Building friends and Eight is great!

This past week was Brooke's 8th Birthday! On her actual birthday, we just had cake at home, but we had special guests from far away join us. My parents and sister and nephew gathered at my parents house and they face timed us to watch Brooke open her gifts!! We all sang Happy Bday and while we had cake, they ate cupcakes. Technology!! Love it.
Today, Brooke had her party with her friends. She wanted her party at Build a Bear. We had been before, but a few years ago. I tell ya, they know how to throw a party. It is the best money you will ever spend, as a mom, no stress, sweat, tears. Awesome. They got to pick out their new special friend and stuff it, add a heart, brush it and dress it. They have so many fun outfits, too cute!!!
While Building thier new friends, they also got to build up friendships with real friends, by playing fun things! Brooke invited 3 new friends from school who are all soo very sweet and caring. God certainly has blessed my kids, by placing wonderful friends in their lives, so quickly. What made it extra special, was Brooke having one very special friend there, Tia, who she has been friends with for many years.
It has been an extra blessing to bring forward this sweet friendship to Florida from Missouri. As many of you know, Tia is the daughter of our great friends, Kelli and Lee who used to be our neighbors in Missouri. They also just moved to florida and we now live a short 10minutes away from eachother. B-L-E-S-S-E-D!
I know on special occasions like this, however, Brooke is missing her old friends. :(
But I always remember the song from Brownies. "Make new friends, but keep the old, One is silver and the others gold".

And then there's brotherly-sisterly love.....

Oh yeah, did you know that 8 is GREAT!!!

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning

We have been wanting to get over to the beach now for the past few weeks, but one thing after another, kept getting in the way of that plan. So last night, we decided that in the morning, we would get up bright and early and do it!!! So, by 8am we were out the door, and by 8:25 we were on the beach!










This is a state park called Howard park in Tarpon Springs. I didn't get pics, but there are some AMAZING homes all around there!!! Once the kids are out of the house, Mike and I would LOVE to live somewhere like that!

This beach is almost like a private island. Palm trees line the beach, and there were barely any ppl there. While there, we saw some amazing sights. When we first pulled up to the park I immediately said to the kids "THIS is why we live in florida!!!" Chase just rolled his eyes at me :) We saw a group of about 5 dolphins swimming and diving just out in the distance from us. We also saw some cool sea creatures...not sure what they were, but it was a mom and baby.
The water was so unbelievably calm. No waves!
We hereby claim this beach, Rogers Remote Slice of Heaven. Oh yeah, then we had Chick-afal-a for lunch. According to the kids it was the "best day ever". I agree.
What are you all up to this weekend? Do you have a favorite place you claim as "yours"??

My new ride

Yesterday I mentioned that I got a new bike. Here she is, in all her purple glory.
I had to get one that is easy on my back, so I went with a beach cruiser! Mike and I just got back from over an hour long bike ride. We rode through our subdivision, and past Chase's school to a subdivision we are considering on building in, AFTER of course we find jobs....details, details. Yes, I came home and downed a mini diet pepsi, but as i am sitting here i am also on my second water bottle for the day. :) I also have ice on my back, just to keep things well. I told Mike, the next time we go for that long of a ride I will have to sit on a roll of toilet paper!! I THOUGHT my seat was cusioned, but not so much! Julie, thinking of you, and wondering how your diet is going?!
Here are a couple random pics too. Monday was Chase's picture day at school and I made him model pose before he left.


Here are some of the cool birds that we see daily in our neighborhood. Sometimes, like here, they even come up to our front porch!!




Have a great day everyone!!!!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

Today will be a mish mash of stuff :)

*I am so proud of Chase. Last week I got a call from the asst principal, saying he had Chase with him in his office. "This is a good thing" he cheered. He said they like to call parents when positive things happen! Chase was recognized by his lang arts teacher for being caring, compassionate, and helpful to ohter kids in the class. This earned him a special prize and the cance to win even more prizes. I am proud beyond words at my son. He is amazing me everyday with the way he has handled this move and adapted to new friends, school, etc. Our friends back in StLouis will never be topped, but it warms my hear to know that he is making the transition so well.

*Brooke is becoming quite the little swimmer! It really helps to have our own pool. She wears a mask and wont go ALL the way under yet, but she puts her whole face in and swims all over the pool!!! finally!!

*Mike and I bought some new bikes to get in shape. The area around here just screams for you to ride your bike around, so even though money is tight, we felt it was a wise investmet in our health!

*I broke my toe about a week and a half ago and it is still sore!!

*Mike and I are still looking for that perfect job!!

*We feel like we are working full time, by looking at the computer for jobs alllll day.

*Chase went to a friends house last night and they took part in a dodge ball tournement with over 500 kids at one of the local churches, they made it to the semi-finals. His team consisted of new friends from school - all of them are new to the area, so they called themselves the "new kids on the block". Chase also had his first sleepover here in florida.

*My biggest prayer has been answered...Chase finding new friends easily here!

*Brooke is getting sooo excited for her birthday next week!

*our next door neighbors are wonderful, Christians!

*Dewey needs a haircut!! Oh, yeah, and he DOESN"T like to swim!

*I am trying to keep from stress getting the best of me, but I have been getting headaches the past few days! So, I finally went to a chiro. I also went for some xrays to help with treatment. I will NEVER find as great of a chiro as I had in St louis :(

*Florida has LOVE BUGS, that are numerous right now and fly around mating..ew..

*The BIGGEST news.....I am weaing off of diet soda!!!! I have been drinking a ton of water and have only had 2 mini diet pepsi sodas today. Those of you who know my addiction, know that this is great for me! Also another reason I have a continuous headache!!

*I am gonna go and try out that new bike of mine!

*Have a great weekend everyone!! I miss all of my friends and family so much!!!!

Roller Coaster ride

Hello Everyone (that is, if anyone is still out there in blog land). As many of you know, we recently moved our family to Florida, after several years of visiting the Sunshine State. It most definately has been the biggest, scariest, loopiest, steepest roller coaster ride I have ever been on. We feel like God planted the seed in our hearts about 2 years ago, to move here, and things fell into place over the past couple months, to make it happen! Our house was on the market, and sold in less than one month, we found a perfect rental, awesome schools and I even interviewed and got a job....all in a week's time. Now, that is NOT to say that because God's loving hand has been in all of this, that it has been a bed of roses! For each fabulous, bright day..there has also been an even darker,yuck day. We know that God is still with us and is totally in control, but fear and doubt just keep creeping in at unexpected moments! The kids are adjusting well in their schools, and have even had a few play dates! BUT now my job has turned out to not be what I thought it would be..so..I will continue to search for that job that will help provide for my family, but that I will also like :) We prefaced this move with the idea of living more simply and to work to live! I am comforted by God's word in Isaiah 66:8-14 "..8Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. 9 Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?" says the Lord. "Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?" says your God.11"For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts;you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance." 13"As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you...14When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants..."

We are definately in a time of threshing. We are comforted also in knowing our good friends and old neighbors kelli and Lee have also felt a calling to move to Florida too. We continue to experience a lot of similiar triumps and pitfalls, and are thankful that they are moving close to us soon, when they close on their new home. They will be a short 10min drive from us.

I am excited about what the near future holds for us here in florida. The animal lover in me is daily in awe of the amazing birds, lizards, and other wildlife that call florida home. I promised myself to never let the site of them, the palm trees, the beach,to lose their AWEsomeness!!

Well, Brooke is wanting to go swimming. Guess I will have to oblige ;) Here is a shot of our pool. Yes, we said we want to live more simply, BUT with a pool. Hey, when in rome....