Magical trip - part two

 I wanted to add a special post to say that this amazing, wonderful, fun filled trip could not have been possible without these two amazing, wonderful, fun filled people..... my parents :)

 Thank you Mom and Dad!  You guys made the trip stress free, and so much fun!!!  We love you and can't wait to do it again!

Abby and Stephen say hello :0, actually this is the only way I could get a picture of them in their new T-shirts, and Stephen is turning Abby into a dinosaur :)  Love them!!

P.s. a public service announcement, I know my pictures have been a little, well, not very good lately; but we are slowly moving out of survival mode, which means maybe some more fun picture taking!!  Right now, my goal is to get my amazing children's life documented - period. :)  That's about what I have time for, and well that's really all they'll stay still for! LOL  Oh and I am saving up for a new lens..... can't wait to get that in a few months!!!  That might just be the inspiration I need and watch out! 

What a trip! Be warned, more pictures than words!

 I've decided that a non-stop, constant go go vacation is what God made this family for!!  We had a blast!!  From the moment we entered the Magic Kingdom until the moment we collapsed in our beds on the last night!

 We threw caution (and our routine) to the wind, and went in with a very optimistic mind set - we were going to have fun!!  And we did!!  (of course, throwing our schedule out the door almost killed my minor OCDness; but after a day I noticed I was the only one who minded so I let go)

 Stephen of course was a big help......... haha

 I think the twins inherited my people watching disease and just enjoyed the cool air and the people, ahh the people!

We hit the parks running, we moved from one ride to the next - and loved every moment!!

I'd like to take a brief break to mention this shirt was purchased b/c Abby had gone through two other outfits already on day 1!  She just really wanted a Mickey Mouse shirt I guess!!

We had to make time to dine with our dear friends Goofy, Donald, and Minnie

Ohh Minnie, Abby loves her so.  It actually reminds me of my strange love of Donald Duck - which was reignited when he approached our table at breakfast - soooo oddd, and yet so cute!

After a wonder day off at our resort where we rested up by swimming all day :)  We had to head over to Universal Studios!!  And of course - the Wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter

I'll be honest - we had an amazing time - but after the experience at Disney I felt that Universal had a lot missing!  The kids had fun, we had fun - but there just wasn't that Disney feeling. 

Now please note that Stephen and Abby are not ones to just fall asleep anywhere - this my friends is a sure sign of complete exhaustion!!  Ahhh, to me I would say these are signs of success!!

Lunch time nap for Minnie and her new best friend Abby

Cecilia not really into a nap, but more squinting at her daddy flashing his camera at her during a very exciting parade!

But of course like all things, this to must end :)  The trip was great, the kids loved it, and I even got to read a book!!  Dear Pioneer Woman, it was your book - I loved it, and I know you are not reading this :)

So long, so long!

 I don't even know what my title means.... but what I think I wanted to say was something like - it's been so long, I miss talking to all of you out there, hope you're doing well! :)

 Around here, well busy would be the best word for us.  We have been up to a little this and that, but let's face it four little ones keeps a mama movin!!

 One evening when Alan got home from work I looked over (as I was putting a twin in a high chair, realizing that we where now feeding solids and things were changing again) and I mentioned "do you think there will be an "easy" stage with twins?"  Not that feeding them is "hard" but that day, looking at how my perfected routine was going to change again and that Alan and I hadn't figured out how to feed them dinner and eat dinner ourselves - I just wondered if there was an easy stage. 

 That being said, our lives have changed again with eating, crawling (Jude) scooting (Cecilia) babies and it's of course wonderful - but those first moments of routine change are well a bit difficult for a minor control freak like myself :)

All in all things around here are finally getting into a groove, a constant motion kinda groove, but a groove at least.  (did I say groove enough to convince anyone??)  :)

Well, things are actually moving from what we've called the "survival" period.  So much so that we have a fall full of fun mini vacations, and one major vacation..... I'll let you all in on that one - but I'll give you a little clue.... Miscka, Mooska......(did I even spell that right?)

Keep us in your prayers, as you are in ours! 

A little comparison :)

Stephen and Uncle Hank, 11months old!

 I often find my self thinking of Stephen when I get Jude dressed......wonder why? :) 

Jude 6months old! Crazy

Although, Jude seems to be a bit bigger then Stephen, so I'm sure we'll be buying some new winter clothes for him soon! 

(Just to clarify the difference, this is a 9month old outfit; Stephen could wear that size for a while - don't think Jude will!)

Fun times Tuesday :)

A friend of mine posted this meme at http://thetomanfamily.blogspot.com/. She saw it on another blog: http://makinghome.blogspot.com/.  I thought it would be fun :)  If you've enjoyed it, do it yourself, and let me know I'd love to read it!  Here's the deal - everything you've done Bold, anything you haven't done, leave normal :)  Enjoy!!

1. Started your own blog


2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii (soooooo want to go oneday!)

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain.

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo (karaokecounts right? Buffalo's anyone?? :))

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child (Maybe...)

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train (

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort 

25. Held a lamb (does it count if it's dead and I'm about to cook it?)

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (not a gondola - but the water taxi's, still kicking myself for not getting a gondola)

29 Seen a total eclipse (anyone else breaking out in song at this one?)

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run (when I married Alan, that was a homerun for sure!)

32. Been on a cruise
33 Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (I finally learned, that money will never give me the satisfaction that Christ will!)

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41 Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on the beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris(I'm going to half bold this one, the top was closed so we could only go up half way :( )

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60 Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67 Bounced a check - oops

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt (Hopefully, one day...)

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book (Maybe one day...)

81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous (Marky Mark, next to the Eifel Tower in Paris!!) 

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

That was fun!  Now it's your turn!! :)

A little secret about me......

 I have a secret passion for office supplies - there I've said it, it's out in the open, and I think for the past four years it's been a little suppressed.  But not now!  Oh no, I'm like a kid in a candy store!

 This little issue I have goes back a really long, long way.  When I was a little kid, and other little girls were dreaming about being princesses or playing mommy I was turning my walk-in closet into an office.  Planning my life - at college I was going to attend Boston University then head over the Harvard for my Masters.  It seemed like a normal dream for an 8 year old to me.   

 My room became the resting place for all my father's old phones, and computer equipment, old office folders so on and so forth.  I loved the stuff....and as I mentioned still do.  I just haven't had a reason to need any of that stuff lately - but that has changed!

We're "home schooling" for pre-K.  Not that much really needs to be done, but I want to make sure that Stephen has the basics and is ready to go for Kindergarten.  I found a website that I liked and started doing some stuff..... I realized really quickly that he had a few things to work on and so did I!  So I researched and researched and found another little pre-K curriculum that goes over his letters. 

Long story short, I, in the process of doing a "little" pre-k at home was able to convince myself (and of course Alan) that we needed the following things:

1)A new printer (wait - it was so much cheaper to buy a new one then get ink cartridges for my old one!)

2)A Laminator.... I've always wanted a laminator and now I have one!  I love it, I love using it, and I feel like little 8yr old Jessica cleaning out her closet, and setting up her "office" all over again.  Except this time it will be Alan and not my mom who finds me asleep on my desk :)

3)And of course the need for file folders, binders, dry erase markers, paper ooohhh lots and lots of paper!!

I could go on and on, but lets just be honest - I have a problem with office supplies and I don't care anymore :)

Please pray

 To my small following, please say a prayer for this wonderful woman and friend of mine Alaina Harris.  Yesterday, Aug. 24th while living in DC, her boss received an unreadable text message from her.  He asked a co-worker to contact her, the same gibberish text was received.  Her co-worker then called her and was able to reach her.  Alaina insured her she was fine, but that she just woke up and needed to take a sick day. 

Shortly after that a woman in her apartment complex saw her walking her dog - Alaina a very fun loving Southerner usually greeted everyone with a smile and conversation.  Not yesterday - when her neighbor stopped to ask if she was ok she could tell something was wrong.  She was immediately taken to the hospital where this morning they found that she had suffered three strokes.  She is unable to speak, but can communicate through winking and there is only minor muscle damage to one side, Thank God!!  Please pray for her and her family - if you would like to know how she is doing you can follow the blog link below.  Thank you for your prayers!

http://weloveyoualaina.wordpress.com/