4 Years ~ Then & Now ~ Happy Birthday Katelyn

I just tucked Katelyn into bed for the last time as a 3-year-old. Tomorrow when she wakes up she will be 4.

4??? I don't even know where the time has gone. Was it really that long ago that I was at the hospital looking at my brand new baby girl for the first time? Her sweet little pink face all squished up staring at me?

4 years ago I had a newborn. A beautiful newborn who immediately slept through the night and hardly ever cried. She watched the world in amazement with her beautiful eyes. She was content to just let you hold her and smother her with kisses.

Today I have a loud, wild, little girl. She is adventurous and knows what she wants. And if she doesn't get it, she will let you know at the top of her lungs. She puts her big brother in his place quite often. She is on the go from the minute she wakes up and doesn't stop moving all day long. Quite the change from my quiet little newborn.

Happy Birthday my darling Katelyn!!

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First Day Of School 2010

Today was back to school day for Gavin and Katelyn. Katelyn woke up bright and early and was super excited. Gavin woke up grudgingly and was super cranky. 2 different kids and 2 different attitudes about school.

This morning was dark and rainy as we were getting ready for school. Our first day of school pictures had to be taken in the house this year.




When we got to Gavin's school it was still pouring. Katelyn and I walked him to his new classroom to watch him get settled in. He only has one friend from last year in his class this year.


After saying good-bye to Gavin, Katelyn and I headed back home. The first day for her Pre-K class was a meet and greet and started at 10. It was still raining at the time we had to leave so Katelyn's first day of school pictures were taken inside also. And, she had quite the time posing for them!!

Once we got to her school she got to meet her 2 teachers. After introductions were made she wasted no time heading over to the kitchen area to play with a couple of other little girls. We stayed for a little over an hour. She got to check out the class fish tank and find her cubby. She colored on same paper and played with the doll house too.

When it came time to leave I had one mad little girl on my hands. She could have stayed all day. Which she will get tomorrow. I hope her super attitude towards school keeps up the rest of the year!

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Packed and Ready To Go

Tomorrow is the first day back to school for Gavin and Katelyn. Can I get a high five from someone???

Gavin is starting 3rd grade and Katelyn will be in Pre-K from 9-12 Monday thru Friday. Katelyn is more than excited. She cannot wait to meet new friends and play on the playground. She did tell Danyelle yesterday that she was a little nervous because she doesn't know her ABC's all the way yet. Danyelle told her the teacher will teach her and not to worry.

Gavin could care less about going back to school. We went to his meet and greet Friday afternoon to see his new classroom and meet his teacher. His desk was all set up with his name and schoolbooks on it. As we left Danyelle asked him what his favorite part of his new class was and he said it was that his desk was by the air conditioner.

Just a little while longer until baths and bedtime tonight. No more staying up late and sleeping in for these kids ( and me too lol ). And I have school lunches to make for the week tonight also. And then I better get some sleep too for my early wake up call.

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Vacation Recap ~ Part 1

After looking through all of our vacation photos I realized that I have to break up our vacation recap into multiple posts.

We left for Tennessee early Saturday morning around 1:30 am. We loaded up all 3 kids in the car and put Phineas and Ferb in the DVD player. Katelyn was the last to fall asleep somewhere around 3:30am. And with Ken driving, I finally went to sleep too.

I woke up around 730ish and the kids woke up when we stopped for breakfast around 930. Since we were now in Tennessee and traveling on back roads, we found a little diner to eat at. It was called the Biscuit Box and was the tiniest little place.

We got to our timeshare in Gatlinburg around 1130 and checked in. After some unpacking it was off to the grocery store to stock up on food. And since Gavin and Katelyn had been begging to go in the swimming pool, that was what we did when we got back.

Gavin loved his goggles and kept going underwater to explore. And Ken and Danyelle brushed up on their handstand skills.

After swimming we headed back to our place for dinner and some much needed relaxation after traveling all day.

Our second day of vacation we stopped at the welcome center to pick up some maps of the National Park.

Our next stop was to the Ski Lift up the side of the mountain that we do every year. Gavin and Danyelle road together and Katelyn sat with me and Ken. She LOVED going up the mountain and talked the whole way up about everything she saw.

Once we got to the top the heat was UNBEARABLE! The temp was around 98 degrees and we felt like we were melting up there. We only got a couple of pictures before heading back down.

We then walked around downtown and stopped in a couple of stores and then made our way to the river that runs along the back of the stores.

The kids quickly took off their shoes and started walking around.

Gavin and Danyelle decided they were going to try to walk to the other side of the river. Gavin didn't get very far before he fell over and got soaking wet. Eventually they both made it to the other side. Gavin came back by way of the river but Danyelle chose to get out and walk around across a bridge instead of chancing it with falling.

Katelyn sat on the rocks near me and picked up leaves and tiny rocks to throw.

And since this post is getting long, I will finish Day 2 in my next post!

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Just a little history on the kids birthday parties for the past couple of years. Since my psycho-nutbag-sister-in-law insists on screwing it all up.

July 2008- Gavins 6th birthday. This was the party where we rented the water slide. Everyone was there, including pschyo-nutbag. We had it on a Saturday. This is also the party where psycho-nutbag decided it was her business to talk crap about me to anyone who would listen.

August 2008- Katelyn's 2nd birthday. We had her party at the house. On a Sunday. It was Dora themed. Psycho-nutbag had to work, but her kids and husband were there. I have pictures to prove it. SO, even though she had to work, hubby and kids came to celebrate their cousins bday.

July 2009- Gavin's 7th birthday. We had it at the bowling alley. Gavin brought 2 friends from the neighborhood. His good friend austin was with his dad that weekend so he couldn't make it. It was on a Saturday. Pshyco-nutbag and her family were invited. I spoke to her hubby personally on the phone to invite them. They were going out of town for the weekend and couldn't make it.

August 2009- Katelyn's 3rd birthday. Again her party was at our house. It was Cinderella themed. We had it on a Sunday. I was in an all girls fantasy football league this year and we were in the process of scheduling our draft party. It was back and forth between saturday and sunday of katelyns bday weekend. Once the girls had determined to have the draft on Saturday, I then went ahead and planned Katelyns bday party for Sunday. Again, psycho-nutbag and family were invited. 3 days before the party nutbag's hubby called to say nutbag had to work and he was going to take the kids to his mother in laws to swim that day instead of coming to the party. His reasoning was since I planned the party for a sunday and psycho-nutbag couldn't get off work, then I did it on purpose so his wife couldn't come. HIS EXACT words to me on the phone.

July 2010- Gavin's 8th birthday. I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out what to do for Gavins birthday. Since we were now living in Sarasota i wasn't sure where to have the party. He was only in school here for a couple of months and I didn't have any of his new friends names or addresses to invite them to a party. He has a couple of friends in the neighborhood, but I didnt want to plan a party around them, and then them not be able to make it. I then decided to have the party back in pinellas county where all of our friends and family still live. Ken and I went back and forth over what day to have it, saturday or sunday. We finally decided on sunday since it would be easy to take Danyelle back to Tampa after the party was over. Instead of back and forth driving all weekend if we had it on Saturday. The very same day I booked the party, I sent out email invites and Ken called psycho-nutbag and invited her. 6 days before the party psycho texted me to tell me that since she couldn't get off of work to come to the party, then she was sending her hubby and kids to her mothers to go swimming. I called her on the phone where she proceeded to tell me that this is the 3rd year in a row that I have had parties on Sundays on purpose so she couldn't come. Her kids are tired of their mother not being invited anywhere and don't want to come without her. She told me I need to plan my parties on Saturdays when she has off or give her a months notice so she can ask for the day off. She called me a bitch many times and told me to grow up. She once again told me how her and her husband hate me anyway and how she has told her oldest child what a mean bitch I am and he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. And for the record, my mom and dad were unable to come to Gavin's party because they had to work. My sister Tiffany almost didn't come because she had to work, but got let off early. My brother in law eric was late to the party because he had to work. Hmmm.

Katelyn's birthday party in a couple of weeks is on a Saturday. Because that is what works this year for ME AND MY HUSBAND. NOT anyone else. I plan my parties around my husbands schedule and when we have Danyelle. NOT anyone else.

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