The Week in Review

Ok, so it has been quite a while since I last blogged.  I have faced the fact that I just can't be organized, motivated or energetic enough to make this an every day or for that matter every three or four day event.  So, I have decided to try and make a commitment to blog once a week to recap the highlights of our crazy, hectic, wonderful life.

Here goes nothing...

This week started with a 48 hours of work in 4 days. Let me backup and say that I started a new job on 5/31/12 with a Critical Care group.  My year of post master's schooling has paid off and enabled me this wonderful opportunity to fulfill my dream of being a Nurse Practitioner in Critical Care.  My debut started big with 4 12 hour shifts in a row.  I was pooped by Tuesday night for sure.  However, it was a great start to my new job and a good introduction to the routine.

The kids had VBS this week so on Wednesday and Thursday I was able to go with them and help out and watch the kids in action.  I just love watching the kids sing and learn the hand motions to all of the songs.  I know it's crazy, but I get so emotional watching the kids at VBS.  I usually well up with tears and just feel so overwhelmed with emotion as I see these children praising and worshipping our awesome God.   This year's theme was Amazing Wonders Aviation.  The songs were great and my kids love singing them over and over.  Missy was even singing them in bed at night. 

On Wednesday after VBS we went to Don Pablos with my mom , my Aunt Ninny and Emma.  Missy was so cute during lunch as she was singing Yes to VBS at the top of her lungs in the middle of the restaurant.  She is my sweet little singing bee.  After lunch the boys went with Grandma and I took Missy with me to get my driver's license renewed.  Suprisingly enough it went very quickly contrary to most experiences with bureaucratic establishments.

Friday was my 42nd birthday and I spent the day at work.  It was a really good day and I learned a lot.  I got lots of FB messages throughout the day which had my phone going tweet tweet so much I think people must have thought I had a bird in my pocket.  Such a great feeling to have so many folks wishing me happy birthday wishes!!

I had the weekend off which has been great.  Saturday I went shopping all by myself with my Kohl's gift card from my hubby!  I love Kohl's  I got some really cute clothes and a new pair of tennis shoes too.  Saturday evening we went to our Gathering Group event at the Willets.  We had lots of good food and fellowship and the kids swam all night until about 9pm.  Needless to say, Missy was asleep before we even pulled into the neighborhood.  We had a great time.

Today we went to church and then lunch at Tijuana Flats.  Then we came home to discover our little Schnooky had a fever and was pretty miserable and complaining that his brain hurt.  Schnooky does not do sick well.  Whenever he gets a fever he always gets a headache and will tell you that his brain hurts.  Poor little guy.  He was feeling much better by dinner time and even had a piece of my birthday cake which my hubby bought for my birthday celebration today.  We had a nice dinner and then topped it off with birthday cake.  My favorite!!! 

Well, that's it in a nutshell.  I am calling it a night!!!!

Random Monday Musings

So the first month of 2012 is almost over and I am doing fairly well with keeping up.  I am not doing as well as I would like, but face it life is busy and chaotic and sometimes I barely have time to sleep much less blog. 

I worked all weekend, eww!!.. I so wish I did not have to work every other weekend, but that is kind of how it is right now.  The highlight of the weekend was definitely getting a call from our soldier. He called us Sunday night and I got to talk to him for all of about 2 minutes, literally.  He let me know that he was okay and he was eating 3 meals a day and getting 7 hours of sleep every night.  Then he told me basic wasn't all that bad thus far and that they got their rifles!  He also let me know there were 2 letters coming in the mail with his address and unit information so we could start writing him letters...then he said he loved us and goodbye.  Oh and he said they would be earning phone privileges and calls would be made home usually on Sundays!!!  I am so proud of my son.  He has really grown up.  I love him so much and can't wait to see him on graduation day in April.

My little Missy Miss drew me a picture while I was gone on the youth ski trip (another post soon about that).  She even wrote my name (see photo) and told me that it was in cursive!  She's only 3 for crying out loud.  Growing up way too fast.

We have a tradition in our family that we tell each other how much we love one another.  I have been telling Peanut since he was a wee little boy and now his brothers and sister too that I love them right up to the moon and back.  It is from the children's book Guess How Much I Love You!!  So the little ones always like to have their own version.  Schooky seems to be the most creative.  For example~

Mommy I love you right up to my birthday (which is in February)!

Mommy I love you for 105 days!! And not to be out done, Woobie and Missy tell me they love me to Heaven and back!!  They are all so precious!!!

Peanut even bought me a plaque with the words I love you to the moon and back for Christmas!! Priceless!!!

Exciting news for Woobie this Wednesday-he gets his cast off!!!  He has been such a trooper about it too, but he is counting the hours until he gets it cut off.  Not a single person has signed it either.  He wanted to keep it clean I guess.

Well, I guess that is about it for tonight.  Until next time.

Oh, by the way, hubby and I got to go to a Magic game at the new Amway Center Wednesday night (1/18) compliments of my boss.  It was the first time we have been to the new arena.  Very nice. Great seats too.  We were 3 rows up from the floor behind the goal and right next to the home bench.  We had a great time.  It was a great game.  Neck and neck the whole way, but unfortunately we lost in OT by 3 points.  Just a split second difference and JJ Redicks 3 point shot would have clenched the game for us!  Oh well, that the way the ball bounces!!

Bittersweet Day!

This morning dawned bright and early at 0530 for Sean and I.  We hit the road a little after 0630 and headed to Tampa to meet up with Peanut at the MEPS center to await his departure to Ft. Benning.

We arrived right at 0900 as instructed and were escorted into a waiting room to sign in and get our briefing about what to expect and where were allowed to go and not go.  We were given strict instructions not to take any photos except in the swearing in room and no cell phone usage except in designated areas.  We were also told if we forgot the rules we would be reminded as "softly" as possible!!!

Then we waited and waited and waited a little more while Peanut completed his final processing before being officially sworn into the US Army.  After a little over an hour or so he was able to come and visit with us for a while before he was called to his pre-swearing in briefing.

About noon we were called into the swearing in room to watch our boy now a man be sworn into the US Army.  What a feeling of pride washed over me as I watched him take his oath to serve our great country.  He is making such a big commitment through his willingness to serve!  There could be no prouder mama then I was today!!

After the swearing in he went to finish signing his contract and then we were able to visit with him until about 1430 when they were called to report to their travel briefing.  Yes, there was a lot of briefings throughout our day!

Shortly after they were released from their final briefing it was time to say goodbye and board the shuttle van to Ft. Benning.  I hugged my boy and told him I loved him.  It was hard to let him go, but I knew this day would come eventually!!

We headed to our car and were able to get one more glimpse of him as he exited the building on his way to the shuttle van.  The tears came in waves as we drove away.  Seems like only yesterday that I was sending my little boy off to kindergarten and now I was sending my son the man to his biggest adventure yet!

I pray that he will remember who he is and whose he is and always keep God first in his life and let Him guide his steps as he embarks on this new journey in his life!!

The Going Away Party!

Today was the beginning of the good-byes for Peanut before he begins his journey to serve our country in the US Army.  We started our day just like any Sunday by going to church.  All through the service I cried periodically as I thought about it being the last Sunday that we would have Peanut in church with us for who knows how long 4-6 months or more.

At the end of the service our church family laid hands on our precious first born and Pastor C prayed for him and this journey he is about to begin.  The emotions continued to flow as I held onto my boy along with so many of our beloved family and extended family.  The outpouring of support from our church family has been so touching and I know that they will continue to support us as we travel down this new path in our lives.

After church we put the pedal to the metal and started running our errands to get everything we needed for the big send off party!  We were expecting about 40 people to help us send him off to Ft. Benning in style. 

We then hurried home to get the house ready for everyone and of course we all 6 donned our best camo just for the occasion!!

The party was great.  Nana, Papaw and Aunt Jennie came over from Bradenton and lots of family and friends joined us as well.  Even Coach Benny and his wife Amy came over from Mt. Dora as well as several of his friends that he graduated with from MDB.  There was lots of food and conversation, and yes even a few tears. Peanut was about smiled out by the time I finished snapping photos of him with all of his guests.

Lots of good fun and memories were made to commemorate Peanut's departure to serve Uncle Sam!!!

New Year and a New Start

Well, 2011 just flew by and here we are in 2012.  2011 proved to be a little tough at keeping up with my new found blog pastime and needless to say I am way behind on blogging.  I have little notes in my phone of memorable events throughout last year, and one of these days I will jot them down here in an attempt to catch up, but for now I am going to start fresh for 2012 and try to stay caught up.

2011 was a crazy whirlwind year to say the least.  I was working full-time, going to school including over 300 hours of clinicals and studying as well as taking care of 4 kids, a crazy dog and the hubster!!  It was just a bit stressful at best, but with the wonderful support of my family I made it through and finished my Acute Care post-master's certification.  The only hurdle left is to pass my boards in the next few months.  It was a great experience and I learned so much, but I can safely say I am done with school forever!!  Of course I will always be learning and updating my knowledge with CME's etc, but as for formal school I have had my fill.

We had a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of fun and laughter.  Santa brought us a fun family gift of an Xbox 360 with Kinect.  We have been having lots of fun bowling, skiing, playing tennis, darts and even a little friendly boxing with each other since Christmas day. The little ones also got their very own Leaspster Explorers which they all love.  Now they are learning while playing Star Wars, Cars 2, Disney Princesses etc. They can even download apps and keep track of their learning progress, and the beauty is they think they are just playing games!! Missy also got lots of dollies and a new Disney Princess bike, and the little guys got mack daddy nerf guns and army dress up clothes just to name a few. Peanut also got a new laptop from Mom and Dad so he will stop borrowing mine!!! So I guess you could say we had a techy Christmas!

We also got to have face time with Uncle Michael, Ethan and Gerrian and open our presents from each other on film. Modern technology!! The little ones each got star projectors for their rooms which they absolutley love and have to have their stars shining every night when they go to bed. Grandma and I got a full day of beauty at a spa complete with facials, massages, mani and pedicures!! Thank you Uncle Michael, Gerrian and Ethan!!! We can't wait to find a day to steal away for some pampering.

Then we talked to Grandpa Rob, Great Grandma and Auntie Jan and Julia and were also able to skype with Grandpa Gary and Grandma Cookie.  We loved our wonderful gifts from everyone and are definitely enjoying the new Keurig brewer!!!  Loving my hot tea brewed in mere seconds flat!!!

We had Grandma, Grandpa, Nana, Papaw and Aunt Jennie over for a yummy turkey dinner on Christmas day!  We were all stuffed for sure!! It was so nice to have everyone together to celebrate Jesus' birthday! 

The day after Christmas we had dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's with Uncle Bobby and Regina and exchanged gifts!  The boys got more nerf guns to add to their growing collection that they got for Christmas and Missy got a beautiful polka dot dress which she wore two days in a row!!  The grown ups got Seasons 52 gift cards which we are very much looking forward to using soon!

Unfortunately, Woobie fell off the neighbors slide before dinner and hurt his left arm.  I had some suspicion that it could be broken, but there was no swelling or deformity so decided to see how he was doing the next day, however after he kept me up all night complaining of pain I knew we definitely had a problem.  So it was off to our friendly neighborhood Jewitt Orthopedic to have an x-ray, and....we now have a nice red cast for the next 4 weeks.  He has a buckle fracture of the left distal radius!!  He was more upset about the possibility of not being able to play Xbox then having to wear a cast for the next month!!!

We brought in the new year with several of our closest friends and family last night!  It was a nice evening and we even had some Xbox kinect tournaments to pass the time until midnight and caught up with family and friends we hadn't seen in a while.  Of course we munched on yummy goodies all night long as well.

Well, there you have it my first entry for the new year!!  I have enjoyed the last nine days off with hubby and the kiddies, but must go back to reality tomorrow and head back to work.  I am also beginning my new journey to be fit and fabulous for 2012 tomorrow!!!  Wish me luck!!!

Girl's Day Out and The Potty Problem!

I had the pleasure of spending the day with my little girl today.  The boys got to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa while we were away.

 First we went with Daddy to the doctor to make sure he told the whole truth and then Daddy took his two favorite girls out to lunch at Bahama Breeze.  I have been craving their onion rings for a very long time.

We stopped into Barnes and Noble for a few minutes before lunch because it wasn't 11am yet and Missy got a Rapunzel book and Daddy found some great hardbound versions of some classic stories to add to our homeschool library.  We got Tom Sawyer, Dr. Doolittle, Little Men, Huckleberry Finn, Robin Hood, King Arthur and His Knights and a few more.  They are really nice and what was even better is they were buy two get one free!!!  I always love a good bargain!

Lunch was yummy and the onion rings were delicious!  My tummy was very happy at the end of our meal.  We then kissed Daddy goodbye as he headed off to work and drove to ORMC to get my student badge so I can start clinicals on Saturday only to find out that mommy can't read very well and they only give out student badges on Tues, Thur and Friday.  So Missy and I drove to Sand Lake Hospital to get my badge and decal so I would be assured of being able to start clinicals this Saturday.

On the way back towards home my sweet little girl fell asleep.  She must have been very tired too because she slept all the way through the $6 car wash, which was really $15 for the extra super duper cleaning and more amazing still she slept through the 20 minutes that it took me to vacuum out my filthy van including vacuuming her carseat!

We then ventured toward the pet store to get Noni's UTI remedy, but had to take a pitstop for gas at 7-Eleven.  Missy woke up half way to the gas station and was just a bit cranky.  While I was pumping gas she announced she needed to potty! I finished pumping gas as fast as I could and pulled into the parking spot so I could take her inside, however she wasn't able to hold it and was sitting in urine soaked clothes when I went to get her out!  Thankfully I had the pee pad in the bottom of her carseat so we spared her seat of pee pee, but her clothes were soaked. 

Of course I didn't bring any spare clothes with me because that would have made my life too easy so I had to come up with a quick bandaid by taking off her clothes and wrapping her in a hand towel that I had in the car.  I then strapped her back in her carseat and headed for Target!

I then wrapped her in the baby sling that I keep in the car and carried her into the store.  We found her a  Rapunzel shirt and jean shorts and completed the ensemble with Rapunzel underwear.  Are you sensing a theme here???  I then grabbed a package of wipes and headed for the dressing rooms.

We ducked into one of the dressing rooms and I took the tags off of the clothes and cleaned her up with a wipe.  I then opened the package of underwear and put on a pair and then got her dressed.  All the while I am so nervous that I am being watched by cameras and they are going to nab me for shoplifting before I can get to the front of the store to pay for everything.

Thankfully we made it to the front of the store and paid for our goods with no handcuffs involved!  I explained to the cashier that I only had the tags from the clothes because she was wearing them due to a potty problem!  He expressed his understanding and made our purchases official.

We then went back to shopping because mommy needed a new mop and some school supplies!

Finally, we left Target and made it to the pet store to get Noni's goodies.  Hopefully this will cure Noni of what ails her!

We drove thru Taco Bell on the way home for Tacos and Pizza for me, Grandma and the kidlets.  Got to love it when I don't have to cook!!!

After dinner we sat down and started reading Tom Sawyer.  It is a really cute story.  The kids enjoyed listening and then we of course had to read Missy's Rapunzel book to make the evening complete.

The kiddies then piled in the car with Grandma and headed to her house for a sleepover.

It was a great day with my sweet baby girl.  I really enjoyed our mommy-daughter day!!

Now it is time to hit the books and get educated!!!

The Graduation!

Well, he did it!  My oldest child has finished all of the requirements of high school and received his diploma this evening, but not without a whole lot of chaos and mayhem leading up to the big event.

I truly believe that Satan was hard at work trying to ruin this special day. The day started out by having to run all over the place and get things for the graduation reception and ordering a cake for the graduation party at the beach house for Sunday.  The little ones were in rare form and didn't make things a whole lot easier with all of their antics.  Although I must say that Woobie was actually very well behaved and agreeable all day.

In the midst of running errands I was trying to secure quotes for insurance for Peanut who now has to have his own policy related to his less than perfect driving record in the last 5 months.  I was letting Grandma drive while I made phone calls.

Then about 1045 my Dad called to tell me that his car broke down in Lakeland on the way here and was being towed to the Mercedes dealer to get it fixed.  No idea on his ETA at that point.  Instantly that threw another wrench in the works because he was going to watch the munckins while I went out to the school to set up Peanut's reception table.

A little while later Peanut informed me while trying to go get an estimate for the repair of his latest fender bender that his car wasn't running right and he was on his way to CMC to get it looked at.  He however still needed to get a haircut and I needed to finish making his poster for his table so Grandpa was recruited to pick him up at car repair place and take him to get his haircut.

Meanwhile, we tried to get the little ones to take a nap while we worked on the poster to no avail of course.  None of them would go to sleep.  Grandma and I decided to take them with us out to the school in hopes that at least Missy would take a nap.  To our surprise she stayed awake and Schnooky fell asleep.

Woobie went into the cafeteria to help me setup while Grandma stayed in the car to watch Schnooky and entertain Missy.  Then I decided we needed some goodies for the table and went on a quest to find some candy and a bowl to put it in.  2 stores later mission accomplished and Schnooky was awake. 

We all trapsed into the cafeteria to set up the rest of the table and then it was time to high tail it home to meet Grandpa Rob and get ready for the big event.

In between all of the adventures I was still attempting to find a half way affordable insurance for our teenager!  I think I finally found a company that shows mercy on young drivers with a not so spotless driving record. 

I finally arrived home around 330 and the rush was on to get everyone ready to go including finishing the powerpoint presentation for Peanut's table.  The kiddies were pretty good while I worked on that and Peanut was busy ironing his clothes for the ceremony.

Peanut's car was ready right about the time Daddy got home so Daddy took him to pick up the car and then hurry  home so Peanut could get dressed and fly out the door with Grandma and Grandpa to make it to school by 6pm. 

In the meantime, Grandpa Rob arrived to the chaos of Peanut leaving and trying to get all the kids ready.  I jumped in the shower with barely enough time to spare and then Missy decided to have an atomic meltdown about what she was wearing and carried on for over 30 minutes while Daddy tried to bribe her into getting dresses.  Poor Grandpa Rob just paced and watched the boys while I got ready and Daddy dealt with the tiny tyrant.

Finally, we left a little late of course and were met with a torential downpour on the way to Mount Dora.  We pulled up to the gym right at 7pm and unloaded everyone.  We arrived to our seats just in time for the graduates processional.  Poor Daddy was late because he had to park the car a mile away and dodge the raindrops on the way in.

In keeping with the theme of the day my picture of Peanut walking down the aisle was blurry and of course there was no second opportunity.  Most of my other photos of the ceremony were not that great either.  Thank goodness some other folks snapped photos too and posted them on Facebook.

The little ones did very well during the ceremony.  They were a bit antsy, but all in all did well.  After the ceremony we got some family photos and some photos with Peanut and the President of the school as well as teachers, coaches and friends.

We all then went to the cafeteria where all of the graduates tables were set up and people were visiting each table and seeing what the parents had done for their Senior to recognize all of their achievements throughout the years.  Some of the tables were pretty fancy I must say.  I think Drew's table turned out pretty well if I do say so myself.

We then hugged Nana, Papaw and Aunt Jennie as they needed to head back to Bradenton.  The kids munched on cake and candy as well as yummy punch and then it was time to pack up and head home.

Peanut stayed behind with all the Seniors to embark on their surprise Project Graudation Night.  He would be out all night and come home the next morning!  Daddy got unanimously voted to be the one to pick him up at 0 dark 30 the next day!!!

All and all despite all of the obstacles and chaos of the day it was a great ceremony and such a joy to see our oldest graduate from High School and begin a new chapter in his life journey!

It's time for the real world now buddy!!!

The End of an Era

 I write this with bittersweet tears in my eyes.  Last night was Peanut's final baseball game of his high school career.  It was a tough game and unfortunately it was not theirs to win last night! 

During the game Peanut's knee was hurting him more and more with every pitch, but he kept going and pitched the whole 7 innings without anyone knowing the pain he was experiencing, and then his knee could take it no more.  He limped off the field and down the line to shake hands with the opposing team. 

In the end, it was mom and dad who helped him off the field to the dugout.  A truly bittersweet ending indeed.

I am sad today and already missing the field and the excitement I always felt watching him and his team play baseball.  I have so enjoyed all the years watching my oldest child grow up on the baseball field.  He has learned many valuable lessons along the way about baseball and life.

I guess part of me is sad too because this just further confirms that my baby boy is growing up and life is changing before my eyes.  I am so missing my little boy, but know that life is ever changing and my children will all grow up and leave the nest some day.

I need to embrace this new chapter in his life and be excited for all of the new adventures life will hand him.  I am hoping that he will be able to continue to play ball in college so that I can still watch my boy on the field and feel the excitement of watching him play ball, but more importantly I pray that he will continue to mature and grow into a Godly  man that will glorify and honor God in all that he does.

I will cherish all of the memories and know that we will be making many more as his younger siblings grow up on the baseball field as well.  It would be great to see their big brother out there on the field side by side with their Dad helping to coach his little brothers and help them to grow.

And so today I reflect on the end of this era in our lives and look forward to the next!!!

McD's and the Zoo

Today was my day off and I so needed it.  Just worked 4 days in a row and it was definitely time for a break.  Me and the kiddies spent the day together which was so nice.

Missy was up at the crack of dawn this morning and the boys were soon to follow.  We all hung out on the couches and watched Disney Junior and then I decided we would all go to McD's for breakfast and then head to the zoo with Nana, Papaw and Aunt Jennie.

By the time we finally got out the door it was well after 9am and the kids were all a little crazy.  I made it very clear to all that they needed to honor me by behaving in McD's or we would be skipping the zoo.

As we headed down the road I called Grandpa to see which McD's he was frequenting this morning and we decided to meet him at the Lake Mary spot for breakfast.  We got there a little after 0930 and all three kidlets scarfed down pancakes and yogurt parfaits.  They were all pretty good I must say and we even had a sweet lady compliment me on what lovely children I had.

Grandma met us there about 1030 and then we all went to the Allergist to get Grandpa and Woobie's "pinches".  I always feel so bad for my little buddy having to now get not two but three shots a week, but I tell you that his allergies have improved dramatically since starting them about a year and a half ago.  He used to wake up multiple times a night and just sniffle all night long, not to mention I think his night terrors were a result in large part to his allergies which are now very few and far between.  So as much as I hate to see him hurt when he gets his shots, I know that his quality of life has really improved because of them.

So, after waiting our 20 minutes we parted ways with Grandma and Grandpa and headed for the zoo to meet Nana, Papaw and Aunt Jennie. 

While we were waiting to pay, Schnooky found that to his delight he was now tall enough to be able to go on the little ropes course at the zoo.  He is now 39" and the minimum height requirement is 36".  I really want to bring the boys one day and let them do the ropes course.  They have been wanting to do it for a long time.  Maybe for Woobie's birthday this month we can arrange an afternoon of high flying adventure!!!

We all had a nice time at the zoo and the kids really enjoyed seeing all of the animals.  They had a blast feeding the "goaty goats", Zebu's and sheep.  Missy wasn't thrilled with the Zebu's but she enjoyed feeding the sheep and goats.  The boys got a kick out of the Zebu's long tongue and how he could stick it out and scoop the food off the top of the fence.

After sanitizing everyone's hands we were off to see the rest of the zoo, which didn't take very long since we have a very small zoo.  We enjoyed seeing the Kangaroo, Emu, Cheetahs, Leopard and lots of monkies too!!

The snake house was a hit too.  Schnooky's favorite was the albino rattlesnake.  Very strange looking fella that snake was, especially with his beady red eyes!!  We also saw cobras and green mambas as well as a gigantic frog!

We rounded out our day at the zoo by riding the Merry Go Round and the little train.  They love riding the rides at the zoo, so it is a good thing I have the unlimited ride pass which saves us a bundle.

We then loaded up and headed to get the oil changed in the van and finish up with a car wash and a vacuum.  I always feel so much better when I have a nice clean car to drive around in!

Daddy was already home by the time we arrived home, and Missy had passed out in the car on the way home at about 330pm.  I tried to wake her up, but to no avail.  She ended up falling back to sleep on the couch shortly aftering coming in the house.

A little after 430pm, Daddy and the boys left to go to T-ball practice and I stayed home with little Missy Miss and worked on a few things and snuck in a little study time too.

Me, Missy, Schnooky, Daddy and Peanut went to Grandma's house for dinner after practice.  Nana had made yummy lasagna, salad and garlic bread for dinner.  Woobie and Grandma stayed at the church for the Children's Chior practice.

All in all a really great day.  Now I must close and get some studying done before calling it a night!!!

Schnooky's 4th Birthday Party

We celebrated Schnooky's 4th birthday the afternoon we returned from the Women's retreat.  I picked up the baseball cake about 3pm and we had dinner and then presents and cake afterwards.

Poor Schnooky could hardly contain himself.  He must have asked 50 times- "Can I open my presents now?". 

Finally, after dinner when Aunt Linny and Uncle Smitty arrived it was time to tear into the presents!!!  He was so excited!!

He loved all of his gifts and then it was time for cake!!!  Mommy's favorite-Birthday cake.  He was most kind and gave all of his brother's and sister one of the baseball guys off of his cake.

My little guy is 4 years old.  He is growing up so fast.  My buddy is such a loving and giving little fellow.  He is so tenderhearted and sweet with his brothers and sister.  He is definitely my little peacemaker and our little giver.  I love him so much and I am so happy that God has blessed us with this sweet little redheaded beautiful blue eyed boy!!!

Women's Retreat

Our long awaited Women's retreat happened over 2/4-2/6.  I was very stressed as we embarked on our trip.  I have been so crazy busy with work and then I had my first weekend in Gainesville the weekend before the retreat and hadn't been able to be home with the kids very much.  I almost backed out and stayed home.  Satan has a way of getting you down when you are going to praise the Lord for an entire weekend!!  I told Satan to get behind me and and decided that I needed this weekend to help me destress and clear my mind and fill up with the Holy Spirit.

I am so happy that I decided to go.  My mom, aunt and the Cha Cha's all piled in the borrowed minivan and headed to Fruitland Park a little after 4 pm on Friday afternoon after giving tons of kisses and hugs to the kiddies.  We met all of our Lakeside Ladies at the retreat for a yummy dinner and the kickoff for our weekend of renewal.

We had a wonderful time.  We laughed and cried and drew closer to our God.  The music leader was fantastic and so funny and down to earth and the keynote speaker and Bible study leader were a blessing as well.

We sang some old favorites like I am a C H R I S T I A N complete with flashcards.  So funny!!

We also got crafty and made etched glass vases with all of us girls.

Most of all we learned how much we needed to drink the living water that only Christ has to offer.  We learned how important it is not to become spiritually dehydrated.

I also learned that I need to stop hitting the snooze button and get up earlier and spend time in the Word to help fill my cup!!!

It was a wonderful Spirit filled weekend spent with some beautiful Christian women renewing my faith in my Lord and Savior!!!

God is good all the time!!  All the time God is good!!!!

Playing Catch up: Part 2

Well, here are some snipits from the rest of January.  I have gotten so behind on my blogging.  There never seems to be enough time anymore between taking care of the kiddies, work and school not to mention the laundry and other various chores that need to be done around the house.

So, I have been writing little cliff notes so to speak and keeping them on my phone so that I can remember the special moments and when time allows try and catch up. 


1/22/11- Schnooky announced that he was dreaming about his birthday cake last night.  He wants a baseball cake.  We'll see if he changes his mind again.  He has gone from monster trucks to spiderman to his current choice.

1/25/11-This morning I took poor Noni back to the vet yet again because the growth on her paw has only gotten larger and is bleeding almost constantly.  This is clearly not an infection.  When the vet looked at it he said very matter of factly that the growth needed to come off.  So, I left my pup in his capable hands and went begrudgingly off to work.  The surgery went well, but they had to take off her whole toe on her left front paw.  Now we have a 3 toed pup and a whole lot less money in the bank!  She came home with a big cone around her neck and a little cast on her leg.  I felt so bad for her as she bumped into the walls and furniture with the big cone around her neck.  She was a little restless that night and I spent most of the night either lying on my bedroom floor with her and then ended up on the couch with her on the floor in the family room. 

1/26/11- One crazy day is all I can say.  The kids were a little nuts all day and I had the poor pup with a cone around her neck.  At one point while I was trying to take the poor dog out to go potty Missy escaped with no pants on and ran down the sidewalk with Schnooky close behind and Woobie yelling "their getting away".  Thankfully the neighbors weren't out.

Well, that sums up the good the bad and the ugly for the first month of 2011!!!  Here's to more excitement for February!!!

Goodbye Plymouth!!!

This morning I got one of the phone calls I never wanted to get!!!  Peanut called me at 0741 to inform me that he had been in an accident on his way to school.  Thankfully, he was okay and no one was seriously hurt except for the cars involved of course.  Although he told me that he cracked the windshield with his head but was feeling fine!!!

I immediately called my mom (aka my lifesaver) and she came down to watch the little ones so I could hurry to the scene of the accident and be with Peanut.  I arrived on the scene a little after 0800 and Peanut was standing outside of the his car with two very nice officers.

The details of the accident are that Peanut was making a right turn on a wet road and lost control of the car and skidded into a poor unsuspecting wonderfully gracious and forgiving young woman who was sitting in the lefthand turn lane.  Her car was subsequently pushed into a truck after the impact.  Thankfully she was not injured and had a heart of gold.  She was so sweet to Peanut and very forgiving of the whole situation.  He couldn't have hit a nicer person.

After waiting for the FHP to arrive on the scene to process the accident and then the tow truck to arrive we were on our way to the hospital to have Peanut's brain checked out just to be on the safe side since it did hit the windshield hard enough to put a pretty big crack in it. I always knew he had a hard head!!  Good news is the CT scan confirmed that he does actually have a brain, despite not using it sometimes and that there was no evidence of any injury!!!  We were all very relieved indeed!!!

After all, automobiles can be replaced but my precious crazy hard headed boy can't!!!!

Ski Trip 2011

January 14th dawned early, really early!!  We were up and out the door by 0545 to embark on the Lakeside Youth ski trip!!  Sean, Peanut and I ran through the McD's drive thru for a quick breakfast and then we headed to the church to wait for everyone to arrive.

There were 9 of us heading to Lake Junaluska this year for the youth ski retreat.  It was going to be skiing by day and worshipping and hearing God's Word by night!  I was so excited to be going back again this year.  We had such a great time last year and created such great memories!

We finally hit the road a little before 0800 after waiting for one of our travelers who thought our departure was going to be at 630pm!  We made great time and arrived safely at Lake Junaluska Methodist Retreat at about 5pm! 

After settling into our rooms we loaded up and grabbed some dinner at Zaxby's before the first worship service at 8pm.  We had a great time at the worship service singing praises to God and hearing from an awesome speaker.  Our theme for the weekend was from Romans 12:1-3.  We were learning to not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. 

Saturday morning we left at 0630 to head for Wolf Ridge!  We wanted to make sure that we got there before the crowds.  When we finally got all of our gear and headed for the slopes it was about 930.  Hubby waited for the free lesson while Peanut and I hit the slopes for a quick warm up.

It was awesome.  It was like riding a bike I remembered exactly what to do.  It's all about Pizza!!  I was in ski heaven.  I missed the slopes! 

Meanwhile, hubby was learning the finer points of how to pizza!  From what I could see he was doing pretty well.  He hit the bunny slope a few times and then we took him up on the lift to hit the green slope. 

Well, getting off the lift didn't go so well for hubby.  He leaned back instead of forward and ended up flat on his back. Ouch!!  Once he got up it went fairly well down the flat part of the slope and then things got hairy when he hit the steeper parts of the slope.  He took a few pretty good tumbles and decided to walk the rest of the way down. 

After another few attempts he decided that skiing wasn't his cup of tea and he spent the rest of the day in the lodge while we all hit the slopes for a few more hours.  He was such a good sport.

We hit the road a little after 5pm to head back to the retreat for dinner and the evening worship service.  We enjoyed more singing and inspirational speaking.  By the way,  are you a thermometer or a thermostat???

Sunday we hit the road early again to get to the slopes and have as much time as possible skiing on our last day.  Hubby stayed behind to rest his poor aching muscles.  I left him with a kiss and a bottle of ibuprofen after taking a few for myself.  My muscles were aching too, but it was a good ache and I was ready for more skiing!

We had a great day on the slopes and the weather was just beautiful the whole weekend.  We skiied until they closed the lifts.  We were all sad to leave the Wolf, but we had to head back to camp for dinner and worship.  I was anxious to see how hubby was feeling as well. 

We had a great night and all decided we wanted to be thermostats in life.  We learned that as thermostats we set the standard for others to follow and those standards should be in line with how God wants us to live. 

Monday morning we loaded up the cars and had breakfast in the dining hall before hitting the long road home.  It was a great trip and all of us had a really good time.  We were all a little sore, well some of us more than others and a lot tired, but filled with the Holy Spirit and ready to be thermostats!

We arrived home about 530pm and unloaded all the kids and handed them back to their parents.  We hurried home after that to hug our sweet babies!  We missed them a whole bunch!  Then it was back to our house and off to bed for work early in the am!!

No rest for the weary here!!!

Playing Catch Up Part 1

Well, it is barely 2011 and already I am playing catch up.  So what follows is a quick rundown of the highlights from the last couple of weeks.  So sit back, relax and enjoy!

1/2/11-We enjoyed the morning at church and then we had a relaxing day at Grandma and Grandpa's.  I took Schnooky to the mall that afternoon to exchange the iPad case.  It was fun having a little one of one with my Schnooky Bear. 

1/3/11-Today was a marathon work day.  We were crazy busy with consults and patient issues.  I didn't leave the hospital until 930pm.  Needless to say, I was one tired cookie by the time I got home.

1/5/11- Missy sitting on her little potty singing...Hi Ho the Dairy-O I like to poop!! She is our little singing bee and now she is writing her own songs!!!



1/7/11-Today Sean and I had a day off together.  Yeah!!!  I started the day off by taking Noni to the vet.  She has been limping on and off for almost a week and then over the last 2 days she has been limping even more.  Peanut came with me to help with her.  They determined that it might be an inflammatory issue so we were given an NSAID which was chewable by the way!!!  Thank you very much for valuing my fingers as Noni is not a great pill taker, but she chews this one right up.

I dropped Peanut and Noni off at home and then I went to get my hair cut and colored.  It was nice to be pampered for a couple of hours and I really love my new doo!!

1/8/11-I worked all day today and then after I got home and we tucked the little ones into bed it was Skyline time with Daddy and Peanut.  We haven't had Skyline in months and it was oh so yummy!

1/9/11- I worked again today and then we had Sunday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's.  We had chocolate chip cookies for dessert and Woobie had already had 3 so when he asked for another one I told him that he had had enough, but he said that his throat was cold and he needed something warm for it.  How could I resist that logic?

1/11/11-Well, today Peanut got into his first fender bender.  He was driving Sean's truck and backed into a lady while backing out of a parking spot at Mobil.  He didn't do any damage to the truck but crunched up the ladie's front driver's side quarter panel over the tire.  To put the icing on the cake, the police officer gave him a ticket for careless driving.  I couldn't believe he gave him a ticket.  Usually in a parking lot they don't write tickets, but apparently according to the officer they couldn't do a driver's exchange because the damage to the other car was supposedly more then $500 in his estimate. 

1/12/11-Today I took Noni back to the vet.  She was limping even more and now she had a growth on her pad and it was draining nasty goo.  So now she is on antibiotics twice a day.  She is actually taking them right out of her food dish.  Shocking!  Usually I have to cleverly disguise the pills to get her to take them so this was a pleasant change to our usual games.

1/13/11-Today after work I got home and the kids were watching Veggie Tales.  At the end of the show the Larry Boy song came on and Daddy and I danced with the kids in the middle of the family room.  We had so much fun just being silly with the kids.  It is these simple moments of spontaneous fun that makes life long memories.

I like to ride my bicycle!

Well, it is New Year's Day!  Welcome 2011!!! Today was a lazy day at home with the family.  It was also an important milestone for Woobie.

Today he learned to ride his bike without training wheels.  When I told him that we were going to take the training wheels off of his bike he was so excited he jumped up and wrapped his arms and legs around me!

It was quite an undertaking too.  We all went outside and Daddy took off the training wheels.  Then Daddy and Peanut took him out in the culdesac.  Daddy helped Woobie get balanced and then held on to the seat while he pedaled towards Peanut.  It took him several times before he realized that Daddy and Peanut were not going to let him fall.

Once he got the hang of it, Daddy started letting go and Woobie stayed up and pedaled to Peanut.  After about an hour he was pedaling around the culdesac.  They took a little break and then he practiced stopping by himself without falling over.

We were all so proud of him and how quickly he caught on.  It was so great.  Grandma and Grandpa came down to join in the fun as well.  We were all whooping it up and giving him high fives.  He was so cute and so proud of himself.

Schnooky was quite jealous at first.  He wanted the training wheels taken off of his new bike.  We tried to explain that he needed to get used to riding his new bike with training wheels for a while before taking them off.  There was no reasoning with him.  However, as he was riding his bike with the training wheels on and watching Woobie learning to ride his bike the tune changed.  At one point he announced that he didn't want to take the training wheels off of his bike after all!!

We got a special treat later when I took the kids over to Aunt Krissy's to see the little pug puppies.  The puppies were so cute and the kids were so excited to play with them and hold them.  We all had a great time playing with the pups.  I would so love to have taken one home with us, but life is crazy enough right now without adding a puppy to the mix!!

All in all it was a great start to the new year!  I pray that we have lots of fond memories to make in 2011!

New Year's Gift!!

Well, it is New Year's Eve!  Hard to believe 2010 is almost over.  It has been a good year all in all.  As I look back and reflect we have all grown so much.  The kids have grown and matured and can do so many things they couldn't do last year.

Peanut is edging closer to graduation and closer to more adult responsibility.  He is now gainfully employed and learning how to manage his time and money.  I pray that he will have a positive 2011 and mature into the man we know is in there somewhere.  I also pray that he would put God more prominent in his life and ask himself WWJD when he is faced with challenges and temptations.

Woobie is growing so much as well.  He is reading and doing 2nd grade math or better.  He is more independent and seems so much more settled.  He is sleeping so much better and not having night terrors like he used to have so often.  He is becoming quite a little gentleman.  He is so sweet and loving with his younger brother and sister as well.

Schnooky Bear is doing well at recognizing his letters and simple words and even dabbling in some math problems as well.  He is becoming more independent and loves to do what his big brothers do.  He is such a quirky funny guy and always make me laugh.

Missy has matured so much and can take on any adult in a conversation.  She knows all her colors and shapes and even recognizes some letters and numbers.  She loves to sing and has an exceptional memory for songs.  She is a tough cookie too.  Kind of has to be to keep up with 3 older brothers.  She gives them a run for their money and doesn't back down from a challenge.

The little boys are learning to be a part of a team as they completed their first season of tball this year as well.   They do so love and support each other and their teammates.

I feel like Sean and I have grown as well.  Our spiritual lives have really grown and our relationship with God and each other has really strengthened so much this last year.  It has been so wonderful to grow closer to my God and my husband.

Sean, Peanut and I brought in the New Year with our dearest friends at the Wynsma's house.  I so cherish our friends and our time together.  We have all grown closer to God together this year with our couples Bible Study as well as our individual men and women's studies.  Our teens have joined in on many of our meetings as well which is so important for them to help grow their faith as well.

We had a fun evening of reminiscing and eating way too much yummy food and then we watched the ball drop in Time Square and wished everyone a Happy New Year before heading home a little after midnight!!

The little ones stayed with Grandma and Grandpa and had a party as well, complete with party hats for all three of them.

New Year's Gift to you all!!  Here's to a blessed and memorable 2011!!!

Date Night and The Hard Rock Hotel!

I worked Monday (12/28) while Daddy stayed home with this little ones.  It was a smooth day at work and I was able to get home by 4pm which was so nice so I could spend some extra time with the family.

I was playing with Missy after I got home and kissing her toes.  She told me I shouldn't kiss her toes because they were fragile and they might break!!!  So funny!

Tuesday was Daddy on duty again while I worked.  I arrived home from work in time for Bible study with the girls and Daddy went to his Bible study.  The kiddies had a sleepover with Grandpa.

I had the day off on Wednesday (12/29).  We went to get "pinches" and then hit the mall to get an invisishield for the iPad and the Peanut's iPod and to get a case for the iPad.  Then we grabbed some lunch at the food court.

When we arrived home it was time to put all of the Christmas decorations away and tuck them in the attic.  It is so great to have the decorations up, but when they are all put away it is nice to have everything back to normal.

Then Daddy and I went on a date night for some one on one interfacing!  Once again we thank Grandma and Grandpa.  We went to Smokey Bones and then ran to the mall to get Peanut and Woobie's 2010 ornaments.  I had to order Schnooky and Missy's online because they were sold out.  Thank goodness for EBay!!

Thursday I worked and Daddy had a free day to do things around the house while my mom watched the kiddies.  I got home about 6pm and freshened up and changed.  We went to mom's house to visit with the kiddies for a little while before heading to Kathy and Steven's engagement party at the Hard Rock Hotel.

It was quite a party.  We had great music, food and drink.  Then all of us party guests got a big surprise when Brett Michaels came on stage and performed for everyone.  Marcy already knew and she pulled me on stage right up front before he came out and told me to stay put and wait for the surprise 80's star to arrive.  I tried to guess who it was but I never did figure it out before he arrived.  We left about 1030 to head home for the night.

Combs Family Christmas!

Christmas is almost here and the kids are so excited.  Grandma and I took the three little ones for some last minute shopping and Daddy stayed home to wrap presents.  I needed to buy the kids some dress shoes and also wanted to get Missy a new Christmas dress because her one from last year was getting too small.

First stop was Wal-Mart and we hit the jackpot in the kids clothing section.  I got Missy the cutest little dress for $4.  At first glance on the hanger I wasn't too impressed, but I figured for the price I wasn't going to be terribly picky.  Grandma bought Tinker Bell jammies for Missy and Thomas jammies for Schnooky, but she told them that they had to let her wrap them and put them under the tree for them to open later that day when Uncle Bobby came over for dinner.  I also picked up some stocking stuffers for Daddy and a new lightweight jacket for Woobie.

Next stop was the Dollar Store to get some more stocking stuffers and Grandma picked up a few more things for the kiddies. 

Then we braved the crowds at the mall to get them some new shoes from Payless.  We got three pairs of black dress shoes and headed for home.  The crowds weren't too bad and we had a descent parking spot too.

We arrived home in time to get everyone bathed and out the door to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner with Uncle Bobby, Regina and Kelsey.  By the way, Missy's dress looked absolutely adorable once we put it on and she had her cute little tights and new black dress shoes.  The kids got to open a few gifts before dinner which they were totally thrilled about.  They got Lincoln Logs from Grandma and Grandpa.  Wow-what a blast from the past.  Who ever thought they still made Lincoln Logs.  We loved playing with those when we were kids too.

We had turkey and all of the trimmings for dinner.  I ate way too much to say the least.  We left about 515pm to head to church for Christmas Eve service.  It was a nice family service.  Only Schnooky and Peanut stayed in with us.  Woobie and Missy decided to stay in the nursery with Grandma.  Schnooky did very well during the service and he enjoyed the music and candlelight part too.

We went back to Grandma and Grandpa's for dessert and then it was time to go home and tuck everyone in bed in anticipation of Santa's arrival.  Schnooky was so eager to get home to bed.  He could see that it was getting dark during Christmas Eve service and he kept telling me that we needed to hurry and get home so Santa could come.

We left cookies for Santa and 3 carrots for the reindeer.  Everyone was asleep about the time their heads hit the pillows, which was good since mommy still had lots of wrapping to finish up before calling it a night.

Earlier in the day, Schnooky was sitting with Daddy and announced that he didn't want to have a beard.  When we asked him why he replied, "because that would mean I would be a daddy".  We then asked him why he didn't want to be a daddy and he said that he wanted to be a kid forever.  Out of the mouths of babes.

Well, Christmas dawned a little after 0700 with everyone piling in our bed and saying it was time to open presents and wanting to know if Santa had been here.  We then barged into Peanut's room to wake him up and wish him Merry Christmas! 

We then gathered around the Christmas tree and read the Christmas story before tearing into all of the gifts.  Everyone made out very well.  Missy got a big dollhouse complete with the family and all of the furnishings.  She also got a Disney Princess dress up trunk and little dolls with snap on clothes and many other goodies.  Peanut got lots of money to help fund his Senior Ski trip and an Ipod touch.  Woobie got a big remote control Mustang, a fire truck, a sword and shield and lots of other goodies as well.  Schnooky got a new red big boy bike, an ambulance and a sword and shield.  Both boys got nerf dart guns and goggles as well as lincoln logs.

I was very fortunate to get the new laptop that I am typing this update on right now.  It is so fast and I just love being able to relax on the couch and blog away.  I also got a new bluetooth headset and a digital photo frame as well as some other treasures.

We also got an Ipad for the whole family and Daddy got an Apple TV. 

Thank you to all of our wonderful and generous family!!

Grandma and Grandpa arrived a little after 0900 and we opened some more gifts and then had yummy cinammon rolls for breakfast.  A special treat for sure.

I then left about 1140 to head to work.  Yes, the sick people are still sick even on Christmas day.   It wasn't too bad though.  I only had to see 12 people and was back to Grandma's for dinner by a little after 5pm.

We had a repeat of turkey and all the trimmings for dinner and then pumpkin pie for dessert.  Then it was time to put all of the Christmas munchkins to bed and call it a night because work would dawn bright and early the next morning.

Daddy took everyone to church the day after Christmas.  They got to take their favorite toy for the blessing of the toys.  Woobie and Schnooky brought their sword and shields and Missy brought her Belle doll.

I arrived home to Grandma's in time for a yummy roast dinner and all the fixins'.

Great Family Moments!

Well, it has been a few weeks since I posted.  We just seemed to have one thing going after another this last few weeks and I wasn't able to steal any time to catch up my blog.  

So, needless to say I would have the world's longest post if I tried to fit in everything that has been going on since I last posted.  I will do my best to hit the most important memorable moments.

 

First things first, I have been really enjoying my new job.  I have had a couple of late nights as I am getting used to the routine of things and with emergencies arising at the last minute.  Now I am really getting the hang of things and for the most part I have been getting home by no later than 7pm and a few times by 5pm.  I have to say the change has really been great.  I am learning so much and loving being back in the hospital setting.

Daddy has been on vacation since December 16th so he has been playing the role of Mr. Mom while I have been working.  I know the kids have really enjoyed having him home with them.

December 18th was our annual Christmas party.  Before the party we were all working together to clean the house and Woobie and Schnooky were helping to dust.  They went in their room to dust and we walked in after a few minutes to find that Schnooky had taken every book off of the bookshelf so he could dust it.  Woobie had taken my ceramic Winnie the Pooh figurines off of the shelves over his bed and put them on his bed to dust the shelves.   I quickly thanked him for his hard work and carefully had him get off of the bed so I could put the figurines back on the shelves.  He was very careful and thankfully didn't break any of them.  Got to love their work ethic!!

The guests arrived about 7pm and we shared lots of laughs and good food.  We also had a Chinese gift exchange, but this year we had a regifting exchange and everyone dug through their closets and found treasures to give and we had the teenagers join us instead of having a separate gift exchange.  It went really well and everyone had a lot of fun stealing each other's gifts.

December 22nd we made our 3rd annual trip to SeaWorld for our Christmas visit with Santa.  We have enjoyed going every year before Christmas and seeing all of the decorations and festitivites.  We also get our picture taken with Santa in the Polar Express Experience.  The weather was perfect and we had a really good time.  We saw the Sea Lion and Otter Christmas show, the Whale and Dolphin show, the Shamu show and ended our day by seeing an awesome ice skating show at Bayside Stadium.  The kids also got to play in Shamu's Happy Harbor and climb around the nets and tunnels with me and Peanut, play in the sand and go down the big slides a dozen times or so.  Woobie even rode the little Shamu rollercoaster with Grandma.  Daddy, Peanut and I got to ride Manta twice.  There was no line at all!!!  That is a really cool coaster!!!  

On the way out, Daddy bought all three of the little ones their very own Shamu!  An awesome

 day for sure.  Everyone crashed out on the

 way home and we tucked them snug in their

 beds as soon as we got home.  Each one snuggled close to their Shamu!