Snow ball or Wiffle Ball?

So what is your guess?

 My oldest, who feels/felt awful by the way, NAILED me in a week where it was Sunny and 60 degrees on a Monday and 30 degrees by Wednesday with snow.

Ahh... life with boys.  This is a first.  Not my first broken nose - just my first big injury from my kids.

I preceded to have a nasty scab, 2 blackish eyes- you can see them starting, and an oddly swollen nose that STILL hurts.

Answer- Wiffle ball, on a sunny Monday I was tossing a felt covered wiffle ball to Gabe and he CRACKED it perfect and it  popped me right in the nose.  Today- it is still sore and has a wierd chip of bone loose or poking up that you can see from one side of my profile. 

Up side- I have some AMAZING baseball athletes in my home!!!

Sun and Water in January = Florida Beaches

This trip was the best trip Corey and I have ever been on, EVER!!  We loved the weather, the fun, activites, the company.  Our kids are great ages - everything was magical, mesmerizing, yet they could walk and didn't need naps.  They are such well behaved little lads, and it make it fun to take them places.  It was so fun and these truly have to be the BEST YEARS OF OUR LITTLE LIVES.

 The beach- Cocoa Beach. 

We adored playing in the sand,

 building in the sand,

 watching and recording new birds (oh wait- just my dad did that!!!)

 boogie boarding,

 being WARM and in the SUN (IN JANUARY!!!!!!!!!!!)

and being in an ocean that doesn't completely FREEZE you out.  Yes, playing in the ocean and even swimming in it is WONDERFUL!

DISNEY : Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom FLORIDA

**Let's Go Kids- It will be fun.  We PROMISE!!!!**

 We were waiting for this day.  A day to try Animal Kingdom, since this was the only Disney Theme Park that we hadn't been to previously, AND OH!!!  It was AWESOME!  Disney is good at what they do.  Animal Kingdom was amazing.

 The kids could barely contained themselves!  Rides and Mickey - OH MY!

 Plus, we were able to see Rolando and Martha, and they hooked us up.  SWEETLY - like with free tickets for all SIX of us, and Martha gave us a walking tour and we visited on the SAFARI ride.  Have you ever met people that you REALLY, REALLY love and wish they were your neighbors.  They are those people.  We love to see them every trip to Florida.  The nicest people ever.  We even conned them into coming to dinner later because we REALLY enjoy them.

 Here is the SAFARI ride.  I HIGHLY recommend it!

 These animals roam around this HUGE Savannah - Giraffes and termite mounds.

 Elephants and the beby Elie.

 The rhino that was charging, then stopped short and began to innocently munch grass.

 The tree of life.  So huge, so cool, impressively gigantic....

 Gabe's first BIG ride - Mt. Kilamanjaro.  Hells Bells - That was a CRAZY, SCREAMING ride.  The 3 of us LOVED it, and my Dad waited with the twinnies.  Bless him!

 Now, our FREE 6 tickets were park hoppers and free parking and free strollers to boot.  Off to the Magic Kingdom- and off to stay until the fireworks.  Kinda worn out, but we are going full steam anyways and the babes were TROOPERS!

 Magic Kingdom here comes the Cowarts - And Larry!

 We adored the plays - Lion King and Nemo were incredible.  But even these are amazing...  Disney I love you.

 Favorite 2 rides at Magic Kingdom - The log ride (SPLASH MT.) which we did 3 times back to back, allowing all 3 munchkins a turn in the front.

 And the Buzz Lightyear shooting ride.  So fun- so freaking fun!

 Now it was dark, the castle glowing.  Fireworks stunning us with their glorious lightshow, but we continued on the rides to the last second.

 Here are Grant and Grandpa.  My dad is so great!  I was and am blessed!

Here we are, happy-tired and closing down the place.  What about you?  Anyone else enamored with Disney like us.  GOLLY we had the best day...  I am dreaming of going to Florida again.  The boys want to return everyday (still) and Corey just said, "I wish we could go next year."  I guess I need to get serious about my Florida savings jar again.

SEA WORLD SPLASH

 Oh My Gosh!!  We LOVE SeaWorld.  It is so great.  The shows are AMAZING, the experience incredible, kids WOWed, place immaculate, gift shops super reasonable, and well the animals interact with you.

 For $7/per person you get a tray of fish to feed/pet the dolphins.  It is fantastic!

 We eat snacks and/or lunch during the shows.

and afterwards are recharged from the rest and food to GO-GO-GO some more!!

Plus after the show you can "interact" with the whales while they are still swimming around.  As in, go and wave good-bye at them.  Can you guess what happens?

Should I send these 3 videos to America's Funniest Videos?

Poor Gavin is crying.  It was UN*BELIEVABLE!!!  They all were bought new Shamu shirts after that!

Lincoln City, OREGON Beach with Family!

 So, freebies don't come my way very often, but my sweet in-laws treated the family (their kids) to a long weekend at the beach.  And OH MY GOSH, was it a treat.  We were right on the beach and the views were stunning!

 Here is the sunset from the upstairs room!

 Yeah, I know AWESOME!!!

 We all sat and enjoyed those sunsets, here is Gavin (with a bear, and leapster, and headphones!)

 Yup, every night!

 We also did some puzzles (some easier than others!)

 Had some stories read from the I-PAD,

 We did a RIDICULIUSLY hard puzzle (that we left to torture some other unsuspecting family),

 Played some Hide-And-Seek,

 Waited our turn to hold sweet, little, baby Leo,

Played on the beach in the sand and weird sea foam,

 Made the stairs into a crazy game,

 GO!!!!!!!!!

Sat in boxes to just be weird,

 Were weirded out by the fact that it SNOWED at the beach!!!  What the Heck!!!

See our pretty beach house!!!

 Then took some hot baths to warm up,

 and thoroughly enjoyed the company of family!  Ahhh... it was so fun!

 We also had a little fun with mustaches, why- because my mother in law is a HOOT!

 Look at those funny little boys!

 Ahhh.... Leo  :)

All in all we had a stellar time.  It couldn't have gone better.  We played, laughed, shopped, and visited.  Thank you so much John and Sandy.  Family is so important and you two are the best!  I am so glad that we can all be together, and ENJOY the precious memories made!