skidaway state park

I decided to take the kids and do something fun this morning! So, we went out to Skidaway State Park. We spent a little over an hour on the nature trail and then about another hour playing on the playground and with the kids "baseball bats". We had a ton of fun and saw all manner of fiddler crabs, lizards, squirrels, snails, and lots of other cool stuff.

(kaleb took this one)

baseball on the volleyball court....oh, well. we were the only one's there :)

YES!!!

I am currently sleep deprived, but ecstatic nonetheless!!! I received an e-mail a little while ago from our family readiness group that they forwarded from the Col. in charge of Tyrone's brigade. While I cannot give the date they said, he is giving an approximate homecoming date "with great confidence." These guys have no problem telling us nothing at all, so when they say something like that, you listen!!! I am thrilled beyond belief. And, no, it's not *soon*, but since I know someone whose husband's deployment just got extended to an unimaginable 18 months, I will take it! Call me or Mom, we will be fabulously happy to tell you when :)

**UPDATE**

Tyrone has now received the same information over there as I have received over here! Same stuff across the board! HOW AWESOME!!!

night night

happy 4th of july

Jeanie and Glenn, my sister and brother in law, invited us out to their house to swim in their new pool and grill out for the 4th! We had so much fun! We had a blast, as you can see in the pics, and it is 7:45 and all of the kids are already asleep....we wore them out!

my red, white, and blue kids!

Gabe, chillin' as only he knows how!!

Shiloh had a great time!

Tyler, happily launched by his Daddy!

hitching a ride on Mommy!

Brothers!

Splash!!! Tyler is REALLY good at splashing!!

Gabe, mid jump (GREAT pic, mom!!)

My mommy and my sister

three super cool boys!

all wore out!!

lol

This was going on in the kitchen for at least a solid 20 min....I thought it was pretty funny.

to be creative

gabe is really four

I know I just put up the post on Gabe's birthday party, but today is his actual birthday. I can't believe that he is four!

If I had to choose one word to describe this son of mine, it would be intense. Everything Gabe does is intense. When he is angry, boy do we all know it! (probably, our neighbors do, too!) But when Gabriel is happy, or loving, or amused, he is intense in these, too! He can easily erase a bad day when he wraps his whole little 40 lb wiry body around you in a huge hug!!

Out of the three kids, Gabe reminds me the most of Tyrone. I have to laugh, because sometimes I really think that I am looking at what Tyrone must have been like as a child. Gabe has his friendly mannerisms and easy ways with people....this did not come from me, I assure you!

Our Gabriel is such a mix of still a baby, and a really big boy. I love that he still needs and wants me when he's sad, or tired, or hurt. I am amazed by his fearlessness at doing things boys several years older than he is shy away from. I love this little boy!!

Happy birthday, Gabriel Joseph!!!