Overcast Afternoon...no Beach

(written on 8/3) It was overcast today, so we decided to go do a little shopping in the afternoon before dinner. The girls had fun riding all of the little cars and buses that move. They really just enjoyed getting out and running around.

After the mall, we had dinner at a local, well-known restaurant called Parks. It has been in Daytona for years and just a few years ago moved to a new location. Their original location was on the water and was bought by a company building condos. I am sure that they got just a few million for that piece of property. Macy wanted to pose with the alligator. The neat thing about this restaurant is the two huge fish tanks. Macy will tell you that she saw Nemo and Dori in those tanks.

Monday on the Beach

(written on 8/3) I have to say that Macy didn't let her cast stop her one bit. Every morning, she did ask if I could take the "bandaid" off, but she was a real trooper. She built a sandcastle with Aunt Robin today. She would build it up and then "stomp" on it. She would laugh and laugh.

I loved this picture!! I thought this was a good "modeling" picture...because you know how models just turn around and give you a real serious look. This is Molly's modeling pose.

Aunt Robin and Molly in the ocean.

While we were on the beach today, we watched a large group get their picture taken. We found out that this was a family reunion. I think I counted 80 people that were in the picture. What a family reunion!!

That evening we went to Inlet Harbor. It is a restaurant on the ocean and they also have a live band. The girls just loved that!! It was hard to get them to eat any dinner, all they wanted to do was dance. Especially Molly...she was the life of the dance floor.

Ready for the Beach

(written on 8/3) We are finally here and on the beach. It is Sunday, the 13th. The girls just love the ocean and the sand. I couldn't believe how they just walked out into the ocean with me. They buried Mary Jane (Brian's aunt) in the sand. She just loves the girls so much.

Our trip began...

Mom and I drove part of the way to Daytona on Friday. Brian and my dad joined us on Wednesday. Mom and I just about had breakdowns from Molly in the car. She is not much of a DVD watcher like Macy and unless she was asleep or being constantly fed food, she whined and screamed and cried. She had been getting over an ear infection, which probably didn't help. I, on the other hand, had bronchitis that I had been fighting the week we left and still had it pretty bad driving down there. We stopped several times for the girls. Here is Macy playing at Chic-Fil-A.

Did You Think I Had Fallen Off the Wagon?

(actually written on 8/3)...well, that is debatable depending upon who you ask...but, the reason I haven't posted in a while is because we have been on vacation in Florida. I did bring my laptop with the intention of blogging while away, but...the wireless at the hotel didn't work very well and I just couldn't pry myself away from the beach. Brian and I and the girls spent two weeks in Daytona Beach with my parents, my mom's sister, his parents, sister, brother-in-law, nephew, neice, her boyfriend, aunt, uncle and lots and lots of friends that we see every year. We had a wonderful time...so much so that I just couldn't update how much fun we had.

So, it is going to take me a while to catch you up on all of our fun. I need a vacation from our vacation. It has been a week since we returned and I have been neck high in laundry, cleaning, bills, appointments, catching up with friends, etc. So, here goes.

Baby Turns 3

Dear Macy,

I can't believe that you, my baby girl, my firstborn is turning 3 today. It just seems like yesterday that you were so tiny and needed Mommy to do everything for you. You are becoming Ms. Independent. You can do a lot of things all by yourself now. You are potty trained and have been for several months now (and Mommy is so proud of that). You are so smart - you know all of your colors (in English and Spanish), you can count to 20, can count to 10 in Spanish, you know your ABC's and the sounds that each make, you can sing lots of songs, and I could just go on and on. Your daddy and I are so proud of you and love you so much. You have some very sweet friends that you love you to play with. You sort of get along with your sister, but I know that will come in time. Baby girl, you have a big family and all of us love you so much. Don't ever forget that.

This morning you got to have a big sprinkle donut and I even put 3 candles on it to let you blow out. Have a wonderful day at school and we will have more cake tonight!!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Sick Household

Wear a mask if you want to come over to our house...we are sick. During Macy's birthday party on Saturday, we discovered that Molly was running a 102.5 fever and she just felt plain aweful. We gave her the usual motrin/tylenol every two hours and she slept most of the rest of the evening. She woke up the next morning seeming to feel ok. We ended up driving to Brian's sister church because she was giving her testimony in church. By the time she finished speaking, Molly was just aweful. We immediately drove back and took her to the doctor. She had a very bad ear infection, rash from the fever and loads of gunk spilling out of her eyes.

When we returned from the doctor, I began feeling crummy. My body just ached and was coughing really bad and running a 100 fever. Went to bed at 7:30 hoping to wake up feeling refreshed...unfortunately I did not. I went to the doctor myself this morning and I have a bad sinus infection on the verge of bronchitus. So, another trip to the pharmacy for more medication!! They know us way too well there!! Not feeling any better yet, but praying the meds will work quickly.

We leave for Florida Friday morning, so pray we are on the mend quickly and that Brian and Macy don't get sick!!

Family Birthday Party

Today was Macy's party with all of the family and a few of our friends. We always have so much fun when the family is all together. I started preparing for the party yesterday by making her cake. Yes, I tried to make it myself again...this time I made a "beach ball" cake. What do you think?

Brian's mother (in the middle) and two aunts.

Macy wanted to open her presents before she even had cake and ice cream or put her swimsuit on to swim. Oh, did she absolutely love it when she saw it!! She drove her sister all over the yard.

After riding for a while, Macy decided whe wanted to swim. And she literally stayed in the pool for the rest of the afternoon. She is becoming such a good swimmer and very brave!! Sometimes too brave. We are trying to teach her that she has to make sure you are looking at her when she jumps into the pool or she will jump in and you not know it.

This is one of my favorite pictures from today. Macy wanted to show me that she put on the mask herself. Poor thing will only be able to breathe out of one nostril and I am afraid water will definitely get into the mask.

Ready for scuba diving!!

Hmmm, Wish this were legal?!?!

Brian and I and the girls went to a friend's house Thursday night for dinner. After we ate, we were talking and came into their den to find this. They have a very large dog who calls this cage bedtime. Macy and Molly wanted to find out what it was like. Is it bad to wish there was one of these for children? HA, just kidding!!

Birthday Present #1

Because we knew that one of the "coolest" birthday presents was going to be presented at the party on Saturday, Nomie and Poppy gave Macy her present today. It is a "beginner trampoline" and she loved it. She didn't really know what to do, but her sister sure did. Molly absolutely loved it as well!! Too bad it had a 100 pound weight limit...I would be on it too!!

Stand Up Comedian

I really think that Molly is going to be our stand up comedian. After Macy played with her new microphone for a while, Molly wanted to have her turn. She got such a kick out of hearing herself. I really think Molly enjoyed it more than Macy did. She really cracked us up.

I'm a Star

We bought Macy a karaoke machine for her birthday. It was really more for the microphone and speakers. Brian decided he wanted to go ahead and give it to her tonight instead of waiting until Saturday or her birthday next Thursday. This is because her Ninnie and Granddaddy and Aunt Mary Jane and Gene got her a battery powered Jeep and we all know what she would rather play with. And because he wanted her to have more than one day to play with it since we will be leaving for Florida.

Macy had a hard time getting used to putting the microphone up to her mouth. She also didn't like singing with a song, she liked singing her own songs.

Play Time

My baby is finally big enough and brave enough to climb to the top of the indoor playground at the church. She wasn't scared at all and loved every minute of it. I was not surprised seeing as she loves climbing all over us!!

Take the Bunnies Out

This afternoon, as I was trying to get Macy to lay down (didn't take a nap at Mother's Day Out), all she would do is cry. This has happened before and all stems from her being so tired. So, this is what I thought was wrong. She then told me her ear hurt. She was pulling and tugging on her ear and screaming that it hurt. I called my dad to see if he could come watch Molly while we went to the doctor, since Brian wasn't home yet. I asked Macy if she wanted to go to the doctor so he could make her ear feel better and she said "yeth" (yes). Before Poppy could get there, Macy started saying "Mommy, take the bunnies out. The doctor is going to take the bunnies out. Mommy, tell him to take the bunnies out." Well, I started to laugh because when we went for her 3 year check-up last week, the doctor said, as he was looking in her ears, "let's see if there's any bunnies in there. Nope, no bunnies!!" It was really funny.

When Poppy did get here, Macy turned into "chatty Cathy." I asked if her ear still hurt and she said, "it's feeling better." So, I waited for a little while and finally decided not to go to the doctor. She has been fine ever since. Not sure if the "bunnies" came out on their own or the children's tylenol worked really well. I guess we'll see how the evening, night and tomorrow go. Hope it's not an ear infection!!