Daniel is awesome!!!

I couldn't even wait until we got home to share this!  Daniel got his report card today and his FCAT Scores!  You ready?!?   He got 1 B and the rest A's and he got a 4 out of 5 on FCAT Reading and a 5 out of  5 on the FCAT Math.  Considering what he has been through recently, this is pretty freaking incredible.  My mommy proudness is beaming to the point that I totally embarrassed him in front of the kids at school and then again in front of my coworkers.  Sorry, bub!  Words cannot even describe how awesome he is.  I am amazed.  This girl is one incredibly proud mama!

Memorial Day Weekend

A three day weekend!  Woo-hoo!

We started celebrating Saturday.  We spent the morning and the first part of the afternoon with my dad.  It was a very nice visit with stories and laughter.  We are all anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court decision the week of June 4th, so we tried very hard to distract dad.

We left dad and headed to St George Island.  It has been awhile since I went there and I remembered how much I miss it!

We only got to stay for a couple of hours before we left and went across the bridge to Apalachicola for dinner.  Its been awhile since I went there as well, and it is beautiful!  We ate at a place called Boss Oyster on the river.  After dinner we walked around for a little bit before heading home.

It was a wonderful day and reminded me that we need to do more day trips with the boys.  They had so much fun!

Sunday I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned.  And I loved it!  After a couple of busy busy weekends, it was needed. 

Monday, Daniel and I met his sister Lailani, brother Gideon and their mom at the Junior Muesam.  Since Daniel's dad moved out of town, we are trying to get the kids together at least once a month so that they can maintain a relationship.  The kids had so much fund and it was nice to watch them play together like no time had passed.

After the muesam, we headed home to get ready for our company to come over.  Allen's family and my mom came over to hang out and "help" Allen finish the swingset. 

Making sure everything worked!

playing baseball with Uncle John

Ladybug

Katiebug

FINISHED!  Allen worked so hard!

Overall we had an awesome weekend!  Weekends like that remind me how blessed I am. 

Next weekend, I am taking Daniel on a date!  Exciting!

Daniel's Race

My Daniel is this kid who is wise beyond his years.  He is funny, independent, smart, and original. 

Lately he has been having a really hard time with circumstances that are unfortunate and totally beyond his control.  And as his mom, my heart is broken.  I cannot do anything about it.  I have to watch him suffer and hold him while he cries and try to convince him that everything is going to be okay. 

It takes a lot of courage to face what he has faced and put a brave face on and push through the way he has.  More courage than I have for sure.

Daniel is not an extremely athletic kid.  But, last weekend he put on his brave face and did a triathlon.  He was awesome.  He had to have a swim buddy to help him with the swim, he crashed on his bike, and he still took off his helmet and ran. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. 

getting ready to start (he won't swim without a shirt on)

brotherly love

swimming with his swim buddy

heading to the bike

after the finish

proud mama (I was a swim buddy to explain the suit)

Daniel is the most amazing, coolest kid ever.  And not just because I am his mama.  He really really is.  He has overcome things that us adults would curl up and cry about.  I love this kid.  And I pray everyday that he gets the peace and happiness that he so truely deserves.  Allen and I are working so hard to do the best we can to get him through things and its looking better and better everyday. 

One second, one minute, one step, one day at a time. 

I love you my bubby!

Mother's Day with Yogi Bear

My mom and I used to go to Panama City together every Mother's Day weekend for the Gulf Coast Half Ironman.  She has since stopped competing in that triathlon.  So, we decided we should find a new place for us to go with the kiddos.  Last year we tried Jellyston Park in Madison, FL.  It was awesome!  They have cabins, places for RVs and places for tents.  For fun they have a swimming pond with a water slide, a fishing pond,  paddle boats, kayaks, walking trails, etc etc etc. 

We got there Friday evening and started the fun right away.


action shot!




man talk




night time paddle boat ride



our humble abode



swinging on the porch swing





 We stayed up way too late Friday night (I think we got Connor to bed around midnight).  But, we got up bright and early Saturday morning and started the fun right away. 



morning paddle boat ride



the boys spent most of the time fishing



esspecially my brother, and he caught 2 bass!





Swimming time!





Daniel spent the WHOLE time doing this!




Dinner time



Naomi came and spent the day with us, too!

camp fire

Daniel spent the WHOLE day playing.  He biked, swam, fished, boated, everything he could.  In fact, there were several times I had to BEG him to hang out with me for just a minute.  He had so much fun.  And Connor had fun just watching and being free.  We went to bed a little earlier because we all played ourselves out. 

We woke up Sunday morning sad because we were going to have to leave.  Jellystone has an awesome checkout policy.  You can stay as late as 5 p.m. on most weekends, except for holidays of course.  We were hanging out by the cabin when a visitor came by!



Yogi Bear!!!!!




and Connor was not even scared!

With one last fishing trip...

we had to pack up and go back to reality.  Booooo.......

We all had a blast all weekend long.  The boys we so happy and smiled the whole time.  I could not have asked for a better Mother's Day weekend.  I am in love with my children and my family and I am so blessed that they are all a part of me!