Busy, Adaptation, Failure... and Life

What have I been up to? Well everything and nothing.  I am not sure what happens to my days, hours, and minutes, I just know that I can barely remember what I did yesterday.

I remember feeling busy in my 20s, then busy with a newborn and lawschool, busy trying to navigate having two children and a career.  Something happens as your children grow, you are not only juggling your own schedule, but you juggle their schedules.

Don't get me wrong, of course as littles, they had a schedule - eating, nap, playtime.  However, it mainly revolved around my life and their school's schedule.  Now my kids have a schedule that does not revolve around my needs and my schedule.  Its sports practices, play dates, phone calls with friends, and homework.  My job is to get them places and make sure they are ready to succeed at school (harder then it may appear).

As I adapt (and I will admit I am not always the best at adapting)... my blog has dropped off my radar.

Since I can barely remember lunch, I am going to attempt to remember to blog. Afterall, its my way of looking back on my awesome life.  Yes, its busy, but its a great busy.  I leave work to watch my kids amaze me with their reading skills, shoot baskets, listen to their stories, and occasionally listen in on their conversations with friends.

So here goes... a quick catch up on the end of 2016...

Karate took over my life.  Well that is an exaggeration. Two days a week, I do my best to take Dylan or beg someone to take Dylan to karate.  What I thought would be short lived is looking to have a long shelf life. 

Winter Park Christmas Parade was a blast with Easton and our long lost pal, Iliana. 

DYLAN READS! Its crazy, but he just took off. 

Enjoyed Happy Elf!

We attended the Very Merry Christmas Party at Disney. We had a wonderful time.

Basketball season success with our friends.

We love to babysit Reid. 

One of our besties, Margaret.

Enjoying an afternoon at Crayola.

Florida snow... its the worst. 

Sea World with Grandma. We tried to get them all smiling and looking in one direction. Impossible.

 

Scary!

New Years Eve with friends.

Dylan's main girl always, Parker.

Three parties in and we were are ready for 2017

The Thanksgiving Corner

It was last November when I was cornered after dinner by my mother in law, Nancy.  I am pretty sure she recalls this calculated move on her part.  She separated me from the group and laid it on the line... "I want to have Thanksgiving with my family this year."  

I mean, yes, Graham and I have been together for 17 years and we have always spent Thanksgiving with my family.  And, yes, my Mom has relinquished hosting the event in recent years.  Let's just say it was the right year to throw down the gauntlet and corner me. The cornering also worked on Mallory, as she and Andrew decided that this was the year to not attend their annual feast in Gainesville.

The point is that Thanksgiving was different this year.  We spent the holiday in St. Pete with Graham's family.  Nancy and Howard prepared a lovely meal. We ate way to much.  Laughed a lot due to great company and the game Pie Face.  We also went to bed as you always should on Thanksgiving... full. 

The next day, we had pie for breakfast, enjoyed the beach with Hobart and Cheryl, and had a fun visit with Great Grandma Ruthie.

Overall a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday spent with family.  I will mention that as we walked up from the beach, I was once again separated from the group and cornered.  This time by Hobart.  Oh my, the pressure that comes with the Holiday, am I right?  

(To family reading this blog, hopefully you can appreciate the humor in being cornered.  I love you all dearly and I am happy to spend my holidays with family.  Luckily for us, we have a lot of family.)

Halloween Galore

As we approach Christmas, I guess it is time to catch up on Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Not sure where the year went, but I do not it went by quickly.  

Dylan's kindergarten Halloween Parade. Ellison was sure I forgot to pack his costume and attend the parade.  This caused panic and tears in her classroom.  Her teacher was relieved to see Dylan in costume at the parade and that I was in attendance.

The kids and I stopped by as All Saints Alums to partake in their trunk or treat. It was great to catch up with friends and our cousins.

We enjoyed a neighbors Halloween party. The kids loved bobbing for apples.

The pumpkin was carved the night before... but it was carved!

We hosted our Annual Halloween Party and had a blast with our friends before and during trick or treating.

Worst Nightmare: Any Thing for my Baby!

Amazing what a parent will do for their child.  Just in case you are not already aware, I suffer from a one of the worst possible fears you can have while living in Florida. The fears of lizards.

When Dylan asked for a reptile party.  I, of course, agreed.  When he asked for a giant lizard to come, I agreed.  When he asked me to hold it... well, I drew the line there.  No. Way.

We had a blast celebrating Dylan turning 6 with 30 of his closet friends.  It was a bit crazy, but all in a good way!

We really did have so much fun!  And I survived the lizards!