Vacation Part 1

Our family went on a short weekend getaway for a last hurrah before the new school year began! The Symonds went too, and we both got rooms at Hotel Isis, in Redington Beach. It was lovely, but a little small by the last day. We went to a few local restaurants and our favorite for seafood was Keegan's. The best she crab soup I have ever had! Another night we went to Dockside Dave's and had their seafood bisque and it was HORRIBLE! Live and learn!

The weather was gorgeous! We swam with stingrays, but they minded their own business and left us alone! Our minds were on bigger creatures of the water since we had found Discovery Channel and realized it was Shark Week! Yes, it stayed on the channel the whole time! Crazy!

Our hotel had hammocks but no shade! They had cornhole too, so we all got our game on! Fun stuff!

These girls just keep growing... I found some pics from 2006 when they were on this same beach, and it brought tears to my eyes... so many memories!

Olivia needed to be protected by her Dad, always looking for a stingray!

Still her favorite spot to be... on the beach digging and collecting!

They momentarily forgot about the feeding frenzy going on right by their behinds!

Just a few of them!

Riding in the waves, even if they are small!

Freeze pose! Playing in the parking lots!

Sunsets and kite flying! Perfect ending to our vacation

This little gem was found... my ice cream radar girl, Stephanie... but this was even better cause it had candy too!

Steve found some Moxie! It was a soda his Grandmother mentioned in her book. We had to call and tell her we had picked her up a bottle too!

Ten in a row! Cartwheel perfection! Go Olivia!

Hero Academy 2011

This year both of the girls went away to camp. It was three nights and three days. Olivia has been looking forward to it for a year (or more), and Stephanie is an old pro with this being year number three. A few changes were in store, and unexpected things too. They had a new camp speaker, and a talent show this year. The speaker was great at keeping their attention and teaching them about being a "Super Hero" for God. Being prepared with the armor of God and by living a life empowered by the Holy Spirit. They had some great time of worship and quiet time as well.

The talent show was a new event, and Stephanie wanted to sing a solo without any music. She loves Mandisa's song "Stronger" and did an incredible job, so I hear. I have no pictures or video since we were not there, but she was the top girl. A boy beat her out for first place with his original piano piece. We are both so proud of her ability to get up in front of her peers and pull that off! Olivia was a cheerleader in the crowd, and I guess a very loud one!
Lots of friends!

Theme verse, 2 Peter 1:3

Still getting settled and kicking parents out!

Parent night. I love them, and yet He loves them even more.

Worship service.

Abbie and Olivia were the newbies this year. They were brave as they were on different teams than their closest friends. It was good for them, made them stretch and be confident.

Maddie came as a visitor, she will join in next year. She was making the "deals", and walked away with three bags of skittles after a night of fun!

This is the dorm the girls stayed in. Camp Geneva in Fruitland Park was the host of the camp this year. There is a lake to swim in (yikes, I had to just pretend it was a pool!) a nice big pool, and lots of land to play on. The girls made memories that we hope will last them a lifetime!

Happy 12th!

We decided to celebrate "in house" style this year. Cut backs and all! No, really, we wanted to relax and we brought goodies home from Fresh Market. They have so many good little dishes in their deli, we picked a bunch to chose from.We also picked up that cheesecake as a celebration to our wedding cake. It was a splendid cake. Three layers of cheesecake. Blueberry, strawberry and raspberry. This small one had fresh fruit on top and it was DELICIOUS!

I had the best time with Steve. We caught a glimpse of what life would be like someday with the girls gone. It was quieter, and it was just the two of us with a vote on the menu! I could have never imagined life to be more complete and full of peace as it is being married to Steve. I love him. He is such a living example of love that is expressed in I Corinthians 13.

1 Corinthians 13
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

He is patient, and kind. He does not keep record of wrongs. He rejoices with me and cheers me on. He is a grand protector and keeps an optimistic outlook on life. I only know in part what God knows in whole, but I like and love what I see. Very blessed I am.

Graduation 2011

Conrad Cooke Meade graduated in June. It was a long road there, but he got there. It was a fun day to celebrate and we made lifetime memories. Family is worth the effort!

Celebration dinner at Carraba's (Sherri's place of employment. Good people!)

Guiness World Record called me and wanted to pay me for this photo (Not really) cause NO ONE ever thought it would happen. But a little kindness and quick thinking can do wonders!

Bragging Rights

This past year part of our weekly schedule was a BUSY Wednesday! We left the house each week around 8:30 a.m. and we did not get home until around 8:00 p.m.! The day included P.E. and Art class. Lunch and play time at the park. An afternoon of library and computer school. Hanging out at Aunt Sam's house. And finally going to First Baptist of Wildwood for AWANA.

It is a weekly club where the kids learn scriptures and earn badges. Olivia shot for the stars. She did an amazing job. In one year she did what is written in the curriculum to take 3 years. She was on a mission. Her teachers Ms. Debbie and Ms. Trina were her biggest cheerleaders. Every Wednesday at the end of club the entire kids program would meet back together and recognized by their peers for their hard work. I think all but one week of the year she had her name called and all cheered!
She received a special plaque and a beautiful bible as her reward for all of her efforts. Her tenaciousness gives her braggin rights for a long time! We are so very proud of her!

Notice all her badges!

Chloe was like the little engine that could....she never gave up and the last night of class was beaming from ear to ear and proud of her ribbon and completion of her book too! She was braggin that she decided not to be a "slacker" anymore! Gotta love this girl!

This is the lovely Ms. Trina. I don't think Olivia knew she would love her teacher so much...I did! I always knew she would be the student who won the heart of her teacher and would wear the badge of "teacher's pet" proudly!! Olivia will miss her, but I bet there will be lots of hugs next year when she can sneak away to find Ms. Trina!

What an incredible treasure this church body has given to our family. Our kids have always loved VBS with them, and summer camp too, now they can add AWANA to the list! Olivia can not wait to go to her first overnight camp that is coming in July!

Bugging out at MOSI

One of our end of the year field trips was to MOSI. We went with good friends and ones that really "bugged" us! The exhibit was amazing. The wall decor and the doll house structures were fantastic!! Put it on your to-do list for the summer. We watched two great IMAX movies as well. Thanks Amy for sharing the fun!

Bugs were everywhere!

Fun Times

I had the most wonderful Mother's Day! My girls gave me coupon books full of coupons for pedicures, bed making, dish doing, laundry folding and even some hugs and kisses! I love them so much, some days I can't believe they are mine! They are funny and so kind. One thing that I love most is that they don't just save it for the one day a year that Mother's are celebrated, I get shown it all the time !

One of my memories this year will be of the woman we met during lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. We were sitting inches away from her and as she sat alone, my heart went out to her wondering if she was a mother. Could I have this table full of blessings with my girls, and yet she be alone and uncelebrated? The whole restaurant was full of Mother's getting a lunch out but with someone to share their meal with. We gently began conversation. The girls complimented her on her jewelry and we soon learned that she was Mother of five grown kids, 12 grand kids and 6 great grands. Her sporadic conversation soon came with ease and developed into a details of her life here and the life in Ohio she had left. I was so glad to have shared the day with her. We never exchanged names, we just shared life on this great day of both being Mothers. My girls told me when we got in the car that they were proud of me for sharing my Mother's Day with a stranger. I was glad too!

Saturday, May 7th, we had our end of the year Science Fair. Each of the kids worked on a project and presented it to their peers and to the adults who came. They all did a tremendous job! Stephanie's was on the lastability of gum. She was quite the presenter!

Olivia had worked on finding out which lip gloss lasts the longest. She was in her element!

I felt it was necessary to celebrate Cinco de Mayo last week. So I had a plate of redneck nachos. Yes people, we keep it simple around here.

We have had some cat drama around our home lately, but Greyday has decided she is staying. Her stress has been so high she is losing her fur, but we are doing all but give cat spa treatments to reduce her stress.

Another day recently, a group of us headed to MOSI to take in the day. We had a great time. It was nice to have them be older to wander the areas on their own...they knew we were right on the other side of the wall, but they liked their independence. We saw two great movies and the BUG exhibit. It was amazing to see what can be done with dead bugs!

This picture was back from Easter. I love it. The girls love their Papa and he adores them. Soon they will be taller than him, but he just gets cuter all the time.

I never posted about Easter, but we had our usual egg hunt in the house. They crack me up... I wonder if at 19 they will want plastic eggs hidden down the hallway in plain sight. Their baskets were filled with things they needed like shorts, bathing suits and new nightgowns, of course some candy too! Later Olivia asked me if I was the Easter bunny, so I confessed I was! She said, "Yeah, I knew you were, but I was just going along with it!" I think she thought the baskets might end if the truth was told, funny girl!

The pool is open and being used daily. They were being creative this day....I just wonder why do we need a hose on when the pool is full of water! $$$$$$$$

Quite brilliant they are!