Don't lose Faith

Well it has been awhile since I have updated. I am actually hoping to update quite a bit of my blog over the next couple of weeks. Our schedule has shifted again so once more we are in adjustment mode. We have battled a virus as well and this seems to wipe out my motivation to do much of anything in the evenings! But on a more exciting note, John bought me a new camera for my birthday...so I have been experimenting with it. It has been a fun and frustrating experience so far. I am thinking I will read the "manual" (aka book) this weekend so that we can get properly aquainted. I took photos one day and was excited to blog them...but even the upload to the computer is different and I was not able to figure out what I was doing wrong. So I opted to walk away from the computer and head back to a trilogy I have been reading by Francine Rivers. But, do not lose faith I still love to blog and intend to pick up the pace starting this weekend. I hope everyone has been doing well and I hope to update and post soon. Until then!

Happy Birthday Scott!

Today, Scott and I celebrated our birthdays. We have done this our whole lives because they are only five days apart. This year it was different for me because of how I see my brother. In the past year my brother has exhibited more love, and strength and kindness in the walk he walks than I ever thought possible. Many times as I have viewed his life from the outside I have been angry for him, or sad for him, or at times maybe even doubting. But through it all he has shown a quiet strength that could only be given by the Lord. For this I am so thankful. I have learned so much from my brother this year. Now granted, I am really seeing these things by God's grace; however, he has used my brother to show me a true picture of what love is even in some of the most difficult times. So Happy Birthday Scott and thanks for being a wonderful example to your older sis.

Birthday time with my brother!

Celebrating our birthdays together

Please Cooperate Nicholas!!

Tonight when I told Nicholas it was time to go home and go to bed he made the cutest pouty face. BUT.. I did not have my camera in hand. So I tried to re-create the moment with camera in hand. Needless to say, it did not work. That perfect pouty face never reappeared. He seemed to sense my desperation to capture that look and that moment and he was not going to give it to me. As you see below...he gave me some looks but not the cute pouty one!!....Well maybe next time I will keep my camera in pocket and be more prepared for the unexpected!! Until next time

Trying to recapture the moment!

Another Great Field Trip!

Last Friday we went to The South Florida Museum. Sometimes I am a bit skeptical as to whether the kids can hang in there for a two hour tour. I was pleasantly surprised! The tour was fascinating because everything was from or found in Florida. It was a great fieldtrip for our Florida notebook. I learned so much!! Nicholas was overall great. It is amazing how you can grow up in an area and miss so many things!! I am loving all of the neat places we go and the cool things we see. We have several more trips planned this spring so stay tuned for future updates!!

South Florida Museum

The Best History Ever

This week we returned to our weekly History and science adventures with the Palm boys. We started out with a great one. We are studying The Greeks and their ships. The project was to make a ship out of ice cream, whipping cream and frosting. How great is that if you are a six year old boy!!! It was quite a hit. We knew we were in trouble when they started shaping their ships with their tongues instead of spoons. But overall it was great fun and a delicious snack afterwards!! Needless to say, I do not think they will forget what country those ships were from..even years from now!!! History at its best!!

Greek Ships..History this week!!

It has been awhile..

It has been awhile since posting. Life has been a little hectic getting back into routine. Added to that I fought with a humdinger of a head cold for the majority of last week. The kids fought and continue to fight with it but seem to be holding their ground a little better than me. We have been studying the abolition of the slave trade in history so the Inauguration today made our history lesson a bit more current. It is always so fun to be able to tie things together and see the questions and amazement in the kids eyes when they have a better understanding of something because of an activity we do or see. So today made for great History!

We finally visited our garden today and had quite a harvest waiting for us. The cauliflower was huge, along with brocolli, green beans and banana peppers. I am eagerly awaiting the ripening of the hundreds of grape tomatoes on our plants. They are my favorite. Of course during our absence from the garden, the weeds also went crazy. They were waiting for us as well. We were not ecstatic to see them but put them off until next week due to the frigid 50 degree temperature. Florida natives just don't do well in the 50s.

I am hoping to get back on track. I hope everyone has a great rest of the week and I hope to update again soon. Until then...

Get a Look at this Harvest from our 4H Garden

More females join the Radford's ...Venus and Serena

2008 Ornaments..The Finished Product

Christmas

Christmas has come and gone by most standards...but as much as I want to take down our tree and get the house cleaned up and back to normal...I love to sit, when everyone is asleep, and enjoy a hot mug of tea and look at the tree with the lights on. Of course the tranquility only lasts so long...until someone calls from a bedroom, or something calls from the dryer but I do love the moments that I get to savor the season and the beauty of it!!!

But looking forward...it's on to Valentines Day and that is another holiday I enjoy...

We enjoyed lots of family time this Christmas. We finally added more females to our family. Although in the form of little furry creatures...hamsters. Their names are Venus and Serena (after the tennis pros) and it was what Mitchell asked for..in fact it was his only request. The tree fort from Grandma and Grandpa is exciting and they are anticipating the day it will be finished. All in all it was a great holiday and I am just so thankful for everything that the Lord has blessed me with...those things tangible and intangible. We look forward to 2009 and pray for a safe and healthy year for all of our friends and family. Until next time...

The Most Exciting Present of the Year...A Fort Built by Grandpa

Silly Little Nicholas way past his Bedtime!!

Cousins on Christmas Eve

A Glimpse of Our Family's Christmas Eve

Oh the Traditions!!

About five years ago we started a tradition of painting ornaments at a pottery store. It is one of the kids favorites andwe were able to enjoy it this past Thursday. As always it was a pleasure and the kids painted beautiful ornaments. They are not always very traditional but I love seeing what they will come up with every year. Each year as we put up our tree we have so much fun looking at the progression in artistic skills and what the favorite colors have been from years past. Devin and I were remembering the different techniques he has tried over the years. He was quite a bit wiser as he assessed this years project and what he intended to do. OVerall it was fun time though Nicholas was not happy with his front row seat in the stroller with the seatbelt on!!

On another note, we found out this week that I was incorrect...(hard to believe!!) Nicholas did NOT knock out his tooth. This would appear to be good..however it is quite the opposite. When he fell he pushed the tooth up into his gums and severed all nerves and roots to the baby tooth. The good news is the adult tooth is OK so far. The dentist has advised us that another fall on his face could be detrimental to the adult tooth as well. Currently we are in a holding pattern waiting for the nerves and roots to die...then some oral surgery will be required to "fix" the situation. But we still remain thankful for his excellent health and his silly yet beautiful smile!!

We wish everyone a wonderful and Christ filled holiday this week. We pray for safety for all of our friends and loved ones and look forward to a great 2009 with each of you!!!

One of our Christmas Traditions

Sunday

Well, Sunday was my first 1/2 marathon. (13.2 miles) The day started early..4:45AM. I was a little bit apprehensive because I had been sick all week and still had a bit of a cold. I decided to run it anyway. It was not my easiest run ever..oxegen getting to my lungs became an issue about mile 9. But..I finished had an OK time..but am already planning on running another 1/2 marathon March 1st to see how fast I can do it when I am not sick!!! When I finished the race I had 45 minutes to get the boys to a roller skating party. We skated 90% of the time. It was so fun to be on skates again and to see the boys try it for the first time. It took alot of bicep to keep Preston upright but he started to get the hang of it about 1/2 way through. Needless to say..my tired legs were very tired after the party!!! As with every choice we make there is a consequence...well, by Sunday night my cold was about 10 times worse than in the morning so I was in bed by 7:00. But Monday is a better day..We had lots of fun last week and the weekend was filled with a few "firsts"...so until next time....

Skating Party

Hydroponic Strawberry Picking

Super Saturday

After our fun fieldtrip Friday we headed out to Parrish on Saturday for a train ride with Santa. It turned out to be a good time most of it attributed to our friends The Witseys. We have not been able to see them as much as we would like so this weekend was a real treat. The kids had fun visiting and the train ride was not a thrill seeker but memorable anyway. Nicholas thought the train whistle was funny and the sudden start and stop entertaining.

Then the day got even better...on a moments notice I decided to take the kids to a hydroponic farm about 20 minutes from Parrish. We traveled there and picked about 5 pounds of strawberries. We had never been to a hydroponic farm so it was very interesting. You don't really pick strawberries...you cut them off with scissors. That was new and exciting! Nicholas ate strawberries all the way home!!

The Polar Express

Yet another great fieldtrip

Friday we went to another great fieldtrip. Big Cat Rescue was amazing. Not only did we get to see about every big cat you can imagine but they were so CLOSE. Needless to say, we learned so much! We are actually doing an animal study this year and this was a chapter in our book. It was very cool to see these animals we had studied plus learn alot of additional facts.

Big Cat Rescue

Daring Nicholas

First off I will say that Nicholas hardly ever has two feet on the ground. He is a fanatical climber!! That being said, a year ago almost to date, Nicholas was standing on a chair, took a dive face first into our wood floor and took a chunk out of his two front teeth. I have a vivid memory of this for a few different reasons...my dad and I then spent a couple of hours at the ER and ended up leaving unseen. (There was too many sick people arriving and we were beginning to fear that Nicholas would get the flu on top of it all) Nicholas was acting fine, drinking fluids and no longer bleeding. Instead I took him to the Dr at 7:30 the next morning for an overall checkup. That morning as we sat in the Drs office I was supposed to be running my first half marathon...which I missed.

Fast Forward a year....I am running the 1/2 marathon this Sunday...Nicholas fell off a chair Tuesday night and managed to take the rest of his tooth out. There is just a sliver left. I guess this will be his "look" for the next approximately 4 years. At least he has an adorable face to compensate for the awkward dental scenario we have going on. I guess it was selfishly better timing...I can still run the race on Sunday....So have a look at his less than toothy grin pictured below....We are just thankful this was the extent of the damage....until next time!!!

Almost toothless!!