The number seven is a repeating theme in my life. It is the day I was born. It is the day my father was born. The seventh holds special meaning. It is my favorite number as well. There is a Dave Matthews song and the title is Seven and I, of course adore it.
Anyways, the 7th of October is also special. 13 years ago Dennis and me began seeing each other exclusively on October 7th. The love of my life came into the picture in August of that year when I began going to University of Memphis. It seemed like a foreign place coming from Union because Union was so small compared to University of Memphis. In a Western Civ. class, in the afternoon, Dennis sat a couple of seats behind me. We started talking and became friends. Then we began riding to class together after Dennis injured his ankle in a soccer game. From there we started seeing each other after our first official date on September 21st.
In October, I knew I didn't want to see anyone else. I guess he felt the same. We have been together ever since then. Through the ups, downs, and sideways of it all. We got married in May 2003, started our family in 2005 (hello Landon!), and added our sweet girl in 2009. 2010 was a year studded with change.
A year ago this week I packed up my car and headed to Florida. I left Dennis and the kids for a month while he tied up loose ends and I found a place for us all to live. We celebrated our 12th year together over the phone. I am so glad this year we are able to spend this milestone together!
To this and many more! I love you Dennis!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Kindness...
From a young age I was taught to be kind. To show kindness. I guess I assumed most children were/will be taught from a young age how to treat others.
Today, I learned a difficult lesson. Unfortunately, I learned this lesson while watching an unkind act unfold in front of me. My son was the person to bare the brunt of it. This was heartbreaking. It made me angry. It made me want to snatch up the kids and tell them a thing or two.
Landon had his meet and greet at school today. He starts the first grade on Monday. He is very excited. He approached two girls he knew from last school year. They are both his age as well. He said "hi" and asked if the girls remembered him. Both were rather rude and condescending for 6 year-olds. Instead of being polite or humoring him, they mocked him. A few minutes later I saw one of the girls purposely shove Landon and told him in an ugly tone to go away.
Needless to say, I was shocked at this rude, mean, and just unkind act. Landon had his feelings hurt. I asked him to brush it off so the girls get satisfaction in seeing him upset.
It made me ask, "what are kids being taught these days"? If parents can not, will not, or do not practice or teach anything else when it comes to others, please teach your children to be kind. Kindness can go a long way. No one deserves to be treated unkindly for any reason.
I am hoping Landon's first week of school goes better than his meet and greet! Hopefully someone, some day will teach those little girls a lesson or at least give them a dose of their own medicine so they know how it feels. Maybe then they will think twice about being so unkind to another person!
Off my soap box....moving on!
Today, I learned a difficult lesson. Unfortunately, I learned this lesson while watching an unkind act unfold in front of me. My son was the person to bare the brunt of it. This was heartbreaking. It made me angry. It made me want to snatch up the kids and tell them a thing or two.
Landon had his meet and greet at school today. He starts the first grade on Monday. He is very excited. He approached two girls he knew from last school year. They are both his age as well. He said "hi" and asked if the girls remembered him. Both were rather rude and condescending for 6 year-olds. Instead of being polite or humoring him, they mocked him. A few minutes later I saw one of the girls purposely shove Landon and told him in an ugly tone to go away.
Needless to say, I was shocked at this rude, mean, and just unkind act. Landon had his feelings hurt. I asked him to brush it off so the girls get satisfaction in seeing him upset.
It made me ask, "what are kids being taught these days"? If parents can not, will not, or do not practice or teach anything else when it comes to others, please teach your children to be kind. Kindness can go a long way. No one deserves to be treated unkindly for any reason.
I am hoping Landon's first week of school goes better than his meet and greet! Hopefully someone, some day will teach those little girls a lesson or at least give them a dose of their own medicine so they know how it feels. Maybe then they will think twice about being so unkind to another person!
Off my soap box....moving on!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
On Turning 6...
Landon will be 6 years old tomorrow! Time has flown, but we have loved watching him through the infant years, the toddler years, the pre-school years, and now we embark on a new journey of the elementary school years!
Luckily, we are in a grade "A" school system. One of the bright spots about moving was the promise of a better school system than what we were facing with Memphis City/Shelby County schools. Landon is looking forward to starting school in a couple of weeks. We hope he feels the same when he has homework each night!
Landon was able to celebrate his Birthday with my parents last weekend. He got an awesome set of bongos from my parents and a Florida Marlins hat from Uncle Doug.
He has asked for a cookie cake decorated with Super Mario Brothers characters. He calls them Super Mario Bros. For his birthday dinner he has asked for pizza.
We haven't planned a party, but thought a nice day at the beach this weekend would be a good way to celebrate my baby boy turning 6!!! Hopefully the weather will cooperate.
Landon has turned in to such a helpful child. He is kind and polite (most of the time). He loves his baby sister and is proud to say he is a big brother. He has learned how to swim and is quite thelittle fish! He loves to read as well. He has almost learned to tie his shoes solo, which is a big deal!
We look forward to what God has planned for Landon!!!
Luckily, we are in a grade "A" school system. One of the bright spots about moving was the promise of a better school system than what we were facing with Memphis City/Shelby County schools. Landon is looking forward to starting school in a couple of weeks. We hope he feels the same when he has homework each night!
Landon was able to celebrate his Birthday with my parents last weekend. He got an awesome set of bongos from my parents and a Florida Marlins hat from Uncle Doug.
He has asked for a cookie cake decorated with Super Mario Brothers characters. He calls them Super Mario Bros. For his birthday dinner he has asked for pizza.
We haven't planned a party, but thought a nice day at the beach this weekend would be a good way to celebrate my baby boy turning 6!!! Hopefully the weather will cooperate.
Landon has turned in to such a helpful child. He is kind and polite (most of the time). He loves his baby sister and is proud to say he is a big brother. He has learned how to swim and is quite thelittle fish! He loves to read as well. He has almost learned to tie his shoes solo, which is a big deal!
We look forward to what God has planned for Landon!!!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Tradition
Like most people I know, I grew up with certain traditions in my family. For as long as I can remember, Christmas Eve meant I received a new pair of PJ's. Now, we give our children special PJ's on Christmas Eve.
Growing up my family would spend our summer vacation in Destin, Florida. Most of my teen and early college years we would all make the trip to Destin to spend a week at the condo and soak up the Florida sun. Our trips were usually always the last week in July. This meant we would celebrate my dad's birthday while on vacation.
On our way back home we would stop in Pensacola to visit an aunt and uncle. Our tradition was to stop and eat at this little place called Flounders. My dad loves it and so do we. They have the best po-boys and a triple layer key lime pie! It makes my mouth water a little to think of it.
My parents left Coral Springs yesterday afternoon. We had lunch together at one of our favorite new south Florida places, Flannigan's in Deerfield Beach. My brother loved the dolphin fingers so much he ordered another serving of them (note: we do not eat Flipper, this is the dolphin fish). It was sad to have to say good-bye to them again. It was very difficult last October and then again at Christmas. It was no easier yesterday.
Today is my dad's birthday. And as the tradition goes, on their way home to Memphis they stopped in Pensacola this afternoon to have lunch at Flounders with my aunt and uncle. He had an oyster po-boy and shared a piece of key lime pie with everyone. I hate I missed out on our family tradition. Happy Birthday daddy! I miss you already!
Growing up my family would spend our summer vacation in Destin, Florida. Most of my teen and early college years we would all make the trip to Destin to spend a week at the condo and soak up the Florida sun. Our trips were usually always the last week in July. This meant we would celebrate my dad's birthday while on vacation.
On our way back home we would stop in Pensacola to visit an aunt and uncle. Our tradition was to stop and eat at this little place called Flounders. My dad loves it and so do we. They have the best po-boys and a triple layer key lime pie! It makes my mouth water a little to think of it.
My parents left Coral Springs yesterday afternoon. We had lunch together at one of our favorite new south Florida places, Flannigan's in Deerfield Beach. My brother loved the dolphin fingers so much he ordered another serving of them (note: we do not eat Flipper, this is the dolphin fish). It was sad to have to say good-bye to them again. It was very difficult last October and then again at Christmas. It was no easier yesterday.
Today is my dad's birthday. And as the tradition goes, on their way home to Memphis they stopped in Pensacola this afternoon to have lunch at Flounders with my aunt and uncle. He had an oyster po-boy and shared a piece of key lime pie with everyone. I hate I missed out on our family tradition. Happy Birthday daddy! I miss you already!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Family
My parents and brother are in town this week. The kids are loving it and my parents are just soaking up every minute they have with them. We have had yummy meals and special time to spend with everyone. Tomorrow night the kids will get royally spoiled for a few days. I can only imagine they won't want to come home when Saturday rolls around! Friday we hope to spend on a boat cruising around the ocean, drop anchor and play in the shallows, maybe even snorkel!
I have missed my family probably more than realized. We haven't seen them since Christmas. It is so nice to know, at least for a few days, they are just a short 10 minute car trip away! Sure beats the 17+ hour haul we made in December!
I have missed my family probably more than realized. We haven't seen them since Christmas. It is so nice to know, at least for a few days, they are just a short 10 minute car trip away! Sure beats the 17+ hour haul we made in December!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Invasion!
We have tons of critters in Southern Florida. Some are cute, others...not so much. We have the baby sea turtles, dolphins, even native parrots. These animals I am completely fine with.
However, snakes (rattle snakes, coral snakes, cotton mouths, pythons, boa constrictors), nile monitors & tegus (they are lizards-look them up, eeww!), palmetto bugs, jelly fish, and sugar ants I am not fond of.
And, as a side note, if you haven't seen Swamp Wars yet, tune in and see what South Florida residents deal with.
After a decent day at work, I come home after running errands with the family to find a sugar ant invasion in our master bath! I am talking in the hundreds on the cabana bath door. This is NOT what I wanted to have to deal with. Dennis got the bug spray and it seemed to make it worse, not better. The ants came out of no where! So then we got bleach and tried to drown them with that. Needless to say our next call was to our landlord. The exterminator is coming tomorrow evening, which is not soon enough in my opinion. I would rather them be here now as I don't know how I am going to sleep knowing they can invade again over night.
However, snakes (rattle snakes, coral snakes, cotton mouths, pythons, boa constrictors), nile monitors & tegus (they are lizards-look them up, eeww!), palmetto bugs, jelly fish, and sugar ants I am not fond of.
And, as a side note, if you haven't seen Swamp Wars yet, tune in and see what South Florida residents deal with.
After a decent day at work, I come home after running errands with the family to find a sugar ant invasion in our master bath! I am talking in the hundreds on the cabana bath door. This is NOT what I wanted to have to deal with. Dennis got the bug spray and it seemed to make it worse, not better. The ants came out of no where! So then we got bleach and tried to drown them with that. Needless to say our next call was to our landlord. The exterminator is coming tomorrow evening, which is not soon enough in my opinion. I would rather them be here now as I don't know how I am going to sleep knowing they can invade again over night.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Turtle Season
We live in a really cool area of Florida. Each of the beaches near our home are also home to some unique and endangered species. There are three main types of sea turtles that nest in Southern Florida. These are the leatherback, loggerhead, and the green sea turtles.
This weekend before heading to the beach we visited a Nature Park that also houses a sea turtle hospital. We got to see one of the largest lobsters ever. His name is Butter. The students at Florida Atlantic University who are studying marine biology care for him as well as some electric sting rays, and the cutest baby sea turtle hatchlings! We visited the rehab center where the juvenile green sea turtles are infected with a virus where the turtles develop tumors (or growths) on various areas of their body. They use a very expensive laser to removed them. The turtles then recover and are released when they are given a clean bill of health. The researchers at the center suspect that mercury run-off and other pollution may contribute to these tumors growing.
After leaving the nature park we went to the near-by state park and beach called Red Reef. It is a jewel of a spot. The beach was quiet and not too crowded. The water was bath water clear, calm, and shallow enough for even Lou to enjoy. Red Reef is home to just that...a coral reef. Some of the reef is in the shallows and accessible off the shore. The reef is home to fish, live coral of red, orange, and green, tons of sea snails and crabs of all sizes! Further into the ocean the reef extends and even more creatures can be seen. One woman and her daughter even tried coaxing an eel out of the shadows of the reef! We found some shells to add to our growing collection as well.
An ever-present reminder of the sea turtles are the nests which are marked off all around the beach and shore. The nests hold precious sea turtle eggs that are getting ready to hatch the babies that will make their way to the ocean from the end of July until mid-September. We are hoping to catch a glimpse of the hatchlings in the near future!
This weekend before heading to the beach we visited a Nature Park that also houses a sea turtle hospital. We got to see one of the largest lobsters ever. His name is Butter. The students at Florida Atlantic University who are studying marine biology care for him as well as some electric sting rays, and the cutest baby sea turtle hatchlings! We visited the rehab center where the juvenile green sea turtles are infected with a virus where the turtles develop tumors (or growths) on various areas of their body. They use a very expensive laser to removed them. The turtles then recover and are released when they are given a clean bill of health. The researchers at the center suspect that mercury run-off and other pollution may contribute to these tumors growing.
After leaving the nature park we went to the near-by state park and beach called Red Reef. It is a jewel of a spot. The beach was quiet and not too crowded. The water was bath water clear, calm, and shallow enough for even Lou to enjoy. Red Reef is home to just that...a coral reef. Some of the reef is in the shallows and accessible off the shore. The reef is home to fish, live coral of red, orange, and green, tons of sea snails and crabs of all sizes! Further into the ocean the reef extends and even more creatures can be seen. One woman and her daughter even tried coaxing an eel out of the shadows of the reef! We found some shells to add to our growing collection as well.
An ever-present reminder of the sea turtles are the nests which are marked off all around the beach and shore. The nests hold precious sea turtle eggs that are getting ready to hatch the babies that will make their way to the ocean from the end of July until mid-September. We are hoping to catch a glimpse of the hatchlings in the near future!
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