Long weekend!

So, we made it home in one piece!

And it goes without saying that Robin was thrilled to be sprung from "puppy prison."

Alas, our camera is still non functioning.

Short of a defibrillator, Todd has seemingly exhausted all methods of resuscitation!

Friday night was low key... glad to have ended our long drive.

Saturday, we ran around some in the morning and I worked from noon til 11:30pm.

Sunday, the boys had to go to church with out me as I worked from 5:30am til 6:30 pm... Yawn.

Needless to say I was tired and my feet were killing me, all I wanted to do was veg in front of the TV and do NOTHING....

However, as I lay on the bathroom floor next to our long-haired hippie, Grady Joe, staring up at the porcelain throne...

(see, I have resorted to pulling graphics from the web)

...patiently waiting for him to puke yet again...

... poor kid, first his, you know, "accident" and now this!...

.... I realized that I was being very selfish...

Yes, I was tired, but I was thankful....

First, that I had caught, yes I said caught, the first round of his protein spill... and that Dat Dat caught the second!

But more importantly that we were there to comfort him... of course wishing desperately that he were well.

And I am thankful that Todd and I have 3 handsome, sweet and sometimes a little rowdy boys to share this life with.  Most days are fun and filled with laughter, some days are stressful, and some days are still very sad and painful, but I am thankful to have them.

By the way... Grady is all better and all the boys are looking forward to Me Me and Foe Foe arriving on  Friday, and Beeka Beeka, David and Patrick for the 4th.

Good News and Bad News!

So, first for the good news!

My PET Scan was Negative...

Which is really a Positive!

No Active Cancer Detected!!!!!

Yipee!!!!

We are having a great time in Tampa.

We have had a Birthday Party... our Special Nephew, Mason, is now 4!

We have gone to the pool where Grady and Grant are MAD MEN, going down the slide by themselves and playing with their cousins!

Todd is also doing a great job with his swimming and was so excited to have his cousin, Timmy spend the night here at Grammie and Dada's with us!

Todd and I even had a delicious lunch at Columbia...

Now, the bad news.

Grady, under the supervision of his Grandparents, was not returned to us, the way we left him when Todd and I went for my PET.

Let's just say, I cannot take a photo of the "injury," but it had something to do with the toilet seat and a particular appendage that only boys have.

Apparently there were lots of tears, ice, permission to eat lunch on the sofa...  and Uncle Cory almost passed out!

OUCH!  My poor baby!  Honestly, you would never know anything happened except for the purple bruise!

There is another reason other than he obvious that I cannot take a photo of Grady... our trusty, much loved camera has seemingly met its end.

I am devastated!

What is a blog without any photos?

We will get Dada to send some to us from the visit so we can share all the fun.

Thanks for all the prayers... so glad the lymphoma was no where to be found...

Love, The Nat

Duh!

As most of you know, we subscribe to Netflix, which we LOVE!

This week we have had some good ones... one of which was...

Todd and I were skeptical before we watched it, but is really was cute!

We loved the nods to films the other stars had been in...

Taylor Lautner's character had issues with taking off his shirt... Any one read/seen New Moon?

Especially funny was the "extra reel" over the credits when the limo driver asked Julia Roberts if she had ever been shopping on Rodeo Drive... classic Pretty Woman response... "Big Mistake"

The one we watched last night was...

I emphasize the we, because I am notorious for falling asleep during movies... even good ones...

Ask Todd about our first "official" date...

The Wedding Singer... 1/2 way through... sound asleep... didn't help that I had already been to see it but didn't have the heart to tell  him!

So, back to Invictus... interesting movie... Morgan Freeman, great, as always... not a huge Matt Damon Fan but he looked like he had really gotten into the role by bulking up with the help of some HGH!

In true form, 1/2 way through... I was sleeping... you know, running around and keeping up with the Triple Trouble will wear a Mommy out!

And, as always, Todd woke me and sent me off to bed.

And, as I do every morning after I "miss" a movie, I asked Todd what happened.

Technically, I could still put the movie back in and watch but... well, why if Todd can just tell me?

This morning I get, "Mandela was assassinated and Damon's character broke his neck."

"Yeah Right!"

Yes, that was my response...

What I am not telling you is that it took me a couple of seconds to come up with it because I was trying to remember where/when Mandela had been killed...

Yes, I know he is still alive...

Let's just say I was still half asleep...

I am also beginning to realize this was funnier when it happened this morning...

Oh, well.

Hope all the Dad's out there have a wonderful Father's Day!

Too Much and Not Enough!

Okay, so my sweet husband...

...fussed at me today!

"It has been so long since you posted anything new," he scolded.

So, here goes...

It has been very busy here!

Todd Jr is out of school, he finished on June 8.

So glad that is over.

We are hoping he will be getting into a local charter school, he is number 21 on the list.

Wish him/us luck!

We have been going to the beach as much as humanly possible...

We know you know why... as if $20 Billion is gonna fix this mess!

We have been fortunate so far... no oil, only debris from the rig has washed up on our beaches here in Panama City.

But, we aren't taking a moment for granted...

The weather here is perfect for the beach... but not much else... can you say Melting at the Playground!!!

On June 6, Grace Episcopal had our Church Picnic at Zoo World...

So, Animal Kingdom it is not... but we had lots of fun...

 Check out the boys.. they are in the stripes...

No, the blue and white stripes.... not black and white...

Though they do like to jump around like Lemurs sometimes...

The boys also got their photo taken with a wolf... I will scan it and show you later.

They even got to feed the giraffe, Sydney..

and monkeyed around a little more...

Lets see... what else...

This Saturday 6/19 we head to Tampa...

We have some running around to do on Sunday...

I have my PET Scan on Monday... YUCK!!!

and see the oncologist on Wednesday...

we are expecting only good news!

Todd Jr is in Basketball Camp and a Basketball League.

Meme and Foe Foe are coming for July 4 weekend and we are hopeful that the Drennens will travel down from Montgomery to join us.

Todd Jr also has Soccer Camp in July.

Lots going on and it really seems like not enough time...

Summer arrived and we hit the ground running... not walking, RUNNING!

I promise I will try to be better...

Please say a prayer for all the families, wildlife, and businesses along the Gulf Coast... and if you could toss one in there for my sanity when we can no longer go to the beach, I would appreciate it...

I guess this sign says more now than was originally intended...

Okay Babe, there you go....

Love you!

I was SO not ready for this....

How very convenient that Dat Dat had to go to Ft. Walton today!

You see, when Dat Dat goes to Ft. Walton (for work, NOT play) for the day, I take Todd Jr to school.

Really, it is no big deal at all, we are all up and ready to go without a problem.

But, this morning was a little different.

Usually our conversation in the car centers around what is going on with school, whether or not they have to take a nap today, how many bugs, flowers or big trucks we see along the way... and yes, all these topics were covered this morning... as well as one other.

"Mommy, where do babies... I mean, how do babies get inside you?"

My brain nearly exploded... it could have something to do with the nagging headache I have... but I digress.

Please, Please, Please... he is only 8 years old!!!!

So, after taking a moment to compose myself, I cautiously replied, "Todd, that is a great question, but it will take a little longer than our ride to school to explain, can we wait til' a little later?"

"Um, okay.  Did you know that tomorrow is Water Day?!?"

Catastrophe Averted!!! For Now!

Looks like I need to go to the library!

This was the book MeMe and Foe Foe gave me... maybe I need to give them a call and see if they still have it....

Pray for us!!!!

Memorial Day

Todd and I hope each of you had a beautiful weekend.

I worked on Saturday and Sunday, but yesterday, we hit up Publix early for some donuts and hit the beach!

Luckily, we don't have any oil yet. 

I heard on the radio Friday that it is about 60-70 miles off shore.

I keep seeing information in the newspaper about filing claims with BP.... if they ruin my planned summer... they will certainly be hearing from me!!!

Unfortunately, I forgot to take the camera to the beach, but we did have a great time.

At one point, Todd Jr and I were out in the Jetty Pool... or Jelly Pool as Grady calls it... snorkeling... I looked back at the beach to see Dat Dat waving me back into shore...

now every time we go, dozens of kids and parents have those little nets, constantly trying, in vain, to catch tiny fish and crabs... well when Todd Jr and I reach the beach, in our bucket was a rather large shrimp.

Apparently Grady had found it and was holding that in one hand and a shell in the other... only Grady.

We really had a good time... it was crowded but we were there early enough for it not to be a problem.

After the beach... we threw some shrimp on the Bar-B...

Ooooooo... it was soooo good... with corn and homemade potato salad....

All the boys gobbled it up... I think we will have to get more shrimp next time!

Check out my handsome Grill Master...

And his rosy cheeks and neck... he told me last night that he is gonna have to find himself a new woman to put sunscreen on him... yeah, right!

Again, we hope you enjoyed your weekend and Todd, The Triple Trouble and myself all sincerely thank each man and woman who is serving or has served in our armed forces as well as their families, believe me, in our family your service and sacrifice does not go unnoticed.  Thank you.