Help me Light The Night!

Dear friends and family,

I am asking for your help again this year to raise money for a cure for blood cancers (lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma). Last year, I participated in The Leukemia Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk. I invite you to walk with me and the Northside Hospital team this year on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at Centennial Olympic Park. The Leukemia Lymphoma Society is one of three societies left in the U.S. that provides financial assistance to their patients. This is typically a $500 grant to each and every patient with a blood cancer diagnosis to help with medicine and/or health care costs. I will be walking this year in honor and memory of friends and patients that I have had and have the pleasure to know that fight blood cancers.

Click here to donate and here to find out more about the reason I support this society and all the patients affected with blood cancers. I thank you in advance for any donation you can make.

Love - Tara

Long Time, No See

Hi everyone! I am so sorry for my extended absence. Things are good around here. Evan is a wild child, growing and learning everyday. Work is still wonderful for me too. I love my job as much as ever. I hope everyone is still having a great summer, or had one if you are already back to school like Christina and Cole.

Here are a few pictures from last weekend in South Carolina. I will post more soon!

Have a good weekend!

New Pictures

Friday, we had pictures taken at Target. I gave them another shot after the no-show appointment 2 months ago. Since that time, they upgraded their photo equipment to digital and the pictures came out great. Here's just a few of the 15+ shots that our talented photographer, Margaret, took. She's the only one I will let take his pics at the Duluth Target from here on out.

Have a great 4th of July!

Birthdays and Father's Days...

I was going to try and be better about posting but I haven't been. I'm still busy enjoying my new job. I am in week 2 and have a drive I was missing in my last department. That happens after 6 years though. This past weekend, we went to my Dad's house to celebrate Father's Day and my birthday, a little early.

I saw this cute cake at Publix and had to pick it up.

I also got a yummy cake to celebrate my 29th birthday. My real birthday was Tuesday, June 17.

Here's a quick picture of Evan this afternoon, complete with busted lip, from running into the wall yesterday. Oh, to be 18 months!

and to be king of the world...

So back to the job, I absolutely love it. I feel overwhelmed at times but I am learning a lot. I have joked a lot lately that it has taken me most of my 29 years to become a girly girl. Chris can vouch for the fact that I have been dressing up, wearing makeup, and have a ton of new shoes and purses. I think her words today were something along the lines of, "You've become a shoe whore." Love ya, Chris!

Anyways, thanks for the birthday wishes. I am going to make 29 a good year since it will be the last of my 20's. Have a great weekend!

One Hot Weekend

Hi Blogger Friends and everyone else that reads this thing. How was your weekend? Ours was hotter than hot. Friday evening, we went to Folks and met up with Andy, Brandi, Ethan, and Brandon for dinner. Folks had no working A/C so it made for a long sticky dinner.

Lately, I am the queen of the camera phone. I either forget the camera or bring a camera with dead batteries. Here's Ethan and Evan sitting on the bench outside.

On Saturday, we went to the zoo for the hospital's volunteer picnic. My friend Jessa and her daughter, Aleina, went with us. We got there at 9:30 AM and stayed until right around noon. Jessa and I earned our Mommy awards for pushing those strollers around the zoo in 90+ degree heat. I came home and slept 3 hours.

Trying to stay cool

This bus was the favorite for Evan and Aleina. This was the last thing we did before we left the zoo but it wore Evan out.

Have a great week!

Assorted Evan

Happy Wednesday! I'm glad it is a short week because I am so busy at work. I start my new job on June 9th, but until then, I am doing my regular job plus a little of the new one. Starting the 9th, I will be doing my new job, plus a little of the old one. I am also considering going back to Georgia State for 9 weeks and obtaining a Lean Sigma Six Ceritification. I hate the idea of going back to school but it is only 9 weeks and makes me more valuable in the long run. We'll see what I decide soon. The classes start June 12.

And now, on to the important part of this blog, that you all come to see...

Here is one of the previously mentioned photos that Evan took of himself. He took a lot more that are on the camera but they look pretty close to the same as this one.

Evan trying on Daddy's shoes

With good buddy, Elmo, watching Elmo Visits the Firehouse

This is a picture from the park in Lilburn on Sunday. We went to a picnic with Mom's (Lola's) filipino group.

Sleeping with Elmo

I hope you all have a good rest of the week and are happy and well!

Promotion!

I can finally announce that I have been promoted! Actually, it is a new job being created at the hospital, with job functions similar to my current job, but I have more opportunity for growth and will play a large role in clinical research. I have been working with a couple of consultants while this job has been in the works and it's just a happy day!

I had my interviews on Tuesday, 5/13/08, and just got the final details about the job today. I still won't start it for a few weeks since they have to find someone to replace me at my current job, but I am so excited! I've been working hard and shopping harder (to look more professional) which will explain my extended absences from the blogs. I even chopped my hair off!

Here are a few pics of Evan from Tuesday, 5/13/08. Mike, Evan, and I had a mini-celebration dinner that night at Chili's. Evan is growing up so fast and hates high chairs. He wants to be so independent but I'm not quite ready for that yet!

and here's a quick self-portrait of Evan and me (with the new hair). It isn't great but Evan likes to take the pictures here lately. Another post of that soon!

I hope you all have a great holiday weekend!

Sunglasses

Here's a few pictures from Lola's camera:

Playing catch up

Well, I guess I've been away from the blog long enough. We have been so busy that we haven't even taken many pictures. Here's the quick rundown

Last Friday was Christina's birthday. For a short month and a half, we are the same age. We went to Cole's soccer game and then went out to dinner. Here are my boys, stylin, in their shades.

the great spectator

a new sport?

Here's our soccer star, Cole

On Saturday, Mike had to work and I had to pack. I left for Minneapolis on Sunday morning after Mike got off of work. I proceeded to work at a conference for a few days, doing some power shopping at every break I had. I still missed my guys though.

Here is Evan modeling one of my super buys from Minneapolis. If you ever get the chance to shop at the Macy's in Downtown Minneapolis, I highly suggest it. I have gone in early May and at different times in September and I have always come across great bargains. On this trip, we all got clothes and I got a new designer handbag and cute shoes.

and Mike finally used his stack of Best Buy gift cards and got him a Xbox 360 Elite. Evan likes to think he's playing too.

I have another busy week coming up but hopefully all of my hard work is about to pay off. I hope that everyone else is enjoying our great weather and that life is treating you all well. I'll try not to stay away so long this time.

Just Plain Busy...

I'm crazy busy so I don't have much to share. I leave for my first trip away from Evan and Mike on Sunday morning. I will only be gone 48 hours though. I have to work in Minneapolis at a conference.

I'm also just plain busy at work and home. I hope that you all had a great weekend and are having a good Monday!

Oh for the love of Crocs

Just like Lindsay loves her black patent leather shoes, Evan has a shoe love of his own. He loves his Mammoth Crocs. I am not a fan of any type of Crocs but these are soft on his feet and he can put them on himself. I'm sure he will be wearing them through the summer, even when it's 90 degrees plus.

Saturday Pictures

Evan and I have had two very long days. Mike has been working a double and Lola is out cruising so it had just been the two of us. I have come to the conclusion that I definitely can not be a stay at home mom. God bless those of you that are.

This morning Evan and I had a photo appointment at Target at 10:00 AM. Those of you that know me, know I love Target. It is my number 1 shopping place. Well Target did a bad thing today.. the photographer was a no-show. Evan was all dressed up and we fought to get there so I walked him over to Babies R Us and spent more money than I wanted to on photos. We got great customer service though so it all works out.

Here are the shots:

This was the personality pose but I didn't like it as much as the photographers did. I didn't order it.

And the one place we have been able to get along all Friday and Saturday has been the dinner table. Here's a few camera phone shots:

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Random Bits...

Hi Everyone... I've neglected my blog a bit lately but I have a few things to share. Katy and Derrick George came to visit last Friday and Saturday. The boys had a great time together and we look forward to another visit with our family soon.

Always time for a bath, with a strategically placed towel

and storytime with Daddy/Uncle Mike

I also had today off so Evan and I went to IKEA and for a haircut. I had to take pics with my phone but you get the idea

Here's wishing you a great end to the week!