Vacation...Part 2...Disney World

(See Vacation...Part 1 here)


On Monday morning we woke up and had breakfast with Nana. After that, we hopped in the car and headed to the happiest place on Earth...Disney World!!!! It took about an hour to get from Nana Jane's to our hotel. We checked in and got settled in our room and then headed off to the Magic Kingdom.

The first ride we came to was the Teacups. That is one of my favorites of all time!! It was a little busier that Matthew and I had anticipated, so we had to wait in line. Miss Abigail was none too excited about this, as evidenced in this picture:

Once it was our turn, Abigail turned in to a happy camper again!!!!


We had the best time with her in Disney World. I don't think words can describe the fun enough, so I'll just end this with pictures of our trip! :)

She got her face painted:


Drove a car with her daddy:


Rode Dumbo with me:


Stood in lots of lines:


Rode a carousel with daddy:


She loved on her Daddy and hammed for the Camera:


She met Mommy's favorite Disney characters:

Posed for family pictures:

She met princesses:

She hammed for the camera a bit more:


Met Donald Duck (and many other characters):


And went to Epcot:



We had the best time with her and cannot WAIT to do it again!!!

Vacation...Part 1

At the end of September, Matthew, Abigail and I went on our very first family vacation!! It was FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We left on Friday, the 17th and drove down to Florida. We spent 3 nights with Matthew's grandmother, Nana Jane. We'll call that Part 1 of our "Floridian Vacation."

We arrived on Friday evening at Nana Jane's house. Matthew's great aunt drove up from Tampa to spend the weekend with us, and was already there. Abigail ADORES Auntie and Nana Jane, so she COULD NOT WAIT to get there.

When we arrived, Aunt Lu & Uncle Bill came to Nana's house and we all went out for a steak dinner. It was delicious!!!!!! While we were trying to decide what we wanted, Abigail got a hold of my camera and took some pictures.


I'm sure Auntie would love this one.

On Saturday morning, we woke up and went to a tasty breakfast at Denny's and then had a golf cart tour of The Villages. Our tour guide, Abigail, was sure to provide us with pictures of the trip.




On Saturday evening, after a DELICIOUS dinner at Carrabba's, we went to play mini golf. Everytime Abigail visits Nana, they go mini golfing. It has become something that she looks forward to each time she visits her. Abigail may not have a future in golf, but I'm sure she'll be a killer hockey player based on how well she scoots the ball into the hole.






On Sunday morning we woke up early, had some Perkins for breakfast and then headed to Silver Springs. This is a state park (I think) that is surrounded by BEAUTIFUL springs. They have glass bottom boat rides, a carousel and lots of other fun stuff to do. There are lots of alligators and crocodiles. Abigail made us laugh so hard when she "taunted" the Gators with her Daddy's Hurricanes hat, because the Canes don't like Gators. It was the neatest place. Abigail had a blast riding in the boats.








Meet Beary Fluffy Baucom....Abigail's new baby.

Thank you so much, Nana Jane. We had a wonderful time with you and cannot WAIT to visit again.

Stay tuned for Vacation...Part 2...Disney World

Every mile a memory......

When I was younger, as soon as school was out for the summer, my grandparents would hop in their giant van and make the 15 hour trek from New Jersey to Georgia. They would stay for a few days and then pack my sister, brother and me into the van and we would set off on our adventure back to New Jersey. They had the patience of saints.

The three of us would argue like cats and dogs and Nana and Pop would just sit and listen. Also, mediate when necessary. Some of my fondest childhood memories of are those car trips every summer. There were the old songs that we knew all the words to cause Nana and Pop played the tapes. There were the detours through the Appalachian mountains. Pop still teases me because he knows every rest area between Georgia and New Jersey because of me.

We would spend the entire summer with them. I looked forward to the time with them every year. Sure, I missed my parents, but couldn't be sad because I was with my amazing grandparents getting spoiled. Nana would cook us anything we wanted, and man what a good cook she was.

With the summer of sadness we've had winding to a close, I am even more appreciative of all the time we got to spend with them.

It tears my heart to pieces knowing I'll never be able to pick up the phone and talk to Nana again; that Abigail won't get any summers with Nana and Pop like I did. She is so very lucky to have gotten the time she did with Nana. Most children don't get to know their great grandparents. Abigail has 5, well 4 now, that she sees on a fairly regular basis.

And, while Abigail doesn't get actual PHYSICAL time with Nana June, I'm convinced she's never far from Abigail's side. Abigail has conversations with her everytime she's in the car. It seems like car trips are going to give her some Nana memories after all. It's just more proof that they have a very special bond that not even death can break.

Forever in our hearts...

As I've mentioned before , Abigail is named after my grandmother.

This past Thursday I flew to New Jersey to be with my family. Nana had been very sick. 2 and a half weeks before, she had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. After a very hard fight, she passed away on Friday, August 13, 2010.

She was surrounded by her husband and children when she passed. We all, my brother, sister, cousin and I, all got to have a few moments with her to say our goodbyes.



I miss her with every fiber of my being, but I know she's looking out for me. Heaven has gained an incredible angel.





It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life, but I am so glad I was able to be there.

Ten

1 proposal.
1 wedding for us.
7 weddings of people we love.
10 Christmases.
1 apartment.
1 house.
3 different addresses.
1 mailbox run over.
4 cars.
3 beds.
3 couches.
4 different schools.
2 graduations.
6 TV’s.
3 surgeries.
1 hospital stay.
2 emergency room visits.
24 birthdays.
1 pregnancy.
1 beautiful baby girl.
1 speeding ticket.
3 accidents.
150 lbs. gained.
60 lbs. lost.
11 in-laws.
1 nephew.
2 nieces.
3 computers.
1 cruise.
1 trip to Vegas.
7 phone numbers.
315,360,000 seconds.
5,256,000 minutes.
3,650 days.
520 weeks.
120 months.
10 years.

This One time, at Band Camp...

...Matthew got stomach bug and I pretended to get one. Quite honestly, it was really hot (the heat makes me queasy) and I just wasn't feeling band camp that day. It took me almost this long to admit I wasn't really sick to him. Let me tell you something though, it was the best thing I ever did. After 2 years of knowing him, I finally realized what an amazing guy Matthew is. We spent the rest of the week together whenever we could be. Then, the Saturday following band camp, July 29,2000, we went on our first date. Ten years ago, he kissed me for the first time (what a memorable kiss it was!) and I knew that, at 17, I had found the man I would marry.

Before that fateful week, Matthew was my "go-to guy" when it came to boy problems. He was always so wonderful, listening to me, giving me advice, setting me up with all his friends. Deep down he was thinking "Hello, stupid, I'm right here. I won't EVER treat you like those buffoons treat you." Thank goodness he was patient and waited for me. I don't know, nor do I care to, what my life would be like.

That man is my best friend. He is the person I go to about everything. The shoulder I cry on, the man who makes me laugh when I truly don't feel like laughing. I would be lost without him. I don't make loving me easy, but he does it. I don't know how, but I do know I'm the luckiest woman in the world.

So, my love, to you I say: THANK YOU...for loving me...for putting up with me...for giving me this incredible life...for giving me our beautiful daughter.

Love just doesn't seem like a strong enough word to describe how I feel about you.

I ADORE you, Stinky Pete.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Father's Day! (a day late)

Abigail is so insanely lucky to have you as her daddy. We both love you so very much!

Birthday Dinner

We went to "Red Robin Hood" for Abigail's birthday dinner. She had a cheeseburger, and saw the big red bird dancing around. All in all a GREAT birthday treat. That is...until they put whipped cream on her birthday sundae!! (by the way...I don't think she's my child cause she doesn't like whipped cream!!)

Not AT ALL happy!




All was right in the world when she got a balloon though!!

Happy Birthday, Big Bad Dad!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I can think of no one better to spend the rest of my life with.

All my love...

Happy Birthday Junebug!

My how you've changed!!






















Happy Birthday Princess!

I love you so very much!