Camping At Ormond

The Highlights
-Before we left Kane started officially crawling on hands and knees, he's a lot faster now!
-There is a burn ban b/c of  the dry weather and potential for wildfires.  That was a big bummer.
-Because of the burn ban we werent able to make our planned dinner on Friday night so we headed into town for Chick-fil-a where the boys were absolutely spoiled!  One of the workers fell in love with Evan and Seth so she gave them free soda, ice cream and they got to meet and take pictures with one of the cows.
-We went to Walmart and bought rummikub to play after the kids were in bed. 
-Kane didnt sleep well Friday night so neither did I but it was nice when Jed got all three boys up in the morning and took them outside to let me sleep in!
-Saturday we visited 4 different state parks, having a wonderful picnic lunch at one.
-We were able to watch some "soldiers" shoot guns and a canon.
-We explored a sugar mill ruin.
-During the heat of the day we went to Target to enjoy the air conditioning and I'm pretty sure I witnessed a girl shoplifting a bathing suit.  I was weighed down by three kids (Jed was else where in the store) and couldnt make it to an employee before the girl left.
-We hunted for crabs on the intercoastal.
-We made dinner and smores over our camping stove. 
-Sunday morning we went for the most beautiful ride I've ever been on in Florida.  Forests, rivers, beach and ocean, it was awesome!
-We visited Washington Oak Garden State Park.  So pretty!  After we toured the garden area we headed to the intercoastal area and sat for a long time letting the boys play by the water while we watched people fish and boats drive by.  It was nice until the largest yacht I've ever seen came by going extremely fast sending giant waves to the shore.  I thought it was going to sweep the boys out to sea but fortunately we were able to get them out of the way fast enough!  One of the most terrifying moments of my life! 
-On our way back to our campground we stopped at a different campground, Gamble Rogers, thats actually on the beach.  We wanted to check it out to see if we thought we'd ever want to camp there and it was the perfect place to also take the boys for a swim. 
-We got back to our campsite and spent a couple hours relaxing before we packed up and headed home. 
-Got home, unpacked and set Kane's pack and play up in his own room instead of ours!
The next time we go camping will be this summer for 8 days with Jed's entire family in Virginia.  Then we wont go again until the fall when it cools down. 

Evan, Tammy, Seth and Mr. Cow. 

Evan loves smelling flowers.

Testing the waters.

Sweet (and sometimes not so sweet) baby boy!

Me and my baby.

Evan marveled at the huge fish in the ponds.

Bathtime!

Evan: "Mommy, do you have a baby in your belly?" 
Me: "No." (Shoot, I really need to lose this baby weight!) :)
Evan: "Why?" (This is his new standard response to everything, it gets old real quick.) :)
Me: "Because God hasnt given me another baby.  Do you want another baby brother?" (I immediately wondered, to myself, why I asked this question.)
Evan: "Yes!"
Seth: "I dont want a brother. I want a baby sister!"
Evan: "No I want 3 baby brothers!"
Me: "WHAT?!"
Evan: "I want 14 babies!" 
Seth: "YEAH, 14!"
Me: "Oh geez!"  We're all laughing.

This made me laugh and it reminds me of my childhood, http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/2008/04/101-letting-anyone-play-music.html
And this one, http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/2008/04/106-side-hug.html.  Brings back bible school nighmares, oh wait, I mean, memories! :)  lol

He's Mobile

Its not exactly a crawl so much as a scoot.  Also it takes a really long time for him to make progress but its definitely mobility!  He starts off in one spot and about 5 minutes later he's made it about 10 feet.  Its hilarious to sit down and watch him do it, he struggles and grunts but he loves it.  The weird thing is he almost always ends up under the poang chair where he gets stuck and starts crying.  Its too the point that when I hear him crying I think to myself, "Oh he must be under the chair."  This makes Kane our earliest "crawler" beating Evan out by a couple of weeks.  Also he has made progress in the food department!  I've been trying to get him to eat baby food for about a month now but he hated it!  He would spit everything out and then start crying so for awhile I gave up.  Then yesterday while I was at church with Evan (Jed stayed home with Seth and Kane b/c Seth was sick) Jed fed Kane baby cereal and he gobbled it all up.  This morning I gave him cereal and mashed up banana and he ate all of it and wanted more!  Yippee, now I get to start making more baby food and trying out new stuff like peas, beans and apples!  Yay!

This is where he started out and ten minutes later...

here!  See how he's up on all fours, he does like an inch worm move!  He wasnt very motivated this morning so he didnt go very far.

And here he is stuck under/next to the chair.  This was yesterday and as I'm typing he's in the same spot but hasnt started crying, yet.

I scored this on Saturday at a garage sale for five bucks!  I know its girly but my boys love to fake cook and I havent been able to find a blue kitchen set, especially not for $5!  The boys dont notice anyway. 

Celebrating 3 Years Of Sethy

Aunt Tracy came over and we took him to Chik fil a for dinner because he loves the play place!  Then we came home for cake, ice cream and presents.  We had planned on taking him go carting but it rained all day so we postponed it until the next day. 

He blew out his trick candles over and over again.

He got his first digital camera!

He and Evan got matching backpacks, or pack packs as they call them, for camping.

Lets Go Fish!

What a mess!

The next day go carting.

Daddy and Sethy vs. Mommy and Evan!  We each won a race.

Self portrait while driving, probably not the safest thing to do but hey we were only going like 5 miles an hour, at best! :) 

3 Years Ago Today

-I was huge, uncomfortable and depressed about still being pregnant. 
-I had been having serious braxton hicks contractions for over a week and had already made one trip to the hospital in false labor.  After that I vowed not to go to the hospital unless my water broke.
-I had to get our house ready for having small group over for dinner and study.
-I was exhausted from not sleeping at night.
-A terrible cold/sinus infection was kicking my butt.
-I desperately wished to go into labor but at the same time dreaded the pain that would go along with that.
-At 4pm I was resting on the couch and watching Oprah (trying to numb my brain) when contractions started.  They were 5 minutes apart but not very strong, (my first trip to the hospital they were 2 minutes apart and stronger) so I decided to ignore them. 
-Jed got home from work at 5:30 and I mentioned my contractions to him.  We continued to get ready to have people over.
-At 7pm our small group arrives.  I'm still stubbornly ignoring my contractions even though they are coming faster (4 minutes apart) and slightly stronger (about the same as the night I went to the hospital).
-At 7:30 we were eating dinner and chatting when Jed asked me a question and at the same time a contraction came on, I had to pause to focus through the contraction before I could answer him.  When I looked at him he looked freaked out and immediately told everyone to go home and that we were headed to the hospital.  I tried to argue with him but he insisted and I finally gave in.
-At 7:45 everyone had left, my sister was at our house to watch Evan and we were breaking a lot of traffic laws on our way to the hospital.  The pain with each contraction was stronger but still managable, I breathed and focused through each one. 
-We made it to the hospital around 8pm and were immediately rushed up to the maternity floor, they put me in a waiting room where they checked me and I was dialated to 6.  The nurses freaked out, ran me over to a delivery room and assigned two nurses to me to get me all prepped.  One of the nurses was older and was really shakey and wouldnt you know it they gave her the job of putting the IV in me!  It took her like 4 tries to get it in and each one was really painful b/c of all the shaking once the needle was in my arm. 
-During my labor with Evan I was induced and the labor came on hard and fast, it felt like I had a charley horse all the way acrossed my belly and through my back.  Even though that hadnt happened yet with this labor I was still terrified of enduring it for any length of time so I begged for an epidural.  Around 9-9:30pm the anesthesiologist arrived and gave me my epidural.  I quickly realized that there were parts of my body that werent actually numb but the nurses didnt listen to me, they told me it was good that it didnt take away all my pain b/c that would help during the pushing stage.  Once I realized they werent going to help me out I just endured the weird feeling of having part of my belly numb and part in pain. 
-My water never breaks on its own, at around 11pm my midwife finally showed up to find that I was dialated to 8 and decided to break my water for me.  Thank goodness I didnt wait at home for my water to break!
-11:25 I was dialated to 10 and felt the urge to push.  Pushing was so much easier than last time b/c I wasnt doped up on Stadol (I didnt feel tired and weak) but way more painful b/c the epidural wasnt working. 
-11:45 Seth was born!  Again b/c I wasnt all strung out on drugs that they had given me I was really able to enjoy this time.  It was so disappointing with Evan b/c I could barely keep my eyes open.  This time I was on a buzz from all the endorphin and was able to hold and cuddle Seth for a really long time. 
I remember being in awe of how chubby his cheeks were and how different that was from his brother b/c at 6lbs 3oz he was a whopping 6oz bigger than Evan at birth.  His eyes were really light blue and he had a darker skin tone than his brother.  I thought that I should be comparing him so much to his brother but I couldnt help it I was just marveling that I could have two kids that could be so very different yet similiar.  As Seth has grown up I've noticed that he is impulsive, affectionate, stubborn, charismatic and kind.  He's such a wonderful part of our family and I'm so thankful that God blessed us with him! 

A few hours old!

Six Months Old

1st Birthday

Second Birthday

This past weekend.

The Pool is Now Open!

Jed put in some work this weekend and got it all ready for swimming!
This weekend was very busy!  Friday night Joy came over and we stayed up late chatting.  She spent the night so in the morning Jed and I could go on a bike ride with Jay and Jonathan.  We drove about an hour to an amazing bakery called Yalaha Bakery.  Since its so far away and babysitting is sometimes hard to come by we gorged ourselves on the yummiest, blueberry muffin, chocolate eclair, apple pie and a cherry danish.  We also bought a couple loaves of bread and then wandered over the produce stand where I found a couple of blackberry plants.  I cant wait to plant them in the backyard!  When we got home we got ready and headed out to do Joy's senior pictures.  It was a lot of fun we drove around town finding cool places to take pictures.  I would position Joy and Jed would snap pictures while the boys played.  After a few hours of that we went home to start work on our easter eggs.  Once that was done we all crashed!  It was such a long day, I went to bed before 10pm, I cant remember the last time I did that!  Sunday morning Jed and I got up early and hid eggs all over the house.  The boys enthusiastically burst out of their bedroom and searched high and low collecting eggs filled with candy and cars!  When they had sufficently scoured the house, we got ready for church.  Church was excellent! Its so be reminded that Jesus is not dead but in fact in heaven alive and well, ruling and reigning!  Then in the evening we went to small group and enjoyed an amazing dinner.  We had such a good Easter! 
Tomorrow is Seth's birthday!  I cant believe he's going to be three!  He said all he wanted for his birthday was a cake with candles on it and to sing.  I think we can do that.

Seth and his favorite color, PURPLE!  Actually its both boys fave color and it took a lot of persuation to talk the boys into using other colors!

Evan was pretty serious about the whole deal.

My boys, minus Kane who was in his saucer crying, he wanted to help.

Now its time to find them!

Quite the little hunter!

After church this is what we came home to!  I guess Ally and Gwen smelled something appetizing in the garbage. 

At small group!  Kane and Will hanging out!

Kane is a ladies man! :) Naomi and Lauren are so good with him.

Evan and Seth with their new best friend, the iphone, no wait, I mean Ryan. :)  Apparently love for technology is a genetic trait passed down from father to sons.

3 Years Ago Today, Seth's Birth Day Story

-I was huge, uncomfortable and depressed about still being pregnant. 

-I had been having serious braxton hicks contractions for over a week and had already made one trip to the hospital in false labor.  After that I vowed not to go to the hospital unless my water broke.

-I had to get our house ready for having small group over for dinner and study.

-I was exhausted from not sleeping at night.

-A terrible cold/sinus infection was kicking my butt.

-I desperately wished to go into labor but at the same time dreaded the pain that would go along with that.

-At 4pm I was resting on the couch and watching Oprah (trying to numb my brain) when contractions started.  They were 5 minutes apart but not very strong, (my first trip to the hospital they were 2 minutes apart and stronger) so I decided to ignore them. 

-Jed got home from work at 5:30 and I mentioned my contractions to him.  We continued to get ready to have people over.

-At 7pm our small group arrives.  I'm still stubbornly ignoring my contractions even though they are coming faster (4 minutes apart) and slightly stronger (about the same as the night I went to the hospital).

-At 7:30 we were eating dinner and chatting when Jed asked me a question and at the same time a contraction came on, I had to pause to focus through the contraction before I could answer him.  When I looked at him he looked freaked out and immediately told everyone to go home and that we were headed to the hospital.  I tried to argue with him but he insisted and I finally gave in.

-At 7:45 everyone had left, my sister was at our house to watch Evan and we were breaking a lot of traffic laws on our way to the hospital.  The pain with each contraction was stronger but still manageable, I breathed and focused through each one. 

-We made it to the hospital around 8pm and were immediately rushed up to the maternity floor, they put me in a waiting room where they checked me and I was dilated to 6.  The nurses freaked out, ran me over to a delivery room and assigned two nurses to me to get me all prepped.  One of the nurses was older and was really shaky and wouldnt you know it they gave her the job of putting the IV in me!  It took her like 4 tries to get it in and each one was really painful b/c of all the shaking once the needle was in my arm. 

-During my labor with Evan I was induced and the labor came on hard and fast, it felt like I had a charley horse all the way across my belly and through my back.  Even though that hadnt happened yet with this labor I was still terrified of enduring it for any length of time so I begged for an epidural.  Around 9-9:30pm the anesthesiologist arrived and gave me my epidural.  I quickly realized that there were parts of my body that werent actually numb but the nurses didnt listen to me, they told me it was good that it didnt take away all my pain b/c that would help during the pushing stage.  Once I realized they werent going to help me out I just endured the weird feeling of having part of my belly numb and part in pain. 

-My water never breaks on its own, at around 11pm my midwife finally showed up to find that I was dilated to 8 and decided to break my water for me.  Thank goodness I didnt wait at home for my water to break!

-11:25 I was dilated to 10 and felt the urge to push.  Pushing was so much easier than last time b/c I wasnt doped up on Stadol (I didnt feel tired and weak) but way more painful b/c the epidural wasnt working. 

-11:45 Seth was born!  Again b/c I wasnt all strung out on drugs that they had given me I was really able to enjoy this time.  It was so disappointing with Evan b/c I could barely keep my eyes open.  This time I was on a buzz from all the endorphin and was able to hold and cuddle Seth for a really long time. 

I remember being in awe of how chubby his cheeks were and how different that was from his brother b/c at 6lbs 3oz he was a whopping 6oz bigger than Evan at birth.  His eyes were really light blue and he had a darker skin tone than his brother.  I thought that I should be comparing him so much to his brother but I couldnt help it I was just marveling that I could have two kids that could be so very different yet similar.  As Seth has grown up I've noticed that he is impulsive, affectionate, stubborn, charismatic and kind.  He's such a wonderful part of our family and I'm so thankful that God blessed us with him! 

 A few hours old.

 6 months.

 1 year! 

 Dos años!

This weekend just shy of three!  

4am

I was awaken by the tv (with the surround sound) in the livingroom turning on.  Both Kane and I were startled awake!  Jed is sick with a bad cough so he's sleeping in the extra bedroom acrossed the house therefore he didnt hear anything.  I couldnt figure out how the tv could be on, at first I thought maybe Jed was up but thats not like him at all.  I began to panic that maybe someone had broken into our house, I know it doesnt make any sense but I was tired and maybe slightly delusional so my mind was able to run with it.  Long story short, one of the dogs decided to get a little more comfortable on the couch and in doing so hit the tv remote

Best Friends

Evan-  "Judah, you're my best friend."
Judah-  "You're mine too." 
Its moments like that that make it so hard to live so far away from family!  Thanks for coming to visit Ben and Missy.  We miss you guys!  


Family pic while in St. Augustine.