Bridge Fishing

Creed likes, well actually "loves" is a better word, to fish. It doesn't matter if its 30 degrees and raining, he'll still spend the day on the water. I like to catch, which is very different than fishing. I especially love to catch salt water fish because they are so much more fun- the types, colors, and the fight they give. And, I always have more luck fishing if Florida. Plus, its usually hot and sunny, which is always a bonus!

Here's a little known fact...Islamorada is known as The Sport Fishing Capitol of the World. Now, it's all becoming clearer...Yes, that is why we chose this part of the Keys. The fishing! One day we spent the afternoon bridge fishing and had a great time. We didn't catch as many as we did on our last trip, but it was still fun! Oh, and the view...Nice!

It was thiiiiis big...or maybe not!

No, I'm not sporting 80s bangs these days, it was just super windy that day! ;)

Paradise

Last week PeePaw & Grandma Beth came to KY and stayed with the boys while Creed and I went to the Florida Keys. We left early Sunday morning and had an uneventful flight to Miami. By noon we were enjoying lunch on Key Largo. We stayed on Layton Key, which is part of Islamorada. Our hotel, the Lime Tree Bay Resort (Mile Marker 68.5) was just wonderful and we enjoyed every second! We spent our days eating amazing food (the "fresh catch" each day, conch fritters, and daily slices of key lime pie), checking out the other Keys (because it's just one road, US1, it is so easy to go sightseeing), and smiply, relaxing! (There was also some fishing too, but that's another post!)

Our first stop- lunch on Key Largo

Breakfast on our balcony- SO relaxing to simply sit and drink coffee!

One day we made the trip down to Key West- a little over an hour drive. The trip is one of the most beautiful drives you can take and words can't do it justice. It's so much fun to listen to Jimmy Buffet sing about going over the Seven Mile Bridge while driving over the Seven Mile Bridge! While in Key West we walked and had lunch on Duvall Street, visited Mallory Square and were in awe at the enormous size of the cruise ships, and had a blast shopping in the Key West Toy Factory!

The drive back to our hotel. We are going over Seven Mile Bridge with the sun setting in the background over Key West.On the way back to our hotel we realized we were going to miss the sunset so we stopped on Marathon Key and had dinner. Nice view, huh?! That was one of the awesome things about the trip...for the past 3 1/2 years we have planned everything, especially mealtimes, around the needs of Caleb (and now Luke) but during this trip, we got to be spontaneous! And yes, I consider stopping and having dinner just to watch the sunset spontaneous.

Caleb at Work

Working hard, and taking his work very seriously!

*****

Tonight I told Caleb that he needed to go potty before he got in the bath. A few moments later when he was still standing there I said, in an exasperated tone, "Caleb, take you pants off and go potty so you can get in the bath!"

He responded with, "I will, I'm doing it, bossy!"

"Caleb!" I said, in a very disapproving tone.
"Whitney!" he replied, in the same exasperated tone I had just used.

Ahhh! The joys of raising a 3 year old.

Lots to do...

There was so much for Caleb to do in WV, without that many toys or DVR'd shows. New surroundings always mean lots of exploring, and Caleb and his cousin Peter did just that. They also found some time to play his new 3D game on his iXL. Peter was also very patient as he answered Caleb's many, many questions! Attics are still high on Caleb's list so he had to check out the attic at the house too. While on his "tour" of the house he found some old, but really cool, building toys in the storage room. He loved them!

My Heart

Caleb came home from school with this heart bracelet in his backpack. He was SO excited to get it out and give it to me...He said he got it out of the treasure box (all the kids get to pick from it before they leave for the day) and he wanted to give it to me because he loved me. I think his exact words were, "I got it for you because I love you!"

I will treasure it forever!

Timberline

Last weekend we took the boys to Canaan Valley, West Virginia, so Caleb could go skiing for the first time. Creed's aunt and uncle have a house at Timberline and were gracious enough to let us stay there.

Three days prior to our trip Caleb started to show signs of getting sick, and sure enough the day before we were supposed to leave he started running a fever. We still made the trip Friday night (7 hrs) but both boys slept great in the car once it got dark. Caleb felt better Saturday, but because it hadn't been 24 hrs since he had a fever, he stayed around the house and played with Luke and I. (Creed's cousin, Peter, met us there so Creed still had a skiing buddy!)

Sunday morning Caleb was feeling great so we all got bundled up (It was actually unseasonably warm there!) and headed over to the mountain.

Luke was a trooper and hung out in my lap for a few hours while the boys skied. He had lunch in the lodge and flirted with all the ladies there! It was hilarious...since he was the only baby there he got sooo much attention! (He loved every second of it too!) Little did we know that by Sunday evening, Luke would have a fever too. :(
Caleb was SO excited to go skiing with his Daddy! He had been talking about it for weeks and said that morning when he woke it, "I think I am going to love skiing!"
Ready to go!

Creed spent some time trying to help Caleb to get a feel for the skis- I think they made 2 runs down the bunny slope. At that point Caleb said that he wanted someone else to be his teacher! ;) (We had talked to him about a lesson, but he had decided he didn't want one.)

After lunch Caleb spent an hour with his "ski teacher." (That's them in the middle.) He put some sort of thing on the front of Caleb skis to force them in a snow plow. Creed told the guy that Caleb was having a hard time moving his skis, to which the instructor replied, "Yeah, he's three." ;)He's not ready for the moguls yet, but we did get out of this trip the 3 things we hoped for...Caleb had fun, he wasn't scared, and he wants to "do it again!"

11 Months

Sweet Luke Michael, YOU are ELEVEN MONTHS old today!

How in the world did that ever happen? While it seems like you've always been a part of our family, it doesn't seem like you should be so close to your first birthday!

You are such a sweet, happy, go with the flow baby. You are never fussy or cranky, and really the only time you cry is during diaper changes or if we take something that you want (cell phone, remote control, Rhett, Caleb's tiny toys) away from you. Yet, you are so, so wild.

You attempt to get into everything, and are pretty successful. You pull up to the coffee table and somehow get your tiny hands on everything that you shouldn't have and you love to open and slam our bottom pots and pans drawer in the kitchen.

Last weekend you met a step for the first time and had it conquered in two minutes flat.

You new favorite game is to throw an object back over your shoulder, crawl over to it and pick it up, and then throw it over your shoulder again in the opposite direction. You've actually got a pretty good arm! ;) You also like to take random objects (toy drum stick, spoons, etc.) and push them across the kitchen floor, watching them slide in front of you.

You love, love, love your big brother and just watch him play. You also love Rhett and want to have your hands all over him. Because you are such a proficient and fast crawler, I don't see you walking anytime soon, but we'll see.

You have 5 teeth with a 6th coming through any day now.

You are really not interested in baby food anymore and I have a feeling we'll be done with it totally by the end of this month. You shake your head back and forth and refuse to open that little mouth for anything once you've set your mind to it. I can get you to eat yogurt and baby oatmeal on most days, though. You love pasta with marinara sauce and cheese quesadillas. You'll eat green beans really well if they are seasoned, steamed broccoli covered with cheese, and don't mind spinach mixed in with your pasta. You still have 4 formula bottles each day (8, 12, 4:30, and 7:30) and we are working on using a sippy cup for the lunch one every day.

At 11 months, you are an amazing sleeper! (Thanks, big guy!!) You are asleep by 8pm and either you wake at 8am or we wake you up. You nap each morning around 10 for an hour (I usually wake you up) and take a great afternoon nap around 2 or 2:30. You sleep in your Sleep Sack and hold two of your little softies. And, your passie is a must at nap and bedtime.

Yes, Luke, you are SOOOOO BIG!


We love, love, love you Luke Michael.

Crazy Weather

We've had some crazy, crazy weather, that's for sure! One minute we're out without coats because the temperature is in the 60s and the next Caleb is sledding on the less than an inch of snow we had....

Last week we had severe weather, which meant that the tornado sirens went off. Caleb is fascinated with the siren, and after we got the "all clear," he was quick to build his own siren with his "snap blocks." Have I mentioned that we LOVE the Trio building sets?!! The picture shows him turning his "siren" and you'll even notice by his face that his siren made noise too. ;)

Just Recently

Just recently Luke has decided to become the world's fastest 10 month old crawler and get into E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G! Rhett's dog food, picture frames, and candle sticks are no longer safe, not to mention any of Caleb's toys. And, to top it off, he is no longer interested in his toys for more than 10 seconds. Cooking dinner is a challenge, but I've found that pots & pans will keep his attention for a while. He is so funny- he rubs the lid and pan across the tile floor, making the most awful noise. He, however, thinks it's just great. Needless to say, it makes for a noisy evening. Oh, and Caleb, he is still an amazing big brother- such a help!

Luke has also figured out how to drink out of a sippy cup (finally!) and even takes his lunchtime formula in it. (I CAN'T believe that he will be on regular milk in about a month...crazy!) I do have to help him out and recline his seat because he still needs to figure out that he has to hold the cup tilted up. ;)

Ready to Hit the Slopes!