Things I love...

I really wanted to put some of these pictures on Pinterest but couldn't figure out how to pin them. So I figured if they were on a blog, I could do it that way. Hope it works!

I'm Back..............

Ok, I know I've been gone for far too long but I have made amends and have decided to come back to the blogging world. For one, I've missed you all but I must admit the bigger reason is that I've missed chronicling the craziness that I call my "life". My kids are growing and changing so fast and I want to have proof one day that they still lived at home and needed me at times! So, I will do my best to stay better updated in here. And if we are confessing then I must blame my departure mostly on that darn Facebook! You know, you all can relate...it sucks you in and doesn't let you go. I don't look at it as much as I used to but it still is a time sucker.

Now you know how it is when you haven't written in your journal in far too long....there is no way in Haitis that you'll be able to catch up with all that's been going on so I won't even try. But just a quick summary....still married to the same man, still have 4 girls, all but the oldest still live at home (we keep trying to kick out the 10 yr old but she won't go JK), still have a brown furry dog living here and I still rule the roost! That about sums it up...

So I give you my word, I will be back AND it won't be in another 2 years :)

It happened...

You know when you have lived with someone for almost 19 years, day in and day out, it is REALLY hard to let them go! But I suppose this mother duck has to let her duckling fly (or just waddle)!! We drove Hannah down to Dixie on Thursday and by Friday morning she was shooing us out the door. Let me just tell you that 4 hour drive home was the longest ride of my life! I couldn't bring myself to go into her room until late last night, it was so sad! And even more touching is the fact that when I went to put something away this morning in her room, I found Hailey asleep in her bed. Let's just say it's hard on all of us :(

But this is the way life is right?, you get used to having your little family all safe and sound under one roof and then one by one they leave you...boo hoo. Hannah is so excited though and I know she is going to do great things with her life...now I just need to figure out what to do with mine!

More Florida Fun...

OUR FLORIDA FOOD FIGHT!

Gross but so fun!!

Super Cool Dad...

I always knew my dad was a stud but when I came across this old picture of him it reminded me of this other stud...
Hmmm...who knew my dad had already created the role of "Tristian" from Legends of the Fall. So here's to you dad, I have a whole new admiration for you now!

My panties are definitely in a WAD!

REALLY???

REALLY???

Is it really ok and just acceptable to joke about SOMEONE else's 14 year old daughter getting knocked up by a pro baseball player??

Is this what the public thinks is funny? I personally think it's so sad. And I think I am pretty liberal on most issues and don't usually get offended by the media or Hollywood persona. Maybe it's because I have 4 of my own daughters or maybe it's just cause I am a decent human being, BUT I would like to think we could respect our daughters and young women just a bit more than this. I really try to keep my blog pretty light and happy but this just bugged me!! And I usually like Letterman...I just think this is totally classless.

I don't care where you come from, what religion you are, if you are republican or democrat, male or female, have daughters or not...all I'm asking is to not take this so lightly. FOR Hells sake...she's 14 and he's what???, 30ish. Just not funny to me.

K, that's all...just had to step onto that soap box.

(Oh and if you don't know what I'm talking about...go to YOU TUBE and enter in Letterman commenting on Sarah Palin's daughter, Willow)

She did it!

Ok, so the big graduation day finally came and I checked, she really did get a HS diploma! (Not that I had reason to think she wouldn't.) We are proud of her but I can't believe I have a daughter ready to go to college. After all, I'm pretty sure I just recently attended my own HS graduation.

One minute we are here...

And suddenly we've jumped here...

But we love her and look forward to her future!

Graduation, Birthdays and Banquets

I know, I know, I have been a very bad blogger lately!! I do apologize, as I'm sure you all have been waiting with baited breath for my next post. And I'm also sorry to say that there will probably be a few more posts regarding Hannah's graduation...after all, after 18 years, the big day is THIS week. Yesterday we were sitting in church (All of us a little bored I might add) when Hope whipped up this little drawing...we all got a good chuckle from it. I hope you can read it, it really is a hoot. I love the comments she has coming from each one of our mouths...

Moving on to Hailey's end of year banquet...YEAH we survived our first year of competitive dance. After all the sacrifices, especially the one where we sold our oldest child into slavery, we made it! I have to say that I am super, duper proud of her and she really worked her fanny off this year. These are some of the darling girls that she danced with...

Here's Hailey with her award for "Little Miss Animation"...hmmm I wonder where she gets that from????

And last but not least....HOPE turned 11. Ok, I know it happened well over a month ago, BUT...I've been busy (sort of). She had a great birthday, scored big with her first IPOD (thanks Mimi and Ruff) and a TV!! She was able to have a big party with lots of her friends and I know that was a hit. I really love this girl...she is super funny, lights up the room with her HUGE personality and is so nurturing. She's the BEST babysitter ever! So Happy Belated Birthday Hope...we love you so much.

She's not so little any more!

So my little Hannah has just up and grown up on me!! She didn't ask if this was ok, she just went ahead and did it! In just a little more than 3 weeks she'll be graduating from HS and I can't believe it. I really am proud of her even if I'm gonna bawl my eyes out when she leaves. And if you are wondering who took these awesome pictures of her, it's the amazingly talented Melissa http://melissaephotography.blogspot.com/ ! I love her and her skillz :)

2 Great Weekends!

So this past weekend I was able to get away with some of my dearest girlfriends and head to Park City. We had so many great laughs and I had a blast. We all stayed up late and played games, and talked, and ate and laughed, and ate (Oh, did I already mention that one?) It was awesome and I love these girls.

Chrissy Lou and Char!All of us enjoying a long, yummy, fondue dinner!

Me and Char

The first night...We were all giving ourselves facials which is why Rach looks a little pale :)

The girls keeping busy in the kitchen!

The 2nd great weekend I've had was over Easter. Randy decided last minute that we should take the kids and travel to Vegas and see how much we could get for them....I mean, take them for a fun long weekend!! And of course when you think of Vegas and Fun, you think Circus Circus! Y'up...they loved it there...the Adventuredome and the pool, they were pretty much set.

And if that didn't sound good enough maybe we could meet Criss Angel...Y'ep...we met him. Have you ever seen 4 young girls screaming and crying over this Mindfreak??? Yeah, that would pretty much be my 3 younger ones and a friend. We were just strolling through the Luxor when Hudsen said, "That's him (meaning Criss)". After that it was a complete zoo...there was a crowd following him and we jumped right in. He walked down to his gift store and then signed autographs and took pictures for about 20 minutes. My girls thought that they had died and gone to heaven!!

Ignore the dude on the right...I have no idea who he is!

All in all...we had a great time, it was sunny and warm and it was just fun to get-away. And in case you were wondering, we did come back with all 4 children. (No Hannah though, she was too cool for us and was on Spring Break with her friends!)

Excerpts from a 2nd Graders autobiography...

Oh that Hudsen, have I ever mentioned how much I love that little girl??? She makes me laugh so hard and I can't seem to get enough of her. The following has been taken from her recently written and published 2nd Grade memoirs...gotta love it!!Love that she is a self proclaimed "Excellent Shopper"....she must get that from me!
Who needs to "Expect great things from Macy's"....that is way overrated!