Easter Sunday

Our Easter celebration started Saturday.  We woke up and went and watched the Red Hills Triathlon.  We cheered on my mom, a friend from high school Jennifer, and my new boss Brooke.  They all did awesome!  Have I ever mentioned that my mom is a badass?  In case I haven't, she is.  She finished 12th woman overall and won her age group.  Amazing.

After the race, my mom, my boys, my hubby and I all went to spend the afternoon with my dad.  It was so good to see him.  We ate lunch, he chased the boys and we chatted.  For what it is, it was nice. 

Saturday night my mom came over to the house for Easter egg dying. 

Connor's eggs

Daniel's creaitve eggs

After all of the egg dying excitement, it was time for everyone to go to bed so the Easter Bunny could come.  So, my mom did her mom thing and read my boys a good night story.

The next morning we woke up and the Easter Bunny came!

The boys got all kinds of goodies!  I love that Connor is just old enough now to truely appreciate the Easter Bunny.  Daniel is getting older and his suprise and anticipation level is getting lower.  He still loves it and appreciates it, though!

Then, we got ready to go to church.  We attend Canopy Roads church.  It is awesome.  If you are looking for a church where you are not preached to but talked to and one that is not asking for money constantly, or if you are looking for a church where shorts and flip flops are acceptable attire, this is the church for you.  Their motto is "Real People, Real Church, Real Change."  Allen, myself and the kids all love it. 

My handsome boys!

We got home from church and it was time for Connor to take a nap before the rest of the excitement happened.   So, Allen took Daniel fishing with the new pole he got from the Easter Bunny.  They did not catch anything, but the spent some much needed "man time" together. 

They got back, Connor woke up and our families came over.  We started with an Easter Egg hunt.

Daniel was embarrassed that I was taking his picture, so this is the best I could do

Connor was patient, opened every egg with the same amount of excitement, and then moved onto the next!

After the egg hunt, we made hamburgers and hotdogs and sat around and enjoyed each other's company.  We had awesome Easter weekend and I am so glad that we got to spend it together and with the people we love!

My awesome family!

Its been a whole year already?!?

In 2008, I started working for Score Federal as a teller.  I got to know many of the members of Score by working with them face to face on a daily basis.  Towards the end of 2008, I noticed one member in particular that would come in on a regular basis.  I thought he was attractive, but because of the drama that surrounded my life at the end of 2008, I did not think much of it.  One day, he came in and I helped him.  He struck up a conversation with me that went from all the way from tattoos to Nascar.  From that day forward, I had a crush.... but again, was not thinking much of it.  Just someone to flirt with and look at :).  He became known by my coworkers as "cute boy."  Well, he started coming in more and more often and the conversations continued and the crush grew and grew.  One day, my coworker and I were joking with cute boy and we told him that he should go buy us lunch with all of the money that he withdrew.  About 30 minutes later, he showed back up with lunch for myself, and 3 of my coworkers.  And not McDonalds..... Roly Poly. I decided that day that he earned my phone number.  That followed with a first date. 

Our first date was amazing.  We went to a Mexican restaraunt and we talked for 3 hours straight.  It took us over 30 minutes to order and then we did not shut up long enough to eat while dinner was warm.  I was smitten.... here was this handsome guy who thought I was something special.  And he accepted me with all of my baggage.  Amazing.

on April 2, 2011, my handsome (and single by the way) brother walked me down the aisle to marry "cute boy." 

Our relationship has been interesting to say the least.  We had the whole world against us.  We both had some MAJOR baggage, we had our baby way too early in our relationship, we were both broke and trying to make it, and we were both trying to overcome some major emotional junk. 

But, we MADE IT.  It has been a whole year now since we took the plunge and I am so so thankful and lucky that he chose me. 

We celebrated our anniversary at Level 8 and Shulas.

My beautiful anniversary gift

the sun was really really bright and I couldnt take it

being silly in the lobby at Hotel Duval

 

We had an amazing time. 

Allen is wonderful.  He is my best friend.  We laugh all the time.  We argue.  We play.  We enjoy life.  We get stressed out.  We are parents.  We dissagree.  We agree.  We are a normal loving couple.  We are still very much in love.  We still flirt and take silly pictures of ourselves.  Allen has become Daniel's dad in every sense.  Allen is my angel. 

I am a lucky girl.

Daniel's 9th Birthday!

I have tried several times to do this post and my computer and Blogger have not been cooperating either with each other, or with the operator.  I am not sure which one, but sorry about the delay!

We planned a trip to Orlando and Tampa to suprise Daniel and see some relatives.  Our first stop was a house that mom rented in Clermont, FL.  We brought some birthday stuff along, too!

We had a mimi-birthday party for him and he loved it!  Notice the full-on cheesing going on in those pics!  Then, because we live in Florida and our summer starts in March, we were able to go for a night time swim with the kids.  They LOVED it.

The next day we went on our real adventure..... we suprised Daniel with a birthday trip to Sea World!!!




This is on the way when he had no idea where we were heading

This is after he saw the sign when we were pulling into the parking lot!  Suprise was successful I would say!

 petting sting rays

 underwater viewing area for the dolphins

 Dolphin and whale show

 Shark Experience.... notice the huge sand shark right behind Daniel's head

Shamu

 Kid Zone

Our typical picture

Sea World was awesome!  We all had a great time and I hope to go back soon.  It was a great place for both boys, because there was stuff to do and things to look at that both of them could enjoy!

The next morning, mom got up and went to race the Great Clermont Triathlon.  She told us to sleep in and she would be back later.  Yeah, right!  We decided to suprise her and cheer her on during the race!

She was really suprised!

Go Grandma!

I hope one day I can be as awesome as my mom.... one day.... maybe.  Or, I can just let her keep the title of "most awesome bad ass person in the family."  We will see!

We left Clermont that afternoon and headed south to visit family.  I did not take any pictures the whole time, but my cousin Kaila did.  I do not have them though, so I will jsut tell you what all happened. 

We got to the Chuck Funk house in the afternoon.  Chuck, Suanne and their daughter Laney were there waiting.  Shortly after we arrived, Steve, Carla and Kaila came and brought grandma.  Grandma did not know that we were coming so it was a great suprise!  Suanne threw and awesome family party for Daniel.  She made his favorite dinner.... meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  Then she got him a Star Wars birthday cake and a few gifts.  I am so greatful that she did all of that for Daniel.  He definitely felt special which is exactly what he needed.  We spent the evening hanging out with family.  It was wonderful.  The next day, we went to Grandma's new home to see it and take her out to lunch.  After lunch we headed home. 

There was one more suprise waiting for Daniel when we got home!

Overall, I think the kid had a pretty darn good birthday.  And I hope that we made him feel as special and as loved as he is!