Who would have thought that one of my kids would want to go see Lynard skynard - here is an awesome photo of Andrew wearing the shirt that Aunt Nicole sent to him . Thanks Nick!

3 More days and I will be leaving for my training in Atlanta ! Hard to believe that the 'stay at home time" has officially ended ! No computer for me so checking emails and updating blog probably wont be done :( I am sure you all are bummed out about that ! ) The kids are looking forward to 2 exciting weeks at the kids clubhouse - They are swimming, canoeing, roller skating ,bowling, ice skating and tons more ! I am sure they will be uber exhausted !


Lastly - there is a new style scrapbooking out - called freestyle - pretty much no rules apply, pretty mainstream , and artsy . http://www.autumnleaves.com/freestyle/ check it out - Anyway did my first freestyle type of layout ( thanks to my darling friend April at scrappers daily dose) It was fun, freeing, and I really felt like I had done something "totally different!
Not sure I would do it again - but it was fun! ( this is the layout at the top)

lastly - Kevin and I finally got to see the pirates movie - Rocked! Looking forward to number 3 ! Will need to add this one to the Christmas wish list! I am sure when the release it it will come in awesome box set with number 1 *( which we don't have - so hint hint to those of you buying Christmas gift for the josupaits :)


lastly - i just spelled check this entry - for my last name (josupait) it suggested cockpit ???? what is that all about !?

Got back the photos from the Kelly Clarkson Concert - not real crazy about them . I used a kodak disposable digital camera . I wont be using one of those again! I guess you live and learn - and at least i have some photos of the event.

Concert was July 3rd at Alltell Pavillion in raleigh. It was alyssa reward for working so hard on her reading this year ! She had a great time !

Andrew and Kevin are going to see Lynard Skynard tommorrow night ( that was Andrews choice for his reading reward! )

Today we took my mom to the Raleigh Little Theaters Rose garden ! It is so beautiful! Roses year round! Afterward we drove around the historic districts of Raleigh and had a cool treat at Ben and Jerry's Today was the last day of her stay we had to take her back up to the airport and send her back home :( hope she comes back soon!

Today is Kevins first day back to work! We have 2 more days with grandma - had to show her around some ! Took her to Carolina Beach - she had never seen the ocean before ! We ate a seafood lunch on a pier and she walked the beach for a bit with the kids. After we headed into Wilmington (NC) to go to the Ivy cottage (antiques ), we did a narrated horse drawn carriage tour and some souvenir shopping for her. It was a very long and hot day! ( on the way home we stopped and enjoyed some true Carolina fare - Eastern Carolina BBQ - vinegar based with cole slaw on top ! YUMMO!)

Well we arrived back in Raleigh after a near week of sheer tropical bliss . A few photos for your enjoyment :D

Wohooo ! Tommorrow we pick my mom up from the airport to stay for an entire 8 days ! kids are so excited cant wait to see grandma ! they got alot of lovin' ready for her !

kevin and i are leaving for the Turks and Caicos Islands Friday morning !Hard to believe it is finally here ! 6 days in paradise ! cant wait !

happy 4th of july ! This morning we went to a local parade the kids got tons of candy and had a great time . The weather was perfect! tonight we will go see fireworks at the same place the parade was !

Alyssa and i went to the kelly clarkson concert last night ! AWESOME! She had a wonderful time ! - While we were waiting in line a man in a staff shirt came up and started small talking with us - to make a long story short he had 2 seats left over from the amount that they had set aside for kelly and he gave them to us! Moved us up to the front ! Yeah baby ! we were about 8 rows back right in the center - ! Photos coming soon !

Well look of at my Son - shine :D last night Andrew and I were looking at the blog and he commented that he only had 1 picture of him in the slide . SO today I am sharing some photos of my handsome, intelligent, and funny little man.

This morning we had a little buck in our back yard - kind of shocked by the amount of deer I have seen in past week (saw 2 on Sunday middle of the day, 3 last week in the middle of the afternoon as well) It is too hot for humans and way to hot for animals . (almost 100 today!)

Tonight is the Kelly Clarkson concert that Alyssa and I are going too . This is her special treat for raising her reading level and meeting her Ar goals . Andrew wants to go see Lynard Skynard in a few weeks ( definitely has his dads taste in music)

Hey Donna - You rock ! Our lovely neighbors the Banks' go out of town a few times during the summer and need someone to babysit their swimming pool ( yes, yes, I know it's a tough job but someone has to do it ! ) We go over turn on the filter and swim ! Well today she rang the door bell and handed us this huge glass jar of treats from Hershey Pa . Said she felt bad about making us do all that work ! :D Anytime my friend anytime

happy Birthday to you ! happy birthday to you! happy birthday dear alyssa! happy birthday to you!

we have a standing rule in the house that when it is your birthday you get to decide how to spend the day ( however that usually doesnt work when i say " lets go to hawaii " ) Anyway alyssa chose to go swimming and have mint ice cream at Baskin robbins . She had cheese pizza for dinner and opened her gifts !

Today kevin took a private jet for work - moving on up! He was really excited about it! He said it would have taken them nearly 12 hours to do what they had to get done today but in the jet able to do it in 6 .

A layout that i did yesterday is the featured layout on - http://scrappaydivas.blogspot.com/ check me out !

Back to the daily grind! I just got a wonderful job offer ! Will be heading back to the working world soon! I am the new Events coordinator/ Lead instructor at the brand new Archivers store that is opening in Raleigh in September! So excited!

Yeppers ...... It's official ! She's 5 ! Happy Birthday Aryn!

today we went to the movies and had cheese pizza . (at Aryns birthday request) . We Also had some pretty purple cupcakes and opened the remainder of her gifts !

Today was the big birthday shopping day - we went to toys r us, old navy, cold stone (for a treat), target, build a bear and limited too. Aryn got her ears pierced. (and although she doesn't look really thrilled in the photo she is happy with them now) The girls had a wonderful time "being big girls and picking out their own stuff"

we all went out for dinner at a Japanese steak house and they sang happy birthday to the girls in Japanese .

And to my hubby ! i love ya baby!

Sometime photos really can say it all ! Yeah Canes!

Hey look at my blog - I have finally have a slider - (thanks dawn !) :D I look real official huh !? OK, maybe not official but a lot more fun!

Now, I have gotten some emails from ya'all commenting on the blog - don't be afraid to leave comments on the blog - there is a button at the bottom of each post for you to leave your comments . (I know you are out there!)

Well lets see today Andrew had baseball camp. He had a good time and new almost all of the kids there (imagine that - future politician in the making! ) They are heading up to the neighbors in awhile ...... Oh did I mention where I was going tonight ? Oh, hmmmm must have slipped my mind!


Game 7 Stanley Cup playoffs ! wohooooo ! Our seats are right in front of the OLN networks booth - maybe I will make a sign that says "HI MOM!" Now lets hope the home team "brings it home ! "

Do you have your dancing shoes on????

today was the girls recital - everything went smooth the girls and dads were real troopers - such a long day ( they had to be there at 12:30 and the recital was not over till almost 6 ) very exhausting day . ALyssa is looking forward to taking more classes in the fall , Aryn on the other hand is ready to try soccer .

Want to add Kevin did a wonderful job and he appears to have had a good time ! and not to forget andrew - he sat thru a 4 hour presentation with out a peep -what a trooper!

Kids say the funniest things .....




I did a scrapbook page 2 nights ago (one of the first I have ever done with a black and white photo ) showed it to Aryn when I was done and asked her what she thought. Her response " I hate it ! I don't have any color on me !" I guess she has never seen a black and white photo before.



On one of the last days of school I was driving the kids and we were listening to the Buzz 85o (sports talk) they has a French Canadian Hockey announcer on . Some how we got into the discussion about taking a foreign language in high school. I commented to Alyssa that she should take French , a lot of times the French classes will go to Paris ( and of course they would need adult chaperones, got to plant that seed in them while they are young ) She said " mom, I think I will take Spanish. Mrs Myers has already taught me some Spanish" Andrew chimes in, " You know Alyssa , mom is right , if you take French you can got to Paris. If you take Spanish ............. You probably go to Texas or Something" too funny !

Happy Flag day .....



well really the day after . We had a power surge yesterday ( due to Tropical Storm Alberto) and the USB cable on my camera got fried so had to go buy a new card reader last night . Yesterday we flew this flag , not being un-patriotic , just hoping the Lord Stanleys Cup would make its presence known in Raleigh last night ( dratts!)


Tropical Storm Alberto dumped about 8 inches of rain on the Raleigh area between Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon. A lot of streets( including highways closed) as were malls, schools, churches. Our little "swamp" was probably the highest I have ever seen it . And when it rains of course I grass greens up . I told Kevin last night that it appears that the grass grew over a foot over night !