St. Augustine

on our way home from Orlando we popped through St. Augustine, hit the beach for a little bit and the whatever fort is there. Cole, my history fan, loved it. We did learn some cool stuff about the psychological warfare they used. I need some psychological warfare.

pooped out

educating us

kids didn't mind playing in the water w/o suits

more vacating

the fireworks were amazing

giddy with exhaustion

racin'

dancing at disney

Dumbo

Vacating

Ryan, Andrea and the kids came down to do Disney and other fun Florida things with us...here are pics in reverse order and more to come to prove it... dancing at Disney a Hannah sized door

feeling Singing in the rain? Ryan obliged

no comments or autographs

the disc landed on the zero

a beached pixie

shuffleboarding

ugghh

not the picture perfect post.. Has it been said lately that parenting is really, really hard? I guess the president has some tough decisions, but no doubt parents are at least on level with that position. It's the thing I thought I'd be really good at. Love 'em, squeeze 'em, help 'em along. I used to think things were hard when they were so young as babies and I'm pretty sure people told me it would get easier. Well, they were wrong. The difficulties change, but really only get more difficult. And we are so hitting pre-teen early and SO.NOT.FUN! I realize this may not be the case for everyone and I'm happy for you if so. Over here, it's hanging by a thread. back to the picture perfect posts...

More

of kids funny stuff


Laura -
I almost forgot to blog about this and it was so funny!
Cole had surgery and one Sunday only Brandon made it to church, so whenever we're home like that we institute Primary in Pajamas (the pajama mainly applied to just this one time, but may become a regular thing). Laura was thrilled and of course asks to be the Primary President. She comes to me a little later with a babydoll as the acting PP and says would you like to see my baby I just had? And I goo and coo and then she says "and they say I'm going to have another one" and she did and conducted Primary with two babies. I don't think she's ever had a pregnant PP, I suppose she just understands the general idea. It was hilarious.

Hannah -
This morning Brandon startled Hannah and she exclaimed "Daddy, you scared me, pause, but not to death, you just scared me". She cracks me up all the time with stuff like this. I'm an easy target, but I enjoy it so.
Another time today, Cole was getting on to her about something and she said "Golly Geee", in a tone like gosh Cole, get over it. We all busted out laughing and I guess she felt the need to defend herself cause she said Laura says it.

Cole-
This child of mine. His mind is always ticking. He's ALWAYS thinking up games, he says mom I thought up a game, like this is something new. I love the creativity he has, it . is. constant! Today it was a card game named grenade, it would have 5 bomb cards and 20 safe cards. If you got a bomb it would blow up your hand...get it?

If you ask him to do something he doesn't want to he'll say "i'm good". And if I tell him not to do something he quickly quips "I will, worry".

We had such a wonderful day, we apparently haven't played go fish in a while and it was Hannah's first time playing by herself...sooooooo cute! Then we played crazy eights (first time) and old maid, first time for Laura, sadly. I told her she'd love it and she did, the suspense, she could barely stand it. We popped popcorn and laughed a lot.

I really have the greatest family!!!

I could never

A little diddy bout me....

so when I was a young lass I would go with my mom to get groceries and I would watch the cashiers at the grocery store check us out and wonder how they did it...so much to do...handle money, deal with all the people, make change, stressful. It freaked me out. I thought to myself I could never do that. At fifteen I needed a job and ended up as a cashier doing just that and did it for I can't remember how long. At one point I was offered an office position that I couldn't take because of school, so I must of been decent at my job.

our store didn't look this nice :)

A few years after that Nicholson Farmhouse restaurant was opened by our former stake president Paul Nicholson and I LOVED going to eat there. I would watch the waitresses and wonder how they did it..taking orders, carrying those large trays, dealing with all the people, stressful. It freaked me out..for real. I thought to myself, I could never do that. When Brandon and I got engaged I needed extra money and found employment at..you guessed it Nicholson Farmhouse restaurant as a waitress..
This all of sudden makes me wonder why I didn't choose something else, b/c the "I could never do that" was very specific to these places, go figure.

Anyway, I digress, well maybe I digressed when I started. I was a waitress there for 7-8 months and one of my biggest fears was dropping the tray...it happened, only once, which surprised me...those trays were heavy and the doorways were old farmhouse doorways. I wish the restaurant was still open..yummy stuffed potatoes, bread, ranch dressing...I gained a good 10-15 lbs. there. But I did it and got good tips...the best during valentines and football season, rich people sometimes don't make good financial decisions...while drinking :), but I definitely worked for it. Moving on...

my mouth is watering..these are pics of plates from Nicholson's...best green beans!


When I came into 1st ward 13 years ago I would watch the Gospel Doctrine teacher and wonder how he/she did it.. for real! the prep, the questions, dealing with all the people (looking to you to lead the discussion.....shudder). It freaked me out..I truly said to myself...I could never do that. Years later I was eventually able to make comments and then I would say to Brandon, please don't let me comment and stew about it. Add to that, that everytime I think I know what my calling is going to be, I'm surprised, as I was a few weeks ago when I was called as...the Gospel Doctrine teacher....it took a lot of faith to say yes and I really almost called the Bishop the morning of my first class to bail. I didn't and I survived the class. I told the Bishop this past Sunday (on my day off) that I was enjoying my calling..when it's not Sunday. My spare thinking time is constantly on the lesson and helps me to be better, stronger..I really like that part. I don't know the end of this one yet, but I hope that like a little girls fears of cashiering and a young woman's trepidation with waitressing I can continue the outcome pattern. That I'll work for it and be a decent teacher, cause the tips and advancement of this job are certainly worth much more! :) :)

"but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19


Thanks for indulging me on this little diddy bout me. Back to posts generally about the bosses of my full time endeavor...Brandon, Cole, Laura and Hannah.

So what do you do after "ice skating" in Florida?

well start your spring garden of course...

we like to start with seeds, just to make it more challenging

Hannah writing on her garden markers

Cole..this picture doesn't show it, but he worked hard..kind of ..he had an excellent knack for supervising, but he did do his part

I love this picture

jalapenos, jalapenos or jalapenos

it's for salsa, there were no vegetable she was interested in

oh Brandon says she planted squash

wish I could throw looks like this

see Cole's working :)

all ready to grow!


Spot, such a sweet cat!!!