Aunt Wendy, Tessa, and Chloe

Halle on a sculpture at Hollis Garden

The Buttons at Old Hyde Park in Tampa

Aunt Amy and her nieces plus Chloe

Travis and Halle at Barnett park

Uncle Jon and Chloe

Amanda and Chloe on a Black Widow Spider

Palm Trees at Lake Mirror- Taken by Travis

Landon and Chloe at Barnett Park at Hollis Garden

"Big Shane" and Halle

Travis and Chloe at Hollis Gardens

The Buttons and Johnsons at the Lakeland Public Library

Taken at Hollis Gardens in Lakeland

Hollis Garden

My hometown's theme- Swans- at Lake Morton

It looks warm and sunny but it was about 68 degrees and the water was in the 50's!

Trip To The Beach

 
 

Me and My "Little" Brother

There is way too much to post- I mean really, how do you sum up 11 vacation days? I'll post some pics though and try to do our trip justice- just not all at once. I think that would be like making you watch 11 days of home videos. It was so much fun though. We had a great trip and are happy to be home! 

Happy Birthday Halle!!!

I would have loved to post this yesterday on her actual birthday but it just didn't happen. Halle had a wonderful birthday party complete with friends, food, and her very own smash cake made by yours truly. I've never made my girls birthday cakes before but in an effort to be thrifty I decided I'd do it this year. I've wanted to make their cakes but always thought I'd have to buy too many tools thus being cost prohibitive but I opted for simplicity and bought funfetti cake and icing and a can of decorator icing that comes with its own decorator tips and I was in business. It wasn't perfect or extrordinary but I was happy with the way it turned out and Halle seemed quite happy as well. The Kelsos and Fadelys joined us for a BIG party considering the size of our apartment but it was nice having everyone here- LOUD but nice. I found myself being a little hoarse from trying to "yell" over everyone else.

Her actual birthday was not as much fun for her since she got shots that she's been behind on and then had to spend four hours at the mall with Mommy and Daddy who were frantically trying to catch up on Christmas shopping before we go out of town. She made sure to alert us to her displeasure as well as all those around us- that was fun! She didn't have any birthday cake but she had some cranberry brulee chiller from Gloria Jean's and a pretzel from Auntie Anne's and that helped make some things better.

And I'd like to take this opportunity to brag on Amanda. I was really busy yesterday with a Dr.'s appt., working out, and Christmas shopping so I wasn't that much help with the ton of laundry that has to be done before we leave and she worked from the time she got up until after we got home last night doing laundry and cleaning without being asked!!! When we got home the house was completely spotless! She really does so much around here so I rewarded her by telling her she's never allowed to move out. Seriously though, I think I'd have a nervous breakdown if she wasn't here.

So, Florida...I feel relaxed already. It's supposed to be in the 70's on Christmas day and I can honestly say that I'm glad it won't be cold. I can hardly wait to walk on the beach, stick my toes in the sand, and walk in the water- if the water's not too cold. There are a hundred places I want to visit but obviously we won't be able to in the amount of time we'll be there but I'm sure we'll be able to visit several and I can hardly wait!!! Well, I'm off now to pack some shorts and T-Shirts :)

Merry Christmas and Tisra, enjoy your Holiday Cake! 

Man-O-Man, What a Week

Man, has this been a rough two weeks! Last week Luke was sick, I could describe his symptoms but for the sake of your stomachs I'll keep it to myself. Then Jaren was sick. Then Halle was sick. Now it's rough when you're babysitting sick kids but when yours get sick too it's different. She started with a fever and runny nose and then the cough. I mean the nasty scares me cough. It started on Sunday and by Monday night it was pretty bad. Tuesday morning it sounded like she was wheezing and it was taking much too much effort to breathe so we went to the Dr. After listening to her chest the Dr. confirmed the wheeze and suggested pneumonia or asthma which was not what I wanted to hear. If she'd been running a very high temp there would have been blood work and the like but since it was relatively low she prescribed a steroid for the cough and an antibiotic for her very first ever ear infection. No wonder she was cranky! The cough/wheeze has persisted but was much better by yesterday and it's a good thing it was since Chloe woke up with a fever and vomiting that morning- did I mention that Travis was sick this past weekend too? Thankfully she's better after a dose of Emetrol- a medicine that somehow settles sick stomachs; I wish I'd had it as a kid. It did not help her sleep, however and I think I may have had 3 or 4 hours of continually interrupted sleep so I'm feeling a little sleepy. But I'm waiting up for Amanda to come home from watching "Narnia" so I'm typing.

I'm also religiously taking Airborne and I haven't had more than a little sore throat- I'm so thankful! I'm also hoping that since everyone is sick now we've kind of gotten it over with so everyone will be healthy in FL.

And now I'm off to bed and tomorrow will be cleaning, shopping, and a Christmas party. I'm really looking forward to a vacation.