The Boyles

ryan: 6 months

2011-10-11T21:42:00.000-04:00

Tonight, as I was rocking Ryan in her nursery, she reached up and curled her chubby little fingers into the underside of my pony tail pulling me closer to her. Although she was nearly asleep, it was as if she wanted to stay just like that forever. I couldn't help but squint my eyes closed to stop the tears from flowing. It is these quiet moments that get to me and make me feel more loved than I ever have in my life. Not only by this amazing little girl, but even more loved by my Heavenly Father for giving me this unimaginable gift. Let me clarify - I never felt unloved as a child. In fact, I was beyond blessed to come from a family full of love, but somehow, parenthood makes things all look and feel a little different. As my mom has put it, now I get it. Everyday I see His love for me a little more clearly because of what I feel for my daughter.

She is laughing now, which brings an entirely new level of joy to our lives. We literally are those parents who just sit around and try to do whatever crazy antic will send her into a fit of giggles. Because hearing those giggles are so worth it. Her dad is much better at this than I am - which is frustrating and adorable at the same time. I love to see them together. I told him tonight that it truly makes me fall in love with him ten times over when I see what a good father he is to her. We are lucky girls to have him in our lives.

We just celebrated her 6 month "birthday" and she is pretty much sitting up by herself. We have to place her in that position, but she can hold it on her own for a little while. She is not interested in crawling in the slightest. She wants to stand and walk. She rolls and flips and just wiggles like crazy - no place is safe anymore. She has to be buckled into every contraption we own, definitely no walking away from the changing table and we are about to be forced into baby taping the fireplace to avoid any busted body parts. She is quite the adventurous eater and hasn't turned her nose up to anything. Some of her regular meals include squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, rice cereal, bananas, mangos, pears, etc. She loves them all and gets so excited for mealtime. She loves animals and the animals are doing so well at tolerating her. We are constantly coaxing her to "be gentle" but her idea of gentle is quite different than ours and usually involves a mouthful of fur. We have graduated to a high chair when we go out to eat and she is actually really fun to have at the table with us and has been very well behaved.

Each time she does something new, I claim, "this is my favorite age." But I really do think this is my favorite. She has developed such a little personality. She lights up when she sees us (a mutual feeling, I'm quite sure) and has the most expressive face of any child I have seen. Her eyebrows tell it all. Although our sleeping is still leaving much to be desired (sleep, that is), I wouldn't trade these days for anything in the world.

Looking back

2011-08-06T08:49:00.000-04:00

No rhyme or reason to this post...but realizing how long it has been since I have updated and am going through my old pictures to show what we have been up to! Time surely gets away when you have a little one but I am vowing to be better at documenting these precious times. We are having a blast!

Pretty in Pink

2011-05-12T00:32:00.000-04:00

I have been jonesing for the Britax carseat for quite some time now and diapers.com is having a sale so I finally bit the bullet and can't wait for it to arrive! Had a difficult time deciding between this one and the cowmooflage, which is a bit more gender neutral. However, because this one will go up to 70 lbs, it is likely that little Ryan will still be in it when/if we decide to have another little peanut.

New Parent Moment # 1

2011-05-11T00:07:00.000-04:00

Ryan and I ventured to Publix today for the first time. Jeff has been hard at work on wood floors in our bedroom and we desperately needed some probiotic drops our pediatrician recommended because it turns out we get to deal with colic! Anyhow - one of us had to go pick up the drops and since he was knee deep in boards and sawdust, Ryan and I braved the aisles for the first time. She was just wonderful, slept the whole time and even let me get some real grocery shopping done. I had propped her infant carrier in the grocery cart and was pleasantly surprised at how well it fit...almost like it was made to do that.

After we finished in the store, we headed out to the car, which was in a prime parking spot, and started to unload our goods. I started the car and lastly went to lift the infant carrier into the car but couldn't get it off the grocery cart. I tried and tried to lift but it was stuck. It seems the front wire of the cart that fit so perfectly into the groove on the bottom of the seat, now, wouldn't let me remove my child from the cart! How embarrassing. While I struggled to manipulate the carrier from one side and the other, cars were patiently waiting for my prized parking spot. I moved the cart closer to the front of the car so I wasn't fully on display to determine my next mode of attack on the cart. Meanwhile, little Ryan is sound asleep in the carrier.

I could slide it a few inches from left to right but could not, for the life of me, get the seat to lift off the cart. I ran into a friend while we were in the store, a mother of two - so I grabbed my phone and called her to see if she was still in the store or even better, on her way out. Surely she would have faced this at some point raising two babies already. No answer.

In one final attempt, I pulled the lever that releases the carrier from the base in the car and the seat lifted right out. Seems these seats are indeed made for those carts and click in just as if they were in the car. Who knew?!I imagine the next few months are going to be full of these realizations and discoveries.

Never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century.

-Dame Edna Everage

1 Month In

2011-05-06T13:15:00.001-04:00

We have survived our first month as parents! It has been a crazy ride already and we are loving every second. Well, some seconds are hard but more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. Miss Ryan is growing like a weed and will sadly be out of her newborn clothes/diapers in no time! So hard to believe considering she was a premie just four weeks ago.

enjoying the first bath

new Easter baskets for our little family

Big Sis Kylee checked out the goods

being such a good sport putting up with Daddy's antics

being such a good sport putting up with Mommy playing dress up - was ready to get out of the first Easter dress

the Boyles

looking might tiny in Uncle Bryce's arms

Nana and Papa came to town for my first boat ride

Ryan moved from our room into her nursery at exactly 1 month and while we still are having some issues figuring out days/nights - she is doing great.

1 month old!

Surprise Delivery!

2011-04-06T17:13:00.001-04:00

April 5 brought quite a surprise to us and a month early! After debating for a few hours on whether or not I was feeling real contractions, we decided it is better to be safe than sorry, so we headed to the hospital.

After getting checked in around 2:30 am - the nurse found that I was 2-3 cm dilated and thinning. Our doctor gave them orders to monitor us for another hour or so to see how I progressed. The contractions were registering on the machine at about 3 minutes apart. Since our doctor would be making rounds early that morning, he said to stay put until he could come by to evaluate us. Over the next few hours, the contractions became more intense and before we saw the doctor - the nurse checked one more time for progress.

Much to our surprise, I was fully dilated, ready to push and too late for an epidural! Not at all how our "birth plan" was supposed to go. God certainly has a sense of humor. I was terrified. Jeff was an amazing coach and kept me focused as we waited for the doctor. When he (finally) arrived, I pushed one good time and she was out! What a blessing. Words just can't describe the whole experience but we are so in love and can't wait for this next chapter of our lives.

The Male Pregnancy Brain

2011-03-31T17:43:00.000-04:00

We have often joked over the past few weeks that spouses experience the symptoms of pregnancy every bit as much as the mommy to be and my hubby is proving this theory correct more and more as D-Day approaches!

We have been scurrying to get things in order at home before this baby comes - 33 days but who is counting? Only rational people would tear up all their floors and start installing new ones themselves a month before due date, right? Well, it seemed like a good idea at the beginning and all in all, it is coming together beautifully. I will get around to pictures this weekend.

J finished the formal living/dining all by himself and had his friend, Adam, help with the kitchen/breakfast nook. This room has needed some TLC since we moved in and found it in a state of peptobismol pink countertops, laminate everything and floral linoleum flooring. Slowly, we have started the most cost efficient updates because our ultimate goal is to tear it all out in a few years and start from scratch. We quickly replaced the pink countertops with granite, had the cabinets painted and now have new floors!

One of the projects J wanted to tackle was putting up beadboard in the breakfast nook. It already had a chair rail of sorts (if you could call it that - not quite as decorative as one would like) so really it was just replacing what was already there. This nook leads into our laundry room which can be a bit noisy if the washer/dryer are going while we are eating. Thankfully, there is a pocket door leading into this room so it is easily shut off and we can't hear a thing. Until recently.

The door started sticking just a few weeks ago and neither of us could get it to budge. We looked under the door to see if something was wedged underneath but just couldn't figure out why it was sticking. Last night, after being frustrated that it still wouldn't close - I said I was going to call the family handy man to come look at it over the weekend. J went to examine the door again and burst out laughing. After several minutes of refusing to reveal his faux pas, he finally showed me what was wrong.

In all his infinite construction wisdom, (love you, Honey), he used long nails to nail up the bead board and nailed right into the pocket door...nailing it open! So down came the new baseboards, chair rail and bead board in order to pry the nails from the door. Luckily, we had not caulked and painted everything yet -- looks like we will be adding some touch up paint to that door, as well.

You can see old flooring in laundry room and the nice new floors, baseboards, chair rail and bead board

Down with everything and investigating to make sure all the nails are out

Refusing to look at me and getting mad that I would take pictures of this moment, he'll thank me one day

Nursery Redo: a work in progress!

2011-03-10T10:58:00.001-05:00

Goodbye blue shag carpet!

Leaving our mark

Carpet Angels

Better Late than Never

2011-03-10T10:24:00.001-05:00

Christmas Round 2. How pathetic that it is 3 months later and I am finally getting around to downloading the rest of our Christmas pictures from my camera! Jeff's parents came up for a visit a few days after Christmas and we went to ICE at the Gaylord Palms. It was such a treat for us Florida folks!

My Hero for the Day

2011-01-09T12:49:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks have introduced me to the joys of how difficult it is to sleep comfortably while pregnant. I have always been a stomach sleeper which just proves impossible at this stage in the game, laying on my back causes pain in my lower back (probably a combination of pregnancy + horseback riding injury from 2004). So, when I do find myself achieving a few uninterrupted hours of sleep - I am thankful.

Which is why at 6 am this morning (after already being awakened at 4am and 5am) when I heard the strange noise of what seemed like a faucet running, I was not a happy camper. Even less happy to find Addie, the black lab mix, at the foot of our bed vomiting all over the carpet. Ugh. Just how desperate am I for a few hours of shut eye? Desperate enough that I convinced myself it didn't need to be cleaned up right that moment. After all, we are planning on ripping these carpets out this month anyway and it couldn't be that bad, right? So, I rolled over and got 2 more hours.

Fast forward to 8:30am when I finally got my happy behind out of bed and realized what was waiting for me. Disgusting. Not only was it 5 times worse than what I envisioned at 6am, but an oddly dark color. I'll spare the details, the purpose of this post is the little machine that saved the day and has on more than one occassion.

This thing rocks. I have used the self cleaning mode many times but today I used the handheld brush to tackle the grossness and it worked like a charm. I use the "Pet Stain & Odor" cleaning formula and some warm water and have gotten great results. I couldn't help but think how handy this sucker is going to be when the baby gets here. I'm sure there will be some challenging stains in the years to come but after seeing what she did today, I have no doubt, she'll be able to handle them.

Snow!

2010-12-26T12:53:00.002-05:00

Sorry it's sideways - turn your head. :)

Christmas Round 1

2010-12-26T12:20:00.002-05:00

What a blessing the past few days have been - time off work and with family. It doesn't get much better than that! Jeff and I had a few days together this week to get last minute shopping and chores done, which doesn't happen very often. We played our part as Santa's elves and ran all around Ocala Thursday afternoon. We met dear friends, Cameron & Katie McCoun, near I-75 for a pit stop on their holiday travels from Atlanta to St Pete. I will take any excuse to see these girls!

I had a fantastic visit with another McCoun lady, Molly, on Christmas eve day in our PJs. What would I do without that family?! We had lots to catch up on since we haven't seen each other in months. These special visits with friends absolutely make the holidays for me. While I am loving life in Ocala, it is somewhat bitter sweet having to say goodbye to these loves of my life! Oh what I would give to have these girls (and several others) living in the same city!

Jeff has had to work all weekend. A first for us on Christmas and I am not a fan! He made it home in time for church with my family on Christmas Eve and got to open some of his presents since he wouldn't be there Christmas morning.

tired boys before church, after a long day of work.

always waiting for everyone else to be ready.

Christmas morning at home, just like the old days. Electra even dressed up for the occassion.

Christmas ornaments made by my Nana, my mom's mother. I finally got my own set!

A glance at our tree after Santa's visit but before Kylee got here.

Christmas Round 2 will start tomorrow with a trip to Orlando to see Jeff's parents but K and I are enjoying a relaxing day at home while we wait for Jeff to finish off his weekend of working! We even got a snow flurry for a few minutes!

trying to get pictures of the flakes

flakes on Addie's back

A Perfect Sunday

2010-12-05T22:16:00.001-05:00

This weekend was supposed to be spent in Atlanta - but because of how sick I continue to be and some ahem behavior issues on Kylee's part, we stayed home. I was disappointed to not see my Atlanta friends but today was something I needed more than I even knew.

We woke up and ate a nice breakfast in our formal dining room, on our fiine china and used our crystal just because.

We went to church and felt overwhelmly welcomed after not having been in a few months. The service was fantastic and I found myself wiping tears from my face on several separate occasions. I am so thankful for a church family that He uses to bring me to those moments.

We went out to eat after church and it just happened to be Kids Eat Free, which is always an added bonus and when pulling out of the restaurant, I saw a familiar face of a friend that no longer lives in Ocala. It looked an awful lot like my friend Taylor's husband. They moved to Crystal River years ago so I doubted it was actually him, but I made a phone call, just in case. Taylor and I have lost touch over the years but it only takes a few moments to pick up right where we left off and she will always be one of those my life would never have been the same without you type of friends. I was so happy to find out they were actually in town for a child's birthday party so we met up in a parking lot so I could get a peek at her newborn baby. She has such a precious family now, it is just so hard to believe all that has changed in the past 5 years!

We had a nice Sunday afternoon nap before getting some Christmas shopping done - only this time it was for a good cause. We had Kylee help us pick out some gifts for an event at church giving to needy families and wrapped up our weekend with an impromptu dinner with my mom and some of her crazy girlfriends. A perfect Sunday, indeed.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2010-12-04T09:27:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to me! My gift to myself that I have been saving for all year arrived two days ago. A Canon Rebel T2i - a fancy camera that I have no idea how to use yet. However, I am determined to learn and think it will be perfect for documenting our growing family and it includes HD video so it eliminates the need for another video camera. I think that will be a total plus when I realize how much baby gear we are going to be lugging around.

So here are some of my test pictures from the past few days....

Changes

2010-12-01T18:44:00.001-05:00

As many of our FB friends have already come to learn, there are some major changes brewing at the Boyles house. It has been just seven months since we made the move back to our home town and right down the street from my parents. We always knew this would be our end goal when it came time to start a family. Little did we know that would be happening so soon!

The first few months have certainly not been a walk in the park – but the recent news of our baby GIRL makes it all worthwhile. Here are some of the latest pics from the ultrasound and a link to the full thing for those who ~~have way too much time~~ are really interested.

Profile

waving at the camera

girl parts - any parents agree/disagree?!

Full Length Ultrasound (10 mins)

2010 Christmas Card

2010-12-01T08:28:00.001-05:00

Elegant Cranberry Damask Christmas Card

Make a statement with custom Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

A Florida Winter

2010-11-26T07:50:00.000-05:00

While many of us complain about the lack of seasons in Florida, especially during the Holidays, here are some of the perks of being able to be on the boat year round. We loaded up and went down the Silver River a few weekends ago - so relaxing!

Thank-full

2010-11-25T21:10:00.000-05:00

That pretty much sums up how the Boyles clan is feeling right now. Full of fantastic food and thankful for a wonderful day with family and all the crazy changes that are coming our way....more on that in a bit. We rallied the troops today and donned our Christmas garb to snap a few Christmas card photos in the Florida heat. Have no fear, we dressed as if it were a chilly December day and ignored the 85 degree temps around us - at least for a bit until we all changed into shorts to enjoy the rest of our day.

I love sending out Christmas cards every year and love even more to receive them! It is by far one of my favorite things about the holidays. I have been checking out the Shutterfly web site for a few weeks and will be placing my order soon! Any favorites of other bloggers?

My other secret obsession about this time of year is getting to buy a new calendar - there is just something about all that empty space that I love to start filling in. I'm aware of how much of a dork this makes me but I just can't help but smile.

Christmas Photo Cards

Calendars

General Holiday Cards

We hope you and yours enjoyed a Thank-full Thanksgiving Day like we did. Good night!

We Apologize for the Delay

2010-05-31T10:17:00.001-04:00

I realize it has been quite some time since a real update but I promise, there has been good reason (and if you are on facebook, you probably already know it.) There has been much going on in the Boyles household(s) these days – here is a little bit of what we have been up to.

Gville Visitors

We had a visit from one of our favorite Atlantans to the Ville, which called for a night on the town. We had a great dinner at dragonfly and lots to catch up on! I will certainly miss being in Gainesville for these visits but more on than later…

Kylee’s Horse Show

Kylee had a horseshow and she did fantastic! Its a small show outside Ocala and a perfect one for beginner riders to amp up on their confidence – which is exactly what she did, even beating some adults in her classes!

Zip sleeping while Kylee picks his hooves.

A proud Kylee and all her ribbons. Zip was ecstatic too – can’t you tell?

Atlanta

I drove up to Atlanta for a weekend with my favorite set of sisters. I adore these girls and must have my McCoun fix every few months. I honestly don’t know what I would do without them!

1st Annual Salt Springs Poker Run

We gathered with nearly 10 other boats to travel through Lake George and up the St Johns for a bar-hopping Poker Run. Now, I don’t know how to play poker and I certainly didn’t win – but I did have a blast!

A little paybacks on the way back to the boat ramp.

Booger. Lil Bit. Batty. Tux

I found this little guy wandering a busy highway in Lake Butler while I was finishing up work one day. I stopped to see if I could find his owner but no one knew where he came from. So, I reluctantly texted to Jeff to let him know there might be a new addition at the house when he got home that evening. Lil Bit is still with us and still looking for a forever home. If you know anyone in the market for a great little friend, he is the one!

LASTLY – but certainly not least. We Moved! We found a house in my hometown of Ocala (about 40 minutes from where we currently live) and both fell in love. It is just a few minutes from my parents’ house, in the neighborhood/school zones that I wanted, and has lots of backyard space that Jeff required. It needs some work but nothing that we can’t handle and don’t enjoy doing anyway! So, we look forward to updating with lots of home improvement projects. I finished one yesterday but forgot to take before pictures!

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Sweet Summer Time

2010-04-23T08:07:00.000-04:00

Nothing quite beats a fresh cup of coffee on the dock - still water, cool air, a sunrise painted across the lake and a good talk with God. My soul is restored.

Things are not always this calm and quiet here though. Last night, we had our first bear sighting! I am thrilled, ecstatic and in awe of that amazing creature. There have been a lot of people around the lake that have had screens, porches, refrigerators, etc damaged by the bears but we have yet to see them - until we were getting in bed last night! Our lab-mix, Addie, turns crazy when we come to the lake because all she wants to do is be outside. She was running around like a maniac from window to window and we were trying to ignore her but then all of a sudden her 'tone of bark' changed. She sounded ferocious. I flipped on all the outside lights and we each ran to different ends of the house to see what was causing the commotion.

Outside the front bedroom, facing the lake is a deck with a large picnic table and the grill - and right past the picnic table, on all fours, was the giant black fur ball. A-dor-a-ble. All black with a tan nose, just curiously pawing around. Unfortunately, my first instinct was to bang on the window and I scared him away (he didn't seem all that scared though, just leisurely strolled off into the darkness.) I am still kicking myself for doing that because I really would have loved to just watch him for a bit. But I guess we don't want to make our porch a regular stopping point for him either.

My animal count since last night has been: 1 bear, 1 otter, 1 hawk and 2 whooping cranes. This is my happy place.

However, I must return to the real world for a few hours. The upside is: It's Friday!

IMG00011.jpg

2010-03-19T22:14:00.000-04:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Nanny & GrandDad's 60th Anniversary

2010-03-19T22:08:00.000-04:00

I am so sad to be missing this party but am cracking up at the pictures that are being sent to me. What a sweet couple and such a fun family!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Happy St Pattys Day!

2010-03-17T18:22:00.000-04:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Eggin’ for Easter

2010-03-01T08:42:00.001-05:00

I’ve been on a serious spring time kick. Bought a fun new Easter wreath yesterday and am ready to have the house filled with these beauties.

Will these cold snaps ever go away?!

Happy Monday all.

The Road to Recovery

2010-02-27T23:19:00.001-05:00

We are now just over a week out from J’s shoulder surgery and things are much better! The first few days were oh.so.rough. but he was such a trooper. He really is an easy patient and I feel bad knowing that is not the case when I’m the one in pain or suffering!

Naturally, the school talent show fell on the day following the surgery. He bit the bullet, downed some pain meds and made it through the first half to see Kylee perform We’re All In It Together from High School Musical with some of her classmates. Being that they have to wear uniforms every day, the opportunity to choose her outfit was very exciting for Kylee and a much debated topic during the days leading up to the big performance.

Nana and Papa Boyles came up to visit and help take care of the patient over the weekend. I think most will agree that when you don’t feel well, there isn’t anything quite like Mama’s cooking. We were so happy to have them there to spoil us for a bit!

We had a follow up appointment on Friday, they removed the stitches and made arrangements for physical therapy so hopefully he will be able to start using that arm again in the next few weeks. Until then, he is living it up on the couch and taking full advantage of his new video games.

Having so much time to flip through my magazines has given me the inspiration to tackle our dining room, as it is one of the only rooms in our house that has remained untouched. I finally decided on a paint color after 5 different sample cans. Artichoke is the winner and a beautiful green-grey color. Here is what is left on the to do/buy list

Big round mirror
Chandelier
China Cabinet
Fabric to recover the beautiful needlepoint chairs that our cat is ruining (to be saved until our house is more antique-friendly)

So if you are out and about and see any of the above that you fall in love with – let me know!

Other things that are passing our time right now:

instant streaming Netflix
scary movies (The Haunting in Connecticut, Paranormal Activity)
Skype (if you are on there, add me! we are obsessed)

The Patient

2010-02-20T10:34:00.002-05:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

He has been such a trooper! Day 3 and things are looking up!

Happy Valentines’ Day

2010-02-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

After a quiet afternoon at home with Kylee, we took her to spend some time with her grandmother who is visiting from Colorado and we were able to enjoy this feast!

We splurged earlier in the week on some technology we needed (a new laptop) and a piece that Jeff has been lusting after for several months now (play station 3). With his shoulder surgery looming, the PS3 will provide some entertainment while he is stuck at home recovering. By the way, does anyone else have the instant netflix feature?! It is pretty amazing and we are definitely going to get our dollar’s worth!

Breckenridge 2010

2010-02-09T22:14:00.000-05:00

We had been anxiously awaiting our ski trip to Breckenridge for months and it fully lived up to all our expectations. Luckily, we are on similar levels when it comes to our snowboarding skills (or lack of) so being able to stay together makes these trips even moore fun. We went with some friends who were a bit more advanced than us, so most days we let them go ahead so that we could go at our own pace.

We had some great days of boarding, plenty of humorous moments, and a couple of noteworthy wipeouts. All in all, a trip full of fantastic memories. We went into it knowing this may very well be one of the last vacations of this kind for quiter a while before so we made the most of it and leave it to Jeff to go out with a bang! On Thursday of our trip, Jeff and I had an awesome day on the mountain, came down for a happy hour cocktail and Jeff talked me into "one last run." One wipeout, ER visit, Ortho appt, and MRI later - Jeff will be having surgery next Wednesday to fix his shoulder! Never a dull moment!

Christmas Catch Up

2010-02-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

A few shots from Christmas time...

Horsing Around

2010-02-09T21:43:00.003-05:00

Well, once again it has been quite a while since any substantial updates so prepare yourself for plethora of photos. This year Kylee has fallen in love with horses and has been practicing for months in preparation for her first horseshows. This one was in Williston and she competed in Western Pleasure and Western Horsemanship. The horse, Zip, has quickly become one of her favorites.

Monday

2010-01-19T11:43:00.000-05:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

IMG00130w.jpg

2010-01-19T11:39:00.001-05:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Blue Skies in Breck

2010-01-16T19:03:00.000-05:00

Well, we have almost arrived and will be enjoying an entire week of snowboarding in a winter wonderland. It is only fitting that if one must endure freezing temps, there be snow. Since that wasn't the case for us Florida, we have ventured west. Hopefully the recent weather will have prepared us a bit for the bitter cold!

I hope to have some better pics soon to update with.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Puppy Love

2009-12-01T20:26:00.000-05:00

Jeff having a moment with the new dog, Honey. Still needs a home for anyone who might be interested!!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Best Buds

2009-11-11T20:26:00.000-05:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Katie's Recipe Swap

2009-11-09T17:01:00.004-05:00

A friend posted a request for a recipe swap and I saw such yummy things here that I couldn't help but post a few of my own staples. Would love to hear what yours are!

Dorito Chicken
*courtesy of Debbie Fabian: I can't claim it for my own but it has become famous among my friends as well!

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4.5 oz can of chopped green chiles
10 oz cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 bag cheesy doritos (don't worry, you wont the use the whole bag)
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Boil chicken until done. Mix soup, sour cream, drained chiles and seasoning mix in large bowl. Dice chicken and put in lightly greased 9x13 glass pan. Pour soup mixture over chicken and add cheese. Bake 20-25 mins at 350. While baking, crush doritos in a ziploc bag to add on top. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until chips are golden brown.

Rosalyn Carter Cheese Ring

Another classic which some of you may be receiving in a month or so!

1 lbs sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup mayo
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
fresh ground pepper
dash cayenne pepper

Combine above ingredients and work into the shape of a ring. Put Strawberry Preserves in the center of the ring and serve with whole grain crackers and a cute Christmas spreader.

Fast Friends.

2009-11-03T15:46:00.000-05:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Fall Back

2009-11-01T08:24:00.001-05:00

What a gift this time change is! I feel so productive when I get up early on the weekends. Even more of a treat was the fact that I woke up thinking it was Monday. It was a nice little surprise to realize I didn’t have to get ready for work. So, here I sit with pumpkin spice coffee in hand, back doors open, allowing a cool morning breeze to freshen up my life.

Today is a shopping day so I have already made my lists, checked the Sunday newspaper ads and even clipped coupons! That is a new thing for me but I was inspired by a clip on Good Morning America this week – did anyone else see the superwoman who feeds a family of 6 on just a few cents a week?! Her trip to the grocery store totaled $278 but after coupons went down to 11 cents! Talk about a Recessionista inspiration!

It has been sometime since I have done a major catch up so here are some highlights…

September revolved around back to school, Kylee’s birthday and I’m sure some Gator games thrown in for good measure. Her luau birthday party was a success and her big gift item was the Nintendo DS which is now permanently attached to her. She participated in her first horseshow and is obsessed with all things horses – I can’t imagine who planted that seed.

We spent nearly two months between the lakehouse and Gainesville but the effort just wasn’t helping to show our house so we packed up and headed back home. I think spending time away really made us appreciate our home because it has been SO good to be back. It was time to sit back and relinquish the grip I had taken on the whole situation and being at peace with that decision has taken a huge load off my shoulders. Our house will sell when the time is right and we’ll find one in Ocala if that is where we are meant to be. My lesson of the month was to realize that He is in control and that is a good thing.

October celebrated our 2nd anniversary and was filled with chaotic work trips. My company acquired another which means lots of changes, therefore lots of meetings. I spent a good portion of the month in meetings which honestly was a much needed break out of the field. Another celebration taking place during October was Molly’s Bachelorette Bash – we headed north to NYC for a crazy weekend with a great group of girls. It was so much fun and the B2B was such a good sport when it came to our crazy bachelorette related activities.

November is looking to be just as crazy as the rest. Jeff is leaving tomorrow for a week long hunting trip in upstate New York and I leave Wednesday for a training trip in White Plains, NY and a weekend in the city with an old friend.

Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before we know it – where has 2009 gone?!

I'm officially a creepy dog lady

2009-10-28T21:15:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Boyles furry friend # 4 - another stray hound dog that plopped herself right in our path. I must have a magnet somewhere in my house or heart that just attracts them. This one is looking for a loving forever home - please let me know if you know anyone who is interested?!!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Where it all began

2009-10-18T22:15:00.000-04:00

We went back to golden ocala for our anniversary dinner on Saturday evening. Stopping at the downstairs bar was a "must" since the Gator game was so close and those are the only TVs in the place!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Daddy/Daughter Rifle Range

2009-09-07T08:25:00.000-04:00

Jeff and my Dad have been trying to get me to learn how to shoot forever now and since I recently sent off for my concealed weapons permit, I have realized it is probably a good idea to at least know how to use the guns we have in our house. Kylee was with us and did great - she even shot one of the bigger guns that I was afraid to shoot! It was a lot of fun - looking forward to doing it again soon.

Go Gators!

2009-09-05T20:24:00.000-04:00

First home game of the season...
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Dining in the Dark

2009-09-03T17:30:00.002-04:00

The dining in the dark experience Kylee asked for. I ended up having a dinner program for work so it was a Daddy/Daughter Date in the Dark. He did pretty good, I must say - even made cheese grits!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Lake Living

2009-09-01T18:34:00.000-04:00

We had a quite an evening, my animals and I. The drive from the lake every morning has really been getting to Jeff so he took a night off and stayed in Gainesville while I traveled back to the lake for a quiet night with our puppies and cat – or so I thought.

About every hour, Addie would run from window to window growling at something outside. Needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep for worrying about whatever creature/person was lurking outside the windows. Finally, at 5:45, I had enough and decided to I had waited long enough to let the dogs out. I turned on all the outside flood lights to alert creatures that we were stirring and about to come outside. I let the dogs onto the front screened porch and they immediately bolted to the screen door leading to the outside deck. Suddenly, there was a hissing/screeching sound and a rumble of animals flying everywhere. Addie hauled tail back towards the house while Kerr crashed through the screen door in an effort to get away from whatever that horrible thing was. Thus, leaving me in the dark on the porch wondering if the animal was in fact inside or outside! Quite a scare for 5:45 am!

Turns out, I left a box of cheese-its on the porch that were apparently too tasty a treat to turn up. So, I’m guessing either a raccoon or opossum found his way in for a free meal. The box had the teeth marks in it and I found the interior plastic bag out in the yard.

Welcome to the lake.

Cocktails By Candlelight

2009-08-29T16:49:00.002-04:00

Shrimp cocktail that is.

For about 3 nights straight - that is the request we have gotten from Kylee. "A dinner of shrimp cocktail while we close all the blinds, make it as dark as possible and light candles."

Where does this child get these ideas?!

Tonight is the night, after a day of fun in the sun - I will be heading to the grocery store (Salt Springs Grocery to be exact- should put a smile on the faces of those who are truly familiar with the area) in search of edible shrimp.

Bon Appetite!

suitcase living

2009-08-23T09:50:00.009-04:00

This pretty much sums up my life over the past few days and probably the way we will be living for the next few weeks - but we certainly aren't complaining.

Jeff and I made the decision to make the move back to Ocala where we both were raised and knew we would eventually end up. This move is taking place a little sooner than we anticipated but with the economy and housing prices like they are, we just can't pass up getting a good deal on a place we will call home for so many years. However, selling a house in this economy is no easy task and we still own ours in Gainesville.

We have had our house on the market for about 3 weeks and quickly realized what a pain showing a house is with 3 animals and 2 working individuals. Everytime someone has wanted to make an appointment, the house is inevitably a wreck and one of us has to try to get home to put the dogs outside (where I'm sure they are barking and lunging at the door while the poor, unsuspecting buyer is touring the house). So - we have transported our little family out to Lake Kerr in hopes of making our house easier to show/sell. It is quite a drive for poor Jeff and will result in some long days for me too - but we are so lucky to have this option and such generous parents to allow us to come crash!

It has been a little tricky trying to figure out how to cover all the bases - i.e. at what point on the road do I forward incoming calls on my cell phone to the lake house since there is NO reception out there? We finally broke down and had cable/internet installed. Gone are the days of total seclusion in Salt Springs! We still have mixed feelings on this one - but it is allowing me to sit and blog while staring out at the calm water so I'm going to say this is a positive!

So - if you are in the area and need a day at the lake...come on down! I am counting on this living arrangement increasing my chances of seeing the bears everyone talks about. We did see a coyote last night which was exciting!

On a totally different note - Kylee starts 3rd Grade tomorrow which just absolutely blows my mind. She asked me yesterday to tell her stories about when she was a baby and it brought on a mental slideshow of various events since Jeff and I started dating when she was 1 year old - crazy!

MoJo Wedding Extravaganza

2009-08-11T20:46:00.000-04:00

This weekend I traveled with a group of girls from college to Mackinac Island, MI to celebrate the nuptials of our dear friends, Morgan and Joe. It was such an amazing place and every aspect of the wedding exuded Morgan's timeless elegance and class. Mo and Joe met at Florida where Morgan was a Tri-Delta and Joe was an ATO. Over the years our two groups of friends have shared countless crazy memories and remained friends so this wedding was an absolute blast and our pictures certainly reflect it!
Morgan's unbelievably beautiful mother battled cancer during our last years of college and as Mr. Kowal would put it, "had an appointment with God" a few months before the wedding. She was involved in every detail before she passed and we all know she was thrilled with how it turned out. Morgan wore her mother's PROM dress at the rehearsal dinner. Can you tell the woman had style?!

Some of my truly favorite girls in the whole world.

Morgan and her wonderful Maid of Honor (which I happen to claim, as well)

B2B and her Groom

2009-08-11T20:38:00.000-04:00

We call him NickleBag

Brother of the Bride belting some tunes with the band

The Teicherts

The Grand Hotel

2009-08-11T20:32:00.000-04:00

The Grand Porch

There are no cars on the island, only horse drawn carriages and bicycles!

Beer and Bowl with the Taylors

2009-08-11T20:10:00.001-04:00

My Score! Audrey = Winner

IMG00018.jpg

2009-07-26T22:04:00.001-04:00

Our fat cat.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Steinhatchee heaven

2009-07-16T18:18:00.001-04:00

Remembering a Friend

2009-06-12T10:35:00.004-04:00

Coming off such a fun weekend celebrating with great friends, we received some devastating news. It seems news like this is coming more and more often these days to a group of kids who have faced more than most do in a lifetime. A dear friend, Nic Shaw, passed away on Sunday. Nic was a part of our family growing up, spending many weekends at the lake, countless nights at the house in town and becoming a Peek for numerous family vacations. The similarities between he and Bryce made for a set of heartbreakers wherever they went - the poor girls on the cruise ships just didn't stand a chance.

Nic had a contagious smile that could light up a room and a personality to match. He didn't have a clue how adorable he was or that my group of older friends (myself included) had massive crushes on him. He was goofy, caring and insecure in the most endearing ways.

News of Nic's death spread quickly on Sunday evening, as well as stories of the hardships he endured over the past few months. I still am in disbelief of the drastic changes that can occur in a person's life in such a short amount of time and wonder if the person I am hearing about is the Nic we knew and loved. While attending the viewing last night, there was a clear separation of the people Nic had grown to call friends in recent months and the heartbroken group who had been there for him through it all. This group arranged photo collages dating back to their middle school days - remembering the Nic we all adored.

Remembering the good times certainly helps to deal with the pain - but its so hard to see the sense in something so tragic. I have to commend his family for their undying faith and for not losing sight in the midst of something none of us can quite understand. We continue to pray for strength, peace and comfort for not only the family, but especially the young friends. The folks who live life without limits, as if they are invincible. There are lessons to be learned from this and we can only hope that eyes will be opened to how fragile life truly is and that some good, some lives changed, can come from the loss of such a dear friend.

Nic will live on in our hearts and memories forever - and there is some peace knowing he is able to watch over us all.

A Fiesta for the Couple

2009-06-12T10:18:00.006-04:00

It was a Fiesta honoring the soon to be newlyweds - Molly and Asa. This wedding is sure to be a blast with the crazy groomsmen involved. Everyone thought the hostesses had hired a real mariache band when they arrived!Wedding Party

Bridesmaids

High School Girls

Bad idea

2009-05-28T11:22:00.000-04:00

We've Made It

2009-05-20T22:06:00.003-04:00

to the weekend that is.

Tomorrow marks the start of a 4 day weekend vacation pour moi and I am thrilled. Now, if we can just get this mini-hurricane to spin on away from FL all would be well.

I am meeting my manager in Starke in the a.m. so just a few more things to finish up and I will be that much closer to putting my toes in the sand on the beach of Lake Kerr. A few of my favorite Tri-Delts will be making their way to the lake on Friday and we will be ready for them.

Enjoy a safe, happy and hopefully sunny Memorial Day weekend.

A Case of the Mondays

2009-05-18T19:11:00.002-04:00

is a pretty good thing to have today. It has rained for two days straight - which normally would probably be a negative, but for some reason this rain has had such a calming effect. Yesterday, Jeff was exhausted when he got home from work so we both sat on the couch and napped, listened to the rain and just relaxed.

The rain continued all day to day, but mainly just drizzled. I worked out of town and managed to stay somewhat dry. I can't imagine a better evening to curl up on the couch with my hubby and enjoy a good flick. We ordered in from Gator Foods - and got Yamatos, our favorite Japanese steakhouse - what a treat. I hope you are enjoying your Monday as much as we are!

When you least expect it

2009-05-12T22:14:00.002-04:00

That's when God sends a message that smacks you right upside the head. They come in so many different forms but nothing can quite compare to the feeling when you finally realize He has been trying to get your attention.

The past few weeks have been uneventful for Jeff and I. Not that we haven't had countless things to do, or that life has been particuarly horrible, but we have become too comfortable. This may be a lot of info for the blog readers out there - but I feel like this realization was brought to us to share. We noticed the change in our relationship and it has taken a toll on both of us. We sat down and wrote letters to one another trying to verbalize how we were feeling and have taken the past few days to process it all. After a fantastic weekend at the lake, I think we were both feeling refreshed and renewed, but not 100%.

Tonight we sat on the couch snacking on leftovers for dinner and I flipped through the OnDemand movie channels. After much debate, we narrowed it down to Marley & Me or a movie neither of us knew anything about, Fireproof. A quick flip of a DVD (no coin around for a real coin toss) determined Fireproof would be our entertainment for the evening.

While the acting at times leaves much to be desired, the message rang out loud and clear. A message that could not have related more to our current situation unless we had played the characters ourselves. We kept looking at each other and pointing out the eerie similarities - it's kind of like The Breakup with a Christian twist. Before we start any rumors, the couple in the movie had reached a breaking point we have yet to face - but I think it plays on our fears of what can happen when you get in that rut of being comfortable and stop giving your all to your spouse. It is far too easy to get caught up in the daily tasks and to do lists. We forget about the needs, desires and dreams of the person we set out to take this journey with.

The movie features a couple on the brink of divorce and the battle the husband wages to win his wife back. Guided by the advice of his father written in a journal named, the Love Dare, Caleb follows a 40-day guide to getting his marriage back on track. Each day, a new task is completed to show his wife his commitment to her. Along the way, he learns more about her, himself and what has truly been missing all along - a relationship focused on God.

Maybe I have been living under a rock and am the only one to be completely clueless to this movie -- but I haven't heard a thing about it. To be completely honest, I was pretty shocked to have such a Christ-centered film featured on OnDemand. It was definitely a God thing.

http://www.fireproofmymarriage.com/

Just because something is fireproof doesn't mean the fire won't happen, it just means it will withstand it.

We got the message.

Good Morning

2009-05-11T18:20:00.001-04:00

We made a last minute decision to stay at the lake last night so we woke up very early this morning to see Jeff off to work and pack up from the weekend. The bonus of being up before sunrise is this...

Lake Lovin'

2009-05-11T18:16:00.000-04:00

Dog-gone Funny

2009-05-11T18:09:00.003-04:00

While I am aware I probably blog about our dogs far too often - when they are just this fabulous, it's hard not to. :) Especially, when they allow children to drag behind them and play dolphin on them in the lake.

You can't help but love her for putting up with this. Best dog ever.

Easter 2009

2009-05-11T17:57:00.001-04:00

Some of our Easter visitors at Lake WeirHunting for Easter Eggs

Updates: Here They Come!

2009-05-11T17:56:00.002-04:00

Get ready for a blast of updates and photos...better late than never.

Lazy Days and Summer Fun

2009-05-04T19:38:00.002-04:00

Our visit to the lake was such a wonderful one. Words just can’t describe how peaceful and relaxing it is out there to us. There is just something about being able to sit back and not feel guilty about nothing at all. Surprisingly, we woke up early, saw beautiful sunrises and played all day. We brought all of our children for this trip, and by all, I mean 2-legged and 4-legged alike. We had Kylee, the dogs, and Smokey the cat along for the ride. Luckily, we were in separate cars. The dogs loved the freedom and ventured farther away than we would have liked but came running back when we called (most of the time). Smokey had fun exploring close to the house but is much too scared to go too far.

We woke up one night to the sound of things crashing in the house. Several of our neighbors have come across a family of bears who are not at all afraid of people and have started making themselves at home when people leave their trash outside (which I did.) So, after hearing these noises, I was sure there was a bear trying to break in. I jumped out of bed screaming for Jeff and ran to the living room. When I flipped on the lights, Smokey had knocked over several plants and had a field mouse trapped under his front paws and was looking to me for encouragement as to what his next move should be. Our cat might be a bit too domesticated to understand the concept of hunting because he immediately let the mouse go, which proceeded to run straight towards me. I started jumping, flailing and shrieking to escape the rodent. My chaos must have sounded like the bears were actually in the house because Jeff came running in with a gun… if only it had all been caught on tape.

Aside from our little middle of the night excitement – it was such an escape from our regularly hectic schedules and we are welcoming another upcoming weekend of lake time fun. I promise to be better about pictures this time…but I was relaxing.

There has been lots of planning and coordinating going on for our summer plans and its panning out to be a good one so far....
- morgan and joe's low country boil in jacksonville
- memorial day weekend with fun college friends {at the lake again, yay!}
- molly and asa's engagement party in ocala
- father's day weekend at the lake
- morgan's bachelorette party in atlanta for july 4th
- first family scalloping trip in steinhatchee
- morgan and joe's wedding in macinac island, MI

Kitty Heaven

2009-04-23T16:17:00.003-04:00

Today we said goodbye to our kitty of 18 years, Simba Peek. I don't think anyone imagined he would live this long which makes it even more difficult. Simba contracted FIV (yes, kitty AIDS) when he was just a few years old so to live to the ripe old age of 18 is a feat in itself.

His last few weeks have been hard on everyone, primarily my parents who have had to make significant adjustments to cater to his "special needs." He has lost and regained his vision several times but the blindness had become more permanent as well as strange behaviors that the vet attributed to a possible tumor behind one of his eyes. His days became limited to supervised walks around the yard to prevent him from falling in the pool and constantly meowing to find someone to be near.

While the decision was obvious, it doesn't make it any easier or hurt any less. We certainly have some funny stories and countless memories from 18 years with this fellow...

working for the weekend

2009-04-22T09:38:00.006-04:00

Happy Hump Day everyone! That means it is time to start thinking about the weekend and I am in full-fledge planning mode. Lake Kerr, here we come.

I spent yesterday in Palatka and came to the realization that it is so darn close to my parents' lakehouse at Lake Kerr! This was super exciting to me so I am already figuring how to arrange my call cycle so that I can visit Palatka on Fridays or Mondays so that we can stay at the Lake for the weekend! I love it when a good plans come together.

Sidenote: my husband is apparently hitting a quarter-life crisis and has turned into Daniel Boone. He killed a turkey about two weeks ago and took some part of it to be mounted at a taxidermy place in LordKnowsWhere. He has now planned a boys' hunting trip to NewYork and has been "mentioning" his need for a tree stand relentlessly for the past week . I have continued to offer my subtle opinion about the uselessness of this item (not to mention it is several HUNDRED dollars). He claims, "It is a purchase that will last a lifetime." Can we also just note the fact that I could probably be the President of PETA after my crazy animal rescuing stories? That doesn't quite mesh with Daniel Boone or any other Bambi killers for that matter.

As I am sitting here typing, Addie jumped up and ran to the door barking and growling as if to save her life. The UPS man was kind enough to carry the enormous box inside for me as I tried to recall if we had made any odd on-line purchases over the past few weeks - none that I can recall. Then I see two small words printed on the bottom, Tree Stand.

Heather for you...

2009-04-18T19:36:00.001-04:00

He had no idea who I was or that I snapped his pic :)

Griffin Lee

2009-04-13T19:43:00.001-04:00

Cutest baby ever! No, I didn't get another one. This darling belongs to my friend, Brittany.

Before I leave...

2009-03-29T19:38:00.003-04:00

Just thought I would leave some love before I head to Vegas for a few days.

My patient is perking up and returning to his normal self. The first two days were really good so I thought we were in the clear but yesterday was the worst pain yet. He has been such a trooper and I have been trying so hard to be a good nurse. I am not typically the best with guts and blood. But I would make an RN proud, even wearing gloves while I change the gauze pads that are crammed down in the gross holes where his wisdom teeth once were. Impressed, huh? Me too.

It has been so wonderful to have some time at home after this whirlwind of a month but it is off for a quick trip to Vegas in the early a.m. This is my first product launch and company-wide meeting so I'm hoping for a good time and not all work! I mean, you can't host a meeting in Vegas and expect people to work the whole time, right?

So, I'm off to pack and enjoy the rest of this wonderful evening. The weather has been absolutely amazing today after a crazy storm last night. I think we had about 7 inches of rain judging from the amount of water in the candle I left outside. There was loads of thunder and lightening, which revealed another of Kerr's fears. I teared up thinking about him spending nights alone in the woods during storms like that one. He crept into the family room and curled up between us and just trembled. It was heartbreaking. Clearly, I should never have children if I get this emotional about my adopted dog. I saw Jeff get choked up too though - I'm not the only crazy one.

The patient

2009-03-26T14:43:00.001-04:00

A little less wise today....

Where have you been?

2009-03-20T18:21:00.002-04:00

Seriously delinquient on blog postings so here goes:

1. Gators won National Championship - whole family went, what an amazing experience!

2. Kept my job in a massive lay-off (a.k.a "reorganization") God is good!

3. Best Friend got married - see pics below, beautiful, wonderful, fun with friends.

4. Jeff's Birthday (shared with groom from #3) - 27! where has time gone?

5. Bought a new car! my first car purchase sans mom/dad, how exciting!

6. Jeff's Best Friend got married - beautiful, fun, and got to spend time with Jeff's parents.

7. Trips to New York for training on new products - Spiriva, Aricept, Celebrex and Lyrica. 1st trip = snowy and short but lots of travel problems courtesy of ATL airport. 2nd trip = not so short and way too much info for my brain.

8. Jeff's "granddad" had to be put in hospital, had surgery and is doing much better. Again, God is good.

9. Addie's Birthday - Yay for her being 4, thats 28 in dog years!

That about sums it up to today. Here's whats on the books...

tomorrow: Tour of Kitchens - woohoo for Gainesville Jr League (did that lack enthusiasm?)

next week: Jeff gets wisdom teeth out. The tables are finally turned after he has taken care of me after my many injuries, will I be as good a nurse as he is?!

april 1: work trip to Vegas. no lying, this won't be all work and no play - I plan to find a good spot at the crapps table.

Times Square

2009-03-17T08:44:00.001-04:00

Move over Martha

2009-02-08T17:09:00.001-05:00

Let it be known that I don't bake. And try to ignore the fact that I am not even going to attempt to write on the cake after the mayhem I had icing. Otherwise, be very impressed!

a month in pictures

2009-02-08T09:37:00.009-05:00

January 2009

A new year off to an eventful start - hence the lack of blog updates.

A lovely addition to our neighborhood pond

Miss Riley and Kylee sudsin' it up

enjoying Christmas presents

the wedding of some of our closest friends - L&A Taylor

after the rehearsal dinner

great to see friends from far away!

Technology Flaws Continued

2009-01-23T23:24:00.002-05:00

As I continue to receive random emails and pictures acquired on my cell phone, I hope to fill in the gaps on why I thought I should share these images with the blogging world. Although, the lawnmower below is down right hilarious. This man, clad in overalls and a crisp white t-shirt, carried in an arm full of turnip greens for the doctor. The hood ornament, which I failed to capture, was a piece of wood with Gators painted on it and hung by a small piece of twine on the front of the lawnmower. I didn't want the poor man to realize I was taking a picture of his mode of transportation (although I believe I can rest assured he didn't realize this phone could also take pictures).

As seen in the field...

2009-01-23T23:19:00.001-05:00

In the charming rural community of Keystone Heights, this is what a patient drove up in on his way to a doctor's appointment. All in a day's work...

Audrey Boyles

Rough life.

2009-01-23T23:16:00.005-05:00

Restless night.

2009-01-23T23:16:00.004-05:00

Fresh Start

2009-01-22T20:08:00.003-05:00

Does anyone find a new planner totally invigorating?

There is just something about the blank and untarnished pages that excites me. Yes, I said pages, revealing the fact that I refuse to step into the world of palms, treos, and all things outlook. The satisfaction that comes with scratching out finished appointments is too much to lose to the tap of a stylus. It's just not the same.

Here's to 2009 - may it be productive and ours planners be full.

I <3 Technology

2009-01-21T18:33:00.002-05:00

NOT! The previous two posts were attempts at sending images/e-mails from my phone about 3 months ago. Now suddenly, my phone has decided to send out all said attempts at one time. Not only to the blog, but to every person I have tried to email since then. So, if you are one of these people receiving my now absolutely irrelevant e-mails, I apologize.

This same pain of a phone is somewhat falling apart so I am considering an upgrade. Does anyone have the blackberry curve and if so, what are the pros and cons associated with it? I am thinking of breaking into the world of the crackberry.

For now, I'm trying to fight off the flu, snuggled on the couch under mounds of blankets trying to keep warm while my wonderful husband searches for medicine and jacks up the thermostat for me. What love!

Happy Hump Day everyone.

Mobile blogging

2009-01-21T17:22:00.001-05:00

And now i can blog from work too!

Audrey Boyles

Snuggled upon

2009-01-21T17:21:00.001-05:00

Audrey Boyles

No other name so glorious. All hail, Florida, hail.

2009-01-11T17:44:00.004-05:00

The Peek clan took over Miami on Wednesday night to prepare for a gator victory, which is exactly what happened. The celebration has continued back in Gainesville with a ceremony in the Swamp honoring the players and coaches. It is here where Mr. Tim Tebow himself announced his reutrn for another year in Titletown.

Clearly a fantastic time to be a Gator!

Chaos Ensues...

2009-01-01T20:49:00.003-05:00

Oh how our quiet Christmas morning has done a drastic 180. We picked up Kylee at 2 pm on Christmas day and there hasn't been a moment of silence since. But we love every second of it.

Sharing custody has its ups (much less need for a babysitter) but it definitely has downs as well (missing out on what seem like mundane tasks to most parents). I think Kylee would agree - she is stoked to have 4 Christmases but also makes comments that she wishes we could build a house attached to her mom's so we could all live together all the time.

One thing we noticed over the past week is how desperately this child needs a haircut. Her hair is SO long - down to the middle of her back. She is at the age where she doesn't want to do anything with it so it just hangs and drags in the middle of everything. Please picture dinner at a Japanese restaurant as her hair slides through countless sauces. I had a hair appointment scheduled for this week so Jeff called Kylee's mom to see if a trim would be okay. Apparently Kylee had been practically going into seizures anytime her mom tried to get her hair trimmed so she told us to have at it. I made Kylee an appointment and we started looking at hairstyles on-line. She was apprehensive at first so I mentioned Locks of Love thinking that might coerce her into considering just a trim or even donating a small bit. Lord have mercy. The child would have shaved her head if I had a razor within reach.

We did some research and found out the criteria for Locks of Love, which is 10 inches. We waited to measure until we reached the salon but we can to the conlucsion that would have left Kylee slightly bald so we opted for a much less drastic cut. She loves it. We love it. End of story.

This morning, I woke up to a strange bouncing motion on the bed, only to find Kylee singing some made up song about, Demi Lovato, a star on Camp Rock. Not only was she singing, but she was playing poor Addie's back like a keyboard and using the dog's tail as her microphone. Just today I was reading a friend's blog about their argument over whether or not to welcome a dog into their family. Clearly the right temprament is essential, but they can certainly be a priceless playmate.

Christmas Without Kids

2008-12-25T23:39:00.012-05:00

We take turns with Kylee's mom each year regarding who gets Kylee for Christmas morning. Our arrangement means one year she will have Kylee for the first half of Christmas break through Christmas day at 2 pm then we switch the following year. This way, we each get the experience of seeing Kylee's reaction to it all.

That being said, this year was not our turn for the Christmas morning festivities. Nonetheless, Jeff and I chose to stay home for our first Christmas in our first house. We were in Ocala for a party at my parents house and attended the Christmas Eve church service with them but then it was off to Gainesville to start our own traditions. Which I love. Call me a creature of habit but I adore the memories that were created during my childhood by the simplest things, yet Christmas just wouldn't be the same without them. I know everyone has them - what are yours?

some of ours:
- Gammy's (my grandmother) revolving Christmas tree and hand-made ornaments
- Opening 1 gift on Christmas eve (always pajamas)
- A candlelight Christmas Eve Service
- Sausage stratta (breakfast casserole) on christmas morning and making it the day before
- BonBons. A new one taken from my mother-in-law's family, it is a british popper we open at dinner containing a paper crown and a toy, everyone has to wear the crown through the entire meal.

Not having the pressure of preparing for an 8-year-old made our Christmas morning quite relaxing. I was so good at documenting our animal children but apparently quickly abandoned my photography assignment until late this evening when I realized I had no proof Christmas even happened at our house.

Addie enjoying her bone from Santa

Kerr sneaking off to eat the bone alone

We can't even begin to describe how much Smokey loved his scratching box with catnip - obsessive is an understandment

Trying to document my little bit of decorating

nativity scene

Chef Boys-R-Dee

2008-12-25T23:27:00.006-05:00

Earlier this month our friends, Lindsey and Adam, joined us for a tasty meal and an amazing afternoon of football. The boys planned a low country boil and us girls stayed out of the kitchen. We enjoyed a feast of boiled peanuts, Adam's yummy recipe and a Gator Win.Low Country Boil The Chefsso proud

Elf Yourself

2008-12-11T22:58:00.002-05:00

Take a look and make your own....

Elf Dance

Merry Christmas everyone!

Looking Back

2008-12-04T21:29:00.002-05:00

I was doing some random googling and was brought back to my pre-wedding blog. I was reminded of a certain visitor we had about a year ago.... Enjoy :)

Bert

Turkey Day Tales

2008-11-30T08:53:00.002-05:00

What a weekend! We traveled to Jacksonville Thursday morning for the Peek family Thanksgiving. This year, we were at Uncle Chip's and had a good crew together. Maegen and Matt arrived with baby Virginia Grace - who was just perfect all day long. I never even heard her cry. We enjoyed our traditional Thanksgiving feast without too many tragedies. Uncle David and his deep fryer can make for some very entertaining mishaps but the porkloin was saved, unlike the experimental fish from last year (BTW - who has fish for thanksgiving?). His fried turkey is by far my favorite - just delicious.

Jeff's family was enjoying Thanksgiving just down the road in Vilano Beach so we headed out from Jax for some more family visiting before heading back to Gainesville. Jeff had to work for the weekend so my mom and I did a little Black Friday shopping in Gville then headed to Ocala for the Country Chic wedding of Annie and Buddy. Annie and Robyn Avery were our childhood babysitters and twins - which made them even more fun. They both are the most creative people I know and everything they touch could be from the pages of Southern Living (ironically they both sell SL At home products). Annie's wedding was no different. It was her second wedding so they opted out of the whole traditional approach and went with one that hit a little closer to home.

Annie and Robyn grew up on a farm and taught me to ride. My parents can easily blame them for my obsession with all things equestrian. So, when Annie met Buddy and discovered their shared love of horses, it was love at first sight. The wedding was a country affair, complete with a smores circle for the kids, a denim-clad crowd and attention to detail like no other. Annie's bridesmaids were a million little girls dressed in long skirts with boots. The ring bearers wore Wranglers and boots with rodeo numbers on their backs reading "Hang On Tight," "Hold On," "Forever." The leather pillows they carried were adorned with horseshoes, spurs, and Annie's nephew, Ben, actually had the rings attached to his pillow. That is faith - I attached fake rings to Ben's pillow at our wedding :)

Each of the children had prepared a quote describing their idea of "love" and read it aloud as part of the service. Annie's daughter, Avery, walked her mom down the aisle and stood at the alter as they said their vows.

It was such a fun, laid-back wedding and unlike anything I have ever been to. Classy Country would be a good way to describe it. The decorations were just beautiful - I can't even say enough about them. The kids loved every second of it and there were plenty of them. Annie is a teacher and I think her entire class must have been there breaking it down on the dance floor.

With the Thanksgiving weekend officially coming to a close, we brought out the Christmas decorations and will start to put them up today. I have been waiting for this all year long - our first Christmas in our first house. Let the traditions begin...

Giving Thanks

2008-11-27T07:53:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Today the Boyles family is thankful for:

- God's grace
- time with family and friends
- life
- having food on our table
- pets that love us
- our home
- everything around us - nature, trees, air

special thanks to Kylee for helping with our list!

family time

2008-11-23T12:13:00.003-05:00

It has finally been a weekend where Jeff doesn't have to work, we have Kylee and no other responsibilities. Rare.

We did some shopping and relaxing on Friday evening then prepared for a Gator blowout on Saturday with a bunch of Pfizer folks. We all attended the game and headed home shivering as the temperature quickly dropped.

It is now Sunday, which calls for one of our favorite traditions -- breakfast. Jeff is a hashbrown addict and Kylee requests his pancakes everytime, which apparently are better than anyone else's. I force everyone to eat at least a little bit of eggs to keep it healthy.

One of Kylee's absolute favorite things about our weekend breakfast is that we allow her 1 cup of coffee. One day she will read this and finally realize that she actually gets a cup of warm milk with just enough coffee to change the color, but nonetheless, she loves the exception to our no caffeine rule. She snuggles into the couch and reads the paper or visits just like a grown up, holding her prized possession like she never wants to let it go.

I am doing some on-line shopping because I despise the mall at Christmas time. It would be so nice to be completely finished ahead of time this year. I finished 3 people so I would say that is quite an accomplishment for not even being Thanksgiving yet.

Jeff just headed out for an afternoon of hunting with the guys and is so excited. He always talks/prepares for hunting season but truth be told, I don't think he has gone more than 2 times since we have been together, so oh about 6 years. Kylee and I are getting ready to go see Bolt and then it will be time to head back to Ocala.

Happy Pre-Turkey Day!

Free Advertising

2008-11-05T20:15:00.002-05:00

Gainesville Art Show is this weekend. My mom and I will be attending Saturday afternoon following my volunteer stint at the first annual "Miracle on Main Street." ok - its not really the first annual but its the first with a new catchy name. We will be giving away and selling gently used toys at very good prices for some deserving families in Gainesvegas.

Come one, come all. :)

A Blog About Dogs

2008-11-05T20:09:00.003-05:00

I should really just call this whole page A Blog About Dogs. Kerr jumped up and grabbed our dinner out of the sink this afternoon while I was at work. Our raw, thawing ground turkey that was soon to be yummy tacos. I found the Ziploc torn to shreds in our office but no sign of the meat.

No worries, the vet said my only real concern should be salmonella and we would know if he had that by the bloody diarrhea that would follow. Niiiice.

Kerr's Collection

2008-10-29T16:46:00.003-04:00

This was the scene when we got home from work today, all tucked nicely behind the dining room table under the window - apparently he likes the view. Kerr managed to swipe the following:
- chocolate chip cookies from the stove top (please note aluminum foil)
- several pairs of Jeff's clean and neatly folded boxers
- one of my tennis shoes
- two dog leashes
- nearly all the pillows from the couch
- a hat
- a package of ribbon
- my slipper
- a dish rag
- all dog toys in our possession

tidbits

2008-10-27T22:40:00.004-04:00

oh blogger friends -- how i have missed you. It has been a crazy few weeks and my blogging time has been limited to umm zero. However, here I am with surprisingly not much news -- at least not much comes to mind after finishing another fabulous episode of The Hills. Obsession admitted. The twenty somethings of young hollywood and the upper elite of Manhattan's Gossip Girl are my Monday night guilty pleasures. So glad to get that off my chest.

The weekend brought lots of QT with the fam. Kylee and I suckered Jeff into a morning of errands and shopping before a play date to the Newberry cornfield maze. Of course, I forgot my camera so no pics to post. Caroline took some so maybe I'll get my hands on those sooner or later. Kylee and Riley ran like banshees through the maze, played in the corn kernel "sand box" and all in all just had a good time. Although they couldn't understand why we didn't want to stick around for the scary men chasing children through the maze with chainsaws -- it seemed like such a good idea to them.

We carved a fantastic pumpkin on Sunday (again, pics later -- I'm in bed, people). Jeff put together his new toy.... a smoker and successfully smoked his first beer butt chicken. I hope that doesn't sound nearly as redneck to everyone else as it did to me when I just typed it. I have to say, the beer butt chicken was delish.

The Doggy Diaries continued as I returned home from work today and found a friend's ceramic dish shattered on the kitchen floor. This dish held peanut butter and chocolate cookies last night, however those were devoured by the culprit who knocked it off the counter. It just might be the same 4-legged pooch who swiped another large container of butter and consumed it under the dining room table on Sunday. Or the same k9 friend that has created a haven of mismatched socks, shoes, random pillows, a blanket and every dog toy we own in a small pile behind the dining room table like a little pack rat... oh the issues that this little one has brought to our lives.

Ready for the Weekend

2008-10-10T08:22:00.001-04:00

Friends arriving today for LSU game - Kylee here for the weekend too. Full house = lots of fun. Yayy!

8th Bday Pics

2008-10-03T07:27:00.003-04:00

A Bugg Affair

2008-09-28T17:56:00.006-04:00

It has taken a little while to recover after a full weekend of wedding events in Richmond, VA. It was a blast in every sense of the word. A little background on the Bugg family -- these were my Dad's cousins from my Gammy's side of the family (last name Bugg transferred into "Buggie" which was what she was known as in Ocala). When my Gammy got sick, we all made the trip to Sea Island, GA for a family gathering to meet her side of the family. It is surreal to see the similarities in both families and hilarious to hear the various stories of the Peeks' trips to Richmond on the train to visit Gammy's fam.

This weekend's event was the marriage of PJ and David. She looked amazing and they could not be any crazier about each other. The matriarch of the Bugg family, Bonnie, (Gammy's sister-in-law and now 92) was still the life of the party.

Richmond just has so much history and culture to offer. The Jefferson Hotel will take anyone's breath away with the magnificent architecture. It feels like stepping into the pages of Gone with the Wind. Tid bit of info - the staircase at the Jefferson was the inspiration for the famous staircase in the movie!

The Tobacco CompanyWith the Bride-to-BeWhen in Rome....Bugg/Peek ClanFamily PicBad things with AbeDelta Crown Room

Sidenote:

2008-09-25T08:22:00.003-04:00

Pretty pumped about National Stay at Home Week (the season premier of Greys Anatomy) tonight! AND ... we will be leaving at 3:30 am tomorrow for a family trip to Richmond to celebrate the marriage of cousin PJ and her beau. Peek family gatherings are never dull so pics to follow, get excited! :)

A New Friend.

2008-09-25T08:05:00.002-04:00

As I let the dogs out into the backyard this morning, there was a rustling sound coming from under the grill. We have been noticing some remnants of some type of animal over the past few weeks but haven't seen anything. The dogs heard the rustling too because they were circling the grill and sniffing like crazy. While they rounded the back, a little white head peaked out from under the front of the grill....a ferret.

REALLY? After our good hearted puppy rescue? This ferret just happened to find his way into our back yard, past the 6-foot privacy fence? He got one look at the open door leading into our living room and he shot straight past my legs and into the house. I closed the door, leaving the dogs outside since Kerr had transformed into full hunting mode and the thought of witnessing a ferret malling was not on the agenda for a Thursday morning.

I coaxed the ferret out from under our side table and recognized him as our neighbor's pet. These neighbors we speak of are renters and far from normal. So, I braved the walk to their front door and rang the doorbell at 7 am. Two large gentlemen answered the door, clearly perturbed that I would awaken them so early -- that is until they saw the little guy. Apparently he had been missing for some time because they all started screaming and jumping around. Quite a funny start to my day.

Just to give Jeff some morning amusements, our text message conversation follows:

Audrey: I found a ferret in the backyard. Can we keep him? He ran straight in the house.

Jeff: No rats.

Jeff: No rats!