Joy's Journal...

Dance Class...

2009-08-28T20:10:00.003-04:00

Kady had her first dance class and she absolutely loved it! She came home and showed us all of her flips, back bends and dances. As soon as we got her tights off she was asking when she was going back again. Hopefully she stay excited about it and do well.

Toys Kady will never get....

2009-08-13T08:00:00.003-04:00

I read this article on Perez Hilton the other day and just had to share. I'm adding this to the list of toys that Kady will never get. (Article copied from Perez Hilton.com)

Hey kids! Are you looking for a toy that is sure to give you false impressions of motherhood and ultimately persuade you into having children at a very young age?
Then you'll want your parents to pick up Bebe Gloton, the world's first breast-feeding doll. That's right! It's a doll that cries to suck on the young nips of children who are still unaware what their nips are for. Well, now they'll know!
A Spanish toymaker invented this ingenious plaything, which cries when it is "hungry" and is only satisfied when it gets a drink from the special halter top "nursing bra" that kids can strap on to simulate breast-feeding. It even makes sucking noises!!! Doesn't this sound fun?
What happened to serving our dolls tea or having Barbie run stark naked through the house because the clothes were too hard to get back on once taken off? Guess, we're way beyond that these days! Some critics say that this is positive plaything, promoting the "norm" in child feeding, rather than artificial means of the bottle. Some, more sane people, recognize that this might "speed up maternal urges" and equate the doll to introducing "sex ed in first grade." We couldn't agree more with the latter! How do U feel about the breast-feeding baby doll?

Bowling...

2009-08-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Jamie and I were looking for something to do the other day and decided to take Kady bowling. We went to the lanes in St. Augustine and it was great because there were only two other active lanes at the time. We practically had the place to ourselves.

They had balls that were regulation size but only about 1 - 2 pounds. Jamie showed her how to roll the ball and she got the hang of it quick. Every time the ball came back out of the ball chute it would scare her. Each time she rolled the ball she would put her hands on her hips, jump up and down and turn in circles. After the first game, which she bowled a 70, she was begging to play again. She bowled one more game and in that game actually got a spare and bowled a 68.

Now I'm excited for the bowling alley to open up in town because I know that will be something that she will enjoy doing.

Dora Live!

2009-08-11T12:02:00.003-04:00

Last week we took Kady to see DORA LIVE at the Times Union Center in Jacksonville. She was so excited. Mom and Nana went with us because Jamie was working and because tickets were buy one get one free. By the way, Gacky was relieved that he got out of going. We wanted to go somewhere different for dinner so we decided on Olive Garden because I had not been there in years. To my surprise it was actually really good. The food was much more flavorful that I remember and I was happy that we chose to go there.

The show was cute and we had really good seats. I think the next time we go there I'll try to get seats in that same area. They are doing "Mama Mia" in March so I'm thinking that will be a good birthday present for Mom.

Cake Wrecks...

2009-07-22T18:02:00.006-04:00

I stumbled upon what is now my new favorite blog website today. It is a website devoted to cakes that have went wrong. Could be miscommunication or just poor decorating. The cake that was the inspiration for the website is this one to the left. Apparently the decorator didn't get that he wanted "We will miss you" underneath the Best Wishes Suzanne. There are pages and pages of pictures and funny explanations.
http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

I'm also posting a few of my favorites so far. The 4 year old - Grand Theft Auto Cake. Not really what your 4 year old should be into. Then the spider cake with spiders that have 12 legs each. Finally the graduation with "I want Sprinkles" instead of actual sprinkles on the cake.

Zoo...

2009-07-20T08:00:00.001-04:00

We took Kady to the Zoo last week during Jamie's vacation. The Jacksonville Zoo was nice and a lot of new areas had been added since the last time we went. Kady got to feed a Giraffe and she loved that. She called all of them Melmen which was the giraffe's name in Madagascar.

By the way, I told Jamie to remind me to NEVER do anything outside in Florida June - August. It was so hot outside and after a few hours just miserable. At least Kady got to play in the splash park and have a little retrieve from the heat. I'm not really good company if one of three things happen: 1. Hungry 2. Hot 3. Sleepy. God forbid there be a triple threat and I'm all three at one time.

Backyard Photo Shoot...

2009-07-13T20:19:00.005-04:00

I love the vines that grow in the back corner of our yard during the summer. It was a nice day to capture some backyard photos.

Riverfront Photo Shoot...

2009-07-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

I have been wanting to take some pictures of Kady down at the riverfront for a while now. When I drove by the other day I noticed that it was all nicely mowed and cleaned up in anticipation of the fireworks this past weekend. I made a point to go down there and snap a few shots. I think they turned out good. She smiles just like Jamie and normally that is with her eyes squinting. It was such a nice day and I'm going to try to do that more often because the scenery is nice when it's all cleaned up.

Skill...

2009-07-07T08:00:00.001-04:00

We normally will let Kady play the skill crane at Wal-Mart each time we go. This time there was a small turtle animal that she wanted so I tried to win it for her. With my first quarter I was able to win two animals and we just kept going from there. With a total of $2.50 I won 14 stuffed animals out of the machine. The animals were stacked just right and were falling right into the hole without even trying. We had the most fun and played until we ran out of quarters.

4th of July

2009-07-06T08:00:00.007-04:00

We went to see the fireworks this year and we ended up having a good time. Kady enjoyed all the pretty fireworks and she loved holding the sparklers.

We even talked Nana & Gack into coming with us this year. I love that my new camera captures fireworks with neat effects. Hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend.

Kady-isms....

2009-06-30T08:00:00.005-04:00

Lately Kady has been saying some pretty clever or funny things that I wanted to share.

* Kady asked me if her Daddy was home and I told her he was at work. She asked me why he had to work and I told her that he had to make money. After a minute she said, "Daddy does not make money he makes toilet paper.

* Going over the bridge the other day Kady pointed over to the smoke stacks at Seminole electric. She told mom to look at the machine making all the clouds.

* One of her fish died the other day and we called Nana to tell her the news. Kady got on the phone and told Nana that her fish ran out of breath.

* We went to my nephews preschool graduation and we kept telling Kady that she would get to do that in a few years. A few weeks later while talking to Kady about Vacation Bible school we mentioned to her that she would get to be on stage and preform her song with her class. Kady then told me that she was excited to wear a square hat and nightgown. It took me a second to put together that she was thinking about the cap and gown that Eli was wearing at his graduation. What a memory!

Happy 30th Birthday to Me!!

2009-06-29T08:00:00.007-04:00

Well today is my 30th birthday, I can't believe it. I'm not stressing about the number but it's just crazy to me that I'm that age. When you are little you think 30 year olds are just ancient. Now that I'm there you realize that it's just another step in the journey. I still feel the same way that I felt 10 years ago.

In my 30 years of life so far I've done and seen a lot. I've graduated from school and then went on to receive my AA degree. I've worked my way up at my job to Property Manager at my current job. I've gotten married and been happily married for 9 years in October. Kady was born in October 2005 and she so far is my crowning achievement. I have been involved in church since I was born and was saved and baptized at a young age. I have seen nephews, nieces and second cousins born and family members married and witnessed my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. I've made good friends and have done a little bit of traveling. There are still places I want to go and things to accomplish but I don't have any regrets on things that I've done so far.

I had a birthday party this weekend and it was great. I was surrounded by my family and that always makes me the happiest. Everyone knows that since my birthday falls at the end of the month I celebrate all month long. I have had a few birthday dinners and I posted some pictures from some of the different parties. I have a great life and I would not trade it for anything.

Michael Jackson...

2009-06-26T08:00:00.006-04:00

Such sad news that Michael Jackson passed away yesterday at the age of 50. He has had a sorted history but he still was very entertaining.

Funny enough I have a Michael Jackson story. A long time ago me and friend Danielle got these kits that included one white glove along with glitter and sequins. We spent hours gluing on sequins and applying glitter. Once finished we patiently waited for them to dry. After hours it was finally time to put on our gloves. We picked up our gloves and shoved our chubby hands in only to have glitter and sequins fly all over the place. I guess the force of our hands caused the glue to separate and so our gloves ended up being a few sparkles but we still enjoyed them.

I decided to post two pictures from what I consider his best times musically.

R.I.P. Michael Jackson.

A Poem...

2009-06-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

Read this poem as a reminder that our babies are only little once so make time to do the things with them while they are little becuase it passes fast.

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

- Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Kate + 8 - Jon

2009-06-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

I'm sure that most of you tuned in Monday night to see the train wreck that is Jon & Kate plus 8. I have loved watching these shows since they first came out when the kids were just babies. Even back then we all witnessed Kate belittling Jon and him taking it. I'm sure your opinions matched mine in wondering why he lets her be so bossy all the time.

I'm positive that in raising 8 kids there has to be a lot of organization. Kate was great at this almost to a fault. She allowed no room for wiggle and very seldom let anything interrupt their plans. Jon on the other hand was much more laid back and sometimes just wanted to allow their kids to "go with the flow" which by Kate's standards was not allowed. I always use to think why does he put up with her attitude and that she should be grateful he is so helpful. I could sometimes agree with her when you think about cleaning up 8 messes but on the other hand you have to let kids have kid experiences. You can never get those days back when they are little and are experiencing things for the first time.

Now that the kids have gotten older and more independent I have seen Kate relax a lot. Well as much as I think she can relax. She does not seem to have to have things her way quite as much and she is more apt to let them discover things for themselves. However, Jon seems to have grown quite restless and seems that nothing can make him happy.

It appears that now that Jon and Kate could sit back and enjoy the kids without all the stress he has chosen to find other things to occupy his time. This could be the best and most fun time in their life right now but it's taken a drastic turn in the wrong direction.

I hate to see that they have made the decision to get a divorce. I think just because they get a divorce it's not going to help their communication problems. To be honest I don't think Jon cheated on Kate or Kate on Jon. I think that Kate is doing her job and that Jon is hanging out with friends that happen to be girls. Maybe I'm naive.

I always thought that if they separated that it would be because Jon just had enough and I don't think anyone would have been surprised. I was always on Jon's side. Now I'm feeling like Jon is the one that is ultimately causing the breakdown based on what we are seeing as TV viewers. Of course we probably don't know the truth and there are two sides to every story.

Awkward Family Photos...

2009-06-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

I like to let everyone know when I find something that I enjoy. My new recent vice is visiting this website everyday. http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/ This website shows awkward family photos and it is very funny.

Happy Fathers Day...

2009-06-22T08:00:00.005-04:00

Just wanted to give a little recognition to my baby's daddy. haha. Jamie is the best daddy ever. He does everything Kady wants him to do and is always at her beck and call. Kady is his little buddy and they do everything from grocery shopping to mowing the lawn together. They look just alike and have the same facial expressions. I love watching them together. I could not ask for a better person to be my husband and father to my child.

60th Anniversary...

2009-06-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Nana & Gack celebrated their 60th anniversary on Wednesday night. We all went to dinner at Corky Bells and then over to their house. Mom made them a cake with a "Diamond Anniversary" theme. On top of the cake was their original cake topper from 60 years ago.

Mom and I also put together a video of their 60 years together. It was fun to see all the old pictures and brought back alot of memories for them.

Through the years they have been such a great example of how a marriage should work and how couples should get along. I can only hope that when Jamie and I reach our 60 year Anniversary that we have had as happy a life as they have had.

The Boomarang Express...

2009-06-18T08:00:00.001-04:00

This year Kady went to Vacation Bible School at Tabernacle Baptist Church and she had so much fun. The theme this week was the Boomerang Express and it was based in Australia. Each night she brought home her crafts and was excited to show me the things that she had made. She was able to learn several songs and dances and she did really good during the program. We were all wore out by the end of week with our regular schedule being so out of whack.

This was the first time she had been involved in something away from us and really any family members except for my sister-in-law Amy. I feel like she did really well being away and mingling with the other kids and adults. I can remember loving Vacation Bible School and looking forward to it every year and i'm glad that she had the opportunity to experience it. I'm already looking forward to her being involved next year.

Princess Tiana...

2009-06-09T08:00:00.004-04:00

(This article was copied from "The Mommy Files"

If you have a little girl, you probably know about the newest Disney princess: Tiana. Even though she's starring in a film, The Princess and the Frog, that doesn't arrive in theaters until December, everyone is talking about her. Why? For the first time ever the one wearing the tiara is black.

Since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, all of Disney's princesses have predominantly been white. Pocahontas featured a Native American princess, and Jasmine in Aladdin had a Middle Eastern appearance.

"Finally, here is something that all little girls, especially young black girls, can embrace, and that is huge," Cori Murray, an entertainment director at Essence magazine, recently told CNN. "This sends a message that no matter what you look like you can be beautiful, that you can be a princess, that you can be first lady."

Set in 1920s New Orleans against a background of jazz and voodoo, the movie is an adaptation of the classic tale The Frog Prince. Tiana is a waitress and budding chef who dreams of owning a restaurant and is persuaded to kiss a frog who is really a prince. The spell backfires and Tiana also becomes a frog and together they go on an adventure to find a cure.

Tony award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose will give voice to Princess Tiana. Talk show host and business mogul Oprah Winfrey and Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard also voice characters in the movie.

While many believe Princess Tiana sends a positive message, Internet chat rooms and blogs are abuzz with complaints. Some think her skin is too light and her name too ethnic while others are disturbed by the New Orleans location.

"Disney should be ashamed," William Blackburn, a former columnist at The Charlotte Observer, told London's Daily Telegraph. "Despite all its resources and experience, it has failed to create a black princess to rival its predecessors. This princess story is set in New Orleans, the setting of one of the most devastating tragedies to beset a black community. And then they throw in the voodoo theme and an alligator sidekick. When you put New Orleans, alligators and voodoo together, there's no beauty there."

The most controversial aspect of the movie is the skin tone of Princess Tiana's lover. Although he is called Prince Naveen and voiced by a Brazilian actor, he looks white. Some bloggers have said that Tiana and Naveen make a great interracial couple, while some say Disney ducked the opportunity to create a fairytale black couple. This definitely would have been timely, considering that the current president and first lady are black. Many are also saying that Disney is reenforcing the age-old message that a hero has to be a white man.

A reader writes on Essence.com on April 22, 2009: I LOVE that Disney is finally putting a black princess on the big screen. This is awesome. However, I disagree that the prince being bi-racial or whatever is not of importance. What is the problem with a strong black male image? Why does the media not believe that a black male can hold down a leading role, even in a cartoon? Hello, anyone ever heard of Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Sidney Poitier? What's the deal?

The film has been dogged by racial controversy since Disney first announced their plans for the first black princess. Its heroine was originally to be a chambermaid called Maddy working for a spoiled white debutante. The storyline sparked a backlash from critics who claimed it reinforced prejudice and demeaned black people.

Disney says they're working hard to create a film that will please the African American community. "Our first goal is to make a great motion picture," says John Lasseter, chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, told the Washington Post. "But we have also worked very closely with a lot of leaders in the African American community, all across the nation, to make sure we're doing something African American families will be proud of. It's very important for us to do it right. We've been very careful and cognizant about what we're doing."

Does anyone else find this article irritating? It irks me that no matter what is done it always turns into an issue of color. Anybody have any comments??

Crazy 8's...

2009-06-08T08:00:00.004-04:00

Crazy 8's

8 Things I am looking forward to:

1. My 30th Birthday
2. Grandparents 60th Anniversary Dinner
3. Kady starting dance class
4. Disney World in October
5. Going to the beach this summer
6. Being moved into my new office
7. Going to the Zoo in July
8. Kady starting Vacation Bible School

8 Things I did yesterday:

1. Went to church
2. Ate lunch with the family
3. Folded clothes
4. Cooked dinner
5. Played with Kady
6. Scrapbooked
7. Watched TV
8. Hung out with Jamie

8 Things I WISH I could do:

1. Play an instrument
2. Quit Work
3. Win the lottery
4. Be more patient
5. Not have any bills
6. Lose weight overnight =)
7. Be good at everything I attempt
8. Did I already say win the lottery....

8 Shows I watch:

1. The Young and the Restless
2. The Office
3. Jon & Kate plus 8
4. How I Met Your Mother
5. 18 Kids and Counting
6. Project Runway
7. Bachelor/Bachelorette
8. Bridezillas

Frog...

2009-06-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

I had to share this picture that I took of a little green rain frog. He was sitting on Kady's slide last Saturday afternoon and she freaked out but I thought he was cute.

UP

2009-06-04T08:00:00.004-04:00

This past weekend we decided to take Kady to see the new Disney Pixar movie UP. We wanted to go see it at the new theater in St. Augustine.

First we went to TGI Friday's and it was surprisingly good. After that we headed over to the theater and John, Amy, Eli & Luke met us over there. The movie was in 3-D so we all got to wear the 3-D glasses and it was really neat. It was nice to see the movie the way it was intended to be seen.

I really didn't know what to expect from the movie based on the trailers. It ended up being a very good movie for kids and adults. I think we were all laughing as much as the kids. I recommend that you go and see the movie. In case you have not seen previews for the movie I'd put a link to the trailer at the bottom of this post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyyrYPTjPJg

Eli's Preschool Graduation...

2009-06-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

My nephew Eli graduated from preschool at First Baptist Church a few weeks ago. The ceremony was really cute and well done. The kids sang several songs and recited their poems and pledges. In speaking with my sister-in-law throughout the year they have really done alot of cute crafts and learned all the basics. It's hard to believe that Eli is going to start Kindergarden in a few month.

Becuase of Kady's birthday she won't start preschool until next school year and that's fine with me.

New Moon Trailer...

2009-06-02T08:00:00.005-04:00

The trailer for New Moon premiered at the MTV Movie Awards Sunday Night. It looks great. I love that they showed a transformation sceen for Jacob in the last few seconds. In case you missed it here it is.

Just think only 170 days till you get to see the rest!

Chuck E. Cheese

2009-06-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

Kady finally got close enough to Chuck E. Cheese for me to get a picture. For the past 6 months she has been so good about standing with characters and getting pictures but there was always something about Mr. Cheese that still scared her. This past visit she sat on the ledge where the animatronic Chuck was doing the show. She still was not completely sold on the idea. I think that maybe that Chuck E. that jerks around is a little more scary than if he was just walking around.

Anyway, I'm happy that we finally got a picture. This was actually the best visit we had to Chuck E. Cheese. We went to the one in Jacksonville and got there around 1:30pm. There was probably only around 20 people in the whole place so it was great.

Cute As Can Bee....

2009-05-25T08:00:00.005-04:00

My friend Melissa DeRossett is now making super cute dresses and I had to share her website with everyone. Go to http://cuteascanbeeclothes.blogspot.com/ to see some of her dresses.

The zebra dress is one of the ones that I ordered for Kady, only I got pink bows instead of blue. ALSO, Melissa gave me the number to two other girls in town who make the hair bows and flip flops to match the designs.

Of course I'll post pictures when I get the dress and accessories but if you have a little girl or know a little girl who loves cute clothes check out her website.

New Moon Update...

2009-05-22T08:06:00.001-04:00

The movie poster for New Moon was released this week...

ohhhhh.....ahhhhhhh. I'm so excited for this movie to come out.

If you need more of a twilight fix between movies check out my two favorite twilight sights...
http://www.twilightlexicon.com/ - This website pretty much will answer any question you have about the series
http://www.twilightguy.com/ - Twilight from a guy's prospective but he is funny.

For those of you who tried the puzzle the other day, the answer was.....10,990.

Kady's 1st Trip to the Dentist...

2009-05-21T08:00:00.004-04:00

I finally made Kady an appointment for her first Dentist visit. I should have done it when she first turned three but I was scared that it would be traumatizing to her (and to me).

For the past week Jamie and I have been talking up the Dentist and trying to soften the blow as much as possible. We were telling her what to expect and explaining all the different tools the Dentist would be using. Kady was really pumped up about the visit when it was time. We went into the office and she hopped up in the chair and starting pointing out things. Dr. Wilbur gave her a glove to play with which Jamie blew up and that kept her occupied the whole visit.

Dr. Wilbur looked at her teeth and was happy with all the spacing between them. She looked for cavities and I'm happy to report that Kady had no cavities. She then let Ms. Abby floss and polish her teeth. Me and Jamie were standing in the office grinning like hyenas because we were so proud that she was letting them do all this to her. She was a trooper the whole time and was even smiling and laughing at everything going on.

When it was over they took her picture to hang on the NO CAVITIES wall and gave her a toothbrush and let her pick out a toy. I just hope that she remembers how much fun she had and it equally as good for her next appointment in December.

Put your thinking cap on!

2009-05-20T08:54:00.002-04:00

Another brain teaser for you!

There are 7 girls in a bus.

Each girl has 7 backpacks.

In each backpack, there are 7 big cats.

For every big cat, there are 7 little cats.

Question: How many legs are there in the bus?

By the way the answer to the question the other day was : Wednesday.

Beach...

2009-05-19T08:00:00.009-04:00

The beach was great this weekend. I took some pictures of Kady against the dunes before she got in the water. I think they turned out good and I'll probably try to do that each time we go. She was jumping in the one picture and it looks like she is levitating.

She was having so much fun in the water that day. I love the picture that looks like she is swimming like crazy.

Riddle Time!

2009-05-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

I stumbled on this website that posts a riddle of the day and I figure I would share one for you to chew on for a minute.

Question: What day is two days before the day after the day three days after the day before Tuesday?

If you decide to post a guess in the comment section i'll post the answer there in a few days.

Trip out West - Part 4

2009-05-15T15:18:00.000-04:00

The next morning we hit the road for California. I don't think either us was looking forward to the long drive home. We stopped at a Denny's off the strip and had Amy's birthday breakfast. I made the guy bring her a piece of cake. The trip seemed quicker on the way back but still by the time we got back to California we were delirious.

Our original plan was to unload the car and head out to Los Angeles to see the sights but we were drained! We went over to the hot tub in her apartment complex and soaked our feet for about an hour. Walking in flip flops for miles over 3 days is not great for your feet. We made plans for dinner and went out with two of her friends to a restaurant that was really good. It was such a cute little place and the food yummy. This is where Amy got her second birthday cake.

We got to bed around midnight that night and got up at 5AM the next morning to get me to the airport to catch my plane. It was a whirlwind weekend but we I feel like we did so much. It was a fun trip and I'm glad I got to visit Amy. I was so ready to get home and see Jamie and Kady. When I got Kady she seen it was me and ran to me with her arms out shouting oh Mommy, Mommy. It was the perfect end to my trip.

Trip out West - Part 3...

2009-05-14T08:04:00.000-04:00

Our next day out was our tourist day in Vegas. We woke up kinda late and went downstairs for our complementary champagne brunch buffet. The food was great but the champagne was gross. It tasted like hot beer. After that we begin our journey down the strip. We hit all the major hotels and seen all the scenery at each one. We even went to the top of the Eiffel tower and caught the Bellagio's water show from up there.

After our trip up and down the strip we went back to the room to rest our feet before our night. We went to the restaurant that was hooked to our hotel called Diabalo's Cantina. It was a really fun atmosphere but the food was not that great. Then we went next door to New York New York which was a really interesting hotel. I think if I went back to Vegas I would choose to stay there. We did a little bit of slot machine action there but didn't really win big. I thought most of the time you are in Vegas you would gamble but there is so much to do that you have to make time to put money in the machines. While at New York we went to a club called ROK and it was by far my favorite. It was much smaller than the other place but the music was a little bit of everything not just current stuff.

We got back to the room took showers and then decided to rent a movie from the TV. I only remember the first 20 minutes and then I was asleep when I woke up the movie was ending and Amy was asleep so we wasted $12.00 for that movie!

Trip out West - Part 2...

2009-05-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

The second and third day of the trip was scheduled for Las Vegas. We left that morning for the 4 hour drive. The trip was fun, we fell back into the normal routine of jokes, singing and dancing in the car. (By the way Amy's mom would not approve of our car antics.) We stopped at a tourist spot on the way called Peggy Sue's 50's Diner. There were big dinosaurs out in front and the whole thing was 50's themed. It was actually sorta creepy inside it put me in the mind of that movie "House of Wax". We got outta there as fast as we could.

When we finally arrived in Vegas we had enough time to get cleaned up and get dressed for our night out. Amy's friend Nicole met us out there and her parents live in Vegas so her mom joined us that night for dinner and show. We went to a placed called Dick's Last Resort and it was fun. All the waiters are loud and obnoxious and make you wear silly hats. After that we went to the Thunder from Down Under show. I won't explain it but you can google it later.

When we left there we went over to Ceasers Palace to a club called Pure. It was a really neat setup inside with multi level dance floors and a great outside balcony area that overlooked part of the strip. This was also the club that the Pussycat Dolls performed in nightly so we got to see some of that as well. We had a fun night celebrating Amy's birthday and once again got to bed very late.

Trip out West - Part 1...

2009-05-12T09:17:00.000-04:00

My trip out to California to visit Amy was great. The worst part for me was the 4 hour plane ride. The first day she took me around Irvine where she lives and then out to Newport & Laguna Beach. The beaches in California are much different than our beach and I have to say I like our beaches better. She took me to an area called Crystal Cove that overlooked the Pacific Ocean so now I can say I've seen both coasts. On our walk to the overlook we seen a ton of rabbits on the trails.

Also on our first day we hit every shopping center in the area. We did some power shopping and then had lunch/dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. It took me two days to get the time difference straightened out and by the time I did it was time to come home. It still fascinated my Mom every time I called and would be outside or something and she would be thinking it was bedtime. Good thing she does not deal with time zones on a regular basis.

That night I was so tired because we got home around midnight and for me that was 3AM. I went right to sleep and the next day we got up and got packed for the drive to Vegas.

Happy Mothers Day!

2009-05-11T06:52:00.000-04:00

This Mother's Day was great. Jamie and Kady took me to dinner at Sunset Grill in St. Augustine Friday and it was so yummy. On Sunday we went to church and Kady made me a really cute present in her Sunday school class. After Church we went over to Mom's house for lunch. Then Kady and I came home and hung out in the pool. Jamie didn't get off work till 6 and when he got home we hung out and watched TV. Overall it was a pretty relaxing day.

Julie's Recital...

2009-05-08T08:00:00.006-04:00

My niece Julie had a recital a few weeks ago and we always make a point to make it to this one that is held at the College Auditorium. Kady loves watching the girls dance and it's always a cute show. I also snapped some photos of Kady standing out front of the auditorium in front of the water garden.

Wicked (Con't)...

2009-05-07T08:00:00.003-04:00

Wicked was awesome! Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I was very pleasantly surprised with the whole production.

We started our night out at PF Chang's and then headed over to the Moran Theater. It was all lit up with green lights and very festive. During intermission we walked outside and enjoyed the view of the St. Johns River and then decided to get a drink with a souvenir "wicked" cup. At that time we hear the warning that there is only 5 minutes until show time starts again. If you don't make it back in time they won't let you back in until a specified time later in the show so mom was paranoid. I was not very worried because I've talked my way backstage at to many concerts to count to let some tiny gray haired man stand between me and my seat. Anyhoo, after getting our drinks and hearing the warning announcement we also decided to go the bathroom and we were in and out of there in a flash. As we are walking back to our door the man said you better hurry and right when me and mom walked in he shut the door behind us. This totally thrilled my mom who felt like she had gotten over on someone.

Once we sat down Mom had to muffle her fits of laughter from still feeling like she beaten the system. I'm sure that will be her favorite story to tell from the whole outing. After she calmed down we enjoyed the rest of the show and then headed home. We didn't get home till almost midnight and I had a 6:30 flight to catch the next morning. Even though it was a long day it was well worth it.

Leaving on a jet plane...

2009-05-01T08:00:00.006-04:00

I'm off to the lands of celebrities and sin, California and Las Vegas.

I'm a little on edge due to the swine flu that's in the news. I plan on staying covered in hand sanitizer and steering clear of Mexican pigs. I'll be back on Tuesday with lots of pictures!

Wicked...

2009-04-30T08:55:00.001-04:00

Tonight is the night! I bought my Mom tickets to see Wicked for mother's day and we are going tonight. I'm very excited to see the play because I have heard nothing but good stuff about it by a lot of people who have seen it.

I know very little about the story and I'm excited to see the play not knowing what to expect. My mom on the other hand has taken the time to listen to the soundtrack and read the script online. I'm pretty sure at this point if of the the actors fall ill she will be able to step on stage and carry on.

I'll post pictures as soon as I get back from my trip out west!

New Flower Field...

2009-04-28T08:23:00.005-04:00

I found a new flower field in San Mateo. I like this one a little more because instead of flowers and sand it's flowers and grass. The yellow and green shows up so pretty in pictures.

She's good for my self esteem...

2009-04-27T08:16:00.003-04:00

As you may know I'm leaving for California and Vegas on Friday to visit Amy. I like to be prepared and since I have a super busy week I used this weekend to start packing. Saturday night I was pulling clothes out of the drawer and in the process ended up trying on some shirts. Each shirt I put on Kady would say, "Oh mama your beautiful" or "Mama your so pretty". That was really good for my ego. I've decided that now she must go with every time I try on clothes if only to hear how wonderful I look.

I may not be in style while in Los Angeles or Las Vegas but there is a three year old in Florida that thinks I'm pretty cool.

First Beach Visit 09...

2009-04-24T09:07:00.007-04:00

Last weekend we took our first trip to the beach this year and it was so nice. The water is still a little cold for this time of year but otherwise it was great. The beach was not crowded at all and we had a whole part to ourselves. We sat in the sand and made a castle and then we went down to the water and made a drip castle. We picked up shells and enjoyed the sun.

I can remember the first time that Kady ever seen the beach she kept running in circles with her hands in the air and face toward the sun. She loved it then and she still does.

Tincher Cousins in Wildflowers...

2009-04-22T08:32:00.006-04:00

I wanted to take some pictures of all the Tincher cousins in the wildflower field. We did it over spring break and the flowers were lovely. All the kids did a good job and especially the bigger ones loved having their pictures taken. I'm still getting the hang of my new camera so on the group shots they got a little blurry but I'm working on getting all the functions ironed out. At least I still got a lot of good individual pictures and I'll have something to work with for a upcoming birthday present for my mother-in-law.

Wildflowers...

2009-04-21T08:00:00.004-04:00

The wildflowers are blooming in San Mateo! The field is not completly full yet but I figured that since she was dressed up in a pretty dress that we would go ahead and take some pictures.

Easter Morning...

2009-04-20T08:33:00.007-04:00

Easter Cookout...

2009-04-17T08:24:00.003-04:00

We had our 3rd Annual Easter cookout at Nana & Gack's this year. It's better for us to split our Easter festivities into two days so that our Sunday is not completely packed. Me and Mom hid eggs for the big kids and then for the little kids and they had a lot of fun. Kady loves being around all of her cousins and I love it because they wear her out and she actually takes a nap when we get home.

City Cafe Basket...

2009-04-16T08:09:00.000-04:00

We went to City Cafe for breakfast on Friday and while we were there we bought tickets for a Easter basket raffle. Friday night I got a call on my cell phone and they told us that Kady had won. Saturday morning we went by to pick up her basket. The basket was full of all kind of fun "girly" stuff.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2009-04-15T08:15:00.005-04:00

Today is my mom's ?? birthday, (She would kill me if I posted her age). We had her party this past weekend while we were all together for our Easter cookout. We got her a GPS system for her car and she also got tickets for Wicked in a few weeks. Happy Birthday Mom!!

Dying Eggs...

2009-04-14T08:13:00.005-04:00

Kady really got into dying eggs this year. She liked coloring on them and then picking her colors to dye them. Jamie was home so he got in on the action. However, he spent the time making his one egg an "UFC" egg. Every year it's so fun to do the holiday stuff and see how much she has changed from the previous year.

Disney On Ice...

2009-04-13T08:15:00.004-04:00

We took Kady to see Disney on Ice in Jacksonville last week. The show was really cute and all 13 of us that went together had a great time. Kady's favorite part was the Tinkerbell show.

Disney is a money making machine. Everything you have to buy is at least $10. By the time you walk through the door buy a drink, popcorn, souvenir and program you are already out $50 before you sit down to watch the show.

This was a fun way to spend an afternoon and if you have kids or just like Disney stuff I highly recommend it.

Cruise Pictures....

2009-04-07T08:12:00.001-04:00

I finally got my formal pictures from the cruise in a posting format.

Kady loved getting her picture taken each night. We would have been broke if we bought every picture that we took. She was so good at posing and the photographers loved seeing what she was wearing each night.

Fair Followup...

2009-04-06T08:23:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday morning on the way to church Kady was looking out the window of the car to see the ferris wheel like she has all week. Of course since the fair ended Saturday night things were already starting to get taken apart. Over the trees you could still see the ferris wheel but there was a section missing and all of the seats were not attached. Kady screamed, "they broke the ferris wheel!" Then she cupped her hands over her mouth and started shaking her head back and forth.

Mom and I explained to her that the fair was over and that now it was moving to another town and would be back next year. By this time she had worked up a few tears and removed her hands from her mouth long enough to yell, "I want it back!". This back and forth lasted for a few more miles till she forgot about it. So funny how one minute it's the end of the world and then all is well.

Monsters vs' Aliens...

2009-04-03T08:36:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday night me and Amy took the kids to see the new kids movie Monsters vs' Aliens. It was a very cute movie and the kids loved it. Well Eli and Kady loved it, Luke fell asleep about 30 minutes into it and didn't wake up till we were leaving. Kady loved having her giant bag of popcorn and as long as there was popcorn in the bag we were set! It's fun now that she is bigger to be able to take her to movies and know that she is going to be good.

Kady and her bike...

2009-04-02T08:19:00.000-04:00

Kady loves riding her bike. I took her out the other day on our road and snapped a few pictures with my new camera.

April Fools Day...

2009-04-01T08:11:00.004-04:00

While walking around at the fair this year we happened upon the Democratic Party booth. At this booth there were an abundance of Obama stickers. When I seen that smiling face I immediately thought of my Uncle David and his mild dislike of said person. I grabbed up several stickers and then I remembered April Fools Day.

My plan today is to have my mom go to his house later on and stick the stickers on his mailbox, garbage cans, pretty much whatever she finds out by his road. When he comes home and sees this he will do one of two things. 1. Start peeling off stickers and figuring out how to get me back - 2. Rip his mailbox out of the ground and throw it in the bushes before anyone sees an Obama sticker on it.

May I also point out that it's funny that I have my mom carrying out the dirty work for me. It's easier for her since she passes by his house at lunchtime. At least that's what I told her...

It won't take him long to realize that I'm the only person devious enough to deface his property with the smiling face of our current leader. Most likely he will call pretending to be the cops or someone from the Republican Party. (He does that year round not just April Fools Day.)

Putnam County Fair...

2009-03-31T08:42:00.000-04:00

The fair was in town last week and of course that made me very happy. I have loved the fair for as long as I can remember. When I was younger as soon as the fair people would get to town I would beg my mom just to drive by the fairgrounds so I could see it being put up. I guess I just love all the lights and noise. It's always nice for there to be something going on in town.

This year was really the first year that Kady was able to ride everything. Her absolute favorite thing was the giant slide. She climbed those stairs and went down the slide over and over. Her other favorite ride was the Ferris wheel. The overview picture was taken from the top of the Ferris wheel. I also rode the Ferris wheel with Eli & Luke and they all really enjoyed it. My favorite part...FUNNEL CAKES! That's always my last stop at the fair. I get a funnel cake to go and take it home and enjoy it. Another fun year at the fair and I'm already looking forward to next year.

Twilight DVD...

2009-03-30T08:28:00.005-04:00

I went to Wal-Mart last Friday night at midnight to get my copy of Twilight. I had my movie and was back in the car by 12:15AM. The store was crazy and I loved being in the middle of the action.

The movie is good but not nearly as good as the book. The book has so much detail and you get way more involved in the characters. The movie leaves a lot of that and gives you the bare minimum of all the people involved.

I have already watched the movie a few times and also got Jamie and my Mom to watch it. They both enjoyed it. The extra features on the bonus DVD are also interesting. There is a seven part documentary that details all the major scenes in the movie along with lots of interviews with the cast.

I already can't wait to see the next movie - New Moon - in November!

Cruise...Part 4

2009-03-27T08:18:00.004-04:00

We had such a good time on our cruise! Kady turned out to be no trouble at all and we are already looking at another cruise to go on.

In our room she had a bed that folded down from the wall and had a ladder. She thought this was the best thing ever. Climbing the ladder and then jumping down to our bed kept her busy 50% of the time. The first night we got back home Kady said she didn't want to sleep in her bed she wanted to sleep in the cruise bed.

I still have to get my formal pictures scanned so I can post them.

Cruise...Part 3

2009-03-26T08:33:00.003-04:00

On this cruise we had two "fun days at sea". We don't really mind the days at sea because it gives you an opportunity to explore the boat and relax. Our particular boat had a special water area for kids called Waterworks. This was a splash area that was about ankle deep with several spouts and spickets that squired and dumped water. There were also smaller slides just for little kids. It was great for Kady because she could splash around without us worrying about her in a pool. We were at the water park most of the days at sea with her.

During our cruise it was the first week of college spring break so there were a lot more young people on the boat than the normal older crowd. All of the college kids at the table across from us commented every night on Kady's dresses and bows. Kady ate up the attention and smiled and waved at all the boys. One boy even asked if he could take a picture with her. Guess she gets that from her mama. ha ha. Overall we had a great cruise and we are looking forward to the next one.

Cruise...Part 2

2009-03-25T08:56:00.001-04:00

While in Cozumel, Mexico we took an excursion to their local beach, the Playa Mia Grande. It again was a really good trip because everything was included. Transportation, lunch on the beach, free drinks, 2 freshwater pools, all the beach stuff & entertainment. We let Kady play on the beach but she preferred the pool to splash around in.

The pool was great because half the pool was around ankle deep so Kady was standing and jumping out to me in the deeper end. She was counting to 10 and then jumping. I told her that since we were in Mexico she should be counting in Spanish like she does at home. So at least Kady was able to use her Spanish skills while in Mexico.

By the time we got back to our bus after a day in the sun we all took a long nap before dinner.

Cruise...Part 1

2009-03-24T08:32:00.000-04:00

While in Grand Caymen Island we took a tour of the island. It was a nice bus ride and took us to several different tourist attractions. We stopped at their local beach named Sea Grape beach. It was really pretty and the sand was very soft. Then we went to the shop where they make the Tortuga Rum cakes. They had a really pretty patio out back that looked over the ocean. The picture posted is where it was taken. We thought it was neat that up in the trees we seen wild iguanas and they were huge! I loved seeing them in the trees but was hoping they didn't decide to climb down.

Our next stop was Hell. Hell, Grand Caymen. When we arrived at the intersection to get to Hell, the other side of the road was lined with churches. I thought that was really funny. We arrived at the Devil's Hangout Gift Shop and Post Office. I could not resist sending postcards to the family from Hell. In Hell there was also a pit of natural limestone rock formations.

Finally we went to the Boatswain Turtle Farm. This was a place were they raised sea turtles. There were sea turtles of all sizes and Kady loved this place.

Dora Update...

2009-03-23T08:01:00.001-04:00

After much speculation and quite a few upset parents, Nickelodeon and Mattel have finally revealed the new and improved Dora the Explorer. While the sillohouette of the character that was recently released made it appear as if the new Dora would be more like the infamous Bratz doll than the cute little toddler we've known for years, the final reveal shows that her makeover isn't quite as bad as some had expected.
The new Dora sports longer hair, a cute little dress with leggings, pierced ears, and ballet flats. This is quite the change from the girl's former attire of shorts, a tshirt and athletic shoes. The new Dora has also shed a little baby fat and grown a few inches in height. Mattel claims that while the new Dora looks older, she doesn't wear any make-up. This however, doesn't look to be the case with Dora's carefully lined eyes and pink-tinted lips. Nevertheless, it could have been much worse. At least she's not sporting sky-high heels and a short mini-shirt. The new Dora does appear to be a natural progression of a young girl.

(This article copied from the Cleveland Insider)

Chrisitan the Lion...

2009-03-20T08:00:00.003-04:00

I had to share this with everyone. It may take a minute to load but it is such a neat story. I could not get the video to embed so you will have to click on this link to get to the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDZaWgf_bk0

After you watch the video click below to read a recent article written about Christian. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29751849?GT1=43001

Azalea Festival...

2009-03-19T08:00:00.005-04:00

Me, Mom and Kady went to the Azalea Festival and it was great. There were so many vendor booths this year. There were way more than are normally at the Blue Crab Festival. We went to the parade that morning and Kady loved it. She waved at all the people on the floats and loved getting candy.

Her favorite part of the day was getting to ride a pony and then getting to jump in big bouncy house. She finished off the day with a big ice cream cone with candy sprinkles. The weather was so nice that day. I didn't even realize that I was getting a sunburn till I took a shower that night. I looked like I was wearing a white shirt with red arms and neck. Guess that's the nice thing about Florida you can start your tan in March.

Azalea...

2009-03-18T09:23:00.000-04:00

I took this picture of Kady in our yard. I submitted it to the newspaper for their picture of the day. It ran on Thursday, March 12th. The picture ran in black and white which did not do it justice.

Poor Little Dora...

2009-03-17T08:50:00.003-04:00

I read an article about Dora the Explorer the other day. Nickelodeon has decided that little girls that grew up with Dora want her to age with them. According to a press release Dora is moving to the big city and starting middle school and this new Dora will be more "high fashion". OMG!

Why are these companies so persistent is changing what is good. Kady loved Dora when she was smaller and granted we have grown out of her now it's still crazy to me that other little girls won't have the authentic Dora the Explorer. The new Dora will debut Fall 2009.

Now all I need is Big Bird and Cookie Monster to decide to move out of Sesame Street and go to the hood to pursue their rap career.

If you would like to read the article you can click here: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090213005672&newsLang=en

Another article was released on 3/16/09 about the subject:
http://tv.msn.com/TV/article.aspx?news=357010&GT1=28103

Gacky's 78th Birthday...

2009-03-16T08:57:00.003-04:00

Gacky celebrated his 78th birthday the week before we went on our cruise. I'm a little late getting the picture posted. He asked for a new violin bow and that's what we got him. Kady seen me wrap it a few days prior so she knew what he was getting. Kady ended up telling Gack that he was getting a stick in a bag for his birthday. He thought it was so funny that he got her to tell him what he was getting.

Cruise Day 5

2009-03-13T07:14:00.002-04:00

Our last day on the boat! I guess we will soak up the sun and fun today because tomorrow we will be back to real world! I'm gonna be sure to order room service tonight...

Cruise Day 4

2009-03-12T07:03:00.000-04:00

Our Excursion for the day:

PLAYA MIA BEACH BREAK DELUXE

Enjoy a fun-filled worry free day at one of Cozumel’s beach club.
On this excursion you will:
Board an air-conditioned bus at the pier for a short ride to Playa Mia Beach.
Enjoy the white sand beach, turquoise waters, a fresh water pool, beach chairs, umbrellas, hammocks.
Be served your favorite soft drink or cocktail from the domestic open bar and enjoy the buffet, plus there are three restaurants at an additional cost.
Try the kayaks, pedal boats, water trampolines, and the “water iceberg” all included in the price.
Note: A beach towel, sunglasses and sunscreen are recommended.
http://www.carnival.com/ShoreExcursionDetails.aspx?region=CW&portcode=CZM&excursionname=Playa+Mia+Beach+Break+Deluxe&excursioncode=304043

Duration: 5 Hours

Pricing From:
Adult: $69
Child: $64

Cruise Day 3

2009-03-11T06:55:00.003-04:00

Today we are in the Grand Caymens and are going on and excursion. Here is the information:

Explore the island of Grand Cayman in air conditioned comfort and visit the island’s hot spots.
On this excursion you will:
Listen to your knowledgeable tour guide as he/she informs you about the island’s history and culture as you drive through George Town, the capital.
Drive past historic buildings and landmarks, including Fort George, and the beautiful Seven Mile Beach lined with luxurious condos and hotels.
Have a brief photo opportunity outside of the Governor’s Residence before continuing to the district of West Bay where you’ll see a historic Cayman house resembling a gingerbread house.
Stop at the Cayman Turtle Farm where you will have the opportunity to hold and photograph turtles and see a turtle weighting in excess of 600 lbs.!
Continue on, and sample rum cake and fruit juices at the famous Tortuga Rum Cake Outlet before proceeding to the town of Hell where you’ll see an interesting rock formation.
Conclude your excursion in George Town, next to the pier; browse the shops and enjoy duty free shopping before returning to your ship.

Duration: 3 Hours

Pricing From:
Adult: $46
Child: $46
http://www.carnival.com/ShoreExcursionDetails.aspx?region=CW&portcode=CAY&excursionname=Best+of+Cayman+Island+Tour&excursioncode=417009

Cruise Day 2

2009-03-10T07:10:00.000-04:00

We are on a day at sea today so we are probably just kicked back by the pool relaxing.

Cruise Day 1

2009-03-09T06:51:00.001-04:00

http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/ships/carnival_inspiration/default.aspx?shipCode=IS

I'm on my cruise!! Click the link above to tour our boat. While you are reading this we are probably eating, or playing mini-golf, or swimming, probably eating.

Bizkit the Sleepwalking Dog....

2009-03-06T07:42:00.001-05:00

Beware! You will laugh till you cry....

Can You Hear It??

2009-03-05T08:00:00.003-05:00

I read this article and I thought it was funny.

Click on the green box at the bottom of this blog. Once you do that you will click to play a tone that is generally only heard by people under the age of 25. It has been used as a deterrent device to keep teenagers from loitering in malls and shops, and sounds similar to a buzzing mosquito. Typically the longer you listen to it, the more annoying it gets.

In case you are wondering, I did hear the sound and I can see how it would be annoying. Let me know if you could hear it.

Created by Train Horns

Play Date...

2009-03-04T08:00:00.006-05:00

On Saturday me and mom took Kady to the Ravine Gardens so she could run around. The flowers are all in bloom and it was a really pretty day. I also wanted to play around with my new camera and I knew there would be plenty to take pictures of while we were there. I'm still learning all the features of the camera but i'm excited to see what kind of pictures i'll be able to capture.

There were a ton of people at the Ravines that were there for the "Air Potato Rodeo". They were hoofing it around with 5lb bags over their shoulders and leaning down picking up the potato's. While we rode around with the windows up and the air conditioning on we commented on how nice it was they were volunteering to do that.

When we were leaving there was a couple walking up the big hill right at the end. I was thinking poor girl because she had on a button up dress shirt and jeans. As we got closer I noticed that she had on 3 inch heels and she was talking on a cell phone. I can barley make it up that heel with sneakers and workout clothes on. She is my new hero.

Cookout...

2009-03-03T08:00:00.005-05:00

We had a cookout at our house recently and it was really fun. We rented a big bouncy slide and all of the kids loved it. It was a great way to keep kids of all ages occupied. I even had to take my turn going down a few times. It takes so much upper body strength to climb 10 feet up that slide.

By the end of the night all of the kids were exhausted and it was easy to get them to bed. Everyone bought a covered dish and we ended up having a good selection of food. With the weather slightly cool it was fun to gather around the fire and fellowship.

Back to Normal...

2009-03-02T08:02:00.003-05:00

Last week was a blur. Me, Jamie & Kady were all sick last week. For me it started Friday evening and then I woke up that Saturday with full blown symptoms. I struggled through the weekend and then by Tuesday I was somewhat back to normal.

Jamie and Kady were both sick starting Sunday and then Kady was better by Wednesday but still had a little cough. Jamie fought it the worst and just got over his on Friday. It was a miserable couple of days in our household and I hope that everyone else out there is dodging whatever it is that is going around.

Remembering Papa...

2009-02-23T07:15:00.001-05:00

My best friends Papa, Dick Wilson died on Saturday, February 21st. Since I have known Amy for around 20+ years her grandparents are like family to me as well. My memories of Papa will always be of his constant smile and easy going nature. He and Granny always opened their house to screaming and laughing girls for Amy's slumber parties and never complained. He made sure the pool was ready for the parties and kept us entertained.

The memory that Papa always talked about had to do with their old house on River Street that was right before the train tracks. One day me and Amy were on the front porch with a radio dancing for the cars that were parked waiting for the train to pass. Papa just watched from the house and since then always called us his "Dancing Girls".

I'll miss seeing Papa at the Treadwell family gatherings and I'll cherish the memories that I have of him and knowing that a few times I made him smile his sweet smile.

Out of Ideas...

2009-02-18T08:15:00.000-05:00

Is it possible that i'm already out of ideas for this blog?? I think that with the holidays and all the activities that come with that time of year I was blog material rich. Now i'm running out of things to blog about. I guess we are not really that entertaining after all. I guess you won't get a entry every day from me anymore unless we win the lottery and get to go do fun stuff every day. However, then i'd be busy doing fun stuff and not able to blog. We will cross that bridge when we get there.

Kady posing...

2009-02-17T08:23:00.000-05:00

I told Kady to smile and she started posing. These were the two poses she kept doing over and over. She keeps me entertained.

Valentine Day..Part 2

2009-02-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Jamie's schedule changed so he ended up being off on Valentine's Day. Since we had went out the week before we still didn't plan to do much. We all slept in that day so we woke up around 9am and decided to go to breakfast. We went to City Cafe which is our favorite breakfast spot and they were so busy! At that time we didn't have much other choice because it was almost 10am at this point.

We waited around 10 minutes to get our table and then another 5 minutes before our waitress even came to our table! It was chaos in there, they could not keep up with the amount of people coming in to eat. Mom and Benny showed up for breakfast around 10:45 and we were still waiting to get our food. They ended up sitting with us and placing their order. Every time a waitress walked by our table Kady would say, "I want my pancake!" About 10 minutes after they showed up we got our food. When we finished and paid Mom and Benny were still waiting. I hate to have a bad experience at a place that you normally have no complaints with.

Kady kept telling Mom that she wanted to go to her house and watch a movie. I told Kady we would figure something out later. Mom called me when they were headed home to see if they could take Kady with them for a few hours. She was excited so I got her ready and they picked her up. She was so happy pulling out of the driveway with them.

Me and Jamie were looking at each other like what do we do without her? Normally if we have a babysitter it's because we have planned to go and do something but we were lost. I looked for a movie at the theater but there was nothing out that we wanted to see. I think we both napped in our chair for a little while and then caught up on our DVR'd shows. After 3 hours I called Mom to make sure she remember where we lived. She laughed and told us that she would bring her home in a little while. Once we got her home it was back to normal and we felt whole again.

We cooked beans, rice & cornbread for dinner and watched movies. It was really a simple but great day.

Valentine's Day...

2009-02-13T07:30:00.004-05:00

Since Jamie is working on Valentines Day we went out to celebrate last weekend. We ended up going to Mikado's in St. Augustine. We had only been there one other time because we tend to always go to Yamato's. Even with all the renovations and updated look we have determined that we still like Yamato's better. The funniest part about our night out was that our cook was a Mexican guy who kept trying to convince us he was Japanese. Good Times. Kady is not a big eater but she loves Japanese Steakhouses. She loves the dumplings, soup and rice. It's always so funny to see her eat that much especially with kid chopsticks.

Afterwards we went to Target and ended up buying her all sorts of things and called them her Valentine's Day presents. (We spoil her!) She got Madagascar 2 and when we got home we popped popcorn, sat on the couch and watched it. She stayed up way past her bedtime last night but we had a fun night. I love my little family. Yesterday Jamie surprised me and brought me flowers to work.

Amber Alert...

2009-02-12T08:30:00.001-05:00

I'm so heartsick about Hayleigh Cummings who is a little girl from the Satsuma area who has been missing since early Tuesday morning. I hate to think about where she is or who has done this to her. I can't imagine what her parents are going through right now wondering where their child is and who has her. I don't know what I would do if I didn't know where Kady was. It has to be a lost feeling.

At this time it is still unknown what the circumstances are surrounding her disappearance but it is suspected abduction. For the past two nights Jamie has been on graveyard so at bedtime I put Kady in my bed and lock our bedroom door as well. We have went straight in when I get home and I have not even let her play outside! I even made her memorize our address and phone number. This has also motivated me to call and get busy on installing a security system in the house.

The story of Caylee Anthony down in South Florida has been so disturbing lately and now with this it's just so scary to think what people will do to children.

I am praying for the safe return of this little girl and that wherever she is that she is OK.

Click here to see the amber alert: http://www.ncmec.org/missingkids/servlet/AmberExternalFCServlet?act=retAmberCase&amberId=6848

25 Random Things...

2009-02-11T08:01:00.003-05:00

There is a survey going around Facebook & MySpace right now where you are asked to come up with a list of 25 random things about yourself. I finally broke down and came up with my list so I thought i'd share it here as well. If you have not done it yet try coming up with 25 things it's harder than you think.

1. I love reality TV. I pretty much watch all of it.
2. I often think that if reality TV were popular back when I was younger and MORE adventurous I would have ended up on one.
3. I have come to the conclusion that I still don’t like to play with girl toys. I don’t like having tea or playing with the dollhouse. I do it when Kady makes me but I’d much rather take her outside and let her run.
4. I watched The Young & the Restless growing up with my Mom and Nana. I kept up with it thru the years but when I was in the hospital when I had Kady I started watching again. Now I also have my husband hooked on the show.
5. I love taking baths.
6.I love reading
7.I love reading while taking a bath
8. I am a planner and am constantly updating my calendar. I keep several running at once. I have to have something to look forward to.
9. I have an extensive collection of music. Everything from Dr. Dre to Reba.
10. I know all the words to several movies including: Wayne’s World, Dumb & Dumber, Crybaby, Shag & Empire Records.
11. I also have the uncanny knack of memorizing a song the first time I hear it.
12. My best friend Amy Treadwell and I have a choreographed dance to Ice Ice Baby.
13. We also have music videos to Under the Bridge, Jeremy, Last Train to Clarksville, Happy Christmas, Crash & Spoonman.
14. Halloween is my favorite holiday. I have always dressed up and I plan really early for my costume each year.
15. Amy and I have been to so many concerts I could not even begin to count them. At one point we were going to several a weekend.
16. Amy and I are also really good at getting backstage at events. We have always been able to talk our way thru the door.
17. I love live music. Even I don’t like the band watching people play live is extremely entertaining.
18. I love video games. Especially old Nintendo games. I’m currently into Rock Band, Guitar Hero, of course Madden and Tiger Woods Golf for playstation.
19. I hate spiders a lot. I can’t even look at them long enough to kill them. I just run, cry and scream until someone hears me and comes and does the dirty work. Then I have to see proof that the spider has been killed and all legs must be detached from body.
20. I love my family and could never live far away from them.
21. I don’t like fruit. Bananas, strawberries, watermelon --- I hate it all.
22. I love ice cream. Especially when it’s cold.
23. I miss my best friend who lives 3000 miles away now.
24. I love taking pictures. I have scrapbooks starting in high school to current.
25. I am happy with life and would not change one thing.

80's Night...

2009-02-10T08:00:00.004-05:00

On Friday I went to an 80's night party in town with my friend Ellie and one of her best friends Brandy. It was sort of last minute so we really didn't have much time to plan the outfits. It was so fun raiding my closet and coming up with something to wear. The only thing I had to buy was the shirt and everything else was put together with stuff I already had. I even raided Kady's jewerly box for neon bracelets.

They played 80's music all night and had posters up of 80's bands up on the walls. With everyone dressed up it reminded me of Halloween which you all know if my favorite holiday. I will always look for an excuse to dress up!

Eli's 5th Birthday...

2009-02-09T08:08:00.006-05:00

Last Saturday my nephew Eli turned 5 years old. I can't believe that he is already five. He had a Super Mario Brothers party and it turned out really cute. His cake was cupcakes that looked likeMario's mushrooms. Amy made boxes with chocolate coins in them much like the question mark boxes from the video game. Since Mario stuff was hard to come by, Amy did a good job creating party favors and decorations.

Kady had a good time playing with all the kids. She participated in the super star pinata and pin the moustache on Mario. (I told you Amy got creative with the games.)

Something else unique at this years party was the "Hot Dog Man". They hired a man out of Jacksonville that has a cart and he provides hot dogs, sausages, chips, drinks and all the fixing's for the dogs. It was really a nice variation for a kids party and a lot less work for the people giving the party.

Ollie Koala's...

2009-02-06T08:04:00.003-05:00

We went to a place in Mandarin called Ollie Koala's. It's the same concept as Chuck E. Cheese just different characters. It had a much better layout and was arranged perfectly. It's much less crowded and more updated and clean than the other CEC's in the area. Not only do they have fun games but there is also a huge indoor jungle gym much like what you find at Tunnelz 'n' Tumblez. Kady spent most of the three hours that we were there in the playground.

The $40 game card we purchased was spent by Jamie challenging pre-teen boys to racing games and winning. I was in charging of playing games to win tickets so Kady could leave with a prize. We met Amy, John, Eli & Luke there because it was Eli's 5th birthday. Kady loved running around with all the kids and had a great time. She was completely wore out by the time we left and fell asleep on the way home. If you have kids and frequent CEC you should check out Ollie Koala's, you won't be disappointed.

Yard Sale...

2009-02-05T08:49:00.001-05:00

On Friday and Saturday I will be participating in a 3 family yard sale to get rid of some good stuff. The yard sale will be held at 107 White Oaks Trail in Satsuma. There will be baby boy and girl clothes (sizes 12m - 2T), lots of baby accessories, toys, bicycle, a working washing machine, housewares, lots of various things and even a boat. We will start at 8AM and probably end around Noon or until we get tired and pack up. If you need directions message me.

Ballerina...

2009-02-04T07:23:00.002-05:00

Kady got a tutu for Christmas from the Cowart family. Since Jenny Cowart teaches dance class i'm assuming this her way of hinting that Kady is at an age to start dance lessons. We have thought about it but no decisions have been made.

Anyway, Kady loves the tutu! She always puts it on puts over whatever she is wearing and twirls around the house. I took this picture when I was cooking and she twirled through. She puts her hands up and says im a balla-brina.

Groundhog's Day...

2009-02-03T10:00:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was Groundhog's Day and that made me think of one of my favorite movies. Bill Murray is one of my favorite actors and I think that his movie Groundhog Day is hilarious. Last year I practically stalked Mr. Murray at the World Golf Village while he was there for his annual celebrity golf tournament. In the end I didn't get to see him because it was raining and everything was getting delayed. I had already been there so long I didn't want to stay longer and seem suspicious.
Anyway back to the point of this story, if you have never seen this movie you must watch it because it is classic Bill Murray. My favorite part of the movie is when he is trying to get everything right for the Andie McDowell character and keeps getting close to perfect but still messing up. If you watch it I hope you enjoy it.

Superbowl 2009!

2009-02-02T08:47:00.004-05:00

Last night was the Superbowl and it was a great game. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 27-23. Even if you don't watch football everyone usually watches the big game to see all the fanfare, halftime show and watch the commercials. This year was a bit of a disappointment in all those categories.

Normally throughout the game the camera will zoom in on the celebrities in attendance. This year the only two people they showed was Kurt Warners wife and Cuba Gooding Jr. Is that really the only famous faces in the crowd? There were more celebrities at Steamboats Friday night to see a show. Those famous faces being Michelle McCool and Mark Calaway AKA "The Undertaker". I'm sure more people would be excited to see a WWE wrestler than a person that was in Jerry Maguire 13 years ago.

The commercials were not that great. My favorite was one of the first ones shown for Pepsi titled Forever Young. I thought it was a creative way to contrast events of years gone by with current iconic images. Other than that nothing really jumped out at me as overly funny or cutting edge. The only remotely funny one was the MacGruber/Pepsi spot and people not familiar with Saturday Night Live were probably highly confused with that character.

On another sour note I thought the half-time show was bad. Is Bruce Springsteen even relevant anymore? Do the Superbowl planners still think that any entertainer under 30 will be tempted to reveal their nether regions to the public? Of course letting Lil' Wayne loose on the field and air waves for 10 minutes may be scary for the censors but wouldn't it be fun to watch!

Zoe's Birthday...

2009-01-30T08:00:00.009-05:00

We went to Zoe Byrd's 2nd birthday party last
Saturday. Kady had so much fun at the party
with all the kids. There were a bunch of kids so Kady was in heaven playing with all of them.Jessica planned a Minnie Mouse party and she did some really creative things for the party. One of the cute things she did was made ice cream cups that looked like a
mouse face. I guess being a Kindergarden teacher makes you more patient to do things like that. I would have made one and got frustrated and ate all the mini-cookies instead.

The Minnie cake was made by JJ's Cakes which is a local business and she makes really cute cakes. You can check out her MYSPACE page to see more pictures of her designs. She is also the sister of Casey Cahan who owns Scrappies. I guess their whole family is creative.

All dressed up...

2009-01-29T08:00:00.008-05:00

This was Kady before church last Sunday. She must have loved this dress because she was striking poses all day long. She looks so grown up in these pictures.

Flower...

2009-01-28T08:00:00.002-05:00

I took this picture when we were at Disney World a few weeks ago. I thought that the color was so vibrant and pretty.

Cruise Countdown...

2009-01-27T07:34:00.002-05:00

I've officially started a countdown to my next vacation. I have just over a month left!! I'm so ready for this vacation. To everyone yelling, "You just went on Vacation in October!", I know but I need this one. After all of the holidays and then getting back to work it's time already to get de-stressed again.

We love cruises but this will be Kady's first cruise. I think she will be at a good age to really enjoy everything going on. She is still fascinated by everything so she should be easy to entertain.

Circus...

2009-01-26T07:48:00.003-05:00

We took Kady to the circus that was at the fairgrounds last week. She had so much fun. Amy and her two boys met us there as well. During the intermission they rode ponies and an elephant. They were all willing to get on them and take their turn. As soon as our kids were on the elephant we were stressed for the minute it took them to go around the circle. They were excited and wanted to do it again!

By 5:30pm the tempature had really dropped and we were all freezing! Kady was so cold that Jamie bundled her up in his jacket. She still wanted to eat the circus peanuts so he had to put them in her hand and she was eating them that way. It was actually kind of funny.

Yo Gabba Gabba...

2009-01-23T09:20:00.000-05:00

Once you have kids you learn more about kids TV shows than you ever wanted to know. All shows are basically the same you learn the alphabet, shapes and how to count. Everything is normal and predictable except one show, Yo Gabba Gabba. This show premiered on Nick Jr. in August 07 and the first time I watched it I was in awe.

This show is fascinating. The characters, skits, songs and cartoons on this show are always so "out there" that you can't stop watching. Kady has finally really started liking the show for about the past 6 months. She knows all the songs and dances and loves all the characters. There are 6 main characters (in order of picture): Muno, Foofa, Plex, Brobee and Toodee. In front is DJ Lance he is the leader of all the characters. There is always a special guest or musical guest in each episode. Here are some of the people that have been on: Tony Hawk, The Aquabats, Elijah Wood, The Ting Tings, Sugarland, The Shins and lots more.

Right now I'm enjoying Biz Markie's - Biz's Beats of the Day where your child learns a new beat boxing technique every day. It's great when your 3 years old is saying, "wicky wicky wicky and making beat box sounds. She also says, "Mama are you ready??" and when I say yeah she says, "OK NOW BREAK IT DOWN!" Knowing how to break it down is a skill that she will need later in life.

If you have time go to YouTube and search the show. You will see for yourself how unique the show is and you to will be hooked. I suggest searching the songs, Party in my Tummy or Snacky Snack Snack.

I should tell my mom to start planning the Yo Gabba Gabba birthday cake for Kady this year. I'm gonna need some volunteers to dress up like the characters...anyone interested?

Reality TV....

2009-01-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Confession...I love Reality TV! I'm ashamed at how much of it I actually watch. Don't get me wrong, I don't sit all night in front of the TV but I TIVO so much stuff. I watch things that are so crazy for example, Rock of Love with Bret Michaels on VH1. I don't think that is a show that I would normally watch but since I can record it and watch it anytime I do! There is always some sort of crazy reality show recorded anytime I want to watch something.

I'm also hooked on shows that recap reality TV shows like The Soup and The Dish. They both recap my shows and throw in some humor so we can all laugh at how sad the contestants are.

Shows I'm currently watching: Top Chef, The Bachelor, Ace of Cakes, American Idol, Whose Wedding, Big Redneck Wedding, Girls Next Door, The Hills, The City, Real Housewives, i could go on but I'll stop. I use to always watch Real World and Road Rules on MTV but for about the past 5 years I've stopped. Once I got older than most contestants it lost it's luster.

I hope that I'm not alone out there I know there are others that watch all this crap and are memorized by it. If you have a favorite reality show that you watch let me know so I can add it to my TIVO schedule.