What do you do on a Saturday?

Well, Saturday a few weeks ago Matt and I woke up and decided we just had to do something different with the day. So Matt thought and I thought and we both had been aching for the beach (well, okay Matt had been and a certain beach at that!) But, I also wasn't sure if a last minute plan to go to the Parentals would go over so well on their end but Matt encouraged me to call and I am so glad that we did! We had a blast!

Before heading off to N.Redington we decided to go catch a spring training game. We wanted to see the Redsox play, but Fort Myers is more south of my parents and so we decided to go see a Yankee's game (even though we are not fans,) but the great thing was that when we got there we found out that the Yankee's were playing the Atlanta Braves- now, I can easily watch them since we route for them all the time anyway (okay, just not when they play the Redsox which is hardly ever!) When we got to "Legend's Field" (oh crap, now they call it George M. Steinbrenner Field,) we were approached by a Scalper who wanted to sell us tickets in the nosebleed section for $20 a piece, but tickets are usually $17 so we said no we didn't have cash and went to the window. As we were talking to the Ticket Agent, Matt asks them about the rule about Scalpers and of course is told that it is illegal. Duh (to the scalper,) but I loved that he asked right in front of the Scalper while he was still trying to get us to buy his tickets... HAHA- Matt, The Warrior!

All there was left of the the tickets was standing room only so we took what we could get and headed up the stairs. After a while of walking around we started to wonder if maybe we should really have bought the scalped tickets cuz when they say "standing room only," they mean, you can walk around but don't lean on any of the railings, or you can hangout near the bar if you are buying but not anything else. We found the one rail you were allowed lean on and proceeded to watch the game.

A very sweet usher at the Expensive eating tables (season tickets in the high hundreds...) I guess took pity on us or was just really observant and told us that there was a counter/table that was unoccupied because the season ticket holders had moved and hadn't sold their table yet, so she asked if in the bottom of the 4th inning would we like to sit there? Of course we jumped at the chance and because Kathy was so sweet (the usher,) she actually let us down there at the top of the 4th! I thanked her since my poor little feet were starting to hurt, I was wearing comfortable heeled sandles which after 3 innings are not so comfortable (hey, I thought I was going to be sitting and wanted to be cute!)

The Braves ended up winning and they only played like 2 of their main players and all their minor league players and the Yankee's played a lot of their main players. But A-rod was not one of them! On the Braves roster Chipper Jones was once again on the injured list... Grrr. He seems to have injury after injury and they seem such small things. Is he afraid to just play like he used to? Come on Chip step up to the plate and give us a good game! It just wasn't that exciting of a game- I felt so let down. Even though the Braves won, all us fans are still wondering when, oh when, will the Braves be good again???!

Now, on to the fun and excitement of the Candy Kitchen, the beach, the pool, the grandparents & Mary and a bbq with the best view of all time!

First thing my kids always want to do when we head towards North Redington is to go to Madeira Beach and get icecream at the Candy Kitchen. When we lived in Utah we went to Florida every other year or yearly if we were lucky. The last time we went we stopped at this little teeny mom and pop shop in the middle of what seems like no-wheres-ville for the beach!

But oh, the candy, oh, the icecream and the desserts! (notice the signatures on the ceiling?) The candy is old fashioned soda shop candy, Pezz, Good and Plenty, Bit o' Honey, dip n stix, candy cigarettes, you name it they got it! But the best part is the icecream- all handmade by the owners (okay now a few dozen employees too,) and it is to die for! The cookie dough icecream is made with big dime-sized cookie dough and chocolate chip pieces that just melt in your mouth! (Mom! can you bring some to us when we all go to Aunt Melissa's tomorrow?)

My parents really do live in Heaven! I can not tell you how lovely their view is without you actually seeing it and experiencing it (don't worry, dad that is not an invitation to my friends for them to come hangout at your place!)

When Matt gets really stressed he dreams of sitting on the clubhouse veranda just reading or in the case of what usually happens talking to my dad for hours! The rest of us either swim, watch a little t.v. in the clubhouse, play games in the game room or sit at the tables and play skipbo (which we are usually defeated by the master himself- Kyler Brower!)
At the end of the day, we take everything back up to their condo and say good night and head home. I love the view when we are getting ready to head downstairs to our car because from the front of their condo is my favorite view of the Bay! It is just so peaceful and calming and closes the day with a "hey, we are glad you came, enjoy the ride and dream of coming again!" or so it seems to me!


Thanks Mom, Dad and Mary for letting us sporatically crash your pad and give us the love and peace that we crave!

Wednesday Night...

Wednesday night-
What most of us in the LDS church call youngwomen/youngmen's or Mutual is called by the following boys- "what can we do to get through activity night as fast as we can so we can go play some BASKET-BALLLLL...."

I love that Kyler has this night after 8:30 to hangout with friends and get some exercise at the same time, but, they tend to want to keep playing past 9 p.m. and that makes for a few cranky mother's to the boys who don't drive. I love that Bro. Roettger and Bro. Cox their leader's stay and play with them! I think that they love playing as much as the boys do and look forward to it also.

I say that the game hasn't really started unless Harrison (the one crawling on the ground- really he fell and that is how he landed,) has fallen. He is not a smoothest basketball player, but he has a great time, is really funny and just enjoys being with all the rest of the boys. He is also one of Kyler's closest friends here (he and the boy in the bottom picture, Nick, )

I think that Mckenna loves it too, because some of the girls stick around for a minute and so she has someone to talk too, besides her boring old mother...

If you would like to see the pictures up close just click and it will enlarge the print...

Miami Fun with the Cousins!

Once upon a time there was a girl whom some people called Shortcake (in jr.high,) This short girl grew up and started a blog. This blog you see was her way of keeping a journal and keeping her family abreast of what was going on in her family's life. This girl has not been doing such a hot job of keeping her journal going since part of her family moved to Ocala. Well, today that is about to change! I hate the fact that I haven't been able to sit down and blog because of the time that I have been wasting doing other things. so here is my redemption entry. About a month ago, Matt & I took our dear family to visit another dear family member my sister Sharon, and I have been remiss to post pictures anywhere for Sharon to see, so here goes sis and everyone else who cares to browse. This is our visit to Miami, Sharami... We had such a fun time playing with Samuel and Indigo and when she was able to play with us Kiara too, who was very busy with her modeling career, (you rock by the way Kiara-your ad's are becoming FAMOUS! Check out Target- the cute little girl with the blond hair, blue eyes, freckles and very tomboyey attitude just might be my niece you are seeing!!!) We went to the beach, played Wii, talked, listened to the funniest experience that Sharon & Rich had in California and hung out at the Hottub, but mostly we played at the park and I took a ton of pictures... I love Photography and could bankrupt Matt on paraphernalia if he let me! Love ya babes...

Birthday Bash #1 or Kyler's day to shine!

This is me playing catchup

So Kyler and Devin have a birthday a week away from each other and since we were moving this year Matt and I decided (with the help of Tyler, Jesse W and Zack G.,) to have it be a surprise party with a TON of friends. I mean they needed to have the best day ever!!!

So Kyler's party was first. He thought that he wasn't having anything happen to him since he was having a crappy couple of weeks and thought I was the meanest mom in the world (i digress, I already blogged about that- sorry.) On his birthday November 13th we had a dinner and cake just really low keyed! We got him and Ipod Touch! I wanted him to be able to go online at the house and get on facebook to talk to his friends when we moved to Florida...Matt was already in Ocala and so we waited for our Special Birthday dinner when he came back in town for Thanksgiving! On the next Saturday Devin took Kyler out and ended up coming to a house full of Teens (about 30 to be exact- that was the ending tally!) Kyler's face when he walked in and saw the kids was priceless! They were all crammed into the hallway between the door in the laundry room and my door and when he walked in they all yelled surprised- and then all these kids came pouring out of this little tiny spot and he was just so excited about it all! He was speechless! It was awesome!

A few of Kyler's friends hanging out before the big reveal!

Tons of Kyler's friends watching him open up a birthday present from me- an Xbox game- Call of Duty War of Worlds!

So the party was supposed to be from noon to 2 p.m. but the majority of the kids stayed from noon to 6 p.m. I loved it! I was happy that Kyler was able to enjoy such good friends and be shown how much he was loved by them and that they enjoyed being around him! We had kids, sitting at the little deck table talking, kids playing foosball, kids hanging out on the swing, jumping on the tramp, a group of kids playing xbox and then there were a few kids just hanging out with me talking about dance, life and watching old videos of themselves when they were younger and dancing with Mckenna at DTS. It really was a fun time had by all!

November 22, a day of great events!

So our day started out with a bang! A 18 year old mad at his mom for not doing anything or getting him anything for his birthday, a 15 year old who as he put it thought i was the meanest mother in the world and a 12 year old who was just tired and ignored the other two, but gave her mom the biggest hug of all for the last month and a half.

What the 18 year old didn't realize was that this mother whom he was mad at had planned (with the help of his 2 best friends,) the "best surprise party of his life," (by the way those are his words, not mine.)

What the 15 year old didn't realize is that he put himself in the situation he was in... having to be stuck in the house all day because he didn't turn in homework and didn't clean his room-Ouch the choices and the consequences sure were catching up!

What my 12 year old DID realize that she was vamoosing out of the nut house to go with Madison and Lisa to watch Odyssey perform It's A Wonderful Life through dance!

But, low and behold, What I didn't realize was that I would be able to send a wonderful text message with this playing UtahMan.mp3 to Patrice's cell phone 7 times!!!

Congrats UTES-Your on your way to a BCS Bowl BABY!!

A weekend of dancing!

So, Centerstage (Mckenna's dance studio- she moved from Dance Tracks,) went to the PULSE convention this past weekend and boy did Mckenna have a very tiring, yet challenging and fun time!

All the So You Think You Can Dance Choreographers (not all -some,) were the instructors, that made it a very awe-inspiring time for a lot of kids. Mckenna wasn't immune to being star struck- she was in love with Shane Sparks, but maybe it was because he gave her a hug. He was so very nice and taught his session in a very tough but fun way!!! Her group was in the Advanced group. The other kids were in the Advanced Pro (they were 15 and up.) No one was in the Intermediate- I peeked in there- it was too easy for Mckenna, but maybe we should have kept her in so she could get a scholarship to another convention? They have these conventions all over the nation and are adding 2 to Orlando- how lucky is Mckenna on that? She won't even have to stay at a hotel to do those ones!

Here are a few of the pictures that I took. Yes, I am still the official photographer of dance- yeah!!!

A Day of Culture with Mckenna

Actually- can you call going to the latest High School Musical culture? Well, let's see there's dancing, singing and acting on a stage- so yeah i guess you can!


SPOILER ALERT! (sort of)
HSM3 the last in the trilogy of pretween happiness is a must to see if you have watched any of the other 2. #2 was watched by probably everyone in Utah since it was filmed in many locations in the State; East High in Salt Lake City and Entrada in St. George, Utah! Many of our baseball players were in the 2nd one so we watched. I thought it was not so good compared to the first one! The music was tiney, the acting was forced in spots but the dancing was superb!

Well, HSM3 is fabulous (as Sharpay would say!) It did remind me though of Footloose and Grease once again though and I guess in way that is a good thing because maybe it will last for a very long time! I really related to this one since the Students of East High (or Wildcats,) are getting ready to Graduate from their High School. Devin is getting to do the same thing in 6 months and so I could see the angst of having to decide what you do with yourself after school is over and having to feel as if you are making the right decision....

We went to HSM3 with our friends Heidi and Mckyla Sholtzen and the rest of the Sholtzen girls. It was fun to sit somewhere watch a movie that is sometimes very cheesy and discuss it whisperingly to your friend who whole heartedly agrees with you on parts that you feel were just too much! But, I guess, I have to remember this movie is aimed at Pretween and Early teens and so why shouldn't I think parts are way too cheesy. But one the whole it was "oh, so Fabulous!"

After going to HSM3, Mckenna and I ran home grabbed blankets and jackets and headed of to Tuacahn for their annual Thriller extravaganza. Every year Mckenna wants to audition for this amazing dance Halloween tribute and the one year she is old enough- she is doing Music Man and the next you have to be 14 to audition!!!

So, what can I say about Thriller? well, let me tell you about it first...
This is our first time seeing it- so many wasted years! Why didn't we go see it before it was awesome! One of the dancers had been on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE- he was so great in his featured productions! One of the dancers was a local Gal who we have had the pleasure of getting to know ever so slightly- she danced beautifully! And one of the Zombies is a great friend of ours whom no one on facebook can guess who he is-(come on people get with it!)

Anyway, The show was great! Mckenna didn't want to go at first, actually she was mad at me for taking her! I had ordered these tickets two weeks ago, she was invited to a party 3 days ago and wanted to go there instead. Sorry, Mckenna sometimes family comes first! So we went and she had a great time! We loved the routine with all the JASON'S! It was great dancing- it was funny and it was gruesome all at the same time. Way to go Odyssey! I hope that this inspires Mckenna to become an even more well rounded dancer. I also hope that this move will open so many opportunities for her to grow in her dancing and help her to turn into not only a dancer but an Arti'st!

Nibbles on the Sale of our house!

Okay so the house has been for sale for 2 weeks and already we have had 4 people come and look at it! The first looksee was the morning after the sign was put up. That couple would love to buy it, and asked if we would do a Lease Option- but we need to SELL the house so we can BUY another one!! So, they are trying to acquire some kind of Financing so they can buy it.

Today, a couple came through, they loved the house! We will see what they do.

I found a fantastic house in Ocala that I would like to look into more, but the owners took it off the market. I guess they just didn't have any interest shown. Tons of house for sale in Ocala just like everywhere else, but more substancial homes are not being approached at all unless they are in the million range! Millionaires don't care about the economic times. Our realtor thinks that if we sell our house soon, that we could bring an offer to the owners and they might bite, i can't see why they would do it, but we might as well try. But that means we have to sell our beautiful house and soon!

Pray that it will sell, I don't think that I can take being away from Matt for so long!

Mckenna's Party or Matt's send off bash- either way Swiss Days day #2

Today has been such a bitter sweet day for so many reasons, let me start with Kenna's party.
Mckenna has had a great party, we woke up at 6 a.m. to get to Santa Clara Town Hall so that Sami and Brinley could get to the 5k race on time. The 5 girls that weren't running cheered their friends on and then we had a great breakfast served by city employess, a few council members and Mayor Rosenberg, but not by the City Manager. The City decided that Matt could just be a johnny on the spot instead of a key player. Which made me sad, but happy too, because it gave us more time with him.

Then the girls ran and/or walked fast down the main drag to the parade start where they spread the HomeTown Spirit with their smiles and candy throwing skills! After the parade the "official" birthday party ended and the girls were free to go or stay and hang out together. Alot decided to continue to hang out which made Mckenna's day even better! After a few hours in the sun some of the girls decided to go swimming at a friends pool in the neighborhood right behind Town hall. Needless to say, we didn't see Kenna until about 5 p.m. That girl is like the energizer bunny! she keeps going and going and going but then hits the wall in 2 seconds flat, (okay, she's more like a nascar driver but who's really paying attention to them?)

I'm glad that Mckenna had a good birthday/swiss days celebration, because this is the last one she will have with this group of girls! sad------

Okay lets go to the sendoff bash!
So as i said before the city had Matt enjoy Swiss Days a little more than he has ever been able to before. Friday night they announced that he was leaving to move on for a great opportunity. I only know this not from first hand witnessing but from MANY, MANY people! I ofcourse was busy with Mckenna's birthday party and didn't know any of this was going to go on!
Matt was really touched by the announcement.

During the parade- the council drove in their ceremonial many seated golf cart and as they drove past, I had this major urge not to go to Ocala- the council has been so good to Matt it left me wondering what we were doing- why we were going, how could we give it all up?! One of the council members Herb caught my eye and smiled. I ofcourse started bawling! Talking to him later, I feel as if he sees us leaving as a betrayl- which in a way is what it feels like to me also, but I know better than to let myself get so emotionally caught up in this move. Don't get me wrong, I am so excited to be near my parents and Sharon, but we have lived her for almost nine years! That's right, the longest we have ever lived anywhere! Kenna remembers nothing else....

After the Swiss Day festivities were over (and by the way yes, they belong downtown and Wow, it was the BEST Swiss Days ever, way to go everyone!) Kathleen (she hold many hats for the city, but it the chairperson for Swiss Days,) asked me what Matt thought of his Goodbye Bash? Ididn't even think of it that way, but with everyone telling Matt goodbye- asking where he was going (before the announcement,) and telling him that he really can't be replaced, I could see where it really could be seen as a GOODBYE bash!

Emotionally I think that Matt and I are physically spent with the whirlwind activities of the last 3 weeks!
Matt leaves Thursday and will be driving his truck to Ocala (yes people, that is a really long way!) I am so sad that I am not able to go with him. We have never been seperated on a move and I don't look forward to it. But, I am thankful that I have more time to spend with Devin before he moves into the Griffin's and finishes out his senior year!

First Day of Mckenna's Birthday Party events at Swiss Days!

What is a better way to Celebrate "HOME TOWN SPIRIT" than to hold your 12th Birthday party during the 2 day event? Well, that is what Mckenna wanted to do- she wanted to celebrate at Swiss Days and so she did. I think the girls had so much fun! They got to play games, eat pizza and cake while watching the movie Cinderella story with Hillary Duff and Chad Michael Murray (who they all thought was so cute!)
Then they listened to a concert by Eric Dodge with back up vocals by our old Bishop Jim Seavy. After the concert they watched the fireworks and then half the girls stayed and had a sleepover!
Boy were they tired! But no sleeping in because the very next morning they watched some of the girls run in the 5K race, had breakfast served by the City Council, Mayor and City Manager and then they all walked and threw candy in the parade. What a fun day!

here is the whole gang!

As part of the City Youth Council Devin had to work the kids booths. Here he is with Wally Ritchie new Interim City Manager and also an old baseball pitcher. :)

Setting up for Eric Dodge

our favorite place to eat during Swiss Days

Mayor Rosenberg, and the Swiss Day planning brains- Kathleen and Susie

The girls watching their old elementary choir sing

rachel is wearing Mckenna's old swiss dress Matt bought in Sylvane California

lying on the grass this is what i saw

time to eat and hey where are we?

that's right !

Baskin Robbins yummy!

Mckenna blowing out her pretend lighted candles

Mckenna always loves to toot her own horn!

wow! what a great surprise-

Here's the mayor checking out the celebration!

Shhh! Surprise for Mckenna. Don't tell Sadie and Brenna!

Pretty Cinderella!

We love prince charming!

rocking out to country!

all those great colors are the girls!

playing colorful pick up sticks!

Elusive Kyler

aww, the fire works

Kyler hanging with friends- see the girl to the left?

That is the girl that Kyler likes- Macey

Alright Girls time to Sleep-

see Kenna with her Teddy? Goodnight!

Week 2 or Our Journey to Salt Lake and the final decision

Leaving Ocala heading to Orlando was the culmination to our emotional rollercoaster ride, when we arrived in Salt Lake we were excited about our decision, but also a little hesitant since Matt knew that the Mayor would be asking him when they went to lunch what he had decided.
Matt has nothing but respect and admiration for our Mayor Rick and has gone fishing many times with him and his boys and so felt like he was saying goodbye to a dear friend. Rick was really nice, told Matt he was excited that he was getting this opportunity, hated to see him go but understood. Also told him that the council would probably want to counter offer and Matt told him that he couldn't do that to the city since he had been telling his employee's to tighten their belts on their budgets and what would it look like if he took a raise, plus he said the facts were that he knew that he would lose respect for himself since he knew that the city couldn't in the long run afford to match the wage he was being offered. Matt also said he cared to much for the city to take a raise and lose the respect of his employees. He wanted the city to continue on it's prosperous climb of becoming a great little town! (something like that.)

The weather in Salt Lake was a tad nippy and being that i only brought florida warm weather clothes, I got to go shopping and get some warmer wear. It was really fun! I got a cute cream sweater coat (a clong,crochet,) a pair of jeans, a plum wool top, the funnest funkiest heels ever (torquise, brown and plum,) and a beautiful shift dress, ( which i wore to the dinner/airsupply concert!)

Some of the meetings we attended were awesome- the guy that takes pictures of the vast consumerism going on in our country- for instance a huge pile of smashed cars, the millions of cellphones thrown out or given to recycling plants in the USA, plastic water bottle waste, etc.... if you haven't seen these pictures you should check out Chris Jordan's work, it is amazing! Some may say that he has too much time on his hands and yet, he has made me more aware of what i throw away and what i recycle or reuse.

I missed the first day luncheon where Doris Kearns Goodwin the author and NBC T.V. Analyst spoke. She was talking about her book "Team of Rivals" a book about Abraham Lincoln. I read her book about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt a few years back and thought it was very well written and informative, so I have aching to read the one about Abraham Lincoln. Interestingly enough Ricky Horst had one of these in his office and I had pointed it out to Matt when we first went to Ocala City Hall.
I really would have loved to hear her talk, Matt loved her session the most.

One of the activities for the evening besides the Airsupply concert (where one of the main singers held my hand and winked at me while he was singing- I'm all out of love!) was going to the Gateway and watching Mama Mia. Matt and I had already seen it, but we went because I wanted to see the council's reaction to Peirce Brosnon and Meryl Streep singing, if you have seen the movie you will understand what the big draw to my curiousity was, if you haven't seen it- wait to see it on video!
Funny thing- Matt and I truly believe that the girl that plays Meryl Streep's daughter is a long lost sister of mine since she looks just like Sharon when Sharon was a teenager! This girl is beautiful just like Sharon and she has a really nice voice!

Here are more pics:

I love this random picture I took of our luggage in the Denver Airport!

Here is Mr. Matthew J. Brower- soon to be Ocala Asst.City Manager over Utilites! He better get used to wearing that tie, because he has to wear ties to work and hasn't had to on a daily basis for 9 years!

We got to stay at the---


No- not the GRAND AMERICA, but the LITTLE AMERICA Hotel!


Where they always have my favorite flowers- Impatients (is it because i am impatient or just because i like really colorful dainty flowers?)


Our trip was really fun and we finally got to catch up on some much needed sleep!

FLORIDA! WOW! Are we really moving again??!!

So, a random life experience is coming our way. 3 weeks ago, Matt's mentor Ricky Horst was offered a job in Ocala Florida and in true move form- Matt called Rick and told him congratulations and told him that if he ever needed someone then to think about him, since we have family in Florida. But, true to Rick form, Rick called back within 1 1/2 hours and told Matt that he was going to need an Assistant City Manager/ Director of Utilities!

Matt talked to me about it and Rick asked Matt to send in an application and this is when our lives started rolling into HIGH SPEED!

Ocala was already a pull since my parents are 2 hours away and Sharon is 4 hours away, but you never can tell what a town in Florida is really like until you actually get there, so we felt it was necessary for not only Matt but that I too go and check out the town and see if we could actually live there. Driving in our rental car from Orlando to Ocala on Saturday, (it is 1 hour north,) we wondered if we could even try to see the potential of moving, because we drove through every scary neighborhood on the road to Ocala, but then we got to Ocala, hit the downtown area saw the potential and started thinking it might not be too bad, I mean it had a Stars Hollow gazebo in the middle of the downtown square- how can that be wrong?!

My parents, Mary and Sharon (with Indie and Samuel,) came on Sunday and we drove ALL day looking for neighborhoods and houses, which we didn't really find. We went to linner at Olive Garden and then the Field/White's left to go home and the Finlinson's stayed to spend the night- which was really fun since Indigo is so entertaining....

Monday- we went to cracker barrel for breakfast and then kissed and said goodbye to Sharon and Matt and I headed off to find more neighborhoods- no such luck, so we decided to find a Realtor and see what they could offer for advice. We were sent to two offices and then found the sweetest, most helpful lady in town- Mary Colbert. Up until Mary helping us we were very emotionally doubtful that we were going to be moving and were very sad to be away from our beautiful Santa Clara, but then Mary showed us neighborhoods that helped us to realize that we could actually live in Ocala and that even though very different from Santa Clara, could be a good opportunity for Matt and the rest of our family. This day we also went to look at the Highschool and dance studios. We went to two studios and were very impressed with the Performing Arts Conservatory, but it isn't competitive and the other studio was, such decisions!!!

Tuesday, Matt had a meeting/job interview with Ricky and was gone for 3 hours. While he was doing that I entertained myself with my camera and a walking tour of Historic Ocala with it's beautiful Victorian homes and the middle school that we hoped Mckenna would be going to. I also had a nice breakfast at Starbucks of a croissant and a hot cocoa while reading the local paper. After I decided to go sit on a bench on the City office grounds and read a book that I had brought with me while i waited for Matt to finish whatever they were doing.
Matt, another gentleman i don't know and Rick came back, Rick took us to lunch and showed us more of the town.
While talking to Rick we realized that we knew more about the schools and where to live than he did, but then again, he had only been working for one day and hadn't had that much time to explore subdivisions or drive around for personal reasons.
After Matt talked to Rick, and took their drive (before me being in the car,) I guess Matt felt really good about the opportunity to work in Ocala so when we were driving around he told Rick that he would like to take the job, but needed more particulars which they discussed during Lunch. Then all of a sudden we were going to be Floridian's again! Wow, what a crazy few days....
I will be blogging about the next 2 weeks seperately

Enjoy my pictures of our Ocala journey!

A Final look at Summer ~ in Pictures

Have we had a very full summer? You tell me!

It all started for me with Girl's Camp!


Then it was all of us going to Lava Hot Springs, Idaho-Jackson Hole, Wyoming- Then Yellowstone!



Then to Posey Lake


And our Final fling of the summer was at Zion's National Park!


Everything was so much fun we also went to Lagoon after Yellowstone and took Tyler and Terra with us, the kids love going with them, it is great bonding time for the 4 older ones and this year kenna had her friend's family going at the same time so she got to go on the rides with Makyla- it was sweet! (or so Kenna said.)

First of everything.... 1st day of school, 1st memory of school, 1st school situation where everyone is in Secondary Education!

Okay that is a really long title, but very necessary!

I sit here pondering our day today and how I had been fine with the whole My kids going back-to-school for the year, summer-is-over situation, when, I, who didn't plan on getting emotional had a situation that put me over the edge! Ahh, Mothers, who can put up with them and their emotions?!!

But before I get into that let me tell you a few little tidbits first:
We are going to start with the "night before School," August 11th, thoughts; as Mckenna and Kyler start packing up their backpacks and are protesting their bedtimes, I am thinking, "okay, this is good, they are going back to school and I will finally have some time with the house clean, peace and quiet where I can read, listen to MY music, without having someone else's blasting upstairs, and go do stuff with my friends during the day and not feel guilty about leaving Mckenna behind YEAH!!!"

By the way, Kyler wouldn't let me take any pictures of him and so all turned out blurry- sorry.

But then comes "The day of school," August 12th, and boom the big realization begins!

Mckenna is in her first year of secondary school (here 6th grade is secondary at Lava Ridge Intermediate,) Kyler is in his 1st year of High school (9th grade is high school-but at the middle school, we all know that-duh!) Devin is on his first day of the last year of his childhood school experience and he is starting this day on a very similar beginning as he did 12 years ago.

commercial break: let's look at some pictures and then we'll move on with the story.

Here at 2792 Canyon View Drive is Miss Mckenna telling me that I need to stop taking pictures! Isn't her "old backpack" just disgusting? No? I don't think so either- she is getting a new one soon- but why I'm not sure!

This is the only shot that I could get of Kyler where he is actually by himself and yet, he is still not looking at me! UhGGh~ His "old backpack" is gross too?! No? He gets a new one soon also.

NOW BACK TO THE SHOW!

Wow? who is that kid? Well, that my friend is, Devin Jay Brower. Senior extraordinaire! But, wait- holy cow batman what is that on his back?! No, it can't be -is it a figment of my imagination? Nope- it is the one and only almost the same as yesteryear.... BATMAN!

Well, this is what sent me over the edge- you see, like Devin this backpack is a little bit older of a version, than the one he started out with !

Does anyone else besides Rich want to walk down memory lane? Great here we go...

How in the world did I get from here to the previous pictures? Does anyone realize that he is 9 months away from being the same age as me when I met Matt? What is wrong with this picture??? Well, this is what I feel like and it is not a very complimentary picture;

SAD AND OLD!!!!

(yes, rich I am the queen of exclamation points!)

Here is what the rest of the morning looked like- enjoy!

They all looked GREAT and arrived- IN STYLE