Cold North Wind

This time of year when the Cold North Wind starts to blow I start dreaming and yearning for this...

And drooling for a Cheeseburger in Paradise...

And on my Bucket List I want to fish for and catch one of THESE!

This is a Tarpon Fish for folks that don't know. You see the large size Pelican floating in the water above these guys? Yup, they are bigger then a Pelican. Their average weight can be anywhere between 25 to 90 pounds!

I've said before I am a warm weather gal, I enjoyed my 2 years living in WPB too much! It makes playing outside much more pleasant and opening your windows for fresh air is such a treat! FYI for my warm weather friends, typically us Northern New Englanders do not open the windows in our houses from mid October to the beginning of April! And with 3 dogs and stinky feet it makes for a very long winter!

I've been searching rental houses in the southern Florida area. With Aunts and Uncles on both coastal sides of the state it's hard to choose "who" to go visit... So, I think I'd like to revisit one of my most favorite places in the US - the Florida Keys... Sorry family - HA! Maybe, Maybe not, but I've found a great house in Islamorada that is on the Atlantic side and has a pier with a beach at low tide. Oh yeah, and a Totally Awesome pool!

It's still a trek to Key West, but a day trip will fill the void - what can you do in Key West with a 3.5 year old anyways? Sit him on the bar stool next to you? Don't get me wrong, I've seen it done, but I don't think I want the stares and odd looks...

Islamorada is a good distance down the Keys to feel like you are "islanding it" and it's not too over run with commercialism. Plus I know a great Tiki Bar that is kid friendly and the fishing is unreal! So, once that money drops out of the sky - we're booked and going!

I've warmed up a little just looking at these pics, and my hubby who looks warm and happy here too - let's head south Babe!

Just Loving This Kid

How many of you have entered your child into baby modeling contests? Yup, Me Too! Someday we'll get our 15 minutes of fame - HA!

State Champs!

Congratulations to the 2010 State Champion Raiders! This little guy here is my baby cousin. He was the first great-grandchild in my massive brood of a family. We all love each other immensely and I can't say how proud I am of our Obby (Logan)! Nobody is called by their real name in his family - HA! Great Job and undefeated season!

We made it to half time of the game before the meltdown occurred, I was quite surprised Asa Man made it as long as he did with no nap, but it was the lying on the ground with his face in his hands crying that was the clincher. I really wanted to get a pic with Logan and Ace - Logan is one of Asa's favorite peeps and it would of been so cute.

My Beautiful Child

Do I love you because you're beautiful,

Or, are you beautiful because I love you?

~Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Cinderella

A Christmas to Remember

UPDATE 1/28/11 Miss Sandra has recently made her way to her heavenly father, she was not saved in time. There was no explanation, maybe she got pneumonia or some other sickness she was unable to be cared for or treated. She might still be here if someone would of just said, "Yes I have enough love to come for you sweet girl" - I wish it had of been me :-(


Do You Hear the Cry of an Orphan? I do all the time. What would I do if I won the Lottery? Rescue these beautiful children who speak to my soul with only their eyes.


Sandra and Evan are only two of the thousands of orphans who are abandoned at birth and the door closed on them by their society. They live in impoverished countries who do not believe special needs are special at all. Children who are "different" are put in orphanages and baby houses left to lie in their cribs without anyone to hug, kiss, and love them. If they are not adopted (those the orphanages see as adoptable) by usually the age of 4 they are put in institutions where they deteriorate and eventually die from the lack of stimulation, care and plain old love and compassion for the human life.

How can you help? Adopt a beautiful child or you can donate to Reece's Rainbow. Reece's Rainbow is a non-profit International Down Syndrome Orphan Ministry. Every Holiday Season they do a Christmas Angel Tree Project to help raise funds for individual children's grants who are waiting to be adopted. You can choose which child you would personally like to support and add to their grant. You can donate any amount but if you donate at least $35 you will receive a very special Christmas Angel Tree Ornament, $5 will go to the Voice of Hope general fund and $30 will go to your orphan of choice. I can't express how sad it makes me to think of children just like Asa sitting in a crib all alone with no one hugging them, playing with them, showing them how to love and be loved. There is no story before bedtime, or tucking in. There is no soothing of their cries, rock-a-bye or lullabies. They are left mostly to themselves with little interaction or contact.

A great Holiday Gift Idea is print a picture of the child you donated to along with the ornament and put it under the tree! It's better than a fruit basket and way better then socks!

Reece's Rainbow Christmas Video

The Friendly Frontier

My Sister, Brother In-Law, Niece and Nephew did this yesterday...

Flew to Alaska! They unfortunately did not go under good circumstances, my BIL's father is sick with terminal cancer and they decided it was time to make the trek. It was before kids the last time they went to the Friendly Frontier. Delta Junction is the last town on the Alaskan Highway!

I am so excited for my nephew who is 9, he is quite the avid outdoors man. I imagine they will see plenty of the likes of this guy.

And breathtaking scenery...

And all Elk (else) alike :) Make the most of the daylight! The sun rises at 9:30 this time of year and sets at 5:15! December is the darkest month in Alaska with very few daylight hours - yikes!

Prayers for Peperre...

Holiday Decorations

Okay, I have a dilemma - I really want to put up my Holiday Decorations. I keep looking through all the catalogs drooling at all the pretty things. This could totally be because last year I couldn't "go all out" like I normally do because we were living at Brian's aunt and uncle's lake house while we were renovating ours. We didn't even have a real tree last year, it was a 4' fake $19.99 one from Walgreen's - HA! Asa still thought it was the coolest thing ever and I put red plastic balls on it and bows since all our x-mas ornaments were packed away in storage. I think this year I'll make that tree his bedroom tree and let him decorate it all by himself.

Asa's 1st Christmas Tree Hunt (Cut Your Own). He enjoyed it so much he fell asleep!

Asa's 2nd Christmas - this was our Holiday Card

Last Year's Christmas with the infamous Walgreen's jewel!

31 for 21 Day 31 Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

I hope you got lots of treats!

We had fun, but cold, it was even spitting snow. Didn't get many pics I did have my camera but between helping an over-stuffed Woody up and down stairs while holding his candy bucket and trying to keep his hat on, caravaning between houses with a bunch of older kids and then having to convince the little Woody that he didn't need to invite himself into EVERY home we stopped at. That it wasn't a come on in and have a seat kind of event, it was just a stop and grab thing, got old after the 5th house. It was especially hard at the house that had a nice plush couch with a little toy poodle on a heated porch! Then he chewed his glow bracelet and got the glowy stuff in his mouth - OK, all done - thanks, until next year shall we...