More Fun with Maddie

Prince Landon & Princess Maddie
Doggie Door!
Mommy's Little Helper

Landon was so patient all week waiting to go to Maddie's house on Saturday. (At times, not so patiently.) Every morning he would say "Mommy, I want to go to Maddie's house." Saturday finally arrived and it was all that Landon hoped it would be. We ventured to Maddie's house and got to swim and eat great food (Thanks David!) I always enjoy getting together with my old friends, Missy and Heather. And Landon loves Maddie! They played a ring toss game and declared each other "prince" and "princess" on the big float. As you can see from the photo that is one COOL float! Landon also enjoyed his point of entry to Missy's house, the doggie door. Everywhere we go that has a doggie door, Landon has to try it out. Part little boy, part puppy dog! And he was sweet enough to help Mommy make cupcakes when we got home. Mommy's little helper! Thanks again for another great weekend and we are anxiously waiting for next Saturday!

Turtle Terror

Those of you who know me, know that I love turtles! Well, Landon and I almost witnessed a killin' yesterday in our own backyard. You can imagine my horror when I realized that my dogs, Lily and Lucy, had found a little box turtle and decided to use it as a chew toy. Luckily I was able to save the little fella but he does have some battle scars, as you can see from the photos. I was happy to see that Landon was as concerned as I was for the turtle. :-) We put him in the front yard and he slowly crawled to safety. It was touch and go there for a little while but we are happy to report that the turtle pulled through!!!

Itty Bitty Swimming Pool

I was cleaning out some of the things in Landon's playroom yesterday (you can hardly walk in there for all the toys!) and Landon spotted a blow-up pool that I must have purchased when he was a baby. We aren't lucky enough to have a big pool of our own in the backyard, and at times I'm not sure I want one. However, we never have trouble finding a pool as most of our friends have them and so graciously allow us access anytime we please. So, he begged me to blow up the itty bitty swimming pool and of course, I did it. He really enjoyed it, especially since it was still 84 degrees at 4:00 in the afternoon. He is taking swimming lessons at day care and he loves to show me and Gi Gi how he can float on his back, kick and blow bubbles! So, enjoy the pics!

32nd Birthday Bliss!

Lauren and I - Girls' Night Out!
Aimee and I -Birthday Brownie!

WOW!!! I feel so loved! Yes, today is my 32nd birthday and it seems like the older I get the less I look forward to my birthday. However, this birthday has been absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes from everyone. I have received so many phone calls, cards, e-mails and visits wishing me a Happy Birthday! I'm overwhelmed by how much my friends and family care.
My birthday celebration started on Saturday with a girls night out with my good friend Lauren. She treated me to great Mexican food and then we saw a great "girlfriends" movie. It was wonderful and I'm looking forward to our next girls night out. Of course, we missed Cathy but in some ways she was there too.

Sunday I went to one of my good friend Tiffany's daughter's 10th birthday party. Nothing like a kids birthday party to make you feel young again and I even got serenaded myself. (Landon also enjoyed himself!)

Today I was bombarded with "Happy Birthdays" starting at work. Numerous phone calls, e-mails and gifts, oh my! My best friend, Holley called me frst thing this morning all the way from Minnesota. I even got a gift all the way from Honduras from Cathy & Ken. Cathy knows me so well... she got me a turtle made of solid pewter and the shell is made of Lanca which is only found in Central/Latin America. It is beautfiul and I love it! Then my good friend Aimee surprised me at work with a brownie cake complete with candles! Mmmm Mmmm good! (By the way, if you ever need a pet sitter Aimee is awesome. Visit her web site at http://www.aimeesanimalmagnetism.com/.)

And I get to continue the celebration this weekend at my dear friend Missy's house with a BBQ! I can't wait!

So, THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for making me feel special on my birthday. I am so lucky to be surrounded by true friends who care so much. I love you all so much!

****UPDATE****: More gifts.... My friend Michele gave me a gift card to my favorite store - Target! And a couple of my friends at work also got me a gift card to another one of my favorites - Starbucks! (Thanks fellas!) To top it all off, Landon got me a very sweet birthday card (Thanks Greg). And he told me over and over "Happy Birthday Mommy!" It just doesn't get any better than that!

Top 10 Reasons.....

I just had to share this.... a friend of mine sent this to me because he knew it would make my day! THANK YOU AND IT DID!

Top Ten Reasons to Date a Single Mom:
1. You already know they're strong because they have to handle the responsibilities of single parenthood.
2. There is nothing like a mother. She is a woman that is responsible and focused on life. She knows what she wants out of life and will not sacrifice the happiness of her child for just any man. So, if she decides to date you, feel lucky.
3. Single moms know what they are looking for and are independent. Any man or woman can appreciate dating someone who has confidence in themselves. Face it, great moms are sexy!
4. A single mom isn't just filling time dating - she's had to make a choice to do something for herself while fulfilling the full-time responsibility of being a mom. For a man seeking a real and lasting relationship, this is ideal.
5. They appreciate quality not quantity of time. It isn't always an option to see someone everyday, so making sure the time together is of value is important.
6. Single moms are more open to long-term relationships. For single dads that are also looking for a romantic relationship, it is ideal to date someone with the same end goals.
7. They're done being a "party girl" and tend to be more selective and thoughtful in their approach to dating. With single moms, we know our romantic relationship is valued and not just part of a series of meaningless dates or something that stems from the fear of being alone.
8. You get to see how they relate to their children and how they relate to people they love. And for single dads looking for their own "play date," this also provides insight on how she might interact with your kids and her attitude about important life issues.
9. Single moms enjoy their time out more and can appreciate a simpler evening of just spending time together. People with a fun, positive attitude and outlook are always more fun to date.
10. They realize what it costs to raise a family - and don't require flashy dates. They are impressed more by substance than a big price tag both in dating and in life.
Extra bonus reason: They make great Mac-n-Cheese!

That's what friends are for!

I had lunch with my friend Lauren today and I really enjoyed it! Lauren and I are both avid "bloggers" and we both have very good reasons for being so... kids! Lauren has a beautiful baby girl named Kate. You have to see how truly adorable she is so please visit Lauren's blog and see for yourself.

Anyway, there normally would have been three of us eating lunch at Okinawa's.... Cathy would have been there is she wasn't in Honduras. The three of us have become quite close over the past 5 years. Our friendships began at work and have truly blossomed. Cathy will be welcoming a new little one in November also. I am grateful to have both of them. Here are some photos of the three of us! Love to you both and I'm looking forward to seeing the Sex & The City Movie Lauren!

Growing up.... so fast!

Brand New Baby Boy Still Fairly New
One Year Old
One Year Old
3 Years Old

A photo look back at Landon through the first 3 years (a much condensed one). It's true what they say... time sure does FLY when you're having fun! Landon is 3 years old and it seem like just yesterday I was holding him for the very first time. He isn't a baby or a toddler anymore, he is a little boy (an absolutely adorable one at that!). He has a great personality and is becoming more and more independent everyday. He is moving a to yet another, more advanced, room at day care because of his increasing development. Moving to a new room is difficult because Landon becomes so attached to his teachers and friends. (Luckily most of his friends will move in time and the new room has a class guinea pig!) He is also taking swimming lessons everyday at day care and he loves it! He tells me all about blowing bubbles and floating on his back all by himself. So, my advice to all Mommy's and Daddy's out there.... don't wish it away and take LOTS of pictures and give and get hugs and kisses whenever you can.

Fun Photos

Some photos from last week!

Remembering Orlando

I'm back again from yet another out of town trip. This time I had to travel to Orlando. I hate leaving Landon but I really need the time away and I enjoy seeing my friends and fellow Crime Stoppers. And each time I come home and get Landon it does my heart good to see how happy he is to see me and that he missed me!
Being in Orlando brings back a lot of memories. Everywhere you look there are Mickey Mouses and Shamus. I love Disney World! I love everthing about it (except the long lines). Even before I had Landon I tried to visit Disney World as often as possible. And now that I have Landon we will probably make an annual trip if I can afford it. His first trip was last November and he loved it, especially Sea World. We are looking forward to his second trip this fall with Aunt Miche! I hope you enjoy the photos from our last Disney trip!

To Infinity & Beyond.....

Landon has been watching a lot of the Disney movie "Toy Story" lately and he really likes Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger. He especially likes it when Buzz says "To Infinity & Beyond" before he takes flight. Here is a clip of him flying on his slip-n-slide like his hero (however there was a bit of a crash landing!) ADORABLE!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Slip Slidin' Fun

More fun in the sun! Landon tried out his new "Cars" slip-n-slide yesterday (so did Mommy but thank goodness there aren't any photos of that!) As with everything else that involves water, he loved it!

Pool Time with Maddie and Friends

Maddie & Landon- Best of Friends


Tuckered out

It is already that time again... sunshine and summertime. Landon absolutely loves it because that means pool time, and especially pool time with his friend Maddie. It also meant some much needed girlfriend time for Mommy and her dear old friends, Missy and Heather (and their adorable little ones Maddie, Abilgail and Parker). Missy, Heather and I were inseperable as kids and teens and it appears that our kids are following right along in our footsteps which thrills us all. So Saturday was a great time at Maddie's Gi Gi's pool. Landon also realized for the very first time that he could stand up and walk around in the shallow end without Mommy. He loved it! (Imagine that, he loved his independence). To top it all off, we had Krystal's for lunch (thanks Mrs. Holt) which is one of Mommy's favorites. It was so much fun and we are looking forward to more of the same all summer long!