Dinner at our house

Its a jungle out there

Look what was lurking in our backyard today! That is a bobcat! Neither Rob nor I have ever seen a real live one before. We are lucky Aliya wasn't outside she loves the stuffed (taxidermied) bobcat at Nana's. I am sure she would have run right up to it pointing saying "whoo whoo!"

Lowery Park Zoo and Florida Aquarium

Watching Monkeys

DragonGirl

Penguin Tank

Mommy loves me

Petting Zoo

In the zoo or at the zoo?

Kasuko- Looks like Spritey

Watching fish at Florida Aquarium

Machi!

Whats that?

We have had a mighty busy labor day weekend. Friday- Haze in concert, Saturday- Sean Birthday, Sunday- Zoo, Monday- Florida Aquarium and Ikea and we had a puppy for a few days!
Lucky us its Swap-tember! Since we are Mosi members we can us our membership this month to visit these other locations for free! And with admission to both being $20 a person, this was a fantastic fun for free! I never knew how beautiful Zebra were until I saw one a foot away at the zoo. Breathtaking. Ali loved the monkeys swinging around and the petting zoo. The aquarium was awesome. Ali really got into it and was even chasing fish in the big aquarium plus they had a huge outdoor water area. she played and played. Below is a video of her going down the slide which she wanted to do over and over again and a video of a minute in the life of Ali. She went from playing in water to going through someones bag, dancing and making her way to the water slide again!

Dada

It was a word lost in time. One of Alis first to utter but then it went away. Occasionally we heard her say 'Dada' and then it disappeared as fast as it arrived. She replaced it with 'Bob', 'Rob' and 'Bapa' all of which Rob accepted but he longed to hear those 2 syllables again, Da-da. Well today the fateful day arrived. As if something clicked in the little mind of hers and all we heard all morning was Dada Dada Dada. She sat upright on the bed facing us in between us and pointed to me and said "Mama" then she pointed to Rob and said "Dada" and finally to Maddi and said "Whoo whoo". She must have repeated it a hundred times today and each time Robs face lit up. What a wonderful present to give your Dada little girl, I am so proud of you.

from 5 generations to 4

Maa died today. That's all there is to say really. She was old and lived a long life. We were once a family that spanned 5 generations but today that legacy ended. I feel okay, I guess. I am not sure what to feel. She was old, 92. She was ready to pass and said so herself. So it was like an answer to her prayers and for that I am happy. I think I am more sad for the people here who are left to grieve. My grandmother in particular. She lost her mom, that I can not understand. How can a person survive on this earth without their mom. I need mine like I need air. My great grandmother had a hard life but she was wise and strong and lucid until the end. She was a young widow left with a small child, my grandmother, and she remarried into a hard life. 13 kids when it was all said and done, immigration to new foreign lands, and a life with much sorrow but she made it through and worked hard. She was so smart and pulled her large family with her overwhelming strength of courage and sharp mind. She married off all her children and made sure they were all doing well, she left no one behind. And I sit here with her great-great granddaughter, Aliya, and beem with pride at the legacy she has left behind.
Cinkly maa my brother called her from her multitude of hard earned wrinkles.
Crinkly maa, I am sorry I didn't see you in the end. I will remember you always. Thank you for the prayers and love. I know you prayed for me and my family daily and for that I will always be indebted to you. I wish your life had been easier but your sacrifice has helped to place our family where it is today. I know your soul is at peace and has become one with God. I am thankful you have left us to be in a place of peace. I will pray for you, though you need not my prayers.

Puppy

Found a cute sweet little puppy, he was so lovable and loving with his little licks. Such a great dog, he loved Ali and Ava and Corbin. We had him for 2 days and then found his owner, a little girl who named him bunny. So glad he is reunited with his family. We will miss him.

Happy Birthday Sean!

Ava and Ali

Ali thought Ava was the coolest! She just stared at her with admiration and wanted to do everything Ava did. We are so lucky to live next door to such a great kid for Ali to look up to!

Earth Baby

August pics of Ali

The making of a magnolia tree

happiness is

a charged cell phone
a nice cashier
lunch with Rob and Ali
a dip in our pool
dinner with mom and dad around the table
lounging around with rob on couch watching TV
sleeping in
crystal lite pitcher in refrigerator
empty washer and dryer
big sales
free shipping
being able to park car in garage
cuddling with aliya in bed every morning
her sweet caressing on my arm
flying kisses
magnolia trees
organized drawers
clean soft sheets

Diarrhea of the mouth

I don’t know why I have this condition and it frustrates me to no end. why oh why did I say that? It is a complete misrepresentation of what I wanted you to know. I either say something out of context and it sounds terrible, not at all what I meant. Or I say too much, things that are no ones business and yet I blurt them out as if its tattooed on my forehead and common knowledge for everyone. Or I say things that don’t represent the subject well, again not my intention! So frustrating. And the worst part is I stew on it for days till it eats me up and I want to hide in a hole. I actually had a grotesque image of my skin coming apart at the mouth and I swallowed my self inside out then zipped my self closed at the mouth, just to hide myself and zip my mouth shut (kind of like the itchy and scratchy show skits on Simpson’s). And you know that once it is out there no amount of back peddling can fix it. seriously so FRUSTRATING.

Our musical genius

Ali and I hangin on couch

Noatable morning

7:23 Ali wakes up and I bring her into our bed for cuddle time and milk
7:30 Diaper leaks, wet mess in bed
7:35 Head to bath #1 with Ali
7:55 Get out of bath and Ali pees on floor next to her potty
7:56 Rinse her off,  bath #2
8:00 Ali and I both clean, get Ali dressed in cute white outfit, I'm still in towel
8:02 Get Maddi breakfast
8:04 Ali comes to me with a mouthful of dog food she stole from Maddi's bowl and then throws up
8:05 Head to clean up Ali, bath #3, I'm still in towel
8:15 Ali clean and I head to closet to get dressed
8:16 Hear Ali start to cry in hall
8:17 Hear Ali really start to cry, head to see what up and meet her in bedroom she looks fine so I go finish getting dressed
8:20 Come out of closet and notice Maddi has peed in hall way, huge puddle
8:21 Notice little wet foot prints all over floor from where Ali stepped in pee and walked around, thus the cry
8:22 Notice Alis outfit is no longer white but yellow from where she slipped in pee puddle, thus the big cry
8:23 Head to bath #4

Catching up, as always!

The boys taking Ali for ride

Debs Birthday at home. Ali with Nana and Great Grandma Myrl

Aunt Dee Dee and Ali in pool

Raspberry Elegance, Family Favorite!

Covered in Cake

Aunt Dee dee is so fun!

The Chapmans

Becca, Harvey and Alastair over for fun in sun!

Handsome Rob

In Ruskin for Dinner at Nanas

Ali playing with her favorite toy at Nana's and Olive oil bottle!

Ms. Kitty

Very Handsome Rob

At home with the Noe's!

My favorite face in the world!