My Very Own Little Mermaid

Sissy has started to call herself a mermaid.  I'm not surprised with the amount of time she spends in that pool!  I'm glad she loves it so much.  She begs to swim every day.  It's a great motivator for them to get homework completed or chores done!

My Blessings

These two are my whole world.  Often time it's just the three of us because Andy travels so much.  That means I have to wear a lot of hats.  My favorite one is "mom."  For Mother's Day, Sis brought me breakfast in bed - coached by her sweet KDG teacher.  She brought me a muffin and juice with a napkin on a tray.  She quietly tip toed in the room and placed it by my bed.  She also gave me a beautiful framed picture of her, a balloon, flowers to plant in a cute pot and my favorite, a book of pictures she drew of me.

Both kids went shopping with Andy and they all got me cards and then a beautiful cuff bracelet from Saltology as well as a gift certificate for Saltology.  After church, they took me out for lunch.  We were going to go to Angies - a family favorite, but while passing Taco Lu, decided to stop there because it wasn't very crowded.  

After a delicious lunch, Ra hit the beach with his 2 best friends.  Sis hung out with me and Andy while we tackled our "honey do" list that's been growing too quickly with him gone all the time.  I made us a yummy dinner since it would be our last as a family for a whole week.  It was a great day of feeling appreciated by my family.  I'm lucky to have these two kids who call me mom.

New Shark Discovered Off The Shores Of Atlantic Beach!

We've named it the Sissy Shark!  This is the first time I've seen a "shark's tooth" on a child.  I read a number of different opinions online so of course, I turned to Facebook to ask advice from friends and family.  The responses were also mixed.  Some parents took their kids to the dentist and the dentist pulled the baby teeth because they were in the way of the permanent tooth, others just let the baby teeth come out on their own and all ended up being fine.  I read a few concerns online where the permanent teeth did not move into the correct place and it required all sorts of intervention.  Our dentist (who I completely trust - her daughter was in Riley's class) said that Sis is already going to need braces due to her bite, so I guess I shouldn't worry too much...BUT my concern is that her bottom tooth became loose on Friday and hasn't progressed much if at all since then.  The other baby tooth to the left of the permanent is not loose at all.  If it doesn't storm tomorrow (although the weather channel is predicting a 100% chance), I may see my dentist at the 4th grade pool party and ask her then if she wants to see Sis in the office.  If it rains, I may end up just making the call to see if they want me to bring her in to have a look.  Who would have thought a first loose tooth would be this stressful...

A Day Long Date

Thankfully everyone was healthy on Friday and went to school.  My sweet, brave friend Leigh volunteered to pick my kids up from school and keep them overnight.  I headed to St. Augustine to meet up with Andy at his company's Customer Appreciation Event.  We stayed at the Casa Monica which is absolutely beautiful.
The Casa Monica in St. Augustine

We took a shuttle with some other GWRR employees and customers to  the TPC at Sawgrass.  I have never been there before, but Andy's been there a number of times.  We had a good time just spending the day together, people watching, golf watching, eating, drinking, etc.

We had a great time - just the two of us, no kids, no work, etc.

We hung out here at the famous 17th hole for awhile.

Isn't the clubhouse beautiful?

We took a shuttle back to St. Augustine and walked around town a bit then got ready for dinner at the White Room which is a beautiful roof top banquet facility.  It was a gorgeous night to look out over the marina and have a glass of wine.

The White Room above the A1A Ale House on the corner of King and Ponce De Leon

After the work function was over, Andy & I decided to continue our "date" by heading over to the Tini Martini Bar just a few blocks north.  I have noticed this place a few times and at Christmas it was decorated so beautifully, that I knew we needed to stop here without our kids along.  You can sit out along the sidewalk and enjoy the sea breeze and watch the people, horse drawn carriages, traffic and boats.

Isn't this place just adorable?

We had a fabulous time together.  Andy's been traveling so much these days that I treasure those moments just the two of us.  Thankfully the kids had a blast with their friends too!  It was Sissy's first sleepover with friends and she did great.

Not Again?!?

So today the phone rang again...this time it was Sis' teacher calling me from her cell phone.  She called about 30 min. after I got home from dropping the kids off at school.  Poor Sis had been crying since she walked into school because she said her ear hurt.  I decided to head in and pick her up at 8:30...School starts at 7:50!!!  I made an appt with the dr (again) to have her checked.

When I got to school, her teacher was holding her on her lap and the class was praying over her.  It was the sweetest thing.  My family is so lucky to have such incredible people loving on my children in my absence.  When I opened the door, Sis was in tears.  She came straight into my arms and I carried her the whole way out to the car.  She begged me to take her home and let her lay down in her bed.  Now those of you who know K, know this child does NOT nap.  I brought her in and got her changed into jammies and gave her some Tylenol and a warm water bottle for her to put her ear on as she slept.  The Tylenol took the edge off that by the time we got to the doc, she felt much better.  Sure enough...She had an ear infection.  This poor kid has had the roughest week and now is taking 2 different antibiotics!  If she hadn't been sick earlier with pink eye, I would have just called our chiro to get her seen instead of more meds, but I figured, this way we'll just kill any and all bugs taking up residence in her little body.  She spent 2 1/2 out of 4 days at home with me this week!  She's all set to go back tomorrow.  Hope this is it for her for awhile.  Poor kid.

Dinner Deal

Al's Pizza is known as some of the best pie in town.  Al's is located at the "corner" which is local lingo for the Beaches Town Center and is only 5 blocks from our house.  During the week from 2-5 they run a "Dollar A Slice" special.  Today we got there just in time...4:58pm to be exact!  We each ordered 2 slices.  The kids could only eat one slice a piece so we have 2 extras for tomorrow!

Nothing like sitting outside, people watching with my favorite people!  Since dinner was so cheap, I let the kids splurge on root beer.  Ra thought it was cool to drink his 'beer like his dad - straight out of the bottle!  A guy a few tables down had to do a double take when he saw Ra throwing back his root beer!  

When we got home, Ra did his homework outside by the pool.  We have our waterfall turned out and he likes the sound of the water and the birds while he's working.  What a great way to spend a beautiful evening.  

Sick Day

I'm happy to report that Sissy's eyes no longer have any discharge!  We played a little this morning.  I bought her a new coloring book and activity book that kept her interest for a bit.  Then she watched a movie.  After the movie, I suggested we get dressed and go look for shells on the beach.  Once I got her out the door, I wouldn't have guessed she was sick except for the sniffling.

We WALKED to the beach from our house.  What a blessing to be able to do that.  I won't have to load up a car filled with sandy kids again!!!  She said to me as we got to the end of 5th street, "Mom, look at the sparkling water!"  The beach is her happy place too.  We took a bag to collect shells.  We both enjoy doing that.  I can't wait for lazy summer mornings when we can do that first thing in the morning!

We walked down to the "corner" and stopped in a Bio Max for a Kidsicle organic smoothie.  I figured it would be a good way to get some hidden greens in her and try to get her healthy.  You can see in this picture how much better her eyes are looking from the picture I posted when she woke up!

She isn't minding the drops too much anymore, thankfully.  She can tell they are working and I think that's worth it to her to tolerate the drops.  She's not fighting me on it anymore at least!  She still says she doesn't feel well.  Her eyes look better, but she's still congested.  Not sure if she'll go to school or just stay home one more day to play it safe and let her rest one more day.  

Andy and I have plans to go to the TPC at Sawgrass on Friday and then we are staying overnight at the Hotel Monaco in St. Augustine.  A dear friend of mine has volunteered to take my kids overnight.  She's one brave Momma!  I want to make sure that Sis is completely healed before going back to school or going to our friend's.  We've been enjoying the one-on-one time for sure.  She's watching another movie (thank goodness for Kenna and her Netflilx!) and then has promised to take a nap for me.

The Obsession

It started young...This is me with my dad's bike.

Side Note:  We were living in the EXACT same apt that Andy and I lived in when we moved back to PA from NY...

Day 2

This was what my poor baby girl looked like this morning.

She looks worse than she feels thankfully.  The discharge from her eyes has been reduced greatly.  She also tolerated the drops much better this morning.  She's still super congested but hoping to get some relief soon.  A friend suggested Nasacort and another said she might have a sinus infection...Gonna try whatever I can to help nurse her back to health.  Hate seeing her this way.

Poor Baby Girl

My phone rang around lunch time today.  When my caller ID showed Lower School Office, I knew something was up, and that it was Sissy.  Ra has never had the school call me, but Sis has already learned how to work the system.  Today though, this is what I found when I got to school:

On my way to school, I called the dr. and they could fit her in at 1:30.  I knew without seeing her that she'd need the doc regardless.  She had discharge from both eyes, but only one was red.  The doc confirmed our fears and prescribed the necessary drops.  Poor baby is absolutely miserable.  She's congested, runny nose, sore throat, and headache.  My heart breaks for her.  She's gonna be a mess tomorrow while I'm trying to unpack.  Thankful for Netflix!  Praying that the rest of us stay healthy and no one else gets it.  Andy and I are going to the TPC on Friday and staying overnight in St. Augustine for a work function.  If someone else gets it, those plans will be cancelled!  

Memory Lane

While going through a few boxes this morning, I came across this picture:

This was taken in Albany shortly after I adopted Penton.  She was such a sweet dog.  I also found 2 of her collars.  The most recent one is going to go into a shadow box with a picture of Sissy using Penton as a pillow and her collar inside the box.  Sis wants to hang it in her room where she can see it every night from her bed.  In her prayers, she often asks God to give Penton a hug from us...She is one sorely missed mutt.

My view

This morning I decided to take a break and enjoy my cup of Crio while sitting in the sun out back.

I had the serene sound of the waterfall as well as the warmth of the sun to calm my soul.  

I also looked over and noticed our blueberries.  They will be ready for picking before I know it.  

We have 15 blueberry bushes around our pool.  My kids are so excited.  We also just had our raised bed installed last week and I've got 4 tomato plants, basil, peppers, cucumbers, and zucchini plants.  I have a little room left over so I may add some cilantro & mint yet.  Sadly I didn't get the 2 boxes I'd hoped for so I have to rethink the strawberries.  I need to figure our a way to grow more vertically.  Strawberries are a family favorite. 

Seeing Triple?

The Easter Bunny didn't bring candy this year (too many allergy issues) so he brought the kids other gifts in their baskets.  Sissy got matching PJ's for her and BOTH her American Girl Dolls.  It was much easier with just one doll because I didn't need to buy 2 sets of the same matching outfits.  I found some jammies on sale a few months back and bought them in 2 different sizes so Sis doesn't outgrow the matching set too quickly.  Ra scored a new KTM shirt and both kids got new big packs of twistable colored pencils.

Sis thinks it's great to dress for bed in matching PJ's with her "girls."  

Birthday Weekend

Andy and Ra's birthdays are only 4 days apart.  That makes it a crazy time for me - plus this year we've moved and we're trying to unpack.  We found time to break away from the craziness and go out for dinner for Andy's birthday.  He loves seafood and we rarely go out to eat a seafood places because I don't like it at all and Ra is picky and Sis will eat some, but not much...We took him out to dinner at The Fish Company which is his favorite here at the beaches.  Friends of his from work joined us for dinner as well.  It was a nice celebration and he got his fill of clams, shrimp, crawfish and gumbo!

Sis and I made him an apple pie for his birthday.  He loved it and Ra got a little jealous that we made dad a pie and not him.  I had to explain that his party is going to be in a few weeks - hopefully we get the house in order before then - and he can have pie or cake.

As a bonus, our sitter called on Saturday to see if she could take our kids to the movies with her little brother and sister.  All we had to do was drop them off at the movie theater.  She got them candy and bought their tickets then her dad drove them home for us afterwards.  What a great treat!  We decided to go out for an impromptu appetizer and drinks.  Such a nice surprise.  The kids are tired because they've been busy.  Friday was a 2 hr. gymnastics practice then dinner with Andy.  On Saturday, Ra played with a friend all day and then they got home late from the movies.  Then both kids went to play Star Wars on Sunday with my friend Leigh's kids for May the 4th...Early to bed for my kiddo tonight - after we go to Moe's to celebrate cinco de mayo in our Mexican hats!  :)

Sis and her friends Taylor and Annah ready to defend the Empire!

First Practice

I'm happy to report that Sissy had her first gymnastics practice last night and she did AWESOME!!!  She had a great time and stayed on task fairly well.  I asked her what was her favorite part of practice once it was over and she said "All of it Mom."  Well, I guess we have a little gymnast on our hands.