Springtime in Florida...

Thankfully its that time of the year and even though its a little late coming I can feel summer right around the corner!!

I am always ambitious and the happiest soaking up the sun so this time of the year I always try out my green thumb aka black thumb of death!

One year I planted a huge garden and when the weeds started coming in and it got to be 100 degrees out this girl just couldn't do it.  I begged and bribed and my kids and they were not even willing to help for money or gifts.

I have killed every poor plant I have ever had after a few months.  The african violet in window sill was beautiful when only Barry took care of it. As soon as I started it just curled up and died.  It probably did't help that while I was "pulling" off the dead leaves instead of cutting them that I broke it off the root.  whoops....

Then the rubber tree that can survive anything lost the last of its 2 leaves and now looks like I stuck a twig in dirt. hmmm.... I am not sure why, but this last month I have been really dedicated and I think my thumb has a few streaks of green running through it!!

I love Gerber Daisy's

Plus its getting nice enough to get our fish pond looking pretty again so we have all been spending our afternoons outside.

I am even working on a little garden in pots for easier maintenance.  However I think a squirrel or something ate my little cabbage blooms...not my fault that time and I will share some pictures when they start looking pretty.  So far I have tomatoes, purple bell peppers and jalepeno peppers.  I am not sure how to grow squash in a pot, but I want to plant some okra and cucumbers along the fence.  I am trying to keep myself in check.

Oh another note I love the dollar tree especially the new one close to Ocala.  With everything being a dollar and so much cute stuff for outside I go crazy in there!!  Here are a few cute things I found the other day.

I bought 6 of the pinwheels but I want a few more, I also bought 3 different tiles and a couple hanging baskets that I have filled with pretty flowers.

Here's a picture of Lily our spoiled Chihuahua. She loves laying out in the sun and standing on the edge of the pond looking at the fish.  Here are a few more pond pictures.  Barry built it himself and with the little waterfall it is so peaceful to sit or lay out by and read or relax.

 Another great thing that I am looking forward to is Blueberry picking time!!  They are amazing and sweet and big and the kids loooovvveeeeee picking them.  We usually get about 20 pounds and freeze them, but this year I think I want more.  We just go through them so fast and thankfully I have vegetable and fruit loving kids!

That's about 5-6 pounds and costs I think about  $20+

Big, plump and juicy

Barry's mom Judy

Happy Spring!!!

A little bit at a time

A little bit of blogging and pictures instead of a picture explosion.  Once I am caught up to present time I will not let myself fall behind again.

Before I go back a few months I just want to be kind of serious.  My heart is so heavy lately.  I feel sad and disappointed in things and people.  I try hard to do the right thing and make the right choices.  I know I haven't always and there are things I would change if I could.  But I have always believed family is the most important thing and I would do anything for mine.  Its just not the case for some people and it makes me sad.    I tend to do my thing with my focus on my children and my little family and home.  I guess that is all I can do to make sure we are happy and that is all that matters.  Still.....

Anyway on to more interesting things.  Here is the finished product of another Pinterest inspired idea that I made for Hannah for Christmas.  I love how it came out and it looks awesome in her room.

Hannah is in her 3rd year of Girl Scouts and 2nd year as a Brownie.  I am co-leader of her troop and we love and enjoy the activities and time we get to spend together.  Next weekend we will be at camp and I will also be running back and forth because Barry and I have a wedding to attend.  These next few pictures are from Hannah's investiture ceremony where she got her 3rd year pin.

                                                             I am so proud of her!!

Barry's oldest son AJ played basketball for JV team this year at our Alma Mater....I love the fact that our children are also going to be Red Devils and hopefully they will be as active in sports and other extra curricular activities like we were.

One of the sports I played was Basketball so it was fun to be in my old gym and cheer for AJ.  That floor has seen a lot of blood, sweat and tears...mine included.

AJ is super athletic and as all young man dream he wants to play football for FSU.  He makes great grades so hopefully with dedication and natural born skill he will fulfill his dreams.

                                Of course I have to include pictures of these cute little munchkins!!

I can't pass up a group picture 

Trace was our photagrapher

I love this picture of Hannah and Lily....so sweet.  One thing I am happy about is that her front tooth is all grown in and no more chiclet smile.

Last picture for now.  I so love these two.  They amaze me everyday and the fact they just turned 9 blows my mind.  I am extremely blessed and grateful they chose me to be their Mama!!

My loves

I love this beautiful girl oh so much... She is a spoiled, loving, sweet and silly little girl. I am so proud of the fact that she finally decided to quit sucking her thumb a few months back after years of begging, bribing, and threatening on my part.

She is music lover and loves to sing and dance. She is a cheerleader and she is focused on mastering her jumps. 

She is an avid reader but struggles with her work because she thinks she has better things to do. 

She loves to have her hair and nails done and we weekly visit Ms. Mama's (I do them) nail salon. She gets a kick out of calling me Ms and I love her giggles.

She is my work out partner and pushes me to keep pedaling when we go on bike rides... Oh to have young legs again and all that wonderful energy.

She is a picture taking of herself maniac  and many times I will look through my phone to find pictures of her and silly faces.

She is 10 minutes older than Trace and she won't let him forget. She is a protector and loves to snuggle. 

She is my baby girl... My HANNAH!!

Hannah and her new birthday bike.

 Trace my handsome, loving, kind, helpful incredibly sweet son.... He is the other half of my heart. 

He loves money, counting it, earning it and being able to buy things he wants. He always does his chores without complaining and he is quick to remind me that it's pay day.

Trace is my defender when I say I'm on a diet he gets so offended thinking someone said I need to lose weight.

He is a lover of animals and he I call him my animal whisperer. He has always said he wants to be a vet and nothing else. I will do everything in my power to make sure he is one.

Trace loves playing video games, with his iPod, Legos, army men, and hide n seek shoot me up with flashlights strapped onto his play guns at night. He thinks he can hip hop dance... It's the funniest he has about as much rhythm as I do and that is none!!!!

One of the things that I love, appreciate, melts my heart and i will cry one day when he says no more.... Is that He insists and I love that he wants me to sing him "this little light of mine" and scratch his back every single night. No Ifs and or buts about it!!

My muscle man!!!

I am so blessed and thank God everyday for all he has given me especially Hannah and Trace. I never take for granted the responsibility that having children is but also the absolute joy even on the trying days....

The love of a mother for her child is unconditional and the love of your child is priceless!!

 

 

Slacker....Mcslacker

That is me.... I promised myself when I started blogging that I wouldn't go months without writing a post.  I really have no excuse. None at all.  I can't say that its because of working long hours....I'm only working part time now.  I can say that I am working out more, bit then again that is only 45 minutes a day.  I think about it, but then other things happen.  I need to make it a priority.  Just a little something every couple days.

I will start with this project that I am so proud of!!  We needed a new headboard and as I have said before I am addicted to Pinterest so I was sure that we could make one....  If I must say so myself it came out awesome and it was incredibly easy and very inexpensive.

    We built it and then sanded it.....The only thing is it is heavy and requires 2 people to carry it.

 Then the next step was to use a blow torch and make it look old... the final stage was to stain it the color of your choice...mine was a darker color to compliment our tan bedroom.

                   I am proud of the finished product

Here are a few random pictures from a few months ago....



Silly faces

Hannah in heels and a crown at David's Bridal while shopping for her Grandma's wedding dress

Short and sweet this time around.  Here's to me being a better blogger!!