My wonderful husband surprised me on Saturday by taking me to the spa for the day.  You see, over a year ago we were given a gift certificate to a spa nearby and we have never used it.  So, saturday went something like this...

We participated in a serving opportunity with some of the young adults in our church for a few hours.  We went to a local Salvation Army Assisted Living Facility and cleaned apartments for a few of the residents.  We took Alyssa and Meredith along with us (they didn't clean, but they did bring pictures and shells that they picked up at the beach).  What a joy it was to serve them!  

As we walked out of the facility David's mom pulled up to pick up the girls and David told me we were going to the spa for the rest of the day.  We grabbed a bite to eat on the way to the spa and then enjoyed the rest of the day together.  It was such a joy!  We laid out by the pool, enjoyed the citrus water and fruit, David enjoyed the steam room and I enjoyed a massage!  We ended the evening with dinner at Maggiano's  (don't know if that is how its spelled).  They have awesome Fried Zucchini and Chopped Salad.  

We laughed a lot and decided we'd come up with a...

Top 5 things you shouldn't do at the Ritz-Carlton Spa...

5. Don't drink so much that your drunk (who wants to spend all that money to not remember it)

4. Don't swim like a whale or dolphin - splashing everyone else in the pool

3. Don't wear inappropriate bathing suits (ie.a speedo)

2. Don't bring floaties

1.  Don't do hand stands in the pool

Honestly, these are all things that we observed while we were there!

Why I live in Florida

Today was a beautiful day in Florida.  With a high of 80 degrees, beautiful blue skies.  It was a postcard worthy day.  We packed up this morning and headed to the beach - yep that's right - we went to the beach in March.  It was so much fun!  The girls loved it and besides getting sand everywhere possible they dug and dug and dug some more.  Brooklyn was afraid of the water (can't say that I blame her).  The water was on the chilly side, but that didn't stop Meredith and David from going in.  

There were sand castles built, sand fleas caught, shells collected and that warm Florida sun soaked in!

It was a joy to watch the girls enjoy the beach, laughing and skipping and chasing birds!  

Then David took us out to dinner to a place where my mom and dad would take Kristen and me when we were living in Titusville.  It's this pizza joint called Kelsey's.  They have a great greek salad.  So although we weren't in Titusville, it was a bit down memory lane today.   Cocoa Beach and Kelsey's pizza...

It makes me want to go back again on Monday, but I'm thinking this beach bum has too many "projects" to be working on around the house to have another day so soon.

Sale completed!

Well, this week is a week of resting.  Nothing planned during the day, movies, staying in the pj's is all thats on the agenda.  

Last week we had our second "Boutique for a Week" sale.  It was a huge success!  But exhausting to say the least.  I commented to David last wednesday, that I am so blessed to not have to work a full time job.  I was exhausted and it was so difficult to get all 5 of us ready to walk out the door by 9am every morning.  It gives me a way to pray for those moms I know that work outside the home during the day and then have so much more to do once they get home.  

Anyway, my mom, Kristen and I are living a dream which has become a reality!  What a blessing to be partners with two people you love so much. 

Our next sale will be in September, so we have some time to regroup and get ready for the next one! 

Sickness all around

This Tuesday started week number 3 of sickness in our family.  

First David caught a cold which turned into a sinus infection, then I caught a cold and thankfully, although it is not gone, due to some home remedies and over the counter medicine I think I'm nearing the end.  

The girls were all free from the cold, but then a stomach virus attacked. It started about 1 in the morning on Monday night. We had a break on during the day on Tuesday and through the night on Tuesday, except that Dustin came home from school throwing up. Then this morning Brooklyn had it - not throwing up, but nasty non-the-less and about 5pm tonight Alyssa started the throwing up.  So far, David and I have been spared, but I kind of expect it to hit us tonight or tomorrow.  

Tomorrow is David's 29th Birthday, so it wouldn't be all that fun of a way to celebrate him.  

I've been attached to my bottle of Purell, my can of Lysol and my Emergen-C. David and Dustin tease me that I am spraying them with it, but I haven't - only beds and couches - without any one near by and light switches and door handles and anything else little fingers can touch.

If you think about it, pray for us!  

Boutique For A Week is back!

We are busily trying to get ready for our upcoming sale.  Its right around the corner, February 22-27 in Winter Garden, FL.  

Kristen and I have been out this weekend hitting the garage sales to increase our personal sale items.  Now its time to hit the ground with printing our tags, pricing our items and getting our own stuff organized and ready to go!

Our last sale was so much fun, we are having the time of our lives. 

You want to know how you can help us out?  Tell all your friends about us... Visit our website at www.BoutiqueForAWeek.net, blog about us on your blog, join our Facebook Group called - I Shop Boutique For A Week, and view and rate our video on YouTube.

We hope to see you at our upcoming sale!

UPDATE January 2009

It's been a while...

What's new with us...

1. Some of you may not know, but back in September, David's brother Dustin moved in with us and we are loving having him here.  He is dual enrolling at the local community college and getting to spend extra time with David. David moved out when Dustin was 7 years old, so they are enjoying spending brother time together - wrestling, scaring one another, locking one another out of the house, you know - the typical brother things.  It is a joy to have him living with us!

2.  Brooklyn just turned 2 at the beginning of December.  We just moved her to a toddler bed because she was climbing out of her crib.  She is adapting well.  It has been only about a week.  She is waking up earlier than we'd like but we are sure once the newness wears off - she will be back to her normal self.

3.  I am in the midst of getting ready for another "Boutique For A Week" sale.  It will be February 22-28.  So I am working hard to get everything ready for that.  Website stuff, program things.  A bunch of things that I never thought I would have to or want to learn.  We are having so much fun! Check out our website - www.Boutiqueforaweek.net.

4.  Alyssa is almost 6 (coming in May) - learning how to spell and write, although we haven't started homeschooling yet.  

5. Meredith turned 4 (in August) and is getting so tall.  She enjoys being outside and her most recent activity is to play "PetsMart".  She loves anything and everything related to animals.

6.  David is still busy with Grace Church, preaching a lot (approx 2x per month).  You can download his messages from our Grace Church website - www.gracechurchorlando.org!  David will be 29 at the end of this month.  

So there is a brief update on us!  I have a ton of pictures from Christmas, but I got a new computer (a MAC) and can't quite figure out how to get all my pictures loaded on. 

I was Tagged...

So I took some time tonight to catch up on all my blogging friends and noticed a theme - TAGS. As I went through, I rejoiced each time I read whom they had tag and it wasn't me. Well, then I get to Praise's blog - no joke its the last one on my list with new posts and there you have it - she tagged me. Don't know how long ago it was or better yet who else is left of my blogging friends to tag, but here is my 5th picture from the 5th folder in my pictures.


This is Kristen and me trying to help our children dye Easter Eggs - reminding ourselves all the hard work will be remembered in the future :) And trying not to let the dye get on every possible item of clothing or surface that can be stained!

Oh and the people I tag are... Kristen, Dena, Linde Carmichael, Susan Wilcox and Joy Zarate. None of them have blogs, but I don't know who else to choose :)

Vacation Starts Today!

Our fall vacation officially began today at about 12:30! After church, we ran home, loaded the car and hit the road for the 6 hour drive to Niceville, FL. For those who don't know, David and I lived here for 3 1/2 years before moving to Winter Garden to be apart of the Grace Church plant. We made some dear friends while we lived here, so this vacation is in part reunion! And we are so excited.

The drive went by, okay. Anyone with three kids (5,4,2), or I guess anyone with toddlers would understand that it went OKAY. Poor Brooklyn wanted to get out of her car seat after about 1/2 an hour. We tried movies, we tried naps, we tried snacks... with only momentary success. But we did arrive safely, had dinner and put the girlies all to bed by 7:30. Its an hour earlier here (Central Time).

Vacation started for us with a movie! And after David preaching and driving 6+ hours we decided to rest up for our fun filled week.

Tomorrow, my dear friend Joy is giving birth to her 6th child (2nd Boy). So i'll be anxiously awaiting the call so that I can go see her in the hospital. We will also be able to spend some time with some of our other friends from here as well!

We are also going to be able to go to all our favorite restaurants while we are here - we have to make a list though, because we made a lot of favorites in the years that we lived here.

Here's a tidbit of our day in the form of quotes -

Meredith - she asked us tonight as we had dinner, "so mom, are we allowed to do ANYTHING we want on vacation?" - I was wise enough to see where this was leading... and quickly followed with "well, we get to do things that we don't normally get to do, but it doesn't mean that you don't have to obey". She said, "okay"!

Alyssa - she informed us, "I would like to share a room with my sister because I'd be more comfortable than if I sleep in a room by myself". Wow! A very dignified way of saying, "I want to share a room so that I won't be scared".

Brooklyn - recently learned how to "meow" like a cat or maybe it is "moo" like a cow - anyhow, the last 1/2 hour of our drive she was "meowing" or "mooing". And thought she was hysterical.

They are keeping us laughing!!

So, I'll post pictures as I'm able and update as well!

The count down has begun!!!

Well, the countdown has begun for our very first Boutique For A Week sale. All the craziness starts Sunday at 1:30pm and shopping starts Monday morning at 10am. Please pray for us (my mom,sister,and friend Gail) as we embark on this new adventure together.

It seems as though we were just sitting down to see if it could work and here we are at the brink of something...huge...we hope, but we are all trusting God and so thankful for the blessings he has lavished upon this endeavor so far.

Back to real life - Sunday, November 9th. And hopefully a cleaner home, more nutricious meals, more quality family time, more time with friends and many other things that haven't had the time they deserve.

If you live in the area, come visit us! And tell all your friends about us too!

Celebration 2008 Pictures

Celebration North Florida!!!!

Well, tomorrow starts our annual Celebration conference in High Springs, FL at Camp Kalaqua. It is always a joy to be there worshipping and fellowshipping and a feast of God's word. This years conference theme is Freedom (Romans 6). We are so eager for the conference to start. We will head there tomorrow morning and come home Sunday afternoon. We are taking Brooklyn is my sister's house tonight. We traded off this year (I kept McKenzie while they went to Celebration South Florida and she will keep Brooklyn for ours). I've been doing laundry and baking and cooking meals and doing more laundry all week long.

So we'll be back on Sunday and I'll post pictures once we are settled down again.

New Products...

So I often wonder who tests some products that come out as the latest and greatest.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you gave one of these egg shaped markers to a 22 month old?

Here is proof that 22 month olds are not mature enough to use markers. I am just glad that Crayola is at least non toxic and washable.

Alyssa and Meredith did much better, but they are 4 and 5 and still had it every where - all over the table, not to mention how paint doesn't normally absorb into a sticker, so it was just liquid in blue, red or yellow.


They sure did have a great time though! It was right into the tub after they finished painting! Some of the joys of childhood, getting dirty is no big deal, cause you just wash it right off.

I Shop Boutique For A Week, do you?

Are you ready to consign with Boutique For A Week? Ready to make 2/3 of your selling price? Registration is now open! But space is limited, so visit www.BoutiqueForAWeek.net and register today! Early shopping for consignors, volunteers, first time and pregnant moms. Have questions? Let me know!

If you are on FaceBook, join my group - "I Shop Boutique For A Week".

Have friends that you think would benefit from our consignment sale? Are you apart of a local egroup? Tell them all about our sale! You are our best form of advertisement!

I look forward to meeting you at our sale!

November 3-7, 2008
260 N Woodland Street
Winter Garden, FL

Are you an Invisible Mom?