Change, Change, Change!

Well, as you can see, it has been WAY TOO LONG since my last blog. But, I have plans to do better and make it better!!

My goal starting at the first of the year is to make my blog fun, interesting and helpful. Helpful how?? Well, I have started couponing and I LOVE IT!!!! So, I want to share the info with you.

And, I will also do better of keeping you all up on our journeys as a family. We are really enjoying being in Florida and are having a lot of fun!! So, be on the lookout for pics of the holidays, couponing deals, etc!!!!

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas!!!

New Photos

Well, we have been so busy and we are loving every minute of it!!

Cole started kindergarten last week and he is enjoying it so much. Below are pictures of his first project!!! I knew Loo-Loo, Paco, Aunt Jen-Jen, Uncle Kenley, Aunt Nita, Aunt Julie, Aunt Donna, all the uncles and cousins, MawMaw, PawPaw, PawPaw Chuck & Mimi would love seeing his very first work!!!

This is Coles Humpty Dumpty. But, I had to show the front and back because he came home and told us that "This is Humpty Dumpty and look momma....he even has a rocket pack on his back"!!! Of course he does!!!

And, this is the first book that he put together. He was so proud to show it to me and read it to me!!!

Taylor started preschool yesterday. She had such a great time and can't wait to go back tomorrow. She gets to take her lunch box and she really loves that!!!

Matt & I finally got to experience seeing a space shuttle launch~ and, it was at night. We set our clock twice and got up in the middle of the night to watch it, only for both missions to be scrubbed. But, the third time was a charm! The pictures really don't do it justice. It was amazing. It looked like a huge fireball soaring through the sky!

This past weekend, we went to a different spot on the beach. We went to Sand Key, which is in Clearwater. It is only about a 10 minute drive and we had a lot of fun. Matt was able to fish, we swam and even had a dolphin right near us. We feel so blessed to having so many fun family times!!!

Cole & Taylor's Firsts!!!!

Well, my baby boy is no longer a baby!!! He started Kindergarten on Tuesday and had a WONDERFUL week. He has a great teacher that he really likes and we are so happy for him. He has made us so proud!!!

And.....Taylor started dance classes and she LOVES it!!! She is taking tap and ballet. Boy, you should see her! She is so precious!!!

Matt & I are so proud of them and so in love with them!!!! They bring so much happiness to our lives. They are such wonderful children!!!

More Pictures!!!

More Florida Fun!!

This is The Pier in St. Petersburg...it's a lot of fun. It is 5 stories of food, shopping, face painting, aquarium, boat rides, Saturday night outdoor movies.....

On the 2nd floor of The Pier is a small aquarium...very cheap and a lot of fun!

We ate lunch at Captain Al's. We started out sitting outside by the water...but, half way during our meal, the rain came, so we had to move inside.

Matt FINALLY got to go out on a boat ocean fishing....as you can see, he had a GREAT time!!

Cole is "carrying" Taylor around the pool...they both got a kick out of that!

Mommy loves her babies

He's doing so good learning to swim without floaties!

We're Here!!!

Well, we finally made it. We are now Florida residents....well, I guess we will be once we get our new drivers licenses ~ I need a new picture anyway!!

Everyone has been asking for pictures, so here you go!

This is one of my favorites so far!!!! It is now my desktop picture:)

We went down to Treasure Island~ this is at a park on the beach. We took a picnic lunch and had a great time! Taylor, of course found a ton of flowers!!

Cole is just as cute as ever!!

This is the view of the pier from our screened in porch! It's fantastic!!!

I forgot about this one that I took.....I absolutely love it!!!

I will write more very soon! We are getting ready to go out...gotta get Cole a fishing pole, going to see the Skyway Bridge and then to the beach!!! Have a great Sunday everyone!

~ When It Rains............

Yep, you know the rest. First of all, I want to say that this post is going to be in "pity post" style, but I know in my heart and my mind that without a doubt, things could be worse and I am so thankful that I know that and realize that. My real purpose in this will be to hopefully get a laugh or two. Thank goodness I have been able to laugh about...well, most of it!!!

I feel like it's pouring. Why? This is why....and, you know folks- you can't make this stuff up!!!

- ok, as you all know, I had to have a hysterectomy last January (almost a year! Wow!) because of all the "female" issues I have been blessed with. Well, apparently my endometriosis is back (I'm 99% sure)...so, back to the doctor I will be going. There is a specialist for it in Atlanta, but of course it is a "out of network" doctor, so seeing as how our house still hasn't sold, I can't afford to pay "my part". So, not sure what the next step is, I just know that I'm not looking forward to it. I am SO LUCKY & BLESSED that I had my 2 children when I did.....and, thankful that I was fertile. With all of the problems, I easily could not have been so lucky.

- next, I thought that I had finally gotten our "sicknesses" overwith for a while. In the past 2 months, we have all passed around pink eye twice, the stomach bug, sinus infection and the coughing crud. We are all feeling better (except for Taylor's allergy cough) and bam....Taylor wakes up from her nap today with a red eye. I am PRAYING that it isn't pink eye again!!!!!

- Appliances.....ok, my refrigerator door won't stay closed very well. It's one of those that stays closed just long enough for you to walk away :)...I have to check it about a million times a day to make sure it's closed. Then, my stove stopped working! Thankfully, it turned out to only be the "bake element". But, of course, it took my oh about 2 months to figure that out!!! Ordered it, it arrived today and now, I'm back in business. And, then...........this afternoon I went to the garage where our big freezer is and notice that apparently it had checked out!!!! ALL of my meat was thawing!!! And, NO I didn't have room in my other "refuse to stay closed" one. So, I cleaned out, cooked what I had to, and packed it up to refreeze. All with Cole & taylor running around my feet....yep, it was that kind of day! Oh my goodness..... almost 2 hours later, I'm done cooking it and bagging it. Needless to say, I was no longer in the mood for dinner after smelling hamburger & sausage for 2 hours.

- Career- yes, I don't feel as if I even have one at all anymore. You know....real estate is just that good. Well, in the area of becoming a teacher.......all I can say is that the Praxis II test is HARD!!!! For anyone planning to take it, just know that. I studied and studied and studied and got in there, and wondered if they gave me the wrong study guide!!!!! Yep, that bad!!! It will only be by the grace of God that I get a passing grade. Won't find out for 4 weeks- yep, that's right. So, I feel like I am lost in lingo world not knowing what my purpose is at all.....it's all up in the air. I'm just glad that God has control of it and not me, because with my track record lately, I would be sure to screw it up.

So, sorry for the rambling, but hopefully some of this will explain a little of why I have posted since December 20th....I hope things will settle some so I can do better!

Be blessed!!!