I'm a Ham!

When asked to smile for the camara-this is what I got. Too funny! We spent some time before Thanksgiving in Orlando with Nana and Papa and Aunt Debbie and Uncle Mike. We went to Downtown Disney for some daytime fun on this day.

Griffin watches the stage show with deep thought and a few fingers.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It was a day of Thanks this year. We have a lot to be thankful for and to have gratitude towards. We celebrated traditionally at my mom & Joe's house for an evening dinner with close family.

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of god.
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them?

Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!

This is an ICE sculpted display of the Nativity. Top picture is Mary, Joseph, and the babe-Jesus! and the second picture is the whole caboodle - We visited the ICE display yesterday at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando. A nice change to dress up with scarves, mittens, and hats. The exhibit gives you a Parka (what's that? - us, South FLORIDA folks don't own those). It was a chilly 9 degrees in the exhibit! It was just breathtaking of the artistry the designers come up with each year. AMAZING!

I LOVE MY BOYS!

Today while at the Gaylord Palms Resort there was a whole lotta brotherly LOVE!

Scoobie Doo Visits for Halloween

Scoobie Doo was the costume of choice this year. I am not sure why, but to Carter he is pretty cool!

A Day at The Patch with MOPS

Soccer Season Begins

Carter plays soccer for our YMCA we belong to here in Boynton. He is on the FORCE! If you have never come out to watch pee wee soccer it is sure to bring a a huge smile to your face. They run in every direction, score points for both teams, and have been discribed as being like a swarm of bumble bees going every which way. He loves it because he is active and not waiting for the ball as he did in T-Ball last year. His coach is our good friend, Ann, and her daughter Sophia plays too (shown below). Come on out and cheer him on at 10 am at the Boynton YMCA on Saturday's through November!

Isabella and Carter ready to head out to soccer! She is ready to cheer him on the first week!

Griffin is 6 months

Wow, how time flies, GRIFFIN is 6 months now. Here he was enjoying a little time at the pool while we were in Clearwater a few weeks back.

Health Update: Griffin is doing much better these days. A week back he spent a few days in the pediatric unit at Bethesda for some respiratory issues, but he is bouncing back now. At his 6th month check-up this week he is on the full-term baby charts now for 6 month olds at 25% for weight, and 50% for height. He is growing like a weed. He has never missed a bottle or a meal and now enjoys lot's of pureed foods, and is drinking water from a sip cup. He is full of smiles and brings so much JOY to our lives!

Student of the Week

This past week Carter was chosen to be Student of the week! He was so happy he got picked he said. He told the class all about himself with this cool poster.

Happy Fall

These pictures are so "Fall-ish" - Love 'em! Do they inspire you as much as they inspire me? I had Brett head over to the storage this past weekend to pull the bins of "Fall" out of the sea of storage so we could decorate a little here in the Palm Beaches. We don't have rolling hills with leaves turning color or beginning to fall, but we have a little less humitity and a bunch of rowdy kids in the neighborhood ready to trick or treat in their hot little costumes, my son included! As well as some cheesey decorations to let everyone know Halloween is arriving and fall is making it's way...Enjoy~

?? Where are we ??

Funny you should ask - I have heard, " Did you give up blogging?", How about that new family member, keeping you busy not to blog anymore?" Anwser: NO~

Well, long story short boy #1 had an accident with our big camera - a BIG accident! He had good intentions, but.... We borrowed a few dinosaur digitals from family and our stash in the closet, but nothing is like your great big fancy camera with all the fun features when you are an aspiring shutter bug as myself.

So.... after many months now "winging" it with the dinosaurs, and maybe a little bit of complaining...my honey bought be a brand spanking new and improved manual/digital Canon. Just like my old one, but the newer version. WOW- my heart is like pitter patter like the day last week when I said when do you think we can get a new one-the baby is like almost 6 mos. old-and we never took any photos on our terrific vacations this summer-life is passing us by...do you get my drift....maybe that's why he said last week- okay great, go on to Best Buy and buy what you want!! YEAH! Thanks Honey!!!

So stay with me, I haven't quit. I am unloading everything this weekend from the dinosaurs and the disks I had to make-and before you know I will be back. I know you won't be disappointed.

Speaking of not being diappointed...

Did anyone try the declicious CHOCOLATE cake recipe I posted? I only have one word-SINFUL!

BEST EVER CHOCOLATE CAKE!!

Chocolate Bundt Cake

3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 package of chocolate pudding mix
1 package of chocolate cake mix (any brand)
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup water
½ - 1 whole bag of chocolate chips (you decide how chocolatey you want it)

Mix above ingredients in a large bowl. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Pour mixture into pan and bake 45 minutes at 350. Let it cool before flipping it onto a plate. Garnish with strawberries, powdered sugar, or ice cream. Enjoy!

Sweet Soft Smile

Love the soft smile of my littlest boy!

Griffy in his new high chair

THE littlest BOY GOT A BIG BOY HIGH CHAIR- HE IS NOW EATING BABY FOOD!

Griffin Pics

Alright, it's been a while I know since my last post. I have had some camera issues thanks to my little buddy Carter. Always meaning well he wanted to take pictures without my knowledge of Griffin and well...some reason there is a malfunction on my camera...oops. Anyhow, we had a coupon for some free shots at Picture People last week so since we have only had some infant pics done of Griffin, I decided to take him for the freebies. These were cut/pasted from their website so of course you see the watermark image across him, but I just wanted to share. He has come along way. Over 11 pounds now, and doing well. We have had a few praise reports for him this past month, one- we FINALLY qualified for the Synagis shots that will help his lungs stay strong when the RSV virus is around (a common type cold for us-him a hospital ICU stay), and second- his red blood cell count is slowly climbing since the blood transfusion now. Please keep that in your prayers that it will continue to climb in normal ranges. Enjoy the new pics~

My Little Firecracker!

My little Firecracker-2009!

Fourth of July Photos from Guideposts.com Readers | Guideposts

You have to check my boy who made International News! When you click on the link below-see the 5th page, there are five great patriotic kids that made it!


Fourth of July Photos from Guideposts.com Readers Guideposts

Shared via AddThis

Congratualtions TJ & Jackie!

Congratualtions to TJ & Jackie on their marriage this past week! TJ serves in the US ARMY and I am so proud of his accomplishments and achievements! Last night we spent time with him and other family at a Pig Roast to send him off back to the Middle East in a few weeks! Please keep TJ and all our service men & women in your thoughts and prayers as they serve so we can live FREE in our country! We love you TJ and welcome to the family Jackie!

New Stuff

All right, friends and family~ you all know that I love to shop, love to cook, love to eat, love to... a lot of things, but one thing that loves me is STUFF! In the last several years one of my closest friends has encouraged me to dump, simplify, reorganize, and rid my life as a WAHM (work at home mom) with the extra STUFF that is lying around my house, in my office, my bedroom, my kitchen cabinets, my pantry, my closets, etc. I have made some small goals since baby #2 was in womb, and can successfully say the process has be S-L-O-W, but I am doing it. In May, I committed to eating out of my pantry that was exploding with BOGO's (buy one get one), expired food items, and unnecessary purchases in the foodie area. So, we only went to the market or grocery store for additional food unless it was necessary, and on top of that we saved a TON of money from unnecessary purchases. Well, now my pantry is cleaned up-things thrown out that were too old, etc. and re organized! My good friend, Selene, who is a personal organizer by trade info@bellagiaservices.com came to rescue my beginning efforts. She redid with what I had left! You can see the pictures above and I have committed not to overstock.

VBS and Summer camp at Carter's school also gave me a push with overstocked scrapbooking and stamping supplies, dollar store treats, formula cans, and miscellaneous craft STUFF - I am glad I was able to donate two HUGE shopping bags to them!

My next HUGE project is my bedroom. It is beautiful with the chocolate brown and Robin's Egg blue color going on, except the beauty is outweighed by the extra items that found homes in what is supposed to be my "secret place", "my refuge from a hectic day"! There are matchbox cars in there amongst other boy toys, dog toys that make there way in and under my bed, a vacuum cleaner, laundry that is not in the beautiful wicker basket, piles of clothes to be donated or consigned-do you see my visual? Anyhow, that is my next tackle. I will post my journey with simplifying and becoming clutter-free. I am thankful for my dear friend who has motivated me to rid-my-life of STUFF! She is an inspiration herself if you get to know her! Thanks Selene-you have seen my skeletons in the closet-literally and still love me the way I am~

Carter-Summer 2009

BROTHERLY LOVE

All right enough all ready!

Cousins!

Christopher meets Griffin~ My three boys~

Buddies at heart! Carter just adores Christopher, and I think Chris enjoys him too, at least this trip he did! :)

These pictures took a few tries. Chris did so great with Griffin this week, always willing to help and even fed him! Thanks Chris for ALL your HELP!!!!

A little off- but sweet as can be~

Some nightly shananigans!