A New Do

I really love my new back to school hairdo. I am so glad that I get to give up the braid that I have been wearing all summer. I went in with an image in my mind of what I wanted but of course couldn't describe it. Ashley made it look even nicer than I imagined it. I tried to grow it long but couldn't take it any longer. I really don't enjoy all that hair.

Ashley did a great job, thank you girls for passing her name on to me.

No one was home when I took these pictures so I had to try and take them on my own so I'm sorry for the bad photo work.

Saving Special Things

This shirt was given to Nick when he was Ashe's age by his Nana. He wore it all the time. Since it was special to him, I saved it. Who knew that all these years later Ashe would be wearing it?

Thanks Nana.. Now I love the shirt!

Surgery

Nick has a real love for science. Ever since he was little he told us he wanted to be a cardiologist. This summer we wanted to send him to a kids, science, medical camp. He was nervous and wasn't sure he wanted to go because he wouldn't know anyone. The camp ended up getting canceled and he wasn't able to go in the end. So we had our own science camp. He research the animals, made Powerpoints, wrote reports, made graphs to show his findings. At the end of his research he dissected the animal. He loved discovering all the different parts and organs. On the frog, He was able to look at the chambers of the heart. I was very surprised how careful, and precise he was with the scalpel. I only posted one picture to save you all from the stomach churning details, like the bladder that still had urine in it.

Vacation: St. Augustine

Welcome to the Oldest City:

St. Augustine

The Lightner Museum

On the first day we stopped at the Lightner Museum. This museum is

the former Hotel Alcazar. This museum houses many cut glass and stained glass pieces of Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Historic Homes

then

now

This is the historic home that Steven and I were married in many years ago. It has changed so much over the years. It is now vacant. The large wrap around porch is where we came out and rang the bell announcing our marriage. The bell has since been removed. I also took a picture of the boys standing on one of the small side porch.

The Beach

Each night while on vacation we would stop after dinner to try and catch the sunset. Of course it was rainy each night so we were unable to stay long but the boys had fun taking off their shoes and running around in the sand.

Castillo de San Marcos

This is a Spanish built fort. This fort overlooks the water as a way for the Spanish to protect the city from invaders such as the British. This is also the place that Steven and I were engaged. It is really beautiful there it has a castle like feeling.

Oldest Schoolhouse

This is the oldest recorded schoolhouse in the U.S. It was on record in 1716. It has living quarters for the teacher above the school. How sad, I can't wait to go home from school at the end of the day. I surly wouldn't want to live there. They were however allowed to use a small room like dungeon under the stairs and the dunce cap. These things are frown upon in school now.

Oldest Jail

Here we toured the oldest jail. We were shown the gallows where prisoners were hung. We also were able to see the female and male cells, the ball and chain that the chain gang wore, and even the attached home of Sheriff Joe Perry. There were a lot of interesting and sad details on how prisoners were treated.

Flagler College

outside view, walking up

the fountain in the front courtyard

the lobby

the powder room, where meetings are still held

dining hall

dining hall

This was once the lavish hotel Ponce de Leon, it opened in 1888. Only the very wealthy such as Rockefeller and U.S. Presidents stayed at this hotel. Once Henry Flagler (hotel owner) passed away the hotel closed but then was reopened as Flagler College. I can't believe how beautiful this building is inside. The dining hall where the students eat is the same room that held dinner for these wealthy and important people. It has real Tiffany windows and chandeliers that Louis Comfort Tiffany created himself.

We learned so much information about this hotel/college... For example we learned that the fountain in front of the school looks the way it does to represent a sword handle as if the sword is down in the cement. The fountain also has twelve frogs on the outside where the water is held to represent the numbers of a clock. There are also four turtle in the fountain facing outward to represent the four season. Another tidbit of information, if you were to look at the college from an aerial view the courtyard represents an old Celtic cross.

This was something that I was very glad that I took the time to see.

First Black Eye

I have posted many firsts on this blog of the boys over the past few years. I was unsure if I was going to post this first as well. It took me many days to finally come to terms with this disgusting black eye. I tried to get a good picture of the eye it was hard but in this picture the swelling is down and the eye is starting to look a little better.

Here's how it happened...

The other night Steven was trying to get Ashe to sleep. Well Ashe hates to go to bed, because he might miss something, so he tends to give us a hard time. The lights were out and Steven was in there making sure he didn't get out of bed to play or stand by the bedroom door waiting for us to realize that he was not sleeping. Steven was lying on the floor next to the toddler bed. Ashe decided to climb out of bed and use dad as a jungle gym. Sometimes Ashe climbs up and snuggles on daddy's chest. Tonight he was up to his old tricks when he tripped. We think he tripped over his own feet because it was dark. When he fell his eye hit the rocking chair. The rocking chair is padded the only part not padded are the wooden arms. Well that is exactly where he hit. We rushed him up to After Hours Pediatrics where they thought he may be in need of some stitches. After cleaning it up and relooking it appeared that from opening and closing his eye the skin on his eyelid had stuck together. Since the cut was pretty much closed they didn't think they would need to put him through the ordeal of stitches. Thank Goodness!! Let me tell you, I cried over the eye more than he did.

Grandma Herod tells me that he is right about the age his daddy was when Steven first got a black eye. I don't know if my heart can go through what his daddy put grandma and grandpa Herod through.

Thank you for all the thoughts, calls, and prayers wishing him a quick recovery. Let me tell you this has not stopped the little dare devil. Less than 24 hours after the injury he was standing on the arm of the chair in the living room. I did catch him before he jumped to the floor.

I didn't know raising boys could be so dangerous.

High Tech Boy

Ashe loves to play on the computer and listen to music. Since he likes to listen or play the same games over and over and over again we decided to let him try the headphones. He thought it was so fun that now he enjoys the headphones and he looks super cute in them.

Anyone who has toddlers or preschoolers and are looking for some fun online games should check out...

http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=10&e=gamesLanding&mcat=game_infant,game_toddler,game_preschool&site=us

When you get to this site you will see only a few games but if you click to see all toddler games or preschooler games you will find a lot more.

Please share if you find any can't miss toddler/preschool games.

Dr. Boom

Tonight we went to the Orlando Science Center to see the show, "Big Bang." This is where Dr. Boom takes different chemicals and adds extreme heat or cold to make explosions. Nick really loved the science behind the bang. He of course doesn't like fireworks but these explosions were so cool to him. The explosions kept getting better and more intense through out the show. At one point he filled a soda bottle with liquid Nitrogen and then capped the bottle. He then put the bottle into a barrel with water. When the bottle exploded the water went shooting up into the air with such force that the water hit the ceiling. I recommend the show to those who loves those Mythbuster type explosions. We sure did get our bang for our buck.
Check out the Dr. Boom promo video from last year. The show was way better but you will get an small idea what it was like.
Dr. Boom Video:

-

Happy 4th of July

What is more American then the famous paintings of Norman Rockwell from "The Saturday Evening Post"? We went to see an art exhibit of the famous paintings of Norman Rockwell.

We also watch fireworks right here in the neighborhood.

Happy 4th Of July