Ma Maison a Rempli Avec L'amour

New year

2012-01-01T19:41:00.002-05:00

Happy new year.

I've now been in Jacksonville for three weeks and two days. I spent Christmas here without my babies, and New Year's Eve in the home alone. Grandma B has been in the hospital this time for a week and two days, and she won't be leaving until Tuesday, January 3. Erin's 9th birthday. I'll be missing that, too. However, on Tuesday she will be transferred to a rehabilitation center for approximately a week, and then she will be moving into my home. That's right. She's going to be living with us in Trinity, leaving her home behind (to be sold). I've always known that the day would come that I would take care of her, and that time is now. This move will enable me to better supervise her daily care, appointments and be there immediately in the event of another emergency (of which we are all certain there will be more). The next couple of weeks will be some of the most hectic. In addition to starting my job at the hospital next week, I'll be commuting back and forth between Tampa and Jacksonville to oversee the sale of the home, estate sale of all of the contents of the home that aren't being moved, and any other necessities associated with her moving. I'm responsible for packing up, selling and transporting every item in the house. I'll be meeting/talking with her cardiologist, endocrinologist, primary care and podiatrist over the next couple of days to get access to all necessary medical records so that they are in hand for her new doctors in Trinity. When she's released from rehab I'll be there to pick her up and drive directly to Tampa. She won't be coming back here. She doesn't want to come back here. She feels that it would be too easy to get sucked back into the life she had here, and at this point that life is not condusive to her staying alive. There are too many steps and inaccessible areas in her home. And it makes her want to smoke. She hasn't smoked in three weeks, and she doesn't want to ever do it again. She knows that if she does she will die. Quickly. So this is a clean break for her, and she's optimistic and enthusiastic about it. I'm thankful to be in a position to take care of her for the rest of her life, however long that may be. This means, too, that my ties to Jacksonville are now gone.

So if you contact me and I don't get back to you for a while, if I don't update the blog regularly for a while longer, and if I seem a bit on edge when you do speak to me, please be patient with me. I'm making huge changes in my life in more than just one way. I'm optimistic for the coming year, and for all of the changes that are going to occur. I'm thankful for my children, my family, my friends and those that I hold dear to my heart. I'm emotional, I'm stressed, I'm tired...but I'm also happier than I've been in a very long time. I've found a peace within myself that I didn't know existed. More than anything I am thankful.

Christmas

2011-12-25T18:03:00.004-05:00

I've been in Jacksonville now for 16 days. I haven't seen my babies for the past two weeks, including today. Christmas day. Grandma B had been home for exactly one week, and this past Friday (December 23) I had to take her back to the ER. She was immediately admitted, and we will be in the hospital until at least Tuesday or Wednesday. As a result I am spending my first Christmas ever without my children. I'm torn. I miss my babies so much, and want to be with them today just like every day, but I would not leave Grandma B here alone. Thankfully I have amazing children who can understand and accept the situation without tears or anger. They know that we are going to have a Christmas celebration here with Grandma as soon as she is back home and feeling better. But it's hard for me.

I bought a small Christmas tree and put it up in the hospital room. I placed the lights around it and decorated it with small bulbs. It was the only tree I decorated this year. Mine sat undecorated until Erin and one of her friends decorated it a few days ago. I always decorate the tree. The kids didn't want to do it without me, but by waiting for me to come home it ended up not getting done. So my tree this year is shared with Grandma in the hospital. It's a cute little tree.

I'll be here for a while more. More than likely until I go back to school and work on January 9th. She needs 24 hour care, and I'm the one that she wants here with her. She deserves this, and I owe her this. I wouldn't have it any other way. I just wish that I could have had my babies here with us today.

Merry Christmas.

Corridors, cold and crying

2011-12-15T10:13:00.002-05:00

I've been in Jacksonville for the past six days. Grandma B was taken by the paramedics again this past Friday, and she's been in ICU ever since. As is always the case when she is hospitalized, I am spending my days and nights with her. In the past five weeks I've spent nearly three of them in the hospital with her. She just hasn't had a break. Since June she's been hospitalized five times, but each time seems to take a bigger toll on her, and this time she has really struggled. I have really struggled. I cry at her bedside watching her suffer and agonize. I come back to her house, pay her bills, keep up with the house, and do what needs to be done for her. I wouldn't have it any other way. I will always be here for her, and she knows that. She's asked me before not to leave her with anyone else when she's in the hospital, and I won't.

So if you are wondering (and I'm sure you aren't) why I haven't posted very often in the past month or so, that is why. I am taking care of Grandma B, and I'm right where I belong right now.

Cinnamon rolls from scratch

2011-12-01T00:10:00.003-05:00

After a few failed attempts at making delicious, homemade cinnamon rolls, I finally found a recipe for both the rolls and icing that I love. Tonight Erin and I rolled out another batch for the second night in a row. Thankfully this recipe for the rolls makes enough to share, and that's exactly what we do. Some go to school with Sean, some to our neighbors, and the rest to us. Homemade cinnamon rolls are so worth the time and work, and these recipes won't disappoint.

Cinnamon Rolls recipe is here, courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.

Cream Cheese icing recipe is here. (Just ignore the cinnamon roll recipe unless you want to try this one, too).

Erin kneading the dough for me, wearing her apron that Sean made for her last year.

A snake?

2011-11-23T21:25:00.002-05:00

Yes, we now own a snake. He is beautiful, and so sweet. He loves to be held. He's a ball python, about three months old, and about two feet long so far. I never thought that I would adore these reptiles as much as I do, but I do. Brendan hasn't decided if his name will be Kaa (the snake from Jungle Book) or Radley. He said he'll decide in a few days.

Overload

2011-11-22T14:28:00.003-05:00

The past couple of weeks have been a blur. I'm hoping for a bit of a break now.

Last Monday I got a call from Grandma B that she was being admitted at Baptist Hospital with a blood clot in her arm. Within ten minutes I was on the road to Jacksonville. The days following were nothing short of chaotic. During a procedure to attempt to break apart and suction the clot her heart stopped beating and she had to be resuscitated. The doctor quickly came to get me and allowed me to be with her while they continued to work on her, and it is an image that will stay with me for the rest of my life. However, over the days following, and despite a few setbacks, she started to recuperate. She's been in ICU since last Tuesday, and as of today will be sent back to a regular room. I came home this past Saturday, but only after Bart (from Orlando) and Chris (from Australia) arrived there to be with her. I'm so thankful for her medical staff. The nurses that were there with her around the clock were amazing, and I was so thankful for such capable hands. I have no doubt that she'll be back to herself in no time.

Today Brian and Erin left for Tulsa, Oklahoma. Erin is currently #13 in the country for 8 year old girls, and by competing in the Grands she has the opportunity to move into the top 10. Those that know her don't doubt that it will happen. The Grands is the Superbowl of BMX. It's the last big race of the year, and it's huge. Thousands of people from all over the world, and the best racers. She'll be racing Thursday through Sunday, and the entire event will be broadcast live on www.go211.com. Erin has really excelled in BMX, taking 1st place in the state, and now competing for a NAG (National Age Group) plate. I'm so proud of her.

Two more weeks of school for me, and the semester cannot end soon enough.

I'll be back with pictures and videos of Erin in Oklahoma!

Brendan's new race bike

2011-11-13T21:20:00.000-05:00

He was long overdue for a new race bike, and he got it today. One of our good friends from the track, Mark, built the bike for him with all of the custom parts that he has been dreaming of getting. It's a beautiful bike, and he can't wait to get it out on the track.

Follow up to Milking

2011-11-11T15:55:00.002-05:00

As you read previously, I declined to pay the orthopedic surgeon the $35 to sign the work release so that I can start my job. Brian, however, went back to their office yesterday and paid the fee. The staff there knew that I was scheduled to start orientation this coming Monday, 11/14, and that the release had to be faxed to Mease Countryside Hospital (my employer) by noon on 11/11 in order for me to be able to attend orientation. I got a call this morning, 11/11, from the staff at Dr. Pigeon's office stating that he would not sign the release until I schedule an appointment with him to be seen, and that he would fill it out at that time. In addition, he would not be in the office until Monday, 11/14, and so would not be able to get the release signed prior to the noon deadline today. None of this crap about scheduling an appointment had been mentioned in the two previous trips to get the release signed. Since I currently have no medical insurance I would be a self-pay for the visit with Dr. Pigeon, and if you have any idea how much an orthopedic surgeon charges then you know that it isn't cheap. Not even for an office visit. I was even more angry at this point, telling the staff that I would not pay them another penny for this release, and that I will not be coming in for a visit. Brian called and was refunded for the signature on the work release, and I contacted Mease. The health care coordinator advised me that instead of getting the release signed by Dr. Pigeon I could make an appointment with the rehabilitation center that the hospital uses for their employees, that they could do the evaluation for free, and then they could sign the release for me so that I can start work. All at a cost of ZERO! So I have an appointment with the rehabilitation clinic on Monday, but this does mean that my orientation has to be delayed until 11/28. It was going to be delayed either way, but at least this way the office of Dr. Pigeon will not see another penny from me.

I requested and received a copy of my entire medical records from Dr. Pigeon's office today via email, and will no longer do any business with them. This doctor was paid in excess of $70,000 for my two surgeries, and the fact that they attempted to charge me for a signature on a release form and then force me to pay for another appointment is beyond what I am willing to do. In speaking with one of the office staff at his office yesterday I found out that he charges these fees "because he can". Well, he may be able to get other people to pay them, but he won't see it from me. I know I mean nothing to him in the grand scheme of things, but it makes ME feel better, and right now that is all that matters to me.

Milking

2011-11-09T14:00:00.002-05:00

So I got the job at Mease Countryside Hospital that I've been waiting to open for a year. Everything has gone great with the hiring process. Yesterday I had the health screening (blood work, urine, etc.), and the nurse told me that a release will have to be signed by my orthopedic surgeon since I had my back surgery in 2009. No big deal. I told him that I would drop the release off to Dr. Pigeon on my way home and have him fax it back to her. I did that, and called to follow up with them today to ensure that they had faxed it only to find out that they won't fax it. They said that I have to go into the office to pick it up and pay a $35 fee for him signing the release. Are you kidding me!? This guy was paid $33,000 for my laminectomy and he can't put his signature on a piece of paper so that I can work? I've had releases signed in the past by other doctors and they didn't charge. It's a signature, and I'm not paying him $35 for it.

There are so many injustices in the U.S. healthcare system. It's a system that I will spend the rest of my life working in, but I hope that I can do my part to rid patients of these kinds of petty fees and inconveniences. It's such a shame.

Brendan on the track

2011-11-08T23:13:00.000-05:00

Hello Mr. Turtle

2011-11-05T22:04:00.002-05:00

I love all of our critters. Even the smallest of them. This little one inch turtle is so cute, and I can't seem to stay away from him. Brendan just set up a new habitat for him in a 40 gallon tank, complete with a floating log, plants, hides and a sucker fish to help keep his tank clean. He doesn't have a name, but he sure is cute. Especially when he looks right at me when I take his picture!

Halloween cake

2011-11-01T20:46:00.005-05:00

I made this cake for Halloween several years ago, and it is delicious. It is one of the most moist and flavorful cakes you'll ever eat. And it's pretty.

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

1.5 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, plus one yolk

Heat oven to 375ºF. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly butter. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Stir the buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla together in a small bowl. Beat the butter and sugars together using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately beat in the flour and buttermilk mixtures in thirds. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a tester, inserted in the center, comes out clean-about 35 minutes. Cool layers completely before icing.

Beat 6 ounces softened cream cheese using a mixer set on medium high speed until fluffy. Add 1.5 cups confectioners sugar, 2 1/4 tsp cocoa, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 3/4 tsp vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. In a separate bowl, beat 1.5 cups heavy cream with 3/4 cup confectioners sugar and a scant 1/4 tsp orange food coloring on medium high to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Spread 1 cup frosting between the two layers and use the remaining frosting to ice the top and sides of the cake. Chill 30 minutes and proceed to next step.

Place 4 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter and 3 tablespoons corn syrup in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring 1/2 cup heavy cream to a boil, pour it over the chocolate, and let sit for 3 minutes. Gently stir, using a whisk, until smooth. Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, until the glaze thickens slightly. Pour the glaze onto the center of the frosted cake and smooth out to the edges to allow the glaze to drip over the sides.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T16:48:00.004-05:00

Here are a few shots from our Halloween. I hope you enjoyed your day!

My 80s girl

Layla (Mazin's sister)

Kaylee, Erin, Ashley and Layla

Mazin

(l-r) Kaylee, Erin, Paul, Bryce, Mazin, Layla and Ashley

A neighbors Angry Birds pumpkin display.

Shed

2011-10-27T15:31:00.003-05:00

I noticed earlier today that Zoe was starting to shed. She had a large piece pulled back just below her head, and knowing that they like to have help to release the shed I grabbed it and pulled. The skin from her entire body came off in nearly one piece, including around her toes and fingers. It's such a cool thing, and perhaps I'm a bit weird that I have it sitting here next to my computer to look at.

You can click on each picture to see it in more detail.

Disney Cup 2011

2011-10-24T21:46:00.010-05:00

We are home from Orlando. We arrived at the track on Thursday evening to setup our tent and chairs and familiarize ourself with the setup for this year. Already there were almost no spots left for tents, but our team had already setup in a great place right along the third straight. Erin and Bren had racing all day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We were at the track for approximately 12 hours each day, and it was a blast. We were together with all of our team families and the owner of Hyperforce, Don DiBucci. Erin placed 2nd in class all three day, and 5th in her mixed open that she raced on Saturday (for her first time). Brendan had a tough class all weekend, racing the world champion in his age group and 35 others that have been expert for much longer than he. He still had a great time and raced his hardest, and he knows that he'll be right up there with them in the nationals next year.

Here are a bunch of pictures of our weekend at the Orlando BMX track. We are so lucky to be associated with such a great group of people. I've never been to any sports function where there is such a feeling of family.

Erin, in the green helmet towards the bottom, getting ready to go up for her practice laps.

Erin (right) and her friend, Bailey (next to her). Bailey is 6th in the country.

Here comes Erin...

Part of team Hyperforce-(l-r) Madison, Erin, Bren and Jesse.

Jesse during a practice lap.

Donnie racing 46-50 cruiser class.

Mazin!

Cute little Zuri sporting her "BMX SISTER" shirt.

Our home for three days.

My baby boy on the track.

Tony and Maddox.

Bailey again. Such a sweet girl.

Here comes Jesse again.

This is my little buddy, Caden. He is five years old. Yes, FIVE. He started racing this past April and he is so darn cute on the track.

Jackson, aka Big Bear at our track. This boy loves to jump.

Oops. These are the pro girls racing, and it looks like the one that crashed is doing a handstand.

More of team Hyperforce...Jesse and Morgan.

Erin and Big Boss, Don DiBucci. He is our team owner.

Logan, our six year old on Hyperforce, and Donnie in the background, our 46-50 class rider and Team Hyperforce Florida leader.

Mark and Brian doing a few last minute adjustments to Erin's bike before her last race of the day.

The days and nights were long, and it caught up to Kara. She was with us for the weekend.

It apparently caught up to Don, too!

Erin practicing her gate before another race.

The next and last big race of the year is the Grands in Oklahoma next month. It's not far away!

Disney Cup

2011-10-19T23:40:00.003-05:00

We are leaving tomorrow afternoon for Orlando. The last National of the year for my BMX riders begins on Friday and runs through Sunday. We'll get to the track tomorrow to set up our tent, and then spend the night with Tony since he lives so close to the Orlando track. The riders have practice for most of the day on Friday, and racing begins at 3pm. They race again at 11am on Saturday and 8am on Sunday. They'll each have three rounds of qualifying to make it to their main event, so if they make their main event each day they will race a total of 12 times this weekend. Erin is currently in 2nd place in the district, but if she has a good weekend in Orlando she'll take 1st place. District numbers are not by age group, so this means that she would be 1st among all girls in the state of Florida, regardless of age! We have confidence that she can do it. I would love to see my girl sporting the 1st in state and 1st in district plates for next season!

The races are all played live on www.go211.com if you are interested in watching any of the days. Erin races in the 8 Girls (Expert) motto and Bren is 14 Expert. Look for their green Hyperforce helmets and jerseys!

Hand in the disposal prank on Bren and Kara

2011-10-14T16:33:00.000-05:00

I love pranking my kids. I truly do. Sometimes they are funny, and sometimes they scare the shit out of them. Erin and I saw this one on a show last night and decided right then that we were going to do this to Bren and Kara. Sure enough they both freaked out. Pause the video and look at their faces. Brendan was telling me to stop, but you can tell by the look on his face that he thought something was really wrong. I love it!

Sean and Tina's new creation

2011-10-08T19:38:00.004-05:00

Sean and Tina have been working on a new sewing project, and it is one of the most unique items I've ever seen. The pattern called for a couple of the Fedex or USPS bags, fabric for the lining inside and mesh to line the strap. The inside is lined with an orange fabric, and it is so neat. Sean now has a messenger bag unlike those owned by anyone else.

The lucky recipient

2011-10-08T19:27:00.003-05:00

My next door neighbor, Charlotte, has been a good friend of ours since we bought this house back in 2004. Her house is a piece of art, and we've learned a lot from her over the years when it comes to design and remodeling that we've done. In her spare time (very funny) she makes Santa's and witches. She travels all over the country to various arts and crafts shows to sell them, and it takes her working on them nearly every day all year long to make them fast enough to keep up with the demand. I've admired her art for years.

Last night she participated in one of our local art shows, so the kids and I headed down to show her our support. Just after we arrived the weather took a turn for the worse, the wind picked up drastically and it started to drizzle. The kids and I quickly helped her get the Santa's and witches to her car, get the tent down and everything stored for the next day.

When we got home Sean came to the front door (he wasn't with us) and told me to follow him to my bedroom. He opened the door and there stood this witch that I had been admiring at the craft fair before it started to storm. Charlotte brought her over to me as a gift. She said that she knew I had been wanting one, but she didn't know which one. Watching me admire this one at the show gave her the answer that she needed.

This witch is amazing. She stands about 3.5 feet tall, and there is so much detail throughout the entire piece. Every since piece is custom made by Charlotte, down to the detailed painting of the face. There are jewels on the fingers, a strand of skeleton bones hanging from her arm, a black spider sitting on her hand, and so many other neat little things that I just keep looking her over. I've been wanting one for years to put right next to the door during Halloween, and now I've got her!

If you are ever in the market for a unique piece for Halloween or Christmas, let me know and I'll put you in touch with Charlotte or take pictures of the others that she has. Her Santa's are absolutely amazing-complete with sheep fur that she has sent to her from a sheep farm in North Carolina that is used for the beard and hair of Santa. It's used for the hair of many of the witches, too. When Charlotte receives the fur she has to completely clean and prepare it for use. No two pieces are alike, and so much time and workmanship is spent on them that it's amazing she doesn't charge a lot more than she does for them.

Erin and her godmother

2011-10-08T00:52:00.002-05:00

Sherry, Erin's godmother, celebrated her birthday yesterday (October 6), and because I had class Erin and I took her out for a picnic at the park today. We met at Largo park (one of the nicest parks I've ever been to), had lunch on the lawn, and played on the playground. We ended up having to leave because it started to rain after about an hour, but we hope to be back there with her next weekend.

Another animal

2011-10-08T00:50:00.003-05:00

Brendan's newest pet...

The tiny little guy/girl actually belongs to Kara, but Brendan is taking care of him since she lost interest in him. He's only about an inch long.

Excelling

2011-10-05T13:34:00.003-05:00

Erin is really thriving with the FLVS full time home schooling program this year. I'm so happy that we made this choice with her, and that she was and is as excited about it as she is. She is in all gifted/talented core academic classes (3rd/4th grade math, language arts, science and social studies), but she also has PE, art and an advanced test preparation class. She has already done multiple science projects, and she has four others going on right now. She's experimented with snails, ants, worms and plants. She's had WAY more hands on interaction with this program than she ever had in traditional school, and she seems to love this way of learning. She's learning about photosynthesis right now, and instead of just reading about it she has four experiments being run with actual plants in our house and outside. When she was learning about the different parts of an ant, snail and worm she got to inspect them in person (using live snails, worms and ants) instead of just looking at pictures in a book and reading about it.

In addition to her core academic courses she is allowed up to three elective courses each school year through FLVS. She has been wanting to learn Spanish for quite some time (probably since Victor started coming to our house), and so this year she has chosen Spanish I as her elective. I absolutely love that she gets to start learning a foreign language in elementary school instead of having to wait until high school. She is excited to start, and I have all of the confidence in her that she's going to excel in that just as she does in her other courses. She is extremely excited to be able to understand a little bit more of what Victor says when he is here twice each year, and she also knows that Spanish is something that will help her throughout her entire life.

I'm so proud of Erin and her accomplishments. She truly is a hard worker.

I took this picture of Erin in between my classes at USF. Since she's with me all day, every day she goes to all of my classes at USF with me. She works on her assignments on the laptop or reads during my classes, and she's already made her own friends in each of my classes. They all love having her there.

Accident

2011-10-03T16:32:00.004-05:00

If you've read my blog for the past year then you know that I have an adopted son, Mazin. Not really, but he's definitely a part of our family and he spends a lot of time at our house.

This past weekend he was with a few other BMX friends at a biking trail/track in Ocala. On Saturday night he fell from one of the ledges at the park and ended up with a broken clavicle and some nasty looking damage to his face. He's been over at our house every day since then so that we can give him TLC and because he wants me to take pictures of him every day until it heals. Thankfully he didn't suffer any serious head injuries (he was wearing a helmet), but he won't be riding or racing for at least two weeks. He's not at all happy about that.

Recent pictures

2011-10-03T16:22:00.005-05:00

The kids and I spent a few hours at the park in our neighborhood yesterday. The weather is beautiful and it makes us all want to be outside more often.

Kaylee, Layla and Erin

Brendan and his girlfriend, Kara. We love Kara!

Diesel

2011-09-23T19:42:00.003-05:00

He's about a foot long now, and still just so sweet. He loves to be held, comes to you when you snap, and devours 24 large crickets in a matter of a couple of minutes.

Draco

2011-09-23T18:56:00.000-05:00

This is a short video that Sean took of Liz and Sidney's new puppy, Draco. He had never seen the windshield wipers, and his reaction is pretty hilarious.

There's a storm brewing

2011-09-19T19:39:00.003-05:00

I had the dogs out back for a walk this evening and noticed a huge storm cloud approaching our area. I took the dogs inside and grabbed my camera and amidst about 200 pictures I was able to capture this one.

Cheesecake

2011-09-18T20:07:00.004-05:00

I've been on a kick making cheesecakes lately. In fact, the man in charge of concessions at the track has asked me to make them for the track (for a profit) so that he can sell them there. I've been making them for the track officials for a few weeks, and they keep begging for more. So, I guess I'll be making a lot of cheesecake. The best part of the whole thing is that I cannot stand cheesecake so there is absolutely no temptation for me to eat it.

This is the peanut butter cheesecake. It's a pretzel crust, peanut butter cheesecake and semi-sweet and peanut butter chips. There is a sour cream topping and then on top of that it is sprinkled with chopped peanuts. Yeah, if you don't like peanuts then this is not the cheesecake for you.

15 or 8?

2011-09-11T19:58:00.001-05:00

Kara wanted to straighten Erin's hair this weekend, and after a significant amount of time it was finally done.

State Championship and 9/11

2011-09-11T19:40:00.004-05:00

Today was the last of four days in a row of racing for Bren and Erin. The State Championship concluded the events, and it was a great day for my racers. Erin ended the season taking 1st in the state in Girls and Bren took 2nd in Boys. They each got plaques, but only the state champions receive the ABA backpack and a new State Champion plate for their bike with their new state number on it. Erin will now be riding #1 and Brendan #2.

Dave Gentry, one of our close friends and the announcer at our track, giving love to Erin after being awarded the state championship for girls. Erin loves Dave dearly, and his guidance on and off of the track has been imperative to her success.

My girl with her state champion plate and ABA backpack.

No chance of getting Bren to look at me after receiving his #2 in the state plate.

Bren and Kara after the races.

The Hyperforce team. Every single one of our riders placed within the top 4 today, and two of them (Jesse and Erin) were awarded state championships.

Prior to the race we had a moment of silence at the track, followed by a balloon release done by veterans and civil service men/women at our track, and then the regular National Anthem lap led by one of our riders who is also a firefighter and paramedic.

Today is an emotional day for most Americans, and I am no exception. My best friend from high school, Mitsy Harmon, was trapped in the rubble of the Twin Towers on 9/11/01 for nearly five hours before being rescued by Christopher Agazzi (FDNY). The kids and I all spoke to her extensively today, and it's so good to hear her voice and know that we have that option. It's not the only day of the year that we speak to her, but it is even more priceless on the day that she nearly lost her life. Sean used car window paint to write his sentiments on my car since he drove it today.

Florida State Championship

2011-09-10T21:42:00.003-05:00

Tonight was the pre-race; Erin took 1st place and Bren took 2nd place! Erin is currently 1st place in the state and Bren is 2nd in the state. Tomorrow is the state championship race, and they'll be awarded their state plates following the race. So proud of my racers and everything that they have accomplished in the past year with such a tough sport.

Cheesecake Factory Banana Cream Cheesecake

2011-08-30T14:39:00.006-05:00

If you love bananas and cheesecake then you will want to make this!

20 vanilla sandwich cookies
1/4 cup butter, melted
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs
3/4 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350º F. Place cookies in a blender; process with on/off pulse until finely crushed. Add butter; process with pulses until blended. Press crumb mixture into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan; refrigerate. Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar and cornstarch; beat until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas, whipping cream and vanilla. Pour cream cheese mixture into prepared crust. Place pan on cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temp. to 200º F and continue baking for 75 minutes or until center is almost set. Loosen edge of cheesecake; cool completely on wire rack before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate cheesecake, uncovered, 6 hours or overnight.

Then I used the remaining whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of sugar to make whipped cream to add to the top.

Forgive me

2011-08-30T13:29:00.002-05:00

Forgive me if I don't post very often for the next couple of months. Erin is homeschooled, I am finishing undergraduate studies, preparing medical school applications, looking for work, and taking care of three children. I'm just a little busy. I'll be posting when I can, and will be back in full swing in December. Graduation is December 10!

Kite

2011-08-27T16:15:00.004-05:00

Erin purchased a cheap little kite at the store one day last week, and she and Layla had a blast with it. There wasn't a lot of wind so they took turns running up and down the street to get it to stay up in the air.

MCAT

2011-08-17T22:21:00.002-05:00

I sit the MCAT in two days. Five hours beginning at 8am on Saturday morning. To say that I am nervous is the understatement of the year. I've been reviewing and studying for it for the past two weeks, and I'll live and breath it until I leave on Saturday morning. Until then...

**Please cross your fingers and legs for me in hopes that I do well. I can't get into medical school without a good score on the MCAT.

A day with friends

2011-08-14T22:29:00.006-05:00

Dave, one of the track parents and the announcer at our track, invited us over today to spend the day. The kids did some fishing, swimming and we all just hung out. We've been over before, and they have become part of our extended family. Dave and his wife, Valerie, have two boys, and they are both so sweet. Jackson "Big Bear" races at our track, and his little brother, Benny, is always there supporting all of the riders. They also happen to be huge WWE fans (only the little boys-not their parents or us), so tonight Dave purchased the big event of the summer on PPV, had a couple more of their WWE buddies over and they watched in complete excitement.

Jackson and Benny playing Chicken in the pool on Brian and Dave.

Dave and Brian trying to catch up to Bren...

...since he caught this baby bass.

Valerie wearing Jackson's WWE mask.

Erin and Valerie

(l-r) Bren (barely visible on the left), Jessica, Zack, Benny, Jackson, Logan, Austin, Valerie, Erin and Sean.

Their faces during the wrestling were priceless.

The dads. Brian, Bill and Dave. All three are also business owners.

Jackson, Zack and Logan showing off their muscles.

Roo

2011-08-12T21:45:00.001-05:00

Roo, Brendan's bearded dragon, was found sleeping like this tonight. She's apparently perfectly comfortable like this.

AP Boot camp

2011-08-12T16:11:00.003-05:00

This is not Sean's first year taking AP classes, but it is the first year that Mitchell High has hosted the boot camp. He loved it (and his team won the events of the day, receiving gift certificates to local eateries). You can read about it and see a picture of him from our local news here.

Nala

2011-08-11T16:53:00.004-05:00

I couldn't find her for a while today, and after frantically searching everywhere inside of the house I finally found her hiding between the curtains and the window. She was sitting on the window sill, watching the lizards walk back and forth along the outside ledge of the window. The lighting was perfect to capture a picture of her. To the left is the lining of the curtains (the white).

What's growing?

2011-08-10T15:57:00.004-05:00

Our first ever sunflower.

Our first full ears of corn.

Another round of Better Boy tomatoes.

10-15 more pear tomatoes to be picked every day.

Cherry tomatoes by the bowl full.

Mystery solved

2011-08-10T15:21:00.001-05:00

Over the summer while I was home alone one weekend I noticed that the top left drawer of my dresser was open. I would close it and then later that day it would be open again. This went on for several days and I couldn't figure out what was going on. Well today Sean was in my room with the animals and we discovered, on video, how that drawer repeatedly got opened.

Please excuse the mess-I've been reorganizing drawers and closets in my room so there is stuff laying everywhere.

BMX race in Nashville, Tennesse

2011-08-08T21:20:00.003-05:00

We just found the website for a photographer that was shooting all of the riders during the race in Nashville, Tennessee back in May. Here are the pictures of Bren and Erin.

Going down...

And trying to get back up.

All photos are courtesy of www.bmxbackyard.com.

BMX

2011-08-07T22:48:00.005-05:00

Erin and Bren had their fourth and final state qualifier for BMX today. They competed in qualifying races in Middleburg, St. Augustine, Daytona and Oldsmar (today). On September 10-11 they will compete in the state championship race, and will be awarded their state plates and numbers. As of today Erin is in 1st place in the state and Bren is in 2nd. However, after his race today he may have earned enough points to put him in first, and we'll know in a couple of weeks.

Today they both raced hard and earned 2nd place overall (Bren) and 3rd place overall (Erin). Erin had an amazing race in the main event against a 10 year old and 11 year old girl. She was right behind them, too! I'm so proud of both of them and looking forward to the remaining big races this year in Orlando (Disney Cup national) and our track (state championship).

These are photos that were taken today by a local photographer that frequently shoots at our track. Bren is #75 and Erin is #21.

Erin is at the gate on the far left with the green helmet.

So close to the 10 and 11 year old!

Pretty girl

2011-08-06T15:26:00.002-05:00

She was just playing around wearing her dad's hunting gear last night. She's just so damn beautiful.

Cake pops, take two

2011-08-06T15:19:00.004-05:00

My first attempt to make cake pops did not end so well. Let's just say that they were not edible, and that's putting it nicely. So I took a deep breath, refocused and started again. This time they are not only prettier, but absolutely delicious. As in our family of five finished off 30 of them last night delicious. Yeah, they are THAT good.

I made double chocolate cake pops. The cake and icing are both chocolate and then they were dipped in melted milk chocolate. Some were then covered with sprinkles. I need improvement on my dipping technique so that they don't drip while they are drying, but otherwise it was a huge improvement over the first try.

Sunset Beach

2011-07-31T22:33:00.005-05:00

Just a few miles south of Howard Park is another small island named Sunset Beach. We drove down for sunset again this evening, let the kids kayak around the island, collected shells and enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

Mazin walking up to the truck to help unload the kayaks.

Erin and Layla taking one of the kayaks out into the Gulf of Mexico.

Erin taking a solo run.

The cloudy evening made for a great sunset.

Erin and Layla taking the kayak back to the loading area after the sun set.

One last picture before heading home.

Recent BMX pictures

2011-07-30T22:12:00.003-05:00

Just a couple of recent BMX pictures of my two racers since I haven't shared any here lately.

Erin, #21

Bren, #75

Both are now Expert racers, both are sponsored by Hyperforce, and both are excelling in an unbelievable way. Erin is currently ranked 1st in the state of Florida in her age group and 2nd in the district (there are two districts in Florida) in all age groups for girls. She is one place out of being in the top 20 NATIONALLY! Brendan is top ten in the district and 2nd in the state of Florida (many more boys than girls that race).

Michelle

2011-07-30T22:11:00.002-05:00

I am on Facebook! If you are find me under Michelle Harper Andrews. If you can't find me then let me know. So happy to hear from you!

Howard Park 7/29/11

2011-07-29T22:14:00.008-05:00

Another trip to Howard Park, and it was as beautiful as always. This time we brought Paul, Bryce, Noah, Brandon and Kaitlin. Just after sunset the dolphins came close to shore, just like they always do. One dolphin in particular was coming about 20 feet from shore, and at one point swam underneath Sean and Kaitlin in the kayak, surfacing just feet from them. They were both ecstatic.

Brendan with Noah catching a ride on the back of the single kayak

Bryce

Brian snorkeling

Kaitlin

Kaitlin and Sean

Paul teaching Brendan how to cast the net

He hit it the first time!

A partial sand dollar

Erin searching for crabs and shells

Erin

Kaitlin and Sean watching sunset from the kayak

Erin's big treasure for the night-it was alive so she let it go.

A baby stingray

The end.

Sean and Kaitlin

2011-07-29T17:36:00.003-05:00

Kaitlin has been spending a lot of time with us in the past couple of weeks, including several overnights. We stay up late playing Scattergories, they hang out in the jacuzzi, go to the mall together (since Sean now has his license) or just hang around the house. These two have been friends for several years, and I'm sure will be friends for many years to come.

Licensed

2011-07-27T19:29:00.002-05:00

Sean is officially a licensed driver. He passed his driving test on Tuesday, July 25. The woman in the DMV office gave me his permit to keep, and it's neatly tucked away with all of treasured belongings.

It's a big step as a parent to have a child driving on their own. No option to tell them to slow down or use the blinker. I trust Sean's abilities as a driver, and I trust that he'll make the right decisions. I just don't know how much I trust my ability to stay relaxed while he's out.

The lake

2011-07-26T22:10:00.000-05:00

The lake behind our house is so beautiful at night.

Erin playing Jingle Bells

2011-07-25T17:09:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for Christmas?

Erin playing Indian Song

2011-07-25T17:02:00.000-05:00

There are a couple of pauses, but otherwise pretty good. We love this one because of our Native American ancestry.

Erin playing Alouette

2011-07-25T16:57:00.000-05:00

Evening with the Leggs

2011-07-24T21:35:00.003-05:00

We have been friends with Lars, LT and Tina since Lars and Erin were only 18 months old. That's when we moved into this neighborhood, and the two of them became immediate friends. We spend more time with their family than any other family, and it's nice that they live in our neighborhood and within walking distance. They just recently had a pool installed in their back yard, and already we've been over for several swim and dinner nights (we've always gone over for dinner nights with them).

Tonight we were invited over again. They grilled burgers and dogs, the kids swam, and Tina and I just got to relax. They just bought a new 3D tv, too, so after dinner and swimming we watched a few of the 3D shows.

Brian shooting Lars with the water gun.

Lars

Erin and Lars playing baseball in the pool.

Night time swimming is the best!

Erin and Sherry

2011-07-24T21:30:00.003-05:00

We spent the day with Erin's godmother, Sherry, this past Friday. Sherry has always been so good to us, and with no other family in the Tampa area it is so nice having her close by. Erin, Sean and I met Sherry for lunch first, and then Erin rode back to Sherry's house with her in her Mustang convertible.

We spent a couple of hours visiting at her house before heading home. Aunt Sherry, as Erin and the boys call her, comes to the track to watch her race sometimes, too, and Erin always loves that.

Fruit

2011-07-21T16:59:00.003-05:00

Pears and apples?

Nope. Pear and cherry tomatoes, but up close they sure do look like the other fruit, don't they?

The four tomato bushes are providing a massive amount of tomatoes on a daily basis. They are mostly eaten by themselves, but we have used them in salads as well. I love having my garden.

Giant, chewy, chocolate chip cookies

2011-07-18T21:11:00.004-05:00

I'm always searching for chocolate chip cookies that are chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside. I have a couple "go to" recipes, but Erin wanted to try something new tonight. So we found this recipe online, and it is superb! They are large (4 inches + in diameter), using 1/4 cup of batter per cookie.

The only substitution that I made was to use 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour instead of 2 cups of all purpose flour. They are delicious!

Bougainvillea

2011-07-17T17:45:00.002-05:00

We've had the two purple bougainvillea planted in the back yard for several years, and I love them. Brian has wanted to remove them many times, but I keep trying to convince him not to. They are one of my favorite flowers, no matter what color.

Chocolate chip cookie brownies with gnache

2011-07-15T18:02:00.003-05:00

A combination of rich, gooey brownies, chocolate chip cookies and decadent chocolate gnache. Seriously. Most of it comes from box mixes, but you could certainly substitute your own homemade brownie and cookie dough. Instead of using a container of icing I prepared the gnache using 16 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips, 6 tablespoons of butter and 3/4 cup of heavy cream. They are delicious right out of the oven with or without the gnache, and my neighbor, Steve, said that they are now his favorite brownie. Since they are so easy you have no excuse not to try them.

The recipe can be found on the Betty Crocker website here.

Sue?

2011-07-14T21:42:00.002-05:00

Is it you checking in on my blog every day from New Jersey, Sue? If it is I would love to hear from you. Please email me at michellelandrews@mac.com.

Erin

2011-07-14T21:37:00.002-05:00

I took this picture with my phone just after she removed her helmet at racing tonight. Even all sweaty she is so beautiful.

New grass

2011-07-06T00:32:00.003-05:00

I posted a picture last week of the yard all dug up, ready for the new sod to be put down. Brian spent the entire day last Friday laying the sod, and it looks so much better now. It's the first time since we bought the house that it has had to be replaced so I guess 7.5 years isn't too bad. Once it all fills in it'll be back to normal, and I cannot wait.

Erin with straight hair

2011-07-06T00:30:00.002-05:00

I love Erin's curly hair. I love it so much that it makes me sad when she wants it straightened (which, thankfully, is not very often). However, this past weekend while Liz and Sidney were visiting she asked Liz to straighten it. It had started to curl a bit by the time I took this picture (around her face), but it's amazing how different she looks without her curly locks.

4th of July

2011-07-04T23:29:00.003-05:00

We watched fireworks at Channelside in downtown Tampa, and as always they were great. Sidney is in town visiting and joined us. We were invited to and attended a 4th of July party hosted by one of the BMX parents (and our announcer at the track) on Sunday night, and that was a great time, too. In the middle of the party yesterday I had to leave to pick Sean up from the airport, arriving home after traveling for the past five weeks. We went straight back to the party and enjoyed the rest of the evening.

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. I've got pictures from Sean's tour of the western part of the country and I'll upload those later this week.

Red, white and blue at the top of the Suntrust building in downtown Tampa tonight.

Sean and Sidney waiting for the fireworks tonight.

Summer days

2011-07-01T17:58:00.005-05:00

There has been a lot of hanging out with friends around here so far this summer. Lots of kids in our neighborhood, and this means that there is always someone to play with. Yesterday we had eight of them out in the street playing between our house and the house across the street for the majority of the day and night. These kids have all grown up together for the past 8.5 years.

At one point there were a couple riding bikes, a few doing fireworks and a couple playing catch with Brian in the street. Within just a few minutes there were three balls down in the sewer/drainage ditch, and when Steve (across the street) retrieved a crowbar to open the hatch the kids all came running over. It's amazing how something adventurous can stop all of them in their tracks. When Steve acted like he was going to put his son, Aiden, down into the hole he freaked out. We all thought it would be a great way to get the balls!

Brian the lumberjack with the shovel.

(l-r) Madison, Layla, Erin and Dannica

It's nice that the kids all have friends close by, and it gives me time throughout the day to study without having to worry about keeping anyone occupied. Although they are all in and out of our house all day long I'm still able to get a lot done. It's great.

The new sod went down in the yard today, but here's a picture of it yesterday. It was all dug up and ready to be redone. Looks nice, doesn't it? Brian spent the entire day laying the sod today, and it already looks so much better. My garden is huge, and I already have about 60 tomatoes (4 different varieties), cucumbers and corn that will be ready to be picked within days. We also have scallions, carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe, peppers, spinach, lettuce and sunflowers growing like crazy. I'll take a few pictures of the garden this weekend.

The yard with no grass-all dug up.

Just a random picture of a bottlebrush flower. I love them.

I finished up one of my summer classes last week, and have two more that will end on July 20. I'm looking forward to the 30 day break that comes after that before my FINAL semester of pre-med begins. Sean will be coming home from his summer travels the day after tomorrow, and I'm excited to see him. He left on June 1, and it seems like it's been so much longer. He had the chance to visit two places he had never visited (Denver and Los Angeles) and spend some time with grandma and grandpa in Oregon. Although I know that he's had a great time I'm ready to have all three of my babies home together again.

Sean

2011-06-27T21:40:00.002-05:00

Sean had a great time in Los Angeles with Judy. He had the chance to go to Chinatown and Hollywood, and he spent time with all of her family as well. He loved it. He is currently in the air on his flight from San Francisco to Medford to spend the next six days with my mom and dad. Then I'll finally have all three of my babies back home next Saturday!

The only recent pictures I have are of Sean with some of Judy's family at Six Flags

and one that Sean took as he was boarding his flight from San Francisco to Medford (flew Los Angeles to San Francisco prior).

Hyperforce

2011-06-24T00:04:00.002-05:00

I finally got a picture this evening of the entire Oldsmar Hyperforce team. As you can see Erin is the only girl. This is just the team from our track. There are members of the Hyperforce team all along the east coast of the United States, and Bren and Erin have been lucky to meet many of them at the national events they have attended so far this year. It is such a great team.

Milky Way cake

2011-06-23T21:44:00.004-05:00

This may very well be one of the best cakes you ever try. Especially if you love caramel and/or Milky Way bars. I'm not joking. This cake and icing have 11 Milky Way bars in them. I highly suggest you make this. Now.

The Milky Way cake recipe can be found here. Kuddos to the Pioneer Woman for this one.

The only thing that I do that isn't mentioned is to refrigerate it after you put the icing on it. It is amazing right out of the oven when it's still hot, but it is equally delicious after it's been refrigerated and firms up a bit. Try it both ways.

Erin and her cousins

2011-06-19T11:11:00.003-05:00

Erin has been counting down the days until she would be able to see her cousins in Wisconsin (her only girl cousins), and she's finally with them. They have spent the weekend out at the track in Illinois with Brian, Bren and Erin, and in between mottos Erin has had a lot of time to play. Can you tell that she's happy to finally be with them? She's been waiting since February to see them, and she couldn't be happier. I'll have more pictures of the four of them together to post as Brian sends them to me.

Still here

2011-06-16T16:18:00.002-05:00

I'm still in Jacksonville. Been here for the most part since Sunday with the exception of driving back to Tampa for class twice and then driving right back up afterwards. We've been waiting for a transfer from St. Vincent's to Baptist since Tuesday so that she can be under the supervision of her cardiologist instead of the hospitalist on staff at St. Vincent's. The pneumonia is now in both lungs (initially just the right lung) and it's documented in her chart as "worsening pneumonia". However, he WBC count is decreasing so it's rather confusing. Over everything is the assumption that her heart is likely failing again even with the pacemaker, and that is why we are trying to get to Baptist. It's frustrating. I'm at the hospital most of the time, but am running errands for her, taking care of things at her house (mail, trash, etc.) and just spending time with her, day and night. I sleep in the chair turned bed, and it's really not at all uncomfortable. I have no complaints on my behalf. Not even the 6-7 hours of driving back and forth to class on the days that I need to be there. It's worth it. She's worth it. Don't know for how much longer I'll need to be here, but I will be until she doesn't need me any more. I haven't spent this much time in Jacksonville since the boys and I moved away from here in 2001. It hasn't changed.

In Jacksonville

2011-06-12T20:35:00.001-05:00

I made the trip today. Grandma B is in the hospital with pneumonia. Keep her in your thoughts, please.

Sean in Colorado

2011-06-09T13:51:00.004-05:00

I've managed to get a few pictures from Sean and AJ. They have been in the mountains for the past five days. Sean and AJ sleep in a tent outside of the RV at night, but I'm hearing that in the early morning when it gets into the 30s they are going into the RV to get warm and finish sleeping. The two of them, with AJ's mom, went white-water rafting earlier this week, and Sean said that it was an amazing experience.

Sean and AJ in the tent.

Their tent and the campground.

Sean and AJ

He'll be there until the 22nd when he leaves for Los Angeles and then Oregon. I'm hoping to get and post more pictures before then.

Seeing some of the pictures and videos brings back a lot of memories. I spent the first eight years of my life in the same area that AJ lives, and we spent a lot of time in and around the mountains. It's so beautiful there.

Check her out!

2011-06-09T13:47:00.002-05:00

Yep, that's my mother running a 5k. Her second 5k in only a couple of months. Somehow I don't think this will be the last!

Congratulations, mom. I'm so proud of everything you have accomplished in the past 7 months.

More letters

2011-06-05T11:16:00.003-05:00

In another large yellow envelope that I just opened, addressed to Sean, are two letters and a certificate. One of the letters is from Representative Richard Corcoran of the Florida House of Representatives and the other is from the superintendent of Pasco county schools. Both are letters of congratulations to Sean for his FCAT score. Additionally, he received a Florida Scholar Award from the State of Florida.

So proud of you, Sean!

A perfect score!

2011-06-04T16:32:00.002-05:00

To say that I am proud would be an understatement.

I just received a letter (actually Sean received it, but I opened it since he isn't here) from Senator Mike Fasano congratulating Sean on achieving a perfect score on his FCAT this year!

I'm so proud of you, Sean. Like Senator Fasano said in his letter, "nothing can hold you back in school or in life"!

Midnight birthday for Mazin

2011-06-03T18:58:00.001-05:00

Mazin knows that we do midnight birthdays here. He's been here for several. So on the eve of his birthday he made sure to remind me that he would be here for his midnight birthday. He doesn't eat sweets, including cake. The only exception is a cookie cake, so that is what we bought for him. And just like we do for everyone here we had his midnight birthday just before midnight on June 1 (his birthday is June 2).

School is out

2011-06-03T18:43:00.002-05:00

The kids finished up the school year this past Wednesday, and they are already enjoying the late nights, sleeping in and playing with friends all day. Sean left Wednesday morning for Colorado. He'll be spending the next three weeks there with his good friend, Aurelia, and then he'll be flying to Los Angeles to spend five days with Judy (an extended family member whom we love dearly). From Los Angeles he'll fly to Oregon to spend a week with grandma and grandpa before finally coming back home on July 3. Then he and I are scheduled to leave for Peru on July 20!

Brian and Erin leave for Wisconsin to visit his family on June 15, and Brendan will join them on June 17. There is a National BMX race in Rockford, Illinois that weekend, and both Bren and Erin will be racing. They'll be flying with their bikes. All three of them will come home on Tuesday, June 21, and then hopefully I won't be left along any more this summer. I hate being here alone. It's not a break for me to have my kids gone. I don't like it.

This was an eventful end of school for Brendan as he finished up middle school and will be starting high school next year. So I'll have two in high school (freshman and junior) and one in 3rd grade. Erin finished up with straight A's this year, which surprised nobody that knows her. She has her gifted testing on June 14th (the day before she leaves for Wisconsin), and is ready for another school year to begin already. She is quickly progressing through the first of the Harry Potter series, and she loves it. She's already excited to move on to the second book. It's good that we kept them after Sean read them a few years ago.

I am taking three classes over this summer semester and then have three classes in the fall before graduating in December. We've made all the plans for the big celebration, and I cannot wait to celebrate with my close friends and family that have supported me throughout the past five years as I started this journey. It's exciting, and I cannot wait to find out where I'll be for medical school (hoping to stay here at USF).

More soon. I hope you are all enjoying your summer!

Daytona race weekend

2011-06-03T18:33:00.003-05:00

And I'm not referring to Nascar. Because I despise Nascar. The race in Daytona that I am talking about is the BMX state race that is being held tomorrow, and the Redline Cup qualifier that is being held there Sunday. Brian, Bren and Erin are on their way to Daytona now, and will arrive in time for practice at their track tonight. There are a lot of racers from our Oldsmar track attending, so they should dominate the race. Brian, Erin and Bren are caravaning with our neighbor Steve and his two racers, Madison and Aiden, and another neighbor, Paul, and his son, Bryce. They all race, including the dads.

I'm hoping to get pictures throughout the weekend, and if I do I'll share. They'll be leaving again on June 15 for racing in Illinois and vacation with Brian's family in Wisconsin. Bren is even flying up to race. Let me just tell you that flying with bikes is not cheap. Even when they are dismantled.

Anyway, good luck to my two racers, and to all of the racers that will be there from Oldsmar!

Nala

2011-05-30T16:14:00.001-05:00

Even with all of the places that she could sleep around the house she feels that this spot, on my camera bag, would be the most comfortable.

Friends and neighbors

2011-05-28T21:28:00.003-05:00

After Bren's graduation yesterday the kids from around the neighborhood were all out in front of our house riding their bikes. Every single one of them. Nearly half of them now race at our track (thanks to us), and they always have some sort of ramp or obstacle course setup in the street. After hours of all of us being out there together our neighbor across the street, Steve, suggested that we all ride bikes to the back of the neighborhood to have dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. So three of the dads (two of whom now race at our track, too), me and 9 of the kiddos rode through the neighborhood to go have dinner together. We are lucky to have nearly any kind of restaurant or store within bike riding distance to our house. We are even more lucky to have a few great neighbors (because some of them are NOT so great).

Part of the gang coming down our street towards me.

Brian, in the back on the left, and a few of the group up ahead. Some had already turned the corner.

(l-r) Paul, Brian, Steve (in the back in brown), Bryce (front in green), Madison, Erin, Ashley, Kaylee and Cory. The others were behind me when I took the picture. This is in front of Buffalo Wild Wings.

As a matter of fact, it is because of Steve that Sean is going to Colorado next week and Brian and Erin are going to Wisconsin in three weeks. Steve is a pilot for Southwest, and gave all three of them free flights. Of course they all would have made the trips anyway, but it was so generous of Steve to give them the vouchers so that they are traveling at no cost. He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met, and a great single dad to his two kids. Steve and both of his kids, Madison and Aiden, now ride at our track. He once told me that the thrill of being the captain of a plane is nothing like the thrill of the track. I love it.

Paul, the other dad that was with us, is probably THE nicest guy I have ever met in my life. Hands down. He's a single dad to his son, Bryce, and they spend a lot of time with us at home and at the track. We've been friends with them since we moved into our house in 2004. Paul and Bryce both race at our track now.

Anyway, we all spent the rest of the evening after dinner back out in the street, riding bikes and hanging out until well after midnight. The night ended with all of the boys sleeping at Steve's house across the street and all of the girls sleeping at our house (five of them). Such a fun time for everyone, and I'm sure that with summer having arrived there will be many more days/nights just like yesterday.

8th grade graduation/moving on ceremony

2011-05-28T21:21:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Brendan's 8th grade "Moving On" ceremony. He is now officially in high school. He really has worked hard throughout middle school, and improved in so many ways. I'm proud of him. Thanks to the alphabetical order of the event Brendan was second to be called up for his certificate. Afterwards, he and his group of biking friends, most of whom he has been friends with for the past 7 years, allowed me to take a few pictures.

Brendan in the front row, second from the right.

Bren, far right in the back, and his best friends. Chris's cast is from a bike accident (shocker).

Bren and his closest friend, Chris.

Congratulations to my sweet boy. He's going to do great in high school, and we're both looking forward to it.

Nashville

2011-05-26T14:55:00.004-05:00

While Brian, Bren and Erin were in Nashville last weekend they had the chance to visit the Parthenon. They all said that it was pretty "lame", but I still got a picture of Brendan out of the deal.

Erin came home with many souvenirs, and I'm not just talking about trophies. During her race on Saturday another one of the girls turned into Erin (trying to cut her off), causing them both to crash. She has a row of bruises from her hip to her knee, on her ankle and her wrist. However, she gets angry when someone crashes into her, and she quickly jumped up, got back on her bike and finished ahead of the girl that crashed into her. She's a tough girl, and she doesn't tolerate her competition playing rough. I love it.

Erin, second from the left in blue with her orange bike, getting ready to race.

Aside from their Thursday and Saturday races here at our track they have two days of state racing coming up on June 4-5 in Daytona and then we are off to North Carolina for another national in July. Erin has a new race bike, and Brian got serious with this one (her other was her first, somewhat of a starter bike at about $400-cheap for racing). This bike is over $2,000 in the frame and parts, and you can pick it up with two fingers. Now Brendan is totally jealous, but with a student mom he's stuck with what he has for the time being. He's blowing the competition away with what he has, so he can manage for now.

Time to get ready for race. It's always so exciting, and I never tire of watching them.

Steel drums

2011-05-24T20:30:00.002-05:00

Brendan had his last steel drum concert of the year tonight. He's done so well all year, and had chances to play the drums and the steel drums during various concerts. I love watching him, and despite his serious nature (he's been like that since he was born) he enjoys himself. The gang even did "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga on the steel drums, and as soon as I can figure out how to load it from my phone I will post it.

On the road again...

2011-05-18T17:54:00.002-05:00

...but I'm not with them. My summer school term just started Monday, so I can't miss class. Brian, Bren and Erin are leaving tonight for Nashville, Tennessee. My two babies will be competing in the Music City Nationals this weekend. They'll be driving straight through the 12 hours to get there, but thankfully another BMX racer from our track, Logan, and his dad are riding with them. Anyone that knows Brian knows that he falls asleep after driving for a few minutes, so I wouldn't have allowed this trip if it weren't for the fact that Bill is going to drive Brian's truck. Logan is also on Hyperforce (Bren and Erin's team), and they are all excited. I think the dad's may be more excited than the kids, and Bill has called Brian every day for the past week to ask if he's ready to go, excited, etc. It's so cute. Several other races from our track will be there as well, including Mazin and his family (they are actually following Brian and Bill), so we should have quite a few trophies coming back for Oldsmar BMX.

Anyway, Sean and I will be right here, studying and hanging out together. Hopefully Brian emails or texts me pictures as the race proceeds so that I can see them and share with you all, too.

Nana's party

2011-05-16T20:30:00.004-05:00

Here are a few pictures from Nana's celebration.

Sean lighting the candles on Nana's birthday cake that I made.

Nana (right) and her only living sibling, Doris (left)

Tony and Ben (our cousin) being themselves.

Ben giving Brendan paybacks for all the tickling.

Ben and his daughter, Brianna.

Victor, Erin and Ashley

2011-05-16T18:08:00.003-05:00

During the three days that we had Victor last week Ashley asked to spend the night, too. So on Friday night the three of them had a little slumber party. They all three wanted to make a big bed on the floor in the living room and watch movies on the iPad, and they all three ended up falling asleep within ten minutes of the movie starting. Victor was all cuddled up on Erin's shoulder. He really loves hanging out with Erin, and they always have a blast together.

A community welcome home

2011-05-16T17:50:00.002-05:00

A resident of our little town came home on Saturday from Afghanistan. However, he came home without both of his legs due to a roadside bomb. He and another soldier both lost their legs, and a third was killed in that accident. You can read about him here. Our little neighborhood setup all along the road in front of our neighborhood to welcome him as he drove past. He is in the limo and was waving out of the window as he drove by (you see his little brother waving on the side that Brian was shooting).

Ashley, Erin and Kaylee.

Nana is 90

2011-05-16T17:03:00.003-05:00

My Nana, the matriarch of our family and one of the strongest women I've ever known, turned 90 years old yesterday. She is my only surviving grandparent. There are so many wonderful things that I could tell you about her, but above everything else what has always stood out to me is her sense of family and her desire to keep her family together. It was my Nana and Papa who made sure that all of the cousins (me and my cousins) spent our summers together. As a result of all of those years of time spent with my cousins we are all still in contact and see each other regularly. My cousins are special people in my life and not just some distant memory that I have of childhood. My Nana has endured a lot in her life, and even at 90 she is a complete optimist. She's also the youngest 90 year old I've ever met.

So family and friends (some of whom have been family friends for all of my Nana's adult life) from around the country gathered yesterday to honor Nana. There were about 75 people in attendance, and it was such a great day to just reflect on her life and the love that she has given to all of us over the years. She's amazing.

Here's a video that was taken as we sang Happy Birthday to her. One of the things I love most about the video is that she sings it to herself right along all of us singing it to her. That's my Nana. You can't see a large majority of the people that were there, but it was an awesome turnout for a wonderful woman.

Erin and Victor

2011-05-13T11:59:00.002-05:00

Watching a movie on the iPad last night. Victor actually fell asleep watching it, and then Erin got up and went into her bed for the night. They are so cute, and such good buddies.

Booboo

2011-05-13T11:57:00.003-05:00

That's his nickname at the track. It's been my nickname for him since he was a baby, and Erin told Dave (one of the parents and the announcer for the races), and he's used it during race ever since when he's talking about Bren. At first Bren wasn't too happy about it, but it's grown on him and he actually considered putting it as his nickname on his Hyperforce jersey.

Anyway, he's doing so well with racing. He's taken first place for 12 straight races now, and he'll be advancing to expert before too much longer.

Erin and Ashley

2011-05-13T11:55:00.003-05:00

These girls love each other so much. Yesterday was Ashley's 8th birthday, so Erin was allowed to skip race and spend the evening with Ashley and her family at the bowling alley. There aren't many things that make Erin want to miss race, but she'll do anything for her BFF.

Team Hyperforce

2011-05-12T11:48:00.000-05:00

I announced last month that Erin was asked to join the Hyperforce BMX team, making her an officially sponsored rider. It's been so exciting watching her become part of the team and growing in her riding ability every day. Just last week as we were leaving the track after a race Brendan was asked to be a part of the team, too. To say that he was excited is an understatement.

So now both of my BMXers are officially sponsored by Hyperforce, and within the next couple of weeks they will be sporting the proper colors (green) on their team jerseys and helmets. They are traveling this coming week to Nashville, Tennessee to race in a national event there (Wednesday through Sunday), and we are all excited as they venture there for their first out of state event. It's the first of MANY to come. I have classes so I cannot go, but they are traveling with Brian and another member of the Hyperforce team and his dad.

Hopefully Brian will email pictures while they are away so that I can share them with you all.

Go team Hyperforce!

New family members

2011-05-12T11:32:00.000-05:00

Well, they aren't technically part of our family, but we consider them to be. Brian was cutting the dead parts of the robellini a couple of weeks ago and noticed a small nest. Inside of it are three tiny blue speckled eggs, and they are so cute. The parents were irate with Brian for being near the eggs, but he was careful not to touch the nest or the eggs and finished with the trimming as quickly as possible. Mom and dad bird are great parents and protect these little guys like crazy. We check on them frequently to see if they have hatched, and we're counting down the days to see the new little ones.

Mother's Day

2011-05-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

Although I had a lot of work to do on Mother's Day it was still a great day. Very low key and relaxing. My favorite gift was a flower pot that Erin made with a flower made by her as well. The pot has flowers painted on it, and the petals of the flowers are made from her fingerprints.

My other gift from Erin was a small book that she wrote:

Happy mother's day mommy. I love you and you are the best mom anyone could ever have. You take us and our friends places and sometimes just take us places, but that's what makes it the most special. The one thing I love the most is that you take care of me. Mom thanks for all you do and never forget I love you the purplest. You are the best and mom I'll always be right next to you being your little baby girl. And especially always be your friend.

Love, EV/Monkey

Brian took the kids and they all picked out flowers for me, too. They are all still as beautiful as the day they came home.

Happy belated Mother's Day to all of you. I hope your children made it as special for you as mine did for me.

Whew!

2011-05-04T12:44:00.004-05:00

I didn't know if I was going to get through that semester, but I did. It's over, thankfully. For the past few weeks I've had time to do nothing except study. I even pulled my first all-nighter. I didn't enjoy that.

Anyway, I have a 12 day break now, and there are several things that I need to post here to get caught up. Look for more posts in the next couple of days as I readjust to having time to get things done.

Lucky

2011-04-22T18:28:00.003-05:00

I'm so lucky to have Pam in my life. I received an unexpected package in the mail a couple of weeks ago, and in it was this and a card that made me smile and cry. I couldn't ask for a better friend, and I am the luckiest to have her in my life.

A girl and her gecko

2011-04-19T21:30:00.002-05:00

Can you tell that Erin loves her little guy? He gets a lot of attention every day, and she does a great job of taking care of him.

State races

2011-04-17T19:51:00.005-05:00

Bren and Erin had Florida state races this weekend. The first was in Middleburg on Saturday. We drove up to Grandma B's on Friday night so that we wouldn't have to get up at 4am on Saturday and so that we could combine it into a visit with her. The Middleburg race was interesting. We had never been to that track. It is right in the middle of a large horse ranch, and there were horses running all over around the track (not on the track). It was Erin's first time racing in the expert class, and she raced four expert boys. Unfortunately she didn't place, but Bren swept the qualifying rounds and the main event to take first place.

On Sunday the race was at the St. Augustine track, out in the middle of a landfill. It was a beautiful day, and Erin ended up taking third (she raced 10 and 11 year old girls) and Brendan once again swept the qualifying and main event to take first place.

I'm so proud of both of my BMXers and the hard work that they put into a sport that they are both very passionate about. Our next race is in Daytona in June. They will both be clipped in and ready to go!

Erin (second from right) at the gate with a bunch of the big guys during practice on Saturday.

Erin and pro BMXer Ashley Lynch. We see Ashley often at our home track since she rides for the Oldsmar BMX team.

Erin (second from right) up and ready to go at the gate for her first main event on Saturday (against expert boys).

Game face!

Wearing Brian's sunglasses after her first qualifying on Saturday.

Brendan out in the front of the pack.

Stupid tire got in my way!

Out in the front again, and that was the story for Bren all weekend.

Catching air over the table in St. Augustine today.

Finally home on Sunday evening.