Florida Part 3

Hoping to wrap up the posts with this one...because well more and more things are happening around here. Well kinda. If it would just stop raining. We have big plans for the outside of our house and a playhouse etc. We just need it to dry up and stay dry for like 4 days. Anyways.

So wednesday - Uncle J played in the morning. We hung out around the place. Watching movies, Sager napped and we played golf across the yard. So so awesome to have a green across the street. I think it might be in the future landscape plan.

Then we got to have the team over for dinner as we waited to see if they would make the cut. They did which was awesome. Of course, Uncle J got roped into a few games.

Then thursday. They golfed early again so this time I headed to a state park - reviews said it had an awesome playscape, trails, and of course the beach. It did have a park but it only kept our attention for about twenty minutes or so. I forgot my ergo so we didn't attempt the trail through the sand. But the beach was beautiful. Overcast. Early. Not busy. Perfect!

Then later we all headed back to the beach. Still amazing. However I forgot my good camera due to a last minute run to the outlet mall - I mean this mama needed a little me time right? Oh well still fun.

D thinks I should send this one in to UnderArmor

She had help but she can write the first part of her name

This one loved wrecking sandcastles - He loved the gulf

Then came Friday. We had to be out of our place by 10. We thankfully could check into the hotel early but still I kinda felt like a single mom with no place to crash. Of course, no one napped that day until we picked up Dad at the course. They closed the playplace at McDonalds due to a preschool. We did get to walk the pier and see the biggest grouper at a whopping 96lbs at Bass Pro, however. And Cinderella was showing on Disney Jr. so that was a lifesaver. Plus we got to enjoy the heated pool and hot tub with Dad later. He did however, take his phone in with him so that was another whoops for the trip. Rice does help but not a total saver.

The team placed 12th out of 41 and Uncle J got 25th (I think). We are so so proud.

Then the real adventure started. We headed home around 6:30 am Saturday. I had stumbled across a sale going on at one of the blogs (the handmade home) I follow house's on this Saturday in Montgomery Al. Crazy. We will go right through there. So we stopped. It had rained and we missed the start. But I still scored this little picture box. I hope I can find a place for it soon. My little souvenir for the trip. Of course, my hubs was just laughing and making fun of me but if we would have had more time I would have headed over to another blogger I follow's shop. Maybe next time.

Needless to say we had a great time. D pushed through and the kids did awesome and we drove it straight through getting home at 3am. So yes. We drove from Florida to Iowa in a day. Awesome country we live in. Open roads and a whole lot of personality.

Florida Part 2

So we arrived in Florida, late Sunday. After driving around trying to locate a non existent Quiznos - thanks updated GPS, we ran to the grocery store and we were those parents whose kiddos were eating cereal straight out of the box in the checkout lane at 8pm. Off to a great start, right.

Then monday - no golf today. Just practice rounds. That means daddy for the entire day! Wahoo. So we headed to the Gulfarium - a marine adventure park. Our kiddos love animals thanks to Wild Kratts so this was right up there alley plus mommas.

The dolphin tank

The love the fish!

The penguins

The sharks - a few different varieties

the turtles - they were huge

Aligator

 Cute little story about this guy. D had been joking around with the kiddos about an alligator eating them ever since we entertained the idea of venturing to Florida. So we jokingly were teasing the kids. This guy was sunning on some rocks. Then he slides into the water - big eyes locked straight on us and then snaps his mouth. I hope no one was watching - because this momma jumped a couple inches. Wasn't expecting it.

Our crew...notice d behind us. 

What I knew we would love was the shows. We caught the dolphin show at 10 and the sea lion show at 11am. Both exceeded our expectations but the sea lions were hilarious. I kinda wish I would have recorded it. Sage was getting a bit fried so he didn't quite make the whole show but it was really fun. A must see if you are in the Destin area. 

We caught some firehouse subs on the way home. A favorite anytime we are down south. 

D and shaddy went golfing later that afternoon and the other two and I hung out with grandma.

Tuesday: the boys had golf in the afternoon so we went to this wooden park and baytown warfe area in the morning. 

The picture below kinda sums up some dramatic moments that sis seemed to have throughout the vacation. She can push all the right buttons so we kinda had our moments. Stress, unfamiliar territory, three littles and a screaming kid = a not so nice mommy sometimes. We did however love love driving this large 6 passenger golf cart around the village.

Later that day while D headed to the course, I attempted to take all three to the beach prior to nap. We were kinda on a different schedule that day. As you can imagine it was quite the sight. We went to the public beach about 3 miles away. Later found out there was one in the village, duh? Anyways the ocean view (gulf view) was better than the bay, right. Well we get there. Its sunny like 1pm sunny. Its hot. And my kids are fighting. Ellsyn is crying. Sage is taking toys away and wrecking sandcastle attempts. Then Shadd needs to potty. What? Thankfully I had chatted a bit with the couple behind us who I am sure thought we were amusing to watch. The gladly watched our stuff as we high tailed it to the local eatery on the beach about a 1/4 mile to use the restroom. We made it back finally and stayed another 15 minutes maybe. Exhausted. 

I did get one picture on my phone. Sage kept me from getting it out! 

Hole 16 - watching from the woods

Then D texts and we can catch Uncle J on hole 16. So we attempt to watch. Of course, they aren't real excited that they can't go with dad. Thankfully there were toys and movies back at the place. Definitely a life saver. All I can say is good pick on the place. People with kiddos means extras for the kids. Worth every additional penny if we spent any. 

So I survived day one on my own. Took a few notes and laid a lot lower the next day. 

Thankful Thursday

Since I couldn't seem to squeeze in a moment last week. I get to combine my weeks. Lots to ponder especially when you are away.

I will get back to our posting our trip tomorrow or at least I hope soon. Some of our great friends are homeless currently as they transition to another house while they build so we have had the special treat of having roommates for the last week and they got to stay here while we were gone. Its been so much fun and definitely makes me think cohabiting with another family could be really fun and convienent. It does help that we are pretty similar and have known each other for over a decade I think.

Do we serve a magnificent God or what?

I can't tell you how often I have been reminded of that as of late. The drive was incredible. God's creatures are so remarkable & unique. The ocean is vast and deep teaming with life. Amazing! How could any one doubt that there was a creator. Let alone think it was an exact moment of random molecules that collided to create a cosmic boom and the earth formed into what it is out of complete and utter chaos.

I know I am a girl of reason but really people, really?

But the trouble is most people do believe in a God. A Creator. Just don't really care to get to know Him. Think of Him as out of reach, judging, and unjust. However, He is exactly the opposite. He wants and desires and solely created us to know Him. To crave it. To be fully satisfied in HIM and Him alone.

Verse after verse in scripture points to it. But take a look at James 4.

⁴ You adulterers!^[a] Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. ⁵ What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy?^[b] 6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud
    but favors the humble.”^[c]

⁷ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. ⁹ Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Admit you can't do it alone. You are a failure. You aren't perfect. You are full of sin. You have fallen short of the glory of God. Yet He knows it. And He loves you regardless. But what He desires to do is make you whole again and the only way He can is for you to pursue Him fully (100%) devoted. 

Thank you Lord for the gifts I have been given. Eyes to see Your beauty in creation. Let me never stop becoming more and more aware of YOU. 

1. quiet children - sleeping in carseats, watching movies, just pure contentment

2. their wild imaginations 

3. silencing croaking frogs on my 10 mile run

4. the pure ability to run 10 miles. i honestly can't believe my body still functions

5. winding roads - love those divided interstates

6. southern accents

7. the lure of wheels to cause a sleeping baby

8. an ombre sky effect - beautiful

9. snuggling with all our kiddos in a king size bed

10. the lapping waves of the tide

11. the tricks the sea lions and dolphins can perform  - You made them so smart

12. my hubs (32 years) - couldn't be more thankful for the best friend and partner he is

13. a complete rainbow - we couldn't quite see the whole thing due to some clouds but in awe

14. time & energy to keep training for the big race next weekend

15. Grandma Darcy's bag of tricks 

16. Shadd's quote "Its just so good to be home" - nothing like your home

17. great friends to share our home with for a few weeks - its been a fun slumber party

18. moments of discipline (especially Ells - its been a rough few weeks)

19. the flexibility and ability to enjoy Uncle J's last college golf tourney

20. making memories big and small as a family, even if its hard and more of a disaster than a success

Florida: Part 1

We are back.

We survived and really had a blast.

We traveled Saturday and Sunday (D's birthday).

his momma still spoils him. she baked him a cake and brought it along!

Enjoyed the week full of lots of golf, sun, a beach house, the beach, aquarium, nature hikes, pools, hotels, parks, etc. (I'm hoping to break it into a few posts as I have a million jillion photos and I really didn't take my good camera too much as myself plus three kiddos could be an accident waiting to happen.)

our house

Then we traveled back. Call us crazy, which we are, but we just decided to drive the entire way in a day. Yep. We left at 6:30 in the morning and pulled into our driveway around 3:15 Sunday morning. D drove the entire way - Amazing! He even tried some 5 hour energy.

The kiddos are amazing travelers. We did have a bit of help with one of them riding with Grandma and Grandpa some of the time, the dvd player and well just a few dance parties, silly jokes, beach ball fights, and a whole lot of singing.

I'm just guessing if anyone passed us they might of thought I'd had lost my mind.

All in all - we may not make it an annual thing but we are proud to say we can vacation with our kiddos. Not that it was really a vacation. Only the more tropical location and the beach got props for that but when you travel with the kiddos no one is on vacation other than maybe them. Still fun though!


 Huge thanks to the Dutch for qualifying so we could tag along. And we are so so proud of Uncle J. He did awesome and so did his team.

Plus there is nothing better than seeing the country via the van. We got to show our kiddos part of the US and I hope we get to show them more and more glimpses of this beautiful country. 

We also got to witness some of God's glory. Winding roads, split highways (I'm a total sucker for a split interstate), mountains, hills, clouds, rainbows, sunsets, sunrises, waves, sand, the sound of the gulf. Pure beauty resounding and singing praises to their Creator.

Thankful Thursday

Life is hard. Isn't it?

I have to admit mine has been pretty easy thus far. I have had a few bumps in the road, mainly injuries but overall smooth sailing. In fact, I was told by many at the doctors office that I was busy with 3 kiddos at home and sometimes stared at as crazy with all three so young. And while I admit I have trouble getting much done and sometimes I do pull my hair out. But I wouldn't change my world for a minute. I get to spend my days loving on those three and one day I will be sitting here quietly and missing them like crazy, wondering what they are doing? or when I will get to see them next.

I know you are thinking - where is she going with this?

But my bible study and devotional and the sermon and life is just teaching me that just because we are Christians and believe in Christ that our lives aren't going to be full of blessings, without suffering, perfect, and smooth sailing. No. Life is hard. We will be persecuted. We will be tried. We will suffer. We will be disciplined.

Instead scripture says in Philippians 4:11-12

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 

Paul had to learn how to be content with whatever life gave. He learned to be thankful. Then joy followed thanksgiving. Its a practice to give thanks in all things. A learned thing to be thankful which then will produce joy in the midst of trials and blessings.

The only we were ever promised when choose to follow Christ - was a life with Him. Here and now and forever. Is there any greater blessing than that. Blessings in this life are only temporary but knowing the One who created you - wow! That is eternal.

So as I continue to practice this act of thanksgiving each week - I am hoping to learn the secret in living. Its to know HIM!

1. Tom"s housing
2. The generosity of my parents
3. Open eyes to the problems many our facing not just around the world but our my backdoor
4. Excited kiddos as we travel to Florida - Shadd packed his own bag three days ago
5. My brother-in-law J: thanks to him we get to go to Florida (he's golfing at Nationals. plus he is the Dutch close up.
6. My kids singing - VBS tunes have started circling - Shadd remembered them from last year.
7. God's teaching
8. Blooming front yard trees
9. The Hubs - he celebrates his birthday as we travel. Prayfully it will be a memory that lasts a lifetime.
10. Our moms - Happy Mother's Day! We love you.
11. my errand running hubs


So since we will be out of town all next week - not much blogging of course. Instead we will be relishing the sun, the water and the beach. Oh yeah and D will be watching Uncle J kick some buns in golf.

Hoping to post a few randoms to instagram so hopefully I can document all the fun!

Insta Update

Just some random instagram photos. I love that my phone seems to capture more of the moments I just never want to forget.

She looks just like me. I have a picture when I was little on a horse like that. Crazy stuff. 

Begging me to get the pool out. This was pre snow on Thursday. I think it was Tuesday afternoon. 

Our ice cream lover

Oh boy. Watch out. 

Hunting Eggs with Aunt K

Walking the trails

Our first attempt at baking donuts in our brand new pan from a garage sale

the birthday boy

$3.00 for about as many duplos as the other container we just bought for times the amount. Love those gsales.

New bike helmets from the Easter Bunny

Climbing on literally everything

If you can't find Sage - Look in the pantry

Up close and personal with Ells