Gracie is moving on...

Last week Gracie had her end of the school year performance! Her class did a great job...they sang and danced to all these train songs...and even the Locomotion! Which by the way Gracie loves!! She absolutely LOVES to sing and sing as LOUD as she can! She is officially done with the preschool life and she is moving on to bigger and better things...KINDERGARTEN!! I am so excited for her...even though she will technically go to kindergarten for less time than she did preschool (oh well it's FREE!) Nick likes that! CONGRATS to Gracie...I know you will fit right in at the BIG school!

The Graduate...and Proud Mom...and Proud Nana!!

Let's Play Ball!!

Well for the past couple months we have have devoted all our free time to BASEBALL!! Gavin and Gracie are both playing this year...which means every night we either have a game or practice for someone! I do love to go and watch them...Gavin has improved a ton this year and Gracie...well lets just say she is very entertaining! I just wish our weather would be warmer so we don't have to bundle up like a bunch of freakin ESKIMOS! Here are a couple of cute pics of the kiddos...awww the love!! And Gavin and Drake all bundled up to watch Gracers!



Let's go Gracie...Let's Go!!!

We are ALIVE!!

It has been forever since I have posted...where did the month of May go??? Well we have been BUSY BUSY BUSY!! Nick and I just returned from a trip to Washington DC (which by the way I thought was a state) We went with Nick's family and took Drake too! (Gavin and Gracie stayed home with my Mom) For some reason whenever we travel we always have stories to tell...and this time was no different! From horrible airport delays...having a horrible ear infection and my ear drum rupturing on the flight there...getting lost in downtown DC and missing our White House tour...Drake freaking out at the candlelight vigil...seeing Dr. Wacko at the Urgent Care...Nick plugging the toilet at the hotel and having some poor man plunge it...all the way to our pilot on the flight home declaring an emergency landing at Newark airport. I could go into details about everything but I can't sit here at the computer all day. We went to the US Capitol, saw the White House, toured the Smithsonian, went to Arlington, rode the crazy Metro subway, saw the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the World War II memorial and a lot more! We did a TON of walking and Drake lived in the Baby Bjorn! The main reason we went there was for National Police Week. For those of you that don't know Nick's older brother Kelly was killed last June in a head on crash...while he was on duty as a Marion County Sheriff. So during this week in Washington DC the Law Enforcement has a national memorial service honoring all the officers killed in the previous year. Also there is a National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall that Kelly's name was added too. The trip was bitter sweet. Kelly will be truly missed but we are also so proud of the honor he gave our name! There were 186 fallen officers last year...it was so sad to see these young darling moms with young children that are now without a husband and father. I thank the Lord everyday for Nick!! Here are a some pics from our trip.. (in no type of order what so ever!!!)

9 years and counting...

Well on this day 9 years ago I made the best decision of my life...I married Nick. Nick and I met our senior year of high school and have been together ever since!! I remember the first time I saw him..."dang that boy is cute" and the first time he saw me he thought..."wow she is hot...she has got to be older than me!" (Which by the way I'm not!) Anyway we have accomplished a lot in the last 9 years!! We have moved 6 times...have had 4 dogs...have built one of our houses...have mourned the loss of 2 grandfathers and Nick's brother...became parents to 3 beautiful kids...have gone through about 15 cars...have traveled to many places...dealt with all of my health issues...and so and so on...and through it all have become BEST friends!! I love you so much Nick and can not imagine living one day without you!! You are my best friend and my LOVER!! Happy Anniversary!!

Tooth Fairy...STOP here!!!

Well tonight the Tooth Fairy is coming to our house!!! I can't believe our little girl is getting so BIG! Today Gracie lost her first tooth!! Thanks Nana for pulling it out...heaven knows she wouldn't let ME touch it! The tooth fairy has never stopped here before...Gavin has lost ten teeth but never wanted to give them away...he is storing them up...for what I don't know?? But for those of you who know my Mr. Anxiety know the real reason!! So Gracie...I hope Mrs. Tooth Fairy is nice to you!! I don't even know...what is the going rate for a tooth now???

VIVA Las Vegas!!!

We're back! We had a BLAST! Oh my gosh Las Vegas is Crazy! Finally we got there on Friday night after we missed our early morning flight...thanks to me forgetting my carry on with my ID. Anyway so we really only had two full days to party down! We stayed up super late and slept in! We stayed at the Palazzo...the new hotel that is connected to the Venetian. This place was beautiful!! And our room was so cool...3 flat screens...great view of the strip...and automatic curtains that we controlled with a remote! We felt like a million bucks! This short trip was a well needed break...especially from this CRAP weather! I actually saw the SUN! We hung out by the pool...saw two awesome shows...ate great food...played the penny machine...walked through some insane hotels...did a little shopping...rode lots of taxis...saw and talked to more drunk people than I ever have before...and PEOPLE watched!!! Seriously where do these people come from???? Thanks to Tyler and Jen for being great tour guides! But can I please go back...I MISS YOU SUN! (and a big THANK YOU to our parents for watching the kiddos!)

Sunbathing...My FAVORITE thing to do in the whole world!...too bad it is so bad for you! Me and Nicko after a long night out!...Thanks babe for being the best! The BROS! We had to stop at M&M world and get our kids a couple souvenirs!

This was our room...don't ask me why this is the only pic I took...it really was super nice! Inside our hotel...

Ode to Drake...

Sung to "I'm so Glad When Daddy comes Home!" (...for those of you who know that song)

We're so glad that Drake Man
Has joined our FAMILY!
He loves his bath, and blanky too...
And especially his Binkee!
His siblings love to make him laugh...
Gavin his bro and Gracie his sis.
We love to pinch his chunker cheeks...
And give them a BIG kiss!

We Love you Drake...Happy 3 Months!!