High's and Low's

The older I'm getting I'm learning that life is full of highs and lows. Right now I'm on a HUGE HIGH!

I love being a mom!

I ENJOY my boys.

I find myself smiling more.

Enjoying the small and simple moments in life.

Lots of laughter in the house.

I don't know if it has been me that has changed, trying to be a better mom or Hunter maturing...whatever it is... things are going wonderful!

Hunter has blossomed in the past couple of weeks. No timeouts, no crying, no fits, oh wait I take that back, the fits,well he did have one... he he he.. but really one in a month, that is GREAT! Hunter truly is my little buddy. I just adore him and I love teaching him. He is like a sponge and he wants to learn. We work on his school work, I know, I know it is summer but he just enjoys school work and figuring out something new each day.
Hunter so got BUSTED wearing "Gator Geer"... daddy wasn't to happy about this picture. LOL
The other day I gave him a fig newton in the car and he said " oh no mom, I can't eat this it has dirt in it". I just laughed and laughed and explained to him that it was just the fig fruit that tasted like that... he is so funny sometimes.

My favorite game with him right now is we go around the house playing hide and seek and we have dart guns so we shoot each other once we find each other. Or the best if to play cowboy and Indian... I'm sooo a mom of BOYS!!!


I'm so blessed in my life with an amazing husband, he works so hard and I'm grateful for all that he provides. He is such a wonderful dad and his boys adore him. I'm so grateful for the way he makes me LAUGH... and smile.


I just ADORE my sweet baby boy Henry! He has a smile that melts your heart. He is walking now... prefers crawling still to get somewhere faster but he is very mobile for sure. He loves to be outside. If a door open he b-lines is to the door as fast as he can and gets sooo mad if someone shuts it. Henry's favorite thing right now is when I'm in the kitchen he will get into the cabinets.. he was so busted one day.... I just love seeing him explore.Henry is our water baby! He splashes and has fun every time he is in the pool, tub, anywhere there is water....

Today I'm High, high, high on life..... and count my blessings one by one.

Lots of Fun Times!

Heidi Happiness!
I loved spending my Thursday afternoon with my sweet friend Heidi. Heidi has walked beside me cheering me on, giving me comforting words and holding my hand when my daughter passed away. We got to work side by side on the enrichment team at church, that was LOTS of FUN. We shared pregnancy's together and she also gave me a shoulder to cry on when I got cancer. We have LAUGHED LOTS and had fun memories of girls nights and fun times watching our children grow up. Heidi is my earthly angel and my dear friend! So you can only imagine that since Me and Emily where in NC ... we were so close to where she lived in NC, we had to visit! We got to see where she lives, her beautiful home was amazing, decorated so cute. Her home had such a peaceful feeling, you could tell there was so much love. Heidi hosted a yummy lunch... any one that knows her, knows she is amazing at hosting, so she turned it up with a delicious sandwich, fruit and refreshing drink. I loved the afternoon lunch spent with her. I wish we could have stayed longer but I felt the kids where ready to be home. I'm grateful for the time spent with her and getting Heidi Hugs. Heidi is beautiful inside and out and she will always have a special place in my heart.
Hunter was so BUSTED in GATOR GEAR!!!! Daddy got a text picture of this. :)

Henry loving on Heidi!

Celebrating Birthdays

.... Happy 94th Granny and Happy 70th Aunt Bert.....

It is always fun to get together with Steve's Family in Tampa. We celebrated birthdays and had a yummy lunch.

The cousins played and "guys" watched soccer on t.v.!

They kept saying how much Henry looked like his "papa Robert" when he was a child. Whatcha think? The curls in the hair for sure... :) Hunter was showing Granny how he made her special stepping stone.. hand print, pictures and all. Leave it to Auntie Ashlea to be the life of the party... she brought POPSICLES!!! This kid is the happiest kid I have EVER met!!! Two peas in a pod! These two are never apart! Best friends for sure. What a calm room, the guys just chilling and watching the game...... AND THEN... here are the moms and all the KIDS! Party in the living room! Present time!

Crusin On Down The Road.... Cragen!!!

It's time to say "see ya later" to a sweet friend. Celeste Cragen was my visiting teaching partner and friend, she is beautiful and so trendy. She made me laugh so many times with here witty sense of humor and she amazed me by her talent of decorating and creativity. Celeste will be missed in Gainesville but I know that here new home and ward at church will just LOVE her, right away. I love ya girl! You will always have a friend on 135th street! Red, White and Blue

http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/uncle-sam-hat-cake-recipe.htm


http://amazingmoms.com/htm/craft-blog-arts-and-crafts-for-kids.htm

Happy Fathers Day, we love you - Haley, Hunter & Henry !!

My Sweet Steve is the best Father ever! He is a daddy to 3 beautiful children. His only angel daughter Haley is watching over him each day and his boys are by his side wanting to be just like him. I'm so grateful for an amazing man that raises his boys in the gospel, he is such a great example for them, praying ,reading scriptures and teaching them duing Family Home Evening. Hunter ADORES Steve and would spend every sec of his day with him if he could. They love to wrestle, ride 4-wheelers, go to the woods and spot deer. Some other fun daddy son days they go for BBQ, read books, and he loves for his daddy to lay beside him and talk, right before bed. OHHHH.... we can't forget... Hunter is a FSU SEMINOLE JUST LIKE HIS DADDY! I could not ask for a more wonderful person for my boys! Happy Fathers day babe!

"See A Good Day #20" - Our Super Star Graduate!!!!

Hunter learned how to write his whole name, count to 100, his days of the week and months. He learned the life cycle of a frog. He would come home telling us so many stories, each week they focused on a different letter. Our office wall at home is covered with the letters he designed. He was always excited to share with art work. Our little man really grew alot, and shows confidence in his work. He now does his own cards, and now he is working adding and subtraction. Wow... kindergarten in the fall. We are so proud of our little man!

Love, love , love this picture!!! Joseph, Enoch, Hunter and Sophia.

Front and center!

Hunter's amazing teachers Mrs. Mary and Mrs. Tiffany. He tried to bring them home lots of times. He just adored them and a couple of times he even told me "no mommy Mrs. Mary said......." Oh yeah his teacher totally trumped me (or so he thought, ha ha). Nice Huh!

Hi there little graduate!

Hunter is surrounded by girls... what a little ladies man. And now we see who is not paying attention to the teacher... because he is talking to Sophia, little social butterfly... i'm sure he listened ALL year, right?!?!?...... :)
I sure do love this little guy!!! Oh my heart is full and proud. I'm so excited for him and the way he just jumps into life, so eager to learn and explore.


Hunter and Joseph look adorable!! What a fun year they had together learning, growing and having fun.

Lacy was so great to carpool with me and shared this year together watching the boys grow so much. Thanks Lacy, I'm really going to miss you next year.

The Ride

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey … delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”
Gordon B. Hinckley

"See" A Good Day 19 - Memorial Day Memories

Our family headed down south for the memorial day weekend. It was so nice having daddy with us since he has been working so hard in Miami getting a project done. We had a BBQ with Steve's family, spent one day with my sister's family and just relaxed and hit the beach. We went to Sanibel Island... here are some of the fun things we did and saw.

Steve was so impressed with the boat.. it had 4 engines... guess you have to be a guy to understand the wow in it!!! Show your husband the picture... :)

Henry was on a mission.. he totally made a b-line to the water...

The good ol' USA!!

I totally want a pair of these lawn chairs in my yard... so fun. Lauren these would look great by your pool!
"She Sells Sea Shells" Say that 5 times fast!
Hunter loved his "daddy time", they had fun playing shark in the water...

Mommy and her little buddy, it really was a perfect day to go play and splash around in the water. Henry didn't cry once... much different from the "first" beach trip.

Steve was laughing at Henry trying to eat the sand and crawl into the water, not to mention our other son trying to pick up girls in bikini bathing suits.. really I don't know where he learns this stuff from. :) Henry LOVED the beach this time.. the water was perfect! He loved watching the birds.
Our little "social" guy made friends right away...Of course you see who he really wants to play with .... the girl! What a flirt.
We spotted this tree, it was breathtaking! This picture doesn't do it justice. It was all over the island.. just gorgeous.