for the children on this day. This was truly amazing. The people in Germany and other European countries really go crazy for this Carnival celebration.
To really find out more check this out.
Enjoy!

What We Look A Like?

2007-02-28T15:54:00.000-05:00

Skylar and Mommy decided to take some photos. Look how fancy we look wearing glasses together. I wanted to look like Mommy. My glasses are fake Mommy's are real.

Carter Loves his ABCs

2007-02-18T17:33:00.000-05:00

Just as with Skylar, Carter gets his ABCs sung to him everyday. And guess what? He loves it! He's even started singing some of the letters himself. Here is Carter checking out the Alphabet on his favorite website, Fisher-Price.com:

p.s. That's Selena and Sabrina singing their ABC from the 1970's at the beginning and end.

Alert the Internet: Carter Walks

2007-02-11T14:59:00.000-05:00

It's official. Carter finally beat his big sister to a major milestone -- walking. Skylar walked in her 14th month, while Carter has done the feat with a few weeks to spare. Sure, walking past 1 year old is no big deal, but we are very proud of little Carter, especially since he was 5 weeks premature. Enjoy:

Fashion Teen Star Goes Shopping

2007-02-09T10:38:00.000-05:00

Skylar is a "fashion teen star" although teenager-hood is a decade away. She recently went on a shopping spree at the Claire's at the Nürnberg train station.

10 items for 10 Euros... who could resist?

Carter Learning to Fed Himself

2007-02-09T10:35:00.000-05:00

Carter is now learning to feed himself with a spoon. He always tries to grab the spoon when we feed him and stick it in his mouth himself.

Good job Carter!