Together at Momma's house.

Mike, Jason, Joey, Jessica, Henry, William, Dale and myself went to Mommas to eat our New Year's meal. We had black eye peas, mustard greens, rice, mashed potato's, corn, ham and rolls for lunch. A typical New Year's lunch for our family. I cleaned and cooked the greens last night. Momma cooked the rest. It was so good. Everything was outstanding. I can't wait to eat some more greens and peas! Add some pepper vinegar and some sliced onions and man o man that's a meal!!!

Jason he ate lot's of potato's. He loves them and can eat a 5lb. bag in no time flat! He has some leftover for tonight. Joey loved the ham or meat as he calls it! Joey took picture of Momma several weeks ago!

Where did 2010 go?

Wow 2010 has come and gone in a flash! Seems just like yesterday it was 2009. This year Joey turned 3 had a blast at his birthday party that he and William celebrate together since their birthday's are a week apart. We had a water slide and some water cannons they played with their other cousins.

Michelle and her finace` Dominick went to college in Canada for 4 months during the cold fall and had a great time in Canada but said they din't like the college and really didn't learn anything they hadn't already learned in Daytona. They did get a wonderful experience of being on ther own and in another country. That had to be awesome in it's self. I was soooo glad to see her

We also hosted a Halloween party at Mommas house for all of our cousin's children. They all had a blast. We dressed up the kids, had a pinata filled with tons of candy and had hot dogs on the grill with the fixins'. I think the adults had as good as time as the kids did!

WE had a huge Thanksgiving at Mommas. Our oldest son Jason is being deployed to Afghanistan in January 2011. He wanted his Mom and Dad to be together on Thanksgiving. So his Mom came with her family and one of her brother's Scott and one of Jason's cousin's Casey. My brother Bubba and his family spent the weekend with Momma. Jessica and her family came as well as Martin and Pat. Mike's Mom and Papa John came up from Ocala.

We had a wonderful time and no one wanted to leave! It was so nice to see the families be together and getting along. I think this will stay in Jason's mind and help him while he is away from his family.

At Christmas we had all of Mommas sister's families over. we had close to 40 aunts, uncles, cousins, Nana's Grammies, Papa's and many extended family members as well as friends. We ate and sat around having fun with member's of the family we don't get to see much!! We really do need to make an effort to get together more often.

School is coming to a close

We are in our final week of school here in Florida. Our last day is June 11. I will miss my students on the bus but could use some time off. I have a few projects around the home I want to get done. One is to clean out my front flower bed it is in dire need of cleaning and reorganizing of some plans.

My second project is to declutter our home and get rid of junk. We have one room that is nothing but a bunch of junk. How it got that way is no excuse so none will be given. We have several old computers hanging around so hopefully when Jason comes home in a couple days he will bless us by taking one to Nana's home and getting it set up for her to use.

The third project will be to let Joey run free and enjoy his summer. This will be his first summer when he will have memories so want him to have a ton to try and remember when he gets old!

Jason is coming home next Tuesday from South Korea. His 2 year duty is up. It will be nice to have him home for 30 days before he has to go to his next post. He will be going to Fort Leonardwood in Missouri. It's much closer than South Korea! With everything going on in the world it's nice to see him on home ground than stuck in another country.

Joey's Birthday Party

Joey and William's birthday party was a hit. We had a blow up water slide and water cannon's. When the children first got here we gave the children a water cannon we had purchased at Dollar tree. For a dollar gift they were awesome. We put bucket's of water around in the yard so the children could suck up the water and have war. They had a blast.
Joey in his young wisdom said heck with the water cannon which held a couple cups of water and went for the water hose! Everyone laughed and of course Joey went back to his cannon to play.
We had a nice crowd of 38. Our list of guest follows: Aunt Celia, cousin Aaron & his family, Cousin Robert & his family, JoJo & his friend with her children, Sharon & family, Dave & his family, William's Nana Kathy & family, Joey's Grammie Joanie, Nannie Joyce, Lisa, Dale, William, Jessica, Henry, Mike, Joey and myself.
Mike and I are truely Blessed with family that loves Joey as much as we do! Joey is such a joy. He loves to smile and be everyone's friend. Several of the children didn"t want to go home and some wanted to come back the next day! That to me means we had a great party.
Joey recieved lots of nice gifts. But even thought the gifts are nice we enjoyed the fellowship even more!

My Baby is turning three!

Time flies........Joey is turning 3 on May 16th. We are having him and his cousin William a birthday party on Saturday. We are putting up the waterslide. The kids love the slide. My Momma bought it for the 2 boys last year for their birthday. It is one of the blow~up slides, it doesn't hold adults or bigger teens but the younger children love it. It is so fun watching them have so much fun.
Last year we put it up beside Momma's garage but with the shade and the ever so cold well water we had blue mouth children! So this year we are putting it in the sun. I'd rather have to put on lots of sunscreen than have shivering children!
We are serving hamburgers and hotdogs. Of course we are having all the fixins`like baked beans, potato salad and veggie tray. Water makes everyone hungry so we will have plenty food for everyone.
Jessica my baby sister also William's Mom and I are spliting the cost of the party. We are going on Thursday to Sam's to get most of the food and supplies. We are ordering the cake also while at Sam's. Since the boy's ages are 5 year's apart we have to go with themes that are not too babish or too grown. Since both boy's like planes I'm going to see if the have a "plane cake".
Joey is growing so fast and learning so many new things. You want to keep them a baby but there is no holding back. He loves his Daddy and follows every move. He does so many things like his Daddy like stand with his hands in his pockets. It is so funny watching them stand side by side with hands in the pants pockets! I really need to snap a photo of them one day.
So Joseph Daddy and Momma wish you the best 3rd birthday!! May you grow strong in body and in Love for Jesus!

The Baby Shower

We had my cousin Amanda's baby shower on Saturday. It went well and everyone seemed to have a great time. Amanda's baby was due the end of May beginning of June but she had him in March. He was so tiny only weighting a little over 2 lbs. but he now is a little over 4 1/2 pounds. He just may get to come home in as little as 7 days.

We had lots of food not knowing how many was coming I planned for everyone to show. So we had lots left which is ok, Amanda took home food for her house, I sent my other cousin home with the veggie tray (her children will eat it up for a snack) and sent home a baggie full of my cheddar bacon dip. Mike and I will be eating lots of Chicken salad and Egg salad sandwiches this week. I love egg salad for breakfast so that's what I will be having.

Amanda recieved lots of nice presents and lots of diapers. The latter being something you can never have too many of! She had lots of help opening her gifts as her nephew Brian and my Joey was there to help. Her being patient let them help her and made them feel as though they were big helpers.

We played 3 games:1. Toilet paper game: take as much as you need then pass it. When everyone is done make a bow. Funny to see the one's who either took too much or not enough.
2. Everyone is given a pin wwith a baby rattler attached. The pin to there shirt and if they say baby someone calls them and wins there pins. At the end of shower who ever has the most wins.
3. Cotton ball game: you are blind folded given a bowl of cotton balls in your lap with a tablespoon. On your head is an empty bowl. Get as many cotton balls on your head in 30 seconds. The player with most wins.

Joey had to play the cotton ball game. He is so funny he has to try anything you do! My Aunt Cecelia took pictures. I'm gonna have to get some to post.

Well have a Blessed week!

Paintball fever

We have a fever running around on the homestead and it's called paintball!! Yes you heard right paintball. Mike and I went to my Aunt Cecia's home several month's a go and her adult children were playing paintball in the woods that surround her home. They tried to get Mike to play but he wouldn't, he decided to play cook for the Army!

After dinner he finally got talked into playing. One game was all it took! He had the fever. He searched high and low for a Tippman A-5 gun for a great price. He found a package on e-bay for a wonderful price purchased it and the next weekend here we are off to my Aunt Cecia's home. He loves playing and since he has no real hobby I completely stand behind him. I enjoy going to my aunts and spending time with her and my cousins also.

Well my nephew Dale has now gotten the fever. He came with us one weekend and that was it for him. He had a gun but not an A-5 like the rest so my Mom his Nana bought him a used one that was in great shape. He loves playing and it's great to see him and Mike having fun, running around like 2 small kids and just having a great day with family.

Well my 6 year old nephew William can't be left out. Dale gave him his old gun. He is so funny. He will watch Mike and Dale play and see how they hide behind trees and such to try and not get hit with the paintball's. He then will imitate them. He had a ball on Monday night "playing" paintball with Mike and Dale. They just had their guns with no air or paintball's. They let him try and shoot at them. He hit Mike 3 times a least. He would try and do the same things as they did the night before!

That makes me realize more and more that our children really look at you to see how to live their life. It's scary and I pray that God will help me live a life in front of Joey that will not hinder him!