Boating with Grandma

This morning we woke up and decided to take Grandma on the boat for a grand tour of Lake Norman. It was forecasted to be a beautiful day and we wanted to take full advantage of it. I wasn't sure how Grandma would feel about going boating or if she would even want to try it. Sometimes it is a little unnerving being on the boat for hours on end with 3 kids! She was game, so we decided to go for it! What a wonderful time we had. She was able to get a tour of the lake, see the kids swim and jump off of the boat, watch Todd and Trevor wakeboard, and witness me driving the boat (scary, I know!). I made us lunch to take in the cooler and while the kids took a swim break, we all ate lunch. We had tons of laughs and smiles and she had a great time experiencing all of these things with our family. Our day was perfect!

Lazy 5 Ranch

After a vote this morning on what to do, the Lazy 5 Ranch won out. The Lazy 5 is a kid favorite and we can never go wrong going there! Grandma Phipps was very interested in watching the animals, but she didn't want any part of feeding them. In fact, she wouldn't even roll her window down...at all! She had a good time and we all had a lot of laughs. After our drive through the safari, we stopped by the snack bar for some cold water while we watched the kids play on the playground.

Billy Graham Library

Billy Graham's homeplace

The Billy Graham Library

Grandma eating lunch at the
Dairy Bar

Grandma and I dropped James off at school this morning and then we headed over to the Billy Graham Library (http://www.billygraham.org/BGlibrary_Index.ASP). The Billy Graham Library invites visitors to follow a flowing exhibit that chronicles Billy Graham’s journey from being a farm boy from North Carolina to a well known public figure that preached and ministered in arenas in the world’s largest cities. After our interactive tour, we stopped by the Dairy Bar for a chicken salad sandwich and some sweet tea. We finished just in time to pick James up from school. After we left James' school, we made our way over to Trevor's school to pick him up. Once we got back home, the kids were ready to do something (of course). James and Lilly suggested that we go to the pool. So, the pool it was. Grandma enjoys the pool just about as much as we do. She was delighted to go to the pool with us. She enjoyed watching the kids swim around like little fish. She said that they remind her of me when I was little. A love for the water! What a nice day. It was good to spend one on one time with my Grandma!

Grandma Phipps

Grandma Phipps

Niagara On The Lake,

Ontario, Canada

Photo taken 8/2007

I have always been close to my Grandma, but as time goes on and I get older, that bond grows stronger and stronger. I enjoy spending time with my Grandma and she is one of the most amazing people that I know. Last year, we spent our birthdays together in Canada, but this year we weren't so lucky. Grandma has only been to my house once and when she was here, we were flying out for our trip and she didn't have time to see our community and spend quality time with my children. I decided to buy her a ticket to Charlotte this year for her birthday and have her spend some time in our home. Grandma Phipps arrived in Charlotte this evening and is spending the long weekend with us. She said that she would rather ride the bus than fly, so Greyhound it was! We actually had to go to Trevor's school for Open House tonight, so Mom, James, and Lilly were here welcoming committee and taxi home this evening. I am so glad that she took me up on my offer to visit. She is use to living alone in a quiet house, going to bed early, waking up early, and just doing things at her leisure. Staying in our home with 6 other people and 2 dogs is going to be way out of her norm. I just hope that after spending 5 days with us, she doesn't regret it! :)

James' First Day of School

Today was James' first day of school. I could tell that he was a little nervous when I dropped him off but he didn't put up a fuss. I, on the other hand, was a bit teary eyed on the way back to the car. I couldn't help myself. James and I have such a strong, strong bond that is deeper than words can ever express. I know that all mothers feel a bond with their children, and I do with my other two. But the bond that I have with James is just different. I don't want to say that it is deeper or more special than my other children, because it is not. The only thing that I can say with it's regards are that it is just different. When I returned to the school to pick him up, he had just eaten lunch. His teacher said that he had a great day and adjusted well to the classroom setting. I could tell that he was happy to see me. He had a huge grin on his face! When we got in the car, he wouldn't stop talking. His mind was working overtime to tell me about every detail of his day. He told me all about the classroom, class rules, and going to lunch. Lunch is a big thing for him. He remembers going to eat lunch with Trevor when he was in Torrence Creek. His cafeteria is similar and he really thinks that he's something! It is such a relief to see him excited about going to school. I am looking forward to this school year with him and watching him grow.

School decision

Our decision to move Trevor to the new Military Academy was a well thought out process and was planned a while in advance. It was not a whim or on the fly decision that we made. Since moving to North Carolina, Trevor has been in the public schools. Before living here, he was always in private Montessori and I knew that he was getting a well-balanced, advanced education and was being exposed to things and opportunities that would help him exceed in life. We have not been pleased with the education (or lack thereof) that he has been getting since moving to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. In particular, we weren't really happy with his school last year (Bradley Middle School) from the time that he began there. I am always looking for alternative education that is the right choice for my children, rather than just assume that they are going to get the education that they need and deserve from our local public school. With that said, I have been on a mission for the last year. Searching magnet schools, charter schools, and private school options that are available to us. In doing so, I came across the Military and Global Leadership Academy and began my research.


Of course, I have had some doubts along the way. Am I doing the right thing? Is this going to benefit Trevor? Is this the right school for him? How will he adjust to changing schools (again)? Do I expect too much from public schools? (NO!) What about the friends he already has? Is he really going to get a better education? What kind of person will he become? What kind of influence will the school have on him?

Trust me, I could go on and on and on about my doubts. But as a parent, we have to gather and analyze all of the information that we possibly can. In doing so, we find answers to some of our questions. And then, make a decision as to what we feel is best for our child.

After researching the school, I found that my mission and goals for Trevor go right along with the goals and mission of the school. I looked at graduation rates, success rates, and scholarship information for programs like these across the states. Overwhelmingly, the students who were in these programs were granted college scholarships, had a 98% graduation rate, and went on to become successful, productive members of our society. A big part of my decision came from the fact that this school teaches leadership and character development. Any school can offer honors classes and advance placement. And of course, I want Trevor to be part of that and I am proud of the fact that he is in honors classes. But it takes a special person to be a leader. I want Trevor to know what the qualities of a leader are and to recognize those qualities within himself. In addition to the rigorous coursework, he has mandatory community service projects that he must complete (30 hours minimum) in order to pass. We need to instill in our children that they must be compassionate and help others that are not as fortunate as we are.

The school itself is a brand new facility. The building is big, brand new, and very nice. It has state of the art technology with flat screen computers in every class. The library is massive with amazing books. The student population is small. It will never have more than 600 students (100 per grade level) so that means no overcrowding that comes standard in our neighborhood public schools. (Our local high school has over 3,000 students!) The school has a diverse student population which will benefit Trevor in his future endeavors. There is bus transportation available, but the school is in Charlotte and it starts at 7:15. With that said, (a HUGE drawback!) the bus stop at our house is 5:20 AM. Yes, 5:20 AM. That is just ridiculous. Todd works about 5 mins from the school. So, he has been taking Trevor to school in the mornings and then going to work. I have been picking him up at 2:15. With the school being new, it is in the process of starting the PTA. I have volunteered my hours, skills, and time and hope to help the school get off to a great start.

So, there you have a update on why we chose The Military and Global Leadership Academy. Is it the right choice? Only time will tell. Of course, we still have our doubts. But as a parent, you always do. I know in my heart and in my mind, that we made this decision to the best of our ability. I really feel that we have done the right the thing and I believe that Trevor will see the benefits of this program.

Trevor's First Day of School

Today has been a long awaited day for Trevor. This school year brings new and exciting changes and challanges for him. He will be attending a new school (once again!). This year, he is going to The Military and Global Leadership Academy in Charlotte.

The Military and Global Leadership Academy is a new school that is opening this year. The following is a brief description taken from their website (http://pages.cms.k12.nc.us/mgla/):

The school is grades 6-10. The academy will grow a grade a year, graduating its first senior class in 2011. The new Military & Global Leadership Academy will offer rigorous advanced placement and honors classes to prepare students for college. Students also will be provided with structure to foster positive attitudes, teamwork, responsibility and sound decision making.
The school will also focus on character education, international studies and technology. Because of its challenging academic and leadership standards, the school is not a boot camp and is not recommended for students with discipline problems.

The academy will provide:
A foundation of academic rigor and challenge
Development of students’ problem-solving, creative and critical thinking skills
Enhancement of geography, politics and economics to gain global perspective
Community service component
Mental and physical wellness
Effective communication skills
Enhancement of responsibilities of citizenship and government
Exploration of military and national organizations that support a democratic society

Special features:
Uniform school
Drill and ceremony
Community service
Academic competitions
Intramural sports
Parades, color guards, ceremonies
Code of conduct
Grading requirements
Small school - 100 students per grade level

BBQ, Beer, and Friends

After our long day at Greyson, we headed over to our neighbors house for an evening filled with fun and celebration. One of our friends, Brent, recently graduated from Wake Forest with his Masters in Business Administration. In celebration of a long two years and a job well done, his wife, Paige, planned a graduation party. For the party, she hired a chef to come over a smoke a whole pig. It was a family event with lots of friends and kids. We ate BBQ, drank cold beer, played cornhole, and had lots of laughs. The kids ran around and played and just wore themselves out. It was a fun way to end our fun day!

Skate Competition

Trevor ices his elbow

after his big bust!

The Gann Clan

Our favorite band.....
punk rock, of course!

There was a skate competition today at the local outdoor skatepark. We have an outdoor park, Greyson, through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Parks and Recreation Department (http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Parks/Skate+Parks/Grayson+Skatepark.htm). Throughout the year, Greyson host several skate competitions and events. This weekend, it was home to Battle Slam Jam (http://www.battleslamjam.com/). In addition to the skate competition, there was a battle of the bands, lots of vendors and freebies, and Fuel TV was there to film it all. Trevor participated in a skate competition here last summer but the event was rained out before it was over and the winners were chosen from those who had already skated. He has been excited and anxious awaiting this event for a few weeks. He and Todd went to Greyson 3 times this week to practice!

When it came time for Trevor to compete, I could tell that he was nervous. He did a great job in the first round and landed most all of his tricks. He skated so well that he was selected to move to the finals. During the finals, he was a little more nervous and was not landing as many of his tricks. He was trying a board slide down a handrail and kept missing. Finally, he fell and hurt himself and was not able to finish the final round. He was upset that he got hurt and very disappointed that he could not complete the competition. I explained to him that I was so proud of him for wanting to compete. It takes a lot of nerve and determination to get out there and compete in front of hundreds of people. That to me, is what makes him a winner. Not the fact of if he wins first or second place.

We had a fun day watching the skate competition, listening to bands, and people watching. We can't wait until the next big event at Greyson!

Meet the Teacher

Trevor and James check out

the classroom

With school beginning next week, James will embark upon a new and exciting adventure. Before I took my job earlier this year, I had applied for James to get into a Montessori school in Charlotte. We knew that we wanted him and Lilly to attend a Montessori school and learn the values and lessons that Montessori has to offer. After I began working at Christian Montessori of Lake Norman, I just assumed that we would have him and Lilly attend there. While Lilly is there this year, Todd and I decided to follow our original plan and have James attend at Highland Mill Montessori School. The school is ages pre-K through 5th grade. It was a long, hard decision on his enrollment this year. There were several reasons for our decision, but the biggest factor was that we just wanted to do the best thing for him. Our decision may not be the easiest logistically, but it's what we thought will be the best in the long run. There is a bus that comes to Huntersville, but I feel that he is just too young and small to ride the bus right now. Although the school is in Charlotte, it is only 16 miles from our house and it takes about 20 minutes to get there.

Tonight we went to James' school where we were able to meet his teacher and visit in his classroom. We have been talking up this night for a while. James is still very skeptical of new environments and it takes him a while to feel comfortable in new situations. He is very shy, quiet, and sensitive and it takes him a while to open up to change. He has been excited all week about the visit and did quite well when we got there. He mingled around the classroom and looked at the work on the shelves, found his cubby, and met his teacher. I am very impressed with his teacher. She has over 7 years of Montessori teaching experience and in addition to her teaching degree, she has all of her Montessori teaching credentials through the American Montessori Society (AMS). The teacher's assistant also has her teaching degree and is attending Montessori training. Overall, he seems very excited and positive about the new school year. This is a big step for him. I am pleased with our choice in school for James and tonight helped ease my concerns. I am looking forward to a wonderful year for him with hopes that he will excel academically and socially.

Grandfather Mountain

Trevor and James discuss the scenery

while we picnic

James was ready with his

bow and arrows

Trevor stops for a snack of

blackberries while we were hiking

With Lilly back in school and this being the last week of summer for the boys, I wanted to do something special with them. We haven't been to the mountains this summer because we have just been too busy. We love going over there, it is one of my favorite places. I gave Trevor some options of how we could spend the day and let him choose what he would like to do. He picked Linville Caverns and Grandfather Mountain.

We left around 8:30 AM and headed west. It only takes a little less than 2 hours for us to reach the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our first stop was Linville Caverns. The caverns feature a small stream that runs through and there are beautiful rainbow trout that live inside the cave. The walk through the cave was magnificent. We saw many wondrous things such as stalagmites, stalactites, and even a few bats! There is also a 250 feet deep "bottomless lake" that you can walk out over on a metal grate. I actually skipped that part, but Trevor and James were first in line!

After our exciting adventure in the cave, he headed over to Grandfather Mountain for the rest of the afternoon. Upon arrival, we ate our picnic at the overlook area. The background scenery was unbelievable. It is so beautiful up in the sky! After lunch, we hiked over to the main attraction at the mountain, the Mile High Swinging Bridge. We had quite a walk, but it was nice being out in the woods and up in the mountains. There is also a nature habitat that features black bears, bald eagles, deer, and cougars. We made our round through the nature habitat and ended up at an ice cream/fudge shop. Of course, we had to stop for a break and a little snack. After we revived ourselves, we decided that we would do a little more hiking. We hiked along the trail called "The Woods Walk". Trevor and James did more investigating of the woods, trees, rocks, sticks, and insects more than anything. They had to climb every rock that we came to and pick up every stick that lay on the trail. They both had a great time in the great outdoors!

After a long day of visiting with Mother Nature, we headed back home. We stopped for dinner and finally made it back around 9:00 PM. We had a long, full day but nothing could have made it more perfect. I was so happy watching the two of them connect and bond with each other and with myself. It was a day that will be treasured forever!

Back to School

Today was Lilly's first day of school. She is still attending at Christian Montessori School. She was excited and ready to go this morning. Once we got to school, she marched right on in there like she hadn't missed a beat. Her teacher and classroom are the same as last year so she just feels comfortable there. I peeked in on her throughout the day and she was always busy. She has this school thing down pat! She will be going on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this year from 8:30-12:00. I will keep those as my working hours as well.

Playdate with Connor

James had a playdate with Connor this afternoon. Conner is our next door neighbor's grandson. He and James are like two peas in a pod. They each love playing with typical boy stuff (swords, army, etc), they are rough, and they get along well. Most of all, their favorite thing is Star Wars! Although unplanned, we even saw Connor at the movies Friday afternoon when we went to see Clone Wars.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Wanda, Rick, and the 3 munchkins!

picture taken July 4, 2008 on

Lake Jackson

Today is Grandma's (Wanda) birthday. We can't be with her today, but we all wish her happy birthday wishes! Hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy yourself. Relax and do what you want to do.....you deserve it!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Today was a day that my boys have been waiting for all summer. It was the day that the new Star Wars movie "The Clone Wars" came to the theater! All week, they have been counting down the days.

We went to Birkdale and ate lunch at Eez (Asian fusion cuisine) and then stopped by Walgreens to pick up 3 boxes of our favorite candy. We finally made it to the movies and were able to see what all of the fuss is about! The boys loved the movie, of course. It is full of action and lots of Cone troopers, battle droids, and Jedis. As soon as we left, they wanted to know when they could see it again. I am sure that Todd will take them again (he wants to see it, too!). I guess I know one thing that will be on the Christmas list this year!

Oak Island Skate Park

James and his

"Ryan Sheckler" Plan B

James taking off

Taking a break under
the Palm tree

Todd and James

rest a little

Trevor cooling off

Trevor makes

the gap!

I mentioned in the previous blog that there is a Skate Park at Oak Island so I wanted to post a few pictures from those days. Oak Island is currently Trevor's favorite beach because it has the park. Never mind the fact that it is 100 degrees outside, Trevor wants to skate! Todd skated as a boy/teenager and he loves to take Trevor to the skate park. When they go, he always skates too. Of course, they can't do anything without James wanting to be right in the middle of it. Despite the fact that he was only 3, James got a "real" skateboard for Christmas last year (he and Trevor got one exactly alike!). He will ride it here at the house, but he has never been to a skate park with them. Until Oak Island! He went to the skate park with them every time! He was out on the ramps and Todd would help him ride in the half pipe. I got it all on video! Priceless!

Back from the Beach

Our House for the week

Family picture taken at the
North Carolina Aquarium


Trevor, James,
and Lilly

Our Ferry from

Southport, NC to Fort Fisher, NC

Lilly and her Daddy

Lilly and Nana

Trevor and James

play with army tanks

in the sand

We made it back from the beach after a wonderful, long, relaxing, fun-filled week! These are some of my favorite pictures that I took while we were there. The kids had a blast playing in the sand, building castles, trying to out run the waves, catching crabs, and just enjoying each other. One day, we rode the ferry to Fort Fisher and visited the North Carolina Aquarium. After the visit to the aquarium, we drove north up the coast through Kure Beach, Carolina Beach, and Wilmington. We rented a house on the ocean and most of our time was spent at the beach. Every morning, the kids would put on their swim suits as soon as they woke up. After breakfast, we headed to the beach until late in the afternoon. We took plenty of water, snacks, and sunscreen so that we were able to last all day out there. The kids were so tired every night that after we had our baths and ate dinner....it was lights out! There is also a skate park on Oak Island. Todd, Trevor, and James went skating 5 or 6 times while we were there.

We had a wonderful time this year at the beach. It is nice to spend quality time with the family and create priceless memories. This is what life is all about!

Oak Island

Trevor and James last year at Oak Island

looking for sea shells

We are leaving for Oak Island, North Carolina this morning. We have rented a house on the ocean for the week. The kids have been looking forward our trip to the beach the entire summer. I hope that James' foot won't hurt him or hold him back while we are there. He is still hobbling along. I'll post some pictures when we return!

Happy Birthday to Me

I had a wonderful birthday today. It started this morning before I even woke up! I was still in the bed asleep when Todd was leaving for work. On his was out, he woke me up by saying Happy Birthday and giving me a kiss. I spent the day with the kids and packing our stuff for our trip to the beach. This evening, Todd had made dinner reservations for us at one of my favorite restaurants, PF Chang's. We had a fantastic family dinner (the kids were actually good....all 3 of them!) and then came one more surprise. Mom had brought a cookie cake to the restaurant for our dessert. After returning back home, there was even more! There were gifts waiting here for me to open! Todd gave me some clothes from Banana Republic, Trevor had gotten me a heart necklace (it matches a bracelet that Todd gave me for our anniversary), and Mom gave me a single pearl necklace. All of the gifts are special to me! I have to say that spending time with my family is the best gift of all!