Playing Hookie

Last week I requested a couple days off of work for no particular reason, it was just time for a little break I think. I asked for today and the Wednesday in two weeks. Since the kids are out for summer they have been at home all day everyday and poor Daddy is having a hard time getting anything done. My friend told me about a good deal on kid's movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays so today we decided to check it out. My mom came with us for the fun and we started our day out by watching "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" at the big theater. It was $3 each (Javan was free) and that included a box of popcorn and drink with admission. The movie was really cute and Javan did great this time and didn't fuss once. After the movie we decided to check out a big splash pad at Fort Mellon Park in Sanford that I had heard lots about. There was a $2 fee for each person, including Javan but the pad is really big. Because they charge for it there were only a few other kids there which was nice but the pad itself is not real exciting so I don't think we will be going back to that one. After the kids played for an hour and a half we called them out to get dried off so we could grab some lunch. We ended up going to Fazoli's for something different and since they were having a 99 cent kids meal special today only. We all filled up on pasta and breadsticks and then went over to Target just to walk around and stay out of the heat. I know that the kids grow so quickly and lately I have been trying to take advantage of them being little while I can. Bresa is almost 7 years old and I know pretty soon she will be 18 and off to college. I want to make sure I don't regret working all the time and not spending enough time with them now.

Super-heroes

I worked a long day at work today to get in some extra hours and when I came home I prepped chicken and corn on the cob for the grill. Peter started cooking it up and that's when I remembered tonight was Super-hero night at Chick-fil-a. If you went dressed up as a super-hero you would get a free kids meal with an adult combo purchase. I told Peter about it and that I had forgotten and he decided we would wrap dinner to heat up for tomorrow night and head out to Chick-fil-a. We quickly dressed the kids in somewhat super-hero attire and went out. Javan was very intrigued by the big cow and danced with him and gave him five a lot. The girls kept trying to tell me that the cow was a person in a costume but I don't believe them. You were only supposed to get one kids meal per adult but they gave us three which was really nice. We aren't sure what Abbi was dressed as but she had fun nonetheless.

Impromptu fun

After church this morning I took Abbi and Javan home for lunch and naps while Peter and Bresa stayed for the second service. Peter was playing this week and there is a special theology class that is put on for the older kids that stay for two services every week. After they got home and had their lunches and the two napping children woke up we were all kind of sitting around. Peter’s friend, Chris, was supposed to come over but realized last minute that he had other obligations so we had nothing planned for the day. Peter asked what I wanted to do and I said I would really like to take the kids to the beach. Peter was surprised that I would want to go so late in the day but I figured it would be less work and less likely that him and Bresa would turn red as quick. As we were trying to figure out which beach to go to we remembered that our friends Bill and Brenda were at a condo in New Smyrna so we gave them a call and they told us to come out. We quickly got the kids suits on and grabbed our towels and headed off. It didn’t take us long to get there and once we parked and lathered everyone up with sunscreen we walked out to the beach. There were only a few people out on the beach and the sky was a bit overcast so the heat wasn’t too bad. The girls took Brenda off to the water and once I set things up I went out to meet them. I took a ton of photos while the girls had a blast. They both were just screaming and squealing the whole time. I think they really liked that they could scream and I wasn’t yelling at them for doing so. Peter eventually brought Javan out to us and I thought for sure he would be afraid of the water the same way the girls were when they were little but he just laughed and squealed while playing the waves. Daddy held on to him because otherwise he would get knocked over and he didn’t like that but every time a wave hit while Peter helped him stand he loved it! After we played in the water a while we went back up to our spot and all us girls worked on a sandcastle. It wasn’t too great but the girls were proud of it. We took another quick dip in the ocean to get the sand off of us and we headed back to the condo where we all took a swim in the pool. Javan wasn’t aloud to be in the pool because he isn't potty trained so I sat with him along the side of the hot tub and we put our legs in while the bubbles massaged our feet. He enjoyed that but if I didn’t hold him back he would have jumped right in to swim all around himself. The girls swam in the big pool with Bill and Brenda and probably would have swam all night if we had let them. Eventually we got hungry so we went back to the condo and got dressed (the kids in jammies) to get some food. Brenda knew of a little shop that sold sandwiches and ice cream that sounded good so we headed that way. After a small dinner we decided to treat the kids to ice cream. Peter and I got two banana splits which we all shared together and the girls loved every bite of it, Javan ate most of the bananas. It was about time to head back so we said good bye to Bill and Brenda and thanked them for a wonderful time and we headed home. Bresa was the only one to fall asleep, much to our surprise (of course she is the only one who didn’t get a nap) but when we got home and cleaned up we all went to bed. We really had a great time and none of us got burned and there was very easy clean up, not like my childhood beach days when we had to unpack the car of all the coolers, toys, clothes, and beach gear. I think the evening beach thing is the way to go. I might even be able to get Peter to go out to the beach again after this (he has never been a beach guy).
You can click on the images on the left to see the strips larger.

Flashback

I remember being little and playing in the sprinklers in the yard with my friends. We would just run around and jump through the streams of water for hours. As an adult the thought doesn't seem very exciting but as a kid there is just so much more imagination and magic involved. Today I decided to get the sprinkler out for the kids so they could experience the same fun I once enjoyed. I also got out the bubble machine to add a little spice to the mix. The kids had a great time and the yard got some water one of the few dry days we have had so far.

Rock the Block

Tonight was the last night of BYBC so there was huge party at the church. They started off with a skit put on by the youth drama team and then the kids were moved outside for food and fun. After we got our bellies stuffed the girls went to each of the games that were set up and tried to win little prizes and candy. Bresa and Abbi both made sure not to miss a single game and they did really well at them all. After getting their faces painted and playing in the bubbles they got in line for the big water slide where they pretty much stayed the for rest of the evening. Javan loved the bubbles and would pick out one and chase it until it popped then he would go back to where the bubbles came from and start over. He laughed and squealed the whole time, it was adorable. Just before the workers were closing up shop the girls got in a quick bounce at the bounce house and then we were headed home. Bresa is already talking about going to VBS next year and all the things she plans on doing. I am glad they enjoyed themselves so much.

*Not for the Squeamish

As I was driving home from work yesterday I smelled something unusual in the car. It didn’t smell bad just different. I thought perhaps I left something in the car that had food remnants on it but that is extremely unlike me so I didn’t give it much thought. This morning on my way to work I still noticed a faint smell but didn’t think about it too long. On my way home, however, when I turned on the AC I knew something wan't right. It definitely smelled like the beach with the oily air and dead fish fragrance. I got home and changed and was going to take the kids to the store when the smell was really bad and the AC made it worse. I popped the hood and looked in the engine and eventually saw what I could identify as a tail. Gross. I moved Oscar into the shade over the grass and Peter did what he could to remove what was left of this poor animal. It seems a cat must have crawled up in the engine and died there. I don’t know if the cat died naturally because he was sick (often times cats will go hide somewhere they have never been if they know they are going to die to be alone) or if my engine and fan had a part in it. I have never seen this cat before so I sure hope he wasn’t someone’s pet who had escaped. When Peter was working on removing the parts the smell was so very strong and because of the location of the body Peter had a very difficult time getting it out. He said the animal was no longer identifiable and he got as much as he could out of the engine but there was still more he couldn’t reach. He sprayed the engine with bleach and I got a couple air fresheners at the store. After Peter had hosed it all off the smell was pretty much gone from inside the car but you can still smell it when you walk up to Oscar. Hopefully in a couple days the smell will subside completely.

Backyard Bible Club

Our church puts on VBS (Vacation Bible School) each summer when the yearly AWANA classes end to keep kids in the word during the summer months. This week was our VBS which was put on at different church members houses with crafts, snacks, games, stories, and fun. I took Bresa and Abbi to our friends, Machelle and Larry's, house where they were hosting their BYBC group. The girls had a great time and got to see all their friends outside of the usual Sunday church setting. They made their cool crafts and learned about stories from the Bible that were associated with them. They played lots of games and definitely needed baths when they got home. We didn't make it last night but we will be returning tomorrow night for more fun.

Big Sister Bryanna

This evening Bresa came in my room and asked, "Can I read my sister a story from the Bible when she is finished brushing her teeth?" Guess my response...

Grill Master

Daddy cooking one of our favorite meals; Honey Teriyaki Chicken with grilled pineapples and rice pilaf.

Happy Father's Day!!!

A very Happy Father's Day to all the Daddies out there! We have the best Daddy here in our house so we were sure to try and make the day special for him. We went to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast at Peter's request and then we went to church. Since Peter had taken the week off from playing on the Worship Team we got to get home early and have more hours in the day for family time. Abbi gave Daddy all her gifts for him and he opened all his cards. Bresa has been at Grandma's all week and we couldn't celebrate Daddy's day without her so we met my mom at the Altamonte Mall to pick Bresa up. Aunt Janell and Uncle Wyatt gave the girls a Moose and Giraffe Build-a-Bear for their birthdays this year but they needed to be stuffed up and get birth certificates still. After Peter played around in the Apple Store (which was probably the only store that actually had people, and lots of them, in it today) we went to get some lunch at the food court. Next the girls got to stuff up their new animals and put hearts in them and then we walked around to a couple stores that Peter wanted to check out. We left the mall and drove over to the movie theater and got tickets for Alice in Wonderland. Javan didn't enjoy it too much (except for the popcorn) because he really wanted to take a nap but the rest of us thought the movie was cute, even if there were a couple scary parts. When the movie was finished we headed home in the rain and I made Peter one of his favorite meals for dinner, Chicken Alfredo. We played a bit with the kids and then put them to bed and Peter and I watched Indiana Jones (the last one) together. We didn't do anything too exciting, just kind of wandered around and let Peter choose what we would do next.

"Mommy, can I have one please?!"

Usually when you hear these words they are in reference to something creepy crawly, soft and furry, or sticky and sugary. Not from my kids though. I took Abbi and Javan to the Debary Farmers Market this morning to look at their produce. I had heard good things so I wanted to check it out for myself. We walked around to the few stands that were there and we came upon a batch of cucumbers. Abbi immediately got excited and asked, "Mommy, can I have one please?!" Of course I couldn't say no to vegetables, she picked one out and I got some bananas and a bag of carrots all for just $2. Sweet! After our cheeks were all red from walking around in the hot sun we got back in the car to get on with our errands. When we got to the car Abbi asked if she could eat her cucumber but I told her we had to take it home and wash it first. LOL We drove to Target to see about getting some storage bins for Abbi's room. She got a couple Target gift cards for her birthday but the shelves we wanted weren't on sale so we figured we would wait it out. We left Target without buying anything and then headed over to Michael's. When we walked in there was a table set up with lots of cutouts and jewels for kids to use to make Father's Day cards. Abbi sat down and worked really hard while Javan and I watched. Abbi did an awesome job and I know Daddy will be very impressed tomorrow. After that I booked the room for Bresa's birthday party next month and we walked around and looked at a bunch of the things we could get for the kids to use for the crafts they would make. When we left there we headed to Publix to do the weeks grocery shopping and then headed home for some lunch and naps. Later tonight we will be meeting our friends, Nathan and Colleen, for dinner in Lake Mary and I wanted to make sure the children weren't too cranky for it. A busy day but also very productive.

Add a little color to your life

There is something about the kids getting out of school that makes me feel like I need to be more productive. I am not sure what it is, I still have to work everyday but each summer it seems I find projects to do or things around the house that just must be done. When I got home from work yesterday I decided the kitchen needed a little color. I went and bought paint and supplies and started painting the bay window. That took no time and since I already had the paint out I decided to paint the wall that that separates the kitchen from the rest of the house. Peter moved out the fridge so I could paint behind it and that just brought on more projects: cleaning the floor under the fridge, cleaning the back of the fridge, cleaning the sides of the fridge that are hidden when it is in place. It reminded me of the book, "If you give a Mouse a Cookie..." Anyhow once all that was done I went to bed and today when I got home I painted the baseboards and touched up any thing that needed it. The color in kitchen is actually pretty subtle. I don't really notice a difference when I walk in because it matches so well with everything else, that's pretty much what I was going for. I just wanted a little something to make the cabinets and counters pop and give the walls a little definition.

Blame it on the Rain

Summer is here and that means lots and lots of thunder-
storms. Every summer our property value goes up because we end up with lake front property.

Rock Star

Peter and I were in the bedroom when we heard the strumming of an acoustic guitar, a certian little boy must have found an instrument he could reach. We walked out to find Javan plucking at the strings of a small acoustic that someone at church had brought to have Peter take a look at. Since it had a smaller body I figured Javan might be able to fit around this one. I picked him up and let him rock out which he thoroughly enjoyed!! We played for a while but when Daddy took it away Javan was pretty upset. Javan acted the same way Peter does when I take Peter's guitars away, tears and all.

The Rock and The Rabbi-again

Last year our friends gave us tickets to go see The Rock and The Rabbi in Orlando. Peter and I were both blown away by the performance and we haven't been able to stop raving about it since. Our friend is on the mailing list for shows coming up so when she found out when they were coming back to town we made sure to get our tickets. We talked to a few other people who wanted to come too and we made plans to all go together. Around 3:00 Peter and I dropped the kids off with Grandma and met Brenda, Bill, Lisa, Will, Rebecca, PJ, and PJs dad at the theater and found our seats before the show started. Even though Peter and I have seen the show before, I was totally taken by it again. The story of Peter and his walk with Jesus is just so moving. The narrator (and also the co-writer) of the show is so captivating and his whole heart is in it. We had really good seats up close and I could see the tears on his face when he talked about Jesus' final day. The show goes all over the nation so it will probably be another year before they return but we will be sure to get our tickets again. There is another show that is put on by most of the same people called The Witnesses. We haven't seen that one yet be we are going to try and make it a point to see it when they come back through. After the show most of us went over to the Olive Garden for dinner. It was also Brenda's birthday so we celebrated that and enjoyed our company. We had a really great day but it was pretty long and by 8:30 I was ready for bed. My picture isn't very good, no flash photography permitted and I only had my little camera with me. The guy in the light is the guy who sings for Peter and the guy to his left is the guy who sings for Jesus. As you can see there are lots of instruments and more that aren't in the photo. There are more drums and a guy on bass and another on cello. Also, to the left that you can't see is the narrator. He speaks for Peter and as he talks everyone else is pretty quiet and in the dark. He gets to certain points when he stops talking and the band picks up and sings awesome songs about what Peter was just speaking about.

Abbi's Bowling Party

Abbi had waited very patiently and finally the day arrived. After making sure the rooms were clean and the girls were dressed with hair all pretty we headed out to the bowling alley to have Abbi's party. We had reserved the room for the party weeks ago and when we arrived there was a long table all set up with plates and cups, balloons, and bowling pin for the birthday girl. As the kids arrived their names got added to the computer and then the bowling began. All the kids had a blast taking turns watching their balls go down the lanes to hit and knock over the pins. Everyone did really well and for the most part played really well together and helped each other out. After playing a whole game the kids sat to eat pizza and have fruit punch. Peter and I ordered a couple pizzas for the adults too so we all enjoyed our meal and the quietness that came with the kids eating their lunches. Once everyone was stuffed Abbi opened her presents. She got lots of Legos, paints, and giftcards. Since everything else was done it was time for some cupcakes! The kids didn't hesitate to get back to the table and devour the bowling pin pull apart cake my mom had made for Abbi. We made sure the all the kids got their own shoes back on and passed out the goody bags before heading home. It was really nice for us to have the party at the bowling alley because we didn't have to do any set up or clean up. We just brought the cake and goody bags and AMF took care of the rest. All the kids had a great time and I heard that several of them took really good naps afterwards.

Does she look Bigger?

If you ask her, Abbi will say, "I did grow because it's my birthday!" This morning my little four year old turned into a big five year old. She was very excited to tell me that it was her birthday (in case I had forgotten I suppose). I made her yummy oatmeal with sliced bananas and a big "5" made out of blueberries. When I went shopping over the weekend I picked up some mini cupcakes for her to take to school with her and share with her class and she was excited to be taking those with her today. From what I heard she had a great day at school and after a nice long nap she got up and played a while. When I got home she wanted to draw with her new chalk outside so her and Bresa made beautiful pictures for everyone to admire. I had asked Abbi what she wanted for dinner, at first she said Quesadillas (isn't that every child's first choice?) but when I gave her the option she decided she wanted a happy meal from McDonalds. Grandma came over and we went to dinner. Abbi picked exactly what she wanted and after the girls ate they went and played on the playground for awhile. Grandma was headed out to her Life Group that meets on Tuesdays and asked Abbi if she would like to go with her and then spend the night at her house. Of course, Abbi said yes to this, so off they went. We kissed our five year old good bye and returned home one child light. Abigail may be getting bigger but she will always be my baby girl. (First picture is of Abbi five years ago today, second is Abbi today, third is sidewalk chalk fun)

She'll never be 4 again

Tonight I kissed my four year old good night for the last time. Tomorrow Abbi will wake up and be "a whole hand full" with five fingers flashing, one for each of her years. My baby girl is growing up and I am so sad! I asked her what I was supposed to do without my four year old? Her response was, "Javan will be four some day." A few months ago Abbi said she was going to stay four and actually asked if I would pray to God to make her three again to stay forever. She said she liked being three because she could suck her thumb. As her birthday approached though, she decided she wanted to turn five afterall and have a birthday party. She told me that she would stay five though and not get any older than that. A few nights ago Abbi came into my room and said she wanted to turn six next year but not get older than that. We talked about it a while and decided that five was a better choice and she could turn five but next year she would just stay five. Tonight when I tucked her in, I asked her again if she was sure she wanted to turn 5 and told her she could just stay 4 but she said, "but at school they make you a crown if it's your birthday and I really want a crown." I can't compete with that, I guess I will just have to learn to love the five year old as much as I do the four year old Abbi.

Having a Ball

My mom had bought this inflatable water ball at the store for really cheap and thought the girls would have fun with it during the summer. The ball was supposed to rise up in the air from the water pressure but the design was poor and the plastic weighed too much for the ball to move at all. That didn't stop the kids from having a blast though. I set up the ball in the backyard and the kids played for almost two hours with it. Javan, who I thought may be hesitant, jumped right in and ran with the rest of them. Here are just a few pictures from their fun.

American Cake

This last weekend I had bought things for the girls to make a cake and decorate it for Memorial Day. Well, Abbi ended up going to Grandma's for a couple nights and didn't get back until later Monday afternoon. At that point there was a lot of crankiness in the house so I decided not to tell the kids about my idea. Now that the work week is over (thank goodness, it was a doozey) I figured it was time to break out the goods. I didn't tell kids what the end product was going to be, we just did each step at a time starting with the red velvet cake batter. Javan tried to help and ended up making a collosal mess in the kitchen. I must have been in a good mood because I had to laugh about it. While the cake baked I worked on scrubbing the counters, floors, and cabinets and thought about how much the mess looked like crime scene. It seemed to look more like it the more I cleaned but eventually everything was cleaned up and though I may still have a slight pink tint in the tiles my cabinets haven't been that clean since we moved in. Once the cake was baked and cooled the girls got to take care of the fun part; decorating! Bresa iced the cake up really nicely and then together they followed my instructions on where to add the blueberries and strawberries. When the cake was just about finished, Bresa finally realized that it was an American flag! She got really excited and I explained to Abbi that she did the stars while Bresa made the strips. It sure was a lot of fun to make but I think I will enjoy eating it even more.