Another week

Well to start off with---My mom is coming to visit me (and my sister Shari's family) in March. With some talking we have talked her into flying down here (so she can spend more time with us). Then in April my best friend (Kelly) is coming with her family. I'm so excited to see all of them!

Now on to other things...let me talk about our apartment "building/complex". Let me first start with how our "building" is. Each "building" has 2 real buildings with 12 apartments each and we face each other and share a courtyard but on each end of the buildings there is a cement wall that encloses the courtyards that is what makes our building. When we first got here there were a bunch of Brazilians that lived downstairs and across the court yard from us, above them there is a single black father and his teenage son, next to them was a black couple, below them was a Hispanic family, under us there is a Hispanic family (or two), next to them is another Brazilian/black couple, and above them (and next door to us), is a single mom with her special needs teenage daughter. Now there is a noise ordinance they tell you about when you sign all your paperwork...10pm and it needs to be quiet (which works for us). And let me tell you EVERYONE lived that rule. The Brazilians would be out until 9:45pm loud and all, but then they would go into their apartment. Now they have moved---their is a very young couple moved into their apartment. Let me tell you that 2:30am comes and goes with LOTS of partying. I have talked to a lot of the "building" about this couple and we are all tired of the crap. So Don and I have been talking with the office and I think yesterday they got their walking papers. The single mom that lives right next to us doesn't let her daughter go to take the trash out by herself anymore because of all the scary people that come and go from there. We have told the office that there is at least us and 2 more apartments that won't be renewing their leases because this is not good. So now the office is trying to make good on the rules. They have even moved in a Largo police woman into the complex (and she lives in our "building". But let me tell you do NOT move with just using the Internet as your only guide on apartments. We will be looking else where for October.

Now on to better things...My friend Kelly has been sharing her books via mail so that I can keep up on her collection. And she sent me some great books, but this last shipment has gotten me to think. I have been putting off reading them because one is titled "Confessions of an Unbalanced Woman". Now I know that I'm not balanced...and this move has shown how unbalanced I really am! But I started reading it and it makes me laugh! Like this statement (it reminds me of my mom--and you will understand why) "Burnt toast is actually fairly symbolic of motherhood. If you're the one who burned the toast, you scape it off and eat it yourself. If they burned it, you eat it because they burned it specially for you." That reminds me of my mom because look at all the kids she has raised (hers and others). How many times did she eat something that was crap because we made it special for her? That makes me remember a time when Stephen, Samantha, and I tried to do something special for her and make perogies, but all we had was wheat flour so that is what we used. I don't remember them being really good, but I remember the hell it was making them...and our mom eating them and acting like it was wonderful! Boy she's a liar!
Here is something else this book states "One assumption I learned I needed to let go of was the way I gauged my husband's love for me on his ability to read my mind." But then you think about it...how do we expect others to read our minds. I think we need to be able to let people know what we are thinking if we expect them to know. Or here is one that I think I have been feeling lately! " I don't want balance. What I want is the brick! I want to find the one thing in my life that, if I get that right, it doesn't matter what the world throws onto the other side of the scale." I'm not sure what the "brick" is, but how funny that is that I read that because this last week and a half I have been feeling that way!

Well--I know that I just got way off here. But I thought I would share my boring life with you! Have a great Weekend!

Just another week

As most of you know that I collect cows. Don went out of his way to find the cow I have been looking for. A few weeks ago when out and about I spotted an antenna topper that I thought was very cute. Well--today it came! I have a Chick-fil-a Cow! I have found the picture of it to share with you!


I have had a hard week with not being around friends and family. So--I spent time on the web looking for jobs and just looking up silly things. Here is one of the silly things I found...I made my idea of the "perfect" M&M person...and you can too! Become An M&M Have fun with it!

Well there isn't anything great and wonderful to report! So have a great weekend!

Fun at the Magic Kingdom

Samantha and I got to spend time together at Disney. I had a great time with Samantha! Thanks Sam for staying after your meetings and spend time with me. It was great having time to spend with her (Hoping she had a good time too)! So anytime that anyone wants to come and spend time with me would be great!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week! Enjoy a few pictures of our time together.

Don's a Year Older!

Yesterday was Don's 33rd Birthday. We Tuesday we got all our running done so that he could do whatever he wanted to do. He decided to take the morning easy...playing play station and the computer. We went to his favorite wing place for lunch and then took it easy for a little longer. He decided to go Putt Putt golfing, and when we were done he thought it would be fun to feed the little gators there. And then we went to Chili's for dinner (because that is what Maggie would have picked for him). And then we came home and he opened his gifts. Not too exciting but I think he had a good day.


This weekend I get to go to Orlando and see Samantha. She is in Orlando for business...and has decided to stay over to spend some time with me. I'll take pictures and show you what we did! I hope you all have a great weekend...and enjoy pictures from Don's birthday!

Congo River PuttPutt Golf

Don Feeds the Gators

Don's Gifts...

Just for fun...

Don thought you all would like to find your Demon name... Have fun!

Mine is : Jubble heartguzzeler
Don's is: Badhorn warcry

Find your Demon Name


Hope you have a great weekend!

Happy 2007!

Happy 2007!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it's here? I know for myself--2006 has gone so dang fast. I think that with all the changes in my life time just flew! Late last night and today I have thought a lot about how I would like to rewind time and change parts of last year. There is a heavy feeling in my heart that I start this year so far away from family and friends, but I know that this is where we have to be at this time. I know that I have to be in charge of my own happiness so that is the goal for this year for me: Happiness. I just have let go of things I couldn't change (like moving, putting Kanga down, saying good-bye to my mother-in-law, and living my comfort zones).

I thank all of you for your support and love! I know without it--I would be just laying on my bed and trying to live there. You all have showed me that I am a lot stronger than I think I am. (Thanks Mom for the example and the kick in the pants!) I'm hoping to make my family larger this year (but I thought that last year and only had a lot of heart break). Trying to talk Evie into moving herself to Florida--I miss her so much! (I'll let you know if she really will make the move!) She made me forget about myself for 10 days. Today I went on to Monster.com and applied for some jobs around the area. Hopefully one of those will pan out! Making money will always help! (I'll keep you updated on that.)

I'm still trying to make my list of resolutions for the new year...I love making a list just so see how fast I can break them! Sometime this week I'll have to take down the Christmas decorations...I'm not in any rush...since I put them up late I'm enjoying them now! Well that is all for now! I just really wanted to wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR! I love you and miss you guys a lot. Have a WONDERFUL week!

Downtown Disney...

We didn't go into the parks at Disney World this time, but we went to Downtown Disney to look in the stores and have a nice afternoon. All 3 of us love Disney so we had a total blast...Evie did get the shopping bug, but I think it was good for her to pick up a few things for herself!

I took this picture on the way to Orlando...out the sunroof

This is a HUGE tree at Downtown Disney...the games under the tree are more then life size.

Here is a close up of that tree so you can see the things hanging on the tree.

Don got to make his birthday gift...a light saber--he had a total blast doing it!

This is Don being silly and trying on hats...we lost Evie in this store after this picture!
This is made out of Lego's and in the water at Downtown Disney...

Here is another picture of that Dragon--He's huge!

There is a whole family made out of Lego's, but we really liked the dogs--they are new to the collection.
This is another Lego piece at Downtown Disney...they are just creative!

Anytime you want to visit and just shop...we can take you to Downtown Disney...it's worth the trip because of all the things there. I hope you all have a wonderful New Years! Be safe and have fun!

An Afternoon at the Zoo

After going to the beach we went to the Tampa Zoo. We had a great time, but we had walked ourselves to death! Here are some pictures we decided to share with you... (Sarah there are a few JUST for YOU--and you will know them when you see them!) But I hope everyone enjoys the pictures as much as we did seeing them.

Even farm animals make it into the Tampa Zoo...It is HUGE!

The Otters were out playing and sliding on their bellies for us...

We got to "pet" sing rays...they are VERY soft and liked to perform by slashing us...

The Rhino is just having a snack.

Here is a Sea Cow coming up for air...they are UGLY!

Evie loves birds...so she wanted to feed some.

Here are those silly birds...they are very brightly colored

Here is a picture of the "fish tank"

This monkey just looks like he wants out to play...

Okay--I'm not sure what they mean by this...but it's sad that they have to post it!

We were lucky that weather was good because the animals came out to perform for us!

Here is Don feeding a bird...almost makes you want to sing "feed the birds"

Here is Don with the Long Necks...

Yes that is Don FEEDING the Long Necks...see Sarah he really does Like them!

This birdie was all show for us...Nothing like an Eagle showing off!

Four little turtles sitting on a log one falls off and...now there's only 3

This is the "new" baby...isn't he a cutie?

This is a bearded pig...they also were very playful when we saw them...

This Gator has a strip of bird poo...but he was the largest!

This little Bison was just wandering around.

Well--we hope you enjoyed our pictures of the zoo. We had a blast being there with Evie. We had to say good bye to her this morning...so we are sad she went home. Hopefully she liked what she saw here and wants to move closer to us! Have a Great week...One more update to come!

A Day at the Beach

Don finally got some days off to spend with Evie and myself--so we went sightseeing. Here is some of what we did! We had to hit the beach (kind of felt funny going to the beach in December!).

We went looking at sea shells!

Here are some waves at the beach.

Here is a view of the Sunshine Sky way Bridge.

Don found a muscle at the beach and cracked it open--this is him afterwards.

Here is that muscle Don cracked open.


Here is that muscle again--kinda yukkie if you ask me!

Here is a pelican just sitting on the beach sunning himself.

Here are a few rocks that were in the water.

Here is Don just trying to make his gold tooth shine in the sun!

Evie and Don looking at shells...

Evie and Don now trying to look like they are having fun

Here is Don picking up seashells...fun huh?

Evie looking for good seashells to take back to Utah with her



Well this is what we did to keep ourselves busy...I'll update some more to show what else we did after Christmas with Evie...I hope she had as much fun as I did!