Our Storm

Our family has been in the midst of a storm. At times it has been drizzling and then some times it seems to rain a little harder. All have seemed annoying or dreary but bearable. This week we were hoping for sunshine...but weather being unpredictable as life is.. This week was an all out thunderstorm for our family. The kind of storm where the sky turns pitch black and the winds begin to blow. A storm where standing seems difficult where you possibly think you can be blown over at any moment. And if you are blown over you would ask yourself, "Can I get back up?" I have asked myself several times this week, "Is the sun going to come back out" in more literal terms...Is God really here? Or maybe better said, "Where is he?? Just as I don't understand the weather, I do not understand God's plan for my family at this moment. But after feeling the wind blow and the rain trying to strip me of all I have believed to be true my whole life...I know some things to be true...God does have a plan and that he is bigger than the storms of life. I know that despite the winds that are threatening to blow us over or are making it impossible to stand..that we will grab on to the hand of the Lord through his Word and hang on for dear life...only through him can we fight and stand in this storm.. only through him can we see a light beneath those pitch black clouds. In closing, I happened to be listening to some Christian music and a Casting Crowns song which I have heard a million times was playing...but the words were so appropriate for the week we have walked through...I have removed the other happier songs from my blog for the week so that if nothing else when I look at my blog it will remind me. The sun is not shining and it is cloudy out but one thing I know for sure....the sun will return!! Until next time...

Tri-camp

I decided to post on this topic because many of you have called to inquire "how it went?" I am sorry to not have answered some so I thought this might be a more effective way to do so. In answer, it was exhilirating, hard and overall a true to heart gut check! To sum it up, we ran track in the wee hours of the morning, continued on to bike in the hills and up Sugarloaf mountain, muscled out a weightlifting session, swam what seemed like a million laps and then worked on mental toughness. We did eat and then went to bed to rise for a simulated duathlon the next morning. I will say...the duathlon (22 mile bike...6 mile run all in hills) was where my personal gut check occurred. The first 15 miles of bike and four miles of run went great...then I hit a very big wall...muscled out the last seven of bike and went into transition thinking....I truly do not know if I can run the last two miles of hills. But I did...one step at a time! The funny thing is...as I watch my children play tennis matches on the weekend and get into 2-3 hour battles with opponents, I always tell them they can do it, to focus, one point at a time....needless to say..that is what pulled me up those hills (not wanting to be a hypocrite) but I was not loving my own words of inspiration. So I learned from that weekend that I have alot of work to do over the coming months before I compete in the 1/2 ironman (not only physically but mentally) BUT ....at the end of the day I am glad I finished everything that weekend...quitting just never feels good when you assess at the end of the day! Until next time!

Our Weekend

This weekend could not have been better. We had very few committments which was unusual but so refreshing. There is nothing I love more than a weekend at home with my family. We spent alot of time outside enjoying bikes, ripsticks, swings, cookouts and each other. On an exciting note, Preston mastered his bike with no training wheels...Pinellas Trail here we come! Developmentally it finally clicked for him! I hope you enjoy the photos...next week I hope to play with some different settings on the camera...so hopefully the photos will be great. We hope you all have a safe and great week. Until next time..

Outdoor spots in the beautiful Florida weather

Fun Friday Fieldtrip

We spent Friday in Bradenton at Desoto National Memorial. It was an absolutely beautiful day. The kids enjoyed a weapons demonstration, information on Desoto, finishing their Junior Ranger Badge, a hike and movie. IT was such a pleasant day and we learned alot of interesting information. The boys are very into weapons used throughout history so this was right up their alley. Nicholas enjoyed catching lovebugs. That was a good hour of entertainment for him. During the weapons demonstration they fired off a gun of sorts...Nicholas looked at me, looked at the gun and said, "That was cool!" It was very cute! This was another fieldtrip that we thoroughly enjoyed and learned so much! As a Florida native, I am realizing there are so many places I have not been...so it is a fun adventure for me as well!

Our Fieldtrip to Desoto National Memorial

Back in business!

Well, there are so many things I have to learn about my new camera...but at least I am beginning to function again! A friend cleared up an issue I was having so for that I am thankful. As you can see from the photos...it is all about family and the things we do. We were practicing taking some action photos of Mitchell from quite a distance. Preston decided to get in on the action when he decided to go play golf with palm branches across the club from us. I guess that is what happens when your older brother decides to draw the tennis match out to over two hours in length...you resort to nature for entertainment. He spent a good amount of time staring at the half a dozen woodpeckers that were in a nearby tree. But than it was back to action! Golf with pebbles and palm branches! But what can you say...nothing like a healthy imagination!! Well I hope to get on the posting path..I hope you all enjoy the photos and I am so excited to learn this camera and take great photos! Until next time!

Various photos from the past couple of weeks

My new camera and I are becoming friends slowly but surely

Perfect Form

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!!!