Just a bike ride away.....

The neighborhood we are renting in and looking to buy in has a community beach. I always thought it would be cool to have a community pool, but this is even better. The following is only a bike ride away!This neighborhood is like a "Mayberry" in the middle of a city. We love it! People wave when you drive by. Neighbors come out to greet each other and we already know so many people here. Now we just need to find the right house for us. We have been searching for a while. All the houses we like, we can't afford and all the houses we can afford, we don't like. I think we are going to have to buy a cheaper house and then remodel it. The idea of that does NOT sound like fun to me as I hate decorating. I can't even imagine remodeling!! But, I think we may have to suck it up and do that. For now we are just going to enjoy all this neighborhood has to offer!!

Soccer pics

Cruise 2009

It has been hard to find the time to blog about this years cruise, so I thought I would just post some pics. Then I had a hard time narrowing down the pics. So, here are waaaaay too many pics of our cruise this year.

The first thing we did when we got on the boat was look for Katina by screaming her name in the hallway. This is a good way to find your friend when you have no idea what room they are in.

Next, take a quick pic...Then hand the map to Brett & Brandon so they can memorize the layout of the boat and then throw away the map...Next, take a self portrait. You know, because there aren't 4 other people there who could easily take your pic without your arm sticking way out....I forgot my camera the first night, so I don't have any pics...luckily I don't have any memories either. hehe The next day we were in Key West. We saw dolphins.

We kayaked. Well, mostly I sat back and took pictures...I picked up the paddle for a minute. We went snorkeling. There aren't any pics of Brandon snorkeling since the second after this pic was taken I promptly hopped out of the water and let Brandon go have fun without me. It was cold and they had rum on the boat...you understand.He saw a sting ray and a shark. Oh, and our new underwater camera worked great!My favorite part of Key West was definitely pie on a stick. That's right Key Lime Pie, dipped in chocolate, on a stick! I KNOW!!!YES...Brett sang Karaoke. And yes, that man with his hands up in the front row did jump up and high-5 him during the instrumental break. He brings the house down every time! Our table was so close to the window, and....

A Scottish rugby team who played bag pipes at dinner!!!! I love bagpipes!Freddy only ate 6 lobsters this time. He was on a diet.Fancy nightAt the end of a fun cruise...

I would share more pics, but somehow i didn't really take any in Cozumel and the dance club ones have all mysteriously been deleted :)
Once again we had a great vacation with great friends! We have already started planning for next year!

Stitches Part Duex

In all fairness it has been 14 months since we were in an emergency room, so I guess we were due. But, REALLY, son... did you have to do it 3 minutes after your brothers birthday party started? Poor little guy was just having a blast running around the house and then WHACK! He ran right into a wall. Immediate goose egg! Brandon and his parents went straight to the emergency room with Connor. Luckily our friends and family took over Brandon's usual jobs of running the BBQ and helping out with the kids.

When Connor go back all of the kids gathered around him to hear about his stitches. Here he is "holding court".

Then he put on his helmet and rode his bike. Isn't that what all kids do after stitches?

Birthday Party

For Connor's 3rd birthday we just had a family party and that was the plan for Hudson as well. However, Hudson witnessed Connor's last birthday party and let's just say he has a good memory. So, he wanted to invite some friends. We tried to keep it as small as possible as we just moved into this rental and do not really have a back yard here. So, we had some friends (& family) over and grilled and had a great time. The only bad part will be described in more detail in another blog.

No one was making Star Wars cakes, so I had to order this sugar overlay from the Internet and have Publix make a blue cake. (I really love you Hudson)

Too cute!I love Hudson's expression in this one!Present time! He got spoiled!
We told all the kids to bring their bikes & scooters and anything else on wheels!Mindy told me she was going to make Hudson a "cupcake"It was bigger than his head!

Apopka Fair

We took Hudson to the little town fair for a birthday treat. OK, so we may have gone even if it wasn't his birthday, but please don't tell him that. No time to write so I will just show you the evening in pictures. As soon as they spotted the rides they started dragging Brandon...

The biggest bounce house EVER!!Weeeee!I have a pic of Erin on this ride with the kids every year, so why make this year any different. Thank goodness she is willing to ride this so we don't have to!
They rode the roller coaster at least 5 times!Big Slide!Swings!Hi Mom

Happy Birthday Hudson!

Dear Hudson,
Happy Birthday little man! Oh wait, you hate nicknames. Sorry, Happy Birthday, Hudson! Whenever anyone calls you anything besides Hudson you look at them and say, “NO…I’m Hudson!”. You even growled at the cashier at the grocery store once for calling you sweetheart. I am having a hard time believing you are 3 years old today. It seems like just yesterday you were a little baby. OK, truth be told you were never very little. But that is truer now than ever. You are wearing the same size shirts as Connor. You are a tank. In fact, that’s what we call you. Tank Woods (we just don’t say it to your face). You are strong. So strong that when you run across a room to hug me you knock me down almost every time. You are athletic. You learned to ride your bike without training wheels this year. Last night you rode 4 miles! You want to learn how to roller blade so you can play hockey just like Connor. Oh, and you are already pretty good with a soccer ball. You are also smart. Your vocabulary stops us in our tracks sometimes. I love that I can talk to you like a child much beyond your years. Sometimes this probably makes me expect more from you than I should. But more often than not you don’t seem to mind.

You remind me so much of your Daddy. You look like him, act like him, have the same mannerisms and all of the same gross habits. Luckily you also have his ability to think for yourself. You do not follow the crowd. Though, sometimes that means you don’t follow Daddy and I either…were working on that! When Daddy and I talked about having more babies he was afraid he wouldn’t have enough time / energy / love, etc. But since the second he met you he has made more than enough of everything! You love helping your Dad do anything. If he is home you are never more than 2 steps behind him saying, “Dad, can I help you?” Luckily his rule is you can always help! I really hope you are able to remember how much time Daddy spends with you. I keep wondering when he is going to ask for “me time”, but he never does. He always has full confidence in your abilities. While most kids your age have to stay behind while their older siblings get to go have the fun, your Daddy always takes you along. You have even gone canoeing with them!

I told your brother that he won the Daddy lottery. And you, you lucky boy… you are doubly blessed. You not only have an awesome Daddy, but you have an amazing big brother as well. I pretty sure you already know that. You idolize Connor, and luckily he is a good example for you. Sometimes he tortures you, as any good big brother is supposed to do, but he really does love you. This year the 2 of you have started playing together, not just next to each other. Sometimes I hide and enjoy watching you become friends. People are constantly stopping me to tell me how cute you are. They always comment on your eyes. Everyone you meet falls in love with you. You also get this trait from your Daddy! I am already bracing myself for the day when the girls start calling! But for now, I will enjoy being the woman you love (sometimes I have to share you with Olivia, though!).

Happy Birthday Bubbalou!

I love you!

Love,
Mommy

Did you have chores when you were 4?

Were they like this? Connor had so much fun pressure washing the deck. His whole body was shot back every time he turned it on.

Hockey video

The first clip is Connor at his lesson. He is supposed to skate in between the cones and try to stay as close to them as possible & then stop on the line the coach has drawn in front of the goal. If he does a good job he gets to pretend he is a puck at the end and score a goal with his body! (He came up with that part)

The second clip is Connor practicing shooting.

The third clip I had to add in so you could see how much bigger (older) the other kids at the lesson are. But Connor never stops going after the puck!

Connor's hockey lesson and scrimmage marc

Soccer & Hockey

On Tuesday night Connor had a soccer game. It was 50 degrees out. The poor Florida kids were freezing!! Luckily team Mom, Mindy was prepared! Connor scored 2 goals and as usual had a blast! Then on Wednesday night we got Connor a private session with a skating/ hockey coach. The coach is awesome with Connor. As soon as I finish editing the video I will post some. He loves these private lessons. I am pretty sure he doesn't even know we pay for them. I think he just thinks that the coach wants to hang out with him. Coach worked on stopping and other skating skills and ended the session with shooting goals. Connor smiled the entire time!

I didn't want to spend $50 on a team jersey so I made Connor a jersey with his name on it. This way the coaches always know who he is. He loves it.Hudson calls Connor "The Black Knight". Connor hates that name.