From fishing to space!

Baby Jay and I had a pleasant afternoon. He played, ate, napped, and I baked a cake for dessert for tonights dinner with my family!
Here he is again, with fists full of cheerios. Still can not connect with his mouth yet!


I updated my other blog, Limes 'N Coconuts, with tons of card pictures! I created another set of 5 summery cards and a graduation card for my nephew. I will post pictures of them tomorrow.
I made this card for Michael late last night before I went to bed, so he would find it this morning when he went to take his vitamins...just before he left the house to go fishing!

Speaking of fishing. Michael's Dad is coming down to go fishing with Michael, my brother Bryan, my Uncle Gordy, and supposedly my dad...but he doesn't fish and so he will probably cop out on them. Plus, he is definitely NOT an early bird. I guess he could always babysit Jay tomorrow. Hahahaha
While I am still on the topic of fishing...
Michael caught his first Snook today while fishing out of his kayak! As he was preparing to take the fish's picture, it came to life and flopped out of the kayak! Bummer, I love to see the fish since I can not be there in person! He was on the water before daybreak and home by 10 am!

Check me out!
I am featured on Creating Keepsakes Message Board!!!
http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/hostess/

Once to the sight, scroll down to the FYI section and I am the 3rd bullet!
Fun! It is nice to do something creative and someone actually notices...other than my adoring family! {laughing out loud!}

Which brings me to this...


I have met so many sweet and kind people via scrapbooking message boards. It is where I go to learn the latest and greatest in the scrapbooking world! I have received some lovely cards and thoughtful gifts via the mail. What comes around goes around!

What an exciting day! My brother and Aunt and Uncle and Cousin are all in for the week. My brother is staying with my parents and the others are staying at their second house here in Florida from PA!
Here they are!

Here's my mom getting dinner ready and you will see my brother in the back left of the photo.

He is one year older than me and married to his lovely wife, Stacey. She, unfortunately, could not make the trip this time! They live in North Carolina.

Here's baby Jay doing what he does best!


Then we all headed outdoors to watch the shutle launch!





If you haven't had enough shuttle, check out the You tube video of it!


I need your help! Read the excerpt from an email I received today!
I taught the little girl "lexee" this year in kindergarten. Her parents are trying to get/win a new roof!
Please help me help them!
Scroll down to the bottom of the page after you click the link!

"Hello Friends & Family, So here's the story, sorry its so long.......Todd and I bought our home 5 years ago, & at that time we decided like most of the old houses in our neighborhood that we should replace the roof (it only had one leak) but because we were doing lots of renovating it just seemed the perfect time to get it done. Well, that ended up being one of the worst decisions we could make!! The contractor that we used was unlicensed and hired guys from some drug rehab to do the labor! Of course, unbeknown to us. His crew had No experience doing roofing and ended up doing the shoddiest work you have ever seen. Now our new roof is completely worse than our old one! We have too many leaks to count and it is causing mold to build up on the ceilings. Olivia, our oldest daughter has severe asthma and this is a huge health risk for her. We can't claim it through our insurance because he was not licensed so its not covered. To sue him for this would most likely cost the same as to put a new roof on by the time we were done with attorney fees and court cost & who wants that hassle! So about a month ago we saw a contest on TV called "I NEED A NEW ROOF". We made a video & sent in some photos and also wrote an essay ( & We did ALOT of praying). To us, this would be just as good as winning the the lottery. We can't afford $15,000 for another new roof! WE WERE CHOSEN! Along with 3 other families. This is where each one of you come in. We are on the WFTV.com web site and whoever receives the most votes will win a new roof. WE NEED YOUR VOTE!!! Please go to http://www.wftv.com/sponsors/16399663/detail.html and vote for us, we are finalist #3. Its a picture of Todd & me, he's wearing his cop uniform Please, Please, Please!! Forward this email to all your friends, family & co-workers, WHOEVER!. The contest ends at the end of next week! So VOTE soon! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, We greatly appreciate it! Sondra, Todd, Olivia & Alexandra aka, LexeePS. We were told that the essay was only to be 100 words or less (not everyone followed the rules). So when you read ours you will understand why ours is so short.( & I hate the pic of me! Worst picture he took, Oh well!)"

Sail Away!

I feel like packing things is going to never end at school! I managed to pull out another 16 boxes. I believe that is correct! That's 32 boxes so far! The good thing is they are completely redoing our elementary school over again and everyone has to move. So the school is providing boxes, and they sure are nice ones! I have taken it to Michael's office for storage. I have some big things to get yet, like my rocking chair, shelves, etc.

Then it was off to drop the children off at their father's house. It has been a quiet evening as baby Jay had his bath around 8 pm and went to bed shortly after that. Speaking of, he is just rousing...let's hope he puts himself back to sleep! Michael is fiddling around back in the room and probably made too much noise. Oh well...

The baby was so cute this evening! We were outside watching Michael get ready for his Kayak fishing fun tomorrow morning. Michael put the baby up in the kayak and I had to run and get the camera!


Here he is clapping at himself! It's his one great big trick he can do!

Check out the teeth in this picture. You will have to click on the photo to enlarge it!


Look how precious that face is...and guess who he is looking at with complete adoration in his eyes!


Across the street, our neighbors are baby sitting their granddaughter and she was out for a walk. She is just one and sooo cute! baby Jay squealed at her and made his fists go round and round with excitement when he saw her. Then he clapped at her and giggled. He wanted to touch her so bad, but she is sick and cutting lots of teeth. We kind of kept our distance!
Adorable.

I completed a set of six notecards I think I am going to post on etsy.com and sell. I am going to put together some cards and post them there. It will be fun to create for more than creating's sake! Plus then maybe I can talk my mom into dropping some of her gorgeous beads into my store...of course the store owner will need kickbacks when those bad boys she is making sell!!! I also am putting together Jayda's invitations for her birthday party! She is turning 10 this year!!!! Holy Smokes!

Here was Jay today:

My mom Blogged!

Can you believe, My mom blogged!?
http://seedbeader.blogspot.com/
Way to go mom!
If you go...look at her comments, I sent some of my friends her way to give her some blog love!
They were serious about their comments and came back to me and told me how fabulous that her things are!

I spent the afternoon in my classroom. Packing up and taking it to Michael's office. It was sad in a way. I love teaching...but that thought passed like a blink of an eye! I consider myself a lucky woman indeed to have a second chance at motherhood! I am so much enjoying every moment with the baby!

I can not believe the volume of things I had in my classroom! I still have more to do and I already took 14 boxes! 5 were children's books alone! Oh goodness...I packed up 6 more boxes and they are still in the classroom!

Baby Jay was not real thrilled with being there. He screamed, growled, and squealed until I was finished! But not before he giggle and smiled at some of the teachers who greeted him...and touched his face, hands, and cheeks with their nasty germ ridden hands. Well, I didn't see any germs...but I knew they were there! UGH...Thank goodness for wet wipes...with clorox. hahaha I know, I am pretty good, but I taught school and I know where those children put their hands and then they touch things and then the teachers touch the things and then those same teacher hands made contact with my baby's body! LOL You see where I am going with this!

Anyways, I digress.

Baby Jay is 7 months old exactly today!
Time is flying by!
He can sit up
roll and roll
eats #2 baby food-loves mangos, guavas, prunes, and squash
throws cheerios off high chair
grabs every thing and squeezes TIGHT, my face, your face, his toys, and if he has nails...sorry! haha
crawling..not yet!

Cheerio!

My sweet baby boy.
He talks to me, giggles at me, reaches for me, screams at me, whines at me, cries at me, wants me, plays with me. I have a very busy boy on my hands. He's not even walking or crawling for that matter!

I spent the day trying to clean up and straighten up around the house in between feedings, changings, and more feedings, playings, etc. Michael walked through the door and the baby was just in his diaper as he had just finished eating and had it allll over his clothes. He had only moments earlier pulled my hair half out of the hair holder and was drolling all over me. Michael walks in and takes one look at me and says with genuine pity in his voice, "did you have a rough day?" Ugh, kind of.

But I would not change it for the world! I loved the smiles, the giggles, the waves, the squeals, the screams, and the cries! I love everyday with him!
So, I didn't get the house sparkling or dinner on the table. Cereal is just as good for dinner as it is for breakfast, at least my husband thinks so....THANK GOODNESS!!!


{As he sits here at his high chair banging his rattle on it as hard as he can!}
Such a joy!


Michael has been out in the garage for the last hour retying knots on his fishing poles getting ready for his weekend excursion out on the water. My mother informed me that the tropical depression is making its way towards Florida...wait a second, I just went and looked at the weather...not to panic. We could only hope to be so lucky with rain!

It might rain....it might not rain. It's Florida and the meteorologists are lucky that they are not paid based on performance!!!

Always when they start talking about Hurricanes here, it makes me uneasy. I will never forget when we had 4 hurricanes in a row. Prepare one weekend, next weekend it hits, clean up only to prepare for next the following weekend, next weekend hurricane...and on and on. It is however, where I discovered that whilst others gathered up necessities...I headed to Albertson's and got black licorice and coconut jelly belly jelly beans and my hurricane drink. I wouldn't buy food because it would go bad in fridge and I couldn't stand to be in house after as I didn't have electricity. I hated that the most, waking up with your sheets clinging to your skin with the heat and humidity. Horrid! Well, crossing fingers we don't go through that again.

101 Posts!

Can you believe that I have created and written 101 posts?
No, I can't either!

Baby Jay cut another tooth on Sunday, and by Monday he was miserable. Crabby, and clingy, were a few choice words to describe him come evening time! I gave him some Tylenol before bed last evening. It had the opposite effect on him...he was bright and wild til about 11:30 pm! So if you were wondering why it has been so quiet here, well...it truly hasn't been quiet! LOL

The joys of motherhood!

Today, after Jay's morning nap, I went out with my mother. I took her on a beading expedition! We headed towards Michael's job because he needed some pictures from the camera! Sure, I could have emailed them...but my mother would have missed the two new bead stores we found! Well, Michael found one of them a while back and remembered where it was! Thank you Honey!

My mother treated to lunch and I had a delicious salad! The bread was to die for! Baby Jay ate some sweet potato-a real one!, bread and cheerios with us!

Jacob had his final game of the season. He lost this evening to a team they had previously beat. They were missing 4 kids though tonight! Two were a few of the best on the team and it was felt, especially in the pitching! Jacob even pitched in the last inning! He did well, the kids were hitting his pitches though and fielding was leaving a lot to be desired. Two pop flies were dropped. The inning dragged on and on. Poor jacob, but he held it together well!
The good news for me. SPORTS ARE DONE TIL FALL!!!! Jacob was asked to play on the all star team. I declined due to the fact it was such a fiasco last year! After a bunch of junk, dealing with crazy parents and coaches who were equally nuts, and spending 2000.00.....well you get the picture. At 11 years old, I am sure this will not hurt his future ball playing!
Jayda was asked to tryout for an under 11 girls traveling soccer team today, via email to me. I am declining that as well. Seeing as how during her last tournament, she was more interested in playing with the ice from the ice chest and spraying the fanning squirt bottle in her face on the bench thank she was playing on the field! Too young yet!

This evening I checked online for Jayda's FCAT(Florida Comprehension Assessment Test) Score. She scored a 4 in Reading and a high 4 in Math! They are required to score a three in order to pass. I hate that test. Let's leave it at that...My professional education opinion...and I can have one, because I am a teacher! hehehe
Jacob's scores will be out in a few weeks or so.

I am finishing up my Artistic Trading Cards which I will feature on my other blog on May 31. I have to have them in the mail by tomorrow to make the deadline!

I was working on a new layout this morning while Jay napped. It is titled, a day on the boat...but it is not complete yet. Here's a sneak peek!


I am sure there are 101 reasons why I blog...I just can't think of them all now!

Memorial Day Weekend...Memorable!

Let's see, where do I begin???

We all had a ball so far this weekend! It was such a pleasure to enjoy Mom and Dad Carter's hospitality. Everyone in my family had such a great time! I think I had the most!

Ok, first things first. Baby Jay is all confused about clapping, good bye, and hi now. It seems everyone is waving and clapping all at the same time. So now when you talk to him, he pretty much smiles, squeals and claps. Vaguely you will hear a hi in there as well! I guess he figures he can just about do anything and you will clap at him,, and if not, he will just clap at you!

Grammy Carter played a game with Jay last night. She would make a noise at him and he would repeat her. They played this for about 15 minutes until Grammy's voice was tired. Tonight at dinner, he played the same game with papa. It was so cute to watch him figure out the cause and effect of that game!

Ok, now to jump into the run down of our Saturday in Ocala.

I was up about 7:00 ish with the thrilling thought it was my shopping at Griffin's Day! You can read about it on my other blog. I will put up pictures Monday Morning.
I was up and let baby and daddy sleep in a little. We had breakfast and it was OH SO DELISH!!! Jayda loved the bacon and scarfed up every last piece that was left! Friday evening she was so excited and asked what was for Breakfast...just after we arrived. She's the thinest one in the bunch and that child was the most concerned about what we were having for every meal. Getting it all straight in her head!
I can't wait to read their take on their blogs about our weekend!


I left around 9ish to go over to Griffin's, where I spent the most exciting hour shopping for a total of 40% off everything! Woohoo!
Here's the baby...I don't think he missed me for even a minute!


We headed over to see the miniature horses where Roberta met us out by the pasture with her granddaughter to show them to us.



Baby Jay loking around...

Checking them out...seemingly enjoying it...

Then he has a major freak out! He just opened his mouth wide, let out a blood curdling shriek and backed away in daddy's arms. Crying. Not liking the horses AT ALL!!!!!

He much preferred watching the silly dog, even then he didn't want the dog close!






Here's Roberta's sweet dog.


Into the pool!





SHARKS!!!!






See baby Jay swim for the first time ever!!!

Check out these peliated wood peckers!

Jay assumes his position as we head home!


We left Ocala this morning around 9:30 am. The afternoon came and went as Mike worked outside and I tried to get a grip on the inside. Baby was busy and kept me busy. Then it was off to the airport to take Marc for his trip back to London for 2 weeks. Then to my parents house for pork chops.
Baby Jay was happy as can be, but was definitely ready for his bath and bed this evening!

Thank you Mom and Dad Carter for an excellent time. We all enjoyed staying with you.
PS: Mike, the baby, and I all slept better than we have in ages!!! We are still trying to figure out why! Hmmm, I know where I am going when I need a good sleep!
I imagine it won't be too long before I am run down and need a good nights rest again!

Hello From Ocala!

I am spending the weekend with the inlaws. UGH!!!
Hahaha just kidding!
I am so excited to be here! It is going to be such an enjoyable weekend.
We had a busy day preparing for our weekend away. Thank goodness the children are able to pack for themselves and were a great help!
Our trip here was easy and enjoyable.
We arrived at 8:00 pm and the children have already been in the pool and swam. The baby got a bath in the sink! It was cute. He's being a little grumpy now, but daddy is putting him to bed.
We have fun things planned for tomorrow and I will write all about it!
I will incorporate the pictures as soon as I get them uploaded!

A mouthful of firsts!

This week has been like a super baby roller coaster...one exciting turn after another.
Baby Jay sits up.
Baby Jay claps.
Baby Jay waves hi.
Baby Jay says hi.
Then this morning, daddy is leaving for work and he says bye baby Jay and waves.
Baby Jay waves and says bye bye clear as anything!!!
WHAT??????????????????
Michael and I look at each other in disbelief.
He repeats it again and then claps for himself!
What a joy! A definite highlight and great way to start the day...but WAIT A MINUTE!!!
After school today, I have to go into my classroom and start to get things ready to box up and pack away.
As I am talking to my sub, Amanda Perkins whom taught next to me says, He's got his first tooth. I say, "WHAT?" She said yes, look here it is. He had been chewing on his remote control and it must have helped cut his first tooth. Sure enough, it was red and you could just see the tooth breaking through the skin.
Awe, my baby is growing up!
What a week!!!!
Sits
Claps
Waves and says hi
Waves and says bye bye
Gets his first tooth!

Jayda's big day!

He's Back!!
It's my brother!!!
After graduating from Clarion University in PA, he began working as a radio dj. He worked in Pittsburgh and then was transferred to Altoona. Then, that station was making changes and his job was up in the air. Having young children, he decided that the volatile radio jobs were not secure enough for his family. He is just now making his way back into radio. Here is his first ad for the station he now works for in Altoona!

Here is the paper clipping he sent my parents today!


Congratulations!

I was able to participate in a very special day for Jayda! Her classroom teacher, Miss McCarron, was holding a special activity at 10:30 am.
Here's the invitation:




The children would present a power point slide show they created on their own. There were also presentations made about the particular activities she did through out the year! I took pictures when Jayda was presenting about . She had memorized her lines and worked hard not to look at her words she had written. After she was finished, you could see she was still "stressing" over what she had done. I was truly very proud of her because it is difficult to stand in front of, not only your peers, but also their parents. Throw your mother in the mix and well....you can imagine how nerve racking!
Here she was just after I arrived!

This was her group she presented with as they began.

You can see her speaking from memory. Minus the eye contact with her audience. I can feel her pain! hahaha

Thinking of her words.

Speaking again.

Done!

Biting her lip remembering what she spoke about.

The pride she has in herself for remembering all her lines...AND being done!!!

DONE!

Here's her lovely teacher!

Here she is with her friends!

The power point presentation was put on the video camera. I am unsure whether or not I can get that uploaded to Youtube to add here.
I made a thank you card for Grandpa Red! You can find directions on my other blog.



TO BE CONTINUED>>>>>>
I caught this photo this evening. This is not a cloud, it is the smoke from a nearby forest fire. We haven't had rain at all!

We had a bar b que at my folks house! {On the grill...somehow that didn't sound right after talking about a forest fire!}
Corn on the cob and is it ever good here in Florida right now!
Here's my mom:

Not only has the baby sat by himself, clapped, but at dinner...he was waving hi. He would say "haaii" and wave his arm back and forth. Then after he did it, he would clap. It was adorable and hard to catch on film but we did our best!
Here he is waving with his right hand.

Click the arrow on the picture for the video! I did it! Turn up the volume so you can hear it. It is on the bottom right hand of screen, it is a speaker...click on it and raise the bar up!

Here he is finally with me!



Notice how he is pushing away while I am trying to kiss him...typical boy!






Yes, this is enough.
Make sure and scroll down...I posted this morning also for yesterday...as well, make sure you see how cute he was eating from chopsticks the other day!
If you stayed with it this long, you are patient!