Trip to Sea World

This was a typical look for the day..........AC Grumpy cause he wasn't getting his way. Andrew AWESTRUCK by all the activities going on around him.......Trace was just Trace, happy go lucky - along for the ride TRACE.....wait did I just say that Trace is NOT a happy go lucky along for the ride type kid - boy am I glad he was at Sea World!

Had our picture made with Santa Shamu - Andrew was NOT getting any closer than this to him so I got stuck in a picture - URGHHHHHH Weight Watchers HERE I COME!

Notice how close our boys are to the KILLER WHALE!!!! Aren't they BRAVE? It was pretty cool to see him like that!

First Family picture of all 6 Crosby Crew...... note to self do not try to get AC to smile by putting your fingers on each side of your mouth....the little smarty pants will just mimic you......but isn't he CUTE! Little Miss Thing was so kicked back and only let us hear from her when she was hungry.....but she did stay awake and watch her surrounding for hours at a time.

CROSBY CREW

How do I get to be the first one to post pictures of the whole crew? It's not a big secret - I just let her use MY camera to take them so...........enjoy the sneak preview!

Pictures of Kailey

Halloween - Haircut - BOYS PICTURES

Bike Ride Pictures .....

May I introduce you to...............

My 6th grandchild/ 2nd granddaughter was born this morning on the day of my youngest child's 24th birthday. Please go HERE to get some details and see a picture.



Kailey is showing early (very early according to the Nurse signs of Jaundace so Please say a prayer that all she will need is the Light for the next 24 - 48 hours to right everything in her system and she will be home in time for Thanksgiving.

What's worse than being 9 months pregnant??????

Brittney found out today - it is way worse to be 38 weeks pregnant and dehydrated. She has suddenly started boomaranging her food this weekend. She eats it hit's her stomach and she.......boom a rang! She went to the doctor this morning and he sent her downstairs immediately to get an IV. Luckily a friend of ours was off work and was able to sit with the younger 2 at the hospital ALL DAY LONG........maybe I should say a former friend of ours....ummm Donna are you there, Donna why are you running as I walk up to you???? Donna - Donna DONNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously we OWE her big time!



I had staff meeting & jobs that have to be booked TODAY and RC was across the bay......Randy? You ask where Randy is - He is in Canada freezing his Floridian butt off!



By the way did I mention I broke AC's heart? We have been telling him for a few weeks now that any day he may come out of School and NaNa, Grandpa, or Grandma there to pick him up cause Mommy had Kailey.............well today I went to pick him up because Brittney was still getting her IV and RC wasn't close enough to get him on time so he was headed to the Hospital to pick up the boys so Donna could have a least a couple of minutes of her Vacation day to herself. AC comes out with a grin from ear to ear -------he was beaming, his teacher is walking up quickly with him and I tell AC "Kailey isn't here, Mommy is at the doctor's getting a bag of water like you did when you had pneumonia because she has been sick." Both AC and the teachers face fell............I felt like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. The teacher touched my arm and asked is she really okay? I thought that was great that she cares that much. AC was super quiet all the way home and kept biting his lip, I'm thinking he was worried about Mommy, She's at home now and can reassure him that all is fine. He was kind of bummed that he got back to work with me, got his snack (I happened to have a sample of an Aikens Bar from the grocery store in my bag) got his sprite and was ready to hang for awhile and Daddy got there to pick him up......AC wasn't ready to leave, he had planned to do his homework here.



I'll keep you posted - but so far Kailey is hanging in there!




I'll leave you with the proof Grandpa is a good babysitter......see Andrew asleep with his blanket/rabbit in front of the TV, AC asleep on the pillow from the couch and Trace dead to the world on the couch? Where was Mommy & Grandma you ask - Playing Bunko.

Tired of Waiting

I cannot justify waiting until I get around to getting pictures ready to post any longer so I'm going to update and then will actually give you pictures later........maybe even today but we will see.

We have Kailey's room mostly ready for her....still want to find a decent priced change table & glider to match her crib and dresser but that may have to wait for a while due to the fact that the one I would love to buy for Britt is expensive!

Brittney has all her unpacking done with the exception of a few boxes in her bedroom and her lanai - which will have to wait for us to find a shed for the back yard because they do not have a garage and the stuff on the Lanai is "garage type stuff".

Randy and RC completed their ride across the state - in fact Randy did better than he was even expecting to. He wanted to complete the ride in group 2 and 3 (the groups ride at different speeds - the fastest group runs at an average of 23 - 26 mph, group 2 is 20 - 25 etc... they had a total of 8 groups if I understand them right.) Anyway, he spent the last 3 months training for this ride where most of the people running the ride have been training since the last ride a year ago. Randy, my hero, ran in group 2 the whole ride, every bit of the 200 plus miles.......I am so proud of him!

Me I've been working, stressing, worring - so basically nothing new here!

Double Stroller? Of Toddler Bike?

This is AWESOME!

I was thinking about how nice this would be for the older Grandkids to ride along beside the stroller with the "younger toddlers & babies" in them.

I can see Brittney pushing the kids up to RC's ball game with Andrew & Kailey in the double stroller and both the bigger boys riding their "BIKE" along side - no more having to say "Boys keep up" "Boys slow down" etc....... Granted it probably won't happen since they cost a little much but........hey who knows!

Click on "Bike" for a link.

And She is ONLY 6

So Much to Say - So Little Time to Post

I have been extremely busy! I'm sorry I haven't posted. Here's the low down.

Month End at work is CRAZY TIME! Quarter End is even crazier and last week they collided (hmmm seems like they do that 3 times a year.......forget about YEAR END added to the mix!)

During all the craziness of last week - Britt & RC were moving from an apartment to a house. We were suppose to have the keys to get in to paint the rooms on the 21st - didn't get them until late the 23rd - losing a whole weekend. Randy and I set out bug bombs - they had big red ants in the kitchen cabinet and the air conditioner closet. We also went back over the next night and sponged off the walls so that Andrew (actually none of the boys) would touch the wall with bug poisoining and then put their fingers in their mouth. Doing the sponging in the boys bedroom the wallpaper started coming off - wallpaper that had been up for over 25 years. So on Wednesday night Randy and I pulled all of it off the wall and removed all the glue that was still stuck.......that is hard work! At 11:30 when we finally completed it we headed home leaving a huge mess in the floor with all the wallpaper because we didn't have a trash bag with us.

Britt and I were meeting there the next morning to paint the master bedroom (me taking a day of vacation in the middle of month end - that vain in the side of my boss' head was throbbing I'm sure - hehehe). When we got there Trace headed into the house while we were unloading all the stuff I had stopped by Home Depot for into the house.

Trace came running around the corner and grabbed my hand saying "You must come with me NOW!" When I realized where he was headed I knew what was going on but before we got to the boys bedroom. Trace was stressed his whole body language stated that it was an emergency as we are hurring down the hall he says "Grandma it was like this before I came in" So we stopped outside their door - seeing the BIG PILE of wallpaper in the middle of the room I gasped (yes I am mean like that) "OH my what do you think happened?" Trace stated "I didn't do it Grandma I promise!" I asked him if he thought Grandpa had? "I don't think he would - but if he did are you going to put him in time out?" was Trace's answer. I assured him that Grandpa and I had done it on purpose and that it was okay....however, he could not ever tear wallpaper off without permission.

Britt and I painted the Master Bedroom prior to her going to pick AC up from school. (leaving the trim work ....which still needs to be done but......it will get there) I put a coat of Killz on the walls in the boys room, before going to get Randy from work. Randy and I stopped by Home Depot and bought the paint then went home grabbed a bite and went to paint the boys room. We painted 3 walls medium blue Thursday night. Friday night after work.....after a long day at work I might add. Randy and I went back and painted the 4th wall darker blue and the trim work WHITE, Randy replaced all the outlets and light switch with WHITE ones and their room looks FANTASTIC! I love it and so does AC! In fact sunday morning I asked him how he liked his new room and he said he wanted it to ALWAYS be his room...that he just knows his wife will like it someday. CRACKED ME UP - not many 5 year olds talk about their wife already.

Britt and RC were busy packing everything at the apartment while Randy and I painted. We went over there to help them finish up Friday night stayed until about 1:30 and went home to crash to meet back over there at 7:oo before people from the church showed up to help load at 9. Randy and RC left to go get the moving truck - found out that it wasn't ready for another 45 minutes did they drive the 1/2 mile back and work for the 45 minutes? NO they ate breakfast at Steak N Shake.........don't you think that was WRONG! Anyway they did bring Britt and I McDonalds for breakfast. The 5 volunteers from Church arrived and we loaded the Truck and unloaded it in the new house by 11 a.m. - it was GREAT! Britt is still working on the unpacking of boxes but that will come also!

Truth be told Nana (RC's mom) had the hardest job of all - she got all 3 boys at 4:30 Friday and brought them back to us at 8 Saturday. LOL

Sunday started the preparation for Judgement House which is being preformed for the next two weekends. Then the next weekend I have a wedding to coordinate. The last weekend is when RC & Randy are riding across the state on thier Bicycles and Britt and I plan to paint and decorate Kailey's room before she gets here.

I will take pictures of the new house soon and post them for y'all!

Back when my kids were little!!!!!!!!!!

DREA is doing a give away here for a WRAP - that is a Baby Wrap - not food! Check it out!

Okay I know every generation comes up with newer - better - sharper things for babies. Some of them I think are just another excuse to get parents to spend money! Others like this I think MAN what I wouldn't have given to have that when mine were little!

How perfect is it that you can carry along your child's favorite toys and give them a safe/clean place to play all in one! I hate to think of the thousand of times my kids played on the floors of airports/hospitals/doctors offices/parks/ yards/ or even friends houses, while they were kids. I love the ability to gather the toys without too much effort.

What is your favorite "new" invention for babies?

New Couch Pictures as Promised.

28 is Super GREAT!

On Saturday - September 15th, Randy and I celebrated 28 years together...in honor of that I am listing 28 speical moments or memories where he showed his LOVE to me. (Not necessarily in order by date or even by priority - just putting them as I think of them)

1. He gave me a dozen Yellow roses the night before our wedding - first dozen I ever received and YELLOW my favorite at that. Continued to give me roses every anniversary until I was pregnant with Shawn

2. His not giving me roses anymore because watching them die - depressed me GREATLY and he didn't want to make me cry. (He did send them again on our 25th anniversary since he wasn't in the STATE for it!)

3. He gave me a marble box from MEXICO - he bought without my knowledge on a trip we took to Jauarez (sp) for my first married birthday. He placed it on the bed beside me (BOY WAS IT COLD!!!!!!!!)

4. One Christmas he surprised me with a birthstone ring - Opal in the middle (my birthstone) surrounded by Saphires (his)

5. Going on a double date (me dating his best friend and he was with another girl from school) TALK about Jealous! I broke up with his BF the very next day and started a 6 month persuit of him.

6. His stopping and picking up this elderly gentlemen who had broke down and was walking in the snow back to his daughters house (3 miles in the opposite direction). Even though it meant we were WAY late to his mothers for Christmas lunch. Because I asked him to.

7. His cooking dinner for me and bringing it out on the back porch because I had morning sickness so bad that if I smelt food cooking I would toss.

8. His babysitting not just our 3 kids but my friends 3 also - so we could have a girls night out.

9. His attending parties because he knew I thrived on LARGE GROUPS, where he did not. I would look up and he would be leaning on a wall nearest the exit trying to avoid the crowds.

10. His willingness to avoid parties now if I'm feeling anti-social because he doesn't want me to feel uncomfortable (he now LOVES things like this....wow things really change)

11. His trading sandwiches with me @ Jack in the Box in California because I didn't like what I had ordered and was very close to losing it anyway so he just hugged me and suggested we trade. My dad gave him a hard time about "I would have made her eat what she ordered" Randy just said "It's okay". Was one of the best Hamburgers I've ever eaten because it was sprinkled with LOVE!

12. His bringing me a plant and Nyki a Teddie Bear on the day she was born, telling her how special she was to him.

13. His bringing Brittney a teddy bear on the day she was born, kissing it and placing it in the crib with her and then kissing her.

14. His bringing Shawn a teddy bear on the day HE was born and telling him how it did not make him girlie to get a bear like his sisters.

15. His NOT bringing a teddy bear when each of the grandkids were born because that is a Daddy's right not a granddaddy's. Even if they choose not to.

16. His not blaming me when I knocked Shawn off the back steps and giving him a Concussion at the age of 2. (Explains a lot about Shawn doesn't it!)

17. His FREAKING out because he came home and Shawn was in a PINK SLEEPER at 9 weeks old. (Shawn had thrown up all over all 15 of his sleepers and just grabbed one of his older sister's old ones....Daddy would rather him freeze than be in pink - hehehe)

18. His holding me when I cried because Nyki was getting married and nothing would be the same......ditto Brittney.......ditto Shawn - even though his heart was breaking just as much as mine.

19. His walking out of a church with me after I lost my temper at the pastor and turned in all my keys in a fit of rage due to an injustice. His patiently looking for a new church while trying to make sure it was Contemporary enough for him to like and for me to feel comfortable.

20. His being the primary cook for our WHOLE MARRIAGE - and an exceptionally good one at that!

21. His laughing at my jokes no matter how stupid they are - his not laughing at me no matter how stupid I am.

22. His spending hours with me looking for a new couch and buying me one - just because I pitched a hissy on this blog. (pictures coming soon)

23. His using his frequent flyer miles to fly our friend Mary to meet her husband when he got back from Dessert Storm instead of her having to wait for him to meet her in Dallas. The ones he was saving to go visit his brother in California.

24. His always remembering to call and let me know when he gets where ever he is traveling to that week because he knows I worry.

25. His babysitting the grandkids so that Brittney and I can go shopping - play bunko whatever!

26. His watching stupid chick flicks because I want to.

27. His losing weight and taking care of himself after the cardiologist told him he needed to. (Didn't know it would become a new EXPENSIVE hobby but......if he enjoys bike riding and it makes him live longer then I say PARABOLA!)

28. His flying in on Friday night and out on Sunday just so he will be here for our 28th anniversary.

Now y'all know what a great Man I married........you might want to remind me to read this when I'm gripping about him in the future (because we all know I will be :) because that is who I am!)

Here's to another 28 years - clink clink!

REMEMBERING

September 11 Last Year I posted what I was doing on this NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN DATE:

Go back and read it if you would like I'll wait....just click on September 11 above.... there you go.

This year I was thinking as I was driving in about how much LIFE as we know it has changed in the past 6 years. The DJ on the radio this morning referred to it as "The Day our Innocence was Lost Forever" I'm not sure if that is a good description but I can't really say I disagree with it completely either.

I was thinking earlier about the things (little things) that it changed:
1. My grandchildren will NEVER know you could go to the gates and wait for people to come off the plane.
2. I will never just assume that all planes will land safely delivering me or my loved ones to their destination. I will always Thank the Lord to be on the ground again.
3. I have learned NOT to make assumptions about people by their clothing. Not every person I see in traditional garb are out to kill Americans because we are AMERICANS and not every person in western style clothing are Patriotic.
4. I always thought all religions NO MATTER what their belief was made someone a better person because they believed in a greater being - Myself believing there is but ONE TRUE GOD - but even those that did not share this belief with me I thought were better Humans because of their belief - I had NO IDEA that some religions taught HATRED of mankind.

These are just a few......so what has changed for you big or little due to this fateful day - 6 years ago?

Blog on Demand - I aim to please :)

So my DIL wants an update......so here you go.

WARNING WARNING UPDATE WILL REFLECT MY MOOD THIS MORNING WHICH ISN'T GOOD SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO STOP READING NOW....

Okay if your still with me then you get what you get! No complaining to me!

I've had a really down week - nothing I can point at that says this is why I've had the "Don't give a Damns" but I have had them BIG TIME!!!!!! Here's a mix up of what has gone on in my head (is going on in my head)

1. Why do I "sacrafice" something I want for someone else .....do it willingly and then resent the HELL out of it? Some examples......
a: Randy got a road bike - I swore I wouldn't buy him another thing for his biking HOBBY/Obsession until I got a new couch. We've been looking - a bunch at couchs haven't found one I like enough to commit to for the next 10 years (at least my current couch was given to me by Mom who bought it in 1974.......that is a long time to see the same couch....up until about 2 years ago I couldn't reasonably justify getting a new one because this one is built to last and was still in good shape......this is no longer the case - it is VERY UNCOMFORTABLE!) Since he is riding across the STATE on his bike it wasn't a hard decision to say let's go ahead and buy the road bike NOW since you need it and I haven't found a couch I/we like. Now I get pissy about it.
b: I buy things that the kids/grandkids need - to make their lifes happier and then they don't use it or sale it in a garage sale or whatever and I think - Crap I should have just gotten that *** fill in the blank for myself, at least I would still be enjoying it. Understand, when I give it to them as a gift it is their's to do with as they please.....if they want cool bedding for their children and then decide to never make the bed to show it off it is really really none of my business....I know this but does it keep me from resenting it? Do I beat myself up afterwards for resenting it - YES should I resent it NO.......

2. What gives other people the right to make decisions that effect ME and then dump it on me? Point in hand is that our church does a production every year in October. This year we are selling the actual building where we host it. The couple that is normally in charge are retired and traveling a BUNCH so Randy and I and another dear couple are "producing" the production. We the four of us - put our heads together and decided to postpone the production until we see our new digs and have more time to focus on it.......like March of 2008. Pastor and the couple that is actually in charge didn't agree with us. So we are going ahead with the production 2 weeks earlier than usual but the decision to go ahead was made about 2 months later than usual. Original couple is out of town until the Sunday before dress rehearsal. The other couple that are helping us are going through some bad times...personal tragedies, new school year (both are teachers) etc....... Randy is traveling a BUNCH and so it all falls on my shoulders........and I HATE IT! I have even thought about just changing churches to walk away from the pressure, but I am not a quitter, and can't stand the thought of what everyone would say about me afterwards.

3. My job still hasn't improved - I can't bring myself to look for another one for the following reasons.......
a. I'm fat and wouldn't want to hire someone that looks like me
b. I will lose vacation time (I currently have 4 weeks a year)
c. I am not a quitter and can't stand the though of what everyone would say if I walked away
d. I like for the most part, the people I work with and would miss them.
e. I've been here before and having plowed on through was the right decision and would be again I'm sure!

So here's the question for you..........how do I change my attitude? How do I either stop being self sacrificing or stop resenting it when I am? Anyone, Anyone - oh yeah y'all quit reading with the warning.

Kailey Ashlyn needs

Playschool is having this giveaway for $75 worth of baby items.... and I think the NEWEST member of our family (Kailey Ashlyn coming to a house near us by Christmas this year) will probably need 95% of the items in the giveaway and will want the other 5%, so I thought I would try to win it for her! AREN'T I THE GREATEST GRANDMA EVER! (well maybe we could substitute cheapest for greatest....but if I won then I could spend the $75 or so I would spend on buying these items for her on something else right!

My favorite MUST HAVE item in the bunch is this.....

They have some that are PINK.......I haven't gotten to buy PINK since Rylee was born and then she was a Thumb baby not overly fond of the BINK........I love babies with PINK BINKS. hehehehehe!

My friend Drea has all the details on her site so hop on the train and go see what I'm raving about......TRAIN........choo choo

Tree takes a HIT

Here's the promised pictures from our tree being struck by ligtning. The same strike that caught our neighbor's house on fire.

The places that show reddish brown (obviously a different color than the rest of the tree) is where the bark was knocked away by the strike and according to the "Tree" doctor will probably cause parts of the tree to die if the shock went deep enough. CRAZY!!!!!

This last picture is actualy of the ROOT that was under ground and the strike bounced off of.....we think that the bounce is what hit the neightbor's house.

Lightning Strike

Lightning sparks house fire in *******

Last Edited: Monday, 13 Aug 2007, 5:48 AM EDT
Created: Monday, 13 Aug 2007, 5:48 AM EDT
Firefighters believe the blaze was sparked by lightning.

******** – Firefighters say a lightning bolt is to blame for sparking a house fire on Sunday night in ********** County.
Fire crews say the blaze started in the attic of a home on ********Drive and ******* Drive in ******** when a lightning bolt hit the house. They say it a bolt also struck a tree, and left a gaping hole in the ground.

The family that lives in the house was home at the time of the strike. They say they were all a little rattled by the experience, but they are thankful that no one was hurt.

Neighbors say they were also affected by the strike when their electronics were shorted out. But, they say, it could have been worse.

"Like I said, it's material stuff. I'm not worried about it," said Randy Hubbard, who lives nearby. "The house is fine. Marshall's fine. Everything can be replaced."

************************************************************************************

The previous was an article off of a local news site. This is our next door neightbors house. Randy and I were about a block from the house when this lightning struck. Our truck filled with HEAT - and we commented on how close it was. When we got home we started in the house and I could smell melted plastic, so we looked all around and found NOTHING. We went in and started to eat and heard the BLAST from the firetruck horn. We went out the front door and the neightbors house had FLAMES coming out of the roof. I ran over started beating on her front door yelling her name. Randy said she's across the street. So we all stood in the pouring rain and watched the firemen do their thing. They went above and beyond - they extinquished the fire, they moved her antique table and couch so they could minimize the damage when they cut a hole in her ceiling to remove the smoldering insulation - dropping the insulation on a tarp they brought in to minimize the mess. After they were done - I asked if we could use their ladder (which was up still) they said if you would bring us the tarp and nails we will hammer it up for you. It was a very sweet gesture.

I will give you an update with Pictures of where the same strike hit our tree later today.

Camping, Exploring, Hiking, etc..........

Randy and I met our friends Eric, Julie & their kids at the Florida Caverns campgrounds on Saturday. We did lots of SWEATING and yet had a GREAT time so I thought I would share some pictures with you.

OUR TENT & Seth having a snack in our Kitchen - I didn't think to take a picture of the whole set up but know we only were lacking a bathroom for it to be home sweet home!! (see Randy in the back ground?

Rachael having her bath.........isn't that the sweetest bathtub ever? She thought it was so funny!

We had a little visitor to our tent - Hey Mr Turtle I miss you!!!

The Caverns.

And they are ready to roll on Monday - Aren't they cute?

This picture kind of explains why there isn't any pictures of Ethan (I at least got him to look up from his DS long enough for this one......hehehe)

But like his Mommy said this is his vacation also and this is his way to relax and have a good time - so let him have a good time!

He did meet the boy in the site on the otherside of us and I think they would have done a bunch of things together but the days we had free they spent at the beach so the boys didn't get but a couple of hours the first night we were there together.

Randy and I drove home on Tuesday - and on the way home we discovered this LightHouse.......it was magnificient! (And it is one of the few that are still used here in Florida)

Another Give AWAY??? Too good to be true?

Hmmm what I could do with a $75 dollar gift card to Chittypulga I could buy each of the grandkids cute clothes or toys that would stretch their imagination............or I could just concentrate on the 2 granddaughters because I have to say they have some of the cutest girls clothes EVER~!!!!!!!!!!

Go here to to try to win the gift card YOU COULD BE A WINNER.

Give Aways.....

Best Buy giving away... a Insignia® 37" Flat-Panel LCD HDTV sponsered by Best Buy! How cool is that?!? Go on over, register to win. I WANNA WIN!

Love Languages Part 2

Randy blogged on Love Languages before: Giving you the general details but I want to blog in more details.

Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a book on the Five Love Languages


Love Language #1: Words of Affirmation

Love Language #2: Quality Time

Love Language #3: Receiving Gifts

Love Language #4: Acts of Service

Love Language #5: Physical Touch


Randy and I have done the test at least 3 times - some of my Love Languages change depending on where I am in my life but my Number ONE love language is "ACTS of SERVICE"

I enjoy all the other love languages and can even speak them all but if you want to say I love you in capital letters to me personnally that would have to be via ACTS OF SERVICE. I share this with you to tell you about Saturday morning. Britt's oldest 2 spent the night with us. I wake up and hear them in the bedroom (no idea how long they had been awake..... but they are in there playing. Trace yells that he has to go potty - I've never understood why this takes a grand announcement but it does and you must grant permission or he won't go......anyway I digress (as usual). I go in to tell him it's okay just go.....and tell him "yell when your finished so I can help with the paperwork" I walk in to see what AC is doing and I find this.



This is the Bed the boys slept in - AC said "I straightened the bed for you Grandma, it's not very good but I tried" all I could say is "It's Perfect - THANKS!!!" I even teared up - I felt like a bazillion dollars! Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever seen - if not just know that it is for ME!

I'll leave you with some new pictures of the boys.

Andrew's getting so big!



AC & Trace climbing on one of the "props" at Busch Gardens



Have you ever set in a Dinosaur Egg? AC & Trace have!

Introducing.....Makennah

Makennah Rae and Big Brother Trae

Aren't they cute!

I'm a GREAT AUNT -

When my neice was pregnant with her first and went to the Sono to find out if it was a Girl or a Boy - I asked her if I was going to be a Great Aunt or a Great Uncle.
So far I've only been a GREAT Uncle (even though I'm a girl - hehehe) I have 3 great nephews that are well GREAT!!!!! they're cute and adorable and sweet and everything else.

Well I'm finally a GREAT AUNT! My nephew's wife (my daughters best friend in high school - so she was MINE before she went to Texas to meet them and fall in love and marry and move there - see how lonely I am without her here in Florida) anyway she was ready to BURST (litteraly I thought if I pushed on her belly it would pop like a balloon) 2.5 weeks ago when I was in Texas so I can't believe she went that much longer. Anyway I digress.

I was talking to Tasha (my daughter-in-law) yesterday and she mentioned that Emily was to be induced - WOW I can't believe they had to coax her into labor.....anyway Tasha called back later in the day to let me know she was born.

McKenna Rhea (know that is her name but not sure of the spelling) was born yesterday July 17, 2007 at 3:15 p.m. 21" long and 7lbs 11oz (that would be a good name for a convient store)....I'll update when I get pictures (AND I BETTER GET PICTURES!) When I couldn't stand it any longer about 8:30 p.m. and called Emy's cell to check on them - Stephen said they were all doing well! I can't wait to see pictures and I promise to share them with you!

Pictures as Promised

SHAWN looking good, huh?

<
Jakob 1


Rylee 3










More pictures to come I promise but this is all I have time for today - Sorry!

Independence Day

Wow - it's weird that so much time has passed between posts even though SO MUCH has happened in my life. I'll try to give you a quick run down (without boring you too much) and then I promise to post some new pictures of the grandbabies and kiddos by the end of the week.

Okay on the work side - My responsibilities have GROWN and become more than I can handle most of the time. My company bought a new company and placed all the new company into the leadership roles leaving us worker bees to adjust to lots of changes. I know change is inevitable but sometimes you have to know when to hold up and know when to fold up and I am still on the fence as to what I want/need to do.

Family side - I have seen all of my family in the last few weeks, which living with a bazillion states in between us that is AWESOME! Randy and I went to Texas to attend our Grandson's first birthday and our Granddaughter's third birthday parties. Excluding the travel delays the trip was GREAT! Lots of fun time with the grandbabies over the birthday weekend. My parents, sister, neice and her two boys made the 7+ hour drive to come see us - Arriving late evening Sunday and having to leave Monday early evening which is never long enough but was a GREAT visit anyway. Randy worked the whole week we were in Texas so did I but only quick little things except for Tuesday which I worked all day in the hotel room preparing for a conference call on Wednesday morning which I had to attend also. Randy had to go to Houston for a couple of days so Nyki, Rylee, Jakob and I loaded up in the rental car following my conference call and drove the 8 hours to go see Uncle Shawn and Aunt Tasha - it was the first time I have stayed with them. They are lovely gracious host & hostess, they live in a WONDERFUL house and lovely little town (I could get used to the small town life!)

Thursday night we drove the hour to (which seemed much longer with Jakob who was sick and tired of his car seat by this time!)and surprised my parents, something I have never done before just showed up on the doorstep ringing the bell. Spent some time with them before my sister, brother-in-law, nephew, very pregnant neice-in-law, their son, neice, nephew-in-law, and their two sons (plus their nephew on the other side of the family) showed up to visit. My family can get loud and crazy but that is what I love!!! Tasha drove in after her babysitting charges were picked up and everyone but Britt and her family, Randy (who was sitting at the airport waiting on his delayed flight to finally take off) and Shawn who was working were all together for a while. When it was time for me to go get Randy from the airport (almost 3.5 hours late) Tasha and Nyki took Rylee and Jakob back to T's house to put them in bed. Shawn took a late supper that night so Randy got to see him in uniform - I have to say he is very Handsome in his uniform (remember those pictures I promised - I just might include one of him in Uniform).

Friday we went to a water park - fun fun fun! Again pictures to come. Got sunburned (well Randy and I did anyway) and had a wonderful time. Got back to Tasha's to help her get ready for a trip to Iowa with her parents and siblings (keep her family in prayer the trip was taken to attend a Family Reunion - Celebrate Life party for her grandmother who has cancer and requested to see the family one last time. That would be a hard visit to make!) Tasha's parents picked her up and they drove all night. We played games and I went to bed early only to get up with Jakob who had been a sleep and was startled awake by Rylee (who didn't want to go to bed yet) and then he wouldn't/couldn't settle back down. I sent Nyki to bed and walked the floor, snuggled on the couch and tried to comfort him until after Midnight. He would relax and be okay and then scream out like he was dying of pain then smile at you and settle back down, this grandma who isn't around him that much tried every trick in her book and nothing worked so I woke up his mommy. Nyki tried everything after I went to bed and nothing was working. Shawn got up and nobody ever said he walks softly or opens doors quietly but from the room I was in it sounded like a kid hit the floor and I thought oh gosh Nyki fell asleep and Jakob roled off the couch, Jakob screamed like he had been all night long and I hit the floor running. He hadn't fallen just wanted Uncle Shawn - so I was asking Nyki what she would try at home. She said before he was weaned from the bottle a warm bottle usually did the trick. So she suggested we heat some milk and give it to him in his sippy cup - worked like a charm within 15 minutes he was out for the night (ummm morning because it was after 1:30 by this time.)

Saturday: I got up with a Migraine - a just kill me NOW Migraine! We were suppose to go to my parents that morning but ended up not going until early afternoon thanks to my headache. Which was kind of nice because it allowed Randy and Shawn some more one on one visit time. We got to mom's and spent some time with Jakob taking a nap with her (while the guys went to exchange the rental car that was having battery issues). We gathered up the kids and went to my sisters to swim (Randy and I didn't get in the pool - remember our sunburn) Went shopping with my preg NIL and Neice and mom and got the coolest new purse. Ate some of the best bbq brisket ever for supper played on the 4 wheelers, visited and the evening ended WAY TO SOON! Even if it was after 10 I just didn't want it to end.

Sunday: Got up at 4 a.m. for a the trip back to Nyki's House. At least this time Randy was there to drive but I felt every mile on the way. Dropped Nyki and kids off at about 1:30 headed for the airport stopping to eat lunch on the way and do a little shopping. Got to the airport to find out our flight was delayed due to all the storms Dallas & Atlanta were having. Took off from DFW about 3 hours late, landed in Atlanta after our connecting flight was scheduled to take off but found it to also be delayed. Finally got home and in my OWN BED after 3 a.m. - Called in to work taking the morning off to sleep (remember I worked a bunch while on vacation so they were very understanding!)

Skip to 4th of JULY - Britt's older boys spent the night on Tuesday staying up until after 11 watching "CARS" then they were up at 6:30 excited to start their day. We went to the Lutz Parade meeting our friends the Laneys, home to have a cook out and naps (not that anyone but Andrew got a good one) then to the fireworks where we hooked up with the Laneys plus Julie's grandmother who turned 85 on the 4th of July (what a cool birthday that would be!) Fireworks started at about 9:15, which Andrew clapped for and loved! So it was a GREAT holiday.

But alas it is back to work :) luckily this week will consist of Monday & Friday (yes I know it is actually Thursday but boy does it feel like a MONDAY!!!!).

I have it Figured OUT!

I have finally figured out how the TV GODS decide what shows to keep and what ones to cancel! They look at my DVR to see what I record and then they AXE the shows!!!!

Here are some!

Some Barely got started before they shut them down!
- Commander and Cheif
- Married to the Kellys
- FireFly (okay I didn't watch it until after it was off the air but it is GOOD!)
- E-Ring
- Eyes
- Silk Stalkings
- Raising Dad
- Family Affair (New one)
- Courting Alex
- Killer Instinct
- Wanted

These Lived longer but are gone just the same!
- Charmed
- Alias
- Enterprise
- Everwood
- Buffy
- Angel
- Reba
- Mad about You
- Dharma & Greg
- American Dreams

Then there are the ones they didn't even bother to finish a season like:
- Vanished (we will NEVER know if they get Sarah back to her family)
- Kidnapped (poor little guy is still in the hands of a Mad Man!)
- Drive (hello who wins?????)
- Mr and Mrs Smith

Then they are adding these to the list (Killing me I tell you - they're killing me)
- Veronica
- Close to Home
- Crossing Jordan

I know there are many more - these are just my favorites - So people tell me what ones you are going to miss. Don't get to attached to Travelor because I'm liking it so it hasn't got long to live! (Or you may want to tell me which ones you want me to quit watching so they won't get the Boot!)

BREAKING NEWS THEY MAY HAVE HEARTS AFTER ALL!!!!!
- Jericho

GOT STOPPED FOR SPEEDING THE OTHER DAY.

I THOUGHT I COULD TALK MY WAY OUT OF IT UNTIL

THE COP LOOKED AT MY DOG IN THE BACK SEAT.








A Sign You're Driving Too Fast........



This one is destined to become a classic, If this doesn't make you laugh or at least smile . you need to think seriously about getting professional assistance.

Bragging!!!! #1 Grandson

My eldest Grandson was featured in the local newspaper! He graduated from Pre-School which he attended at a local highschool. The article was about the HighSchool Seniors graduating but it included a shot of a couple of the "Student Teachers" helping a couple of the kids get ready for GRADUATION!

He held the flag and led the crowd (and I mean crowd - fire marshall would have had a fit with that many people crammed into one room!) in the pledge. I was so proud I could have burst!

My Interview

My Blogger friend Drea http://dreawd.blogspot.com/ sent me the following 5 interview questions at my request. (Reading Drea's I thought wow that would be fun........so)

1. How did you get started blogging?
My Daughter-in-law introduced me to BLOG WORLD over a year ago - As way to update within the family. It has grown so beyond that - in fact I've made more "blogger friends" in the last year than I have in person.

2. Did your life turn out the way you thought it would?
NO - Not really well maybe a little. My goal for "When I grow Up" was to be a school teacher or a nurse, or the best would have been be a school nurse (hehehe). Instead I am an Office Manager (making more that most Teachers - but less than Nurses, but discovered I was FREAKED by blood so nursing wouldn't have been for me anyway.) I planned Growing old beside my High School sweetheart and having children with him. That part did turn out like I planned - well actually he was my Junior High Sweetheart - High School was more Off again than On again. Still plan on growing old(er) with him!

3. What do you think are your biggest flaws? may it be physically or not.
Oh man I didn't plan on this being THAT long of a post. Physically - it would be my weight, I have always fought weight issues and have a few times in my life actually got it under control and really began to like myself but then........something happens and I hit a depression and food makes me feel better so.....then I gain weight and that depresses me and then did I mention food makes me feel better. ENDLESS CIRCLE! Another huge flaw is thinking that my way of doing something is the only way to do it. I should have a tatoo on the inside of my wrist that says "Just because it's not your way doesn't mean it is WRONG!"

4. Do you find it hard to balance time w/ children and your spouse?
When my kids were little I was happiest when we did Family times doing stuff all together but my honey always seemed to want "time alone" I felt torn between the two for a long time and then as the kids grew a little more independant it wasn't too bad. The more Randy could meet their needs as well as I could the easier it was (I think the less he felt excluded). I was lucky enough to be a stay at home mom so I didn't feel like I was cheating the kids when we would have one of the grandparents keep the kids for "alone time".

5. Whats some advice you can give us new moms? and why.
The number ONE thing I would encourage new moms is to remember that some day the house will be back to just YOU and YOUR SPOUSE, do not let it be a time when you look at him and say "WHO ARE YOU?" - always make time for Dates with you honey. I have had way too many friends who have seperated or had extra stress on the marriage because they didn't put forth the effort of continuing their friendship with their spouse. Maybe some of them didn't have the friendship with their spouse to begin with.

If you’re interested in being interviewed here's what you do:

-Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.” Leave your email address as well.-I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions-You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.-You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.-When others comment asking to be interviewed you will ask them five questions of your choice *they don't have to be the same as the ones used here*

Slowed Down

Okay this post is going to be filled with things that have flitted through my mind lately and these happened to be the ones that have Slowed Down as it went through long enough to create stress for me.

I have been having issues since before Easter with deciding what I can type and what I can't - I've had a heavy heart for some time in many areas of my life and as I have always tried to teach my children you don't have the right to tell other peoples secrets without their permission. Lots of the things weighting on me are not mine to share but I think I've kept it long enough that they have had time to share the news with everyone they should.

Britt & RC are expecting again - I'm aiming for a girl this time, but then again with 3 big brothers that might not be so fair either. My concern with this is Brittney has not really been herself since Andrew was born just over a year ago and now there's another one on the way. Britt is tired and has had more migraines in the last year than I remember her ever having before so I'm concerned about her health and energy levels. But hey I'm also excited because, I mean you know, it is ANOTHER GRANDBABY and how I love grandbabies!!!!!!

Right before Easter in fact Good Friday, Shawn and Tasha received a notice that they had 10 days to move out of their house, with his job he HAS to live in the same town he works. The town they live in (actually a small one near by) had a catastrophe and now they are trying to rebuild so there is lots and lots of construction workers in their town renting everything from travel trailors to single rooms to save the hour drive from the nearest really big town. So we weren't sure where they were going to find to live - we figured that their landlord had an offer for a bunch more money and wanted the house free to rerent. They were not late on Rent, they were doing everything right (well except for the picking up the dog poo behind their fence that their neightbor had threatened to call Shawn's Capt on him for not cleaning it up - oh yeah and the dog who deposited it is not even Shawn's dogs.) So after a LONG weekend of stress Shawn called their landlord Monday morning and she had sold the house to her son, who immediately signed a lease with them so it was NO BIG DEAL except for running a young couples holiday weekend - Tasha stressed so much she lost weight from being literally sick to her stomach from it.

Nyki and Jeremy have recently moved into a new house - she says she loves it and I know Rylee loves her new room so I'm excited for them. Jakob is practically walking and he is only 10 months - Oh how I was excited for mine to walk then I spent oh the next 18 years chasing them down........hey the same thing can be said about Talking!

My job - where do I ever start with it?
1 My company bought another company and then cleaned house in our org chart and set their people up in all the leadership ........ this means a new boss to me.... this means proving myself yet once again (some of you may remember I went through this just over a year ago and I HATE CHANGE!) So I've been a little stress.
2 I have heard that people are having to interview yet again for their position under the new management so for all I know my new boss may have someone he wants to be his Office Manager/Project Administrator and I could be unemployeed.
3 One of our guys got ticked off and quit just before easter and so I have been trying to learn what he did so nothing falls through the cracks. (Boy do I owe this guy an apology his job was a whole lot harder than I always thought it was.)
4 Even if I don't lose my job - they are talking about moving our office and I am so spoiled to carpooling with Randy - it saves GAS, it saves STRESS, and it gives us time (usually uninterupted time) together. Do I like my job enough to add 45 minutes to my commute? My new boss did say just past Friday that we were moving but wanted to stay on this side of the bay so that's good - except that means I have to find new spaces for the upper management to see and decide on - something else to make me further behind in getting my actuall job done.

I have a wedding coming up and I can't seem find openings in both the Bride's and my schedule to fit the needed meetings to go over the important details so I must figure out something because every Bride deserves the best day possible and that is my job as Wedding Coordinator to make sure it happens. Without being able to meet with a bride I have NO IDEA what she considers her "Perfect Day" to be like.

Randy and I are coordinating Judgement House in October and we are behind the eight ball already because we haven't kicked into high gear and we must!

Randy has been travelling a BUNCH lately which adds to the stress for me......I know y'all know...but I am not able to sleep very good while he's gone.

So my life has been stressful - I know everyones is but I have not been able to shake this Darkness I've walked in for almost 2 years now enough to make a game plan on how to get it under control again.

I wouldn't like me Either!

Well you would think that after 27+ Years of Marriage I would learn not to Embarrass my poor Husband..........................but NOPE I humiliated him for the billionth time on Saturday. He says it's not a BIG DEAL - but I can't seem to shake it.

You ready for the big Build Up? Okay here it goes ...

We are at Busch Gardens having a wonderful time - Just my baby and me. We only rode a couple of rides - Rhino Rally and the Train. We went to shows - I loved the first one (Randy wasn't very thrilled but I LOVED IT!), We went to the Pirates Show that's when I embarrassed him. We are sitting there waiting for the show to start, when this irresistible URGE hit me (no I didn't pass gas!) I well you have to know that you get WET at this show - on the top of the railing there is water standing. We strike up a conversation with this teenage kids beside us - she's seen the show before He has not (neither had Randy and I) so we are sitting there and the URGE to pull a joke hit me.......so I ask this kid if he knew what was in the water sitting on the ledge and he leans forward to see it and I splash it in his face. Would have cracked me up if he hadn't looked so shocked and turned in his chair away from me - leaving no doubt he didn't find it funny at all (YES I'm aware that he was/is a stranger) I laugh and turn to see Randy looking like he wanted to crawl under the seat. I CAN'T believe I did that to a stranger. I was glad when the show was over and we could leave. All I can say is I'm sorry Strange Boy - I'm sorry strange girl - mostly I'm sorry Baby, I will try really hard not to embarrass you like that EVER AGAIN!

Okay now it's your turn to tell me your most embarrassing (recent) thing in your LIFE!

Pet Peeve (of the week)

Okay I have a Pet Peeve - one that has been bugging me for awhile NOW! (I do not mean to offend anyone - okay now that my disclaimer is out of the way I can carry on). In this day and age of Pedophiles being EVERYWHERE! How does anyone justify having a sticker like this on the back of their van?

I see them everywhere with their Stick Daddy, Mother, Son, Daughter, Baby, & even pets. These to me advertise to every SICKO out there follow me home - you already know I have 2 daughters & 3 sons................ Well a while ago I saw one that sent me OVER THE EDGE! It looked more like this. Now not only can you follow me home but you can make my children think you know them because you can call them by NAME.