Lunch at Joe's Crab Shack

Libby & Kendall

Lainey & Kendall

Lainey, Kendall and Garrett

Matt's got crabs!

Matt, Lori and Kendall

We met the Meeks family at Joe's Crab Shack for lunch last weekend.  We had a great time.  Libby danced with the waitresses, while Lainey, Garrett and Riley all played on the playground and the parents got to enjoy some adult conversation.  We were hoping to sit outside and eat our lunch while looking out over the ocean, but it was so windy we were afraid our lunches would blow back into the ocean!  We are so blessed to have become such good friends with Matt and Lori.  They are wonderful people and hope we continue to get to spend a lot of time with them.

I Can't Wait Until I Get My New Tooth!

Kendall has gotten 4 teeth already...#5 is taking it's good all time.  She's got her two bottom, top left center, and her top left lateral.  The top right center should be making an appearance sometime soon - at least we all hope!  Here are some pics of Kendall getting some relief from teething pain.  

Enjoying some frozen peas....

A frozen teething biscuit...

Kendall's Big Day!

Pappy & Nanny Hershock and their grandbabies

The Chunkos

 

Proud Pappy

Mommy & Daddy and baby Kendall

Kendall's new favorite bib!

Sunday, March 15th, 2009 is the day we publicly dedicated Kendall to the Lord at East Pointe Church.  We were so fortunate to have my parents in town for her special day.  They came up front with us for the dedication.  It was really special for all of us.  She was a perfect little angel that morning despite the fact that tooth #4 is getting ready to make an appearance.  Kendall received a NT bible and a bib that says EPC and I Love My Pastor! on it.  Pastor Kevin is too funny!  We are so blessed with such an awesome church to attend and we love our pastors too!

Listen While You Work...

While Riley and I were outside in the yard working on putting some edging around our front flower garden, we were listening to the radio.  I put a country station on and we were singing along to the songs we knew.  A song came on that said "...I'm working for a livin'" and Riley shouts "Hey Mom!  This is a God song!"  I said "It is?"  He said, "Yeah, it said I'm working for Heaven."  

I love it!

Sleeping Beauty

I went in to check on Kendall the other day and couldn't get over how much she's grown.  I always think that it's easiest to see how big my children are while they are asleep.  You can use their crib to compare their size.  Miss Kendall is growing like a weed these days.  She's so precious while she's asleep so I thought I'd share this with you.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

In preparation of the spring season, Riley and I decided to prepare the flower beds.  We cut back old growth and hauled the waste out back to the woods via his little Radio Flyer wagon for compost.  This is the first time I allowed him to trip the "cutters."  He was very careful and the event did NOT end in a trip to the ER.  He is such a Momma's Helper and I am grateful for it.

Pollen, Pollen, Everywhere!

Riley and I decided to wash my car this past week since it was such a beautiful day.  We had so much fun squirting each other with the hose.  His favorite part was spraying the car and making it look shiny and new...well, newer.  It's hard to make a '97 Toyota 4Runner with over 176,000 miles.  It's a good vehicle and I wouldn't trade it...yet.  Someday I'll drive a new vehicle again, but for now, this one has been serving me well.  I got my car when we lived in upstate NY.  It survived the winters of the northeast and then it came with us to PA and now to FL.  I remember the day I got it:  Oct. 8, 1996.  Right off the ship from Japan!  My next vehicle will hopefully be a Toyota Highlander with 3rd row seating so I can carpool kids to and from school.  With Riley going to private school next year, we are going to try to make the 4Runner last until we're finished paying off Andy's Tundra...At least I'm not putting on the 50 miles a day like I was when I was working!  It's about 6 miles to the beach!  

There's A Monkey on My Back!

We are fortunate to live within 20 min. of the Jax Zoo.  We have annual passes so we can visit the zoo anytime of year for as long or as little as we choose.  Riley loves going to the zoo and seeing the animals, but he especially likes to ride the train and play at the Play Park.  During the warm weather months, they have a splash area for the kids that is so much fun for them.  The other day after I picked him up from school the weather was gorgeous, so I asked him if he wanted to spend the afternoon at the zoo.  He couldn't say yes fast enough.  

Some of you may remember how we use to call Riley "Monkey" when he was a toddler.  It was short for "Monkey Shine."  Well, now this picture is very appropriate.  There's a monkey on the monkey's back.  We weren't able to get close to the gorilla that they have at the zoo on this last trip, which was alright for Riley, since the last time we got to see him up close and personal, he scared Riley so much that Riley jumped and clung to my leg!

Care Packages from Wyoming

When Riley was born almost 5 years ago, Uncle Jason told Riley that he would buy him his first dirt bike.  Since then he's put some stipulations on that promise.  Jason says he'll buy him a dirt bike, but only if it's a Yamaha.  If you know Riley, only a Honda will do.  So Uncle Jason can breathe a sigh of relief since he's off the hook.  Daddy stepped up and bought the boy his Honda XR 50.  Uncle Jason and Aunt Lori wanted to help outfit Riley so he can be styling while raising cane in the neighborhood, so they sent him his birthday present early.  He's sporting the new FOX hat, which I think makes him look like a MX rider!  He also got the goggles (with tear offs), and FOX socks to wear with his boots.  Not to be left out, Kendall received a Jeremy McGrath (for those not familiar with supercross/motorcross, he was the best of the best- Andy and I got to see him race at Unadilla, NY) romper so she can look like the rest of us decked out in our riding gear.  For the first few days after Riley got his goggles, he was wearing them around the house ALL the time.  What a riot!

Hi Mom!

As much as I would like to say that my daughter is advanced and already knows how to wave, I can't...It looks like she was waving at me from inside her tent at the beach the other day, but I just got lucky when I snapped this picture.  

I'm lucky that going to the beach right now is not too difficult.  Kendall is content to just sit in her tent and play with her toys.  It will be interesting to see how things go once she starts to become mobile...She wants to crawl, but hasn't figured out how to do it yet.  She will lay on her belly and kick her legs and fuss that she hasn't moved anywhere.  Riley use to crawl all through the sand when he was a baby.  We'd find sand in his eyes, ears, mouth, you name it.  At least she's a pretty content child so I'm hoping that being sandy doesn't freak her out like it does some kids.

Pulling Our Hair Out

Kendall's latest past time is practicing her pincer grasp.  She's been picking up and eating puffs, Cheerios, bits of pancake, etc. off of her high chair tray.  She's also a master a pulling hair.  She loves to pull Mommy's hair as well as Momma's earrings.  Such a joy for Mom!  She found a new victim the other night at the table...

Come on Brother, let me touch your hair!

No way Sissy!

Ahh! She got me!

I don't have to like it, but since I love her so much, I'll let her touch my hair.

Kendall loving some attention from her Daddy.  He's lucky that he has got short hair.  She can't grab a handful of his locks!

Neighborhood Friendships

We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and neighbors here in Jax.  There are kids all around us who we play with in the afternoons.  Riley enjoys sharing his toys, bikes and swing set with all of them.  We've given many of our neighbors an open invitation to use our swing set regardless if we are out or not.  The best part is that we have people we can trust to give that invitation to and they actually take us up on it!  Our babysitter lives across the street and her 4 year old brother is one of Riley's buddies as well.  Kendall will have her share of boys to choose from as she gets older.  Our next door neighbors have a son who is just a few months younger than her and twin boys just a few houses up the street.  We're hoping we can get another friend of ours to move into the development.  If she does, Kendall will have a girl to play with who's just weeks older than her.  We know how fortunate we are to have wonderful families to raise our children with.  The kids play so nicely together and the moms (and their dads too) are some of my closest friends.  God has truly helped make this our home.  He helped us afford this home on one income and He has given us wonderful people to share it with.  

Here are some pictures of Riley and Kendall with their friends:

Riley and Madison

Mason's birthday party

Mason

Riley loves birthday cake!

Sydney

Nicky Noodle

Mason's birthday party

Riley and his buddy Madison on our swing set

Riley and his friends Ford and Taylor

Nick giving Kendall a hug

Riley and Ford racing the big wheels 

while Taylor tries to keep up in the car!

Gentlemen, start your engines!