She is ALMOST six!!

Rachel and her friends at her 6th Birthday Party!!!Sooooo....who would throw a birthday party at home right in the middle of the chaotic life of packing up one house to move to another house....well me!!! Things are crazy around here these days. Everyday, Rachel begging PLEAAAAASE can we go eat dinner at the new house tonight (not doable since the pots and pans are hidden away in the packing box in the garage still) and then we have JT who asks everyday as he sees more stuff being moved..."Is today the day we are moving mama?"

So right in the middle of our crazy life, we had Rachel's 6th Birthday Party last Saturday night at our sort of house! It was an "almost sleepover" party from 6-9 ...the kids had an absolute awesome time. The five friends Rachel is super close too all were able to come. It would not have been the same without them all!!! They are such amazing kids, from awesome families. We are sooo blessed to have them all in our lives. They all played perfect together all night. Had such an amazing time together, so respectful to each other and the old ones there that night (Gary and me). Really, a true reflection and example of their awesome parents. They had pizza, cake (decorated by me...and you can tell!!!), popcorn, juice and snacks...yes they were nice and sugared up when they were picked up!! They changed into their pjs, jumped in their sleeping bags and watched a movie. Rachel had a great time and it is definately a party I think she will always remember.

Now, in just five days, it will all be for real. She will be six. I cannot believe that it has been six years since she came into our lives and taught her father and I the meaning of complete, unconditional love at first sight! I remember dreaming of the day we would be able to havea baby...we waited sooo long...ten years until we decided it was time to make that dream real. God blessed us more than we could ever imagine.

Who would have thought you could love someone so much before you even met her? I remember holding her for the first time, realizing, she is all ours. We get to keep her!! We don't have to give her back, we are a real family now! Everyday, this ray of sunshine brightens our world. Everyday, with every hug and kiss, I realize that everything in my life led up to having her. If one thing were different I wouldn't have HER! Everyday, is a gift; a gift that we were entrusted to have from God.

The last six years have been full of amazing firsts....smiling, walking, hearing "I love you mama", going to school for the first time....it goes on and on. When I think of the next six years....I can only imagine the blessings that lie ahead of us. She is 1/3 the way to an "adult". I cannot imagine that.

It doesn't matter how many years go by, she is always my baby. Always my little girl....and definately always one of the two (her brother the other of course) best gifts we will EVER receive!!!

Thankful

It is so easy to get caught up in life...the crazy happenings that go on day to day. The things that happen to you and with you, that for the moment just seem awful. Yet, when you think back on them weeks, months and even years later, you realize they really didn't mean what you thought.

I am blessed. In so many ways. Yeah, things have happened to me. Just as they have happened to everyone. Things that we don't understand, God does understand and he has a reason for everything. It is all planned out for us and about us. It is so true, He does not make mistakes.

In our crazy day to day lives, we sometimes forget about the important things that happened that day. Things like, hearing your children laugh and seeing them smile so much today. Seeing your husband love your children and know that he loves you too and has for so many years. Talking with family members on the phone that are far away and knowing they are okay. Knowing that although you don't always agree on some things, they do love you and they are always there for you. Knowing you have friends that are so close they are like family. Some you have known for years, your children were born the same time and you have watched them grow up together. Others you met just recently but seems like you have known each other for years because they are already so close to your heart. Knowing that you have a church to go to and can thank God in public and don't live in a country where you are persecuted or even worse for this. Having a place that is your home, in every way that counts.

I am thankful for so many blessings in my life. I am thankful for so many people in my life. And I am thankful for so many times yet to come.

Whether they will be good times or difficult times, they are mine.

Moving!!!!

It has been so long since I have written...hope all is well with everyone. So much going on with us. For those of you that didn't know....we are moving. Busy, busy with packing and wondering just how I have accumulated so much stuff over these last 16 years!!! I swear it has tripled since we had our kiddos!!!! Excited about our new place! The floorplan is above!!!

We also just finished our VERY overdue garage sale this weekend!!! So glad that is done. The funniest part of the day had to have been when a lady saw our glider for sale for $80...I know sounds kind of steep for a garage sale maybe but it is in like new shape... then there is the sentimental value in it. Anyway, as she walked by it, she yelled out "I'll give you $5 for that!" I was sure I heard her wrong...asked her how much, and she repeated the same thing. I politely declined as I listened to her mumble how things are too expensive "nowadays" as she headed back to her car! In the end, we ended up moving the chair inside since as Gary reminded me "we can just keep it....you don't have to get rid of it"......


So we will move it along with all the other stuff we have in just a couple of weeks. The kids will be able to enjoy the cushiness of it, Gramma can still enjoy sitting in it when she visits knowing it is the only place in the house Brandi doesn't sit in or on and I, well, I can always sit in it as I remember rocking Rachel and JT (well at least JT....Rachel hated to be rocked). As I sit, you can be sure I will treasure the memories of those early days with the two most amazing gifts that Gary and I have been blessed with from God!!!

Simple Things = FUN!

Rachel taking time out to pose for a picture in the Dinosaur Dig area outside the TRex Restaurant!

Rachel and JT digging for dinosaur fossils!!!!

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope 2009 has been great for everyone! We have had a very relaxing couple of days, it has been awesome. Yesterday we just hung out and today we headed over to Downtown Disney for a few hours. It was SO beautiful out today. The kids had a blast.

Now we used to do DTD what I thought was the fun way. We would go, get some lunch, play at the Lego store, go to the World of Disney store etc. The difference between then and now is well , we have no money now!!! Simple right? Well, we actually did not have money then either, except now we know it and admit it! And this simple act of having to live differently now, well it has turned out to be more fun than before.

Like I said, before we would go to the different stores. Before we would fill up a box full of Mr. Potato Head toys or My Little Pony toys (a steal at 18.95 right...NOT). We would fill it up, take it home and there it would sit. Played with some of the time, but mostly it would just sit. We may go for lunch at Rainforest Cafe! That definately sets you back. Now, we go and spend about twenty minutes at the Mr. Potato Head section and just PLAY! Then we leave it all there, no box, and move onto the My Little Pony section and play there for a bit, then off we go, again no box in hand!!! And guess what, they were totally fine! Had a ton of fun!

Today, we took the boat over to Port Orleans Riverside resort. Free ride and the kids love it. When we got there, we walked around and looked at all the decorations still up from Christmas.

Then, it was lunchtime so we did go to the food court, Rachel and JT split a kids meal for 4.50 and Gary and I decided we will just eat at home later. So we "did" lunch for less than $5.00!! woohoo We finished it off with about 45 minutes at the playground, always the best fun for Rach and JT. Then back on the boat, for a leisurely 15 minute ride back.

Back at DTD we HAD to check out the TRex restaurant...or at least the outer part of the restaurant! We were able to see the dinosaurs come alive...should've taken a picture of that, but didn't. Glanced at the "Build a Dino" store and of course passed it by. Then went outside to the dino dig area. The kids had so much fun digging for fossils, we must have been there about 45 minutes. It was all free fun! We were going to pan for gold until we found out that we had to pay four dollars for that....feel so cheap but we skipped that! Then onto the Lego store to try and build some cars out front........however it was a ZOO so off we headed home. Not bad for an afternoon under $5!!!

Tonight, we got home, made some dinner and watched a movie together for a Family Movie Night!!! A perfect end to a fun family day!!!

So, I am learning that fun is definately what we make it. Simple is fun! And not to mention inexpensive, which is what we are all about these days!!!!!