Diapers, Dress Up and Other Holy Things

2011-05-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

blog under re-construction
i'm trying!

Long time, no blog!

2010-07-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

I knew I hadn't blogged in quite some time.
I guess I didn't realize it had been almost 4 months!
At this point, I don't even know where to start.
So, I'll begin with the here and now. We are currently on vacation in Sanibel Island, FL. Wow, is it beautiful! July is hot and muggy, as it is in most of Florida. Fortunately we don't have to wear much more than our swimsuits.
Tropical storm Bonnie gave us some rain and wind today so we didn't hit the beach. Instead, we were able to enjoy other activities and for me to spend some time on the computer. I'll post more as time permits - but it won't be so long this time!

So many seashells by the seashore!

Carissa is 6 months old this week. Time sure flies!

Daddy and his girls...

The girls...

We're not done having fun, so we'll be back!!

22/52: A Decade of Happiness

2010-04-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of March we celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. Early on we thought we would be spending our tenth anniversary on one of our favorite beaches in Mexico.
Little did we know we would have just welcomed baby girl number 4 to our family and gladly stay close to home!

My Mom was visiting so she kept the big girls and we went and stayed at Disney's Contemporary Resort. (If you've been to Disney World, it's the one the monorail goes through)

We had dinner at their restaurant that overlooks Disney World and the Magic Kingdom.

The view was spectacular over Cinderella's Castle.

It was a great place to watch the sunset.

They piped in the music from the parks during the fireworks show.

We had Carissa with us, but wouldn't have known since she did this the whole time.

In many ways the past ten years have been a blur. Never would we have imagined some of the roads we have walked. It hasn't been all fun and games - but it has been an exciting adventure. God knew the perfect match for me and blessed me with him. I am looking forward to the next ten years with the most amazing husband ever!

*********************************************************************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. Moms are typically the ones behind the camera, this is OUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family.

So, get yourself in the picture every week for 52 Weeks. Be in a picture with one or more or your children and post your "family photo" on your blog every Thursday - don't forget to list your post on MckLinky on Carin's blog

Wordless Wednesday - Mwahaha...I'm Going to Get You!!

2010-03-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

The God of Second Chances

2010-03-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

I love Spring.
And I love Summer.
And I love Fall.
Wish I could say the same for winter!

For many people, Spring is often about new life and a fresh start. Which interestingly enough, isn't the New Year, a few short months ago, about new beginnings?
I guess we can't be given enough opportunities to start anew.

I think we can all appreciate a "do-over"

do-over noun
1. a chance to redo an action
2. alluding to going back in time

This Spring, I am thankful that God allows "do-overs".
No matter how many times I fail, He is faithful to pick up the pieces and give me another try. And on top of that, He is willing to step in and do it for me if I would just let Him!

"You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same"
(Indescribable by Chris Tomlin)

I need that kind of love...unconditional.
We all do.

Let's remember this week what Easter is all about. God's love for us expressed through His sacrifice and the life He has offered us through His resurrection.
(Check out Alicia's post here.)

Whether it be a new beginning,
a fresh start,
a do-over,
a mulligan...
the God of second chances is desiring to pour out His love on us no matter how many times we have let both Him and those around us down.

Doesn't that just put a smile on your face?

The Cavalry has come and gone.....

2010-03-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

Once again, it has been so long since I have blogged...
I sat down to look at my pictures from the past two months to see what I would like to post and there are so many. A lot can happen in such a short amount of time.

First of all, Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Each holiday I look forward to learning about that holiday's origin and traditions, etc.
Unfortunately, since I often function on little sleep, I quickly forget what I've learned.
So each March I read up on the origin and traditions of St. Patrick's Day.
I couldn't tell you what I learned last March, or the March before that, or the March before that..... Sad, huh?
I do like green though.

Secondly, I love this blog background.
I wish I could say I found it myself.
Well, I could say that.
I found it myself on my sister-in-law's blog and shamelessly blog-lifted it.
I'm sure she won't mind.

Third, I can't believe Carissa will be two months old on Friday!
The Cavalry has come and gone.....a few times.
Some of our family graciously changed their plans when the baby came 5 weeks early.
Others kept their original travel plans and we had visitors (visitors=help!) until just a few days ago.
God sure knew what He was doing with that arrangement.
In other words, He knew I needed long term help!
My parents were our final visitors and my Mom just left on Saturday.
It's back to real life now.

I will get around to posting pictures of what we've been up to.
I just don't know where to start.

Last month, our kids were passing around a cold - along with everyone else in the school district. Carissa got the sniffles and then a cough. I wasn't too concerned because her one month well-check was scheduled.
Her well-check became a sick appointment and she ended up in the hospital for two days with RSV. It was not a fun time, but we are so thankful she has recovered fully. We had about a week of breathing treatments and returning to the doctor for regular oxygen checks, but we know it could have been SO much worse and God really protected her! Thank you to our friends and family for your prayers!

Carissa's first breathing treatments did not increase her oxygen level, so we were sent to the hospital to have her checked.

Hanging out in the E.R. waiting for a room upstairs.

BIG Stretch!!!

In our room...sleeping peacefully

The hospital provides 'visitors'. We allowed them even though they were Buccaneers :)

The only comfort from home I need is Daddy's lap to get a good night's sleep!

All better now and so happy my sisters can play with me again!

Love

2010-02-13T06:21:00.000-08:00

I've not done well at posting baby pictures (sorry family!)
I've not done well at finding any free time!
I would like to wait until I have something clever to write about - but that may not happen for quite some time in my sleep-deprived state.

This weekend is all about love.
I am in love with my husband.
I love our girls with all my heart.
My heart feels like it could burst with love for our new baby girl (even when she wakes me up at 3am!)
And most of all, I love the Lord who has blessed me with all of the above!

21/52: The past two weeks are a blur!

2010-02-04T18:37:00.000-08:00

Wow. The days have been flying by! Two weeks ago I was still in the hospital after the birth of our baby girl. It seems like ages ago! Carissa Joy was born almost 5 weeks early....and isn't she cute?

We have spent the past two weeks caring for a newborn and our other three girls and continuing to unpack boxes while I recover from my c-section. We've been tired, but loving it! Fortunately, my in-laws adjusted their dates and came to Florida for a week to help out and then my brother and sister-in-law were able to come for a few days this week. Having additional hands has been a Godsend, especially this week when my husband had to get back to work.

I neglected to post pictures of the "birth day", so before I get into the "fun" pictures, here they are!

4am: Just waiting for my doctor....getting tired since we had been at the hospital since 1:30!

6am: On our way to surgery

Welcome Baby Carissa!

With each baby we have, it seems difficult to imagine how we could possibly love another child as much as we love the others.
How could our hearts be capable of even more love?
Yet, once again we are hopelessly in love with our sweet baby girl and are blessed beyond belief with how amazing she is!

*********************************************************************

Welcome Carissa Joy!

2010-01-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry...."

We had a plan...
We were plugging away getting ready for our baby girl, due on February 19th...
God and Carissa Joy had other plans....
And we couldn't be happier!

This past Monday night my water broke. It took me a while to figure out what was going on since most of my experience has been with scheduled c-sections. I wish I had video of mine and my husband's discussion about whether or not it was the real thing or I was just peeing my pants!

My doctor had discussed what to do if I went into labor early - but to be honest, I didn't pay much attention. (sorry, Dr. P!) I figured I never needed the information before, why would I now?
Besides, I really needed as much of that last month of pregnancy as possible to get ready....
We still had boxes to unpack after our move, laundry piles were growing, baby supplies needed to be bought, and there was a suitcase to pack. The baby was due February 19th, we had a c-section scheduled for February 12th, and I needed every last bit of those 24 days to get everything in order!

Carissa Joy arrived early Tuesday morning this week. Exactly one month to the day from her due date. Everything went well and we have a beautifully healthy baby girl! The hospital is treating her as a premature baby delivered at 35 weeks, but her tests all along the way have been fine!

We stayed in the hospital until Friday afternoon and we are being released in a couple of hours. This morning the baby's bilirubin levels were slightly high and we will be treating her with a special light blanket at home for a couple of days (which is common). With all of the things that could be a concern with an early baby, we are blessed that there has been only one small issue. Thank you God!

So, as far as those 'best laid plans' are concerned....
Yes, I wish I had finished unpacking boxes and that we were completely settled in our new home.
I would like to have a couch to sit on and a dining room table to eat at.
I am wishing I had washed the baby clothes last week.
And why didn't I buy a nursing bra when I was at the store weeks ago?

Those things all pale in comparison to the "joy" that has been added to our lives this week!

Carissa Joy
Born Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
6:38am
6lbs 3oz
19 inches

My husband brought me my computer last night, but I forgot about the cords for uploading the photos!
This is the only picture I have on my computer at the moment. I'll be posting more from home very soon.
We had to take our kids to the hospital with us at 1am on Monday night and then get a friend to sit with them while we were finally in surgery at 6am...This is the exhausted family after sleeping for just a couple hours over the course of two days!!

20/52: Old Fort Jackson, Savannah, GA

2010-01-07T18:34:00.000-08:00

I know the point of this challenge is to get a WEEKLY picture, and I did (really!), but have no way to upload right now.
We are in the process of moving and I packed my cords.

Moving when you are 8 months pregnant is not my idea of fun. But, for the past 8 months we have been in temporary corporate housing and getting out of the townhouse we have been calling home makes the stress of a move well worth it!

We picked up the keys to our house today and the craziness has already begun! The movers come tomorrow to move our things from storage - it will be great to be reunited with all of our own furniture and belongings!!

Since I can't get to this week's pictures - here our some more from our Thanksgiving trip to Savannah. We visited Old Fort Jackson about 5 years ago, so we decided to return now that the kids are a little bit older....they loved it!

Here we are 5 years ago. It was August and it was SO hot and humid...

And now-much cooler in November....and my how we have changed!

Kylie at 2 years old.....

Kylie now....7 years old.....

Our little confederate soldiers....

Off to get some sleep before the "moving fun" begins again tomorrow!

*********************************************************************

Making Memories Watching History - WW

2010-01-06T06:42:00.001-08:00

New Years Resolutions....To the little ones, it's the little things that count

2010-01-02T06:27:00.001-08:00

I haven't posted any New Year's Resolutions...but will.
My first Resolution is to write some Resolutions.
I would laugh if that was funny.

I can be such a procrastinator.

I do well to switch the calendar in my kitchen to January.
(I won't admit that beautiful the whiteboard calendar /organizer from Pottery Barn that I desperately wanted and promised my husband I would "SO TOTALLY USE ALL THE TIME" still reads "September")

I do have goals for this coming year; I'm still processing them.
That could be code for I really am thinking seriously about them - or I've just procrastinated again.

Usually, in place of typical "New Year's Resolutions" I spend some time in November taking stock of where I'm at in life (sort of like life-spring-cleaning-in-the-fall) and try to get my act together.

Perhaps that's my way of giving myself a head start and not 'officially' feeling like a failure when I don't stick to my New Year List.

November has come and gone and I just didn't get around to it this year.
I did think about it a lot. (enter that procrastination thing again)

Anyhow, I'll share one of my goals I have processed....
I want to be more pro-active about making sure the things that are important to our kids happen.
That is, not just the things I think should be important to my kids.

I've noticed that it truly is the small things that make a difference and form an imprint in their memories.

I don't know why if it takes such little effort to please them, I don't spend more time doing those little things I know make them happy.

Like letting them stir the ingredients in when I'm making macaroni & cheese,

taking just one of them walk with me to the mailbox,

choosing one of them to stay up late and help me fold the laundry (that's one I should be jumping on!)

And the list goes on.

It's amazing how they are able to keep track of who did what last, and whose turn it is to do those little things.
They can tell you who went to 7-eleven with Daddy last,
whose turn it is to go scrapbooking with me,
who got to take a shower/bath in our bathroom last weekend....

I often see the record-keeping as annoying (it really is)
But I want to see it as a reminder that the little things really do count in their eyes.

My husband's time with the girls is more limited (with work and all)
But, because of that he tends to be more proactive with those little things that make a big difference, where I get into a daily rut.

So, this morning, as my husband takes our seven-year old to work with him (He's off today but had to go in for a few hours), I will try to find a couple of things that will be a big deal to our other two.
It may be painting nails or coloring in a coloring book. But it will be 30 minutes that will be worth hours to them.

And as part of my New Year's Resolutions that I hope to have on paper by February, I will make a note to put some thought each week into what I can do with each child to create some personalized memories for them.

At least I can count on them to keep track of whose turn it is!

Samantha and Daddy off to deliver pies to Daddy's employees on Thanksgiving Day 2008

Savannah and Daddy golfing on Thanksgiving Day this year

19/52: We Love Savannah!

2009-12-31T06:57:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad Carin decided to continue the 52 week challenge! It has taken on a slightly new spin (check it out!), but since I am only on 19 of 52 of this one, I will press on here!

Our Thanksgiving trip to South Carolina and Georgia gave me opportunities to get in the picture and allowed us to spend a few days in one of our all-time FAVORITE cities!

Years ago we fell in love with the city of Savannah, it also holds a special place in my heart because my Mom was born in Savannah - and we have our own little Savannah....

Savannah Faith - 5 months old

Present-Day Savannah

"Savannah" on a Savannah fire engine - November 2009

I love to visit Forsyth Park.....

At the end of the park is the hospital where my Mom was born.....

Telfair Hospital - no longer a hospital,
but historically preserved and kept as a Senior residence now.
I told my Mom she could return there now if she liked,
but I don't know if she found that very funny :)
Just kidding - she can be a good sport!

Some of the beauty of Forsyth Park... Some of the fun.... A great spot to go on a leaf hunt....
And you HAVE to get a picture by the fountain.... And once again, a great time was had by all!....

*********************************************************************

Merry GRINCHmas!!

2009-12-30T03:04:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve - Past and Present

2009-12-29T06:01:00.000-08:00

We had a great night on Christmas Eve. I like to take a Christmas Eve family photo and I had really hoped for a fabulous one this year. There are so many things wrong with this one...but at least we got a shot!

This was one of my favorites from a few years ago...

Christmas Eve 2005

This year's Christmas Eve began with an early candlelight service at church. I already broke one of my annual resolutions.....to be punctual!
We attend a very large church; but usually go on Saturday nights so we don't deal with a full house. Christmas Eve was a different story; not getting there early enough landed us in the balcony...

Our kids still got to participate when they invited the little ones up on the stage for the reading of the Christmas story...

When it came time to light the candles, I was thankful we were in the balcony and able to see how spectacular the room looked. (this picture doesn't do it justice)

The funniest part of the evening was when our Pastor (who we LOVE) was talking before the candle lighting, and seemed to forget he was wearing a headset microphone and began using his candle as a microphone. He carried on like this for several minutes...I couldn't stop laughing!

It was a beautiful night and a wonderful celebration of the birth of our Lord.

We went home to eat pizza and watch a movie (The Nativity) and spend some time as a family.

I was missing Christmas Eves past in our old house....but am happy for the memories of when the girls were a little smaller.....

For now, we will just work on making new memories of Christmas Present!

2009-12-29T05:26:00.000-08:00

It's December Giveaway time at Five Moms & a Blog......Check it out!!

"not me" Monday

2009-12-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

being brutally honest and living to tell about it

It has been quite a while since I last participated in "not me" Monday....so I figured it's about time!

I have not been struggling with severe bouts of "pregnancy brain".

I have not been putting perishables in the pantry instead of the fridge, newly packed leftovers in the dishwasher, and forks that look like this in the cabinet with the baking dishes.

My wonderful husband did not sacrificially put aside his Type A personality (once again) while he lovingly showed me said fork he found in the cabinet with the cookie sheets.

I did not wash the same load of laundry 4 times because I kept forgetting to put it in the dryer. In Florida, forgotten wet laundry=smelly laundry.

I do not have my children trained to quickly pick up anything I drop on the floor so I don't have to attempt bending over in my current pregnant state.

I will not burst into tears if one more person exclaims "your kidding!?!" as they gawk at the size of my belly and hear that I have a two months to go before my due date.

I will not scream if one more person asks me "Are you SURE you're not having twins?" (as they gawk at the size of my belly). "Yes ma'am, I'm sure there is only one baby in there...."

I did not naively pose in front of this tree while my husband took a picture, only to realize later that he wanted the shot because he thought it was funny that the tree looked pregnant too....

What did you not do this week?

CHRISTmas Wishes! (19/52)

2009-12-25T14:15:00.000-08:00

Merry CHRISTmas to our family and friends!

It has been so long since I have blogged...

And I sure have missed it!

We have had a lot going on - and I have been using most of my time and energy working on this:

(yes, those are her toes in front of her eye!)

And of course, these take up a lot of our time....

CHRISTmas blessings from our family to yours....

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

While you are here, have a listen to my current favorite Christmas song:

(be sure to pause the player on the right first!)

*********************************************************************

18 of 52: If You Give A Mouse A Cupcake

2009-11-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

We've had a full schedule lately; it seems like we are always on the run. Fortunately my energy level is really high at times (which helps me keep up!) and really low at others (not so good).

I thought I'd share a picture of our new little energy-zapper :)

Yes, Baby Girl #4 will be here in February. We are so excited!

*******************************

Samantha had a field trip to the Orlando Shakespeare Theater for a special performance of If You Give A Cat A Cupcake. Our kids (along with me) love those series of children's books, so we had a great time! I only wish we could have taken pictures during the show!

Sammie outside the theater....

Ready for the show to start!

*********************************************************************

17 of 52: An International Feast

2009-10-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from the International Feast at Samantha's preschool. There are many different nationalities represented at her school and the entire week was spent learning about other cultures. Today there was an amazing feast where families brought food from Korea, the Phillipines, Italy, Lebanon, Poland, Brazil, Sweden, Ireland, Cuba, China, all over the U.S., and many more places. It was a yummy day!

He's got the whole world in His hands...yes He does!

*********************************************************************

Wordless Wednesday - Just Outside our Living Room Window....

2009-10-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

So Watcha Been Doin' Down in F.L.A.? (part 2-May)

2009-10-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

I was looking back at old posts and saw this one that was written back in February. Little did I know as we spent that month in Orlando while my husband worked, that we would be packing up and moving here less than three months later.
I have not been the best blogger since we got here, so this is my attempt to fill in some of the blanks since we arrived. I figured I'd start with May. The unpacking and getting settled are givens, but apart from that we...

Went to Sea World (yes, we love it there) for the opening of Manta, which is now officially my favorite roller coaster ever.

Ice sculpture at the event I couldn't resist taking a picture of....

Before we rode, we popped on into a nearby aquarium for a photo op...

We headed to the coast....

To find a good spot for our summer vacation...

We met up with old friends...

And I was glad Goofy and I talked that morning about what shirts we were going to wear...

Daddy helped each girl catch a lizard....

We said goodbye as we let each one go. This one ran home; but not before biting Savannah...
Mommy explored her favorite places she didn't have in Las Vegas....

Samantha turned four - and almost lost the "who can go the longest without talking" game....

Daddy's a Star Wars fan, so we couldn't miss this...

We met some of our new neighbors...

And as they left.....

We realized they couldn't read...

We drove in a lot of this....

But had fun in spite of the view....

We didn't mind because there was plenty of this....

And that concludes May.

16 of 52: Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

2009-10-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

Each year we try to take the girls to a Halloween-Alternative event such as a Harvest or Fall Festival. We don't know if that is going to work out this year or not, so we were happy to have the chance to attend Mickey's Not-So-Scary event at Magic Kingdom. It was raining when we left the house so the kids didn't wear their costumes, but they got a lot of candy, visited with the characters who were out that night, rode some rides....We had a great time all around!

Many of the characters that night were wearing costumes, there was a special fireworks show, parade and a dance party with some very special guests!

And now I just have to try to stay away from this while the girls are at school!...

*********************************************************************

That'll teach me...

2009-10-18T06:06:00.000-07:00

I have been ~~talking~~ complaining about the weather for the past few weeks.
I was upset.
It seemed everyone was experiencing "Fall" but me.

Yesterday fall descended on our cheery city.
Finally.
I was LOVING IT all day.
I had every window open; I began my "fall cleaning" (a weak beginning, but I did start) and felt officially approved to finish putting up our fall decor.
I was loving life.
Until last night...

We went out to eat after church and when we left the restaurant,
I was FREEZING!
Swiping half of the kids ice cream after dinner didn't help...
But it was COLD!
I couldn't get in the car and turn on the heat and seat warmers fast enough.
All the while, my husband was laughing at me...

It was 60 degrees.

I didn't care.
It felt like winter to me.

And the kids wore feet pajamas to bed.

Be careful what you wish for.
All of a sudden, sweating by the pool was sounding good.
What's wrong with me?
____________________

On a more serious note (which doesn't show how completely ridiculous I can be), I wanted to share a highlight from church last night.
The service we attend has a great mix of contemporary worship but does not neglect the great traditional hymns which so beautifully communicate praise to our Lord. So many of them are full of such great wisdom and deep theological truths.

Sometimes I love just reading the lyrics....

Thought I'd share one of my favorites...

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee;
Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee;
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise;
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Frances R. Havergal, 1874

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." Romans 12:1 (NIV)

I love this current arrangement (which is how we sing it at church):

(if you want to listen, be sure to pause the music player on the right...)

15 of 52: Magic Kingdom Express

2009-10-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

We are not having "fall" weather yet - but we are experiencing some of the other perks of the season. Short lines at theme parks! Yaaa!
We are trying to take advantage of this time and go to one of the parks each week. If we plan it right, we can get there after school and still stick to a semi-reasonable bedtime. The kids think it's a great way to end a school day (obviously)...so do we, we just have to keep telling them that this lifestyle is not the 'norm'...
Great thing is, the last two times we were at Magic Kingdom, we were able to ride 7 rides in 2 hours...can't beat that!
I'm loving that all the parks are decorated for fall....that means Christmas decorations are just around the corner!

In our family, being tall enough to ride "Splash Mountain" is a Rite of Passage. Samantha finally made it!

It was so bright, I almost didn't get the shot...but if you look closely you can see them...they have their hands up...even Sammie!

A little wet after that...but worth it!

*********************************************************************

Wordless Wednesday: My kind of do-it-yourself project!

2009-10-14T18:05:00.001-07:00

14 of 52: Clearwater Beach

2009-10-09T09:20:00.001-07:00

As a family, we have many favorite places to visit. Some of those places have nothing to do with how spectacular site is, but more to do with the memories we have of our time together at that special spot.

For us, Clearwater, FL is one of those places...although, I do think as a place alone it is pretty great! I can't get enough of the soft, white sand and warm water!
Last month we spent a weekend there - I'm loving that we can get there in about 90 minutes; it sure beats the 4 hour drive to the beach we had while living in Vegas!

Waiting patiently (kind of!) to hit the beach...

Daddy and Sammie

Mommy and Sammie

No waves means less stress for Mom when Kylie is out so far!

In the evenings we'd eat ice cream and get silly in the shops

And that's a perfect weekend for us!!

And when we got home on the last evening, I sent Samantha upstairs to get ready for bed and this is how I found her 20 minutes later...She didn't even make it into her pajamas!

*********************************************************************

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

A temper tantrum is not a laughing matter.....okay, sometimes it is!

(Don't forget to pause the music player on the right!)

Picnic with Someone Special - 13 of 52

2009-09-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Today was "Picnic with Someone Special" at Samantha's preschool. My husband was looking forward to going...but I gave him the wrong date (oops!)...he gets the honor next time!

Posing this way...

And that...

I need a longer arm!

Okay...got some help!

*********************************************************************

Wordless Wednesday - What a Week Already!

2009-09-09T07:46:00.001-07:00

Back to School!! - 52 Weeks 12 of 52

2009-09-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks have been a little.....crazy! Okay, I admit, they have been A LOT crazy! After tomorrow, the kids will have successfully completed the first two weeks of school.

Back to School Meet the Teacher night got the kids really excited for the new year....

Savannah and Ms. Carpenter.
I can't believe Savannah is in KINDERGARTEN!!

Kylie is excited to be our big 2nd grader....when did that happen?!?

Day One.....We're on our way!!!

Can't you just see the excitement?

Daddy and Savannah

Savannah and Mommy

Samantha is going to morning pre-school this year...that means for the first time in seven years Mommy will have 3 hours a day to herself....what ever will she do???

Samantha and Daddy

Samantha and Mommy

Let the fun begin!!

*********************************************************************

11 of 52 - Disney I Love You

2009-08-20T04:45:00.000-07:00

Check out this great challenge on Carin's blog. It's addicting - and there's the added benefit of having more pictures with your family!

A couple of weeks ago we went on a Disney Cruise. I know there are a variety of opinions on Disney practices these days....but for our family, we have some of our best memories (both before kids and now) with Disney playing a big part! We had a great time....it was short, but jam-packed with fun (more pictures to follow). And yes, I did manage to get in on quite a few pictures!

So, we had fun....
But was it relaxing?
Absolutely!
Here's the proof...
I couldn't even get out of my seat to cut my daughter's waffles before our server started doing it!
Disney, take me away again!

*********************************************************************

Wordless Wednesday - Low Carb? What's That?

2009-08-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

Favorite Things Friday: Barnie's Coffee

2009-08-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

You can go to Barnie's in Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Turkey....but not on the west coast of the United States! So, for me, leaving the west coast behind for Florida where most of the Barnie's Coffee shops are located is a major plus! (Starbucks I have not forsaken you, but Barnie's was my first love)

And it helps that there is a shop not too far from this great playground we found....

Ahoy Matey! 52 Week Challenge 10/52

2009-08-13T06:08:00.000-07:00

Okay so, I haven't stepped up strongly to the "challenge" (which is a great challenge, by the way...check out Carin's blog) I have slacked tremendously; but here is this week's contribution!

We spent two weeks on the west coast, returned home to Florida, left on a quick vacation, and returned home again to have company for ten days. Never a dull moment! We had a great time having my mother-in-law visit. The other night we took her to one of the kids' FAVORITE things to do in Orlando, the Pirate's Dinner Adventure. And I was able to get in on the pictures!

The room where the dinner show is held is amazing...

And we had great seats....

Sammie, Savannah and Grandma Penny...

Kylie and Daddy....

Samantha and Mommy...

Savannah and Grandma Penny...

The girls were able to be in the show (you can see Savannah peeking around)...

Kylie fought in the battle.....

And after the show it was pictures with the pirates. This is Captain Sebastian the Black....

Savannah was quite taken with the hero of the show, Benjamin...

And a great time was had by all!

*********************************************************************

Favorite Things Friday: Family Fun

2009-07-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

During our time in Vegas, we were able to sneak away for a quick family dinner. Each time we go out for sushi, the girls beg Grandma Tammy to do their hair with chopsticks.....

And of course, we have to have our traditional "silly faces" picture.....

Wordless Wednesday: How to Use Chopsticks...

2009-07-29T15:58:00.000-07:00

Our Trip to Vegas

2009-07-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

You won't find any glamorous pictures of nightlife, the Strip, etc. here.
We went home to work.
My husband keeps telling me that going to Vegas is not going "home" since we don't live there anymore; but I don't know when I will be able to make that switch both mentally and emotionally.
Don't get me wrong, I have wanted to move out of Vegas for AGES...
But still, when you spend 30 years in a place, know it like the back of your hand and have most of your monumental memories there (both good and bad), I think it will always be home in a way.

The one thing I do NOT miss about Vegas is the summertime heat.
Being in Florida where the heat and humidity of July leaves much to be desired, I began to think maybe the Vegas heat was not so bad (I suffer from "the grass is always greener syndrome")
But the first MORNING of this, reminded me that it REALLY IS that bad....

I did not have the camera with me the next afternoon when the temperature outside read 113!

If you ever hear someone say the heat in Vegas is not so bad because it is a "dry heat", don't believe them. It is dry inside my oven too; I don't want to hang out in there...

Anyways, my husband had business on the west coast, so we determined that now was as good a time as any for us all to go. The trip was multi-purpose; we had a funeral in CA to attend and MANY things to do around the house.
We did squeeze in a little bit of fun - but not too much.

While at "home", we had no internet service (which explains some of my blog absence) and three TV channels (one was in English!)
Ordinarily I would have welcomed the break from technology, but with many things to do (where the internet comes in handy) and children to entertain while we worked, we could have used some modern conveniences!
I could actually get my neighbor's internet signal if I stood on the bed and held the laptop in the air, but that wasn't too comfortable for blogging...for obvious reasons.

Coincidentally, we were able to make it to a class reunion where we got to visit with friends we hadn't seen in 20+ years. I had my camera, but can you believe I didn't use it? I know, bad me. Here is one picture of us that I swiped from Facebook though. I know it is tiny, but we are in there!

The majority of the time was spent organizing our things and doing some major purging. I have packrat tendencies (it's in my genes...really), but the older I get and the more tired I am of moving my ~~junk~~ things around, it is very liberating to start throwing things away.

I have learned I can take a picture of those things I want to remember and then toss, toss, toss!

I was able to say goodbye to the yard sign I had kept from our firstborn....

And Kylie's first sippy cup complete with teeth marks.

And SO MANY more things...It is amazing how much stuff you can throw away if you set your mind to it.
But, by the end of the first week in the garage with temperatures in the hundreds, I was ready to throw it all away so I could get back inside with the AC!
I know people don't want to see sippy cups and yard signs so I will be back once I have time to load some more interesting pictures.....

Dear Blog, I Miss You...

2009-07-28T05:14:00.001-07:00

Yes, I miss you terribly. It's been weeks since I last spent time with you. I miss the time we used to spend together. I miss my blogging friends. I miss the satisfaction of clicking "Publish Post".

I think about you daily, but have been busy with other projects. Each day I think, "maybe tonight?"; then I get distracted with laundry, dishes, mealtime, bathtime, and all the things that getting settled into a new home in a new state entails. Not to mention the non-stop fun of summertime.

It's me; not you. Really.

I know I have neglected you and I'm sure it is embarrassing to be still dressed up for 4th of July. I will take care of you soon. Maybe tonight?

52 Week Challenge - 9 of 52: Can YOU "bend and snap"?...

2009-07-02T09:08:00.001-07:00

We have had a few non-stop weeks and are looking forward to a few more coming up! I did get my computer issues solved...moving all of our space-hogging movies to an external hard drive. And now the fun can begin again!

In June, my in-laws came for a visit. Their visit was two-fold: First, to see the grandkids (of course) and Second, to see the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals (pictures to follow).

Of course, no visit to Orlando would be complete without a little Disney fun! We went to Epcot since that is not a place they can easily visit living on the west coast. We just went for the afternoon and evening and it was great.
Grandma Tammy knows how to jump right in on the fun!

We did get one group shot that I almost didn't post since it is so hard to get everyone looking and smiling; not to mention my pose is reminiscent of the "bend and snap";

but hey, I got in the picture! On Thursday they headed to California for Brady's dance recital, so we spent the final morning at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
You won't see any pictures from this day because a week of:
not enough sleep + ice cream and candy from Papa + 95 degrees + 90 percent humidity = THREE.CRANKY.KIDS
Been there?
But still....All in all it was a great week!!
More updates from Florida soon!

*********************************************************************

Wordless Wednesday - A Friend Listens.....

2009-07-01T05:47:00.000-07:00

So many photos....So little space

2009-06-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

Well, the time has come to clean up my computer.
I have no more room. Literally.
No.More.Room.

I can't even open a photo to edit it. I can't move one to my desktop to load it to my blog. I have a couple hundred pictures on my camera from the last few days that feel like they are now burning a hole in my camera, itching to be viewed and played with.

It may have something to do with the 13,500 pictures I have in iphoto and the 30 movies I have loaded on the computer. I don't know; just a wild guess.

I wanted to participate in this today....

I wanted to post a picture of the gator the kids and I saw while walking the dog on Monday.

No, it was NOT one of these...

Being from Tallahassee; I am not afraid of THOSE gators.

I wanted to post my pictures from Tuesday's Lakers-Magic game. (yes, our team lost...but it was FUN...there's always tonight)

I wanted to post our pictures from Epcot with my in-laws and all the fun we are having with them visiting this week.

I just wanted to have some photo fun this morning while the girls are at "Papa's Hotel"...giving me a much needed break.

Well...now I can catch up on laundry, housework and some exercising I also really need. I think God is ordering my day. I'd better listen.

Computer cleaning will have to wait.

Fun Times for Us!

2009-06-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

My husband works.....A LOT. But, we definitely enjoy some benefits from the line of work he is in. We have a great deal of fun!

With both my husband and I having grown up on the west coast, we are AVID Los Angeles Lakers fans. At the same time, we are now living in Orlando, so this year's finals are a win-win situation for us!

On May 30, we attended the final game of the NBA Eastern Conference Final where the Cleveland Cavaliers played the Orlando Magic...and the Magic won!

We were happy on two counts: being Orlando residents now, we were happy our home team won, and being confident the Lakers would win the western conference, we were happy that meant the Lakers would be playing in Orlando!

We showed our new hometown spirit..but still had to keep the Lakers "on top"!

The Magic beat up on the Cavaliers....figuratively and literally!

Well, our Lakers will be here tonight to play the Magic in game 3 of the Finals...and be assured, we WON'T be wearing blue and white!

Not Me! Monday

2009-06-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another round of "Not Me! Monday" hosted by MckMama. I love participating in this weekly bit of craziness. More than that, I love reading about all the other things fellow Mommy bloggers "don't do"! Some of them are downright hilarious!

It has not been one month today that we packed up our family with 3 weeks' notice, and moved to Florida for a year. I do not ~~spend~~ waste time each day thinking about the areas of our house I left a mess because I just ran out of time to do it.

As a person who has always thrived on change and adventure I do not unexpectedly find myself having a much harder time adjusting to this move than I ever imagined.

I do not terribly miss my friends and family....especially since when I was in the same city with them we rarely found time to see each other as it was. Being busy and all.

Having spent a lot of time in Florida; I knew what I was in for on all counts...and I really do love it!
Yet, I do not find myself completely.freaked.out by all of the Florida 'wildlife' just outside our door. (Don't get me wrong; I am that woman who actually does like reptiles...it's the other creepy crawlies that get to me....or the fact that there are SO MANY of them!)

My husband is not absolutely loving frequent "bug hunts" with our girls. My sweet little princesses do not go crazy wanting to catch every bug they see now.

I did not have to draw the line on this one...

It does not take everything within me to hide my repulsion and sometimes sheer panic, as I try to act like it's fun to bring these home to leave on the doorstep after dinner...

Or think it's okay that they actually want to pet them...

You can tell by the photo I couldn't even hold the camera still!

I do not beg my husband to let them go (down the street, of course) so that I don't have to do it later doing a silly dance to keep them from jumping on me, embarrassing myself in front of our new neighbors.

I do not cringe at the thought of what else may be lurking in here!
I don't think it is all worth it...the missing loved ones...missing my house...unexpected adjustments...loneliness....and the 'wildlife', when I see moments like these because it really is great here....for all of us!

Happy Monday!

Happy Birthday Samantha Hope!

2009-06-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Our baby's birthday was at the end of May. Yes, it does take me that long to get things posted right now. It is hard to believe that "Baby Sammie" is now FOUR years old!

It's amazing how quickly they go from this....
to this....
to this!!....

Sammie got to choose what we did on her special day. We got up early and spent the first half of the day at Aquatica.It was not hard to tell that she thoroughly enjoyed it....
Then it was off to the Magic Kingdom...A good time was had by all, in spite of the rain...
There were even some unexpected guests...
And of course, some birthday ice cream...
And a beautiful "good night"!
We love you Princess Samantha!!

Favorite Things Friday - National Doughnut Day!

2009-06-05T05:47:00.000-07:00

Today is National Doughnut Day!

I love donuts. But, I usually try to stay as far away from these tasty treats as possible because I tend to gain a few pounds just smelling them. But, today is an exception. We will discuss what the celebration is all about, and head out for some free donuts! (unfortunately, I will only be smelling them, but our kids will love it!)
National Doughnut Day started in 1938 as a fund raiser for the Chicago Salvation Army. Their goal was to help the needy during the Great Depression, and to honor the Salvation Army "Lassies" of World War I, who served doughnuts to soldiers behind the front lines in France. There are many other interesting facts surrounding this holiday if you look for them, you can begin here.
Many shops are offering free donuts today, some for a donation to Salvation Army and some just for showing up. Even select Krispy Kreme shops. The Dunkin Donuts in my neighborhood will give a free donut if you buy a cup of coffee. Hmmm, I think it's coffee time!

Happy Blogiversary!

2009-06-03T16:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, it’s been a whole year! I actually didn’t remember that today was the day. This morning I was missing having the time to blog and visit my blogging friends, so I spent a little time online. I've been thinking about how lately my posts are limited to *memes and occasional photos.
I decided to look back at some of my first posts to see what was going on with me as a first-time blogger, the things I enjoyed most about having a blog, and what I would like to do in the future with my blog. Pulling up my first post, I realized that today it has been one year!
So, here’s to having more time to blog ... Here's to finding the time for more meaningful posts ☺ … Here’s to my 1st blogiversary!

*meme: in blogspeak, an idea that is spread from blog to blog.

Wordless Wednesday - Mmm Mmm Good

2009-06-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

Scenic Sunday

2009-05-24T21:06:00.001-07:00

This was the view outside our window tonight after the rain stopped...

52 Week Challenge - 8/52

2009-05-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

The idea of this challenge over on Carin's blog, Forever in Blue Jeans is for Moms to get in the picture with their family at least once a week for a year. The great thing is you can join in anytime...the BEST thing is that following along assures you regular pictures of your family - with YOU included!

We have had A LOT of much needed rain this week. Fortunately, we have been far from any damaging storms, but in 4 days we have seen more rain than we would have ~~at home~~ at our former home in an entire year.

We have a pretty nice view here; but this has been all we can see this week....

Needless to say, ~~I have been going crazy~~ the kids have been a little restless without being able to spend much time outside.

You can only do your hair so many times....

And the dog's patience with playing dress up is running thin....

So, this morning, we headed to the mall ~~before Mommy pulled her hair out~~ for the girls to have some dry play time and ice cream. It cleared up long enough to eat outside.

And get a little silly....

Smile for the camera....

And get Mom in the picture for this week's challenge! (although it was a little much to ask that everyone would look and smile!)

*********************************************************************

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Cocoa Beach: 60 minutes door to shore!

Scenic Sunday - Yosemite 2007

2009-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Our time in Yosemite was one of our all-time, best family trips so far.
It was not the most glamorous, but definitely one of the most beautiful...and most special.

Want to join in on Scenic Sunday? Post a photo on Sunday and visit Mr Linky on Miti's Blog!

Ch-ch-ch-changes...and 52 Week Challenge: 7/52

2009-05-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

We moved to Florida!

Which explains my unplanned blog break. This time last week I was scrambling like crazy to get us ready to leave. Tomorrow we will have been here a week. It feels like we got here yesterday...and unfortunately our place looks like we just got here yesterday too!

This move was very much a fast decision and a fast take off. We knew we were going to Florida for the summer, but the plans for us to move for a year all happened in a matter of a couple weeks - and sure changed the dynamics of our planning.
The best part of all is that now we will spend the majority of the month with my husband. His work will take him "back home" regularly, but we will all be here as a family most of the time!
We are still working on getting settled; the movers just arrived with our things...several days earlier than expected! I am hoping that getting some of our own stuff unpacked will make it seem more like home. We have been here so many times on vacation, I keep feeling like we will be packing up to go home next week!
There are a lot of things I have been wanting to do, but have been very short on time. Blogging is one of them! I'll share as I can - I expect life to be different for us here....in the best possible way!

Here is my submission for Carin's challenge over at Forever in Blue Jeans.
Things are kind of rough in the picture department right now... But I find as we try to take weekly photos (sleep-deprived, blurred and all!) we are getting a more realistic documentation of our life!

This photo was taken during our early morning layover in Denver last week. My husband and I had about 90 minutes of sleep the night before and had to be at the airport with three kids, luggage, car seats and our dog at 4am. We're still trying to catch up!

This was our much too quick goodbye with "Cousin Jennah". We will miss our family!

***********************************************************

Wordless Wednesday - I Love You Mom

2009-05-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

52 Week Challenge - 6/52

2009-04-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

This is a SUPER FUN challenge hosted by Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans. Moms spend an awful lot of time behind the camera. The idea of this challenge is for us to get on the OTHER side of the camera in at least one photo a week.

It has been a VERY full week for us (update later) and it was not easy stopping to take a photo, but we did it!

There are many exciting things going on in our lives right now, but not a lot of time to handle it all, so my family has really stepped up to help. My brother and sister-in-law kept the kids overnight one night this week so I could get some things done and my mom did the same last night! What a HUGE help! I will be forever grateful.
I decided when picking up the kids today to sneak in a picture while we had my Mom to do the shooting.....

After taking this picture I realized it would probably be a good idea to wipe the jelly off of the kids' faces before taking the picture! So, here is clean-faced "take two"....

***********************************************************

Wordless Wednesday: It's Popsicle Season...Thank God for Oxi Clean!

2009-04-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

Scenic Sunday - Pismo Beach Pier

2009-04-19T13:07:00.001-07:00

52 Week Challenge - 5/52

2009-04-16T18:45:00.001-07:00

This is a wonderful challenge hosted by Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans . Moms spend an awful lot of time behind the camera. The idea of this challenge is for us to get on the OTHER side of the camera in at least one photo a week. Be sure to check out Carin's inventive shot this week...wish I had thought of that! I can't wait to check out everyone else's challenge photos!

When I see everyone's adorable Easter pictures, I am feeling a little sad. We had a great Sunday morning at church, had a quick lunch with my parents and then we were off to drop my husband at the airport...again! It was a busy day and I didn't pick up the camera once.

The good news is my husband will be home in a couple of hours; and I have pictures from LAST Easter! (which, by the way, feels like last WEEK)

I am sure this year's Easter photo would have looked just about the same.
The girls and I wore the same thing.
I know. We have been busy.
Yes, that's a fashion faux pas.
A few years ago I wouldn't have admitted to such a thing.
Or done such a thing.
I guess I'm growing!

Last year my mother-in-law visited us for Easter, so we were able to get this fun shot with my husband's parents. It was a happy day!

***********************************************************

Wordless Wednesday - Misery Loves Company....

2009-04-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

but who wants to be around it?

It's Not About the Bunny....

2009-04-13T23:40:00.000-07:00

Being a Christian does not rid your life of all controversy.

We do stand firmly rooted on certain foundational, immovable, non-negotiable truths; yet, alongside those truths are MANY topics which are up to each of us to decide where we stand - and then stand there (with a certain degree of flexibility!)

Although I spent this weekend focusing on the sacrifice Christ made for us and what His resurrection means; I also spent a fair amount of time thinking about Easter traditions: eggs, bunnies, candy, bonnets, dresses and the like. Since becoming an adult, and even more so after having children, I have had to re-think so many things. As our children grow, learn to communicate and process their own thoughts and feelings, I continue to re-think my stand on many topics. This week's topic was (appropriately) Easter traditions.

Having grown up in the church, I feel comfortable saying that I have heard just about every debate on holiday practices, their various roots and origins, and opinions about the place they hold (or shouldn't hold) in the life of a Christian. As with many of these debates, I've found there comes a time when I need to make an informed decision about what my opinion is and then move on. (until such time I am prompted to re-think that decision!)

This is my current determination regarding Easter...

I know the true meaning of Easter: the day we, as Christians celebrate Christ's Resurrection. On the other hand, I have read about the pagan origins of 'Easter', the symbolism of bunnies and eggs and fertility, and the worship of these as gods, etc. (thanks Wikipedia and Google for refreshing my memory!)

So, as a Christian, and as a mommy, what do I do with this information?

We love springtime. At the close of winter, we start celebrating all things spring. We have little girls, so this includes tea parties, picnics, baby animals, flowers, bunnies, chicks.....new life in general.

Easter is about Christ's resurrection and all those things we surround ourselves with to celebrate spring also celebrate the new life given to us through His resurrection. I personally don't view our decorating Easter eggs as participating in a tribute to the gods of fertility. Our children know that eggs (naturally) represent new life, are a healthy snack, and are at times a simple object lesson to help them grasp the concept of the trinity.

More often than not, we dress up on Easter Sunday; just as we would any other time we have something to celebrate. We choose to give the day we celebrate Christ's resurrection the same honor we would a special birthday or a wedding.

Odds are, our children will grow up surrounded by fluffy dresses, baskets, candy, bunnies and eggs at Easter time...even if they are not present in our home. I feel it is my responsibility to instill in them the amazing truths about Easter so that they will be remembered each time the trappings hit the store shelves.

Some may have entirely different convictions on this topic...and that's okay. We are all held accountable for what God has shown us is right or wrong for us personally. I do believe that anytime holiday practices overshadow the truth or distract from it, it is cause for alarm and time for us to refocus.

For now, you will see eggs on my blog, baskets of candy in our kitchen and dresses on Easter Sunday. But rest assured, if you ask my children what we are celebrating on Easter, they will tell you we are celebrating the new life we have because Jesus rose from the dead. (and if they don't, let me know and we will go over it again!)

Some things I enjoyed reading this week:
It's Not About the Bunny by Martha Matthews
Why the Easter Bunny? by Resurgence
The Truth About Easter by MckMama

Happy Resurrection Day!

2009-04-11T23:40:00.000-07:00

"Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, He has risen!"

Luke 24

Be sure to hit "pause" off to the right before playing...

Favorite Things Friday - Veggie Tales Easter Carol

2009-04-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

Be sure to hit "pause" off to the right first!

52 Weeks - 4/52

2009-04-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

I had to look back and see what number I was on since I didn't make it very far before I got side-tracked! I love this challenge hosted by Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans. Moms spend an awful lot of time behind the camera. The idea of this challenge is for us to get on the OTHER side of the camera in at least one photo a week.

My husband was recently home for a FULL WEEK! He still had to work, but at least we were all in the same city. We tried to make the most of our time - weather in Vegas is tricky this time of year - one day we may be wearing shorts, running around outside and the next we may be bundled up hoping the wind won't blow us down the street! We took advantage of a cold but finally windless evening to have a backyard bonfire. Fun!

***********************************************************

The 'Not So Lazy' Days of Spring....

2009-04-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

I see why summer has the 'lazy days', because spring is proving to be anything but lazy! I have somehow not blogged for three weeks! We have had a pretty full life here these days and I am thankful that my absence has been because we have been busy dealing with all of the things that God has blessed us with rather than dealing with family crises.

I have been thinking this week that the popularity of blogging has given those of us that 'partake' in it a view into the families of so many other people - people that we would not have the joy of knowing if we weren't ~~stalking them online~~ visiting their blogs to see what they are up to.

For me, at this stage in my life with our children being small and my having blocks of time where I feel like ~~I could get stuck for weeks under a big mess in our house and no one would notice I was gone~~ it is hard to find time to interact with other adults face to face, having a connection with others - even if over the internet - is a nice thing.
Well, I digress (again)...what I have really been thinking is that having this 'inside line' into others' lives has opened my eyes to how much God has truly blessed my family. (This is a lesson I have to learn over and over again since I tend to get self-centered over and over again). Don't get me wrong, we have had our share of difficulties, but so many are dealing with major financial struggles, lost jobs, extremely sick babies, their own illness or that of their spouse and other tragedies. Being a part of these things (even from afar) is an opportunity to pray for others, look for ways to encourage, and gives me a chance to look beyond the pity parties I can be prone to because I am so "overwhelmed" with life - a life that when I stop and take account of it, I see how truly blessed I am to have it!

Wordless (late!) Wednesday - Our Little Butterfly!

2009-03-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

52 Weeks - 3/52

2009-03-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

I know the point of this challenge is for me to get in a picture at least once EACH (current) week, but I have to cheat!....Although I have taken the camera with me almost everywhere we have gone (as usual), I still did not get in any pictures! (I'll just have to double up next time!)

This was from two weeks ago when we spent Savannah's birthday at Disney World. She was so excited that she was FINALLY tall enough to be the 'driver'!

One nice thing this challenge has done is cause me to think about times I did make sure I was in the family pictures. Fortunately, I am blessed to have a husband who likes to take pictures and document our lives, so I have found that I am in quite a few during trips and vacations...But during 'typical' weeks, that is not the case...
It has been fun looking back at some happy days.....and it is good be reminded (especially in the midst of tough times) how many great times there have been!!
My sister-in-law, Leslie said that their truly 'happy places' are the beach and Disneyland.... (another thing we have in common!) For us, not much compares to the beach, but you can find us at a Disney Park almost as much (especially with three little princesses of our own!)

This is our family in December '07 with my mother-in-law, Penny at Disney's California Adventure...

Christmastime has to be my favorite time to visit Disneyland!!

Next week, I'll be 'back in the picture'...but it was fun taking a short stroll down memory lane!

To check out other "52 Weeks" photos, or join in the fun, go to Carin's blog!

***********************************************************

So, get yourself in the picture every week for 52 Weeks. Be in a picture with one or more or your children and post your "family photo" on your blog every Thursday.

Wordless Wednesday - Can you keep a secret?

2009-03-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

You Say It's Your Birthday......

2009-03-10T21:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, today is my birthday. I didn't have high hopes for today as my husband is away on business, but I was pleasantly surprised with a great day.
Last night my father-in-law and his fiance watched the girls for FIVE hours so I could have some time to myself. Typically when someone offers to give me a break, I spend the time grocery shopping, doing laundry or cleaning the house. Not this time! I enjoyed five leisurely hours just hanging out, reading and going to the movies. It was WONDERFUL!
Since the kids were up late last night, we slept in this morning (until 8!) and it was a good thing I woke up when I did because at 8:15 the doorbell rang and I had a delivery from my husband!

They are perfect!

The girls were so excited that today is a "holiday" and they had been hiding a card that Daddy left for me. They presented it to me with pride, pleased that they had been entrusted with such an important task.
I made my way to the coffee pot to whip up some ~~gourmet coffee~~ Maxwell House and just then the phone rang. It was like somehow Starbucks knew I was about to perform a sacrilege.

Starbucks was actually calling to say I had been missed and to wish me happy birthday. Just kidding, it was my sister-in-law, Jeanine, calling to wish me a happy day. But, how often does a person get a birthday call from Starbucks?
Needless to say, I ditched the Maxwell House and headed off for some real birthday coffee and a few precious minutes with my sister-in-law.

Throughout the day, I got calls from my brothers and all of my in-laws. My Dad is away this week as well, so my Mom took the girls and I to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants.
I don't have sisters, but I have been blessed with the best sisters-in-law that I could ever dream of. (Maybe it's better this way; I didn't have to share my clothes in high school!) Leslie (my SNL in CA) sent me some scrapbook goodies for my 'stash' (isn't she the BEST?) and the happy day continued....

It is now almost bedtime and I just got a call from my Dad who is in San Salvador this week. Now my birthday is complete.
Well, it's as complete as it can be with my better half away. He'll be home before I know it and the celebration will continue!
Today made me stop and think about how very thankful I am for the family God has given me (through birth and through marriage) and as crazy as we can all be at times, I know I am truly blessed!

(If you want to listen, hit "pause" off to the right first!)

Favorite Things Friday - My Husband!

2009-03-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

Wednesday was our 9th wedding anniversary. We are celebrating it today and I can honestly say that when it comes to favorite things, my husband tops the list! This is a picture of him proposing to me. I wish it were clearer, but I know I am blessed to even have a photo of the moment - especially since it was taken by strangers when they figured out what was going on! (I know this shot looks staged, but it's not - well, it was by him!) We were on a beach just outside Cancun - just after sunset - with a tropical storm rolling in. It couldn't have been more romantic and I couldn't have been more surprised! It is a rather long and wonderful story, but the point for now is that God blessed me with the perfect husband who is just as good to me today as he was 10 years ago and I love him with all my heart!

52 Week Challenge - 2 of 52!

2009-03-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

I have been so overwhelmed with trying to get caught up after being away for so long that I have not come up for air. The other day I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but then spent most of yesterday in bed with a migraine. Now I am back in the tunnel again....
Thankfully my Mom offered to come by and watch the kids and fold laundry so I could cater to my aching head. (Thanks Mom!) Migraines are new to me - and each time I get one I marvel at how some people who get them regularly can function - they totally incapacitate me - and I never thought of myself as a wimp!
With all the craziness, I have not been able to do any "real" blogging; it is not for lack of things to say! So, for now I will continue with the small things I do have time for, like these fun challenges!

This picture was taken a few days ago at one of Savannah's belated birthday dinners. She had a choice of where to go (well, kind of....Chuck E. Cheese's was vetoed) Her next choice was Claimjumper (affectionately called "Clamjumper" by our kids). We all had a great time and I actually remembered to get in a picture!

To check out other "52 Weeks" photos, or join in the fun, go to Carin's blog!

***********************************************************

So, get yourself in the picture every week for 52 Weeks. Be in a picture with one or more or your children and post your "family photo" on your blog every Thursday.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

I Heart Faces - Messy Faces

2009-03-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

This week over at i heart faces it's all about beginners (that's me!) and theme is messy faces....which we have a lot of around here!

Not Me! Monday

2009-03-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

It's time to 'fess up!' Not Me! Monday is here again.....
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

My kids love making up their own silly words. I did not ignore them while they repeatedly chanted a profanity in Spanish thinking what harm could it do since they don't know what they are saying. I did not totally regret this when they began to continue their chant the next day while we shopped in a market where most of the patrons were bilingual.

I did not have to acknowledge that after working in a Mexican Restaurant for ten years, the majority of my Spanish vocabulary cannot be repeated (due to it's rating), unless of course I need to ask you to clean a table or make a margarita. (which I MAY just do if you stop by my house this week!)

I did not look forward to going to the dentist today for an appointment that may leave my mouth sore all day, just so I could lie down in the peace and quiet for an hour or two.

I did not almost go out and spend $25 on a new blow dryer because I thought something was wrong with mine. I was not (a little too) thrilled to realize I just needed to clean the intake screen and now my blow dryer is LIKE NEW! (I know I need to get out more). I would never be so ridiculous as to actually take a picture of the lint in the off chance I could save another poor soul from tossing her blow dryer unnecessarily. Who takes pictures of blow dryer lint? Not me!

Longing to Scrap....

2009-03-01T08:12:00.001-08:00

Since our family was together while we were gone for the past month, I did not find myself longing for home much (it's true that home is where the heart is and my "home" was with me!) But, I sure was wishing I had packed a bag of scrapbook stuff! While visiting Sue's blog, where she posted this card she did for a Courtney's Closet challenge, I thought of the last layout I did, which at this point was months ago! A while back I did a page for Savannah that I was pretty happy with, so I wanted do a similar one for Kylie: The lighting wasn't great when I took these photos, so the colors did not show as vividly in as they really are.
As you can see, I am great at leaving spots for journaling - but not so great at actually doing the journaling! These pictures are all pretty old and pre-digital camera - but special to us. I feel as though I will forever be playing catch up with my scrapping of memorable events. I have now switched to "get it done" mode and am taking a more "no frills" approach to scrapping my old photos. If I don't, I may be documenting my children's pre-school years well into my retirement! This week I will be working on getting settled back in at home as quickly as possible so I can get back to it!

Favorite Things Friday: There's No Place Like....my own bed!

2009-02-28T11:51:00.000-08:00

I know...it's Saturday - but Friday was too full for blog posting....
I got to sleep in my own bed last night after 22 nights of missing it!
It's also the first time in 5 weeks my husband and I have been at home together! After spending most of yesterday traveling, it was so nice to be home as a family, eat take out (the fridge is empty), and go to bed at 6:30! (that's a first!) Although my husband's travel schedule does not let up for quite some time, the girls and I are home for a while, so I will definitely be enjoying sleeping in my own bed!

Happy Birthday Savannah Faith!

2009-02-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

Five years ago today we were blessed with our own ray of Sunshine. Savannah Faith was born on February 26, 2004 and our lives have never been the same!

We will be spending the day with Savannah at Disney World and it will be the Happiest Place on Earth because she will be there!

Happy Birthday Sunshine!
We Love You!!!!

52 Weeks - 1/52

2009-02-25T21:56:00.000-08:00

I joined another challenge I can actually do :) Here's the scoop:

So, get yourself in the picture every week for 52 Weeks. Be in a picture with one or more or your children and post your "family photo" on your blog every Thursday.

Fortunately, I have been much better about this lately (getting in front of the camera), as it is easier for me to do when away from home. We will be back to "real life" soon and for us that means a lot of pictures, but most of them are taken by me! If you'd like to join in on this challenge designed to get Moms in front of the camera, hop on over to Carin's blog....

Here is my picture 1 of 52 (!) of Kylie, Samantha and myself at Shamu's Happy Harbor!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-25T05:34:00.000-08:00

So, Watcha Been Doin' Down In F.L.A.? (part 1)

2009-02-24T08:48:00.000-08:00

We went to Sea World....

And fed the dolphins....
Saw Shamu.....
Sammie rode her first "big kid" roller coaster....

Played in Shamu's Happy Harbor...
Where I broke my shoe and almost lost my phone (which is why I was carrying them), but still tried to muster up a smile....

Later I got a hair cut (which I tend to do when we go out of town and I notice how bad my hair really has gotten).....
We got "dressed up" :) and went to the playground....

We put our shirts on backwards......
And acted silly......
We played at the pool and went to the Water Park.....
And when we couldn't, we sat in bed with pool toys and thought about going swimming.....

More to follow....

I Heart Faces - Week 7 - Black & White

2009-02-23T21:49:00.000-08:00

I ♥ Faces is a photography blog that hosts weekly photo contests of faces for both kids & adults. I have been seeing this site turn up more and more and each time I think - 'hey, I should get in on the fun'....I am never short on pictures of my angels' faces :) So easy to enter, so difficult to win, - there are some real photographers in the running - but fun nonetheless! Word "on the street" is that there will be a beginner's week in March and I will be all over that. To join in the fun & enter or just find some great photos and tips, visit their blog here.

This week's theme is Black & White...

"Not Me! Monday"

2009-02-23T11:32:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

We don't need a priest in order to have confession 'round these here parts! MckMama created Not Me! Monday for the purpose of confessing our shortcomings and imperfections to each other since, after all, we are all only human.

On our plate this week.....

While we enjoyed another week in sunny Florida, we did not spend the majority of the past week indoors while the stomach flu ravaged through the ranks. The flu did not hit us one by one, thereby keeping us all trapped in our timeshare for 5 days (5 days that seemed like 45).

Our little ones have complete control their natural reflexes. Therefore, this week was not like a constant recurrence of “that scene from Poltergeist”.

While holding my oldest daughter between vomit sessions (hers and mine), I did not repeatedly say to her “I know sweetie, you’ll feel better soon” while in my mind thinking, “please don’t throw up on me, please don’t throw up on me!”

On a solo late night trip to Walmart, I did not end up turning into the Sea World parking lot by mistake (don’t ask). Because it is all One Way, I did not end up having to drive through what seemed to be miles of lanes and cones in a dark, empty lot all the while wondering how I would explain to my husband how I got stuck in Sea World when I was supposed to be at Walmart. World-traveler that I am, that would never happen to me.

I do not continually neglect my 3 year old’s improper grammar just because I think it is so cute when she insists, “I amn’t!!” (which is her contraction for “I am not”) I would not do that because proper speech is very important to me.

As we stood in line to see “The Lion King” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, I did not begin to swell up with pride as the people next to us exclaimed how adorable our 3 year old is. I did not then turn and wonder where her right index finger went - oh yeah, it was all the way up her nose!

I’m sure there are many other things I would love to not share with you, but to be honest, we have all been too sick to think 'round here, so stay tuned for more as our minds start to work again!

What did you not do this week?

Goodbye Valentines Day

2009-02-20T09:16:00.000-08:00

I like to change my blog template - there are so many great ones out there. My current favorites are here and here. I've been wanting to pay homage to our time in Florida and update with a more appropriate theme, but I really had a hard time disposing of the red daisies I chose for Valentine's Day. I also liked the "love themed" music. I found myself logging in to my own blog to hear some of my favorite songs. The great thing about playlist.com is that I can create lists that fit my every mood and listen whenever I want (as long as my computer is close by). Although my playlists remain on the site, I felt better about saying goodbye to my Daisies when it dawned on me that I could just take a picture and look at it whenever I want!

I've been asked for some "documentation" of our time in Florida, so while I have Valentines Day on my mind, I figured I would start there. My husband took the day off so we could spend it together. We wanted to take advantage of the warm Florida weather, so we started at the pool....

We were told that once you have kids, EVERYTHING changes....but, pre-children I would never have imagined that for our Valentines Day dinner, we would bypass romance and candlelight for the exciting ambiance of the T-Rex Cafe. I never pass up the opportunity to go to one of our favorite Orlando hangouts, Downtown Disney and this is where we ended up......

I have read very mixed reviews (don't you always) about the T-Rex Cafe, but my opinion is that the people from Rainforest Cafe did not let us down. We were surrounded by dinosaurs, every room/area was pre-historically themed, and every minute or so, the entire place came alive with sounds, lights and moving dinosaurs.....and the food was great!

Savannah even got to ride a baby Triceratops!

The Woolly Mammoth watched over us while we ate...
We don't usually order dessert, but we couldn't pass up the "Chocolate Extinction".....

A gigantic portion of chocolate fudge cake served with ice cream, fresh whipped cream drizzled with fudge and caramel sauces and sprinkled with Butterfinger crumbs.

Could you?

Who needs romance and candlelight? :)

Wordless Wednesday - Sometimes You've Just Gotta Be Silly

2009-02-18T23:56:00.000-08:00

My Life Is A....

2009-02-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

whirl⋅wind

–adjective

4.	like a whirlwind, as in speed or force

–verb (used without object)

5.	to move or travel quickly

I don't know what other word to use to describe my last week and a half! At the end of January, my husband went to Florida for work.....and before I knew it....we were all in Orlando for a month! He was asked to stay on beyond the original 10 days of his business trip and he agreed as long as we could join him, so here we are!

With just a couple days notice, I packed up myself and the kids, tied up loose ends at home, arranged for a dog and house sitter, put myself, 3 small children, a stroller, 3 car seats, and 4 suitcases on a plane. At this point, we will be home soon....I just haven't posted in awhile. I had envisioned leisurely days while my husband was working - I thought I would have a lot of free time away from the regular duties of home, being able to keep up my blog and a variety of other things.... Turns out, my kids wear me out just as much in Florida as they do at home! Go figure. (this explains why my blog is still celebrating Valentines Day which was 4 days ago)

We have been blessed...although my husband has been working a tremendous number of hours, we are still able to see him more than if we were at opposite ends of the country. We have already spent time as a family at Sea World and Aquatica (Sea World's water park) and I even took the kids to Epcot and Animal Kingdom on my own (how's that for brave?) We are staying at a beautiful place with an amazing pool for the kids...and the weather has been sunny and averaging 75 degrees! We really couldn't ask for more when it comes to how well we have been taken care of. I am now completely reaping the benefit of homeschooling our first grader. If Kylie were in regular school this year, we would not have this opportunity - and I am so thankful!

I am also super thankful to have gotten on line tonight to find this from my (truly) delightful friend, Teresa who was thinking of me from the far reaches of Spain! Thank you Teresa - you made my night! I love visiting Teresa's blog as I aways find something new (with her current tech-savvy-ness) and beautiful creativity - she inspires me....check it out!!

What this award is all about.....

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.

(and she thought about ME when she read this!)

AND.....
This reminded me of an award I got a while back from Joey in the UK.... I saved it to my desktop, and never posted it! You know, it is often the little things that make a difference in my day....God knew I needed a bit of encouragement tonight (rough night) and forgetting to post this before was like receiving it again today!

I can't even begin to describe the AMAZING things you will see if you visit Joey's blog - so you have to see it for yourself! (And to top it off, she's a sweetie!)

Good night to all....I'll be back to soon to close out Valentine's Day! :)

Wordless Wednesday - Sisters

2009-02-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-04T14:13:00.001-08:00

Art Appreciation

2009-02-03T00:06:00.000-08:00

I am very short on time, but did want to post these pictures of our art time today. The girls were to paint self-portraits and they loved it!

Kylie was excited to use her new art kit from Uncle Brian and Aunt Jeanine.

And her self-portrait was great!

Savannah joined in on the fun and did a great job as well....

Sammie's beautiful self-portrait was a bit more abstract....

Afterward, they had some free time to paint whatever they wanted. I loved what Savannah came out of the room with: This is a picture of "God when He died on the cross so we can go to heaven." Moms, keep talking....your children are listening!

Not Me! Monday

2009-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Well, it's time for our free therapy session! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

But, for me....

The internet has not replaced the television as something I could totally be addicted to...if I allowed it. I am not an information junkie who could spend all my time absorbing information, some of it useful, some not so much.

I did not happen upon a ridiculous website where my first thought was who on earth would take the time to compile almost 2000 discarded grocery lists? And even worse, who would take the time to look through them? I did not end up joining the ranks of the ridiculous as I did not spend an inordinate amount of time perusing the same grocery lists I mocked. I did not finally say to myself, "what on earth are you doing?" and shut the computer and go to bed. But, not before copying this one:

I did not prove to myself (and now those on the www) that I really do have a problem...when as writing this post, I did not take just a few more minutes looking at just a few more grocery lists.....what's wrong with me?

My husband's birthday was not last week. It does not feel like a month ago since so much has been going on this week. I did not wake up at 3am to our sweet cocker spaniel running in and out of every room in the house like Taz.

I did not find these remains which explained the craziness:

I did not end up staying awake doing laundry at 3am because I was not at all worried about my dog having eaten chocolate and wanted to make sure she was okay.

I did not insist that my family not walk on the carpet because I finally found the time to vacuum and wanted the floor to stay looking nice. I would never be so silly as to ask my husband if he would please jump from one set of tile to the other so as to only leave one footprint in the middle of the floor.

I did not then move on to figure out how I could keep my family from wearing clothes as well since for the first time since 2001 our clothes hampers are empty......until tomorrow.

What did you not do this week?

Favorite Things Friday - Some Like It Hot!

2009-01-30T00:53:00.001-08:00

Yes, I love Tabasco. You will always find this in my fridge:

And I like to cook with this:

I like to visit this site, and eventually I'll make it to Avery Island, Louisiana where the magic happens.

This is the spoon rest my husband brought me after his last trip to Louisiana:

Other than this prized possession, I am not fanatical to the point that my house or kitchen is littered with Tabasco paraphernalia. But, you will find these pictures in my own little corner of the world (the laundry room):

This gallon jug is on my wish list.....

Along with this 125th Anniversary Edition....

And last, but not least, this.....

Have a spicy day!