Sea World Trip

Our eldest daughter's 5th birthday is coming up here shortly, so we decided to take her to Sea World. There were quite a few of us that went for the day and I think we had a pretty good time. Some were smart enough to get a room for Friday night so they didn't have to fight the traffic Saturday, my crew wasn't the "smart" one! Getting started a little late plus an accident put us over there around 11 instead of the intended 9:30. Once there it was time to roll and it was non-stop from the start. We started off with the Stingray pool then worked our way around the dolphins, manatees and then on to our first show. After the show we finally gave into the kids and headed to "kiddie land" so they could

play in the water. And play they did!!!! Next it was off to the wonderful Believe show featuring Shamu.

It was a day full of fun and ended with the kids on the trampoline/bungee cord "thing". To our surprize C & M did fine with this. We ended the day around 7:30 and headed home! This was a fun return as Z decided to start "spewing" everywhere. We made it home safe and sound and the adults are flat wore out. the kids, well that's a different story!

WW - What color does your life display?

WW - The love of a father and son......

I wish I had the time...

How often in our lives do we use this simple little phrase? Well here are some for me.

I wish I had the time to:

...enjoy the outdoors more

...learn wood working skills

...go back to college and pursue my dream

...relax

...watch TV

...go fishing

...play golf

...travel/go RVing!

...workout

...just be!

Generic Thursday Thirteen!!!!

Because I'm to lazy to go get that fancy header!!!

Thirteen Song In My iPod I wouldn't let my buddies know are there!!!!


1. 4 Celine Dion songs ( Power of Love, My Heart Will Go On, It's All Coming Back To Me Now, Because You Loved Me )

2. 8 Elton John songs...

3. 4 John Denver songs

4. Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch

5. Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson]

6. Cracklin' Rosie - Neil Diamond

7. A Groovy Kind of Love - Phil Colins

8. Waterfalls - TLC

9. Go Rest High On That Mountain - Vince Gill

10. We Built This City - Starship

11. Sussido - Phil Collins

12. River In The Rain - Big River Soundtrack

13. Miami Vice Theme Song

The TICKET!

SO last Friday on my way to work at 3:30 in the morning, I found myself with some pretty little blue lights tailing me! Now I'm not going to complain to much because I was in the wrong by doing 76 in a 55, really not as bad as it sounds if you knew the area it happened. At any rate, just minutes before this a guy blew by me doing well over 85 mph, but does he get busted NOOOOOO!!! So to top it off I am very polite with the officer, everything ending in SIR ( like my momma taught me ), thinking maybe he'll have a little sympathy for me. Huh, I fully expected the ticket, but the kicker was after being nice, al he had to do was lower it 2 mph and it would have saved me about $35. Thanks for nothing, pal! So C is telling D2 the story and D2 thinks I'm in jail and starts crying and calling for me. At any rate, the girls think it's a big joke now and everytime we go somewhere I get "it sure feels like we're going fast". I know a lot of people don't get tickets in a lifetime, but one every ten years ain't so bad. And if dad should happen to be reading this, no I didn't figure out how much time it saved me by going that fast!!!!

If I knew how to "tag" I would do so to my sister so she can share her, Atlanta pulled over story!

Until next time, be safe, slow down and don't worry about being nice if you get pulled over!

The "talk"......

The other night I was in our playroom with our girls coloring, which is a nightly ritual we do just to talk together while G puts Z to sleep. Anyway, C out of the blue says...mom I really need to talk to you, I said ok what's on your mind? She says, how do you make a kid? Totally took me off guard and the world seemed to stop spinning for a minute. I thought to myself how do I explain this so a five year old could understand? I proceeded to explain a relationship between a man and a woman and they make a commitment to each other before God then they decide to have a child together. She stops me suddenly and says...mom! I know all that already I want to know HOW a kid is made! You know that already?! What are they teaching you in Pre-K I wondered??!! Now what do I say.......so I went into a further explanation naming the "private parts" of the male to which D2 chimes in and says...I know what that is Daddy, Z and Uncle D has that! Uncle D?? How did he get into ths conversation?? I know he would be happy that D2 thought about him but not like that!! Oh lord, heaven help me with this. I kept myself together and said yes, that's right K and tried to move forward with this as soon as possible. I got to the female explanation and thought I was doing pretty good when I noticed C had lost all interest because Dragon Tales came on TV and K was humming some song by Tim Mcgraw.
SO, back to coloring I went and was saved by Dragon Tales and Tim........until next tme.....

Sharing my "monster"....

After reading my SIL's blog I realized just how my life has been impacted by the word cancer. As I was growing up I had a best friend named Susan, we did everything together, went on family vacations, sleeping at each others house, going to each other's churches just inseparable, her family was my family and visa versa. Her mother was so loving and I remember how she was friends with everyone and was always smiling and laughing, not a person you would think would be dealt a bad hand but she was. I'll never forget the day I was told she had cancer, I was about 14 years old. I had heard the word before but never really paid attention to it until then. In that year I watched this woman I considered my second mom go through the painful treatments of chemo and radiation, losing her hair, her skin burning, throwing up constantly and her body blowing up like a balloon and through it all she still had a smile for everyone. In less than a year cancer had taken her life, I was never the same after that experience and neither was my beloved friend....they moved away. Years later I visited her at Ithaca College and it was just like old times, sister of sorts...she graduated with high honors. That thread of cancer will always tie us together...

The next was my wonderful Grandmother, we were very close and I loved her more then I could ever express. She decided she did not want to go through the chemo treatments and died a painful death. It was excruciating to watch but was so relieved when she passed because I knew she was in a better place and free of pain. I miss her to this day.....

Years later it would be me that was diagnosed with the big "C"...knowing what I knew about cancer, my first reaction was that I was going to die. I went through a lot of depression and a lot of mental emotion that took me to some dark places. I eventually overcame and won the battle but it has taken years to do so and had to really focus on "life".

Through my working years I have seen cancer take the lives of good people, friends diagnosed and there loved ones lost. Cancer does not pick and choose it's victims, it's a mystery and unfortunately has no meaning. It is something on some level to which we can all relate to and maybe someday we can find what causes this monster to attack.
For the sake of our children and the lives of there children, may we demolish all forms of cancer....

We get the hint!

Ok,so it's been a while AND Dan has psoted a couple times since we did. So the going's on at Lancer have been many an I'm sure I'llforget some, but here's my best synop, ah hellthe best I can remember!

We made it through another soccer season. This was D2's first season and onceshe got the hang of it she really enjoyed it! Her age group didn't play any official games although they did scrimmage the last couple of weeks. Al she was concerned with was getting a trophy! And here's the big moment

D1 enjoyed her 2nd season and really started to get the hang of the game. Her skills picked up dramatically and she scored 4 or times this season. She absolutely loves soccer, cometo think of it I think it's sports in general she loves.

Z is well, Z! As C says "he's a full time job"! I never thought a kid could be so active. There isn't a chair, couch, ottaman, slide, couch or table he hasn't climbed on! He's the happiest little boy and greets me everyday I walk in the door with the "Z Happy Dance" and then insist I chase him around the house for the next ten minutes. I have a feeling in a couple of years I'm gonna have a "shadow" every where I go, but I look forward to it.

As for me and mommy, we're chugging along! I've started a project of refinishing our front door and it has turned out to be more of a chore than we first thought, but it will look a heck of a lot better when complete. We're excited at the news that D is going to be moving back to Florida and going after his dream of working in real estate. We wish him all the luck in the worl and have no doubt he will be successful in his endeavor. like I said I'm sure I left some things out and am sure my dear mother ( no she really is awesome ) will point them out to me!! Love ya MA!!! Ok I'll end it here, no promises when I'll be back, but hopefully sooner than later. Have a good one and ya'll come back now ya hear....

The love of a purple Dinosaur......

Barney rocks!!!........Literally.

WW - We LOVE our Uncle "D" !

Fun at the State Fair!

Happy Birthday "G"...

Yesterday was my DH Birthday and I had planned a nice day with some family and friends at a place called Splitsville which is a bowling alley surrounded by restaurants, billiard tables and a few bars in the heart of Downtown Tampa called Channelside. There was about 15 of us and we all had a really good time enjoying good company.
I think what I really enjoyed the most was watching my DH just relaxing, laughing and having fun with friends he doesn't get to spend time with like he used to but have all managed to stay close and be there for each other no matter what.
I don't think I tell him nearly enough how much I adore him. He truly is the light of my life and completes this puzzle called "me". He's extremely loyal, a dedicated father and a wonderful husband and partner. I could not ask for a better person to bless my soul......so with that said, "G" I love you with all my heart and I hope you had a very Happy Birthday.......

Funny how things work out....

The other day when I took C to school I was approached by the Director, she wanted to talk to me for a moment. Now the thought that was running through my head was not good, thinking what in the world has my child done that the Director wants to speak with me. Little did I know it had nothing to do with her at all but about me. She said she had noticed my interaction with not only my children but with the other chldren in C's class and wondered if I would like the opportunity to assist the afterschoolers on a part time basis. I have to say I was a little shocked and taken back but my interest was peaked, so we set up a meeting to discuss the details.
I met with her on Tuesday and the hours would be from 2 -6 Monday - Friday, paid of course, and I would have to get 40 hours of certified training. All three of our children would go to the age appropriate classes at this time as well for half price. Needless to say my take home pay after that and taxes will be about how much it would cost to put gas in the car once, but for my children to be exposed to a social learning environment especially our two youngest, makes it all worth while.
I did accept the offer and my start date is February 1st, so wish me luck and we'll see how it works out....

WW - Our little trampoline jumper...

IT'S A GIRL!!

Here is our new bundle of joy....Jaz. She was a stray that took to the girls...ok, me too and G found a little place in hs heart as well. She comes inside for a while to play, a bite to eat and then a little "cat" nap and she's off back into the wild world called our backyard. She really is sweat, so I guess as long as she likes us then she can stay and hang around this crazy bunch....

Sorry to disappoint anyone if you thought another baby shower was in store but that department has gone out of business. So unless you want to buy some cat nip, this is as close as it gets!!

NEW ADDITION TO THE FAMILY!!!!

We have a new addition coming to the family and thought since blogging is the craze what better way to announce it on here!!! Stay tuned for details ( waiting on conformation ).

Our Little Monkey!!!!

Ok in case there was ANY dooubt Z is 100% little boy! Not that there was, but its amazing after two girls how different little boys are. He's started doing the usual things bringing rocks inside, playing in the dirt and so on, but at the ripe old age of one he's picked up the habit of climbing! We're sitting here the other day and look over and he's managed to climb up on the computer chair and stand up, then he learned he could get on top of the toy box, then Christie caught him climbing out of his high chair and across the table. While these are feats in themselves the feat from this past weekend takes the cake!

Let me start off by trying to explain the "lay out". The girls have a trampoline ( full size with net around it ) and it probably sits 3-4 feet off the ground, so we put a deck chair out there for them to climb on to get up in the trampoline. Well this weekend they're out there with Z playing and I had to go to the shed, well when I did D1 comes running telling me Z got on the trampoline by himself. I'm thinking there's absolutely NO WAY he got up there himself, so I tell D1 to quit pulling my leg and insisted that she "assisted" in him getting up there. She proceeds to insist she didn't help, so I decided to do a Z climbing experiment. I place him on the ground and sit in amazement as he first climbs on the chair, then stands on the arm of the chair, grabs the netting and pulls himself up into the trampoline!!!! Now this would be like me climbing Everest!!!! Needless to say we've had to move the chair and keep an eye on ANYTHING that "Evil Kanevil" might be able to climb up on.

11 DAYS and counting!!!!

Ok, I know it's not setting the world on fire and formost people New Years Resolution tend to bring on a negative conotation, but it's been since Midnight on the first that I've had a cigarette. The first week I did thepatch and have done anything since. It's actually been easier than I thought and the cravings haven't been all that bad. There are times I "miss it", but the overwhelming majority of the time I certainly don't. Once this is tackled it's on to the weight!!!! I'll keep you updated as to how quitting is going, until then here's to not smelling like an ash tray!!!!

WW - I can skate!!

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C loves this picture so much she wanted a copy of it for her room.

M - you are truly adored by our daughter....