We're home and other random rambling!

We made it home safely this past Saturday night and spent the next few days trying to get caught up on everything around the house. I couldn't believe all the dirty laundry I had! It took me two days to get it all done!! It was such a wonderful vacation and we feel so blessed to have had this opportunity to relax and re-charge our batteries. We all missed the boys so much and I posted their pictures here since we had so many of the girls over the past week...equal opportunity!

The hockey season is FINALLY winding down!! Hannah has been in hockey since the middle of October...that is way too long of a season for any sport if you ask me. She should be done after next weekend. Greta's season is over soon too although she will play one more weekend in March. Then spring soccer starts for her.

I have a sweet friend in New York who adopted a beautiful Guatemalan baby this past year. Our children were actually in the same foster home for about 3 months until we brought Peter home. Mary is starting a home business and does beautiful sewing of adorable children's clothing. Please check out her site http://boutiquelovelys.blogspot.com/ .

Also, go to my socks blog and check out this month's special...free shipping on any order!

Favorite Foto Friday-LOVE

We are feeling the love in the islands! The weather is perfect and we are having a great time. BUT, like everything else, it must come to an end. We leave tomorrow so we will savor our last day here in Jamaica. Here are some photos of the loves of my life. I miss my other two sweeties very much and am anxious to see my boys again tomorrow!! Happy Valentine's Day and God bless!!!

85 and Sunny!

What a difference a day makes! Today we woke up to the weather we know and love in Jamaica! Hot and humid and the sun is back again! It's a beautiful day and we are enjoying it at the pool and beach. The kids are having a great time in the Kid's Activities with our nanny, Taydean. Rich and I are enjoying hanging out at the pool..he in the shade and me baking in the sun! Our frosty-the-snowman winter white skin is not used to this hot burning sun so we are using lots of sunscreen and taking lots of breaks from the sun! With Rich having 2 bouts with skin cancer, we don't need to take any chances with our skin!

It is so nice to get away from the stresses of everyday life and really enjoy a simpler slower pace down here in the Carribbean. I wish you could hear the lapping of the waves on the beach right outside our balcony. We are so blessed to get away and God is so good to us! I do miss my boys terribly but know that they are having fun with Grandma and Grandpa and Ricky is thrilled to be going to school, bless his studious little heart!! Peter is doing good at potty training for Grandma too. I wasn't sure if he would do it for her but he's doing good...not all the time but at least several times a day he uses the potty! If only he would start talking so he could communicate better with us when he has to go!

If you ever have an opportunity to take a vacation down here, please consider this resort: Franklyn D. Resort outside Ocho Rios. Once you pay the room rate, EVERYTHING is included and we don't pay for anything, INCLUDING our wonderful nanny who takes such good care of our children. I think this is the only resort in the Carribbean that includes your own personal nanny for just your family from 9-5 each day. If you choose to hire her for the evening so you and your spouse can eat at one of the adult-only restaurants here at the resort, the nanny is available to stay after for only $4 per hour. I didn't think I would have the kids go with the nanny as much this time (last time we were here was 6 years ago so we used them alot then) but she is so much fun for them to be around and knows all the fun things to do. They really love being with her and we are really enjoying getting to know her as we talk to her about the culture and lifestyle of Jamaicans.

Blessings to all!

Jamaica Mon!!

We arrived in Jamaica yesterday to kind of cool and windy weather! This is our 4th time on the island and we have never had anything but 85 degrees and sunny! Although it's better than the snow back home, it's still a bit disappointing to be here when it's unseasonably cool! Notice in the picture of Taylor with her tropical drink that she's wearing a fleece jacket! Today it's still on the cool side and very windy. It rains off and on too. Despite the weather, we are having a great time and we love this resort. It's our 3rd time back here. The great thing about it is that when you arrive, you are assigned to a vacation nanny for the entire stay. She watches your kids from 9-5pm every day and takes them to activities and meals if you want her to. Our nanny is Taydean and she is great with the girls. They love her! We left Peter and Ricky back home with Grandma and Grandpa but we really could have had them here. The nanny makes it so easy by helping out so much with the children. We didn't have a passport for Peter and Ricky really is a homebody and didn't want to come along. Now he's missing us though! The kids have done tie dying of teeshirts, crafts and contests/games where they won prizes. Since it's all-inclusive, we pay for nothing so we are thoroughly enjoying an unending amount of tropical drinks and awesome Jamaican cuisine! It's so nice to be able to order whatever you want knowing that it is all included in the cost of the stay here!! I would highly recommend this resort to anyone...now if the weather would just return to normal!!!

"Let the Little Children Come to Me..."

Favorite Foto Friday- MELT

This weeek the FFF theme is melting. I wish there was more melting going on in MN! We did have weather in the 30's yesterday and some snow melted but not enough to get any good pictures! Peter loved being outside after being cooped up inside for so long with the deep freeze we have been in but it's still so icy and slippery on the driveway and sidewalks. This photo is a few years old...I had to go back a ways to find a melting picture! Greta and her best buddy ask for popsycles every day in the summer and they even matched their popsycles to their swim suits!! Looking at this pictures makes me so anxious for nice warm weather again! Think Spring....

On a side note, please stop by my new SOX THAT ROCK blog and check out my socks!! Click on the button to the right of this post!

Before, During and After

Check out this FREE Magazine!

I wanted you to know about this publication I’m a part of called Serious.Life Magazine. They just published the February issue today, and I am in their Featured Blog Directory. It’s a very high quality magazine… you’ll really like it.



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