Sunday Snippets...

It's been a crazy week. I've spent most of the week giving the house a good cleaning. It is pretty much clean, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to maintain the cleanliness once we start homeschooling tomorrow. Yep -- FIRST grade starts tomorrow at Childress Academy! I'm excited, and I think Caleb is, too. :)

We spent a little bit of time outside today, and I thought I'd take a picture of the garden. Granted, I don't think this is the "best" shot, but it works. I am soooo excited to see the sunflowers each day. It's amazing how they are following the sun, and the flowers haven't even bloomed yet. I cannot wait to see them once they finally bloom. So far, everything it doing okay in the garden. Like I mentioned, I have learned a lot that I'll do differently next year. But -- for now...we're happy and pleased with our effort. It has definitely been a learning experience for sure.

Garden 5/31/09

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I was gifted with this lovely award by two different bloggy friends. Jennifer at J. Leigh Designz and SAHM4Now at Memoires of a SAHM both gave me this award. I'm so excited to have it because I've never seen it. It is always nice getting support and love from other bloggers, and it's even better when it's a new award. So, thanks ladies!
Now, as with any award, there are some rules. The idea of this award is to pass it on to 8 people and include the following:

"These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers."

And without further ado, here are my 8 nominees for the Most Wonderful Favorite! Award:
1) Semi-Slacker Mom @ Confessions of a Semi-Slacker Mom
2) Heidi @ Wojto Beach Cottage
3) Jenny @ Zack's Gang
4) Michelle @ Feet First
5) Laura @ The Horton Family
6) Lin @ Duck and Wheel With String
7) Leslie @ Lamberts Lately -- ***she does AWESOME blog makeovers***
8) Ashley @ Ashley's Antics

So, ladies...enjoy the stardom that comes with such an elite award and re-gift it with pride. :)


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As I mentioned earlier in the post, we spent a little bit of time outside. Now, let me just say...it's HOT down here in Georgia. Add the humidity, and well...it just plain SUCKS to be outside. Now, consider that I've got a super fair skinned little one, and well, it doesn't make going outside much fun. I have to make sure that the little guy has sunscreen on first. That, in itself, is not a fun task. So, we only manage about 20-30 minutes MAX at a time. I just can't stand the heat. Anyway, I did manage to get a few shots of the kiddos playing the yard. (These are out of order I think...apparently blogger is being very photo friendly these days. I couldn't even move the photos around...oh well).

Micah playing with the big green bouncy ball...it's almost as big as him. LOL!

Micah trying to get the Thomas ball... Swinging baby...

Oops...I fell down (he does not like to fall down in the grass...lol)...

I love this picture...it loooks like Micah is trying to fly. :)

Caleb guiding Micah through the blueberry bushes...

Work It Out Wednesday -- Week 2

Welcome to another week of WORK IT OUT WEDNESDAY! I hope that you all had a great and successful week of weight training, cardio, and overall weight loss.

Brian and I have been at this hard core for two weeks now. We are implementing a 3 days on, 1 day off weight training schedule. We do chest/back the 1st day, legs the 2nd day, and shoulders/arms the 3rd day. It seems to be working for us, and to be honest...I'm really starting to enjoy weight training. Maybe it's because Brian and I are training together. It's always nice to spend time with your hubby, right?!!? :)

Now, we are still struggling to fit cardio into our day. Honestly, it's not really a matter of fitting it in...it's the fact that we I don't like cardio. I despise it. To me, walking on a treadmill or using an elliptical is just BORING! And the sad part -- we've done everything to make it more entertaining. We own both a treadmill and an elliptical. We've got them in our gym room (we do all of our training at home...we've got some sort of weight machine from Fitness Gear, lots of free weights, and 3 benches). Brian was even nice enough to hang a TV in the gym. Nope...that still doesn't make me like it. LOL! I have done better with it this week, but it's still a struggle. I was going to try the Couch to 5K program, but after the 1st day...well, I don't think I can do it on the treadmill. I was suffering from shin splints, sore back, and aching knees after the 1st go. Brian thinks I should just apply the same theory on the elliptical since it's less impact. Maybe I'll try that... So, do you have any tips for me? Do you enjoy cardio?

I want to make this a fun, casual, and informative Blog Meme, so I'm going to include a fitness tip each week. No, I'm not coming up with these on my own. We all know that if I knew everything about weight loss, then we wouldn't be having this Meme. So, I'll rely on the Internet.

Fitness Tip #1

Benefits of a Beginner Weight Training Program for Women

There are many reasons why women should become involved in a weight training program. Here are just a few:

• Weight training will improve your muscle tone.

Weight training will correct muscular imbalances, which will in turn improve your posture and prevent injuries.

Weight training can prevent muscle loss. Women who do not strength train will lose between five to seven pounds of muscle every decade.

****Tip courtesy of THIS website.****

Anyway, on to the results of all of our efforts...

This Week: +1.5

TOTAL: -4.5

Body Fat: -1% (I only started measuring this last week)

***I will be the first to admit that I struggle with the scale. In the past I have given up too easily if I didn't see results on the scale. This is still an issue for me, so I'm trying to tell myself that it's not the # that matters. It's the effect that working out is having on my body that should keep me motivated. Am I noticing a change? Do I feel better? Are my clothes fitting differently? If I can answer yes to those, then I know that I have to keep going. Brian assures me that even though I gained 1.5 lbs this week that I lost 1% of body fat. So, he says that I'm still okay. I guess I'll listen, but it is soooo hard when the # on the scale increases. :(***

Now, it's your turn. Jennifer @ J.LeighDesignz was kind enough to show me how to use Mr. Linky, so we can officially begin our WORK IT OUT WEDNESDAY!

Here are the rules for participating:

1. Post your own Work It Out Wednesday post on your blog. Then, come back here and sign Mr. Linky below linking to your WIOW post...don't link directly to your blog please.
2. Add the WIOW button to your blog. This will increase participation by spreading the word throughout bloggy land. :) **This is not mandatory, but I'd appreciate it if you'd do this.**
3. Stop by and drop some comment love and encouragement to at least 2 fellow WIOW participants. Weight loss is a hard battle, and we can all use a little extra encouragement.
4. Be sure to include your weekly weight loss and total weight loss in your post. You do NOT have to include your weight. I, for one, will NOT share my weight with the blogosphere, and I will NOT ask you to do so either.

Alright, I look forward to reading all about your weight loss results. So, come on and join the fun!

One Potato, Two Potatoes,

Three Potatoes, Four. Who do you think likes potatoes MORE? Micah Monkey for SURE!

Since Brian and I have been working out, potatoes have become a staple in our house. We'll eat them after our work-out for a quick carb meal. I'll bake some to go along with the grilled meat for supper. Once in a while, I'll get all out of my comfort zone domesticated and make boxed homemade mashed potatoes.

Well, little Micah boo-boo loves him some potatoes. The boy will chow down on a baked potato. And -- don't you even think about eating one without sharing. So, you better go ahead and make him his very own. LOL! Nope...he's not like his snobbish picky brother. You see...Mr. Caleb...well, he's the peculiar one when it comes to potatoes. He doesn't like mashed potatoes, and his French fry eating days have become few and far between. He used to love them, but now...he will only eat super salty or Chick-fil-A fries. LOL!

Micah -- well, he's like his momma. He likes potatoes however they come...fried, baked, mashed, etc. LOL! Oh, and he also eats his veggies (notice the broccoli) much better than his older brother. Here are some pictures of our little guy enjoying his baked potato at lunch today. Isn't he the cutest?

I'm a SUPERSTAR!!!!

Well, would you look at that? Somebody thinks I'm a SUPERSTAR!!!! Surprise, surprise. Who would have thunk it?!!?

No, seriously...Moody Mommy over at Confessions of a Moody Mommy gifted me with this award last week. I haven't seen this one, so I am accepting it with open and gracious arms. Thanks Moody Mommy for thinking of me. I enjoy reading your blog and gleaning some insight from you. :)

And as with ALL rewards, there are some rules to this here superstardom.

To accept this award, I need to pass it on to a few of my new bloggy friends that I think are SuperStars! It can be 5 bloggers to 50 bloggers. Well, let me get on with it.

1. Valerie @ It's a Wonderful Life
2. Tiffany @ Paging Doctor Mommy
3. Wendy @ Mother, Wife, Sister, Daughter
4. Heather @ Heather's Hodgepodge
5. Jennifer @ J. Leigh Designz

So, ladies...grab this award and re-gift it (this is the ONLY time that re-gifting is appropriate...LOL!) to some of your newest bloggy friends. Enjoy the superstardom!

What I've Learned About Gardening -- Part 1

Well, it's no secret that we planted a garden back in March. I'm sure you read all about it. And -- if you didn't, well, I'll wait while you go read it now. :)

Okay, you read it right? Well, let's continue. Let me tell you what I've learned thus far from our first ever gardening experience.

• You really should wait until after the last frost. But -- down here in good ol' Georgia that's hard to determine. Needless to say, I think we'll wait a little longer next year. We lost several tomato and pepper plants because of a late frost. Lesson learned!
• Those "topsy-turvy" tomato and strawberry plants are probably worth the money. So, we will invest in some next year. Our strawberries haven't done anything (well, a few have ripened only to be eaten by the birds, bunnies, etc). And -- the only little cherry red tomato we had that was ripening has also been eaten as of this morning. Lesson learned!
• Harvest your lettuce before it bolts and flowers. As I've mentioned...this is our first garden, and we were stupidly admiring how tall our lettuce was getting. Well, after all of this torrential rain we've had, I noticed it was flowering this morning. So, after researching on the Internet, I have learned that we waited to late to harvest it. You need to harvest as soon as the hearts form. Lesson learned!
• Be sure to install a border around your garden. Jokingly, I told Brian and Opa that I wanted a cute little white picket fence around the garden. Well, we would have been better off going with that than nothing. The grass/weeds have started growing into the garden, so now we've got to correct that problem. Lesson learned!
• Don't leave the water on at the faucet when it is attached to the hose. I had no idea that leaving the water on (hose off mind you) would cause bubbles to form along the hose. I'm assuming it has to do with the constant pressure. So, we now have a hose with bubbles, and we're waiting for it to burst. Lesson learned!
• Do what you can to eliminate all garden pests and insects. While homeschooling sweet Caleb, we learned that marigolds will fend off insects in the garden. Apparently they have a stinch that is not liked by insects. So, next year we will invest in a ton of marigolds to fend off all the garden insects. Lesson learned!

So, as you can tell, we have learned a lot from our gardening experience. But -- be warned...the season isn't over, so I'm sure I've got more lessons to be learned. I'm sure Part 2 is just around the corner. So, stay tuned...
And -- learn from my mistakes my gardening friends! So, what are YOUR gardening tips? Do share!

Yeah Baby...

So, after doing some online image searching and some scrapblogging...I DID IT! I created a button for the official Work It Out Wednesday that I'll host each Wednesday. I was even able to put in the text area so you can just copy/paste to add it to your blogs. How COOL?!!? Hey...even this old woman computer illiterate chic can learn something every now and again. :)

So, come back HERE on Wednesday and join me for Work It Out Wednesday. Now, I still can't figure out Mr. Linky and after reading all the issues with the site on Twitter today...well, we'll just do it the old fashioned way. You can just leave your comment, and I'll stop by for some encouragement. :) Sound like a plan? GOOD!!!! See you back HERE on Wednesday! (Yes, yes, my friend...you're welcome to stop by before then). :)

Our First Garden Harvest...and Follow Me Gadget

I know I haven't posted much about our garden, but it's really been doing well. Today we decided to harvest some of our lettuce and petite carrots. So, take a look-see. We will be making a small salad with this tonight to go along with our spaghetti. We're so happy that we didn't do all of this for naught.

Romaine and red leaf lettuce

Petite carrots

Now, on to the little "Follow Me" gadget. Evidently, this may be causing my IE issues with the blog. So, for now, I have removed it from my sidebar. I hope to add it back once Blogger solves the problem. But -- until then, I do apologize for having to remove it.

In the meantime, I think we should all ban up on contact Blogger to let them know they should have never changed the format of the darn gadget anyway. So, won't you join me in calling them out?!!? LOL! :)

Internet Explorer Users...

So, I'll admit...I much prefer IE over Firefox. And -- no, I haven't even tried Google Chrome...not even sure what it is. Anyway, I have a question...er, a problem.

Whenever I try to go to my blog using IE, I get the dreaded error "Internet Explorer cannot open the site at (insert my blog address). Operation aborted." What is going on? Is this happening to any other IE users???? I guess you're not reading this if it is, huh?!!? It happens on all of our computers.

After researching the issue online, I thought I'd download IE 8. Well, that still didn't help. It still happens. So, anyone know what's going on or how I can fix this? I really don't want my site to screw up someone's computer (much less my own PC). And -- if it matters, several other blogspot sites did this last night, too. So, is it a blogspot issue with IE?

Now, this morning it appears that IE 8 will open my blog at the moment. But -- that's no guarantee it will work later today. So, if any of you are computer gurus and can help me out, I'd truly appreciate it. I'm lost in translation not the best when it comes to all this computer stuff.

Thanks my peeps!

Work It Out Wednesday

So, I was going to get all creative and come up with a Meme, a button, and somehow incorporate Mr. Linky into this post. Well, I'm not all that smart...so I decided to just type it up and we'll see what happens. LOL!

Anyway, I do hope to do this each Wednesday, and I would love to make it a weekly Meme. So, stay tuned for that. As for the button and Mr. Linky...well, I'll have to see if I can figure it all out. Mr. Linky just looked all GREEK to me. :)

Brian and I have been casually working out for about 6 weeks now. Granted, we took a couple weeks off due to traveling and such. We really started training hard this past Tuesday. So, we've been at it hard core for a week now.

I ordered Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, and let me just say...after the first attempt I could hardly move the next day. It kicked my BUTT! Sad thing...Caleb actaully enjoyed it and did better than we did. LOL! How is that for an eye-opener?!!? Sad I tell you...just SAD! But -- even though it kicked our tails, Brian did get some good ideas and tips from Jillian. So, he started implementing her 3-2-1 plan into our weight training. He even built us some steps (we used these at the YMCA in Virginia, and he figured he could build them for us here), and we've been using those for a lot of our training.

Over the past week, we have both worked out really hard. We've also watched what we eat. We're both really good about cooking healthy things at home...it's just when we get lazy and choose to eat out that we have issues. :) So, we've been eating at home every day, and our grill is really getting a work out, too. We LOVE grilling, and it's soooo darn easy. I usually just bake some potatoes to go with the meat, and steam some veggies. Simple, eh?!!?

Now, onto the results...

I'm down 6 pounds total since we started all of this. I lost 2 pounds this past week. Hopefully the weight loss will pick up once we add the cardio into the workout.

So, how are you doing? What's your weight loss goal? What are you doing to accomplish said goal?

I hope that some of you will join me in WORK IT OUT WEDNESDAY! So, feel free to add your results to the comments section. Hopefully I can figure out Mr. Linky, the button and all at some point soon. Until then, I'll see you at WORK IT OUT WEDNESDAY!

Homeschool Weeks 43-45 in Review

Can I get a big WAHOO?????? We are DONE with Kindergarten. We finished up our last lesson today. We weren't supposed to finish until Friday, but I decided to double up so that we could have two weeks off as opposed to one. So, we'll be enjoying a much needed break before starting FIRST GRADE on June 1st. Here's how our last few weeks panned out:

Beginnings: We finished up our reading book. The word "one" was added to our list of service words. We spent time reading EVERY single word family word that Caleb has learned this year. We also spent time reading some "Step Into Reading" books...the first level. Caleb has done so well, and he is finally starting to enjoy reading. We've been trying to instill a love for reading all year, but I think it's finally paying off. As his confidence in reading grows, so does his love for the subject. I've gone through all of our reading books at home, and I've picked out the ones that he should be able to read without much help. I have these set aside so that he can read them with me. Once he's done that, they're added to his book basket. Then he can choose any book from his basket and read it with no assistance. So, we really hope that he will continue to develop a love for books and reading. Wish us luck...

Math: We finished up the chapter on fractions. Then we spent some time reviewing some of the skills we've learned this year (counting money, adding, subtracting, time, etc). Caleb really seems to enjoy math, and he's like his momma in that area. I always loved math, and I did well in that area. But -- reading...well that's another story. LOL!

Bible: We reviewed the First Catechism and our Bible verses for the year. We're looking forward to starting a new Bible series in 1st grade. Caleb seems to be thriving on our Bible lessons, so we're super proud of that. :)

Caleb grew so much spiritually, physically, and mentally this year. We are so proud of all that he has learned in Kindergarten, and we cannot wait to see what he will accomplish in FIRST GRADE!

Thank you for following our first year of homeschooling adventures. I hope to continue to update our studies as we start first grade, but I haven't come up with a plan yet. But -- be on the look-out...I'm sure I'll figure out a posting schedule at some point soon.

So, What Do You Think????

I'm sure you've already noticed (how could you not really) that I have a new blog layout. Don't you just love it? I found out about Leslie from Kelly's Korner, so I went over to see what she could do. She was so great to work with. Let's face it...I'm a very picky and anal person, so I'm probably NOT the best client when it comes to doing a blog layout. LOL! But she listened to what I wanted, and she worked with me. So, if you're looking for someone to do a bloggy makeover on your site, go check out her work. Her prices are also super reasonable.

Since I have a new blog layout, I've also got a new bloggy button. So, feel free to grab it and replace the old one. And if you what are you thinking don't have my button on your blog, well, get on it bloggy pal. I'll be sure to reciprocate the linky love. :)

Semi-Slacker Mom's Flip Flop Swap

Have you been to Semi-Slacker Mom's blog lately? If not, you better go check it out. She's a friend of mine (IRL -- in real life), and she's hosting a fun, fun, fun FLIP FLOP SWAP! What could be more fun than getting something in the mail???? Getting uber cute FLIP FLOPS in the mail of course! :)

So, go check it out and be sure to sign up. If this swap is anything like her spring swap, then you will NOT be disappointed. Go, sign up now... What are you waiting for?!!? GO!!!!!!

Caleb's First T-Ball Game and Water Woes

Caleb had his first t-ball game tonight. He looked so cute in his little uniform. This is our first experience with organized sports, and he's doing so well. And -- his team did AWESOME! Now, they don't keep score in our t-ball league, so I have no clue how many runs we got. But -- those boys/girls were getting some outs. Let me tell you...we even had a DOUBLE PLAY! Yep...in T-BALL baby!!! They also stopped lots of runs by making the play at home plate. Oh, and the team spirit...they were so stinkin' cute. Those kiddos were in the dug-out cheering on the batter. It was so cute hearing them all chant, "Go Caleb, Go! Go Caleb, Go!" They did it for each batter on their team. All of their practice and hard work really paid off tonight, and they all had a great time.

Caleb did super...he hit the ball beautifully both times. We've really been working with him at home to get in some extra practice, and he showed it tonight. He's also a very quick runner, and he's working on his throwing/stopping the ball, too. Overall, he did GREAT! I think he had a good time, too, and that's what counts! :) Here are some pictures...

Caleb in his t-ball uniform

Playing 2nd base (or whatever this position is...in t-ball everyone plays, so there are different positions)

First time up at bat

Micah walking around with Granddaddy (Micah did an awesome job tonight, too...he was so well-behaved)

Caleb's 2nd time at bat

Caleb on 1st base
Now, on 3rd base waiting to be sent home (he made it home twice)

Looking so "mom...why are you taking my picture"-ish in the dug-out. :)

Team spirit and chant at the end of the game

Now on to our water woes...

We returned home from t-ball practice to find out that the water is out ONCE AGAIN at our home. You see, the water pipe on our street SUCKS! If you read my blog regularly, then you'll remember that this has happened many times before. Just check out this and this and this. Well, this time it's AWFUL! The entire road appears to be shattering this time. So, needless to say...we will not be driving in that direction anytime soon. Why you ask??? Well, it appears that they think they can just "push the road back in place," and all will be fine. Nope...I don't think so. And -- they are currently outside working to fix the problem now. Yep -- 9pm at night, and they are working away...so much for kids sleeping, huh?!!?

So, here we sit once again without water. They were kind enough to bring us a few gallons of water, but geez. Do you think we could get more than that? I mean...come on...this is such an old story around here. You would think that they would quit wasting their time and money on quick fixes and really dig deep (no pun intended) and correct the problem for good. Ummm...hello people...maybe if you re-do the entire water line you'd be making a better decision at this point. Yeah...you might have to put us all up at the Hilton Days Inn, but geez...this is RIDICULOUS!

Anyway, just had to share...I know you all will find humor in our misery...LOL! I'll post an update once it's all finished, so stay tuned...

Happy Mother's Day & Calling All Runners...

I hope that all of you mom's out there had a terrific Mother's Day. I especially hope that Omi and Grandma enjoyed their special days. Sorry we couldn't spend it with either of you, but know that you're both loved and adored each and every day.

All I asked for was perfume and flowers. Well, I woke up this morning to both. Brian filled a vase of beautiful flowers, and he got me TWO perfumes. I had told him to go pick out something since I have to wear something that works with his sensitive smell issues. You see...he is not fond of strong smells, and getting him into stores like Pier 1 Imports and Kirkland's is almost impossible. The smells run him out so quickly. So, off he went in search of a perfume that he could stand. :) He got Paris Hilton and Heiress by Paris Hilton. Now, I'm not a big fan of Paris Hilton and all her antics, but her perfumes smell really good. I'd never really taken the time to smell them before today, so I'm glad he did such a good job. So, kudos to him. He also got me a Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha this morning, and he brought home Outback take-out this evening.

How was your Mother's Day? Did you get anything special?

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Now to the calling all runners...

You see, I'm not a runner. I never have been, and I never really thought I would want to be. And -- I'm not saying I want to be able to run a marathon anytime soon, but I'd love to be able to get on the treadmill and run if I wanted to. All I can really manage now is about an 1/8 of a mile at 5mph. Then, I have to take a break and go at it again when I get my breathing back in control.

So, what are your tips? Keep in mind, I'm not in good shape at all (hence the reason for wanting to run/walk), and my endurance right now is shot. What can I do to build up my running ability? It's my goal to get in 5 miles of walking/running daily. I know...quite ambitious for me, but I'm hoping to be successful.

So, my bloggy pals...help a non-runner out here. Give me some tips and advice. I look forward to hearing from all of you marathon runners. I also look forward to posting a success story at some point in the future. So, give it to me...

Micah's First Haircut

After being considered a girl one too many times, we knew it was time for Micah monkey to get his first haircut. With Caleb, we wasted no time...he got his first cut the week he turned one. But -- Micah...it was different with him. It took soooo long for his cute litle curls to come in that we wanted to admire them as long as we could.

Today we took him to Ms. Tracy to get his haircut. Ms. Tracy cuts daddy and Caleb's hair, too. So, she's familiar with the Childress boys. :) Micah did soooo good. He didn't cry at all. He looks so much like Caleb did at his age now. I'll have to try to find pictures of Caleb after his 1st haircut. Anyway, here are some pics of our big boy...

Micah with all his curls...

Micah looks a bit perplexed in this picture...
He's just sitting there so quiet...

Look at those pretty blue eyes...

Oh, a comb...

All done...

There goes my big Micah Monkey...and don't mind the fact that he's wearing one shoe. He took the other one off. :)

Florida Vacation May 2009

We headed to Florida last Thursday after Caleb's co-op presentation. It was a car full of folks...Caleb, Micah, Alice (Laura's former neighbor and the adopted Granny to her kiddos), Nicole (Alice's granddaughter), and me. We had a good trip down, and we finally arrived around 7:30pm. All of the kiddos were excited to see each other, and once we figured out sleeping arrangements, we sent them off to bed. The adults enjoyed some conversation and much needed adult beverages. LOL!

Friday morning, Laura and Alice took Hunter and Tina to school. Then, we all headed to the beach. This was only Micah's 2nd visit to the beach, but he was only 3 months old when we went last summer. He did really well considering, and well...I got a little too much sun. And -- yes, I used sunscreen...SPF 30 at that. Go figure. After the beach, we came home to rest. Then Laura picked up the kiddos from school, and she and I took the kids to the pool (minus Nicole, Micah, and Alice). I think this only added to my sunburn, and I felt like crap by the time evening rolled around.

We had decided to grill out on Friday night for supper. So, I put the hamburgers together, Alice made rice, and Laura made a pasta salad. Then, we took the kids outside to shuck some corn on the cob. Yeah I know...a meal full of starches, but man...it was all so yummy. And -- when you're on vacation...well, who cares what you eat, right?!!? :)

The kids were exhausted, so they had an early bedtime...which meant more relaxing for the adults. We watched Yes Man, and Laura fell asleep and was snoring before it was over. Shhh...don't tell her I mentioned that (love ya girlie).

Caleb getting ready to go for a walk on the beach. Micah walking along the beach...he was such a trooper.

It was a high rip current, so the jelly fish were all washed up. This is one of the many we saw on the beach.
Micah playing in the sand.

Caleb having fun in the water.

Mean ol' Laura and Alice kept raggin' me about Micah's hair being so long. So, they put it in a ponytail. It WILL be getting cut tomorrow afternoon, but he's cute REGARDLESS. :)

Here's everyone outside shucking the corn.

Micah playing with a spinning top.

Hunter, Caleb, and Tina enjoying some ice cream.

Caleb and Hunter playing "Chung Fu Panda."

Tina "baby-sitting" Micah...she had so much fun playing with him, and he enjoyed it, too. :)

Saturday, we got up and went to the beach again. The kids all had a blast. Micah wasn't as fond of the sand as he was on the Friday. We had a picnic lunch, and the kids just played and played. We're convinced they could have stayed all day, but we were all exhausted. So, we headed home. We made tacos for dinner, and the kids again played Kung Fu Panda on the X-Box. After we put the kids to bed, we watched some TV and again enjoyed a night of relaxing and enjoying adult conversation.

Caleb and Tina playing in the sand. Tina, Caleb, and Hunter digging in the sand.

Micah isn't so sure of the sand today...

Micah gets a sip of water with the help of Granny Alice.

I sat down at the edge of the water with Micah...couldn't tell if he was crying or laughing.

Caleb splashing in the waves.

Micah isn't so sure if he likes this cold water.

Hunter decided he needed to take a rest.

Tina having a blast in the water.

Caleb with the "beach-spit" look...LOL! I have pictures with Tina doing this, too.

Tina giving Caleb a hug...little did he know that she had a surprise up her sleeve (in her hand rather).

Ewwww...mud...LOL!

See...I told you Tina had the "beach-spit" look, too. LOL!

Sunday, we got up and took the kiddos to the Brevard Zoo. They had a blast taking the kayak ride, feeding the lorakeets and playing in the water park area. Then, we just chilled out and did nothing. Sunday night we decided to go eat at Chili's. All of the kiddos were very well-behaved, and it was a much needed time of just talking and having fun. Then, they went to bed, and we watched the Amazing Race and The Celebrity Apprentice. And -- of course...we RELAXED. LOL! :)

Tina and Caleb examining a giraffe neck. Giraffe...or wait...is it a ZEBRA? LOL!

Look at the pretty giraffe.

Cutie-patootie Micah...just chillin'.

Tina, Laura, Caleb, Hunter, and Nicole walking down for the kayak ride.

Hunter and Caleb waiting...

Everyone is in and ready to go...notice Hunter's hands...they will stay there THE ENTIRE TIME!!!

And they're off...LOL!

Tina and Nicole getting set to go...

Look at them...having fun. And look at Hunter's hands...they haven't moved.

Caleb had such a good time...I'll have to join them next time. :)

Hunter, Caleb, and Laura coming in for the end...

Tina and Nicole coming for the end...

Caleb feeding the lorakeets...he looks okay right now. :)

Laura and the lorakeets...she's always such a magnet for them.

One decided to hop on Caleb's shoulder...he's not so sure about this...

Nicole and Laura...look at all the birds. I even had some jump on my shoulder, and I didn't have ANY food for them...LOL! It wasn't so fun.

See what I mean...Caleb isn't so sure. LOL!

Look at that...he's out of food, and the lorakeet is hanging around. :)

Tina enjoyed having them on her...LOL!

Caleb playing in the water area (and this is such a neat idea for a zoo).

Look at Hunter...taking a dip.

This is Caleb coming in for a talk with Mommy...notice his face. Now, look at his lips. Think he got into trouble? LOL! I'll have to share our secret "mommy-tool" later. ;)

Micah isn't so sure about the water...

Caleb and Hunter splashing the worker...he just stood there and let them do it, too. But -- he did splash back a few times. :)

Caleb having fun in the water.

Tina got a "kitty" face.

Hunter got a "spider-man" face. Caleb opted out.

Monday morning, Laura took the kiddos to school. Then, she brought back a Starbucks for me. After that, we said our good-byes, and then we were off. We had such a good time. I'm hoping to go back in August SANS kids so wish me luck. LOL!

Oh, and if you ever need a "mommy-tool"...let me share ours. You see, Nicole has a tongue ring. So, we let her show it to the kids. We then explained that she got said ring by being ugly to her parents (not listening, talking back, etc). So, we used that as our "threatening" the rest of the weekend. It worked like a charm...LOL! Don't hate...we're just kidding. :)