Let there be light

Jason asked me what I wanted for my birthday and my request was for 2 lights to be added in our kitchen, let me repaint our kitchen and then add a backsplash.  Yeah, a strange birthday request but I'm really a practical girl.

We've been in our house for 10 1/2 years and the light in our kitchen just has never been bright enough, so my sweet husband figured out how to install 2 additional can lights.  He said it really wasn't that bad and now "Let there be light" in our kitchen.  It is so bright in there now and I love it.

The first of the 2 holes for the lights.

The next step was to repaint the kitchen.  I really thought I would try and paint it myself but of course my dad wasn't going to let that happen.  We really wanted a change in the kitchen and so after choosing yellow as the color of choice we definitely have a change.

Our clean slate ready for my dad to paint.

The fridge and oven out and ready to paint AND clean behind - whew what a mess behind there.

My wonderful dad starting to paint.

Our 2 helpers with a little bit of the yellow in the background.

It's a little brighter than I had originally thought but it's growing on me and really once we are all done with it there really won't be that much yellow showing so I'm good with the change.  We still have a backsplash to put up - once we (I) decide on the right one.

Final pictures will come later once we are all done.

It's spring - bring on the beach

After school last Tuesday, I had the car packed and ready for the beach.  As I picked up Brody from school, he hollered out the window to Ms. Cicero "I'm going to the beach".  To say he was excited was an understatement.  Once again I am loving my beach cart that my mother in law bought me last year because it carries everything I need and I don't have bags hanging all over me - much easier.

The weather was absolutely beautiful and the boys enjoyed being able to run around and play in the sand.  

Brody was so proud of his name he wrote in the sand.

I really didn't think they would touch the water because come on it's the middle of March and the water is FREEZING.  Well, I was wrong because off they went to the water after about an hour of playing in the sand.  Thank goodness it was low tide and the water was very calm.  Brody loved the water and you wouldn't have thought this was his first time back in the water after the winter because he was so ready to go out further but mama says stay at your ankle/calves.  Trevor was a little more timid at first but within 15 minutes he was ready to go out with Brody.  Brody is definitely ready for Jason to go to the beach with us so he can go further out in the water.

One of the drawbacks with the beach is of course all of the sand.  Well, Trevor LOVES the sand and there was a time in our day when I looked over to Trevor and he was pretending to blow out candles and he decided to put the sand in his mouth.  He spit it out but kept putting his mouth to the sand.  Yuck I know, but that's my sweet Trevor.

After a rinse of as much sand off as possible, no trip to the beach is complete without a trip to Dairy Queen - 2 blizzards and a chocolate milkshake.  I had one happy car on our ride home and it didn't take long for them to pass out and even slept for a couple of hours in their bed once we got home - yeah sand and all but it's all ok because the sheets can be washed and were!!

Go Gators - Basketball style

You've got to love March Madness, well at least my husband does.  A couple of weeks ago, our Gators were playing basketball so what better way to watch a big game than have some friends over who enjoy basketball as well.  Enter Adam, Stephanie and Ava - the kids had a blast playing in their own little world in the playroom while the 4 of us enjoyed the basketball game and just discussing families, music, crafts, kids, etc.

When Ava was getting ready to leave Brody and Ava came out like this and of course Trevor joined in.

Church sing

A couple of Sunday's ago, Brody sang in "BIG" church.  He never really sings any of the songs from Children's Choir at home so we weren't sure what he would be singing in church.  Thankfully he seemed to know all of the words and even did the motions to the songs.

Daniel's party

Daniel, Jason's brother, was recently in Japan for about 7 months so several weeks ago we had a welcome home party out at Jason's mom's.  

I know Jessica was so ready for him to be home since she has been playing a single mom during that time.  I couldn't even imagine the stress and difficulty that she was going through during those 7 months.  

We had all of Daniel's favorite foods and lots of friends and family.  The kids were able to stay pretty busy with a bouncy house in the backyard.  Not too many pictures of this event because I left my camera at home so I just had my little point and shoot.  There was a bouncy house for the kids which kept them busy and out of the house for most of the day.

Cousins - Caleb & Brody

Jason's cousin, Steve playing with Trevor.

Kamren & Trevor

So after a long day of playing, there were 4 dirty cousins in need of a bath

Happy St Patty's Day

We started our St Patrick's Day celebration with of course Lucky Charms.  Only the best, right.

Then it was off to start planting our garden.  Jason was unable to help us because he had prior commitments to help clean up the ballpark.  But our garden couldn't wait so off me and 2 little boys went to plant a garden - something I didn't have much knowledge of.

I really wanted the boys to be able to plant so they could enjoy seeing the fruits of their labor.  They seemed to have a good time.  Brody is really in to it and Trevor just really likes to walk through the dirt.  However, he did plant quite a bit because he liked to count out the seeds.

The vegetables we decided on are corn, beans, cucumbers, squash & zucchini.  My mom came over to assist.

They used to have a garden a long time ago so some of the gardening tips were coming back to her.  Thanks to Theresa at Ace, she also helped me quite a bit with spacing, depth & how many seeds in each hole.

Of course we had to water the garden and with boys what does that mean? - playing in the water of course.

Off they went to get their bathing suits on and they had so much fun running around the sprinklers.

After a nap we were off to Brody's good buddy Jude's bouncy house birthday party in Fernandina.  Let me just say that my boys are all about bouncy houses - they LOVE them.  Time we walked in they said hey to Jude and were off to bounce and slide even little man Trevor.  He definitely held his own, we didn't have to help him at all.

My little leprechauns.

3 buddies - Walker, Jude & Brody

Even the "big kids" get involved.  Aaron sacrificing by taking little Tate, Jude's brother, down the big slide.

 The birthday boy.

It was a monster truck birthday and the cupcakes were so cute all sitting on a big tire.

So after some pizza it was time to dig in to cupcakes - well for Trevor no pizza just cupcakes & ice cream.

It must have been something with the little ones because Audrey & Tucker both enjoyed some ice cream.

I think all of the kids had a great time at the birthday party and I know my boys did because they were asleep pretty quick that night.