Home finally!

Driving into Tallahssee

Our trip to Florida was sooo much FUN! Insanely long car ride with 3 kids, but still we had a blast. We drove into Tallahassee around 7:00 that night and it was really beautiful. Much greener than I expected. I guess when I think of Florida I think of a beach town really flat, with lots of sand and palm trees. But it reminded me more of Georgia or Mississippi. There were the most BEAUTIFUL live oak trees everywhere with moss. We got to the motel and Josh went across the street and got Taco Bell for us and Burger King for the kiddies. And they were quite EXCITED number 1 to just be out of the car, but also because they hardly EVER get to eat fast food and if we do I normally just buy a big thing of chicken nuggets and make them split the fries. But Daddy went all out and let them have kids meals! LOL. So they were happy campers. Isabella kept running around the room saying "Oh mama I love our new home...I love the kitchen!!" (Talking about the mini fridge and the sink next to the bathroom! LOL! Then I had to explain this was just our room for 1 night and that we would look for a 'new' house tomorrow. Anyway we all were so exhausted, we had been on the road since about 9 that morning it was good to just FINALLY be there!

We got up early the next morning to check out some apartments. The first was kind of small and not in the best area. But I didn't want to have a bad attitude so I was trying to keep an open mind even though I was pretty bummed because it was kind of dumpy. We only had two others to see. One we were planning to check out was nearly ALL students. And even though I expected a lot of them to have lots of kids living in them anyway being so close to campus I did want something where there were SOME families. The last thing I wanted was to have to listen to people parting all night and shotgunning beers off the balconies. LOL! The guy told Josh it was over 90% students images up Seminole Ridge came to mind. If you are from you are from Johnson City then you know what I'm talking about.
Anyway the next one was definitely better! Josh was iffy on even going by because it was income restricted. You can only make a certain amount annually to live there. It was REALLY nice. And they showed us a really nice 3 bedroom with 2 bathrooms AND washer and dryer hookups! It had a pool and a really big playground outside. We both felt really good about it. The last was our favorite though.
It was much more space then the other two, same thing 3 beds, 2 bath. And washer and dryer hookups. Which I desperately wanted! Because I do a TON of laundry! The one we looked at was occupied. The girl that showed us unlocked the door then immediately shut it back and smiled and said "Guys, I'm so sorry It's REALLY messy!" We told her it was no big deal because really it isn't I mean we have 3 little kids, neither of us our clean freaks. She said a guy lived there with 2 of his roommates. Anyway, man was it trashed!! LOL! Made me think of Josh's friends apartments back when we were first dating. There were beer cans and dirty clothes and plates ALL over the floor! pizza boxes, and empty bags of popcorn,and empty liquor bottles all in the kitchen and my favorite a gigantic bong as tall as Jackson in the middle of the living room. LOL. I was afraid, for the kids to touch anything. As soon as we walked into the kitchen Jackson says. "I'm hungry!" LOL Isabella said "Mommy this place is REALLY messy.. this IS a boys house!" Even with all that mess, it was really a great place and our favorite out of the 3 we checked out.We just sent in the application so hopefully we should hear something back soon!

Mexico Beach at Sunset.

After we were done house hunting we piled back in the van and drove two more hours to Mexico Beach. It was so beautiful! It was really pretty chilly that day and raining so the kids couldn't swim the first day. But we took them down to the beach anyway and they LOVED it! Especially Jack, he wasn't even two last time we went. The next day was better, it was still pretty windy, but it was warm and sunny and we were out playing in the water most of the day. I hated to leave but I know that two months will fly be and before I know it, it will be moving time!!

Here comes the sun...

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right.-- The Beatles

So much has been going on lately. It's almost too much to take in at once. My sister Anna will be moving with her Josh to Iowa by the end of this month. We are leaving early Monday for Tallahassee we are going to look at apartments Tuesday.... Then we are driving to Mexico Beach. The rates are SUPER CHEAP on this motel I found so... We are going to stay there 3 nights!! I didn't know I was gonna get a vacation out of this trip we were really just planning to go to Tallahassee to look for an apartment. From what I've read there isn't much at Mexico but that's exactly whet we wanted, just a quiet place to enjoy the beach with our family. I'm so excited! I've never even been to Tallahassee actually. I can't wait to see what Jack thinks. He was just 17 months when we went to the beach last time and that was tourist trap crappy Myrtle.

I think the stress of all the change it just wearing me out! I woke up with a migraine yesterday. I haven't had ONE in almost two months which is really good for me. Josh was really sweet about it. I fell back asleep, for two hours and he watched the kiddies. Then I woke up at 1 and still it hadn't let up! So my Mom said she would watch Bella and Jack overnight. Josh drove them over and got me some Advil Migraine which I just started taking a few months ago and so far it really helps!! It was so quiet!! It's just strange to think we will REALLY be on our own,
it's TIME. I can defiantly tell a huge difference in the kids behavior after just spending one night at my Mom's. She pretty much lets them run wild, and they know it's a free for all at Mimi's!! Bella says. "You tell Mimi not to give us candy, and then she gives us even MORE!" Which isn't exactly true but that pretty much sums it up! We are ready to be on our own and have wanted to move for SO long! I think it will really boost my confidence a lot as a Mom to have to do it all myself. If anything my Mom has been way too over involved in the kids lives and it's caused problems. Just because our parenting styles are so COMPLETELY different. And she will also undermined us in front of them which makes Josh livid. But oh well, I know in a few months I'll probably be soooo homesick! But it's time!!! I'm already looking into getting certified as a Doula once we get down there. It's something I wanted for a really long time now. Plus it will put me in touch with other mamas! All good things!!

Awesome Chicken Chili!!

I was craving some comfort food so I made a BIG batch of chicken chili! It's Josh Mom's base recipe... I tweaked it and added lots of veggies and it turned out DELICIOUS!! It's a nice change from regular chili and white based chicken chili.
Chicken Chili.
What you need....
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 large onion chopped
1 green/red bell pepper chopped
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 small can of green chilies (I left these out to keep it on the mild side for my little guys)
1 can black beans drained
1 can kidney beans drained
1 can golden corn drained
1 small can sliced olives drained.
1 12 oz. can or bottle of your favorite beer.(you could replace the beer with chicken or veggie broth but I think it makes the dish and gives it a really distinct flavor.)
cumin/ or one packet of taco seasoning.
chili powder
garlic powder or salt.
salt & pepper to taste.
tortilla chips and grated cheese to top it off!

Season chicken in cumin, garlic salt, and pepper to taste, saute in oil olive until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
Saute bell pepper and onion in oil olive over med. heat until onions are clear.
Shred chicken breast.
In a large pot combine, shredded chicken, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, beans, corn,olives, beer, 2 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp. chili powder. Salt & pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for an hour.
This is also a great slow-cooker recipe. Just dump everything in the crockpot and let it cook on LOW 8 hrs.
Serve with crushed tortilla chips and grated cheddar. YUM!!

It makes a HUGE pot, this would easily feed 10.

Graduation Day!!

Well Saturday was Josh's BIG day! Everyone came into town for his graduation. We had lunch with his Mom and mine, and his brother and best friend Derek. Check out the cute cake!


Later on we went out to dinner with Josh's Dad and my Dad and Josh's brother and Derek. It was really great to see everyone and I'm SO proud of him! He's worked so hard! We are making plans to drive down to Tallahassee early next week to try to find an apartment. I think it will really hit me and feel real once we find a place to live. We are going to take the kids and then are going to drive to Mexico Beach and stay for a couple days to make a little mini-vacation out of it. It's gonna be so much fun!! Jack hasn't seen the ocean since he was 17 months and Noah never has! Not that he will remember but I still can't wait!

Also I'm not the only one moving. We found out just yesterday Josh, (My sister's fiance) was offered and really great job in Iowa! Of all places!!They will be moving out there by the end of this month!! Lots of changes going on! I will miss Anna SO much but I know it's a really amazing opportunity for them.

What do you think?

I have always believed in the super-natural or paranormal. Spirits, ghosts whatever you want to call them. I have always enjoyed scaring myself with places being haunted. Also, I just find it fascinating. Though up until a few years ago I never experienced anything like that personally. Besides the time myself, younger sister and our next door neighbor held a séance in the garage and tried to contact someone who had just died. A few minutes into it the Christmas tree box which was clear across the room at least 20 feet away fell over from where it had been propped in the corner. We all panicked and ran screaming upstairs and my sister was so scared she peed herself, literally. But, to be fair I was only 12 at the time and had no idea what I was doing or how serious it really is. I wasn't raised in a religious home by any means and it just wasn't something that was ever talked about. I don't think it's something you should tamper with or take lightly. That same summer our very religious 70 year old baby sitter found our Ouiji Board in the closet and convinced my Mom to throw it is the trash. I really don't think kids should play with them at all. They aren't a toy. Although I think you can fake it and just get the answers you want. I believe they can potentially bring in evil spirits. I now would consider it a form of divination.

Nearly 10 years ago my Grandpa passed away. He was a really amazing person, very kind and gentle a true gentleman, and also was like my hero. My sister and I would spend whole weekends at my Grandparents house and saw them at least once every week until he was sick. He was diagnosed with throat cancer and passed away after a brave fight at the age of 79. Just days before my 15th Birthday. It was the first time I ever experienced the loss of someone close to me.

Throughout the years after his death when things would get really bad or I would be going through a difficult time or struggling with something I would talk to him, pray to him, whatever you want to call it. He was always a man of few words but was always so stoic and incredibly supportive and comforting to me when he was alive. It just seemed like the thing to do. I started noticing after doing this, he would give me little signs, that he was with me. Things of his would show up randomly, I would find little things in odd places, things that had belonged to him that I had forgotten about. Or, things he had given me would end up in odd places, right in front of my face. One time after Josh and I had been in a big fight and he ended up on the couch for the night, he woke me up early, talking about a dream he had the night before. "Your Grandpa was in it, it's like he was right here." He said. "He laughed and said when you get mad you act just like your Grandma." Josh was even able to describe his voice, which really brought me to tears. Because Josh had never met him, and also my Grandpa had a laryngectomy, which is a surgery that removes your voice box. He had it done about a year before he passed away and the only way for him to talk was to whisper or use a electrolarynx, which was a little A battery-operated device that makes a humming sound. I guess, I consider it a gift, Josh had that experience and did if only for a moment get to meet someone who was so important in my life, especially as a little girl.

I do believe in angels, people who come into our lives to guide and protect us. And I absolutely believe people we love who have passed on are still with us and can communicate with us at times.

Onto the point of all this.... I was going through some pictures of our wedding a couple months ago, just looking through for fun when I noticed one where a HUGE transparent orb of light is right above me. I showed it to Josh and he didn't think much of it. Then about a month later my Mom gave me a few pictures from the wedding I'd never seen that her husband had taken. Same EXACT shot with a cheap disposable camera and the same huge bubble like orb right over my head. I was really amazed. I also noticed another orb completing surrounding my sister in two of the wedding pictures our photographer took. I've looked at those pictures dozens of times, I was shocked I had never seen them before.

A month ago, things were not looking so good, I said "Are you still with me.. I'm sure you know what's going on. I love you, I need to know your still around." This is what I saw the next day. Look at the chair.


This was taken the same day. Look surrounding Jack at the right. The beautiful golden light and transparency is the exact same look and color of the orbs in my wedding pictures. I was also playing around with the shutter speed on my camera that day so these were taken at a really high speed.


I know it's debatable. It could just be dust, or light, or anything. There is noway to know for sure. But, I'd like to think it's him.

Ponies and Italian food.. what more could a girl want?!

MORE exciting NEWS!! Not really, I didn't realize what a boring life I led until I tried to blog about it. But here's a quick update... we went to the Exchange Place in Kingsport LAST weekended. Josh's Mom invited us. They only have it a few times a year. It's basically like a festival/craft type deal. A few old cabins with old relics.... tons of vendors selling apple butter and all kinds of yummy food and jewelry. Some local beaders were there. I scored a lovely pair of black and green earrings compliments of Joshy's Mom. best off all the kiddies got to ride horses!! Well, except Noah bug, he was sleeping through most of it in the baby-hawk. It was a first for both Bella and Jack. We were a little worried about Bella being scared once she got on.. ( She's our drama queen and cautious child) they both did fine! I got lots of cheesy pictures. Afterwords we all had dinner at Josh's favorite Italian restaurant and Jackson poured a cup of milk in his lap. All and all a fantastic time!