How do you solve a problem like Maria???

How do you solve a problem like Maria -- you give the part to Sierra and let her solve it!

Yes, we all will be singing all the songs from the Sound of Music -- Sierra was just informed she got the lead role in this wonderful play! Sierra put most all of her dance on hold this year to focus on trying out for the school play, and trying to receive the lead role of Maria. This morning we were told she did just that!

So if you call and we answer by singing "The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Music", you will know why. We are so proud of Sierra and we know the work is just beginning. The play will be the first weekend of April, and I am sure we will be giving you updates as we go along.

CONGRATULATIONS SIERRA!

Seahawks End Regular Season on High Note

SEAHAWKS - 47

Jets - 7

Friday night lights continued to shine this week as the Seahawks ended their regular season play with a victory over the Jets. This week Tanner was a shining star as he scored two touchdowns and an extra point! GO TANNER!! He also almost had his first interception as he tipped a ball away from a receiver. Tanner was beaming tonight because for the first time I think he actually KNEW he had played a great game. Tanner we are so proud of you!!!

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BALL!

TOUCHDOWN!!!!

The photos may be blurry but the image is still there!!

Tanner tips the ball and almost gets an interception! Carson looks bummed because he missed the tipped ball!

Great Season Seahawks!

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!

Every Thanksgiving I think Polo begins to FEAR what is going to take place the next day. He will be teetering on a ladder high above the ground hanging Christmas lights, changing batteries in the village, hot glueing village mishaps, and doing all the "honey do's" for me to make the house just right for the holidays. This is perhaps his least favorite thing to do ever! Not that he does not like Christmas or the lights, he just does not like climbing up on ladders!

This year I conned the neighborhood kids (meaning I offered them money) into helping me take down all of the Christmas from the attic and putting all of the fall decorations back up! Yeah me! I am sooooo smart! We had fall up in the attic and Christmas down from the attic in record time -- 35 minutes! I had the fabulous help of six kids -- so it cost me $20, but it was worth every single penny.

The hardest, but the best, part of setting up Christmas is the Christmas Village. Our village has be around for awhile and it had a great beginning story. If you have a minute read on. When Tanner was four years old we took a trip to Disneyland. We finally broke the kids piggy banks they had been saving in since they were one. Much to our surprise, $165.00 later --- ugghhhhh -- the kids had about $80 each to spend. Had we known a pink pig could hold that much we would not have told them it was all theirs!

Off to Disneyland we go (yes, the Christmas village story is coming!) and the kids are both wearing HUGE smiles because they are loaded with money. I guess the upside is we will not have to fork out one dime other than a ticket price (which could also break the pink pig bank). As soon as we enter "The Happiest Place on Earth" Tanner shoots off into a store (one of about a 150 throughout the park) and he spots a Disneyland Monorail -- complete with raised track, a recorded Disneyland message, and battery operated. He proceeds to say, "I want to spend my money on this!" We looked at the price, $69.00 -- which means all of his money by the time he pays taxes. We proceed to do the parent thing -- divert his attention to other lower priced items -- but Tanner will have nothing to do with that, he wants the monorail. We told him if he had enough money to still buy it when we were leaving Disneyland he could purchase it then.

We knew we would be at Disneyland for two full days, and we were confident Tanner would not be able to NOT spend his money, and we put the monorail out of our minds. That was until every time he wanted to buy something he would say, "If I buy this, will I still have enough money for the Monorail?" We were getting worried as he did not spend one dime on day one at "The Happiest Place on Earth".

You can imagine how this story ends. On our way out of Disneyland at 11:15 PM, kids half asleep on Polo and my shoulders, Tanner lifts his head and says, "Mom I need to buy my monorail." So we have to stop by the store because we knew he had the money to buy the toy. He purchased the monorail and carried it all the way to the car with the biggest smile!

That all happened in October, and we now fast forward to December. At the time we had just moved into our new home and there was not a stick of furniture in the front living room. Tanner proceeded to set up his monorail in the middle of the living room. In December when it was time to put up the Christmas tree he was upset because I wanted him to take down the monorail. He cried. He looked at me with his HUGE chocolate eyes, pooled with tears and said, "Can't we put the monorail around the Christmas tree?" I gave it some thought, but I quickly realized the monorail would not fit around the base of the Christmas tree.

After many tears and many ideas being bounced around we decided we would put the monorail in the corner and put some small trees inside of it with some fake snow on the ground. This small action would become the beginning of our family tradition of building our Christmas Village in the corner of our living room. (Although now it has also seeped into the dining room as well.)Little did we know our village would flourish and become the highlight of our decorating for the season. Everyone gets involved in setting it up because there are pieces to repair, batteries to load, dusting to do and snow to be snowed.

I think it is a great tradition for our family even though Polo does not agree. It always adds a sense of warmth to the entrance of our home during the holidays, and I cannot help but think of the story and how it all began! Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of Christ and beginning traditions with your family which will hopefully live through a few generations.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!!

Giving Thanks!

Yes, Tanner is missing from all "TWO" photos which were taken at Thanksgiving. I forgot my camera -- yes, I know that is very hard to imagine, but I did!

This Thanksgiving, as always, I have much to be thankful for. I am always grateful for my family and friends and all the joy and enrichment they bring into my life. I have to say the normal Doria family thanksgiving dinner usually has about 70-80 people, but this year it was half the number.

Not to say it was any less great! Dolores and Rene hosted the dinner, and we had about thirty family members there. One of my favorite parts of the Doria dinner is when every family has to give an update on what has been going on in their lives for the last year. We get to hear about jobs, kids activities, church works, and we get to hear about "new additions" coming. The family now has 30 grand children, 15 great-grandchildren and another 3 great-grandbabies on the way. So the family is growing.

On the Carter side, we finished moving my mother to Brownfield, TX (close to Lubbock) to live with my sister for a couple of months until a senior apartment becomes available. This move for my mother was not an easy one, as she has spent most of her life in Georgia and the memories and ties there are very strong. My sister, her husband and I drove my mom and all of her things for 26 hours, across five states. It was a long trip, but all in all a good one. I am grateful my mother is finally close to family so she will not have to spend another holiday alone, another hospital stay alone, or another birthday alone.

I know once my mom has her own apartment she will even feel better about the move. It is all so new -- city, church, friends, but I know my mom will jump right in and find her way. I am so grateful for my sister and her husband who have taken on the lion's share of the move (and they will have to move her into an apartment) and I appreciate everything they are doing.

While I was in Augusta, Georgia I had to make what might have been, the last trip to Granny and Granddad's grave site. I am glad I did and I am glad I took this photo.

I also went to see a dear friend, Becky Rigas, whom I have known since I was in the fifth grade. We have stayed in contact all throughout my life. It just so happened to be her 75th Birthday! I took her some flowers and visited with her before I went to mom's to pack up. I am really glad I went, and I knew there was going to be a HUGE surprise party for her the next day. Although I was invited, I knew I would not be able to go. I heard through the grapevine she was extremely surprised at her party!

I am very thankful for our trip to Georgia and the drive to Texas. Our entire trip was without incident and it gave me time to spend with my sister, her husband and my mother. Now we move on to the next chapter in all of our lives.

Seahaws Winners Again!

SEAHAWKS - 46




PATRIOTS - 15

On November 21 while I was packing a truck in Georgia, Tanner and his fellow Seahawks rolled on to another HUGE victory. By the end of the game I was actually on the road for a short 24 hour driving journey. Tanner played a great game (according to Tanner and Dad). Dad was very vivid in describing Tanner's touchdown which went something like this: Tanner was running into the end zone, and he was running out of bounds, then he leaps into the air, catches the ball and drags his feet in the end zone to score for the Seahawks. Dad was ecstatic and Tanner was all smiles - - I could even hear his smile through the phone. Of course, there are no pictures because Dad was in charge of that detail.

Great job Seahawks!

Georgia on My Mind

Today I am giving pause to think about my upcoming trip to Georgia. I knew this day would come, but I did not know the impact it would have on me. My sister Martha, her husband Terry, and I are all traveling to Georgia to move my mother to Texas where she will live near my sister. Anyone who listens to the music on my blog may have noticed the song "Georgia On My Mind", by Ray Charles, it has been on there since day one.

The thoughts I have are happy, sad, reminiscent, thoughtful and prayerful. This is the place where I would call home for most of my childhood life. This is the place where I attended school from 3rd grade until I graduated. This is where I went to college. This is where I learned to roller skate, hit a softball, do gymnastics, fish with my Grandad, drive (much to my Grandad's chagrin), this is where I got my first car (Nova, 3 on the tree -- green with one white front fender), to cook and to be a teenager. This is the place where I played on Lumpkin Road, walked to school everyday, made friends (who I still have in my life (Rhonda and Debbie)), learned from my Granny and Grandad, where I got my first kiss, got my first ticket, went to my first dance, my first football game, and this is the place I am possibly traveling to for the last time.

If I feel this way, I cannot imagine my mother's thoughts at this time because she has lived there most of her life. She is leaving behind far more than I can imagine, and I am sure her sadness, thoughtfulness, and reminiscing will take much longer than I to get over.

So, Augusta, Georgia here we come!

Victory is Sweet!

SEAHAWKS - 27

SAINTS - 12

Another exciting Friday night under the lights!

Tonight the Seahawks won their game, but it was not before the Saints put a couple of touchdowns on the scoreboard. As a matter of fact, the Saints had tied the game going into half time. Tanner had another great night and he got to catch the ball, score on a TD and make an extra point. I tried my best to get it in photos, but I have still not mastered the art of taking pictures with kids on the run! Either way here are the photos recapping the night.

Great job Seahawks!

OKAY -- here is the plan.....

Run Tanner Run! Okay -- next plan.......

........... Get ready Tanner!


I am open! CATCH THE BALL!

-- then turn and run!

Victory is sweet and it always tastes better when you share it with friends and family!

Seahawks Suffer First Loss

SEAHAWKS - 6

BENGALS - 25

Friday night ushered in the Seahawks' first loss of the season. The boys knew going into the game the Bengals would be a tough opponent, but they still tried their best to win. This is the only update I have because I was not at the game -- only Tanner and Dad -- so there are no photos, and no comments (men tend to not discuss losses in detail). Tanner was injured in the first half so he was unable to play for the rest of the game.

So until the next Friday Night Lights report ----

Obama Wins!!

Barack Obama

44th President of the United States of America

Obama becomes the 44th President of the United States of America on November 4, 2008. I know my political beliefs are different from many of my family members and friends, but this election this year has represented exactly what I believe -- our country needs change from the government we have had for the last eight years.

I know and have listened to all the worries and concerns about an Obama Presidency however, I have had to LIVE through the Bush years which were filled with controversy. I am excited about the changes which are coming, and look forward to hearing the specific plans our new President has for our country. Our country is in perhaps the worst place I can remember in my 50 years here, and I truly believe we are going to move ahead realize "Change is coming to America."

Change is hard for most of us to embrace, and I am sure there will be successes and failures as we navigate through the challenges ahead. I hope my family and friends will look at this time as an opportunity! It is history being made for us to witness and we can all realize the magnitude of this momentous time. Whether or not you support Obama's polital stance, we must all think about this extraordinary event which took place on this evening in our country.

Congratulations Mr. President!

There's a TEENAGER in the house!!! Head for the Hills!

Happy 13th Birthday Sierra!!!!

This year Sierra did not want a cake she wanted Peanut Butter Balls, so on your birthday, your wish is my command! She also requested Mom's Pesto Pasta for dinner which we made with ingredients straight from the garden. Grandma joined us for dinner and the evening. We all had a great time.















Dreams of Paris - and now she has a map to help her find her way! Look at her smile -- she is very excited for her trip next summer. She also received a book about the "cool" places to see if Paris, not the touristy ones!
Future designer in the making. Sierra got a sewing machine which was high on her list of things she was wishing for. Mom went online to battle it out on e-bay to find a her a great machine, slightly used, sturdy and reliable. With the help of Michelle Lowell we found a gem!

We look for great things in the making with our little designer -- Sierra!

Finally the measuring of the year -- Sierra is now 63 1/2" tall and she weighs ___, I will not reveal a young woman's weight! She grew 3 1/2" this year, and yes, she did grow taller than her Mom.

We love Sierra and the special spirit she brings to our family. Sierra is always smiling, laughing and she is very creative.