Ethan turns 1!!

Friday was Ethan's birthday and we celebrated with him and the family on Saturday.  We are becoming Birthday Party Pros in our house ;).  He was so adorable and did so well!  He was more interested in the tissue paper than the gifts, but I'm sure that he'll warm to them soon.  He wasn't too sure about the cake, but he had some help "getting into it".  Enjoy the photos.



Ethan's shirt from Oba

Papa and Ethan bonding before
the party - hit it like this!



Miss Lily ready to party down!



Tissue paper is so much more fun
than presents

And let's not forget the balloons!





The xylophone cake for
everyone else - Danielle's
creation



Ethan's personal cake - so cute!



Am I allowed to touch this?



I'm starting to get into it







Want some?



Who needs hands, face first is so
much better!

Yea! All done!  It's great to be 1!!



We had fun helping Ethan celebrate his birthday.  We get one more shot at making a Southwell birthday a memorable occasion in a few weeks for Jay!!  We're having a tailgating birthday party before the Orange & Blue game (Florida's Spring Scrimage).  Sneak peak:  here's the cake that Jay is going to have

"Old Swampy"

Miss Lily turns 1!!

Our precious little girl has turned one!!!  Can't believe that a year has gone by so fast.  She is adorable (and according to Grammy, very much like her Oba - hates to be told "no" and will start crying when she is).  She had fun at her birthday and did so well with all the people, cake, and presents.  Well, you don't want to read about it, you want to see the pictures. . . So here you go!

The decorations - well some of them:

The birthday girl and her cake:

Ready for my cake Mom

The cake Tiffany made

Jay had to show her how
it's done

Finally got into it

The girl and her chair both had cake!

Not too thrilled about the clean up
process

 And the presents:

The loot

The book that Grammy made

Ethan thought that he'd learn how it's
done so he'll be ready next week

Loving the dolphin from Aunt Jeannie
and Uncle Randy

The shirt Oba made "Papa's Princess"

 So this was our weekend.  Now to get ready for Ethan's birthday weekend coming up!

Mom's Birthday Weekend

Mom and Dad came up to G'ville for Mom's birthday.  We had such a good weekend!  Friday night we went to the Gator Baseball game (and we won!).  On Saturday we spent the day with Josh, Danielle, and Ethan.  We went to the Butterfly Rainforest and then had dinner and cake (made by moi).  Then on Sunday we went to another baseball game, but we didn't stay long.  It was very warm (but we weren't complaining) and Mom started to not feel so well.  So we headed back to the car and then Mom and Dad headed back to Wauchula.

These were Mom's favorite, tried to
get a shot of the blue wings

Butterfly landed on Dad

Danielle and Ethan looking at the
butterflies

Mom's cake before we ate on it

The inside of Mom's cake

We had such a good weekend.  One birthday down, four more to go in the next month and a few days.

A Weekend of kids!

I got to spend time with all 3 of my little ones (who aren't so little anymore) this weekend.  Their moms and I took them to the park for some fun and a picnic.  Ethan ate his first table food (thanks Lily for the peer pressure) and thoroughly enjoyed that banana (wish I had gotten some pictures of it, will have to see if I can get some from Danielle).  Then we put the two little ones in a swing and they LOVED it!  I have never heard Lily laugh so much!  Jay wouldn't get off the slide and I finally had to drag him off when it was time to go. 




One happy boy!



Sliding is fun!

Swinging Cousins!

Tiffany and I took Jay and Lily to the baseball game (all of those pictures are on Tiffany's camera - it's hard when you have 2 cameras you're trying to take pictures with), but I'll get them soon and then add them in.  Jay called for Albert to come see him several times.  He wasn't as in to the game as he is football (but let's face it, baseball is a lot slower than football).

It was an amazing weekend and I so needed some time with the family!  Mom and Dad are coming up this weekend for Mom's birthday, so I'm sure that I'll post more soon!

See you readers!!!

Preview of What's to Come

It hit me the other day that my little chik-a-dees are growing up too fast.  In the next month in a half all three of them will celebrate birthdays (along with my Mom and younger brother).  Keep your eyes out for pictures of Mom's birthday weekend (next weekend), then we'll have a break for a few weeks (so I'll probably post some BASEBALL photos!!! - Opening weekend is this weekend!) before the whirlwind of four birthdays in three weeks: Lily, Ethan, Joshua, and Jay.  The babies are turning 1 and my little man will be 3!!!  Where has the time gone?  It seems like just yesterday they all looked like this:



Jay, less than a day old



Lily, just after birth

Ethan, a little more than a day old
with Grammy & Papa

Happy Birthday kids!! Can't wait to celebrate with you!

Love,
Oba

A Day at the Races!!!

Saturday, January 12 @ 10:30 A.M - received a phone call asking me 1) if I wanted to go to the Bud Shootout and 2) did I have someone that could go with me!  I said yes and let me make a phone call.  I called my little brother (who isn't so little, but still) because he had never been treated to a race.  Dad's company use to sponsor a Busch series car and Dad took Steven and myself (at seperate times) to a race, but the company stopped sponsoring the car before he could take Josh.  So I thought I'd make it up to him and boy did I!!!

We got to sit in a skybox with just about all the food you could eat and definitely all the drinks (coke, beer, water) you could drink.  We got to go on a tour of the garage and pit areas (we didn't meet any of the drivers, but saw their cars).  And watched the ARCA (not sure what it really stands for, but Kathy our tour guide said it was for "Another Race Car Accident") and then the Shootout!  We had a blast!!!  It was a wonderful surprise and a good time with new friends and my brother.



Enough said!

Getting ready for our tour



Kathy and Chip - Our Tour Guides



Lounge of the Hauler





A look from the garage area

Pit area



Inspection



Mark Martin's Car



Josh with his favorite beer car

Budweiser Clydesdales








Budweiser Truck



The Dalmation







A View of the Infield from
our Skybox



The drivers racing for
$1 million!!!

A Place of My Very Own!

 I will be moving (again) in May, but hopefully for the last time while I'm in Gainesville.  I'm moving into a 1 Bed/1 Bath apt that is just a few minutes from my office.  As soon as I have pictures to post I will!!  I'm so excited to be living on my own and all by myself!  No more roommate problems - if things are messy or the electricity bill too high - it's my own fault!!

You can check the complex out at http://www.hiddenvillageapt.com/ if you so desire :)  Post more in a few months (it will be here before we know it!)