July is almost GONE!

WOW! I can't believe that I am sitting here and it is July 29th! Summer is coming to a close and I am VERY SAD! We have had a great one! I have so enjoyed going to the beach, the lake, Pinehurst, Lake Lure, Milwaukee and BLACK MOUNTAIN!

My favorite has to be the beach with my BIG family! Thank you Granddaddy and Mimi for spoiling us and taking us again!!! Time with all my siblings and the kids and my parents is just priceless!!! Enjoy these photos- SO FUN!!!! Wish I knew how to get the on here straight!!! :)

WHAT A WEEKEND!!!

I am loving all the work we have done to our beautiful home in the past month. As you know, we had it up for sale for over 2 years and when you are in that "mode" you don't do "projects". Now not to say we didn't keep it clean b/c WE DID! But you don't paint, or add a deck, or do much yard work (only to get you buy) SO.... now that it is ALL OURS, we have been pretty busy around the Pittman House!!!

We have added a 16x16 SWEET deck that connects the back deck to the driveway and MAN DOES IT MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE! We have LOVED every minute we get to spend out there. The table has been moved to the larger deck, all my flowers in my containers look SO NICE. We even changed out the pickets to black iron ones on the old back deck and the front one. So it looks like a new face lift for our house. WAHOO!!! Looking forward to many more cookouts and hang outs soon!

We also planted 10 new shrubs and mulched. Here is the mulch story. First lets remember I am a "get it done girl" and seem to lack the word "patience" in my vocabulary. My poor hubby gets hit by this quite often. My thoughts are to get it done ASAP, now, or wish it was done yesterday. I am cursed!!! :) So we have been wanting to get mulch but have had to wait b/c of going out of town or just being busy. We had planned to order the mulch on Thursday and then work on it over the weekend. Long story short... Glenn and Tara (our special college friends) called and they were able to come up for the weekend w/ their two kids. We have been trying to get a weekend with them so we were thrilled to have them up. BUT WAIT WHAT ABOUT THE MULCH. Somehow I talked Chuck into it. So we went crazy and still orderd 20 yards (a WHOLE DUMP TRUCK) of mulch on Thursday at 4 pm and my AMAZING HUSBAND (and me) had it all spread by 2 pm on Friday. We worked our booties off to say the least!!!!!!!! IT WAS SO HOT!! We were both a little SORE on Saturday! But WOW does it look good!!! I love it!! Looks so new, fresh and I don't even mind the smell!!! I love the look of fresh mulch.

So we broke the new deck in VERY LATE EACH night hanging out and having fun! Yummy steaks from the Artisan and Margaritas and Mojitos. We also shared the Happy Skipper w/ them and they shared their Dr Pepper/ Captain drink. YUMMY! It is so fun to get together with old friends and remember all the fun and silly things we used to do.

Saturday was a fun day on the parkway! We went to Craggy Gardens. Glenn and Chuck took Lucie and Tyler (both 4 years old) in the jeep!!! They loved it and Tara, Lanie, Reid and me rode up in the Tahoe. Then we switched places on the way home!! FUN FUN. We grilled out hot dogs, hiked, picked blueberries and enjoyed watching our kids play together. THEN we had a babysitter come and we headed out for a DATE NIGHT! Grove Park for the scenery and drinks and appetizers. I always forget how beautiful the view is from the Grove Park! I am always in awe of the beautiful hotel and love to imagine how the people felt when they were guests there. I am sure they felt special like I do and I am just "visiting" not staying there. We are really blessed to be able to visit all the cool Asheville tourist spots. Next we went to Red Stag for dinner! The food was AMAZING but the ATMOSPHERE is my favorite!!!! So different, so cool and just SPECIAL!!

Sunday was church, rest, and then some family time up in Montreat. Girls played while Chuck and I played a little Tennis. I am determined to learn that sport. It is much harder than it looks but I am determined. We stayed out late and then headed to My Fathers for pizza. We were thrilled that there was NO WAIT and we got right in. I guess everyone else had their dinner before 8:45 that night! HA HA! Oh well we will sleep when we are dead!

So the weekend was a fun time!! Great friends, food, and FUN!! I am so blessed!!!!

Biltmore Fun

Check out my little family in the Biltmore Video. Go to Biltmore.com and then click on the Antler Hill Village. Then watch the video! You will see us several times! Look for the big white bows!!!! Fun fun!!!

Here we ALL are!!! It was a great week!!! For more photos - go to Julies blog!

Jumping up and down for JOY at the beach!! Isn't this too cool!!!

The BIG Bartlett Beach TRIP! 2010

Wow! We got to go AGAIN! How blessed I feel to get to go to the BEAUTIFUL beach AND w/ my family!!! Granddaddy and Mimi surprised us at Christmas with the most beautiful beach house in North Topsail Island (north of Wilmington)! SO I have had it to look forward to since December. Remember the winter we had here in WNC! It was very, very SNOWY! So me and the girls have been dreaming about June for months!!

We had a great time. On Saturday, Jonathan and Beth road down with us. Chuck got to take his new baby to the beach and boy did we enjoy it!! He and JB drove it till lunch and then Beth and I took it the rest of the way! It was VERY FUN but VERY HOT RIDE!! We enjoyed the jeep so much at the beach. Chuck never complained of "running to the store" and I loved driving it in the sand! He even took the kids 4wheeling!

Our house was WONDERFUL! Here are some of the best parts!
*POOL*OCEAN FRONT*HUGE DECKS* HOSE FOR LUCIE AND ANNABELLE TO PLAY IN WITHIN EYESIGHT OF THE POOL* 4 SETS OF BUNK BED*FOOSBALL TABLE* *SEA KAYAK* LAWN CHAIRS* SUNSHINE* MOJITOS W/ CRANBERRIES ON TOP*DOLPHINS* WALKS ON THE BEACH*KICKBOXING IN THE LIVING ROOM*CRABBING* 4 WHEELING*SUNSETS*YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY FOOD*GUITAR PLAYING*CARDS*PHOTOS*HARDWOOD FLOORS*FLAT BEACH*COVERED PORCH IN THE RAIN*POPSICLES* BLENDER* LOTS OF BEDS*MY WHOLE FAMILY UNDER ONE ROOF!

Mimi and Grandaddy, Chuck, myself and the girls, Lorie and Kiah came in from Boone, Leslie came in from California (Uncle Paul had to work), Julie and her 3 kids (Uncle Seth had to work), Jonathan and Beth (both freshly graduated). My sweet friend Sandy came by to visit on Sunday and Aunt Teresa came on Thursday for a night! We had a great time and lots of fun and YUMMY food!!

We spent lots of time in the pool this year! I thought that it was a nice addition in December but WOW it was AWESOME! Lanie is now a SWIMMER!!! All the kids improved on their swimming skills!! We had lots of diving contests, cannon balls, water balloons fights (Chuck you did hurt me from the 3rd floor), water guns, and just plain FUN!!!

Jonathan and Beth dug their FAMOUS hole AGAIN this year! It keeps the kids BUSY and HAPPY for hours. They love to be in it and Lucie and Annabelle love to play in it and decorate it w/ shells!! We did get a few complaints from the turtle people. A lady knocked on our door at 1030 one night to tell us to fill in our hole or the turtle people would FINE us! Crazy huh!!!

Each evening was super special time for the Adults- we put the kids to bed (they were beat) and then it was time for a SPECIAL meal each night JUST FOR ALL OF US! We had yummy, yummy dishes! My favorites were.... shrimp and scallops, shrimp ceviche, crab cakes (2 times) crab dip, moms yummy spaghetti, fresh caught crabs, shrimp, Beth's yummy to die for brownies and SO MUCH MORE! Yes we ate like Kings and Queens! We also had lots of Foosball games. (Chuck and Jonathan brought the table UPSTAIRS- so we could play while the kids slept) we played cards, hung out and just had a great time together! I loved this special time w/ my siblings! We are blessed to be as close as we are! It amazes me how we are all pretty much still the same as we were when we were little. Just all a little wiser!!! :-)

The kids are SO fun to watch at the beach! They all adore each other. It is so fun to watch them in action! Amazes me how they all have their "roles." We have 3 first born who must take turns being the "leader." They enjoy each other so much! I must say Lucie and Annabelle are the most fun to watch. Maybe it is b/c they are the youngest and cutest. I felt like I was constantly taking photos of these 2 - mainly b/c i know they are growing so fast and I wish I had more photos of Caleb, Kiah, Adam and Lanie at the age of 3 and 4! I feel blessed that our kids get along. NOW don't get me wrong, they do fight and get in trouble with each other. BUT it is also nice that my sisters and I are on the same page when it comes to disciplining our kids. That makes it nice!!

I must say this trip was probably my most favorite. I don't know exactly why though. I think it is because I am getting older and I do cherish each and every minute with my little family and my big family. I feel incredibly blessed to know that God loves us, and that he sent his son to die on the cross for us. What an amazing blessing!!! I also cherish our time together more- especially since now with Boo on the West coast, and Lorie up in Boone, we don't get to spend that much time together!!! I realize that the little stuff doesn't really matter. I have chilled a little in my old age! I am not as uptight as I used to be at least I am striving for that MORE EACH DAY! I loving being with my family!!! We are a crazy group with lots of different personalities and features. I do have one thing, there is NEVER a dull moment when we are together!!!

So Mimi and Granddaddy, THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING BEACH WEEK! I will remember this memory FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just HAVE to DO THIS!!!

Ok I need someone to hold me accountable to BLOG! I just don't feel I have the skills BUT I MUST DO THIS! I want to look back on it in 10 years and cry my eyes out. So I am challenging myself to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!

So where did I leave off? I have no clue? I am scared to look back and see! So let me catch you up REAL QUICK! Lanie is now 6 1/2 and Lucie is 4 1/2 they are getting SO BIG!!! I can't believe that it is June 14th!

We just returned from the beach w/ my family! It was AMAZING and OVER THE TOP!!! I will be posting some great photos! We had an AWESOME time! Granddaddy and Mimi treated us to an AMAZING vacation in North Topsail Beach. We had a PHAT house!!! As Lanie said, "WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN BEDS" we even had 2 extra futons. We enjoyed a week with Granddaddy, Mimi, Aunt Julie, Caleb, Adam, Annabelle, Aunt Lorie, Kiah, Aunt Leslie (all the way from CALIFORINA) Uncle Jonathan, Sweet Beth and of course me, Chuck, Lanie and Lucie! Aunt Teresa and Sandy came for a quick visit too!! So we had lots of folks and lots of fun! More details later!!!

As some of you know, we have had our house on the market for a LONG time. We purchased a BREATH TAKING lot on top of Laurel Ridge back in 2007. Well long story short, on May 4th, we sold our beautiful lot and took our house OFF THE MARKET! It was just not what God had planned for us. For a while, we were quite sad BUT God really worked in our hearts and showed Chuck and me that it was just not where he wanted us. We feel really blessed that the lot did sell and that we came out of the situation on top. We love 235 Woodland Court and are really excited to stay RIGHT HERE. Thanks for all your prayers and love during this time. It was fun to dream about the thought of living on top of a mountain- with a view of the Burnette Resivor and the Seven Sisters BUT I think we should wait a FEW YEARS to make that happen! ONE DAY- I hope to have a view of the Seven Sisters from my deck. But not right now :) God is so good! He always has plans for us and it has been cool to see him work. I have learned a ton and trust him more than EVER. I was sick last week and I layed in the bed thinking OK we are staying- what can I do around here!!! We had taken down a lot of our photos and changed some stuff around - So poor Chuck- I have a nice list of things to do around here! So stay tuned to see what happens!!

Ok so my first of many blogs is complete! Wahoo!