Happy 4th of July!!

I want to wish everyone a wonderful 4th of July!!! We are heading out soon to my parents for food, fun and fireworks!!!!! I will post the pics tomorrow!! Have a great day everyone and remember just how blessed we are to live in the wonderful country!!!

The BIG one!

Last week, we took a family vacation to the beach. It was WONDEFUL! The weather was perfect, the accommodations were awesome, the food was fantastic...we could not have had a better time! On Friday, we decided to go deep sea fishing to end our trip! I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about getting sea sick and all, but, popped me some Dramamine and headed out for the boat at 7 am Friday morning. Neither Nicholas or I had ever been before so it was a real learning experience for us. I learned real quickly to make make friends with the Deck hands. Before the boat pulled out, everyone fishing agreed on the "Biggest Fish" bet at $5.00 per person. After about an hour and a half of riding we were 18 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico and the fishing could begin. I was AMAZED at how fast I caught a fish. I barely dropped my bait in the water and....GULP...the thing was eaten and I was was pulling up a big Red Snapper! It was so exciting! After about 3o minutes of casting and catching...Nicholas got onto a HUGE fish! The Struggle began! His little arms were shaking and the fight was on! The Deck hand was encouraging him to "pull and reel" and Nicholas did his best! Finally...the fish emerged to the surface...a 30 pound Red Snapper!!!! It was huge! Nicholas was worn out after reeling that thing in!
We continued to fish and I caught a 20 pound Grouper myself! I was exhausted! Kirk caught many big ones and so did Christopher!
After we had caught our limit for the day, the boat headed back in shore! When we got to the dock, it was undisputed...Nicholas had caught the biggest fish and he walked away with not only a puffed up prideful chest...but, 55 dollars as well!!!! Way to go BABY!!!!!

The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But The Truth!!

I have had several of my Blog stalkers ask me lately what in the world has happened to me...well, to be honest...I have been extremely neglectful of the family blog!!! That is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the TRUTH!!!

Alot has happened since my last post....
1. I have planted the most beautiful flowers in my yard and have some WONDERFUL pics of my work.( I will have to post later)
2. I have rolled over into another decade by turning 40 and truly realized that I have the BEST friends and family in the WORLD!!( no pics..what happens on your 40Th stays in your mind...)
3. School has ended for this year and I am ready to begin my summer. I have so many things I want to accomplish this summer...
4. Nicholas made all "A" honor roll for the year!!! We are so blessed to have such a smart and creative child.
5. Boot Camp is AWESOME....kicks my booty but I go back for more each week!


Well, that pretty , much sums up the past month.
I will not get behind any more now since I am out for the summer! I will be posting some new pics too!!!

Thanks to all of my Blog stalkers who questioned my existence and woke me up from my hibernation!!!!!

A New Endeavor

I am always game for something new...I like to try doing things I have never done before...I even like challenges. Last Wednesday evening, I was invited by a friend to go to an exercise class with her for "Friend Night". The class was part of a exercise program that she has been involved with called BOOT CAMP!!! I went, and I have to admit...all the way over to the gym, my stomach was in knots... All that I could envision was these little anorexic Barbie doll muscle women heaving weights over their heads like veteran lumber jacks. As I approached the gym parking lot, I even contemplated not going in....playing hooky...making an excuse for not showing up!!! But, I took a deep breath, along with 2 Imodium's and I entered the gym LIKE I knew what I was doing! Fortunately I spotted my friend that had invited me quickly and ran over to her. My heart was racing as I scanned the room seeing it filled with scary looking contraptions that truly looked like they could hurt me! WHAT was I doing here?...I thought to myself. The trainer for the class that I was there for came over and introduced herself to me and was SO nice! My nerves began to calm a little as we went outside for the class to begin. Great!, I thought, we were going to go outside, away from the intimidating machinery that was daunting me in the gym. Outside, we began to "warm up". This consisted of placing our hands interlocked behind our head and then proceeding with 50 forward lunges. WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS I DOING THERE???? I was ready to go home after lunge number 5! Had I really volunteered to come to this class on my own free will? Well much to my surprise, I made it through the lunges and YES...I was "warmed up".
After that, we did MANY exercises to get our heart rates up. We did bunny hops, more lunges, bicep curls with 16 lbs. of weights, resistance bands, running up hills forwards and backwards...an entire hour of heart pumping activities! The trainer and other girls in the class were so encouraging! I felt so accomplished when we were finished! I had done it! I survived! I made it! and most of all...I truly enjoyed it! ...All of those fears, and anxieties that I had experienced were gone because I did it and felt so good about what I was doing for my self and my body! I loved it! I thanked the friend for inviting me and encouraging me...I thanked the other girls for supporting me...and I thanked the trainer for believing in me...and then.... I signed up for the May BOOT CAMP myself!!!!

Live, Laugh, Love!

I know that these pics are in a previous post from Easter weekend...but I wanted to put them on here again in another format other than the Smilebox video that there were already in. I rarely have pics like this...what I mean by this is that the kids have finally reached an age in their lives where they will ACTUALLY stand still for 5 minutes now(sometimes) for a real picture! I love these shots I made on Easter at Andrea's house!


Mimmie and Papa(Mama and Daddy)...An Extremely Rare picture since both of them RUN from anyone who is EVER pointing and clicking a camera!!!!



My sisters and I...Andrea, Kim, myself and Allison



Our sons...Nicholas(My son, 12), Colby(Andrea's Son, 16), Christopher(Kim's son, 18)and Patrick(Andrea's son, 20)



The Girls...Ashleigh(Kim's daughter, 15), Sarah Kathryn(Andrea's daughter, 13), Madeline(Allison's daughter, 10), Emma (Allison's daughter, 5)



Our husbands...Danny, Mark, and my hubby Kirk...Aaron was sick on Easter and could not come!!!




I love having these pictures...it was great to be together that blessed Easter afternoon!

So true!!!!!

I could live by this quote. I need to magnify it and put it everywhere in my house!
(click on the picture to see it up close)

It says...The greatness comes not when things always go good for you. The greatness comes when you're really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes. Because only if you've been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.

Easter Sunday

Make a Smilebox scrapbook