My Boys and Me

I can’t believe we are already on our 4th day of vacation. Time flies when you’re having fun and FUN we are having! Real quick- speaking of time flying- we were riding in the golf cart on the way home from the pool yesterday and Mike was telling the boys how he wanted them to be little again. I said, “I know, I can’t even remember Braeden as a baby.” Braeden said, “why because I was so cute?”

Tuesday we went to the pool in the morning and then came back and got ready to head to Tampa to see the PHILLIES play Tampa Bay! Monday night Mike was browsing on the Phillies website to see where they were in the standings when he happened to glance at who they were playing next- TAMAPA! My parents live about 2 hours from Tampa, so Mike and I started searching for tickets. We found some tickets on e-bay for great seats on the visiting team side for a price less than face value. We couldn’t pass up the chance to see our favorite team play the same team they BEAT in the World Series 8 months ago (and it was the first time they would go head to head since). We left Mikey behind with my parents and got to the stadium almost 2 hours before the game. We watched the Phillies practice and saw some of the players really close up. Braeden was able to see his favorite baseball player Chase Utley (2nd baseman for the Phillies) hit a home run. It was SO MUCH FUN! There were a lot of Phillies fans sitting around us and we won 10-1! Worth every penny. Mikey actually did really well with my parents, only crying for a few minutes at bed time.

Braeden and Daddy standing by the field during practice (next to a Tampa Bay fan)-

Jamie Moyer, Phillies pitcher for the night. He was SO focused-

Chase Utley, look how close he was to us-

Chase Utley hitting-

Mommy’s favorite player Shane Victorino (he’s a cutie too) nicknamed the flyin’ Hawaiian because he can RUN!

So, I think I have decided to finally come to terms with the fact that my life is consumed with BOYS! I have at least another 16 years before both kids are off to college, so I may as well start enjoying the things THEY love. I watched the first Transformers movie the other day and actually LOVED it. Braeden and Mike have been waiting anxiously to see the sequel since seeing the first, 2 summers ago. It came out yesterday and we took Braeden to see it. It was JUST as good as the first.

Braeden’s even wearing his Transformers shirt-

Not much going on today! Just relaxing. I went to bed with Mikey last night at 7:30

First off- Father’s Day! Poor Mike spent the morning working (as he does at the church every Sunday), was able to enjoy some homemade lasagna at his Mom’s for lunch and then spent the rest of the day driving to FL- at least we were all together as a family. The boys gave him a couple small gifts- a new adidas t-shirt, a baseball book about all the past World Series and Braeden framed him a piece of school work- it was a letter in which he wrote that he wanted to be a Police Officer and also Security personnel at church when he grew up! He drew a little picture at the bottom of the letter. When I saw it in his folder a few weeks ago, I thought it would be a perfect Father’s Day gift and quite fitting for Mike to have framed and on his desk at work. 

We arrived in the Villages late Sunday night. The boys slept until 9:30 am yesterday and we had a great day. We went to a neat little water park about 20 minutes away. Its just as hot here as in SC, so being around water is a necessity. My Dad had been up in Winnipeg Canada visiting my sister (my brother and his girlfriend were also visiting her from San Francisco- maybe one day when I am not terrified to fly, I can participate in these fun family get togethers Anyway, he got home late last night.  We enjoyed grilled hot dogs for dinner with my Mom and then went to the pool in the evening.  The water was SO warm and it was really relaxing. Here are some pictures from yesterday. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog to find out the exciting event we are going to tonight. 

Little slide-

Mikey went down THIS slide too-

Here’s the proof-

Swimming-

We had such a great day yesterday.  Braeden, Mikey and I met Robyn, her two boys (Austin is 7 and Bennett is 18 months) and one of her friends and her two kids at the pool.  Braeden and Austin have always played so great together and had so much fun swimming at the pool.  They hadn’t spent time together since being able to swim and are both little fish. Sweet little Bennett was more interested in running around the pool area than swimming and Mikey simply wanted to JUMP in and out over and over! It was literally close to 100 degrees so we stayed in the pool almost the entire time. Of course I forgot my camera!

We got back home long enough to shower, take a quick nap and then head to Braeden’s end-of-season baseball party which also involved swimming. One of the parents had access to a great club that was near the beach- the breeze from the ocean felt so nice and the kids loved the pool that had a diving board and slide.  We ate hot dogs, chips, yummy side dishes and some great desserts. Coach RJ out did himself (as he has done all season). He gave each player a picture collage of the team and each player and instead of individual trophies he gave them mini helmets with the two stickers he felt to be most important of all the ones he gave out during the season- Hussle and sacrifice.  He related each term to every day life, spoke a little bit about each player and made us parents teary eyed.  He announced that our team, The Bulldogs, placed 2nd overall for the season.  The team received a trophy to share. We are so sad the season is over, but insisted that he coach again next year and that we have as close to the same team as possible.  We all felt so lucky to have had such an amazing coach leading our boys and teaching them so much AND a team filled with such wonderful little kids each of whom inproved so much in 2 short months.

It was such a GREAT day/night!

Braeden about to test out the diving board

Passing the trophy around-

B and Coach RJ

Tomorrow we leave for vacation……..

I am 3 x more in love with my husband than on this day 3 years ago. 

This was our Save the Date-

When you first fall in love, you think there is no better feeling than what you are feeling at that moment. You are overcome with complete happiness and joy that you can not imagine being able to live without that feeling. As time goes on and that feeling does change (and you do in fact continue living), when you realize you have been blessed beyond words with the most wonderful form of love, it becomes apparent that those early “feelings” were nothing compared to the connection, friendship and unconditional love that develops over time. 

On our wedding day I was IN LOVE! I knew I was marrying the one that I prayed for. The one that God had intended only for me. Now, 3 years later, not only am I still so in love, still certain of God’s intention, I am also able to say how wonderful it feels to be loved so unconditionally.  This year has by far been the toughest on Mike and I.  We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but our marriage, commitment and devotion to each other and our family is sealed tighter than ever.  To know that together we can endure some of the toughest obstacles, makes my faith expand and it’s a little easier to believe that anything is possible. 

Here are just a few of the reasons why I love the man most of you simply know as Mike-

-He is the most patient, forgiving, understanding and selfless man I have ever met.

-He is the definition of a HANDS ON Daddy and he would do absolutely anything to make his boys happy.

-He so often is my strength. He doesn’t let me give up or give in and when I do, he continues to motivate me, encourage me and lift me up.

-He is the BEST coffee maker and most mornings, I wake up and my coffee is waiting for me just the way I like it :)

-He is the best at EVERYTHING (and I am NOT) in the mornings.  He wakes up at 5:45 am to hit the gym and most days goes non stop until 10 pm

-He works harder and longer than anyone I know, JUST so I don’t have to work so much or quite so hard and so I can be with the boys more.

-He listens patiently every time I complain and HE never complains.

-He goes through every day (despite feeling tired, and frustrated wondering if HIS career will ever take off) with a positive attitude and with nothing other than hope that one day all his hard work will pay off to keep him going.

-He is faithful both to me and to the Lord. He acknowledges his mistakes and corrects them honestly no matter what the cost.

-He so often puts his needs second for whatever someone else might need.

-Oh, I could go on and on about all the reasons why I love Mike.  I have tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat because I feel as though I can not adequately write all my heart is feeling. Then again, I guess that’s how its supposed to be.  Something THIS good shouldn’t have words capable of describing it.  There is no one in this world I feel to be more deserving of everything he gives ME than HIM!  I am the luckiest woman in the world. I have the BEST!

Since we have a birthday party to go to tonight that includes the parents, Mike and I went out last night to this cute little Italian restaurant near our house.  Afterwards we went back to Mike’s Mom’s house for dessert. It’s kind of an ongoing battle with Mike and I every time his Mom makes cakes or cupcakes because he likes vanilla icing and I like chocolate.  SO, she made us each our own cake.  They were YUMMY.  Mikey saw the cakes on the table and tested them out for us.  He is just like Daddy and prefers vanilla- good, more for me!   So much for that bikini!

Happy 3 year anniversary Mike, I love you x 3!