So Much Time Gone By and So Much Catching Up To Do

I don't want to overload you all too much with what has happend over the past 6 months in just one post so I posted some of January and February only. I will post March-June over the next few days. I am really slow when it comes to posting and this post has taken me an hour to do. It is time for me to get on with my day. I have a lot of catching up to do around my house, a workout that I am doing this afternoon because I missed doing it this morning, lunch date with a good friend, etc. I think you get the picture.

In February we had the opportunity to travel down to Miami to visit my grandmother and spend her 94th birthday with her. She is such a beautiful lady and I am still amazed at how good she looks for her age. Her mind is as sharp as a tack. She is greatly loved by so many. I am glad that my children are able to get to know there great grandmother. In the beginning of June the kids and I traveled down to spend a week with her too. A week or so after we saw her she had a heart attack. She is in the hospital now and I just pray that she will be comforted. I love her dearly and I am greatful for all the time I have spent with her. (Tears rolling down my cheeks) Please pray for her. She has Angina and lives in pain and some lack of oxygen. I just think how frustrating it has to be to have all your faculties but your body not not working the way it is supposed to.

MY SWEET GRANDMOTHER AND HER 3 CHILDREN AT HER 94TH BIRTHDAY

ABUELITA AND PAUL -

From the time Paul and I were dating my Grandmother called him her own. She said she just new we would get married. She loves him as if he were one of her own grandchildren and he loves her as a grandmother. I just wish he could have known her as long as I have.

ABUELITA RAQUEL WITH HER GRAND DAUGHTER AND FOR GREAT GRANDS (BIS NIETOS)

NICOLE, BLAINE, ABUELITA, MICHELLE, AND TISON

ABUELITA AND BLAINE

In January Blaine was 2 months old and as you can see he just doesn't get enough love. He is everyone's favorite and such a sweet and good baby. I couldn't have asked for an easier and happier child the 4th time around. I thank my Heavenly Father in my heart every day for my sweet, beautiful children.
TISON HOLDING BLAINE

MICHELLE HOLDING BLAINE

NICOLE HOLDING BLAINE

BLAINE SLEEPING - 2 MONTHS OLD

My friend's Anne-Marie and Lizzy came to visit me one afternoon in January. Lizzy brought her adorable children with her and we had so much fun catching up together. We were all friends in high school. Anne-Marie is living here now so I am just loving that. We get together every week for lunch and my children get so excited about seeing her. We have not seen Lizzy since January because she moved from Jax, FL to Virginia. Her husband is in the Military. Hopefully sometime in the near future we can get together again.

LIZZIE'S ADORABLE BABY GIRL

3 OF MY KIDS WITH LIZZY'S 2 BOYS

LIZZY, ANNE-MARIE, AND ME

MICHELLE'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL - PRE-K

In January Michelle started Pre-k and had a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Stephanie Hutchinson, for her first year in school. She was so excited that first day and had a wonderful 5 months. Some of you might be wondering if Tison was in school too? No, he just wants to be right with his sisters in everything they do. The girls love him to pieces.

My hands are FULL with my 4 cuties. I can't love them enough! Therefore I have not found much time to post or do some other things I would like to, but I am going to give it a try again.

My children bring me so much joy as I know yours do for you. There is constant laughter and times of memory making with them. I love that they love each other so dearly and hope and I pray they always will.

There is never a dull moment in our home as you can imagine. When the girls are in school they are busy with school work/activities and I am busy helping them with homework/projects and helping out there teachers with my two boys right under me. I am so happy it is summer and that I have my 4 right with me. I am making a new resolution to keep up with posting more consistently. I need an outlet for myself as well as place to keep our lives recorded for those of our friends and family who are interested. SO here it goes.........

Blaine Michael

Blaine Michael was born on November 18. He was 12 days early and weighed 7lbs 12 ounces. Blaine was very healthy. I was the only one with some issues/complications after the delivery (that is another story), but all went well eventually. He is such a joy to have in our lives and his siblings just adore him. I will post more pics later and will do a little more updating as well. I am hoping to jump back on the blogging wagon now. We will see how I do! :)

HAPPY DAY! BIG BIG News!

BABY WATERS coming November 2008. I am still quite early in my pregnancy but will keep all of you updated as time goes on! Happy, Happy Days!!!!

Very Sad Day

Today was a very hard day for the 5 of us. We had to take Maddie to the Humane Society. This is why.......Almost exactly 1 month ago we picked up "Maddie" our puppy. Two weeks later we found a wonderful trainer for her. The more training we gave her the more aggressive she was getting. It turned out that we picked out a dog with some serious genetic mental issues. Our trainer worried that she may turn on the kids one day. That was my worry too and the reason why I looked for a trainer in the first place. Even though we had some issues with her we loved having her in our lives and will be looking for another dog within the next couple of years. I definately recommend a dog to anyone, but if you have small children don't get a puppy. It will be alot easier to start out with a dog that is a little older, 1-2 yrs old. Oh! and CRATE TRAIN! Crate training made a world of a difference for us.

New Addition to our Family

We are proud to introduce a new member of our family....."MADDIE Apples" . "Apples" is her middle name. The girls wanted her to have a middle name, but we call her "Maddie" mainly. She is a 3 month old Labrador Retriever mix. Her father is a Lab and her mother is a Lab/Rat Terrier mix. We all are loving her in our lives. I have had to get used to taking care of another "child" again :) We have started crate training her and that has made life a whole lot easier. We are enjoying the experience because all of us are experiencing owning a dog for the first time. I never had one growing up and Paul has a vague recollection of the one his family had when he was a toddler. She will end up being between 40-50lbs and look like a small lab. She is one of the main reasons why for the past month I have been disconnected from the world of blogging. I am sad to say that I was almost ready to post all about our Christmas break and I didn't finish. So the Christmas post will follow this one.

Our Great Nation

During this election year I have come to realize how many of us are not involved or only a little involved in one of the great freedoms we have in this country. The freedom I am talking about is our right to vote and have that vote count and our right to publicly or privately support those we would like to see in office. Over the years I have learned what a great privalege it is and how we need to educate ourselves on the issues and the candidates. I have also learned that educating ourselves means to go to the source itself. I put no importance on what the biased media says. They have their own agenda. If you want to learn about someone or something you go straight to the source. Sometimes it can take alot of research on your own part but it is well worth it. I believe there are many out there who do not care a thing about politics, but we need to care. This is our nation. It is a wonderful, wonderful place. I plead to those of you who are not involved or informed in regards to anything political to get informed. Don't just go on who your parents, teachers, friends, neighbors are voting for, but make your own educated decision and vote for someone who holds true to all the things you hold dear. GET INVOLVED! Teach your children the importance of it and the great FREEDOM and PRIVALEGE we have and they have. Please don't take it for granted. I do warn you though :) . For some of us it can be quite addictive. I have become a political junkie for all the right reasons. I believe this country was founded on greatness and by inspired men and I will contnue to vote to keep it that way! I hope you will continue to do the same. If you haven't yet, it isn't too late. Thank you for listening. I will be hopping off my soap box now......
-Excited for Super Tuesday

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!