A Trip to Monkey Joe's

Never heard of it? I hadn't either, before our trip last Friday with 3 of Anna Kate's friends and their moms.

Monkey Joe's is a fabulous, FABULOUS place for the whole family. It's like a big warehouse room filled with enormous inflatable slides, jumpers, obstacle courses, arcades, concessions and souvies. It's an awesome place! It even has a 'parent's area' equipped with leather massage recliner chairs and free WiFi (BYOL - bring your own laptop.) Of course, I didn't get to take advantage of that area since I was too busy with my camera (no surprise there). It cost $8.99 per child and the adults are no charge. The only requirement they have is you absolutely must wear socks while playing on the inflatables. If you don't remember to bring a pair, you can purchase them for a small $2.00 fee. Each child gets a wrist band with a number that coordinates with their parent's and they have an excellent check system so that no one leaves without their group. It really was a place where we could turn the kids loose and not have to worry about them disappearing. My only regret...I forgot socks (I didn't intend to get on, but it looked like so much fun!). No worries though, I snuck on a slide and made one trip down on my stomach. It was a blast! I will definitely bring a pair of socks for me next time...In fact, I think we're going back this weekend with a different set of friends. I don't know who is more excited, AK or me? LOL!

Here is a link to the pictures: Monkey Joe's Album

Can you believe our sweet little Anna Kate will be four years old on April 7th?! I surely can't! And even more shocking...her daddy turns the big 4-0 the next day *eek* We are having one big party on the 5th. The day Anna Kate was born we were sitting in the hospital room and Jeff said something about when AK turns four he would be turning forty and that it would be neat to have a 4-40 Party. Well it's four years later and that very party is on the horizon. Invitations are going out in the mail today, so be on the lookout for them. It's going to be a lot of fun!!!

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Easter

I know it's late, but I have been so busy this week and just now getting to editing photos. I won't bore you with the details of our day, since I know you really just want to see the pictures :-)

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Surprise Vacation!

So I'm sitting here in my office at work, minding my own business. Working on purchase orders and I get an email alert. I see it's from Jeff and open it...
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Just booked this for 4 days and 3 nights. A one room Villa. They shuttle to all the parks.. Brand New outlet mall across the street 149 bucks could not turn it down. ... Sound like a plan???

http://www.hiltongrandvacations.com/orlando-florida-villas.php
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I have read it three times and still can't grasp it. My husband has booked a 4-day, 3-night Disney vacation SPONTANEOUSLY?!!!! Anyone who truly knows him, knows he doesn't do anything (especially travel plans) without thinking about it for umpteen weeks! Little Miss Anna Kate will be out-of-her-mind excited when we tell her!

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Easter Egg Hunt

Every year the Pastor and his wife have an Easter egg hunt at their house for the children, ages 1-5. This was our first year, and what a treat it was! The lawn and flower beds were sprinkled with eggs. Some were plastic and filled with candy and the others were hard boiled, dyed eggs. The children were so anxious to gather as many eggs as they could, but first we wanted to get a group picture. That, of course, was a challenge, but I think we ended up with some good ones. Then it was time! Anna Kate filled her basket pretty quickly and began complaining it was too heavy, so I ended up carrying it while she filled it even more. Jeff & I alternated taking pictures and videoing (I'll try to upload the video before I go to bed.) I think we both were surprised at how civil the 'hunt' went. We were expecting a little pushing here and there, but that did not happen. In fact, there wasn't a single meltdown, temper tantrum or 'scrap' :-)

Once we determined that it was a clean sweep, it was time for our picnic and play time. There was a table full of spring colored, Easter themed goodies for everyone to enjoy. It was so nice to sit down with other families and chat. It was even better when the children went off to play in the beautiful back yard and on the swing set/slide and play house. That's when we mothers gathered on the blankets, the men settled into a corner off the patio and we just enjoyed fellowshipping. It was a really nice afternoon! Thank you Dr. Bush & Miss Joyce!!

Enjoy viewing the pictures...

*This one has nothing to do with egg hunt and it's technically not correct, but I couldn't pass up a shot of this. Anna Kate pushing her 'baby sister' in the doll stroller...*

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Sunday Morning Pictures

Believe it or not, we actually got ready for church this morning with time to spare. What a perfect opportunity to break out my camera...............and you know Anna Kate was thrilled (not).

Isn't she just beautiful?!

And this is her overall feelings about taking pictures.....*sigh*


After church we went to Wendy's (I swear, if we have eaten there once this weekend, we have been there 10 times. Anna Kate could live on their chicken nuggets.) and then to the grocery store. The children (AK & Belle) are napping while Jeff and I are killing time until time to get ready for the Easter Cantata at church tonight. I have so much I should be doing, but I just can't make myself do it. I think I'll be a self proclaimed couch potato for now.

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Easter Party at School

Yesterday morning it was Easter party time at Anna Kate's school. The parents arrived at 9:15 while the kids went back inside. Each class had a basket of eggs that we parents had to hide. There were a TON of eggs. Once the eggs were all in their hiding places (some more obvious than others) it was time for the kids to come back out. They were bursting with excitement to find the eggs. It was funny watching them all bust out of line and race to the eggs.


After the hunt, it was time for the yummy party food. This time the parents weren't given any assignments; we just chipped in $2 each and everything was ordered in. It was nice not having to worry with making something for a change.


I always enjoy going to the school parties, because it gives me the opportunity to watch Anna Kate in her element. Although, she tends to 'act out' a tad just because I'm there. (I wish I had studied child psychology in college, so that I could understand why she does this....among other things.) They were cute singing their little songs, dancing to their music and playing 'Ring Around the Rosey'.


Soon it became obvious that Anna Kate just wasn't going to let me leave without her, so she ended up going back to the office with me for an hour or so. She was good, but Miss Marcia was a tremendous help in keeping her occupied while I got some work done. All in all, it was a really good day.


Here is a quick slide show of the day. If any parents out there would like the pics, just shoot me an email and I'll be happy to send them to you - klee@eufaula.rr.com .

(Click the slide show to enlarge)

Oh, and I can't end without posting a few pics from this week while playing outside.

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T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

That's what Anna Kate was in yesterday. We got home from school and found out that her monkey was moved from the green tree to the yellow tree and she received a yellow 'Y' on her behavior report.........NOT GOOD. It seems as though while the children were lining up to go outside Anna Kate walked by a fellow classmate and spit in her face. SPIT IN HER FACE! *SPIT IN HER FACE!!* We are still shocked. Obviously we had a conversation with Anna Kate about it and still don't know exactly what happened, but feel relatively sure she was provoked. It's just not in AK's character to do something like that. She can push you or test the waters, so to speak, but she isn't overly aggressive like that. Still, that behavior is never acceptable, so her TV privileges were taken away for the entire night. Oh my, that caused some m a j o r discontent in our house. Phew! I think she got the point though. I explained that if someone is being mean to her that she needs to tell her teacher or any other adult that is close by - it is not okay to hit, spit, poke, bite, kick, etc. someone. I told her that we expect her to apologize to the little girl and her teacher today. Man, I wasn't prepared at all for that...

In other news, Anna Kate is feeling somewhat better, however she's still not 100%. She has been very sleepy and irritable. The cultures on her strep and urine tests did come back negative, so it was obviously the nasty fever virus going around and it looks like one viral thing has turned into another. We're pushing lots of liquids and vitamins in her hoping she'll be on the mend soon.

Maybe if she was good at school today, and is allowed to go outside and play when we get home, I may have a few new pictures for you tonight. Check back!

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Cabin Fever **Edited**

This has been a week full of sickness....for Anna Kate, that is. She came home from school early on Tuesday with a 102.3 fever. She had been complaining for a few days that her throat, head, basically her entire body hurt, but according to our digital thermometer, she didn't have a fever. She was tested for the flu and strep, both of which came back negative. However, they did send the throat culture off to be sure it wasn't a false negative. She's had a fever ranging from 100-103.2* for the past three days and is working of day four. Poor girl has pretty much been laying around watching TV, covered up with her blanket and cuddling Belle. I'm hoping we might be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel though.


Work has been great about it. I had a board meeting out of town Wednesday, so Jeff was able to stay home with her. Today (Thursday) I worked from home and tomorrow I will take Anna Kate with me to the office. Friday is my short day anyway (off at 2:00) and I'll be there by myself, so I can just close the door to my office and let her color, watch a DVD, whatever. That is, if she's not burning up with fever again. I just can't send her back to school until she's been completely fever-free for a full 24 hours.


My parents are coming for a quick visit late tomorrow afternoon for the night. We are looking forward to seeing them and I know they can't wait to see Anna Kate. She is expecting a bag full of 'prizes' ;-)


And to end the post, here are a couple pictures of Anna Kate snuggling with Belle today. You can take one look at her and tell she feels terrible. Poor baby.
































**Well, as we woke up this morning I was hoping to be over the sickness. Unfortunately Anna Kate woke up with pink eye. *SIGH* So we're stuck in the house for another day....**

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Weekend Ramblings

Is it Monday already? It doesn't feel like I slept this weekend because I'm so exhausted. I have a headache and a 'crick' in my neck. (I think that's from the position I was in during my 2-hour nap after church yesterday on the sofa.) Well maybe I did sleep a little......

We had a good weekend. The weather was gorgeous here - 72* and sunny, so we took advantage of it. We cleaned up the yard (well, Jeff & AK did while I had a photo shoot) and then grilled out for dinner. Sunday was church, nap and playing outside.

Belle is really starting to settle in. She's becoming a lot more comfortable with Anna Kate and Anna Kate is finally learning to be gentle with Belle (instead of her getting in her face and talking in this high-pitched-only-a-dog-can-hear voice, which sends Belle straight under the sofa.) She's eating & drinking well, playing, learning her new routine for 'potty time' and sleeping snuggled up in her bed next to our bed. Yesterday morning we couldn't get her in the kitchen before we left for church, when we got home she was propped up on a pile of sofa pillows on the sofa. For the record, she only weighs 4 lbs 1/2 oz and is about 8" tall........so how did she get up on the sofa and how did she maneuver the pillows like that? Crazy dog! She was playing W.I.L.D this morning. It's been so long since I've experienced the whole puppy playing thing, that she cracks me up! Anyway, she really has helped to ease the pain of losing Dixie. We are beginning to look back on all the years we were blessed with Dixie and laugh at some of the memories. Anna Kate still slips up occasionally and calls Belle Dixie or Dix-Dix, but we don't correct her. She needs to time adjust to Dixie not being here too.

And before I end, I have to share some of Anna Kate's 'funnies' from the weekend.

1) We were outside yesterday swinging and we heard/saw something fall from one of the tall pine trees. Jeff and I knew that it was a pine cone a squirrel had knocked down, but Anna Kate, in an effort to ensure her mama and daddy weren't afraid said, 'It's okay, it was just a bird pecker.' I think she meant a wood pecker.

2) As were all four piled up in the bed playing one morning Anna Kate spotted the freckles on little Belle's tummy. She said, 'Hey! Why does she have so many pretzels on her tummy?' Silly girl, she always keeps us laughing :-D

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