Busy Summers

Sorry for the lack of posting this week. It has been a little hectic. Matthew's parents will be here tomorrow so I will be scarce this coming week too. We will be heading down to Marco Island this week with the Grandparents, so hopefully I will have some nice shots to post next week.

To build or not to build...

Directions for how to build a playground!

Only 111 steps and 5 boxes of materials.

Items needed: 2 moderately skilled adults and 24 hours - piece of cake...I took a 9 week long shop class once...in 7th grade!

So okay...it has taken a little more than 24 hours. But I really don't think those directions were meant for people in Florida. Just about the time you get all your tools set up, all your hardware located, all the boards arranged, the flood waters of the summertime storms roll in. Thankfully, the lack of progress has not hindered the kids in playing everything from school to spiderman on the portion that is built! Who knows...maybe by the end of summer we will have the slide attached.

Progress to date: Step 90 completed! Only 21 more steps to go...oh wait then I have to stain it!

Fish Anyone?

Let me first start out by saying how thankful we are to have our pastor living so close by with his sweet children (some of which are my kids age). We had a blast at swim lessons these past two weeks. Abbey and Brady along with my niece Brooke, Chloe and Abel all took swim lessons togther! The girls were in a class together and the boys were in a different class. This is Abbey and Brooke's 4th summer of lessons, but do to some changes in their swim policies the first year Brady was able to take lessons. At the start of lessons he could not lift his head out of the water to take a breath...now just two weeks later he is jumping off the diving board and swimming all over the place.

It's a long fall from the pedestal!

So now I will introduce Abbey Rose...my first born, my drama queen...many say she is the spittin image of me. She is my petite near 8 year old who struggles with the fact that she is so small weighing in at a mere 36 pounds, however her personality far exceeds her small stature! Of course as the Momma, I think she is gorgeous...and she knows she is too. She gets stopped quite frequently in public for people to comment on her eyes. Let's just say she was pretty comfortable up on that pedestal! She has about 4 teachers at her school that "fight" over who is going to take her home...and might I just say she loves that attention. But sometimes, things just don't go as planned! A couple of weeks ago, Matthew, the kids and I were all at Publix shopping for few items. Abbey and Brady were riding in the "car" shopping cart. Matthew was a couple feet in front of the cart looking at some items and I was pushing the cart. An elderly woman heading in the opposite direction stopped me and as she placed her hand on my arm, began to compliment Brady on his handsome features and his good behavior! I thanked her and she went on her way. Abbey starts looking around quite bewildered and I asked her what was wrong. She told me nothing but kept looking around like she knew she was on candid camera. I then proceeded to teach Brady that when someone pays him such a nice compliment he needs to make sure to thank them. As I finished talking with Brady, Abbey said in her most offended voice..."Well...She must not have looked at me!" After trying desperately to regain my composure (without busting out laughing) but think quickly on how to use this as a learning tool, I then spoke to Abbey about how I think she is a beautiful girl...but not everyone is going to stop to tell her that and she needs to be happy for Brady that he is getting the opportunity to experience those compliments that she hears on a regular basis! Although it may have bruised her ego a bit, I think she climbed back on that pedestal rather quickly.

Brady, Brody, Bradley, Brandon yes even Darby...

First let me introduce (for those of you who don't really know him) my second child. Brady is the typical second child. You all know the one...the one who never performs on que...the one who rarely will sit still long enough to have his picture taken, and therefore few photos of him exist...and since he won't perform on que, forget having any videos of him. He is however hopelessly addicted to his Momma (and now to his new baby cousin Lindsey, whom he refers to as "my sweet little Lindsey"). Which of course makes my head swell just a bit! He has a heart of gold and showers us with "I love you's" and kisses. But as a second child, he has been plagued with the "what is his name again". So he is often introduced as "Brady...you know like the Brady Bunch...or like Tom Brady the QB." But one thing that he learned earlier than any child I have ever known is how to cross his eyes. At 2 years old, the kid could instantly go into his cross eyes without the use of the finger to the nose trick. And can you guess where he realized this new found talent? At a Primitive Baptist meeting of course! And now the art of cross eyes has been perfected to a defense mechanism! I'm sure most of the Moms out there can appreciate the "glazed" over look during a lecture of discipline. Well my little man chooses the cross eyed approach verses the glaze look. Do any of you realize just how difficult it is to correct a child who is CROSS EYED? And it is even harder when he adds "Momma, you have two noses"! Unfortunately, his little technique works alot of times because after a comment like that who can keep a straight face!

Happy Father's Day

Dear Matthew,



Let me first thank the Lord above for sending you to me. Thank you for being such a patient husband, an excellent father but most importantly the spiritual leader of this household. I have enjoyed raising our children together, and even though I am the "heavy" I need your temperment to balance me out. Few people can say they found their soul mate at 16, I am so thankful the Lord chose me to have that special blessing! I look forward to many more years of our growing family!



I love you, Babe.

My First Blog

I am relaxing at the beach and my wonderful sister has helped me to start my first blog! There will be more to come including pictures and videos... Please be patient with me! I am NEW to this!