Our Blended Family

October - Fire Awareness & Candy Festival

2008-10-25T23:20:00.000-07:00

We went to the firestation during fire awareness week. They had a bunch of firetrucks out in the parking lot and inside they were doing some demonstrations on how quickly fires can spread in the home and what you can do to stop them and be prepared. Last but not least Smokey the Bear showed up!! Nicky certainly was weary of him and you can see the best shot I got of him was him running away. ha! After we left there we went to the candy festival in town. I forgot to take pictures of that though. Funny enough there wasn't a ton of candy there, most of the booths had some sort of candy and in the middle of the fair there was a tent for trying candy, but we didn't go in there. Instead we played some games like bean bag toss and crafts. Nicky made a spooky bracelet, a witch hand (popcorn and candy corn in a clear glove), a goodie bag, sand candy tube, a pipecleaner pumpkin stick and a few other things (can't remember). He had a great time and so did I! Toby had to work that night so he was sleeping and Gwen was with her mom, but it was a good day for Nicky and I.

Nicky living it up in the drivers seat:

The best shot I could get of him and Smokey:

Meeting the fireman, he was telling Nicky that he might look scary, but he's there to help:

September - Farm Days

2008-10-25T23:13:00.000-07:00

We went to farm days in town the last weekend of September. The local farms had little booths and different activities. We saw the Sheriff and their horses at the first stop. The kids got their faces/arm painted, made a bird feeder and checked out an Eagle. We went to a couple other spots where they got to check out some neat stuff. Their most favorite I think was the ice cream stop, these people make home made ice cream and boy was it good! I got cheesecake instead of ice cream, it was sinful. Nicky got to ride a pony and keep saying: say cheese mama, everytime he would go around. The last place we stopped at we bought some green tomatoes and came home and made fried green tomatoes, they were de-lish!

September - Racing

2008-10-25T23:10:00.000-07:00

I bought Toby a racing package for Christmas last year that he was finally able to use, he really enjoyed it and wants to do it again.

The racer, doesn't he look like he really fits in?

He's beating this guy:

Preparing:

Collage:

Nicky trying on the helmet:

August - Build A Bear

2008-10-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

Before Maddie went back to Florida, we went to build a bear for her to make a little lovie to have with her. Her first one she made with me years back is old and worn out and we needed a new softer, cleaner one for her to cuddle with. She named her 'Chocolate', she is a monkey who is dressed in Hannah Montana clothes. I forgot to take an 'after' shot, but she is really cute, we even put little earrings in her ears.

Picking out her new friend:
Waiting to fill Chocolate up:

Talking to the stuffer about how he is going to fill Chocolate up just enough and perfect to love:

Cleaning up Chocolate and making sure she is nice and ready to get dressed:

July - Camping

2008-10-25T23:02:00.000-07:00

The day that we got back from our Virginia vacation we left to go camping, we went to the Redwoods and it was so beautiful up there! We didn't get to stay nearly long enough!

July - Gardens

2008-10-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

Before we left Virginia we stopped at the gardens in Richmond, it was so gorgeous there!

July - Virginia vacation

2008-10-25T22:52:00.000-07:00

We went to Virginia for Tobys best friends wedding and to visit his dad and family. It was so nice out there and the time flew by WAY too quickly. The day of the wedding was also Gwens bday, she looked beautiful and way too old for a just turned 11year old!!!

At the airport waiting for my plane (Toby and the kids left a few days before me):

Papa and Maddie:
Maddie and Grama Char:

The fam, it was WAY too hot and not a good shot at all:

Gwen and Nicky dancing:

The creek down at the bottom of Papa and Grama char's property, the kids had so much fun down there trying to catch frogs:

One of the little frogs we saw:

Art day - van gogh

2008-10-25T22:48:00.000-07:00

Aunt Jan had given Maddie some art books years ago that she is just now old enough to appreciate, we were going to do several weeks for the different artists over the summer but only got to do Van Gogh. I printed out some coloring sheets and we had a little art class one day. I read to them the history of Van Gogh, the kids seemed to like that, but were more interested in coloring them!

Maddies:

Nickys:

Gwens (We actually have a magnet of this one so she tried to do the colors just like it):

July - Bday Party

2008-10-25T22:41:00.000-07:00

We had the kids bday party, a luau and it was a windy day, as usual where we live! Our canopy actually blew over during our vacation, so this is the last shot of it you will see....so sad! We played different games like: pin the coconut on the palmtree, volcano beanbag toss, hula hoop contest, lucky duckies and waterballoon toss.

The outside deco:
Maddie hula-ing

Gwen pinning the coconut

The volcano beach cake I made and cupcakes, that cake was a pain!

All three kiddos

July - 4th

2008-10-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

We drove around town looking for the right spot to park but everywhere was crowded. We ended up pulling into this little parking lot for a strip mall and it ended up having a perfect view!!!! The kids loved it and oohed and aaahed the whole time and talked about it all the way home.

July - They think they're so funny

2008-10-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

The original picture, I'm on the left:
Gwens interpretation

Madisons impression

The kids found a picture of me when I was younger and thought it was hilarious and a great idea to poke fun and immitate me. Nicky looks like he hasn't been washed in a year, but it was spaghetti night and this was mid dinner when this took place, don't mind the mess. I'm pretty sure I was making the pose while trying to scratch my back, my mom must have caught me at the wrong time. Anyways, the kids laugh about it all the time and always imitate it.

June - Fishing

2008-10-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

We went down to our local little pond in town to try out fishing. Yes Nicky looks like a cancer patient, don't worry, he's not, just a really bad haircut! Maddie caught a crawfish, thats all we caught! We heard there were fish in there, but we saw no one catch any and we sure didn't. It was still entertaining though, the weather was nice and it was relaxing. We also had a picnic while we were there. The last shot is an action shot and it cracks me up, maddie wanted me to take a picture of her jumping, it looks so funny!

June - Dress up!

2008-10-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

This picture cracks me up, it looks like Nicky is winking! Maddie had fun dressing her little brother up and we'll always have blackmail on him for later! Toby would kill me though if he knew I posted this, lets keep this secret :)

June - Bday and Fathers day!

2008-10-25T22:17:00.000-07:00

Midddle June weekend was my bday and of course Fathers day, its no surprise I had to share my bday again! I should just get used to it, guess I'll always have to share it! ;)

We went to see the Incredible Hulk, and we made a cake for Toby. It was chocolate with vanilla icing...his favorite! It was even better tasting than how it looked! I got a bluetooth which I needed since the new law went into affect a few weeks later and had some yummo cake that he bought! It was a good weekend. I love this picture of the kids, especially nicky, he looks like such a hambone!

June - Grandma Tricia visits

2008-10-25T22:09:00.001-07:00

I've been seriously slacking on this blog. Going to try and update since I've last posted.

Grandma came to visit in June, it was a good time for all! We flew kites, ate yummy food, played games and have lots of fun!

Backyard Work

2008-06-03T20:13:00.003-07:00

Toby worked on the backyard this weekend, with a little of my help. He did a great job!

Before:

After:

So cute

2008-06-03T20:10:00.001-07:00

This was taken last Friday, Gwen and I went out to try on her dress for the wedding we are attending in July...when we got home, we found the boys passed out. Surprisingly Nicky fell asleep at about 4 and sleep the rest of the day through the next morning. Playing sure is hard work!

Introductions

2008-06-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

If this looks familiar to some of you, you're right...I copied it word for word from my other blog. I needed to separate the daily nonsense from the original purpose that I intended it to be...so people could find out whats going on in our life.

Let me start off by saying I'm a mom to 2 beautiful children and my boyfriend has a precious daughter as well that I would be proud to call my own. The oldest of our three is Gwen, she is currently 10 years old, then my sweet princess Madison who is 8 and Nicholas who is 2.

Gwen is one of the sweetest, most respectful child that I have ever met. Of course she has her moments, but I give her father the most credit for raising such a wonderful girl. Her interests include too many things to list, she has been on the basketball team, but her biggest passion is animals. One day she says she will be a veterinarian, I believe she will, she has the time and attention for that line of work.

Madison is one of a kind...she has a fire inside her that no one can put out. She loves hard and expresses how she feels to the end. I know she got some of her passion from me, but there is a part of her that she found all on her own. She is completely honest, almost to a fault at times, ha! But we love every ounce of her and wouldn't change her for the world.

Nicky is the smallest of the three, but by far the strongest. He can be a sweet little cuddle bug and the next minute he's roaring and has the attitude of a bull. He loves pirates, I'd say with the strongest influence from Toby who is still a little boy at heart. He is a little behind other kids his age with his talking, but he's catching up and I tend to find his little errors very cute!

Last but not least is Toby, the man of my dreams. He is certainly the most supportive man I have met and continues to show me his love every day. Every single day without a beat he tells me how beautiful I am and how much he loves me. Even on the days that I look like the dead has been raised. He loves my children as though they were his own, especially Nicky. He gives him the love and attention that he deserves and desires. We are all truly lucky to have him in our lives and I am the luckiest woman to have him by my side.