Cook Out

It's not every Friday night that we get to grill out with our family and friends. With delicious burgers, brats and peach cobbler, - the food was delicious and conversation was hilarious! We really had a great time!!

Bedtime Story

Last night, Madison asked Mama if she would read her and Braylon their bedtime story. The story picked wasn't Little Red Riding Hood, Samson & Delilah, Adam & Eve...nope, it was George Washington Carver! :) (Madison loves history) As you can tell from the picture Braylon was having a hard time staying interested since there were no pictures involved!

Chugga Chugga

Braylon LOVES Thomas the Train...he has the railroad, the DVD's, the books, a shirt, a bedspread... he loves it! During the day while I work, he will bring his train tracks into my office, set them all up and pull his trains all around the tracks. He gets down with his face almost touching the floor so that he is eye level with the trains and quietly says "Chugga-Chugga Chugga-Chugga...choo choo!" It is so stinkin' cute!!

My Parents are Here!!

I am thrilled...my parents are visiting from Ohio this week! They arrived yesterday just in time to go with me to pick up Madison from school. She was so surprised to see them, it was cute! Once we got them settled here at the house - they just had so much to play! Between hiding in closets while playing hide-n-seek to watching the kids (even the big kids) play on the Wii, and being serenaded with every song from my two little song birds...it was a great start to our week....

Under The Weather

This morning Madison woke up not feeling well. She told me that her throat hurt when she swallowed. Uncle Zach has been horribly sick this last week and she was around him a bit so I decided to keep her home and make a doctor's appointment. Her appointment wasn't until 1:45 and by that time, she was up playing , eating and had me wondering if she just didn't want to go to school today!
Thankfully I did take her to the doctor, she does have Tonsillitis...the good news is, we caught it before it had a chance to get bad and before it just knocked her out! I did learn something today while talking with the doctor. All along I have been told if Madison (who has had strep throat 3 or 4 times already) keeps getting this bacteria, she will have to have her tonsils removed. Dr. Freitas told me today that children who get strep throat constantly will NOT have to have their tonsils removed because the bacteria will eventually eliminate the tonsils all together...so there would be nothing to remove!
The human body is amazing!
Madison isn't running a fever, is enjoying her day off, taking her medicine like a trooper and will return to school tomorrow with a story to tel!! :)

Friday Night Lights

Photography by Madison

Last night we took the kids to their first high school football game - the Pace Patriots! We all had a great time! Madison just squealed with excitement watching the cheerleaders perform. On the contrary, Braylon would say "Shhh" every time they would yell out at the crowd! :)

Insult or compliment??

Matt and I finally found our family physician! After not needing one for an entire year, and leaving the best doctors ever in Wadsworth... we were a little hesitant to find a new one. Our doctors in Ohio were a husband a wife team who were just great! Matt would go in to see Dr. Coleman and they would talk about football 80% of the visit and the other 20% would be for medical discussion. When we moved down here...we had no clue. Well, searching online I found a doctor that is literally 2 minutes away from our house and guess what?....It's a husband, wife and brother team!!!
Matt went and had a physical yesterday and I did today...he said, and I quote, "You two are very healthy and boring patients!" :)
I guess that's a good thing.....

Going Green!

Just a quick post....

Today~ Braylon, who mind you is only 3, walked up to me and asked me if we could recycle!! He said "We need plastic, paper and glass." I'm guessing he meant we needed bins for those. :)

(Special credit should go to Jon & Kate Plus 8 as we watched the kids learn about recycling last night!)
Oh their little minds....

Labor Day Weekend

"Papa Sweet Pea" in the car with the kids...

Enjoying some "hog's Breath" BBQ...it was delicious!!

Matt, with his uncles...Billy, Johnny, Sherwood and his Dad

The gang at Fudpuckers, looking for souvenirs.

Madison and Nana

Nana and the kids...

Matt & Nana looking at pictures from this summer's Singleton family reunion.

Matt, and his aunts... Anne, Nana & Christine

Matt & Nana

Braylon was fascinated by Nana using the sewing machine. Yeah....he never sees one of those at our house!! :)

Matt's great aunt, Anne, lives in Fort Walton Beach which is an hour east of our house. His dad, uncle and grandma (Nana) drove down from Indiana for the long weekend to help Anne out with some things around her house. Two of Anne's sisters, three nephews, and a friend also came down from North Carolina to help. It was nice as it was the first time that I got to meet some of them.
We had a good weekend just visiting and doing nothing but eating!!!

Yesterday, Madison went to her first ever (not counting school testings) eye appointment. You could tell she was a bit nervous walking in. She always holds my hand very tightly if she is excited, nervous, or upset. When we first got there we went into the little dark room where a eye technician gives the pre-tests. She was excited about the first two and told me that they reminded her of video games! The third one though....a whole different story.... the "puffer!" You know the one I'm talking about! :) She courageously placed her chin on the bar and looked right into the machine not knowing what was about to happen. As soon as that machine let out a puff of air into her right eye, she jumped back like she had been shot, covered that eye and looked at me as if to say "How could you let that happen to me?" I had to fight hard to maintain composure!!
After a half hour she went in to see the doctor, who was really good with explaining everything and convincing Madison that if she looked into the lens, puffs of air wouldn't come at her again!!
When the doctor told Madison that she needed to wear glasses when she reads, does home work, or anything where she is focusing up close...she was thrilled!! She must have tried on every pair of glasses in the store. Here is what Braylon and I heard...
"Nope, too box-y"
"Nope, too girly"
"Nope, I look like a boy"
"These make me look weird!"
Finally we narrowed it down and she chose a really cute pair of thick rimmed, brown glasses. Once we get them, next week, I will post of picture of her in them. Of course every pair that she tried on, Braylon had to as well! It's only right! lol
It was an overall good experience for her. Above is a picture of her (taken with my phone) waiting on the doctor to come in, she was so anxious to meet her!

My 2nd Grader...

Well, it's been almost a week and a half into Madison's 2nd grade year. She loves school and enjoys being with all her friends! In only 6 school days, she has already memorized Genesis 1:1-5. It's amazing how quickly and efficiently they teach the children scripture! We love it!!

Star Wars Fans

Last weekend while I was at our ladies' retreat, the new "Clone Wars" movie came out. Matt took the kids to the theater to see all of the people dressed up in the costumes. They had a great time! Madison is so into Star Wars..it's hysterical! She has all of the movies, the Wii game, a light saber (blue, of course), a t shirt, coloring books, you name it. The thing is, she understands the plots and characters and believe it or not, it has replaced her Hannah Montana obsession! lol
Being a kid is so much fun!!

Where do I start????

Well, friends and family....the last time I posted was back on December 23 of 2007! I know, I know...
There is way to much to tell to catch you up on our year so we will just start from August 24, 2008 and I will do my best to be better in keeping you up to date!
Back in June, Matt started working "shift" which means he works two weeks on first and two weeks on third shift. He enjoys it only because the schedule is set up to where he only has to work 15 days out of the month. He has a couple of days off each week throughout the week, it is nice to have his help with the kids and have him home.
Madison started 2nd grade last Monday (Is is really possible??), she is attending Pensacola Christian Academy and so far, really enjoys her teacher. This year there is a couple of things different than last. First, she has her own desk as apposed to the 1st grade tables - this is HUGE for her! ;) Also, every Wednesday she is taking piano lessons at school, so far she has only had one lesson but is so excited to learn!
Braylon is staying home with me during the days, we occupy his time with coloring, playing trains, building blocks, naps and of course his favorite...the NOGGIN TV channel! :) He turned 3 back in May and is almost completely potty trained! Madison seemed so much easier to potty train but I have heard from other moms that boys seem to be harder. Oh well, I am not pressuring him...maybe it's a just timing thing. We'll see!
I am still working from my home office and still love what I do. Working full time and staying home with the kids, being able to take Madison and pick her up...I feel extremely blessed and I'm so thankful!
There are a TON of pictures that I am going to post, however my computer is being difficult tonight. I will save that for tomorrow....
Stay tuned for more...I promise...seriously...there will be more! :)
Love you all!!

Early Christmas with Grammy and Uncle Trent

Grammy (Matt's mom) and Uncle Trent (Matt's brother) were able to come and visit us last week. The kids were thirlled to find out that they were going to get to open presents with them and on Christmas morning!

Ladies and Gentlemen....Hannah Montana!!

The cutest kids in the world! :)

Random Pictures

Braylon swinging at the park in our complex. It insults him to use the baby swing, so he just sits still in the regular size one!

My little model...

The Gulf Breeze Christmas parade and yes, most people were wearing shorts!

We all thought this was awesome!! :)

Christmas Time at the Beach

In my head I had envisioned a day at the beach with bright blue skies, beautiful sand, waves crashing all around, cute little Santa hats... the recipe for a GREAT Christmas card. Well... what I got was gray skies, grass and rocks, and Santa hats that were too small for Matt and I.
We still had a blast taking all these pictures....