Happy 6th Birthday Mya!

Thanks for a perfect party and Happy Birthday Mya - we love you!!!

Merry Christmas to you & Happy 10th Anniversary to us!

We've been so busy this year. After Gail went back we spent a day in the Villages with Rita, Eileen, Sue and Richard, Jen, Rich and Mya and on Christmas Eve Jen had a party at her house. On the big day Maddy was thrilled with her American Doll horse, Mio Pup, Webkinz penguin, My Littlest Petshop and 2 goldfish, Swimmy and Lucky! About a half hour after getting up, turns out that Santa left a new bike too! Maddy didn't find it right away since it was in the Dining room. We all got to pick two items for Christmas lunch - mine were lobster and fish, Mike's were crabs legs and shrimp and Maddie's were macaroni and cheese and chocolate cake! It was a relaxing, perfect family day. On Boxing Day we went to Zephr Park and took a trip to check out Sue and Richards RV. It's really amazing - we're now dying to rent one and take it up to the Georgia mountains.
We celebrated our 10 year anniversary on Friday. I got Michael 10 gifts for 10 years (paper, cotton, leather etc). He suprized me with roses at work and picked me up in a limo. We went shopping in Hyde Park and then to dinner and drove back via Bayshore to see the most spectatcular Christmas lights I've ever seen. It was a luxurious and romantic night. Neither of us can beleive it's been a decade since we got married. Maddy wouldn't speak to us when we got home since she didn't get to go in the limo!

The girls playing on the bed at Nana's with a color trick on my camera - I love how this came out...

Mya on Christmas Eve...
The Big Day!!!



Goofing around with the ducks at Zephyr park on Boxing Day...
Me and Michael in the luxury RV...
10 years on...

It's a Very Mickey Christmas

Gail came to visit at the beginning of the month which was perfect timing. We got to reflect on 2007, make goals for 2008, plan Christmas and spend quality sister time together. We went to see the manatees at the TECO plant in Apollo Beach and the 'Very Mickey Christmas Party' at Disney World. The castle was covered in icicle lights and looked absolutely amazing. Richard took a video of the end of the fireworks - we had a great view!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was great again this year! Rich did himself proud with another amazing turkey. We couldn't face the 5am Black Friday shop and spent most of the next day lazing around and shopping on-line instead. Happy Holidays!

The Great American Teach In

On a designated day each year in the States, parents visit schools to teach the children about their hobbies, careers or interests. I visited Maddy's class this time to talk about credit unions and identifying counterfeit money. It was my third year now; last year I had to follow a rock guitarist and this year, 'Rocky', the USF Bulls mascot...sigh...

I loaded the kids with candy and gifts and they seemed to have a great time. It is one of my most favorite days of the year...for a whole hour my baby looks at me with the biggest eyes and a beaming smile - so proud of her momma...