A trip to Frank Buck Zoo

On New Year's Eve Day, Chad, Tyler, Ashton and I took a little road trip to Gainsville to visit The Frank Buck Zoo. It was a nice little ride. Nice little zoo, too. Not a ton of animals, actually just a few. It was nice though. It was almost 70 and it was not even crowded! We had fun! I love family days with my boys!!!
Here are a few pics I snapped.

Almost 4 feet tall.

Getting a picture of my two kids together smiling & looking at the camera is tough!

Silly!


Kiss, kiss!

Love, love these two!!



Watching the animals

Seriously, how sweet is this!?!?!

Love!

My loves!




They had the coolest playground!


What a fun day with my family!

Santa!!!!!

This year, we waited till Dec 22 to visit Santa! BIG mistake! We got to the mall as soon as they opened and still waited in line for almost an hour. Still, it was fun! The boys loved it....well, except Ashton didn't want to sit on Santa's lap. He wanted his Mommy!! Next year we will go right after Thanksgiving!!! No line!!

Poor, poor sick kiddo

My poor kiddo!! Tyler was sent home from school on Monday with a 103 degree temp. I was hoping it was nothing serious. He seemed okay that night, then Tuesday gets here and it was up to 102. I took him to the pedi and they tested him for strep which was negative. They said they wanted to test for the flu. Grrrrreat!! I was really hoping he'd be negative, but unfortunately he tested positive. He says nothing hurts...on occasion he'll complain of a sore throat, but he is coughing too. He's not eating and for sure not being himself. I will be so thankful when my baby is back to himself....soon!!





***UPDATE***
A week later, he tests positive for strep, an ear infection and he has a rash all over his body!! Poor kiddo!! He's on antibiotics and is resting. Luckily, still says nothing is hurting him. I HATE when my babies are sick!!

Tyler's chest

Finally! Thankful Thanksgiving!

I know it's only 2 weeks over due! Been busy! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent the afternoon at Chad's parent's house. The boys, Chad and I had such a wonderful time. Love spending time with my family! I am so thankful to have all of them in my life!! I don't say that enough and thank God for that!!
Here are a few photos I snapped...maybe one or two Chad snapped!


Mommy, Daddy and Ashton. Where is Tyler??? Too busy playing with the toys. He wanted nothing to do with photo time!!



Tyler playing with his Daddy's and Uncle's old toys! Tyler loves to play with them!


Peek - A - Boo!


Chad carving the turkey. I am not a huge turkey fan, but this was by far the BEST turkey I've ever eaten! Chad had it on his egg for hours. It was so juicy and perfect!

Tyler's Letter to Santa

Tyler's writing has MAJORLY improved since he's been in Kindergarten!!! I am so very proud of him!! It used to be such a challenge for us to get him to 'want' to do his homework. Now, everyday after school he goes straight to his room and does his homework. He's is always trying so hard too! He is AWESOME!
Here is a letter he wrote almost all by himself.
Way to go, Tyler!

**Just in case you are wondering what his letter says...
Santa
I want Super Heroes.
Love,
Tyler

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

OUTSIDE! FUN!

The weather has been so warm -- I am NOT going to say nice, because it's the end of November and 70 degrees is NOT nice to me. I am so ready for some cooler weather!! My boys on the other hand are loving this warmer weather. They LOVE to play outside in the yard. So, I guess for now I can deal with it. Come December though I am hoping for some cooler weather and maybe just maybe some snow!!! ;)

Love these two so much!♥ ♥


LEAVES!! Lots and lots of them!!!



I have to share with my baby brother???!!!!

Sweet Tyler





Sweet Ashton
I wuv my doggy so much!!
Those eyes!!

Emmie Anne. She's such an awesome pup!

Things I will miss.......

I can not believe it's been one week since my Grandma went to heaven. Oh, how I miss her so much!! I miss being able to call her in the evenings. There were some nights I said, "I will call her tomorrow"...you do not know how I regret that!!! I wish right now I could call my Grandma. I am so going to miss my yearly trips to Arizona to visit my Grandma. I will miss sitting on her patio in the mornings drinking coffee and eating toast with jelly with her while watching the golfers play golf. I will miss all of the food she used to make me. I will miss our trips to The Olive Garden. It was by far our favorite place to go out to eat...we would eat there sometimes daily when I visited her. We would ALWAYS get the soup, salad and breadsticks. I will miss her showing off all her photos from so long ago. She would tell me about everyone in the picture and always had such interesting stories. I will miss listening to "her" music in the car. It was always so lovely, even though sometimes I missed "my" music. I will miss her smell. When I was staying at her house when she was sick in Hospice I could still smell her perfume. I have now forgotten what that smells like. I will miss sitting on her couch relaxing while my Grandma took a little cat nap -- as she would call it...I would be watching Hogan's Heroes or MASH or Jeopardy or I Dream of Jeannie. I will miss going to the store with her. She always found something nice to buy me. I will miss everything about her.
I am SOOOO thankful I was able to see her almost once a year!! I am so thankful to have all the summers with her and my Grandpa when I was a little girl. I am soo thankful she was a part of my life.
Grandma, I love you and miss you so much!!
Love,
Carly

Here is a poem that I wanted to share that was on her mass card. It's so sad, but so true.

Love Lives On
Those we love remain with us
For loves itself lives on,
And cherished memories never fade
Because a loved one's gone......

Those we love can never be
More than a thought apart,
For as long as there is memory,
They'll live on in the heart.

Goodbye to my beautiful Grandma

On Wednesday, November 9, 2011 my wonderful and beautiful Grandma went to heaven to be with God. She will always be loved and greatly missed.
My Grandma celebrated her 90th birthday on Oct 29, 2011. All of our family was supposed to have a big 90th birthday party this past weekend. Unfortunately, my Grandma got pretty sick and ended up in hospice. Our whole family still made it out to Arizona to see her (we are all from all over the US). When Tyler and I arrived to see her on Friday, she was so excited!! She said, "Hello Carly Poopers" -- that's what she's always called me. She was so excited to see Tyler, too. She met Tyler at her 85th birthday when Tyler was an infant. I so wished Tyler would have gotten to know his Great Grandma a little better. She was an amazing woman!!
As the weekend went on her body began to slowly deteriorate. I was able to spend the night with her on Sunday night. She slept most of the night, but on occasion would wake up and grab her tummy and just seem very uncomfortable. She never said she was in any pain, but she just looked so restless. She was talking, but not to me. It was so heartbreaking. Heartbreaking for me to have to say Goodbye to her. I know she is in a much better place with my Grandpa, the rest of her family and friends who have already left this earth. She is no longer in pain. She is young again. I will miss her so much!! I will always love her!! I wish I had some more pictures of her online.

My Grandma and I in December 2007

Grandma, Tyler and I in Oct 2006

Grandma and I in Oct 2006 at her 85th birthday party


Grandma, Chad and I at her 85th. Opening one of her presents.

I love you and miss you so much, Grandma!! See you later!! xoxoxox

Family Photos ~ 2011

FINALLY! It's only been 2 1/2 years since we got our family pics done. This year we went to The Adriatic in McKinney and my good friend, Jessica from Blooming Tree Photography did our pics! I LOVE them! They are wonderful. I am so glad she was able to capture all of us. Thank you again, Jessica!