Happy Father's Day

Much like Mother's Day, this Father's Day was very bittersweet for our family. Jeff was out in Omaha with the baseball team so we didn't get to celebrate with him. We did sneak some cards in his luggage for him to find and open, which made him smile! I had to work in the morning, so we didn't get a chance to call him beforehand, but I had the kids construct a banner and took a picture of them holding it and sent it to him via text as his "wake-up" call! He told me it was awesome and was so touched by the thoughtfulness behind it. We also ordered him a rather large canvas with a picture of the kids taken at Lake Alice for him to hang up in his office. Next year we hope to be in Omaha with him to have a proper celebration!

Blueberry Picking Fieldtrip

Brooke and her BFF, Payton, picking blueberries on their field trip today in High Springs. Jeff got to chaperon and they had a blast and went to the Westside Park pool/splash park afterward.

Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?!?

I walked into Austin's room to put something away this morning and was startled by the appearance of someone sleeping on his bed....lol! I guess he got his costume all ready for when he comes home from school....

What is Granni teaching her anyway??

So, this story is too funny not to share with the world. It may embarrass Addison down the road when I show it to her boyfriends, but for now it makes me chuckle! We were at my Mom & Dad's on Mother's Day and Addison told me that she had to go "potty." I took her in and she asked me to leave, so I did and told her I'd be back in a few minutes to check on her. When I peaked in on her I couldn't believe what she was doing....
She had the Target ads from the paper and was reading them while going "potty." Even better was that she was sorting through them and separating out the ones she wanted to show Mimi from those she didn't care for....LOL!
When I saw her I stepped out and began cracking up. Everyone asked me what was so funny and I told them what she was doing. My Mom then informed me that she was the one who taught her to do that....in fact what she said was she tells her to "Grab something to read and just relax." I couldn't let the moment pass me by without snapping a photo to document it. I did, however; have to sneak said photo because I knew Addison wouldn't cooperate if she saw what I was doing. I had to set the camera on my phone and just hold my arm out just passed the opening of the door and quickly snap it. After I took it I looked at it and saw that Addison looked a little funky so I tried to take another one, but she spotted me and quickly turned in embarrassment. I seriously crack up every time I look at the pictures and enjoy showing my friends and listening to them giggle over the story behind them!

Mother's Day

This year's Mother's Day was somewhat depressing for me as Jeff was out of town for it and the kids were a bit wild during the 5 days he was gone(he was thoughtful though and left several presents for the kids to give to me, which they thought was so exciting...they especially liked the cards. There was a lot of coffee products involved...go figure!). I also had to work the morning of, so that was a unique experience for me. My Mom & Dad, whom I just adore, decided to change their plans of taking my Grandma out for dinner to include the kids and I, which melted my heart. My Dad cooked steaks & chicken on the grill while my Mom whipped up a bunch of sides, and the kids and I contributed carrot cake for dessert. It really meant a lot to me that we were able to spend the afternoon together! Jeff did return home around 8:00 that night(after a full day of traveling) with chocolate covered strawberries in hand and we had an enjoyable few hours together.
The next evening we went out to Cody's steakhouse as a family and celebrated the occasion.
I have to add that the most special gifts I received were from Brooke & Austin. They each made me something at school and both gifts just warmed my heart. I have to give their teacher's so much credit for their creativity and thoughtfulness. I also joined Austin for a Mother's Day brunch with his class on the Wednesday prior and we had a fun time celebrating and eating goodies.

A beautiful bouquet of Tulips & Irises was delivered to me from my sweet husband...



Brooke made a special book with her class that they each presented to their moms...




Austin made an adorable hand print craft with a poem that melted my heart...



We had fun eating at Cody's and enjoyed our time together as a family...

Meet Yoda

The other day I took Gizmo out front to go potty and I heard meows coming from the neighbor's bushes. My first thought was that a cat had hidden in the bushes to have a litter of kittens. When I went over, a emaciated orange & white tabby came out of the bushes and started nuzzling on the bottom of my legs and purring. He was so skinny and i felt so awful for him knowing that he must be starving and since he was so sweet, I decided to give him some food. Since I didn't have any cat food, I just gave him a little bit of Gizmo's puppy food....he scarfed it down! Later on my Mom brought over a bag of cat food. Well, its been over a week and Yoda(this is the name the kids decided on) sleeps on our doorstep every night and doesn't wander far from the house. He is so gentle and sweet with the kids and seeing him in the morning is the highlight of their day. For now he will be our outdoor kitty, but who knows what we will decide to do with him down the road if he continues to stick around. All I know is the moment we open the door in the morning, there he is...trying to come in.

Happy Easter

WOW....this Easter sure was different for our family! Every year we have to work around Jeff's baseball schedule and the fact that he may or may not be in town, but this year we had to work around my job and Brooke being 3 days post operation and in recovery. Since I'm working at Trinity, I quickly realized that Easter was a very busy holiday for the Church and especially the Trinity Kids Team. We put on the ginormous Easter Egg Hunt, which included over 16,000 eggs this year and I was busy working the afternoon before it setting up everything, the morning of it and during it and clean up after it, and Sunday School the next day. Brooke wasn't able to attend the Egg Hunt because she was in pretty bad shape, so she spent the morning with Grandpi while Jeff brought Austin & Addi over to the festivities.
We had live chicks at the Hunt and Brooke's one request was that Mrs. Emily allow me to bring one home for the night. Well, Mrs. Emily not only let me bring home one, but all 6 of them! Brooke was so happy and it was such a great feeling being able to allow her such a special treat. The kids just LOVED having them!! Easter morning was a bit non-existent due to the fact that I had to work at 8am, but the kids woke up early and sifted through their loot that was left by the Easter Bunny. After work we headed over to my Mom & Dad's house for Easter dinner, and egg hunt, and to take pictures of all the kids with the chicks. It was a nice family day, but since there was a game, Jeff wasn't able to join us until dessert. I was just thrilled that Brooke was able to have somewhat of a normal Easter!

Comfy New Couches!

We decided that we needed a new set of couches for the family room that would accommodate more people and allow us to kick back and relax! Although we liked out old sectional, there was never a place for everyone to put their feet up. As a family we went down to Ocala and picked out a great set at Rooms To Go. The are leather(easy for cleaning), have built in cup holders(score!) and recliners on both ends plus a storage ottoman for the middle 2 seats. We also go a recliner for Jeff, and my Dad too of course when he is over :)

Addison loves to hide in the storage compartments and watch cartoons from them in the morning. Sometimes I'm a little scared to think what I may find hiding in them and have to make sure Gizmo safely escapes from them :)

We put the sectional in the living room and changed around the dining room furniture and quite honestly I smile every time I walk in the house because it feels so fresh and new!

Tonsils, Adenoids, & Tubes....Oh My!!

On April 21st, Brooke had surgery to remove her Adenoids, & Tonsils, and have tubes put in her ears. The surgery itself ended up being a little more complicated than expected, as her Adenoids had compromised over 80% of her airway, and also impacted her Tonsils, making them harder to remove. Due to this, and the fact that she had a lot of fluid on her left ear, the surgery took about 30 minutes longer than anticipated. Her recovery from anesthesia was difficult and the first few days post-op was extremely painful. Her recovery was a complete 180 from what we experienced with Austin after his surgeries, so it broke my heart to see her struggling so much! She was out of school for a week and returned on April 28th. As of today she seems to be back to normal and proved this with her unending breakfast comprised of: 4 bowls of cereal, part of a banana, raisins, a buddy fruit, orange juice, and a double bowl of grits. Hopefully this appetite will continue and she can work on gaining back the 4-5lbs that she lost, leaving her at a measly 42 pounds.

The following post-op pictures may not be for the faint of heart :)


April 25th


April 28th


May 7th

We find life at Payne's Prairie

Occasionally on a Wednesday while we have a bit of time to kill I will take Austin & Addison out to Payne's Prairie to walk along the boardwalk and try to spot some form of wildlife. We have never been successful in seeing much because of it being so dry and the usual suspects are typically birds and dragonflies, but today we finally saw a reptile....a young cottonmouth chilling in a pool of muddy water. Austin was so excited!

Streaker!!

Tonight Addison stripped down to her birthday suit while standing up in her highchair in anticipation of taking a bath and she thought it was quite hysterical! Couldn't help but laugh at that adorable little giggle!! I should have snapped a photo to show her future boyfriends...LOL!

A Girl & Her Dog

One day during Spring Break, while Addison & Austin were taking naps, Brooke and I decided to play around with the camera and take a few pictures of her and Gizmo. The personality of this little pooch and his ability to pose for the camera is amazing! I am so happy that we made the decision to get him to be a long-time pal for the kids.

Gizmo showcasing his singing talents

Pirate & Princess Training

This week during Spring Break, we have spent a little time in The Haile Village Center at The Little Shop partaking in a few of their super fun classes for kids. Today the kids underwent a little training to be a Pirate & Princesses. They got to have relay races for booty(pirate lingo for $), go on a treasure hunt together and then Austin learned how to walk a plank and sword fight, while the girls had their nails painted and hair sprayed pink. Afterward we stayed for an ice cream social. Earlier in the week, on a stormy day, they all became trained to be Superheroes. I really love this kitschy little store and all they have to offer and plan to bring the kids over and over again.

Walking the plank

That's Our Boy!

So, as most everyone knows, Austin can be a bit of a handful! Most of the times I completely understand though as he is sandwiched in between two girls and is ALWAYS surrounded by estrogen! The past 2 weeks, however; have been a complete exception to his typical behavior. He has been wonderful at school, at Sunday School, and any other activity her partakes in. To say that I am so proud of him, I find to be a complete understatement! Last week he had a report come home from school that read:
"Best listener in the Busy Bee's class! Today, Austin was a leader :)"
I literally almost cried when I read it! The look of accomplishment on his face when I shower him with kisses, high fives, and compliments after receiving such praise is priceless!!
The past few weeks his Sunday School teacher has made a point to tell me how great he was and how much of a helper he has been.
Yesterday at CHEERS, Mrs. Patti, made it a point to find me and tell me(in front of Austin) how wonderful he has been in class and how great of a help he has also been.
Then, to put add the cherry on top, Austin got up in front of the entire Church congregation during the Children's Chat portion of the Lent service, and told everyone(via microphone) how he says Grace at the dinner table. I didn't get to witness this special moment(tear) as I was setting everything up for Lentapalooza, but my boss, Monique, told me that he did it and how great he was. He even volunteered to clean up the mess on the tables after we were all done baking chocolate chip cookies as part of out Great Grace Gala cooking lesson. He was rewarded with the 1st cookie out of the oven!

I have always said that out of all 3 of our kids, Austin has the most sincere heart, and he truly has proven it over the past few weeks! I LOVE that kid!!

Another Surgery...

Brooke has to have her tonsils & adenoids removed and tubes put in. I scheduled her surgery today for April 21st. That is one year and one day after Austin had his tonsils & adenoids removed. Lets hope April of 2012 doesn't repeat history and we find ourselves at the surgical pavilion with Addi on April 22nd.