Armed and dangerous!!!!!!

OH.MY.GOODNESS! I can update my blog from my phone.  It's all over now friends!   Wowzers.   

This one's for you!

Two and a half years!  TWO AND A HALF YEARS!!!!!!!!!!  You know when people say "Time flies when you are having fun!", well let this be the proof.  So, this one is for you Tay Tay!

Coincidently, it appears I stopped blogging about the same time I met the person who has encouraged me to start again!  Taylor walked into our life late summer 2012 and since has become an extended part of our family.  Today she asked to see videos of Cooper and Sammy as babies and I remembered this blog.  Seeing her joy over the stories and posts made me realize MY joy as well.  I want to keep this up.  I want my three precious babies to read our good times, our bad times and our HILARIOUS times.  When Phil and I are old and gray I want to reread our "story" while holding hands at the nursing home.....ok maybe not, while holding hands on Emme's back porch!  :)

So catching up will be no laughing matter.  There will be lots to cover....the good, the bad and the ugly.  However, 10 years into this parenting gig, I can honestly say, it just keeps getting better.  Only God knew the plan he had for Phil and I.  He provided obstacles to challenge us, grow us, frustrate us and overwhelm us.  He provided three blessings to encourage us, remind us, grow us and lets be real....overwhelm us.  He provided JOY, love, heartache, laughter, success, failure and broken hearts.  BUT around every corner we have been TOGETHER and it truly is A WONDERFUL WORLD!  So thank you Taylor for coming into our lives and reminding me to hold on tight to what I have.  YOU are a blessing to US in so many wonderful ways.  Here's to many more blog posts in the future. 

(When we took Taylor with us to Disneyland)

(Easter 2014: Cooper 9, Sammy 7.5, Emme 2.5, Phil/Katie....well that doesn't matter)

New beginnings, hard endings....Dec. 2008

Post from Dec. 2008 that I never published. 

Today Phil left for Orlando. We shopped for groceries, loaded his car with suits and he pulled out of the driveway. I cried. I know he probably was emotional too....I could tell. We have so much to be thankful for and so much to be excited for, but today was tough. Every new beginning had good and bad points and Phil leaving today was the bad point of this amazing opportunity.

Phil will start as the Business Development Manager for Vaco tomorrow in Orlando. We are very excited about this opportunity and the future it will allow us to have in Jacksonville. The plan is to return to Jacksonville in roughly 16 months. For the time being, we will live from both cities. There will be lots of wonderful memories in our Orlando apartment and many here at home in Jacksonville. The hard part is going to be those days we have to be apart.

Phil left and I started crying. All day I knew I was on the verge of tears. I think it started when we told Cooper about our new adventure. Cooper and Samantha have been there through it all....getting the apartment, moving in, etc. but we had not yet really talked about what this all meant. Samantha was cool with it all (seeing as she is 2) but Cooper immediately burst into tears as his lip quivered. He knew.....

For the last 5 1/2 years of my life, I have spent nearly every day with the love of my life. Yes we have gone on vacations, spent time apart during our TX/FL move and so forth I never had to say goodbye for long. I know this will not be long either....just a few days here and there. But for some reason I was not really ready for today. I already just want to pile in the car and head to Orlando. My mom did this a few times while we were growing up and Dad changed jobs. I never really knew how hard it was on her......if I did, I would have hugged her more.

For me, this will be tough but for Phil....I just cannot imagine. What an amazing father and husband to do this for US!  We can do this, just like we always have.  UGH.

Daddy's HOME! Post from 2009

Top 10 reasons we love daddy: post from 2009

10. He works hard so Cooper/Samantha and I can stay home and be together.

9. He makes great pancakes on Saturday mornings.

8. He can carry BOTH kids on his back and walk on all fours around the house.

7. He LIKES to do the laundry. (I can hear women gasping right now!!!!)

6. He lets me leave to run right when he walks in the door from a busy day at work.

5. He shares his food. (He is lucky enough to be able to eat REALLY yummy stuff and not gain weight. SO since I cannot order that stuff myself he always lets me have a bite.)

4. He gets the coffee pot ready every night before bed so I just have to wake up and turn it on.

3. He cleans up all of Murphie's messes.

2. He provides for us and doesn't complain about it.


1. He turns the AC up in the car full blast to freeze us as a joke and doesn't let me turn it down until we have all died with laughter. 

A picture is worth 1000 words....summer 2009

Want some swine with that???? Aug 2009

August 2009, after we moved to Atlanta and I went back to work (trying to add to the income while trying to sell our Florida house). 

Last week was my first week of work. The week was supposed to go something like this:

Weekend- time with Phil's visiting parents

Monday- chiropractor appt, work-out, lunch with Ken (visiting from Australia), grocery store, Tae Kwon Do

Tuesday- Kid's downtown with Phil's parents, Katie's first day of training 8-4 pm

Wednesday- Phil work from home (Mr. Mom), both kids in preschool, Katie training 8-5, Katie dinner with new team 5-9

Thursday- Nanny come for the first time, Cooper in school, Katie training 8-4, Phil in PA for meeting

Friday- Dede/Ken with kids, both kids in preschool, Katie training 8-4, Phil home from PA @5pm

The week WENT more like this:

Weekend- GREAT time with Grandma and Grandpa visiting from PA

Monday- chiro appt, workout and lunch with kids and Ken!, grocery store, tae kwon do

Tuesday- kids spend the day downtown with Grandma and Grandpa, Katie's first day of work

Tuesday midnight- Cooper comes into our room with a bad fever

Wednesday- Phil stays home with both kids, Samantha goes to school until she convinces her teacher she is "sicky"...teacher calls me....I call Phil....Phil and Cooper pick her up early, Phil finds a pediatrician here since we did not have one yet (had no need til now) and Cooper (who has thrown up on Phil by now) is diagnosed with the "swine flu". Phil comes home with Cooper and Samantha, tried to figure out how to fill the prescription for Zofran since Publix is out of it and Cooper is super sick in the car waiting at CVS, Katie's 2nd day of work and dinner out.

Wednesday midnight- Cooper in tub with Phil because of a fever and throwing up, Katie lysols the whole house and changes bedding.

Thursday- Phil cancels his trip to PA, stays home with both kids and hopes he and Samantha stay well. Katie work day 3.

Friday- Phil stays home AGAIN, Samantha heads to school, Cooper perks up for part of the day before feeling pretty ill again.

Sat- Cooper seems to be feeling A LOT better, we all go see "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" and afterwards Cooper's ear starts to hurt a TON and the fever comes back.

Sunday- Phil spends the day and evening tailgating with his best friend at the Falcon's game. A MUCH deserved break!

So, as you can see, life never turns out the way you plan it to but if you roll with the punches, keep on trucking with necessary adjustments to the plan, it works! I was definitely tired, stressed and sad by the end of the week since I was not the one nursing my sweet boy back to health but Phil did a great job and I was lucky he was around. Here's hoping week 2 if a bit easier!!!!!!

Whew!

Blog post from summer 2010, I continued to train until Emme was born. 

As everyone knows, I started working with a new company in October supporting their reading product. I have enjoyed my work there so much that when offered an opportunity to work as an educational consultant offering on-site professional development, training and support to teachers and administrators using the products, I was delighted. But wow, I did not know what I had signed on for completely until I dove in!!!!

Teachers have to learn new products, methods, standards, rules, etc. almost annually across the nation. Every few years the district will adopt a new Language Arts/Math/Science or Social Studies curriculum. The teachers must learn how to weave the new product into their existing knowledge and framework and make it all "work" with their 20...now maybe 30....students. On top of that there are changes in class size, building location, grade levels, administration, technology and so on. So, the life of an educator is anything but boring! Yes, they go to school 7-4 and work with kids. They get the summers "off" (ha). BUT did you know during that "off" time, they must attend professional development to renew their certificate, make everything for the new school year which will start in 8 short weeks AND often times attend trainings on their new products! So, teachers do not really have much time OFF!

Here is where I will come in. The principal will send an email to the K-3 teachers telling them about their new product, professional development and/or training coming in two weeks. The teachers will all talk to each other about how this is something new, they are not too sure about it and what they already have works fairly well! The on a hot July or August day when they would rather be at the pool with their families they will come to the computer lab and BAM....meet me!

I will spend the next 1 to 3 days with them inspiring them, motivating them, teaching them, learning FROM them and weaving a web of their knowledge, our product, my experience and their school/classroom needs. But this all happens after I have driven to the ATL airport, flown to a new city, found the location and studied the specifics of their district as to provide helpful insight!

I was honored this week to spend 4 days with 45 amazing women (and two men) in Dallas. Once a year the company brings the 45 educational consultants together to re-energize, re-teach and re-inspire them for the work ahead. I was amongst former superintendents, principals, college professors, writers, teachers and more! It was such an amazing experience to hear what they had to say, learn from them and admit to myself that I was worthy of being in a room with them!!! Professionally, I am thrilled with this new opportunity. As a teacher I always wanted to share what I knew, encourage those who had lost the spark and help remind my peers that at the end of the day it was the STUDENT that mattered. It is easy, with all the above mentioned stress, to lose sight of the prize......making informed and meaningful instructional decisions in order to helps each and every student grow to their full potential.

 

So my task will be to learn the material (a large task) and travel when asked to wonderful locations to fill a need! I am excited and exhausted all at the same time!

baby

Blog post from December 2010 that I failed to publish.....


Well, for someone who is not very tight-lipped when it comes to GOOD surprises (in fact I think I only kept ONE good one in my life and that was my friend's 30th bday surprise party!)......this is going to be a challenge.  I CAN keep secrets well but surprises just get me all giddy and way too excited.   I am hoping keeping notes on here (to share later) will help! Maybe I will feel like I am telling the world.

How it began~ Phil and I have always talked about the mysterious "third" child one of us seemed to always want the last 4 years.....it was just never BOTH of us wanting it at the same time.....until recently. I think we both knew 3 would be a good number for us. I grew up saying I wanted 3 kids, Phil comes from a family of 4, we have two perfect ones now so why not, etc. Life has been a roller-coaster the last few years with jobs, moves, houses and honestly two sweet children 17 months apart! It was just never the perfect time to add to our family. Then came the "Cooper and Samantha are not getting any younger" conversations and the "we finally feel settled" talks. Finally, it was time. BUT wait, Aunt Sarah gets married July 2nd and we would prefer to travel there as a family of 4 so NOTHING would make us miss that event......so end of October: GAME ON (so to speak!).

The plan~ "If it happens, it happens.....if not, we have been blessed with a beautiful family already!" Anyone knowing Phil and I should laugh since we have had to move a lot, we have had some house and work woes, we have done our time living in separate cities (Jax and Orlando), etc but one thing we do NOT struggle with is making babies!

Finding out~I bought Publix generic 2 for $5 with $1 off pregnancy tests. What was I thinking?????? Maybe that they would work? So I took one (5 days early like the pack said) and it was negative. Phil and I were a bit bummed, solidifying the fact this was definitely a wanted pregnancy!!!! A few days later, I did not feel so hot and though, why not.....cycle is late, I have an extra test, etc. A big fat positive popped up making me realize generic 4 for $5 tests are NOT super sensitive and should NOT be taken early! ;) We were thrilled and shocked all rolled into one.

11/22/10-positive test (Phil's birthday!!!!!)

11/28/10- 1st dr. appointment cancelled b/c the dr. was sick.....is that a bad sign?

12/2/10- pregnancy brain must have set in because I have no more notes on this post after this date....LOL.

Whew, December FLEW by!

Post from Dec. 2010:

Man, December flew by. We started with a trip to Blue Ridge with friends to ride the Santa train and spend a weekend at the cabin.

Followed by a work trip to North Carolina for me (and my mom came along for fun) and a work trip to Tennessee for Phil.

Then we had my birthday, Cooper's 6th birthday bowling party (on my birthday), Grandma's quick visit, Cooper's real birthday, birthday treats at school, etc.........

A quick ice storm hit Atlanta and cancelled school for one day but did NOT ruin their special holiday productions OR parties (which I was party mom for one of.....phew!).

Then came our holiday Disney trip (a gift from Dede and Papa). We left after school on Friday and returned the following Wednesday! It was SO much fun but a whirlwind in itself! I would have to say the highlights were Cooper completing Jedi training, Phil FINALLY being chosen as an extra on Indiana Jones and Sammy seeing all her princess friends at the Storybook dinner.....oh and we cannot forget our amazing view from our room blacony at the Contemporary!


On the way home from Disney, since we took two cars, we picked up our new puppy who spent the next two days at my parent's hiding out. Ken arrived on Christmas Eve, we hosted a wonderful dinner (mostly cooked by my mom), gave the dog to the kids (well the Elves dropped him off) and snuggled in bed for Santa's visit.

Christmas morning we woke up in our OWN home (it was amazing) and enjoyed a fabulous day with the kids, my parents, Ken and Biscuit (the new puppy). We got a bunch of snow and enjoyed our White Christmas.



Overall, December has been packed with amazing times, fabulous memories, great times with family and friends and FUN, FUN, FUN. But man oh man....I am ready for January......the month of nothing. (well, nothing EXCEPT my dad turns 60! wowzers!!!!!)

A new normal....

Blog post from August 2011:

In the past, a normal Saturday was a trip to Costco, the pet store, lunch out as a family and back home for some yard/house work.  It was very predictable, manageable and everyone seemed to like our lazy days together.

Now, we have a new normal:

We all crawled out of bed and got ready for our marathon day!

 We headed to the ball field for Opening Day.  We arrived 45 minutes early for batting practice in the cages followed by a one and a half our game.  Cooper hit the ball each time he was up to bat and even made it to second base at one point.  At the end of the game his coach awarded him with the game ball.  We were all so excited!!!!



It's quiet!

Blog post from Fall 2011 that I failed to publish.....maybe newborn baby brain!

It is 7:39 pm and QUIET in my house.  Phil is out of town, Biscuit is on the couch behind me, Emme is in the bouncer at my feet and Cooper/Samantha are tucked in their beds.  I have this under control....of so I keep telling myself every day lately it seems.  See, it has been two months since I blogged and for good reason.  I have had countless amazing moments in those last two months, moments that were VERY blog-worthy.  But just as we cannot make time stand still, I have not found time to hop on here and blog.  Then I beat myself up because reading past blog posts of mine, particularly very old ones is one of my favorite things to do because it takes me back to those times in my life I never want to forget, the magical moments that make my life the wonderful one that it is.  So, here I am, once again saying I WILL be better about blogging!

But here is the reality of my situation,

I wake up about 6:30 with a beautiful baby on my arm (yes folks, she sleeps ON me! I do not care what you think or what you have to say.....she is my LAST baby, we sleep together and we like it!).  Usually there is at least one of our "big" kids in bed too.  If not both, the other comes running in by 7:00 am.  Phil is in the shower getting ready for work.  I head downstairs with the kids and the next two hours are madness!  Everyone is dressed and fed, backpacks are loaded, lunches are packed, hair is brushed, vitamins are pushed down throats and we walk Cooper to the bus stop at 7:40.  Sammy, Emme and I get home about 8:00, do some of her homework or practice her reading then I load them in the car and get in her carpool line by 8:45.  At 9:00 Emme and I take a deep breath, usually head home so she can eat (and MAYBE I can shower) then we head out for the day.  We usually spend at least 2 of the 5 days at Bascomb volunteering (Cooper's school), one day running errands, sometimes an event with friends and every once in a while a quiet day at home.  At 1:00 Emme and I get Sammy from school.  We head home and the first thing she always wants to do is her homework!!!!  The "girls" hang out (we stay BUSY....let's remember Samantha is a 5 year old girl....if you do not have one or have not had one yet, it is BUSY).  Emme usually eats at least once in that time and poops a few times.  She has reflux so I change her about 5 times a day as well.  At 3:30 we walk up the the bus stop and are home with Cooper by 4:00.  Then it is a fast snack, homework time again (this time Cooper's), sometimes dinner and changing clothes and off to either cub scouts, baseball, ballet or gymnastics.  Usually we are home by 7:00 again, see Daddy and start the bedtime routine!  I try and fit in housework, laundry, some cooking, grocery shopping and lots of baby feedings into that mix.   It is a crazy routine but one I am so happy to live daily.  Now, insert blogging......hmmmmmm.

Back from my blogcation

Blog post from Nov. 2011 that I failed to publish:

So, I have been gone for a while!  Two months to be exact and in that time I have shared so many blog-worthy precious moments with my family but found no time to write about them!!!!!