Happy Anniversary!

Today is our anniversary!! Happy 7 years, Ronnie-boy!

Normally, this would be a day of celebration of another year of marriage.

(See?? Just because you "elope" doesn't mean your marriage won't last!)

But not this weekend.  Not because we don't love each other or anything. But because pretty much our WHOLE house has spent the weekend sick and miserable.

We were supposed to be up north frolicking in the fall leaves, but Ron couldn't get off work. Guess that worked out for the best.

It started with me on Thursday night. When I was driving home from our Halloween party, I started to get what I thought might be a migraine.  I came home to one of the dogs peeing in the house and had to clean that up with my migraine. Awesome.

That night I barely got any sleep because I was in a lot of pain. The next morning I went to work, but it was a PD day so I thought I could make it through anyway.

Well, as the morning progressed, I couldn't do it anymore. My principal let me go home the rest of the day sick. Awesome. I'll go home and sleep it off.

Yeah. Right.  Came home to a miserable Caroline.

It took me about 2 hours, but I finally go her to sleep. I took my temperature after that....

It was almost 103!!! 

Seriously!?

Well, the baby was in bed, and that's where I was headed. I slept the rest of the day away and spent the majority of Saturday in bed too.

Sweet little Autumn made me a picture.

(maybe my black hair means its time make a hair appt?? haha)

This is also the time that Ron decided to start purging, cleaning, and redoing the office, so my house was a DISASTER and I couldn't help. At all.

Sunday, our actual anniversary, Ron had to go to work. Thankfully, I woke up that morning mostly returned to the land of the living because all 3 girls were miserable. Caroline  wouldn't let me put her down for anything. (and don't mind my hair - that is my "I've-been-in-bed-for-3-days-and-now-my-children-are-all-sick" hair.)

Currently, Autumn is sleeping because she has started a fever and Brooklynn threw up on Saturday. And Caroline is still very whiny and needy. I have gotten NOTHING done today. My house is a disaster, I am way behind on things for work, and I have meal prepped NOTHING for the week - or even grocery shopped for that matter.

Regardless. Today is the day that we can celebrate that we've made it another year. This last year has really added in some "fun" with a 3rd baby, a house renovation, a pool, and just life in general.  Somehow, I feel like we're stronger and "better" in many ways.  Here's to another year of memories!

Life is a Circus

Yesterday marked 6 years that Ron and I have been married. 

Last year, we went to Island of Adventures, which was a great symbol of the rollercoaster we had been on that year.  This year, we went to the "circus." haha. Still... so appropriate for our lives. 

We had been to Cirque Du Soleil before, MANY moons ago, even before we were married.It was nice to see it again, almost 10 years later.

As with any day in our life, the day was chaotic, trying to do too much in one day. Thankfully we had a little help. It really does take a village to raise kids. Yesterday, some of Autumn's favorite friends (Nate and Sloan) were having a birthday party (they're twins), but because we had so much to do before we left for Orlando, they were going to have to miss it. Then, Mimi came to the rescue! Their babysitter (during the day) was going to the party too and told us we could drop off the girls and she would watch them at the party for us. What would we do without Mimi?  So we ran to do a few things we had to do while they were at the party and then came back to get them. 

We were, of course, running late, and didn't get to leave for Orlando by the time we wanted. So we didn't have time to eat dinner before the show. So, we opted for pretzels.

Ha!

Anniversary dinner at it's finest.

Then we got to see the show. It was so great. Even seeing it again. It really does amaze me at the athleticism that some people can have. It really kind of motivates me to get back into shape that much quicker after this baby.

Well, since dinner was a bust, I decided I was going to going to redeem it by getting myself a fun dessert! I have actually never had a caramel apple. 

I know.

But now I can cross that off my list! It wasn't just a caramel apple. It was a Minnie Mouse Halloween Chocolate Caramel covered Apple.

Yes. It happened.

I ate it. It was SO good. Then my body had issues because I'm NOT used to eating like that. But it was worth it. I can say I've had one and they are SO good. But I don't think I need another one. lol

While we were gone, the babysitter (night time) sent us a picture of the girls. They seriously melt my heart sometimes. And other times, they make me question ever having kids - ha!  

Happy anniversary to the man who is my best friend.  

He drives me crazy. I drive him crazy. We don't always agree. He makes me laugh. He keeps me grounded. He helps calm me when I'm high-strung (wait... me? high strung - ha!)  There are many ways we work, and some ways we don't, but find a way.

Life is a circus. Crazy. Fun. Funny. Hectic. A lot of work. But when you work at it, you can see just how totally worth it, it is!  Can't wait to see what the next year of marriage brings!

Life is a Roller Coaster

Five years ago, I married my best friend....

We "eloped" to Jamaica to get married. Everyone knew we were going, it was planned, but I just didn't feel like planning a wedding and stressing out. No one came with us, we just went on vacation and got married. It was WONDERFUL. I am still so happy that's what we did.

We SO want to go back....

We came back and did a photoshoot at home.... these are some of my favorite pictures.

Fast forward 5 years.....

A lot has happened...

two beautiful girls

new house

deaths in the family

grad school

The last month has been one of the most stressful times in our marriage. Between the passing of my husband's father (and the leading up to it) stress at my job, we really just needed a day to be free....

So I took the day off of work, we dropped the girls off at our FABULOUS sitter's,  and we headed to Islands of Adventures...

so we could go to Harry Potter World!

We relaxed in Margaritaville (one of my FAVORITE places...I just love Jimmy Buffett)

And we rode all the roller coasters....it has been about 7 years since our last roller coaster, I think. We were thinking we could go in, ride all of the rides 2-3 times each, so we bought the express pass - UNLIMITED.  HA!  well.... we did ride ALL the rollercoasters and rides, but ummm.... our bodies can NOT handle roller coasters like we used to. Our first coaster was the Hulk....which, if it's your first time back in the coaster-saddle, then whew! It's a doozy...lol. 

As we were leaving the park today, I thought it very apropos that we chose to go to a theme park...life is such a roller coaster, especially the last month. We rode those roller coasters, we screamed we laughed, we got a little queezy. But we survived, and we're ready to take on the next ride.  

Life has its ups, it's downs, its twists and turns. Scream, cry, laugh, it's all part of the ride. And if you have a friend by your side, you'll make it out alive.

That's the lesson I came up with today, and I'm so glad that I have my best friend to share life's roller coaster with! Here's to many more rides!