Easter and our Move….Memorial Day…..

Since it has been months since I last updated this may turn into 3 different post all in one day or over the course of a couple days.  It all depends on how long Brad naps and how many times the kids interupt me.

Easter this year was great.  My Aunt June came to visit my mom for about 3 weeks and my family spent lots of time at moms house visiting.  The boys went fishing one day (Gabe’s first time) and the girls played BINGO several times.  Bingo is my Aunt Junes’ favorite thing to do.  The kids had an easter egg hunt in the front yard and got baskets.

I had pictures of them from Easter but since our move they have gotten misplaced in the shuffle.  If I find them in the near future I will add them.

Our lease on our old house was up on May 1st and we moved into my moms about a week and half before then.  Things have been really good here.  The kids don’t drive them too crazy and the animals haven’t gotten a hold of many toys yet.  A princess ball was recently discovered with teeth holes in it but that is the first casuality at the house this time.  The kids love being at Nana’s everyday.  Lexi knows where Papa’s stash of snacks is and will bring it to you if she needs something.  Gabe just recently got Nana’s old laptop to play his learning games on.  He has been very responsible with it.

Now on to Memorial Day….

We spent Memorial Day weekend with Uncle Dave and Aunt Margie in Orlando.  We had something planned for each of the three days we were there.

Day 1.  We went miniture golfing again.  This time it was a more level course and I did not kiss the pavement.  Lexi even golfed more this time.  Gabe had a blast.

Lexi goes golfing.

Lexi hits the ball down the fairway.

Gabe thinks he is a rock star!

Daddy lines up and sinks his shot.

Gabe & Lexi get to touch the sting rays.

Lexi touches her first Sting Ray. The girl is braver than her momma.

I love the sea cow!

Lexi & Gabe watch the turtles & fish swim by.

Three swim together.

The otter plays in the water right infront us.

The FL aligators lay in the sun.

I still don't know why they stand on one leg.

How do you not end with a crick in your neck sleeping like that?

A new family Photo.

This was Gabe & Lexi's first time on the Merry Go Round. They Loved it!

Lexi wanted to pet the dragon.

Day 3.  We spent the last day swimming in the pool.  Brad & I got to spend a couple evenings shopping at the Outlet Malls in Orlando.  We got Gabe a new rain jacket for school and found a few things for us.  Lexi got a new piggy bank.  We found a metal bank with a lock & key.  I will take a picture of it and put it on the next post.

Gabe had his ear surgery a week later than it was originally scheduled for.  My insurance had some issue and it got pushed back a week.  I think I had a harder time with it than him.  He was playing and acting normal within an hour.  His 2 week follow up went great.  His hearing is near perfect.  He got new ear plugs, we let him pick the color, blue and green.  I think he does a better job or remembering his ear plugs in the water than we do.

I have a lot more to blog about but it is getting late and the next item on my to do list includes video that I have to cut and post.  I hope to get that up here before next weekend but I make no promises.  Until then……

Love & Kisses,

Carmen (and the rest of the Bailiff Gang)

Thanks to Terra

Some of my friends that read this (HCS friends) know who Terra is but to those of you who don’t.  Terra is a friend from high shcool.  Those days so long ago that I try so hard to remember now but at the time tried so hard to forget and get through. 

To get to the point.  Terra has a blog that is referrenced on the right side of my page.  I first saw her blog about a year ago and decided that I could keep all my family up to date on our lives the same way.  For months now I have been trying to convince her to add a link to my blog on her page.  Well she finally did it.  With all the craziness in her life she finally added it and I feel extra special because of it. 

This post is for her.  my wonderful friend who is going through an extra trying time now with her youngest girl.  If you have time please check out her blog and if you are following the link from her page thank you for visiting.

Carmen B.

PS. Terra- I am happy to hear the good news about Kendal and I will continue to pray for more answers and good news.

A Much Needed Update

It has been a few months since I last updated and a lot has happened. This blog will also be a bit short because I am at work at the moment.

First lets start with the bad news. A couple days after my last post Brad lost his job at GE. He was just days shy of completing his 6 month probation and they fired him for some stupid reason. Mainly to make an example out of him and because his supervisior didn’t like him. I thank God that I had a job at that point. He is collecting unemployment and we have managed to afford to keep the kids in daycare.

At the end of January I was hired as a regular full time employee at WESCO. The job is awesome and I work with great people. I look forward to going to work each day.

Towards the end of February or the begining of March Lexi started potty training. I have a picture that I will add when I get back on my laptop. She started talking about it, so we started palcing her on the potty. She has gone at school and for her Nana but she refuses to actually pee in the potty for me. I am just happy that she is trying at this point. It is a lot sooner than Gabe even tried.

For those that haven’t heard. We are moving in 3 weeks. With Brad not working and the economy the way it is we have decided to move back in with my mom. This is benficial to everyone. My mom is still not working and we have debt that we would never get paid off if we tried to live in our own house. We will have the back half of the house to our self and the kids will have the pool. I am hoping that this time is better than last time.

Gabe is having tubes put in his ears in 9 days (Thur 4/16/09). I don’t think he really knows what that means so it is not effecting him. I am a little nervous so if you had this procedure done to your child please give me your experience both good and bad so I can hopefully feel better about this. He tried the non-surgical means first but it didn’t help so here we are. I hear this doctor is one of the best in the area and that is will be super fast. I am taking the morning off that day, and when it is done I will try to update on here how it went. I have the new BlackBerry Storm so I should be able to just update anytime all the time if I can figure it out. I am still learning how to type on it. It doesn’t have a keyboard in the true sense of the word, just a touch screen and I often hit the wrong keys. I am slowly getting better.

Finally, I saved the best for last…..

Gabe is graduating from VPK in a couple months. He had his pictures taken and he looks so big in his cap and gown. We have to purchase his C/G by the end of the month. They have a ceremony and get diplomas and everything. The best part is, it is a white C/G with a blue tassel. Very similar to my HCS graduation. That is what I thought of when I first saw it. Kindergarten registration is in May and his first day of actual school is Aug 24. Do you know what else is that day?? Lets see who can tell me first.

I need to get my bank deposit completed and I have other paperwork that I need to complete as well. I will try to add those pictures before the weekend. I also hope to put Easter pictures up after this weekend. My Aunt June is here visiting and I need to get pictures of my kids with her. Lexi loves that lady.

Have a great week. I love you all!!

Carmen & the Bailiff Crew

Our Year in Review and Picture Fest….Almost 100 Pictures.

The new year has started and I have not updated this in awhile.  I have heard from several family members that I need to post the Christmas pictures and tell everyone what is new here.  This will not be just a Christmas post since I never posted pictures from the kids birthday or the family pictures we took while visiting Dave & Margie in Davenport, FL.  Here is our year in review….

 

This was taken in January. We usually never saw daddy in the morning but we were having van trouble and had to share the good van for about a week or so. I was working for the home imporvement company and Brad was working for the temp service at GE.

Look at Lexi and Mommy’s matching shirts.

Easter 2008

Lexi playing in the pool May 2008

Lexi finally has enough hair to pull up into cute pig tails.

Lexi learned how to swim in the big pool this summer.

I think she may be part fish. She loves the water.

Summer 2008

Gabe loves being outside.

He is a tough guy with a tattoo.

Gabe started VPK in Sept 2008 (Pre-Kindergarten)

Lexi also started in a new daycare.

Gabe’s first time mini-golfing.

Daddy is the golfing expert showing Lexi how to putt.

Look at Gabe’s form.

He has great follow through.

Lexi was climbing up the course that went down.

Gabe explaining the rules to his little sister.

It was such a bad round we had to lock them up.

Lexi feel asleep with her head almost in the night stand.

Lexi was so tired after a day of playing.

Gabe walked around the block with this dog every evening of our vacation.

She loves doggies.

Baths right before family pictures.

The Bailiff’s 2008

Brad & Carmen

Gabe & Daddy

Lexi & Daddy

Lexi & Mommy

Gabe is a Packer fan.

Gabe should be swimming with no floaties by next year.

Lexi found a new love…watermelon.

After about 3 pieces she was done.

Lexi’s first nightgown.

Lexi just being herself.

I think Lexi is more like her daddy in both attitude and looks.

Gabe dressed as a scary skeleton for Halloween.

Gabe’s skeleton pumpkin

Lexi was a cute fairy.

The Tinker Bell Cupcake Cake.

Look at all the presents.

Uncle Butch helped unwrap a gift.

That fish plays the most annoying song, but she loves it.

Gabe turns 5.

Gabe’s Incredible Hulk Cake.

Lexi wanted to help Gabe open his presents.

They built a tower out of the boxes his leggos came in.

New outfits Gramma bought them for their birthdays.

Waiting for Gabe’s Cristmas program to start.

Gabe is in the corner on the back row.

Christmas Eve at Nana’s – Opening the first present.

Daddy helping Lexi keep track of all her gifts.

Gabe opening his Incredible Hulk Movie from Nana.

Lexi was playing with her princesses.

Christmas morning….opening the first present.

It is an Ironman from Gramma & Grampa.

Lexi’s first present of the morning.

Gabe got the cartoon movie “Scooby-Doo Meets Batman”

A brief nap after breakfast and then more presents.

The already opened presents got removed from their boxes.

More toys for Lexi that can be left on the ground for daddy to step on.

Lexi opened her Cinderella doll she got from Gramma & Grampa.

Lexi reading her new book to Daddy.

The last present under the tree.

January – Lexi learned how to walk.

February- We celebrated one year in Florida

March- Brad had a birthday and I got laid off from my job.

April-I got unemployment.

May-The kids got a pool in the back yard and the whole world got to see Lexi count on youtube.

June-We started to worry about life my unemployment was about to run out and Brad was approaching his year at Landrum.  That ment he would have to be laid off 3 months from GE unless he got hired.

July-Brad got hired at GE.  We have health benefits and he has a decent wage.

August-Gabe started Pre-Kindergarten.  Brad & I celebrated 6 years marriage.

September-Visited Dave & Margie in Davenport, FL.  While there we took a new family picture in typical Wisconsin fashion, wearing our Packer gear that Vicki (Gramma or Mom) sent us.  Gabe went mini-golfing for the first time and I took a nasty fall.

October-I had another birthday and the kids picked out costumes for Halloween.  Gabe picked out his we picked out Lexi’s.  Their pumpkins were designed to matched what they dressed up as.

November-Lexi turned 2.  Gabe turned 5.  I found a new job and should get hired as a regular employee by the end of January 2009.

December-Gabe had his school Christmas program.  We celebrated Christmas Eve with my Mom and family and spent the rest of the holidays at home as a family.

2008 has been an interesting year full of ups and downs.  Some of the downs have been really low but things are really starting look up. 

The only real resolution I have made this year is to get Lexi off her pacifier or “fire” as she calls it.  Gabe will start kindergarten and Lexi will continue with her terrible 2 & 3.  We have palns to visit our family in WIsconsin in July 2009.  We already have our place stay, Thank You Auntie Donna!  We just have to figure out how long we are staying.  We have tons of family to visit and there never seems to be enough time. 

I hope 2009 is being nice to everyone.  Have a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Love, you all,

Carmen & The Family

Much Overdue Post

OK….I know I am way overdue to post an update on life here but I have been very busy.  I should do this order of events.  I started a new job on Nov. 6.  I had my phone interview on the 3rd, face to face interview on the 4th, and told I got the job on the 5th.  The job is at WESCO.  They are a welding supply company, with 8 locations in FL, AL, MS, and LA.  I am so happy there, I get overtime which is great for my pocketbook and means that I can get hired on as a regular employee sooner.  I currently work through a local temp service.  I have about 6 weeks till I’m done with them.  My boss is really cool and a great guy to work for.  I had appts for the kids and myself 2 weeks ago and he had no problem with me being gone for them.  The bottom line about that job is I LOVE IT!!!  I work with some really interesting guys, at times I feellike I’m babysitting more than working.

Two days after I started that job we had Lexi’s second birthday party.  She had a blast and got a ton of cool presents.  I have pictures and video but I don’t have time to add those tonight.  I hardly have time to type this.  She got a ton of clothes from Gramma and a movie from Nana, and toys and I can’t remember what else.

Two weeks later was Gabe’s birthday and Thanksgiving.  Gabe turned 5 this year.  I can’t believe how smart he is and how big he is getting.  I want him to stay my little boy but I know he has to grow up.  He also got clothes from Gramma and a game from us, and Lego Bionicles from Nana and other things that I can’t remember. 

Now is Christmas is only 11 days away.  We have most of our shopping done and all the gifts we bought are wrapped and under the tree.  The kids helped decorate this year.  I only had one ornament break.  The kids fight every morning over who is going to turn the tree on.  Most mornings it is Lexi, because Gabe is not awake yet. 

I need to get to bed I have to be up at 6am and I still need to get in the shower.  Maybe my next post will include pictures.  I have off Christmas and the day after so I should have time to post then but you never know what will happen between now and then.  I hope everyone has a great Holiday and that those of you traveling have a safe trip.

The Bailiff’s

Job Update

It has been almost a month since my last post and I need to explain alot that has happened.  First I no longer have the job at PowerPlus Electric.  I worked the one week and was let go because they are merging with another company and they decided my position is not needed.  What was almost as bad as losing as the job was the fact that I lost it the my birthday weekend.  I guess things worked out though because I have a new job that I start tomorrow. 

The kids had a good halloween.  We got 3 pumpkins that we carved but they didn’t last till Friday.  I got some pictures but I don’t have time to add them tonight.  Gabe was a skeleton and Lexi was a fairy.  Every night she wants to wear her costume.  She is a girly girl that loves to dress up and wear her pretty bows.  They got a ton of candy which I will take to work to share with customers and my fellow employees.

Saturday Nov. 8 is Lexi’s 2nd birthday.  We are having a party with the family on Saturday.  She is getting a Tinker Bell cupcake cake and some pretty cool presents.  She is spoiled by her family but loved all the same.  I need to get things ready for tomorrow.  The kids have to be up early so I can get to work on time.  I hope to get the pictures on this weekend.

Have a great rest of the week.

Carmen & the Family

A NEW JOB!!!! YIPEE!!!

Gabe explaining the rules of golf to Lexi

For those who have not heard I started a new full time job Monday 10/6/08.  I work in the corporate office of PowerPlus Electric, they contract electrical jobs for the military.  I really enjoy it.  I am the receptionist which means answering the phone every time it rings, opening and distributing mail and faxes, and completing any tasks asked of me.  The pay is good for this area but I have to get up before dawn.  The hours are 7:30-4:30 which means getting up at 5am, kids up no later than 6:15 and out the door by 6:45.  The kids eat breakfast at school and I try to pick them up by 5pm.  At least they don’t have the 10hr time limit on kids being at daycare because I would be over everyday. 

The kids are adjusting well to my work schedule.  Getting up earlier means going to bed at 8pm, and it is not just them I have been in bed and asleep most days before 9pm.  I imagine some of you would like to hear about how I got this job…..

Monday I got a call from Landrum Staffing, one of the 4 temp services looking for work for me, they had a job in Pensacola that they wanted to send my resume over for.  The pay was good, over 10 an hour, and the hours were ok, I would prefer an 8 start time but I like getting off at 4:30 so you take what you can get.  They set up my interview for Wednsday at 10am.  It went well, there are 3 ladies in the office and all of them are new moms.  One lady has a boy almost 2, the second lady has a girl that just turned 2, and the third has a little girl that will be 1, then there are mine, Gabe will be 5 in 6 weeks and Lexi 2 in 4 weeks.  It is so nice to have other moms that understand what you have to deal with each day.  They liked my resume and my attitude so now I am the new receptionist.  I have to work for the temp service for 10 weeks then I can get hired on as a regular employee.  That means I could be an employee before the Christmas holiday and can get holiday pay.  I have to wait 60 days after hire before I get Vacation time and benifits which includes 401K and health. 

Because of my hours I don’t have a lot of time to keep this updated but I will do my best.  I’m sorry there are no pictures again but Brad is pissy and I need to get the kids ready for bed we have to be up early. 

Do you know what Sunday is???  If you do leave a comment about it.

Have a grat weekend!

Carmen & the Kids

Orlando Here We Are

This post was typed up on the 29th but got left behind while in Orlando and I never got back to it so here it is…..

Our little vacation to Orlando started on Thursday 9/26/08.  We left at noon so the kids would be tired and sleep and also so we would arrive in the early evening around 6pm or so.  That is not the way it happened.  Though we were on the road at noon we ran into traffic problems in the next county over.  We had to get off the interstate along with everyone else and drive for over an hour about 20 miles out of our way and what would have been 11 miles on the interstate.  The kids slept during this time but because I wasn’t sure where to go I was frustrated and Brad stayed awake.  He had been up all night working and then all morning helping pack and load the van.  Lexi only slept an hour and a half but she had her DVD player so she was pretty happy for most of the trip.  This is also the first trip Gabe did not wear a pull-up so we have to stop for potty breaks.  For those who know Gabe well he can pee in 5 different stores in a matter of 45 minutes and sometimes more than once in one store i.e. when we go to Wal-Mart he will pee in the front bathroom when we walk in and again in the back bathroom 15 minutes later.  We only had to stop a total of 3 times for the potty and the first was my fault because I forgot to ask when we left his school.  The one nice thing about this trip was using our FL Sun Pass, our pre-paid toll pass. 

We got to Orlando at about 8pm Eastern, we live in Central time, and Brad and the kids went swimming.  It was a littl cool outside but the pool was 86.  Of course Lexi got relaxed in the pool and did her usual thing of pooping in her swimmie in the pool.  Then it was off to bed for everyone.  Brad and I were awake before the kids.  The sun rises an hour earlier here, I think it is the time thing.

I wanted to take Gabe mini-golfing so I looked on-line for a local place that would be fun for the family.  He had a choice between the Jungle and Pirates, he chose Pirates.  We went to an all you can eat buffet breakfast and then to golfing.  It started out great, Gabe and Lexi got to play for free.  Gabe picked out a green ball and Lexi got a pink one.  Lexi didn’t really want to hit the ball, she wanted to pick up ours after we hit them.  I was taking pictures of the kids and the little signs along the way that described Capt. Kidd.  On about the 8th hole I walked up the course, not the path, to drop the ball in the hole.  I noticed there was a sign that I had not photgraphed yet so I started walking down the path and missed a step.  I think I was looking at my camera screen and not where I was walking.  I believe I sparained my right ankel (my good leg) and only minorly scraped my right knee.  My left knee was scraped worst and I didn’t feel it.  The major nerve in that leg was cut during one of my many surgeries.  I landed fully on my knees, I managed to not drop my camera and my hands don’t have a scatch on them.  We let Gabe finish golfing but Brad and I did not finish.  We decided to head back to Brads’ Aunt and Uncle house, Lexi was ready for a nap and my legs hurt bad. 

Gabe went swimming with his Daddy and Aunt Margie.  We washed the love bugs off our van and spent the rest of the day at home doing nothing.  We wanted to go to the local flea market but my injuries ruined that.  We will be back next year and by then Lexi should be better without a nap.  I hope that I am less of a klutz by then too.

Today, Saturday, was our family picture day.  The kids didn’t want to cooperate and I was getting hot and my leg was hurting so we only got a few and at least one of them was nice.  I don’t really want to put it on here because I want to use it as our Christmas picture.  I will put on some of the pictures of Brad with the kids and maybe me with the kids.  Lexi was tired so she was uncooperative.  We put her down for a nap and decided to go to Wal-Mart.  I know what you are thinking, “Why go to a store you have by your house?”  The answer is no two stores have the same clothes or the same clearance.  We found really cute night gowns for Lexi, her first, and new Iron Man PJ’s for Gabe.  Of course because we are close to Disney they have a whole section devoted to Disney clothes.  I would compare it to the GB Packers section at Wal-Mart in Wisconsin.  I found a fleece sweat jacket for me with Mickey on it, it will be good for the cool, not cold, weather we have in Milton.  The kids went swimming again, Brad cleaned and vaccuumed the van and I packed most of our bags.  We will head out of here around noon local time so we can get home around 6pm our time.  The kids need baths and have school in the morning. 

That was our wonderful trip.  It has been a good visit even with the accident.  Gabe walks with Aunt Margie and the neighbors dogs every evening and even made a dollar helping pull weeds.

That was our vacation.  No pictures though so I can get it posted tonight.

Love all!!

Carmen

The New Haircut

Brad is asleep on the other side of the couch. The kids love when the camera comes out.

Today was the day of my big hair change.  I think it turned out good.  I was not origionally happy with the color but the more I look at it the more I like it.  I wanted more red in my hair but it is darker and the highlights are not as bright as I wanted.  I guess things happen for a reason.  I love the cut, though it may be shorter than the picture it is what I wanted.  These are the pictures I took a few minutes ago with the camera.  I have this awesome tri-pod and my camera has a timer so I can now take pictures of myself and with the kids more often.  I don’t like the exposure but I will have to work on that.  What do you think??  Is it me??

This is a picture of the right side of my head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The left side. I think it looks red in the picture.

 

 

 Do you like it as much as I do now??

 

Have a great day/night/week/weekend!

 

 

 

Carmen ~ Gabe ~ Lexi

Hair cuts & pictures

This week the kids have their school pictures.  Today (Wednesday) Lexi had her picture taken.  Her tacher told me she went off the photographer, no questions asked, and sat like a big girl.  I hope it turns out good.  I don’t have a good portrait of her and this may be the one my mom cross stiches. 

Gabe gets his picture taken on Friday so we went to get his hair cut during nap time today.  He doesn’t sleep anyway so why not keep him from disrupting class by leaving the building.  I asked him if he wanted to go home with mom and he said “NO I want to play with my friends.”  His hair looks nice and I have his outfit picked out.  It is the outfit he wore for his first day of school.  I think he will look very nice and maybe more like the big boy he is most of the time.

He has had a rough few days lately.  He was mad about something today and started screaming.  He said he didn’t love me anymore.  I don’t put up with that so I told him when we got home he was going to his room.  He screamed some more and yelled as we walked in the door (Brad was still sleeping) so I sent him to his room and told him to lay down till dinner.  Ten minutes later he was asleep so I guess technically he went to bed without dinner.  He has been getting better about nap time at school so that is good news. 

I am getting my hair cut and colored in the morning.  If you want to see the color and style I am hoping for go check this page (http://www.latest-hairstyles.com/gallery/medium/248.php).  I think I will like the low lights better.  I am getting it cut at PJC (Pensacola Junior College).  It only costs $30 or so.  That is a good price when you are poor or cheap like me.  My mom has been getting her hair done there for a few months so I know they do a good job it just takes 4 or 5 hours.  I will try to post pictures of my hair tomorrow. 

I have new pictures that I need to load on this computer but I don’t have the energy to get the card right now.  I’ll add them tomorrow when I take my pictures.  One finally thing we leave for Orlando in a week.  We are only going for the weekend to see Brad’s aunt & uncle.  I am looking forward to swimming alot and maybe taking Gabe mini golfing.  I expect that I will lots of pictures.  I hope to add them while I am there so that I have less to do when I get back.  I have to do some paper work for Brad’s other job so until next time, take care and have a good week.

Love,

Carmen & the kids