A Friday Night

I just wanted to show you what a typical Friday night might look like around our house.  I happen to love Friday nights.  It seems to be the only night of the week we can stay up as late as we want.  Here it is 10:45 and guess what?  I'm the only one up.  Andy fell asleep long ago and I made the boys go to bed just after 10.  So, here I sit.  Me and my computer (and you).

I love it when we make no plans and can just stay home. 

We worked on a puzzle, had ice cream, watched a movie and played games.  Even the dog got a treat.  My house is a disaster, but hey, this is life.  Right?

A sunken ship

A few weekends ago we were down in Baltimore visiting some family.  I mentioned it here.  It was a rather quick trip, but I was excited as we were going to be going out on their boat.  It was to be a quick ride, so we got the kids all geared up and the men went to ready the boat.

This would be my first time on a boat like this.  Most of our time is spent in a small fishing boat just big enough to hold our family...and nothing else.  I was excited.  We all were excited.  Until...there was trouble.  The men spent quite some time trying to get it going, but it turns out the battery died.  Bummer!  We were slightly disappointed, but were promised a ride on our next trip down in July.

Well, it doesn't look like that will be happening now either.  You see, what happened is this, they got the battery replaced and loaded up the boat with some friends of theirs and hit the water.  Now, you must know that they live on the Chesapeake Bay.  This is not a man-made lake that I'm most accustomed to.  Well, anyway, while out on the water, a seal in the motor went bad and they took on water.  In six minutes the boat sank to the bottom of the Chesapeake.  Yep, you read that right, it sank.

Everyone made it off ok and were picked up by a passing sail boat.  The coast guard has since pulled it out of the water and it is now considered a total loss.  They are looking to replace it, and I must admit I hope they do so before our trip back down. 

Is it me, or is that just crazy?  I mean, how often do boats sink like that?  And to think, that could have been us.  I am soooo glad that the battery failed that day and I did not have to endure a ride on a sinking ship.

What I've been up to

Things around here have been a little busy.  Some of it fun, some not as fun. 

A few weekends ago the weather was absolutely perfect.  We were outside gettin dirty.  I loved to feel the grass and cool earth beneath my piggies.

We are now knee deep (no pun intended) in the middle of a landscaping project in our front yard.  Here is a before picture of the front of our house.

It wasn't horrible, but what the picture is not showing you is the fact that the bushes are dead.  D. E. A. D.  Nothing but brown twigs in many areas.

Now, here is what it looks like now.  I must warn you we are far from being done.  So far, in that we haven't done any.thing. since ripping them out.

See what I mean?  Just a dirt pile.

However, even with nothing in there it still looks better.  Don't you think?  I'm excited to get workin on it again.  The wheels are churning in my head as I try to figure out what we will do.  Here's what we're thinking:  Shrubs of some sort on either side, a fence (white or black?), and some flowers with color.  It's screaming for some color.

So, we'll see how it goes and I will keep you posted.

Now, onto other things.  I spent last weekend on a "girls getaway."  It was awesome.  A trip to the beach, sun, painted toe nails, good food (make that great food), shopping, lots of shopping a room to myself, movies, reading.  I could go on and on.

I was having so much fun I didn't take a lot of pictures, but I do have a few.

My niece Taylor, sister Shawn, Mom and sister Shannan.

Dinner out!!  I ordered my own crab cake.  It was my first one eva!!

Delish!!  Just looking at it makes me want another one.

The car ride home....I told you I didn't get a lot of pictures. I do have memories.  Memories that will have to hold me until we go again.  Sigh.

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And my baby turned 7.  I almost typed 6 and had to think what his age really is.  7!  I can't believe it.  We had a little party.  You will see in the pictures the clown glasses he received as a birthday gift.  Too cute.

Gramma

Logan

Cayden

Andy

Taylor

It was a good time.  I love being together with my family.  We have five boys from ages 11 to 5.  It gets crazy loud and just plain crazy.  But always fun.

Happy Birthday Britt!  I love you.

So, what have you been up to?

More Treasures

I finished transferring all of our pictures to our current computer.  Many a smile was brought to my face in seeing our old memories.  I didn't realize just how much my boys have changed over the last few years.

I found this picture of Collin.  This was his first day of Kindergarten.

He had his whole life ahead of him in that moment.  I can't believe he is now in 5th grade.  5TH!  Where has the time gone?

I think he is just handsome.  Oh how I miss that age.

Here is he is on his last birthday.  Sigh.  My firstborn.

When I was expecting our second child Britt, I didn't know how I would love another child.  But the truth is, you love each child in different ways.  Not one more than another, your heart just growns bigger and wider that sometimes it feels like it will burst.

Children are a treasure from the Lord.  (Even though it doesn't always feel that way.)

Writing this post brought tears to my eyes.

Finding treasures

Today I set out to tackle the family desk.  UGH.  It's been in the forefront of my mind and I've been wanting to do it for quite some time.  No, this is not a before/after of an amazing desk transformation.  The truth is, I'm still in the middle of finishing it.  It's mostly done, just some loose ends to tie up.  One being removing the dinosaur computer from the area.  But, before we can do that one of the things I had to do was transfer all of our pictures from that computer onto our current one.  Well, that gave me the opportunity to look through them.

I love to do that.  It's like freezing time and heading backwards for just a bit.  In my travels I found one of my favorite pictures of our son Britt.

This was back in 2006.  He was almost 3 at the time.  This makes me smile because he can still be seen today wearing a cowboy hat and all of the trimmings and that same crazy smile.

See what I mean?  This one is from just last year.

I also managed to dig up a picture of my sweet Sadie.

Isn't she a beauty?  I'm not sure how I managed to get this picture.  She is deathly afraid of the camera.  But hey, I'll take it.

Taking a trip down memory lane is always fun.  It can be bittersweet at the same time.  God has richly blessed my life and looking through the photos was a great reminder to me.

I will have to even the score with my other son Collin.  I wouldn't want him to feel left out, so as I find some more pics I'll give him his just due.

Nope, didn't find any of me!!  ;]

I hope you will find some time to take a stroll down memory lane.   You'll be glad you did.

Weekend Recap

Hello.
Hope you've had a great weekend.  It started out a little soggy here.

Yep, that's my backyard.  Our house was built over a small pond!  ;}

It wasn't much better out front.  These are typical scenes in our neighborhood when it rains.  Fortunately we don't have any water issues inside our home.

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My nephew had a birthday on Saturday.  Got together for some food, family and presents.  Getting 7 cousins together for a good picture can be tough.

Yes, I can count.  Sarah (sweetie in pink) is not one of the "cousins."  She's my cousins little girl.  Of course she has to be in the picture.  Who couldn't love this sweet thing?

Nice face!!!...takes after her Daddy.  Love weekends spent with family.

Parade

Just wanted to share some photos with you of our morning at the parade.

It was cold, but the sky was blue and the sun was bright.  Perfect.  My sister looks thirlled!!

Collin and a few of his buddies.  Needless to say there was a lot of "noise" coming from their end!!  Cousin Amanda sitting pretty.

One of my favorite floats.  A giant hot dog!  Turns out I knew the driver.  An old friend from school.  Clear back to kindergarten.

My favorite girl.  Baby Sarah.  Okay, not so much a baby anymore.

Watching and waiting for....
Daddy on the fire trucks.  Her favorite part (and mine).

Even the fire trucks were decked out in christmas attire.

Ever see a fire truck with a tail?

Can't end a parade without Santa and Mrs. Clause!!

Me and sweet Sarah.  Love her.
What a great morning.

Pumpkin Fun

On Sunday night we went to Gramma's house to carve pumpkins with our family.  It's always great fun.

Everyone busy at work!

It was fun to see what everyone picked for their pumpkins.

My nieces, Carien and Taylor, artists at work.  They did a great job.

This is my friend Natalie.  She dared to come and join the fun.  She must be crazy.  I think she fits right in!

Collin tries to avoid the camera, but I managed to sneak a picture!  Not sure what he is doing!

More family fun.

We're all crazy.  It's hard to get 5 boys settled enough for a picture, but we tried anyway.

Friends!

The finished product.  They look good huh?

Britt made Buzz Lightyear.  A little hard to tell, but it really looked great.

Collin, looking thrilled.  (as always)

I'm not sure what he made, he said it didn't turn out.  I think it looks like the aliens from Toy Story.  All in all it was a fun night.