My Ivy Girl

She is just the funniest thing ever. So cute, so loving, so fun, so funny, so adorable, so smart, so sassy, so head-strong and so stubborn! She cracks me up daily, makes me smile daily, amazes me daily, and makes me so mad daily!!! She's always good to pose for a picture or sing a song. She loves her playschool and her playschool buddies a little too much. She's obsessed with shows, movies, nail polish, her bottle and bah and doesn't care one bit about dressing up. She can throw a tantrum like no other but is quick to say she's sorry. I love her more than anything and am so glad she's mine!

Gone Fishin'

Both my kids have a serious obsession with fishing. They request it all the time and they love it. Lucky we have a nice pond close by with lots of fish to catch! We also spent an evening on Lake Cypress on the john boat and had a lot of luck catching speck. Daniel had the biggest catch of the night!

Happy Birthday Jackson!!

Oh this birthday boy!! His birthday really snuck up on me this year! I was able to steer him away from wanting a reindeer cake (which I explained would look an awful lot like the deer cake I did last year) and toward something else... he decided on a super hero party. That I could handle!!

We had everyone over for cake and ice cream Monday night (the night before his birthday). The cakes and cake pops (also at his request) turned out great! A good time was had by all!

The big birthday boy on his birthday morning! We tried to grant him his every request (phone playing allowed on his birthday, a little batman action in the parking lot at school - just fine!) We stopped by Sip'n Dip on our way to school and picked up donuts for the class. He had his birthday necklace waiting for him and his birthday sign at the door! I was able to go into his class and read to them at the end of the day. The weather was beautiful so I again steered Jackson away from his request to go to Peanut's Playhouse (which we did do later in the week) and went swimming at Grandma Vicky's pool instead! It didn't take much convincing.

 We had also originally planned to go to Medieval Times for his birthday that evening but it had been such a long day I gave him the choice between that or having Austin and Porter come over for pizza and bey blade battles.... Luckily he chose the latter so we were able to have a low key evening at home! We did promise to go to Medieval Times another day!

Happy Birthday Jackson!

You will always have a special place in my heart as my first child who finally made me a mom! You are a sweet, loving boy that has a lot of energy... it's hard keeping up with you! You are always good for a game of soccer or baseball, to play a board game or a card game, to help with dinner or read some books. You love watching movies and shows, you love the phone or tablet, and you always want to stay up at night with mom and dad and love sneaking into bed with us if you wake during the night! You are so smart... already reading and doing math. You tolerate school but never complain about going. You love the park, the beach and riding your bike in the street. You love going fishing and hunting with dad. You are obsessed with guns and shooting things and growling at people. You love to get under Ivy's skin but also are good about playing with her when you're in the mood.  You smother me with kisses at night and always want me to lay with you and tickle your back. You really are all boy - and I'm so glad you are all MY boy!!

Love you so much buddy!

Happy Birthday Daniel!

Poor Daniel had to work the Saturday on his birthday. They have really been slammed at Wild Florida, which is wonderful!, but we missed spending the day with dad! We tried to make up for it with a trip to his favorite store, Bass Pro, that night, followed by dinner out at Pio Pio (pollo la brasa) and then cake and ice cream when we got home. Happy Birthday to the best husband and dad around! We love you babers!

A Real Hero

Daniel came home from work soaking wet one evening. He had been in Orlando on his way to an appointment. He was driving near a little strip mall that had a retention pond and saw a small, red car jump the curb and drive straight into the pond. Of course, he immediately pulled over and ran over to see if he could offer assistance to the driver who was now climbing out of her window trying to get on top of her car. 

His initial thought was to grab a rope from his car and pull the girl (in her late teens, early 20's) and her car out of the pond. As he headed back to his truck the girl is screaming frantically for him to come back and get her. Her car is quickly sinking and she cannot swim! So he turns back, ditches his coat, keys and phone and goes into the pond to get the girl. He literally saved her life. Her car sank, she could not swim and there wasn't a single other person around offering any help at all. This was definitely an experience for the books!! So proud of my real life hero! 

My Little Philly!

Jackson is playing t-ball this spring and I have to admit... I absolutely LOVE it!!! He is #3 on the Phillies which is funny because when I told my dad that, he said that my first t-ball team was the Phillies!! He has 1 practice a week and a game on Saturday mornings. The practices are so fun to watch and I really love watching the games. Each team bats through twice and our coach pitches to our kids so it usually goes by really quickly. The kids rotate the positions they play so while it's a little boring for the kids when they are in right field, it's pretty action packed in the pitchers circle so it isn't too bad for them. Jackson says he likes playing which is a relief (I was worried at this level he would think it's boring). We have a great coach who keeps it fun for the kids and being at the ball field is really nostalgic for me. I especially enjoyed my snack-shack duty and almost had a fun-dip for old times sake. I had to smile Saturday when I noticed kids playing "butts up" against the snack-shack wall and couldn't believe that was still a sibling little league tradition. I'll enjoy this while it lasts because I don't know if I can keep this kid in baseball forever. 

Silver Spurs Rodeo and the Osceola County Fair

We do enjoy the rodeo and fair each year in February. We went to see the monster bull riding this time around (very boring) and then hit the fair up a few days later with wrist bands. The kids can ride those rides over and over and over again! We also enjoy seeing all the animals and eating funnel cake.