Gorman Gab

OMG!!

2008-10-04T11:34:00.005-05:00

My little one is growing up before my very eyes!! She will be 7 on October 7th! To celebrate, Karsyn wanted to invite 3 friends to Libby Lu's in the mall for a "make-over," dinner and.... yep, a slumber party! Garry and I are officially parents!! We survived our first true slumber party! 4 little girls, lots of giggles and not much sleeping!! Libby Lu's was a blast... as you can see from the pictures! We went to Chili's afterwards and ate and opened gifts! Then home for cake and sleep! (yeah, right!!) Actually, they were great! They whispered and giggled, while watching Camp Rock, and gave in to heavy eyes about midnight! Some of them slept "lightly" in order to salvage the hair! And they were hard at it again by 7am!! We then loaded up and went to Kaleb's football game! (where Kaleb met us after spending the night with a friend to avoid the girly girl stuff!) Needless to say, everyone crashed after a busy day and not much sleep the night before!
Here are some pictures!! They are such little divas!!

The next day!!!

Friday Live!!

2008-09-26T11:18:00.000-05:00

So the last Friday of the month at Bennett Elementary is celebrated with Friday Live!! It is sort of like a pep rally! They recognize those who have had outstanding months with shining star awards, Bennett Bear awards, etc.! Benny the Bear shows up and the cheerleaders cheer, and everyone gets loud!! This year, Karsyn is a cheerleader, and this was her first Friday Live to cheer at, and Kaleb ran and was elected to Student Council so they were taking the oath! Lots of fun stuff for the Gormans!! Here are some pictures...

Another 5K...

2008-09-14T18:36:00.004-05:00

So... I didn't have plans to run another race, as I am not sure that it is "my thing!" However, this one was in honor of our friend Abbie, who is in 4th grade at Bennett, and currently in a coma at Baylor's rehab facility in Dallas! She was in a car accident with her family 2 weeks ago and suffered severe injuries, including brain trauma. Please pray for her and her family!! Anyway, 1/2 of the race proceeds were going to her family, so we thought we would help out! Garry, Kaleb and I ran the 5K, and Karsyn ran the 1K! Our kids were so excited to do something to benefit Abbie and her family. (and I even shaved a minute off of my first race time!) Here are some pictures from the event!

Toothless!

2008-09-13T18:33:00.000-05:00

Karsyn finally lost her other front tooth!! She is so excited and has already received her suprise from the tooth fairy! (whom she wrote a note to, to let her know she would like to keep her tooth!) Of course the tooth fairy left it for her!
Isn't she cute??

This one is for you Bri...

2008-09-01T17:00:00.005-05:00

The race was called the Labor of Love (hence Labor Day!). The labor part I get!!! The love part... I need a little more convincing! Anyway... I completed my first race! Completed being the key word!! It was a 5K (3 miles) and Garry and Kaleb ran with me... and stayed with me. My goal was under 35 minutes and I did it in 34 minutes and some seconds. We haven't received official chip times yet... but I did it! Here are some after pics!

Football!!!

2008-08-28T16:45:00.000-05:00

Football season is here! Kaleb is on the Longhorns again, and could hardly wait to pad up and get out there! His number is 72 and in this 1st picture he is the one in the middle facing you!! He has been having practice 3 to 4 nights a week and has his 1st game on Sept. 6th! We will keep you posted! His position is fullback, and he has even been carrying the ball some! Yikes!!

First Day of School!

2008-08-25T16:36:00.000-05:00

Kaleb is now the big man on campus, being that he is a 5th grader, and Karsyn... well, she is always in charge!! She is in 1st grade and couldn't wait to get back to school. Here are a few pictures from the first day... It seems as though this might be the last year I get this photo op with Kaleb! Here is a good one of them with Mrs. Hanks & Dad! And then one with Karsyn and Mrs. Stahl! What a cute little 1st grader!

Thumbs up for E-Care!!!

2008-08-20T16:30:00.001-05:00

So... Kaleb enjoyed a trip to the E-Care for his first set of stitches!! Nana was the lucky one to get to take him! For those of you who do not know Kaleb well, blood and needles are not his thing!!! Everyone in the building knew he was there... and when we went to have them removed, the nurse remembered him too! He will not be using knives anytime in the near future and is glad that his thumb is back to normal...

August 19th...

2008-08-20T08:48:00.000-05:00

Such a random day... however, 11 years ago, as this day found us racing to hospital after hospital and being surrounded by family and hundreds of friends, random it was not! Yes, this day marks the 11th anniversary of Garry's brain "thing" (as Kaleb calls it!) As I laid down to bed last night, I was reminded of how tired I was that night as I finally laid down to sleep after 21 exhausting hours of disbelief, emotion, & confusion. I knew that the Lord could take Garry from me at any moment. After all, he is one of His rightful belongings. But, what an awesome God we serve, Garry has been making memories with Kaleb, Karsyn & I every since. The road was long and painful, but we did not have to travel it alone! God gave me tremendous strength through our quest, and a lot of that strength came from all of our family & friends that so graciously spent hours upon hours with me at the hospital day in and day out! I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you for that! You know who you are... and we love each and every one of you! Words could never express how thankful I am for each of you and your role in our adventure!! Happy Anniversary Garry! Love you!

Yet another Flood '08 Update!!

2008-08-12T14:49:00.001-05:00

We have tile!!! Here is a quick picture of the new and improved laundry room! We love it!!

Flood update...

2008-08-03T21:17:00.002-05:00

So the recovery stages are well under way...
We have removed border, painted and hung a new fan in Kaleb's room! He has new furniture on the way, and the tile and carpet will be in on this coming Tuesday! Then our lives will begin to resemble normal!!! Here are some pictures of us painting Kaleb's room! We did it while he was away at church camp, and surprised him when he came home...

Pics from "The Beach"... as promised!

2008-08-03T18:51:00.010-05:00

So... a little more on the trip to the beach! Our destination was Perdido Key... that is about 40 miles West of Destin (for you Destin fans!) in the Pensicola area! The drive was long, but worth every mile! We ventured through 5 states and had an adventure in just about every one!! Our favorite was looking for signs of the leprachaun in Mobile, Alabama! (for those of you wondering about this... tune into Youtube and search the leprachaun in Mobile newscast... you will laugh until you cry!) After an overnight stay in Hattisburg, Mississippi, and lots of "fun family time" in the car... we made it! The beaches are pure white... or sugar as Karsyn describes!! And... believe it or not, it was way cooler there than it was here. We rented a condo for the week and had rights to a private beach... cabana boy and all!! We went to the beach each morning, then the pool, followed by lunch and a great nap! Our evenings were spent searching for crabs and seashells on the beach, swimming, cooking in and of course finding lots of great seafood spots out as well! My only disappointment was that from the time we left Texas until we got to Florida, we saw maybe 1 Starbucks!! We finally found one on about day 5, the DT's had about come to an end by then, but of course we indulged!! We had so much fun and will definitely go back again! Here are a few fun pictures!!

Prepare to be blessed...

2008-07-28T20:09:00.008-05:00

legacy - something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past

Take a moment to read the words of the following blog, and then thank God for those He has given to you and tell them that you love them!! This blog is such a tribute to a man who truly left a legacy. It is a testament of faith, love and the truth that you never know what God has in store for you. So grab some kleenex and prepare to be blessed and inspired from the words you will read! Furthermore, prepare to live the legacy that you will pass on someday!

SonOfWhale

The Beach...

2008-07-20T22:21:00.003-05:00

So after the flood, we left for a much needed vacation in Florida! We rented a condo for the week in Perdido Keys! We hung out at the beach, went swimming, napped, watched the dolphins, hunted for crabs, barried each other in the sand and sited jellyfish! We had a great week, and definitely plan to go back!! Here are just a few pictures to get you started, but I will post many more and share some fun stories from the week soon!

The Flood of '08...

2008-07-07T21:14:00.002-05:00

So, Kaleb had gone to spend the night with a friend, and Karsyn and Garry were snuggled up in the chair watching a movie! I took this opportunity to catch up on some laundry and e-mails!!! With Kaleb being gone, the back part of the house was uninhabited... (is that a word??) Anyway, lights were off all was quiet back there! I emerged from the office to hear water and thinking it was the rinse cycle, headed back to add some downey to the load... so I thought! I didn't quite make it to the hall before I stepped in something very wet and cold! It was water!!!! And the washer was not rinsing, it had never stopped filling!!!! The dog bowls were literally floating! I grabbed a broom and began sweeping the water out the back door, while Garry grabbed our shop-vac! As he began sucking up water, we knew this was much more than our little 5 gallon shop-vac could handle! So we called in the calvary... friends and a restoration company... Water was literally everywhere. It was flowing out of Kaleb's room out into the garage from under the wall! Karsyn's room was flooded all the way back through the closet, and from the kids bathroom and game closet, the water passed to our bathroom and closet!!! After staying up until 2am and living with 6 days of those large industrial sized fans and dehumidifiers all over our house, everything was finally dry! We had to learn to talk at a normal volume again instead of yelling over the fans, but it was dry! We are waiting on insurance to settle, so until we can move things back, we are enjoying a huge slumber party with extra mattresses in our room. And for those of you who know me well, you will understand that I am going nuts with this unorganized mess! Check out the pics! We will keep you posted on the disaster relief efforts!
Karsyn's room (i.e. the dining room)

Kaleb's room (i.e. the sunroom)

Karsyn's "playroom" (i.e. the front entry)

Independence Day Fun!!

2008-07-04T20:40:00.004-05:00

We started our sunny July 4th with a parade in downtown McKinney! It was a bit lacking... those of you who shared the experience - can I get an Amen?? We did meet up with our friends the Bain's and made the best of it!!! We spent some time on The Square and enjoyed lunch at Spoon's!! We spent the rest of the day swimming and enjoying the nice Texas heat! We ended the day with some great fireworks and a concert by Josh Gracin... Here are a few pictures from our day!

Toothless!

2008-07-03T20:55:00.001-05:00

Lost another one!!!

Surprise!!!

2008-06-14T20:32:00.000-05:00

For those of you who know my mother, you know how hard it is to keep a secret from her! Well... we did it!! We planned a huge 60th birthday celebration, including dinner and lots of friends and family, and she never suspected a thing! Being that she was turning 60 and all, Garry thought it might be a good idea to have paramedics near by when she arrived at the restaurant! But all went well! She was very surprised... and enjoyed spending time chatting with all of her friends! We actually pulled it off without a hitch!

Moving on to 5th grade...

2008-06-08T17:40:00.001-05:00

Wow!!! Time does fly... It seems like only yesterday that we were reluctantly dropping Kaleb off at his first day of pre-school... And now, he has his sights on middle school! It kind of makes me nauseous just thinking about it. So we are moving on... Here are a few pictures of Kaleb's last days of 4th grade with friends and teachers!

and a few more....

Kindergarten farewell...

2008-06-08T16:01:00.005-05:00

Wow... how the year has flown by! It seems like just yesterday my Karsyn started Kindergarten, and here she is bidding it farewell!! It was a little emotional on the final day, and a few tears were shed!! (she is definitely ALL girl!) But that is soooo last year and her focus is now on 1st grade!! Here are a few pictures of the Kindergarten celebration and the Kindergarten party!

Harley Chic!!

2008-05-31T15:50:00.003-05:00

While we were on our road trip, we figured we may as well see as much family as possible!! So we got to see Nanny, Connie, Michelle, Barbara, Kevin and made a detour on the way home to see Uncle Chad, Aunt Emily and of course Aaron!
We all got rides on the Harley at Chad's, and the kids enjoyed digging in the dirt and some fun in the water...

Road Trip....

2008-05-30T15:41:00.001-05:00

So we loaded up on Friday morning and made it to Stratford, Texas (7 hours later)just in time for Jordan's graduation!! Jordan is my cousin Tiffany's daughter, and was the flower girl in our wedding!! Yes... that makes us OLD!! We had so much fun! It is always good to get to see family! The young ones especially love it...
I have a few pictures to share! Some of Jordan (the one in the cap and gown!!), and some of my other cousin Jennifer's kiddos as well... Kaleb and Brock are a year apart and Karsyn and Slade are about 4 months apart! They all had a great time!

And this is Jordan's younger sister Lindsi... aka Karsyn's partner in crime!!!

Like Father, Like Son!

2008-05-26T19:32:00.009-05:00

Garry & Kaleb ran in the Memorial Day 5K Run today here in McKinney! They were 2 of about 400 runners... It was Kaleb's 1st official run and he has been training for over a month! He and Garry had set his goal at 35 minutes... and he came in at 32 min and 32 sec!! We were so excited!! So was he after the urge to purge passed!! He is ready for his next run! Garry stuck with him through the race and they finished together... I am a very proud mom!
And... since we are talking like father, like son... I must add like mother, like daughter! As we pulled into the parking lot, Karsyn looked at me and said, "are you thinking what I'm thinking??" I didn't even have to ask... Starbucks is close enough for us to walk to and from and still get to the finish to see them cross the line!!! And we did...

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-05-18T19:19:00.002-05:00

Wow... another year has come and gone! And as usual, my family has pulled another one off! They got me a new camera! The new Nikon, with the extra lense and photography classes to go with it... I am so excited!! I have been using it and love it! What a great surprise! As the years pass, I realize how blessed I am each and every day... I am so thankful that God has blessed me with a wonderful, healthy family, to share my life with!

I did enjoy a wonderful birthday day with the fam at the Roughriders game! It was the McKinney ISD Spirit day, and we headed over after a wonderful birthday lunch at La Hacienda Ranch! Here are a few pictures... courtesy of the new Nikon!!

New Do!

2008-05-16T19:15:00.002-05:00

Karsyn had been growing her hair out... We had actually come up with some very cute do's! However, I think the hot weather had gotten the best of her, and she decided she was ready for a change! So... she lost about 2 & 1/2 inches of hair and gained about 6 years of Sassy! Have a look!

Where does the time go???

2008-05-09T19:05:00.000-05:00

So... I am not sure where the time has gone! Weeks have passed since I have posted, so I will back it up a bit to May 9th, Bennett Elementary Field Day 2008!! I didn't get a chance to actively participate (other than wash and iron the appropriate colored shirts for my Kindergartener and 4th grader!), but I understand they had lots of fun!! Here are a couple of pics!! Not sure who had more fun... the kids or Mr. Gorman!

Up to date on my posts...

2008-05-03T22:05:00.002-05:00

Up to date I am not!!! However, thought these last few postings might satisfy a few of my over-acheiving blogging friends... you know who you are...

Rubberneckin'

2008-04-18T20:44:00.004-05:00

It is that time of year... the Bennett Variety Show & you guessed it... Elvis returns!! No explanation needed...

Oh the Joy of Field Trips!!!

2008-04-04T20:25:00.004-05:00

As if it isn't enough to ride a yellow dog into Dallas with a bunch of very excited and VERY loud Kindergartners, the weather never cooperates when I attend a field trip! So we head out to the Dallas Arboretum... springtime... the best time to go!!! Everything is in full bloom!!! Yea, right!! Try 45 degrees, misty and windy... We got there in time to have lunch (at 10:30???). Then we had free time to take our group and walk around and "enjoy" the beauty and goodness! Whatever!! It was COLD! I have never been so excited to go to "rock" class! It was INSIDE! After rock class, we had more time to "enjoy!" I preferred to "enjoy" near the entrance where we could be first in line for the bus... however, my girls insisted on "enjoying" elsewhere! I must admit, the kids all had a great time, and you might know that the sun appeared as soon as we loaded up to head back to McKinney! Here are a few pics! ENJOY... after all, you are inside at your computer where you are warm!

Karsyn the Artist!

2008-03-25T20:19:00.004-05:00

One of Karsyn's many talents: Art!! Her art (seahorse)was featured at the art show for Bennett! She was very proud!! Can you tell??
Her art teacher Mrs. Caughey was also very proud!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T17:03:00.003-05:00

Wow... where does the time go!? Easter Sunday is coming to a close, as is Spring Break and all the fun that comes with it! We started the week off kind of shaky with all the sickness and such! But we finished off strong... We enjoyed "Horton Hears a Who!" and "College Roadtrip!" Both very cute. We also managed to sneak in some time with friends as well. We enjoyed shopping Grapevine with the Michael family as well as taming the animals at Rainforest Cafe! We popped in on Sara and the kids in Coppell, and got to see Lea while she was home from New York! Karsyn and I enjoyed a day at the spa... really a few hours, but we could have stayed all day! She actually almost fell asleep in the massage chair while getting her pedi! True girly girl... I must say, we also got in some good Wii time! Kaleb still whoops us all, but it's fun. All in all, I think we had a relaxing week, and are for the most part ready to hit it tomorrow. Oh yes! Spunky... he is almost completely house trained and knows his name as well! Yea!!! He of course has also become accustomed to being toted around the house like a baby like it or not!

And the Gorman family grows...

2008-03-18T16:50:00.004-05:00

So in a huge moment of weakness and a large lapse in sanity, we added another member to the Gorman family!! Of course, it couldn't be a fish or one of those crab things you see in the malls... (you know the lower maintenance pets?) it had to be a dog! I must say, I never thought I would have 1 dog, but now 2?? Perhaps my current sickness had something to do with it... Anyway, meet Spunky! He is 3 & 1/2 months old and about 3 & 1/2 pounds! He is of course a yorkie! And a cutie at that! Kaleb, Karsyn and Scooter all love to play with him. And Garry loves to "go potty" with him... especially at 3:30 in the morning and in the rain! We'll keep you up to date on the "happenings" of Spunky.

Sickness Update!

2008-03-18T16:39:00.002-05:00

So... the last time I posted was my last day as life as I knew it! Kaleb and Karsyn both stayed home on Wednesday after a night of fevers and coughing! (and might I add, no sleep!) Everyone seemed to be pulling it together which was a good thing considering I had to work on Thurs, Fri and Sat! Then evening rolled around... I started running fever! Long story short, after 2 trips to the md, antibiotics and steroids, I am heading for normal! Whatever that is...

Sickness Be Gone!!!

2008-03-11T16:20:00.002-05:00

As if my job doesn't require me to be around sick people enough... my family is using my pharmaceutical services a little too much these days! Karsyn and Kaleb both had some form of the flu in early February. Karsyn finished up that antibiotic just in time to need another one for a nasty infestation of strep throat, only to top that 10 day therapy with another trip to the Dr. with an upper respiratory infection yesterday! The Friday before, Garry woke me with his show and tell version of "pink eye!" And today, Kaleb rose with 101 temp!! Yet another trip to the doctor! I asked if they had any job openings in the office today! All of this to say... thank you Lord for my wonderful husband and beautiful children, and the knowledge and means to take care of them! I am truly blessed! And... does that Calgon stuff really work???

"Rockin' Around the Clock"

2008-03-08T08:52:00.006-06:00

This year's theme for the Bennett family dance was the 50's! So last night we put on our poodle skirts, rolled up our jeans and slicked back our hair for a night of fun! From the spotlight dance to the diner and even the twist, we did it all! There was fun for everyone! Enjoy the pics!

Snow???

2008-03-04T08:43:00.003-06:00

Is it really March? By looking out the window this morning, you would never guess March!!! The kids welcomed the idea of snow and were thrilled to wake up to a blanket of white AND a 2 hour school delay! What to do with the time?? Play in the snow of course! And that they did! They were out the door before 7am to get as much snow time in as possible. When they came in an hour later with frozen fingers and toes, Karsyn said, "Mommy, this is my first time to ever get to play in snow!!" You never know about Texas weather!

Where did February go?

2008-03-01T09:12:00.000-06:00

Wow! February has come and gone! And not a single post! Sorry about that, but I warned you from the start! We have been running to basketball practices & games, taking dance, and school in between! We battled the flu, and strep throat along the way as well! My grandmother came to visit for a week from Amarillo, and we got to see her everyday while she was here! We all enjoyed that! Garry has been gearing up for the dreaded TAKS test, and I have been working between the Sam's here in McKinney and the one in Plano/Frisco on 121! And that should bring you up to date! Until next time...

"Small" Blessings...

2008-01-14T20:33:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, my brother and sister-in-law, Chad and Emily, have been blessed with a little one! Actually, we have all been blessed! His name is Aaron, and we absolutely adore him. Kaleb and Karsyn have taken to their new cousin with much love and affection! They both cried when he had to go back home after a weekend visit. They live up in the panhandle near Amarillo, so it is quite a drive! However, this is incentive to make it more often!
Aaron is 2 and comes from a situation that no adult should experience in a lifetime, let alone this sweet little boy! They have lots of transition ahead, as well as plenty of court dates! They are doing such a great job with him, and his speech and motor skills are quickly progressing! Chad and Emily have so much love to share with Aaron, and our prayer is that God would allow him to stay with them, and forever be a part of our family!

Using Karsyn's make-up! Look Dad!!

Keeping the Tooth Fairy Busy...

2008-01-13T21:25:00.000-06:00

This just in... Karsyn lost her 1st tooth! She is soooo excited! And isn't this smile adorable!? Not only did Karsyn lose one, Kaleb lost 2!! Kaleb is into pulling his own, but Daddy is the official tooth puller at the Gorman's! And when all was said and done, she said "that didn't hurt at all, thanks for not anking (yanking) it Daddy!" Fun Times!

Happy Birthday Kaleb!!

2008-01-13T19:31:00.000-06:00

So Kaleb turned 10 on January 9th!! Wow, I have a child in double digits! As if I didn't already feel old! This year we changed the whole birthday thing up a bit...
Instead of a party, we led Kaleb to believe we were going to just do the family thing for his big day! Little did he know that we had tickets to a Mavericks basketball game for the 9th! We let him sweat it out and mope around for a couple of weeks! And then let him open up a mavs jersey and the tickets the morning of his big day! However, we let him think that we would be going to the game as a family! (Which he was fine with). He was so excited to get to that game! So after school, Garry and Kaleb headed to Plano to Outback Steakhouse, while Karsyn and I put the finishing touches on our scam! We picked up 2 of his best buddies, Caleb and Jon Wayne. We surprised him at the restaurant and the 3 boys and Garry headed to the game after dinner! They had a blast, as you can see from the pictures! Complete with autographs before the game, t-shirts from the mavs guys and dancing on the megatron big screen TWICE!! Kaleb said that it turned out to be the best birthday EVER!

Posting Sabbatical!

2008-01-13T18:26:00.000-06:00

So to explain the gap in posts! Not only did I warn you all that this could happen, the holidays seem to add busy to our already busy lives! So to back it up a bit, our Christmas break began with Garry and Kaleb visiting the Dr.s office. Garry with a sinus infection and Kaleb with a sinus infection and bronchitis! I began to feel bad on Christmas day and finally with much urging, went to the Dr. the following Saturday to find that I had Strep! Which I have never had and hope to avoid in the future! Karsyn followed close behind with an upper respiratory infection that weekend as well. Needless to say, we didn't do much over the break (including posting on the blog) except get well! We did have a great Christmas and hope you all did as well! The New Year has come and gone and things have began to slow down as we find ourselves falling back into a routine, and putting an end to the posting sabbatical!

Let the Sleep-Overs Begin...

2007-12-27T18:11:00.000-06:00

Sleep-Overs (aka Slumber Parties back in the day!) have always been a huge part of every girls life!! Our girl included! She couldn't wait until she was old enough to have friends sleep over. Finally, the much awaited time came for her and her buddy Libbie! The girls had big plans and with much anticipation and a little reluctancy, the big day was here! It was complete with pillow fights, baking cookies and late night chats. I think it was all they had hoped for! And to think this is only the beginning of many...

Patiently waiting!

Priceless....

2007-12-11T10:40:00.000-06:00

Training for a marathon... running over 500 miles over 13 weeks!
Running a marathon... Focus and Determination
Finishing a marathon... Priceless!

Garry ran and finished Wellstone's White Rock Marathon this past Sunday, December 9th, along with 15,000 other runners! The temperature was a chilly 43 degrees and he ran through rain, sleet and strong winds as well! My mom, the kids and I waited with much anticipation at the finish... the kids with signs held high that they had made the night before! We were squished in like sardines with about 60,000 others waiting for finishers as well! I have never been more proud as I watched him approach the finish of his 26.2 mile journey! What an awesome accomplishment! And in a mere 4 hours and 5 minutes!! His "running" buddy, Doug, is also in the picture! Doug is in white and Garry in red! They trained together and finished together!

Before the race!!

KidStuff!!!

2007-12-04T09:40:00.000-06:00

Kidstuff Sundays are always so much fun! It is the first Sunday of each month and introduces the virtue the kids will talk about for that month! Well... Garry and Kaleb participate frequently! Here are just a few pics of Garry as he performs the 3 wise men's rendition of the song "Jump"!! (hence the blurriness) Being silly as always! And a quick video of Kaleb singing a solo! He did such a great job!! We are very proud of him! Enjoy!!!

"Deck The Halls!"

2007-11-26T09:26:00.000-06:00

Karsyn takes dance at the School of the Arts at the church. Yes, dance in the Baptist Church! Don't tell! Anyway, she got to participate in our Deck the Halls services at church! ALL 3 of them! The girls did great in all of the services, however, my favorite was the last service. Karsyn had spotted her friends, McKenna, Libbie and Ashton sitting in the balcony on the opposite side of the worship center! She would soon end up in that area for a short time while the big girls danced and then was to join with them to finish! During this brief interlude, she proceeded to get her friends attention by jumping up and down and waving! Luckily they waved back and she was able to finish her routine! It was too funny!! They were all so cute!

Run Kaleb! Run!

2007-11-25T19:57:00.000-06:00

You know how Forrest Gump just kept running??? Well... Kaleb is not far behind! Let me start from the beginning! Kaleb and Garry had signed up to run the Believe Race here in McKinney! Kaleb signed up for the 1 mile fun run and Garry for the 5K (3 miles)! The races started at the same time and the trails were marked for each run! At the word "GO", they were off! At least 150 runners! My mom, Karsyn and I were anxiously awaiting our boys to cross the finish line. The race began at 8am and we expected Kaleb at about 8:15 and Garry not far behind at 8:20 or so! Well, 8:15 came and went and no Kaleb! 8:20 came and went and still no Kaleb! Garry crossed the finish at about 8:24 and said he had passed Kaleb on the 5K trail, but didn't realize it was him until a little later! What??? Yes, he had gotten off of the mile trail and somehow stayed with 5K group!! Our little runner crossed the line at 8:39 after running what started out as 1 mile and turned into 3!!! He couldn't believe it! He just knew we were going to be worried sick! Garry ran down the hill to meet him and they ran across the finish line together! Priceless picture! We are so proud of both of them! Kaleb just wishes he had signed up for the 5K so he could have placed! Next time!!

Family Pictures!

2007-11-21T19:38:00.000-06:00

So, it is always a chore in itself to get everyone ready and out the door for pictures! Add an unexpected drop in the temperature and lots of wind!! However, the elements were not going to stop us from getting a head start on the holiday season! (i.e. Christmas card pics)! Our wonderful friend Lea was a trooper as well as she posed us and snapped over 50 pictures! Thank you! Lea! We love you! Here are just a few!

Trick or Treat?

2007-10-31T19:29:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to let you see our hippie and "pajama girl"!! We experienced a "first" in the Gorman household tonight as we went trick or treating! We usually hit the Fall Funfest at church, but since they didn't have that this year, we hit up some of our friends around town to enjoy the night! The 2nd pic is of Kaleb and his long time buddy Jackie!

Pumpkin Carving...

2007-10-29T10:09:00.000-05:00

The boys suprised the girls with pumpkins and carving kits! We made our places in the kitchen floor and began the task... Karsyn especially enjoyed putting her hand inside the pumpkin and pulling out "the worms"! She also enjoyed slinging them all over the kitchen! She always has her own agenda. Kaleb wasn't as sure about the slimy insides as she was! They disected pumpkin seeds and each helped cut out the faces! The final products are awesome! We all had so much fun!!!

Baking with Karsyn...

2007-10-29T09:53:00.000-05:00

So Karsyn and I set out to make pumpkin cookies!! This concept in itself is pretty entertaining if you know Karsyn! We prepared the batter without any major disasters, however the kitchen may never be the same after Karsyn got her hands in the flour! I don't know what was more fun, rolling the dough, cutting out the cookies or patting our floured hands together to make "rain"!! I am sure you can figure that out by the pictures!! We enjoyed some quality "girl" time and the final product actually looked great too! And of course we heard no complaints about the taste either!

Longhorn Football....

2007-10-23T09:23:00.000-05:00

This football stuff is pretty intense! The Longhorn team has made the playoffs! They are #1 in there division and #2 in the League! We will begin playoffs on Saturday, November 3rd.

Birthday Junkie!!

2007-10-19T07:43:00.000-05:00

So... I am a little behind posting, but I warned you all of that when I started! Anyway, Karsyn is officially 6!! It is very hard to believe... it seems like just yesterday that we were holding the little 5lb 8oz bundle in our arms! Long gone are those days! And she is quick to inform you of that! She began celebrating October 1st, even though her birthday is the 7th! She is a bit like her father in the birthday & Christmas categories!! We celebrated on Friday at school with cupcakes (no sprinkles of course!! hee! hee!) Then on Saturday, we celebrated with family and friends at Bath Junkie on the square. They closed the place down, and the girls had full reign! They all got to make there own salt scrub and bubble bath. They even got to pick the scent and the color!! This place is addicting! Everyone should try it out! As you can see in the pictures, even Daddy enjoyed it! She got awesome gifts and had a great time with her friends. The following day was the REAL day, and we spent it with Nanny (my grandmother), Aunt Connie, cousin Michelle and Nana of course! They traveled all the way from Amarillo to celebrate! She even got a surprise visit from Uncle Chad and Aunt Emily! We had a great weekend! Karsyn was sad to see it come to an end!

Election time already??

2007-10-03T14:47:00.000-05:00

So Kaleb decided that he would begin his political career and run for Bennett Student Council... As any politician, he began his campaign well before the "actual campaigning" time! He floated in and out of conversations about "who" was running and who was voting for who! He came home with useful info everyday! He prepared his speech and hung his poster with care! The day had finally arrived... he gave his speech, (ending with, "Oh! And I will see what I can do about getting colder water in the drinking fountains up here on the 2nd floor too!"), and returned to his seat to listen to what the other candidates promised! The votes were in!! And they waited! And waited! Two whole days they waited! I think we may need to talk to administration about that... Finally, Thursday was here and the announcements (which are televised) began! He did it!! He is now a proud member of the Bennett Student Council, and for those of you who know him, he has a mission!! Here are a few pics of him taking his oath at a school assembly this past Friday. I am not sure if this is a look of intent, or a case of nerves!! Whatever it is, he is such a cutie!

Surprise...

2007-09-13T09:41:00.000-05:00

Don't you just love surprises?? Even better, surprising your kids with something that you know will make their day! My brother, aka "Uncle Chad", was going to be in the area and we kept it a secret. It was priceless to see the look on Kaleb's face as he practiced football, and realized that Chad was standing there watching! And Karsyn, by that time had already claimed him as her personal jungle gym. We had lots of fun with him while he was here! Hope he comes back soon!!

This football thing is hard...

2007-09-09T10:09:00.000-05:00

Football just wears Karsyn out! Things got quiet after we got home from the game and I found her asleep in our room sitting in "the big blue chair!" Had to capture it! Isn't she a cutie!

Sweet Victory...

2007-09-08T17:39:00.000-05:00

The football season has officially started! Kaleb had his first football game today, so we all put on our burnt orange (much harder for some than others! Garry sported his OU hat with his Longhorn shirt!) and went out to support our team! And what a team they are... Kaleb had some awesome tackles and a couple of QB sacs! His coach calls him the human wreckingball! However, he prefers BRUISER as noted on the back of his jersey. We (the Longhorns) played the Cowboys, and won in double overtime, 7 to 6! Wow! Kaleb started the game and never came off the field except for half-time! We have a great team and the guys play very well together! Kaleb was tired to say the least... but not too tired to enjoy the rest of the day with a couple of his long time buddies and opponents of the day, Caleb and Jon! We decided that when they all get to Jr. High, they will make a pretty sweet football trio! Enjoy the pics!

Putting the Labor in Labor Day!

2007-09-03T17:14:00.000-05:00

Garry really took this Labor Day thing seriously!!! This is him finishing a 10K this morning. For those non-runners in the group... that is 6 miles!! He finished in 55 minutes and 3rd in his division! We were at the finish to cheer him on! We are all so proud of his accomplishment, and can't wait to see him at the finish line of the full marathon he will be running in December!

Summer Fun....

2007-09-03T17:07:00.001-05:00

What started out as playing with water guns, slowly moved toward the sprinkler and quickly turned into a drenchfest!! What a way to enjoy your Sunday afternoon! They were having so much fun, I had to capture it!

Welcome to Bennett!

2007-08-27T17:48:00.000-05:00

So... 3:30 finally arrived and I waited at the end of a hall filled with what looked like giants compared to my little Kindergartener! She never looked so small! She had a big smile on her face and a big hug for me. Kaleb met me soon after her and we all left to go get some ice cream to celebrate a great 1st day! Kaleb asked if we could pretend everyday was the 1st day!! Smart boy! They both talked non-stop... I think I caught about 1/3 of it all. From "going on a bear hunt," & Junie B. Jones to the new student in 4th grade that is from Japan and speaks no English, the car was filled with stories! Karsyn also informed me that she needs to take nap stuff because she needs to rest! Mrs. French said that she was the only one that fell asleep during rest time!! Maybe because she got up so early!? Anyway, the day turned out good for all, and we are off to football practice and then home to prepare for day #2!

Anxiously Awaiting 3:30....

2007-08-27T11:00:00.000-05:00

Wow!! How time flies... sometimes! I have watched my little ones grow up before my very eyes, yet today, I sit here alone, watching time creep by, awaiting the tales of the day! Yes, we have ventured upon one of those momentous occasions in the Gorman Household that many of you can relate to. Karsyn started Kindergarten! We have been talking about this occasion for sometime now, and she has waited patiently for the BIG day! She has been looking forward to going to "Daddy's school" and to being able to see her big brother in the hallowed halls of "her" school! She went to bed early and rose early as well! She put on her new clothes, packed her backpack, posed with Kaleb for a few pics and we were off to Bennett Elementary! Now, for those of you who know Karsyn, you will be oddly suprised that she was a little hesitant this morning! She let me know that she was "frightened" and didn't really need any new friends! She held tightly to my waist (which wasn't making it easier for me!!) and kept saying she didn't want to make new friends! Won't she be suprised when she finds out that school really isn't just about making new friends!! Hopefully that lesson will not come with any trips to Daddy's office! I finally got her to sit at her seat and asked if I could snap a picture! She finally agreed to it, but wouldn't look my way...
As for Kaleb, he walked his sister to Kindergarten and as the 1st bell rang, told her to have a great day and he was off to his new domain on the "2nd floor" to begin his career as a 4th grader! How cool is he to get to move upstairs? That is evidentally BIG! He, of course did not need my help to his class, but will come home full of stories that I can't wait to hear as well! So until then, I wait....

Charlotte...

2007-08-11T14:51:00.000-05:00

So, we have a new resident at the Gorman abode! She lives in the maple tree out front, and can usually be found somewhere between this tree and the neighboring basketball goal. She has been tagged accordingly… Charlotte. She is indeed a spider! And I have to confess, at first I agreed with Karsyn… her response was, “that spider is huge, knock it down and squash it!!!” However, as we watched her track back and forth from the top of the basketball goal to the tree (about 6 feet one way!), we found ourselves standing in the driveway in amazement. Kaleb and I agreed that it must seem like miles to her! But, yet she just kept going back and forth! What perseverance God has given her! Karsyn quickly changed her mind about the “squashing” and was the one that named her. She asked “mommy, how does she know how to do that?” Wow!!! We talked about how God had given her that ability, and the wisdom to use it! And, how God loves us so much more than Charlotte! If He takes care of her… we are set!! Charlotte has been a great lesson and a great reminder of faith! We have been watching her for about 3 days now. We watch at night as she works so diligently and then the kids run out in the morning to admire her work!! I snapped a couple of pictures of her last night! One is not so great, you may have to hunt for her… I wasn’t getting THAT close! And the other is just crazy!

Adam's Return!

2007-08-05T09:14:00.000-05:00

Adam is home for a brief time before he goes to Iraq! We certainly have enjoyed our time with he and Kimberly during his break! They are such sweet friends that they brought donuts and juice and had breakfast with us this past Wednesday morning! Shouldn’t we be serving you guys?? Adam taught Kaleb a few defense moves and we practiced some “body hardening!” However, I think Kaleb might have passed on a few helpful techniques to Adam as well!! Don’t forget that chicken wing move!! We hooked up with them again on Thursday night for a cook-out with lots of friends. We all had a great time! Thanks guys! Continue to lift this family up in prayer with us! We are praying for Adam’s safe return in the Spring and for a healthy pregnancy for Kimberly and baby!! (she is due mid-March!)

Look! Matching pony-tails!!

Crazy Legs...

2007-08-01T21:15:00.000-05:00

We went to Six Flags yesterday! We made an early entrance just after opening so we wouldn’t have to stand in long lines for the “good” rides! The video is of Karsyn and mommy on Karsyn’s favorite ride “crazy legs!” After the 3rd time in a row, I finally coaxed her onto something else! The highlight of the day was the Batman ride! Kaleb has been waiting for 2 long years to be tall enough to ride this one! He and I rode it once and then he and Garry rode it again! Worth waiting for?? Ask him! We all got on the Judge Roy Scream! Yes, I said ALL! Karsyn did decide she didn’t want to ride it… after we were at the top of the first drop! I don’t know if I was more worried about her falling out or puking on me!!! Ugh! I talked to her the whole time to keep her from puking, but the faces were priceless! I don’t think we will get her back on that one for a while. Another favorite was the teacups of course! And Kaleb tried his first funnel cake. Yum!!! And, Jessica, look! Karsyn is eating a “pink thing!” They closed down the big rides and the water rides as well around 3pm due to lightening in the area. So we saw a show and headed home around 5! The kids would have stayed, but the adults thought 5 & 1/2 hours at Six Flags was enough fun for one day. We weren’t even in the car 10 minutes before Karsyn was snoozing! And Kaleb was receiving news that his buddy Adam and his wife Kimberly are expecting a baby!!!! We are so excited about that!! What a great day!

"While you were out..."

2007-07-31T09:17:00.000-05:00

So… Garry and the kids went to Oklahoma for Casey & Christa’s 10th wedding anniversary party a couple of weekends ago! They left on Wednesday and didn’t come back until Sunday afternoon. I had to stay behind to work, so I found something to keep me occupied while I was home alone! I have been wanting to remove the wallpaper in the kitchen for sometime now and finally just dove in! I started taking wallpaper down on Wednesday night and by Friday night, my mom and I were STILL working at getting it down. What a job! And, yes I did recruit my mom! She accepted, willingly of course! She might think twice the next time, but we had lots of fun while we were at it. After all of the wallpaper had come down, we filled some nail holes and cracking in the ceiling and painted it! Then we made yet ANOTHER (at least the 3rd) trip to Home Depot for light fixtures, which we hung around midnight on Saturday night! Yes, WE hung them!! And they WORK!!! Then I textured the walls and mom replaced door handles and recovered my chairs (with some awesome fabric she found!) and by 4:15 on Sunday morning, we were almost ready to paint! We slept for a few hours and regained conciousness after a much needed trip to Starbucks! And then we were back at it! We almost had everything painted by the time the gang pulled in! I think Garry thought he was on the HGTV show “While you were out!” The kitchen is back in working condition now and looks awesome! We love it! Garry said he might leave more often and see what happens!!! And by the way… they had a great time in Oklahoma! I will post more info and pictures on that a little later!

Look! No wallpaper!!

The Princess...

2007-07-17T18:01:00.000-05:00

Ready for preschool graduation!!! May 16, 2007…

As I am sure you can imagine Karsyn learned much more than the days of the week at preschool…

We can’t wait for Kindergarten in the Fall! Stay tuned for that!

The King...

2007-07-14T19:03:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, every year in the talent show at school, Kaleb sings Elvis!! This is this years performance!

I'm a Blogger!!

2007-07-11T13:02:00.000-05:00

Hey all!! Yes, I have conformed and am going to try and keep up with a blog!! Like most of you who update daily, I am not sure I can compete, but will try to udate at least weekly. I will briefly bring you up to speed on our summer and post a few pics to start! Garry finished up his first year as Big Man on campus, as the Assistant Principal of Bennett Elementary aka “The Best School in McKinney!” (one of the 19 elemetary schools here in McKinney!!) Post 3rd grade and preschool graduation, we headed to Hereford for my cousin Shawn’s wedding! Garry officiated and Karsyn (now 5) was the flower girl! We had lots of fun and laughs while there! It is always good to spend time with family. Garry and I celebrated 12 years of marriage in May as well! WOW!! We have since spent lots of time swimming and playing with friends! And did I mention baseball!! Lots of baseball!! Kaleb played for the Nationals this season. Garry and Kaleb (now 9) just returned from church camp at Austin College and Kaleb has been nonstop talk since!! They got in yesterday around noon from 4 days of camp AND still made it to the midnight showing of Harry Potter #5 with their buddy Jon! Crazy boys! Karsyn and I enjoyed a quite evening of Princess Diaries 2 and crashed! The boys cruised in around 3am. While the boys were at camp, Karsyn and I enjoyed spending quality “girl” time with our friends Jamie, McKenna, Libbie and Ashton Michael! We had a sleep-over, complete with pizza, movies and manis and pedis! We had lots of fun staying up late and giggling! We even made it to early church service the next morning ON TIME! That should about bring everyone up to speed. I hope to keep you there with my updates!! Wish me luck! Until next time…

Preschool Graduate!!

McKinney Marshalls baseball game!

Girl Power!!!
Sleep-over with
the Michael girls!