Lola's ballet Recital 2009

This is really cute too, even though she really wanted to do freestyle dancing the whole time!!!

Lola's Preschool Christmas Program!!!

Take a look at this video, I really think we may have something here. I see lights in her eyes!!!

Christmas 2009

We had the pleasure of having Billy's dad and sister and her daughter Ally over for Christmas. Billy's Dad flew in on Christmas Eve so after we did our yearly ritual of opening our Christmas PJs and our yearly gifts from great granny which always consist of awesome handmade gifts we all got dressed in our Christmas Pjs and headed to the airport. After picking pops up we headed back to get ready for the big santa arrival. It was a late night for the kiddos sooooo obviously that meant it was later for mom and dad. The next morning was awesome, the kids didn't even get up until 8 am so we got to sleep in a little. Then the fun began, present after present the kids tore into them. Chip was just so excited that Santa brought him everything he wanted, Lola was so excited to rip wrapping paper off of anything even if it did not belong to her and Finn, well she was just in awe that there were so many toys in one place that she just walked around and played with everything. Santa was very good to our family as was all of our family and friends. Thank you all for such wonderful thoughtful gifts. Check out more pics at shutterfly!!!!

MGM 09

 

Epcot 09

 

Disney Magic Kingdom 09

 

How do you explain.......

Well, I think Billy and I got a taste of what explaining the bird and the bees is to Chip. Well kind of, last night our little buddy Leo (who is our newest puppy) decided he would mount one of the stuffed animals we had given him to sleep with and began... well in society terms, he began humping it. Well in past experiences for Chip and seeing other dogs do this he thought it was funny and said look daddy he is dancing. Well last night was not the issue with Chip and this particular experience. He sakes again what he was doing and i tried to play the dancing card again but Billy totally jacked it up by saying quote, "No, he is not dancing, he is humping". Really Billy, then he giggled and looked at me like I was going to save his rear-end. So I began, as quickly and without detail as possible. "Um, well honey, you know how you said we should get Leo a girl dog and they could have babies, well that is what they do to make babies." End of conversation, no more details. I did have to through in a little, "You cannot talk about or say or write the word hump at school or to friends at school or your teacher!!!!!" He looked at me, kind of confused I think, smiled, giggled and said yes ma'am. And that was it, end of topic.

I really think the whole birds and bees thing is really gonna suck for billy and I. Hopefully it does not come around again for another 13 years!!!!!!

A True Blessing.....

Sometimes I ask the kiddos what they are thankful for and what they feel a true blessing is. Well, most of the time they have no idea what it is I am asking them. So Lola will thank God for her hurt finger or the dog or her princess snacks. Well She finally got it. She, as serious as a 2 year old could be, Thanked God for her life, her family and of course her daddy!!! It was the most amazing and sweetest thing ever.....Then of course she turned evil again and told me that she wished the police would come and take me away so she could live by herself!!!! Who knew, Right!!!!

More pictures of the First Day.....

First Day of School for Lola and Chip!!!

Instead of going through and blogging all about their first day, which I think can be a little boring I wanted to post some of their sayings from that day that I found really funny or touching!

Chip: "Mom can you walk me into my classroom, I want people to know my Mom loves me."
Lola: "Will my teachers yell a lot, cause I don't think I can hear it today."
Chip: "My teacher has a scary and harsh name but she is really a hugger!" (her name is Ms. Skarr)
Lola: "I don't like the boys, but I do, well not really like the girls."
Chip: "Mom you would be proud, I made a best friend today, don't worry he is the smart quiet one that doesn't get into trouble."

And the last but I think the funniest: Lola said when I picked her up, "I like school but if I get sand in my panties one more time I'm not going anymore."

Our trip to Witchee Wachee to see live MERMAIDS!!!!

So we made an end of the summer trip to Springhill Florida where to my surprise is a state park surrounding the exsistance of Live Mermaids!!! Funny right? Well the kids and i got there and what do you know it is raining and pouring and we still decide to head on in. We spent the first 40 mins. watching a version of Little Mermaid with swimming mermaids sucking on tubes. Pretty interesting if you ask me. They swam around and did some booty shaking and sang. Well the recording sang because of course they could not sing underwater! But the kids loved it. Chip liked the fact that there was a scary witch that kept scaring Lola and Lola loved the fact that she was right and Mermaids do in fact exist. We took a boat tour down the river and spent some time at the little water park they had. We enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to show the park to dad!

Dad's 50th Birthday Trip

WE had the awesome pleasure of being in Va for my Dad's surprise 50th Birthday party/weekend!!! Well it all started with the kids and I going up there for a visit and hopefully to see my sisters baby be born. My mom flew in my dad's two sisters from California to surprise him, which was awesome because we were all at the airport supposedly waiting for Billy to come in and instead of Billy, my dad's sisters came in. It was so cool... Another surprise to both my mom and dad, my sister and I flew my Dad's nephew in as well. They were both so surprised. And the last surprise we had for my dad was a surprise birthday party with all of his closest family and friends. I was in charge of all the lying to keep my dad clueless. Which was really hard but in the end ended up being the greatest thing ever because he had no idea of any of it. So we had a great time.....BUT the only thing that was hard was the fact I had to get back on a airplane to come home and my sister still has not had her baby......overall though great visit. Enjoy some of the pics!!!

Continue Pics of our Trip to Alabama!!!

 

Reunion with old friends!!!

We had the awesome opportunity to drive 7 hours to Fort Rucker Alabama to visit a group of really great people we had known for ever. Our friends the Alberts and the Wymanns live there now and the kids and I drove up there and spent about 4 days with them. To make things even more awesome. Our other good friends the Atkins who we met at Rucker and now live in Kentucky decided to jump in her car and drive down to spend four days with them as well. So scenario, 3 mommas, 8 kiddos and one house!!!!!! WOW!!!! Can we say crazy, but I had the best time ever!!!! The kids got to meet and reconnect and so did the moms. Its crazy to think that 7 years, 12 pcs moves, 4 deployments and can't even tell you how many addresses later we have this many kids and are all sitting together discussing diapers and toys. Anyway, we had a blast and enjoy some of the cool pics I got while we were there!!!

More 4th Pics!!!

4th of July Weekend!!!

 

This is kindof a big collage of all the pics from the 4th of July weekend. Billy flew out on Friday and his dad and Luann were already here staying at a resort in Clearwater Beach. We visited with them and his Aunt Mary Jo and cousin Allie. We had a great time swimming in the pool and running around the beach. We stayed there late on the 4th to watch fireworks. They were pretty amazing and everyone enjoyed it. Then we sat in traffic for 3 hours trying to get off of the little islands that we were on. That part sucked, but overall a good fourth. Sunday we went to Orlando to walk around Downtown Disney and have Chip's Birthday dinner(Since Dad won't be here on the real one) at Rainforest Cafe. The kids had a great time and Billy and I enjoyed watching them eat a huge Volcano Cake. Chip also got to build his own light sabor at one of the stores there for his birthday, which he thought was the coolest thing ever!!! Billy leaves in about 2 hours and we leave tomm. to head up to Fort Rucker, Alabama to visit some really good friends!!! Ill post those pics later.

Just some fun summer activities!!!

 

We spent the last couple of days exploring Tampa and things to do in the area!!! We have visited the Aquarium and the Zoo. They were both a lot of fun and the kids had a blast!!!

The Big Move to Florida!!!!

So this blog might be a little long and I am going to try and leave out some of the detail to shorten it some but the move to Florida has been insane!!!!! We have been here a week and it all started last friday. We drove down her with the Philyaw family, and my mom and dad and a huge moving truck expecting to move right on into the house we had rented back in March. Well we had another thing coming. When we showed up the house was disgusting. They did not clean anything in the whole place. To make this as short as possible, I was not going to even let my children walk on the floor with bare feet that is how disgusting it was. So, we went through three more days of fighting with the owner and the rental agency about the cleanliness of the house and wanting to get our money back. We had to try and find a new place to live because Billy was leaving that Wed. for Arkansas for 4 months. So to the point, Billy is gone in Arkansas studying the C130 course, the kids and I are living in a 3 bedroom 1 loft Condo with three pools in Palm Harbor Florida, and we are still fighting with the rental agency to try and get our $whole lotta money back!!!! Fun times Right????? Over all the move has been a whirlwind and we are finally settling down some. As soon as I can get my camera to charge I will take pics and post. And I will have change of address cards out ASAP. so i guess it wasn't as long as it could have been, but check back for some pics of Finnley moving everywhere, Lola with her goggles on thinking she can totally swim underwater and Chip hanging out in our new house!!!

The kiddos and Great Granny!

So before we moved to Florida we had a baby shower for my sister and my aunt and my grandma came out to visit and attend the shower. The shower went great and so did the greeting of my kiddos and great granny. Lola was so excited to meet Ms. great granny. That is what she kept calling her. And when she finally did she was really taken back by her. She could not figure her out. She would go and sit on her lap and just stare. It was probably the funniest thing ever. Chip enjoyed being with granny and Finnley wanted nothing to do with her. I guess each child is different. But the visit was great and we loved seeing both of them.

Tri-girls!!

 

So my time with the tri-girls here in Va beach is over. Kindof bitter sweet. On one hand I am so glad we are finally beginning the next chapter of our lives in Florida, but on the other hand I ahve grown to appreciate these women and respect and love everything about them and what I am when I am with them. They will really be missed.

Backyard fun!!!

 

So we spent a couple of hours in my parents backyard playing in the sprinkler and the swingset. The kids crack me up because they totally started posing for the pictures!!!! I loved it!!!

You can click on the pictures to see them bigger!!