how did we get here???

OK.. I'd like to review the last few years of our lives. Oh, how things have change!!! I promise not to spend too much time on the wedding - though we all have great memories from Vegas!

PRE TEAM PALMER... Kyle lived a bachelor life with Sammy B. I do not wish to know what they did with all the free time they had...

I split my time between life being a full time mommy with great friends in VA Beach and work in NY.

JULY 2004

Kennedy and Mommy move to TEXAS!!!

Over the next few months we did a lot of bowling...cooking chicken with uncle Nick..hanging out with Trouble..learning about the greatness of Pat Green and Robert Earl Keen and just generally finding our way in Dallas. And did I mention bowling??? Bowling with Nick and Jenny... bowling with Uncle Richard... bowling with Tom Strait... We spent a lot of time (and a few dollars) at the Plano Super Bowl. Just last week Kennedy was telling the story about Tom climbing into the pins looking for her bouncy ball... We had lots of opportunity to visit Nana and Papa - which was very new for us and a welcome change. We made lots of new friends. Kennedy turned 5 while we lived at the Wind Cave. (she got a bounce house, what a brat) Gage moved in on her 5th birthday as well. Jenny and I searched every animal shelter in Collin County to find the perfect yellow kitty. He was, and still is, a BIG hit. Went to Vegas with THE RICK REAGAN on Halloween...Which actually became quite a tradition. Vegas on Halloween. There were good times to be had at DILLARD's NorthPark including a silly family Christmas sweater that rounded out 2004 with a bang. Oh..and there was that New Years Eve out on Greenville avenue. Only worth mentioning because Im certain it was our last New Years Eve out on the town. Its been only champagne toasts at home since then.

2005..

WHAT A YEAR.. OK. 2004 turned out to be pretty lengthy and not a lot happened. Well, I guess a lot did happen but 2005 turned out to be much more eventful. So, Im going to try to wrap it up quickly. Sort of a my life in 500 words or less - taking a lesson from A Pirate Looks At 50. Here goes... Awesome birthday. Left a good job for a better job. Sold a house. Bought a better one. Watched my last grandparent leave this world for a better place. Got engaged. Went to my 10 year class reunion. Started a great friendship with Jaime and Brye Carter. Saw a few concerts. Oh, and a little thing called hurricane Katrina. The little kid started Kindergarten. Got a puppy. ??? Planned a wedding. Went to vegas (on halloween)..got hitched. Saw Buffett with the right group of people!!! Spent 5 GRANDE days in i dont know maybe mexico, anywhere where tequilla flows is alright with me. Nick and Jenny tied the knot. 3rd annual sweater party- Pat Green at Billy Bobs. 1st annual New Years Eve at Casa de Palmer... Not a bad year...ALL GOOD as I recall. Or at the very least all the bad is completely forgotten... There are so many things I'd like to elaborate on. Don't want to bore anyone. Maybe the pics will make it feel more complete..or maybe I'll write more later.......

2006..

The year of the baby!!! Wasnt long after that 1st annual New Years Eve at Casa de Palmer (and the new years eve eve 'happy hour' turned all nighter at austin ave that a few of you will recall) that we discovered how much fun we really had during that sweater party/pat green weekend in december. Someone new was going to join Team Palmer and we couldnt be more thrilled. As an added treat..The first born grandson in the Shoffner family was scheduled to make his debut in late March. I also got to spend most eveyday of my first trimester with the friend who kicked off the pregnancy party.. Sandra Campbell.. the only woman I know who can honestly say the fate of her sons name was actually decided by the flip of a coin. Funny thing is I dont remember what was on the other side? So we quickly told everyone that we were expecting and then came all the announcements. Brad and Amy, "your pregnant? cool, so are we!!" Kate and Rob, "us too!" Jaime and Brye, "babies, babies all around!" Aaron and Kelly, "i think babies are good!" Jenn and Mark, "why not..count us in!" The third little Hinkley.. and Baby Parker makes 10!!! WOW! So the first half of 2006 was all about pregnancy...and kindergarten of course. Kennedy learned to read!!! Which was awesome.. but we still haven't come up with a code way to talk in front of her like we had when we cold spell everything. Zachary Knight Campbell was born on March 21st... Dalton William Shoffner reluctantly made his way into the world on April 1st. He caused quite a scare and kept us on the edge of our seats... I think thats how we will be describing life with Dalton for a very long time! Just days later an ultra sound revealed that our new addition would in fact be a boy too! Kennedy's title as Papa's little girl would stay in tact for now! We painted just about every wall in our house. Everyone got a new room up stairs... and there was the long story about the dreaded stripes in the nursery..wont tell it again but I'm sure you all remember. All along the way was the heated debate about what to call our little man. Would he be Ralston Henry Palmer aka Stone like mommy wanted? Of course not..I mean I was only doing all the work to make the baby why should I get to choose his name, right? Well, one thing was for sure, if he could not be Stone as I wanted him to be, he was not going to be Kameron like daddy wanted either!!! So we tried out a few .. Brock, Carson, Hudson... And then we decided to let his sister pick. Easy way out. Before Korbin made his way into the world his dad and I made sure to take him to several concerts.. Mommy as the DD of course! We saw Buffett, Kid Rock, George Strait, Pat Green, Kenny Chesney... Seems like theres someone Im forgetting. Nonetheless, After a camping trip to Kyles family reunion.. We were ready to meet our little man. But first we would get to meet his buddy Cash Cannon. Nine days, four IV's, one awesome epidural and a little pushing later Korbin Nickolis Palmer arrived at 1:59pm on Wednesday August 30th 2006. Some of my favorite memories of that day are seeing my husband cry happy tears.. hearing Kennedy say over and over how cute he was.. Jaime being one of the firsts to hold my little boy... asking my mom for a sweet tea and her bringing an entire gallon! Not to mention getting to see his sweet little face and those big blue eyes and telling him in person how much I love him. It was an incredible experience that Im not sure can be topped.. Unless God has something in store for us I think our famly is complete. We spent the next 4 months focusing on bottles, spit up, diapers, first grade readers, soccer, soccer, soccer and more soccer. Of course there were MANY MANY more baby showers and diaper dandy's along the way. Not long after Korb was born Kennedy turned 7...Elle Erin Kanuth was born.. Ava Grace Cardwell cut in front of Bexley Price Carter and Tucker (not Tristan) Cusano squeaked in before Christmas. There was an awesome weekend in uptown for our 1st anniversary..(somehow we did not make it to Vegas for halloween).. and one more in December for the Sweater party/Pat Green tradition. And then champagne at home with good friends to ring in 2007. Not all our good friends..of course. The girls and I have our own little East Coast toast at 11pm Central via the genious of cellular phones. One of these days were gonna ring in the New Years together again.... I'd like that.

ps..the last two babies in the group have arrived and i am sad to say we havent seen them yet. soon, i hope. Addison Kennedy Hinkley was born in January and Kason Parker came home in February on the windiest day i can ever rememeber in dallas. 10 babies! thats nuts.

2007..

So in January, besides turning 30..thanks ladies for a great night out..I decided to make a major career change. I left my retail suit for a full time mommy/child care giver apron! Its a far cry from market weeks in Manhattan at Le Parker Meridian and PaperCity parties at NM.. but we couldnt be happier with the decision. Its amazing to get to spend so much time with my children. I am thankful for a husband who would be supportive of a huge decision like this.... February was all about babies for me!!! The house was never more organized.. the laundry never more kept.. the refridgerator never more clean.. and I think Ive cooked more dinners at home in the last 6 weeks than the previous year and a half of living in this house combined. I love this new life!

AND THATS HOW WE GOT HERE!!! Finally. I cant believe its been 3 years. I know all that was not necessary. But it felt good to recap... Life has been good to us. Sometimes its good to look back on it and smile. Now I can blog, blog, blog about everyday!!!

If anyone would like a better look at the collages... i can send you and orb link. just let me know. they were fun to make and you might see your face and have a laugh.