An accidental blogging vacay (photo overload)

Man I did not mean for an entire week to pass without posting once here.  I guess that's what happens when you are having way too much fun!!!  My excitement started on Wednesday and continued through Sunday.

Wednesday and Thursday were spent with Nicole and Tori at the Strawberry Festival.  Wednesday was our day to enjoy the fair, not just the concerts we had planned.  We rode some rides (always a good time), ate fried cookie dough (AMAZING) and saw The Band Perry.  The concert was a little disappointing but I love live music so I won't complain too much.  Thursday was the day I was looking forward to the most.  Luke Bryan was performing.  If you've never seen him before, let me just tell you.  He is one of the sexiest men alive.  For realz.  He can sing. He's hot.  He can shake his booty.  He's just awesome.  And he did not disappoint.  It was one of the best concerts I've seen.  It was so much fun!  We did have a slight detour right as the concert was starting to the First Aid building but we quickly returned to our seats (sorry to any Plant City peeps but the EMTs that were manning the First Aid booth were dumb.  Tori and I were pretty much calling the shots)

waiting for Luke

so amazing!

he played Adele

Shakin it with the Country Girls

SWOON!!!!

Friday our friend Mindy married her best friend Al.  It was a beautiful ceremony in a park under the oak trees with ocean views followed by a lovely reception. I'm so blessed to have been a part of Mindy's special day (plus she's amazing!!!)

My favorite picture

Seeing Al standing at the end of the aisle

She's married!!!!!

Saturday we headed to Riverview to hang out with one of our favorite couples, the Hettinger's.  We had a kid free weekend so we definitely took advantage of it (and somehow a lot of tequila disappeared....wonder how that happened).  Unfortunately there are no pictures from that night (aside from a few questionable Draw Something pictures). Sunday morning we headed back to home to pick up the kiddos and head to the Seminole Pow Wow.  Every year, Seminole has a huge carnival weekend (the Pow Wow).  We're fortunate enough to live right across the street from the Rec Center where it's held so we always look forward to the Pow Wow.  This year, John's mom and brother/sister in law/nephew joined us for the festivities.  Noah and Emmy loved hanging out with their cousin AJ!!!

Crazy Em driving....watch out

 

Sharing a stroller with her cousin

Going down the slide with Gama

Daddy and Aunt Michele with the kids

Uncle Jimmy and Daddy on the bumper cars with Noah

He loved it!!!  Can't you tell?!?!?

It was an exhausting week but it was the best week I've had in a long time.  I'm so lucky to have such amazing friends in my life!  I wouldn't trade this week for anything. Well maybe if I got a lot of sleep...jk!!!

A quick photo recap of the past 2 weeks

Boy have I been slacking on the blogging front!  2 weeks have gone by and no updates.  I'm sorry about that everyone.  So to catch everyone up to speed, I'll do a quick photo recap.

First we start with 2 weekends ago, at Noah's school fair.  Fun Fair has been around longer than I can remember.  I remember spending the entire weekend there because that's what you did.  Now that I'm a parent  of the school, I'm obligated to go.  Everything's come full circle.  Once a student, then alumni, now parent.  Strange.  But anyways, his PreK class, along with the K/1st graders, did a performance of 2 songs.  One was "I like Me" and the other was about a little ghost.  Here's a few pics:

The whole group

With his self portrait

I'm a little ghost and I say BOO!!!

Then we celebrated my Grandpa's birthday.  It was weird not having him around this year but I hope he liked his balloon!

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Then we had our big Disney trip.  We're passholders so we go a lot.  Our kids have grown up spending time at Disney.  But this time was different.  It was the first time that Emmy really had fun I think.  Being 2 and talkative, she was able to laugh at the rides, say hi to all the characters, and just have fun.

I love this castle!!!  I can stare at it forever! 

This face is priceless!!!

She was Snow White all day!!

She loved meeting Minnie but hated Mickey...like cried whenever he looked at her

She loved looking at the Princesses faces 

Her second favorite of all time!!!

Think she's worn out?!?!

Digging up some dinosaur bones

Just hanging out with some random girls

Mulan was one of their favorites!!!

I know this was a ton of pictures but it was the fastest way to catch everyone up to speed.  Plus I just adore my kiddos so I love looking at their pics!!!  This weekend is busy for us....pictures tomorrow AM, a wedding tomorrow night, and then housework all day Sunday.  Hope everyone has a great weekend!!
GO BULLS!!!!

So here's a recap (and a lot of pictures).....

I have been de-railed by all the sickness (or the plague as the hubster calls it) that I didn't get to update on all the fun stuff that we've done.  We had a weekend full of parades, carnival rides, and fair foods. 

The City of Seminole has a Pow Wow every year.  It's kinda a big deal.  We are very fortunate to live across the street from the Rec, where everything exciting happens.  All we have to do is walk to the end of our street.  I've always worked during the Pow Wow so I was really excited to be home for it this year.  I just LOVE fairs!!!  First we met up with Grandma and PaPa (my parents) for the parade.  The kids had a blast and it looked like they went to Mardi Gras when it was over.  We also had enough candy to last us a lifetime.  Then it was lunch time/naptime and then it was off to the carnival.  Noah loved riding all the rides and we even met up with our good friends and their kiddos. Cue a ton a pics ;)



Em's very excited about the parade



Photography by Noah



Eating lunch with all of his parade beads



Riding his first ride of the day



She just loved watching him ride the rides



Em got in the action too



Riding the teacups with Daddy



Motorcycle rides with his best buddy



I've never seen a teacup spin so fast



Watching their big brothers on the rides

 We went to dinner with our friends, had a great time, made it home in time to watch the amazing fireworks from the driveway, and even made a special trip back for a nighttime ferris wheel ride.  All in all, best Pow Wow ever!!!

The next day, I had the opportunity to head to the Strawberry Festival with a few friends to see Lady Antebellum.  I have never truly experience the Strawberry Festival before and I was really excited to be able to ride the "grown up" rides.  It was a blast.  Between Nicole and I's love for fast, crazy rides and Mikey/Tori's hatred of them, it made for a day full of laughs.  We tried fried oreos (very good BTW) and Tori even tried a fried snickers bar.  Only thing we didn't eat was strawberries....epic fail, I know.  Then it was time for Lady A.  They were absolutely amazing!!!  They put on a great show, sang all of their great songs, and even had the evil woman sitting next to me singing and dancing.  Despite the seating dilemma, it was a great night and I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to have some Mommy time!!! (Thanks John and Nicole/Tori!!!  I needed a girls day!!!)


Tori and Mikey waiting for Nicole and I to ride the rides



Nicole and Tori before Lady A



I just love these girls (and I don't know why I have crazy eyes)

 A great weekend spent with great people!  I can't wait to have my weekends free so I can begin to start living again. 

Oh and if you've made it down this far, I guess I'll drop the bomb.  I am starting a new job on the 11th.  I am transitioning to our Hem/Onc outpatient clinic.  I will still work for All Children's but I won't be working in the hospital anymore (I'll be across the street).  I'll be working 4 days a week (10 hr shifts) with no weekends or holidays.  I'm having mixed feelings about the move for many reasons: I don't like change at all, this will be a whole new way of functioning, I don't really know the clinic girls, I don't want to leave all the wonderful people I work with now, but I really think the schedule will be good for my kids and especially my marriage.  I've missed so much because of having to work weekends and holidays.  It's going to be very nice not having to miss out on events, gatherings, and just hanging out with my family. 

So here's to new beginnings and great times with great friends!!!

~JRC~