Whittaker Woman

The North Georgia State Fair

He thought he was a big kid... He cried, and cried to be able to go on  a ride like his sisters.

Then he cried and cried to get off.

Carlos did a much better job at this story than I did. H

The North Georgia State Fair

This post is dedicated to the workers, better known as carnies. We decided that there needs to be a reality TV show on them! They were classic!

She was on the phone the entire time our kids were on the ride that SHE was in charge of!
Just in case you were wondering... His shirt said 'SAFETY FIRST' on the back. I was so comforted! :)
Ok so this guy was the man in charge of the Rat Race game we played. I could not understand a word he said. Mark finally had to come over and word by word translate for me. I was in another world tonight. H

The North Georgia State Fair

I think I will keep you captive all day by periodically posting pictures. Our friends Mark and Stephanie were the first people who invited us over for dinner when we first moved to Georgia. Since then they have continued to introduce us to the south. Tonight just might have topped me off!
Lets set the scene...
Tonight at the North Georgia State Fair... We played a game with rats!

We put our kids on rides that went in circles all night.

And we took every opportunity for a good picture!

One mans junk is another mans treasure!

My friend Kristen works for Passion and she traveled with them to Uganda back in May. When I heard she was going I was quick to ask her if she would take some things for us to our Compassion friends down there. She was fabulous and said yes...
Today I got a email from our friend Dennis. He works for Compassion and sent me some pictures of our stuff being passed out at a couple of Compassions projects.
 
Nothing today could have brought me more joy! Well except if you go and sponsor one of these kids today!

2 minutes and 45 seconds

That is how long it takes to get here from our casa! The nature that is within city limits just amazes me!
      

Living with the Whittakers

OOPS, sorry I did not post today. Can you believe it is 8pm and its the first time I've looked at my blog. I just realized the post I had scheduled did not post. Wow mark that in the record books!

I love co-living, well at least with those who we have lived with...
Bogie and Becca for 1 month in 2006             

Joy and Billy from Aug 07-Feb 08                  
Alyssa and James from March 08- Aug 08 

Every experience has been different. And yet each of the experiences have confirmed that we love to live with other people. The help, the support, the community is just so worth it!  We will continue to do it. I think we live in a world that has fallen away from relationships. I think we have alienated ourselves from each other, which only leaves many of us lonely and overwhelmed. I want my life and my families lives to be as rich as possible. We were blessed to have people welcome us into their home when we needed it and we will do the same for others!
H

Our Summer Guest Finale

Wow have we had a summer full of guests! This past weekend was the last set of visitors for at least 3 weeks. :)
Bogie and Becca came to visit! I have known Bogie for 14 years! We hung out in the same group in high school and have remained friends. They opened up their home for the whittaker's two years ago when we needed a home for a month. I guess you can say they started the co-living madness that I have embraced.
Anyways it was a fun weekend.
We got a sitter and went out one night.

We went to some Pig and Peaches festival!

And Finally we just hung out. Bogie had an infection in his knee and so they spent 10 hours in the ER on Saturday! It is always lovely to have a little IE in the house!  Wow it has been quite the summer! H

Hottest Place in Town!

Oh I have so many blog posts so much to share! I had a wonderful BIRTHDAY PRESENT! It was such a great past week.  Yesterday we had a great lunch with Eric and Angela. There is just nothing like being with your two best friends at one time! 

We had all the kids and ate at the hottest place in town. Literally!

We sat down when it said 85* and watched it slowly creep higher and higher. We had 6 kids and did not want to pile everyone back in the car so we decided to stay. My man, the optimist that he is said..." We just want to give Jacinda a authentic Southern meal. Barbecue, Sweaty and Nasty!" I would have preferred to give her another experience but this is what we got! H

No time wasted!

We woke up early and went on a hike near our house! You got to love the nature that is in the heart of the city limits! It is amazing!

Carlos let tus have a fun day out with out the kids!  We shopped till our feet could not carry us any longer.

Then we came home for some Korean food by our roommates and then the grown ups went out on the town!

It is 4:05am and we are still going. I guess I am not going to do my 10 mile run in the morning. Opps!
Tell me what is the best thing you did today?

Mine was to dream! Oh how refreshing and powerful and hopeful dream can be! What is the best thing you did? H

It's 4:11am and we are awake and having fun!!!

Slumber Party!

It's  day two and Carlos has been demoted to the down stairs room. We keep asking him and he is fine  with it. I can't let Jacinda leave my sight!

Welcome to the south J, Welcome to the south!

I gave her fare warning about possibly seeing one of the finer things that the south has to offer, but when it actually happened she yelled like a girl and bolted for the door. Look who came to visit...
Look at the Kelly doll that is in front of this animal. It was gigantic! I immediatley called James who was in his room down stairs, but no answer. I had to attack this myself. So I pulled out the bed...

I tried to make it run from out of the bed, but it ran into this blanket.

Carlos came home but refused to help me. He is the biggest girl out there.

Finally the deed was finished. Thanks to my macho man who ran like a girl after he did it!
Oh how I love the south! H

I Just Started a Blogging War!

Carlos worked hard on this video last night, but did not get to put it on his blog because he fell asleep. I was a little sneaky and logged into his youtube account so I could up load it first. :) Oh he is gonna be mad, but all is fair in love and war!

He is the best! Please go tell him so... H

30 days of love

I have to say that I have had many wonderful gifts with this month long celebration, but Carlos toped it all when I got this today...

Jacinda is HERE! In Atlanta! In my house!
I had a hunch that Carlos was up to something. I even thought it was this, but the way it went down had me thrown way off guard.
I talked to Jacinda yesterday and she had no time to chat because she was throwing her dad's 50th birthday party last night. We had talked in detail about this party so I knew she was telling the truth. However last night Carlos was acting funny. He said "What could I do tomorrow that would make your birthday the best birthday ever? " Because he was asking such funny questions and acting awkward  I was thinking that there was a big possibility that J was going to be coming. What was throwing me off was this birthday party for her dad.
This morning Carlos left early because he had a "video to shoot".  I questioned his story, but in my head knew that there was no way Jacinda could throw a party in Fresno and get to Atlanta by the morning so I thought his story was legit. When he returned home  i took a double take in his car just to see if he was alone. He was. So he came in and looked at me with THOSE kind of eyes and told me he was horny and needed some special time. As the great wife that I am we went up stairs and did the deed. Once we came down Carlos told me to look at my present and there Jacinda was sitting on my couch. I was so excited! I cried, of course I did... that's what I do now that I am thirty.
We sat and laughed at the means Carlos took to get me upstairs so he could get Jacinda inside without me knowing it. I mean it was a win win. He knew he would have me for at least a few minutes locked up in our room plus he got a present too!
I love my man! He has made me feel so loved. This however takes the cake. I am so excited to have my best friend here. To meet all my new friends, to see my church, to see my life. 
Oh and by the way she did have the party, took the red eye and made it here by 8am! H

I can't stop crying, it must be an age thing.

 
It's been a hard year for me. So much has changed. Things look different than I thought they would on this day and that makes the organized planner inside me a little uncomfortable! Yet the dawn of this new decade has come with a bounty of love. Enough to hold me over for a while! I feel so loved! Thank you everyone who made my day.
I got so many calls, emails, and fabulous presents! People I have not talked to in months reached out and that makes me feel loved. My family came out to be with me and that was the best thing I could ask for. A friend drove out of their way just to bring me a gift! But the thing that pushed me over the edge and into a blubbering mess was this...  LOVE.
Thanks Bri and J. I love you, too!

My mans view on it. H

It's a race

Who will have the last few drops of spicy sauce?

Dang it...

I lost.

You ask, I'll answer set 9

I am gonna try to get one question out a day. Lets see how long this goal will last!

Do you have any ink/tatoos/piercings?
Posted by: cathi

Yes Cathi I do have two tattoos, both are small. The first one is on my foot.  We went to Banff Canada with our best friends Eric and Angela. Our goal was to get tattoos together.  Carlos and Angela knew what they wanted. Eric and I had no idea. Once Angela got hers I looked at it and thought it was so cool. She convinced me to get the same thing. Heck she lived in Atlanta and there was no way in hell i was ever going to move there so who cares if we were twins. :) Eric ended up getting the same one as Carlos. I know cheesy, but I love it.

And the second Tattoo, I got when I went to LA Erotica. Everyone was getting lingerie for their husbands and so did I. I just don't take mine off. There was a tattoo booth in the convention and so I got my mans initials.

I am wanting to get something big, actually my mom, grandma and myself all are going to go together and get one but I do not know what to get! Ahh so frustrating.
Ok do tell, who has ink out there? Oh and do we have any artist that want to draw me up something? H

Take me out to the ballgame...

All I have heard all day long today was the tune to the Tomahawk Chop. My kids including Losiah have been chanting the tune and swinging their arms. I guess we can say we are officially from Atlanta now.


Seanna did a little barfing action earlier in the day and it came back at the game. Luckily we were able to be by a nice restroom and did not have to cover the toilet bowl of a public stadium.
Does that say mom or what. I am laughing at that picture!

I told you.

And of coarse we learned how to do the wave.
I love things like this... On the way home (we left a little early) the girls asked to listen to the game on the radio. It made me think of my Nannan, who always has her little radio on.

Family Night #11 Beach Night

Well I confess, we have a packed week and there was no plans of a family night, however we did through Alyssa a great Beach Night for her birthday. You could totally use these idea's for a family night.
I made pudding and topped it with raw sugar and chocolate sea shells that we made.

For the kids I put their pudding in sand molds. The things that look like butter are shells. The picture really does not do it justice.

The beach is Alyssa's favorite and I wanted to make her feel at home so everyone put on sunscreen so we could all smell like the beach. I made her sit with her feet in sand like at the beach. We also had a bon-fire and smores just like we would at Huntington.
 
We even got sparklers and sang happy birthday to her! It was a lot of fun!

And like every family night the girls asked... Mommy can we do a beach night again. Those are the words I live to hear.

Now it's your turn. What did you do special with your family this week? Here are the rules...Share it on your blog then link back here!!! This is very simular to the blog carnival that Shannon has explained here. Email me for questions. H

H Mart Makes me Happy!

H mart, I wonder what the H stands for? Heather? Hungry? Happy? Well, truth be told H mart made Heather hungry and then made her happy!
 
We went with the Cullins to a huge Asian market. So far the best one here in the ATL!

We had great Korean food, and were able to stock up on some of our favorites! Have I told you how wonderful it is to live with someone who cooks real Korean food?

Anyone need some Kimchee?

How about some salted jelly fish for 8 bucks? Anyone?

Maybe some fresh Talapia? I love this market! There is just nothing that takes me home
faster than experiencing a little culture. Oh I get so full when I spend time with other peeps that aren't white. Sorry East Cobb Peeps, I love you, but heavens a little color here and there just warms my soul! H

Mothers Day Surprise!

It's mothers day so I chose to lay in bed and watch some LOST. As I was in the midst of the show my skype popped open and our friends Eric and Nancy Salley were on the other line. Whats the big deal?
Well, I have not talked to them in person since this day and now they are in Africa. They have moved with their four boys to Africa to be missionaries. Nancy and I were friends in Riverside, but what bonded us even closer is the fact that God called us both to leave what we called home. We were on the same road, at the same time together. We were going to different places, but the bumps and curves that the road took each of us were very similar. And we have emailed since but there is just something about voice communication that warms a soul!

My first and probably last

Wow,  we have been so busy. I have had my grandma here, been sick and well, I have three kids... that's enough said. Carlos has been working crazy with the Drive conference, and truth be told we needed a break! So I was a little sneaky and asked our roommates if they could watch our little ones while Carlos and I went to Franklin TN, to go to our good friend Randy's wine tasting. All week we kept it a secret from Carlos.  Anyways I played it off till the last minute and surprised him. He was so excited. Oh, the joys of leaving your kids at home! Just the thought of a 4 hour car ride with silence was beautiful.  And it was. Just lovely!
We got here had a great lunch in downtown Franklin with Chad and Jen, then headed over to Randy's where we took part in a wonderful wine tasting that was to benefit Kalein. The collection of wine that we tasted was donated to him and each wine was at least a $100 bottle and a couple reached above $1000. Many vintage and quite tasty. However it was probably the first and probably last time I will ever have a glass of wine that cost so much! Our friend JVo posted the list on his blog. We mingled with lots of fun people and had a great night! And now the best part of this weekend is that it is 9:44 am and I am still in bed! 

There were about 20 great people, plus some fabulous food.

This is our great friend Spence and  Micheal W Smith.
I will admit that his music is not on my playlist, but the
fellow is pretty HOT!  He even made People 's Magazines
50 most beautiful people!  H

The worlds worst food!

And so we chose it! James and I were in the mood to have a
little treat so we piled in the car and headed to Krispy Kreme.
 

   

   

What about them?

We all have them in our lives. Maybe you've only have had  just one, maybe you have been blessed and have had many.  They come in all different shapes, sizes. Some are around for life, and  some for only a short time. What am I talking about?
Life changers. That's what I like to call them. These are people who come into your life and somehow connect with you so much that your life absolutely changes. Some people call them life coaches, some mentors, but I call mine my friend.

My friend Randy turns ___ today.
Carlos posted a birthday post about Randy here.
I wrote Randy a birthday email today and while I was writing it, I realized that the relationship that I have with Randy is a once in a life time deal. Besides Bobby (our counselor) there is no one else that has shaped Carlos and my relationship more.  Randy is that person in my life that I can look back on and say... They poured into me at a time where I needed direction and because of them my life is forever different.  We have been able to experience some major things with Randy. It has been so wonderful to be able to experience  a true, raw and  authentic friendship.   Randy has given me hope, he has given me a dream and he shares my passion for life and I am honnored to be able to call him my friend.
Who has changed you. What about them makes them different than all the rest?

Friends

Now, that is a word that has been redefined in my book this past year.

Meet some of my friends.

Spring Break 2008

Carlos took Thursday off and we headed out to the farm.
 
We got to feed the baby cows,

Go on a hay ride... I guess a smell hay ride.
   
And of coarse drink the fresh milk!

We drove to Athens, (Go DAWGS, did I do that right?)
To visit our dear friend Rachel.

Then headed up to Lake Burton to be roommates again
with our Phenix family. Oh it was so lovely!
 

   

   

   

You know a weekend is good, when you are ready to
go back as soon as it is over. What did you do for
spring break? H

Why Columbus?

A year ago I never would have thought I would EVER want to hang out in Columbus Georgia. I still think why Columbus? Then I see these guys and think, Oh Yeah thats why...

We drove 4 hours to spend 4 hours and we are 4 ever happy.
Ha that is so cheesy I love it. H

Korean's in the Kitchen... Hurray!

James and Alyssa are here! And even better in the kitchen.

We went to the Korean market and had lots of fun today!
There is nothing like other peeps in my kitchen cooking!
I am excited to learn how to make Kalbee, Chogook, Chop Chey,
bul go gi, and rice of coarse. Anyone for dinner? H

Mad

This is Madison. She is the daughter of  Matt and Tammy. Matt is the Pastor at Sandals. Tammy is one of my best friends. She and I have a relationship that has been life changing and I am so grateful for it. But there's one thing that she gave me in our friendship that I just can't live without and it is Madison. I remember the first time I saw that 2 year old and her chubby cheeks. I also remember the last time I saw her before we moved. We were up in her room and she said "Ms Heather, I am going to miss you. YOU are like a second mom to me" Oh i lost it. See one of the things I mourned as we moved was the loss of this relationship. See I wanted to be the one she ran to as a teenager to talk about sex, drugs and all in between. I wanted to be the one she cried to when her first boy crushed her heart. I wanted to be there on her birthdays, on her prom night.  I just wanted to be the one to be her second mom. I don't know where this post is going all, I just know that I miss her. H

Quality time

After the wedding we had the evening free so a few of
our friends drove down to see us. It was great to hang
out with some of our dear friends.

Here comes the bride

I know these pictures are a week late but I finally got my camera back and here are my favorite shots that I got that night. 

The Sanner's

The best looking friends ever!

Then my favorite shots! Defiantly frameable!

I am getting tired

My grandma and I left Tahoe this morning and headed
to Fresno where I spent the day with the Hales. I wish
I had more energy because I feel like a bump on a log.
Jacinda is awesome, she plans out family nights every
Wednesday night. Tonight we did cowboy night. It
was so much fun. I really miss living in Cali and having
friends at my finger tips.

What a day

What a day...
Woke up in Riverside, went to breakfast with some of my favorite people.
Left around 10am, drove to Pasadena to pick up my grandma.
Drove to Burbank to drop off the rental car I had.
Drove to Fresno. Ate at dog house. :)
Drove to Prather and had a birthday for my dad.
What a day.

My grandma and mom were yelling at my dad for taking
a bite of this with the candle still lit. I thought it was
funny but they didn't. H

Nature Walk

We took advantage of the different terrain and took a cactus hunt hike.
This is what we found.
   

   
Lesson Learned: Don't go hiking in flip flops in the dessert.

Fountain Hills, Ohh La La

Where are the tree's, where's the grass?

I tried to tell him...

That this was for lunch.

This is my view as I type in a 3 million dollar home.

I know it's tough folks, but someone's got to do it.

Separated at birth

This is Eli, he is a new little friend of ours. called him " the little brown boy"  and I don't know what you think, but I definitely can see what our second child would have looked like if SHE had come out a HE.

If you don't see it put your fingers over their eyes and then you can see it. They have the same nose, lips and skin. He is adopted from Columbia and Carlos' dad is from Panama so I guess somewhere deep down they have a relative or two.