Happy Birthday Papa!!!

Today would have been my grandfather's 72nd birthday. He was an amazing man who loved his family, cussed the Bucs on Sunday, and watched old western movies he had seen eight thousand times. I miss him everyday and wonder sometimes what he would think about Makenna. I know he would just adore her, as he did Riley and Conner.

After he died, I told Riley and Conner that Papa had gone to live in the moon and they were ok with this at the time. As they get older, they talk about how Papa is in the moon and how they don't like it when he "rolls the balls" because it makes a loud sound (thunder). They want to go visit Papa and I just tell them that someday they will be able to do just that, but for now he wants them here with us so he can watch them grow up to be big boys.

I miss him so much, but am glad that he is in a better place. I look for him in the moon sometimes and I can feel his love surround us.

Happy birthday Papa, love and miss you!

Summer is winding down...

So...this is officially my last weekend of summer vacation as I return to work on Monday to tackle 200+ schedules for hormonal 8th graders who feel they are ready to move on to bigger and better things :) This morning I thought I would be a nice wife and allow my hubby...who has been working out in the hot sun all summer long, sleep in and I would take the kids...all three of them...out for the morning. We had a nice McDonalds breakfast at the park where Riley and Conner managed to get brand new summer outfits filthly within an hour. Makenna and I watched them play and swung on the swing a little before the flies were just too annoying to stay. From there, we went to my grandmother's house where Riley began his normal poor behavior, but we all survived. Now I am home and waiting for the boys to get here as they talked their Mama into brining them home later. Tomorrow, my last day of summer, we are all, Mama included, going to Busch Gardens to battle the crowds, see the animals, and play in the Land of the Dragons! Summer is so much fun, but I need to go back to work to get a break...seriously:)

Wanted to show off my babies!!!!

We have had a great July...fireworks, the beach, watching the kids grow...especially Miss Makenna...here are a few photos...

Jen had Surgery

Today, Jen had surgery. She is doing fine. Some people have said that the surgery is a major surgery. Judging by her actions today, I would doubt it, but don't let her know I said that. We were back at home by 1pm after an 8am surgery. The only thing this stops is the 25 kids that she wanted to have. Amazingly, she is in very little pain. You may send her well wishes either via this blog or on facebook under my name. Take care all , Michael

Fourth of July

One of my most favorite holidays, next to Christmas, is the Fourth of July! I love it. It typifies summer vacation...you get to stay up late, play outside, eat junk food, and watch beautiful fireworks in the evening sky after a baseball game and concert! Every year we go out and park behind the baseball stadium so that we can hear what is going on in the stadium, the music, the game, the people, and then we take a picnic dinner. Usually it is pizza, but the last two years it has been hamburgers and hotdogs. We take a few little sparklers, a football, a frisbee, and lots of drinks. The boys got to bring bubbles this year and Makenna enjoyed her first fireworks including an icecream cone and sparklers! I look forward to this every year and love watching the kids have fun!

The One I LOVE!!!

I forgot to post on Father's Day...so I am posting today. I have the BEST husband in the world. We have been together so long, that I can't imagine a day without him in it. If you know us, you know how much he gets on my nerves and how I hate the way he gets the boys all crazy before bed and how he constantly is making noise, I think just to annoy me, as I enjoy peace and quiet when I can get it. He is, however, very much in love with me. He makes me feel beautiful on days I just know I look afright, he gives me comfort even when I push him away because I like to cry alone, he knows what I need and when I need it. Michael is truly the best husband and DAD ever. The three kiddos adore him and beg for him at times. He always pulls through his exhaustion, my nagging, and their whining and gives us exactly what we need; him :) Yesterday we had been married for 5 years and 6 months exactly. I am looking forward to the next 5 years and 6 months to come:)

Catching up!

Who knew that having two rambunctious boys, a three month old baby girl, a husband in college who I swear has ADHD and a full time guidance job at the end of the school year would keep someone so busy?!!! I have been thinking about blogging since the last time, Conner's birthday, but just simply haven't had the time. So here is what we have been up to:


1. Conner broke his right forearm, both bones, by playing/climbing in a low-growing tree. I know I must be a horrible parent to let my son not only get hurt, but break both of his bones in his lower arm. Here is a picture of the x-ray that freaked me out and of course Conner in his dinosaur "slingy".







Of course this happened the day before Mother's Day! Conner is fine and has a blue cast on until June 10 and then we go in for more xrays.



2. We visited the Museum of Science and Industry. The boys loved it and had a great time playing with the stuff. They have a whole room just for kids to play...it was an afternoon well spent :)





3. Makenna is getting sooooo big :) She has started eating some solid foods, well what the experts call solid, I call it soupy, but anyway...she loves sweet potatoes, green beans, and bananas. She prefers mommy to feed her at 5:15pm and Lord help whoever has her if I am late getting home from work. She is smiling a lot more, has two top teeth that will be in by the end of the summer, and has already begun yelling at her brothers when they don't pay enough attention to her :)

As busy as we are here at home and all the stuff that Riley and Conner can get into...I wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything in the world.