I started this blog so our friends and family could keep up with what was going on in the Yount house:) We LOVE Disney World. We went to Disney in October of 2007(stayed at All-Star Sports) and December of 2008(stayed at Saratoga Springs). Then September of 2009(stayed at Animal Kingdom Villas). Then back to Disney in May 2010(stayed at Old Key West and then Pop Century) we also took a wonderful Disney Cruise in May 2010. We're going back to Disney World in February 2011(staying at Animal Kingdom Villas).
Time to give thanks:)
Our Vacation schedule for New Orleans and Gulfport MS!!
December 27--Leave for NOLA and arrive that evening
December 28--Spend the day visiting the historic sites all around NOLA
December 29--Spend the day at the aquarium
December 30--Jimmy and Dee Dee and family come to meet us in NOLA and we are all going to the WW II museum That evening head to Gulfport MS to stay with Jimmy and Dee Dee
December 31--Enjoy New Yrs Eve with the Barta family
January 1, 2011--Relax and enjoy time with the Barta's
January 2--Head home
Our Vacation Schedule for Texas!
August 3--- Leave for Dallas(arrive that evening)
August 4--Spend day with Ben's mom in Dallas
August 5--Head to Texas Stadium in the morning Lunch with Carlisa Take a quick trip to Daley plaza
August 6--Head to Houston Enjoy time with my old college friend Daphne and her famiy that evening
August 7--Head to Johnson Space Center with Daphne's family
August 8--Head to South Padre Island
August 9-11--Relax on the beach!!!
August 12--Head to the waterpark in South Padre
August 13 & 14--More downtime. Relax at the resort and at the beach
August 15--Head home
August 16--Arrive home
Schedule for Disney Vacation 2010 May 24th--Leave for Florida after the kids get out of school
May 25th--Arrive at Disney
Check in to The Old Key West Resort and swim
Dinner at Olivia's at the resort
May 26th--Breakfeast at Cape May Cafe
Swim the rest of the day and relax
May 27--Drive over to Port Canaveral
11:00AM Board boat
Swim and enjoy the day on the boat before setting
sail at 4pm
May 28--Stop at Nassau for the day (we are going to spend
the day at Blue Lagoon Beach)
Pirate Party that night aboard the ship
May 29--Stop at Castaway Cay for the day (we are going to
snorkel and enjoy the family beach)
May 30--Disembark and head back to Disney World
Check into Pop Century Resort
Matthew and Ben head to Hollywood Studios for
Star Wars fun. Andrew and I head to Blizzard Beach
for some water fun:)
Dinner at Chef Mickey's at 9pm
May 31--Lunch at The Wispering Canyon
Hang at the resort for the day
June 1--Breakfeast at Polynesian resort
Spend the day at Typhoon Lagoon
June 2--Magic Kingdom for the day
Dinner at Tony's Town Square
June 3--Animal Kingdom for the day
Dinner at Tuskers at 5pm
June 4--Head home
Spend the night in Chatanooga TN
June 5--Arrive Home
The new ME!! 22 pds gone:)
The boys acting silly at the zoo on Spring Break
The boys with Chester at Miller Park in Bloomington
Our new puppy
CHECK OUT THESE LYRICS FROM THE JORDAN SPARKS SONG "ONE STEP AT A TIME"
Hurry up and wait So close, but so far away Everything that you've always dreamed of Close enough for you to taste But you just can't touch You wanna show the world, but no one knows your name yet Wonder when and where and how you're gonna make it You know you can if you get the chance In your face as the door keeps slamming Now you're feeling more and more frustrated And you're getting all kind of impatient waiting We live and we learn to take [ Chorus ] One step at a time There's no need to rush It's like learning to fly Or falling in love It's gonna happen and it's Supposed to happen that we Find the reasons why One step at a time You believe and you doubt You're confused, you got it all figured out Everything that you wished for Could be, should be, would be yours If they only knew You wanna show the world, but no one knows your name yet Wonder when and where and how you're gonna make it You know you can if you get the chance In your face as the door keeps slamming Now you're feeling more and more frustrated And you're getting all kind of impatient waiting We live and we learn to take one step at a time.
I FOUND THIS AND I THINK ITS TRUE FOR VACATIONS AND OTHER EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE WITH YOUR KIDS!!!
1. The family that plays together, stays together. . . . . It is a time to get away from it all. Away from work, the phone calls, the kid’s activities, the daily to do list. This is a great opportunity to spend time as a family and get to know each other. Go for a hike, build a sand castle, explore a museum. There is more time to talk and spend time together without the daily distractions. 2. Teach your children well.... Travel is an excellent learning tool for kids. They can have the opportunity to learn about things first hand they may have learned in school, read about or saw on TV. Any destination can offer this learning experience whether it is a few hours drive away from you home or in Europe. Family vacations will teach children about different cultures, food, history, geography, climate, environment and so much more. The best part is that it’s way more fun for them then learning it through homework! 3. New experiences they will never forget. . . . . Family vacations provide a whole new venue for experiences that your kids never would have had otherwise. 4. Life is an adventure, especially on vacation.... Even if you are not particularly brave there are still many ways to experience the adventures that lie in every corner of our planet. It may be as simple as going to the zoo at your destination and seeing the animals that are local to that habitat or taking a jungle tour though the Amazon. There is so much to see and do, pick the adventures that appeal to your family and do them together. 5. Your kids won’t be kids forever.... Doesn’t it seem like yesterday that the teenager that just borrowed your car, was in diapers and day-care? Most parents agree that time seems to fly by quickly and those babies are grown before you know it. There will come a time that your children will have lives of their own and sad as it may seem, spending time with Mom and Dad will not be anywhere near the top of their list. Take the time for a family vacation while they still want your company. 6. Time to kick back and relax.. . . . . Now this part is important. One of the main reasons to take a vacation is to get some rest and recharge. It is important for everyone so don’t over do it. Try and schedule an active day followed by a more relaxing day. As far as memories go, we tend to remember the good things; the time spent together as a family, the new things that were discovered, the new friends we made, the places we saw. This is what your children will remember and, the fact that you were there with them to enjoy it.
MY NEW FAVORITE QUOTE!!!
" A COINCIDENCE IS GODS WAY OF BEING ANONYMOUS "
MY HUSBAND:)
Ben and I have been married 10 years now. We have had our ups and downs and we have been through a lot. As I look back sometimes I don't know how we made it. I am so thankful that we fought through all the hard times and have come out so much better on the other side. We are so happy and we love each other so much. We were talking just the other day about how we are so happy. Ben is my best friend and I can't imagine life without him. We talk about everything and we spend as much time as we can together and with the boys. Now that the boys are older we can all talk and laugh and hang out together too. We are at the best time of our lives right now. I am taking it all in and enjoying every minute:):):)
REFLECTING!!!
As 2008 comes to an end and we head into a new year it makes me reflect on the last year. I have now worked here at WNNS doing Middays for an entire year. I love my job. There have been a lot of ups and downs here at the station but I love what I do and I am blessed to have the flexibility I have to take off when I need to be with the boys. Ben has had LOTS of ups and downs at the Capitol as well. I know that as we head into 2009 A LOT of work awaits him. We are very blessed that he loves his job and even more blessed that he gets paid overtime!! The boys played baseball, took skateboarding lessons and played golf. They ended 1st and 3rd grade with great grades. They are now well into 2nd and 4th grade with lots of hard work but great grades once again and a lot to be proud of!!! We were able to take 2 wonderful vacations this year. We went to the WI Dells when the boys got out of school for summer. We stayed at Kalahari resort with HUGE indoor and outdoor waterparks and had a blast!! Then our big trip to Disney was once again AMAZING!!! I was able to really enjoy some time to be Amy!! I went to some movies and dinners with some great friends....thanks Joni and Brandi!! And it wouldn't be 2008 without the NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!! What an awesome time I had at both the concerts we went to in Chicago and St. Louis. It looks like the New Kids may be touring again in 2009 and I know Joni, Brandi and I will be at the concert or concerts again!!!! Ben and I really enjoyed watching the olympics with the boys. Watching the olympics was honestly one of the highlights for our family for 2008. Andrew keeps saying he wants to be a runner in the olympics. I keep telling him to "follow his dreams". The State Fair was also a fun time. I LOVED working every day at the fair and the weather was so nice. Ben and I celebrated our 10th anniversary this year!!! WOW it was quite a year!!! We look forward to lots of new memories in 2009. Some things we are really looking forward to include......more time with family and friends. Andrew's birthday at legoland, our trip to Vero Beach Florida over Spring break, the summer full of lots of swimming and our 3rd trip to Disney World in the fall:):)
We're Home!!!
We got home yesterday. I am off work till Thursday. I am taking time to get everything done for Christmas and unpack. We had the most wonderful vacation. I know I keep saying I LOVE DISNEY but I mean it!!!! I am so happy we have decided to take numerous vacations. The kids love talking about all the memories we make. Next year its back to Disney in the fall so we can go back to Mickey's Not So Scary party and we want to take a day at one of the Disney water parks. For now we are planning for our next vacation which is in only 16 weeks:):) We are going to Disney's Vero Beach in Florida for Spring Break!! Right now though were looking to next week at Christmas!!! I love this time of year:):)
DECEMBER 6TH!!! WE LEAVE IN 5 I/2 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are all REALLY anxious to leave. Ben is sleeping right now. We decided to leave at 10pm tonight and drive through the night. The boys and I are just going to sleep while Ben drives. The car is packed, the dogs are at the kennel and the boys are begging to leave:) We should get to Disney tomorrow afternoon. This way we will have all day tomorrow to get settled and eat dinner and then we will have a entire day at Animal Kingdom on Monday!!! The WAITING is driving us crazy.
LOTS OF PACKING AND OUR SCHEDULE FOR DISNEY:)
I have been packing for our trip. We leave in just 4 more days:) Here is what our schedule looks like when were in Disney.
Sunday--leave at 4am to head to Florida. Should arrive at around 8 or 9. (yes were driving straight through) Monday--Sleep in:) Head to Animal Kingdom for the afternoon around 1pm. We will probably stay there until the park closes at 7pm. Tuesday--Breakfeast with Stitch at 11am and Matthew will get his birthday presents. Then we will head to Magic Kingdom for the rest of the day. At 4 we will have dinner at Crystal Palace. Then the fun REALLY starts with Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party at the Magic Kingdom from 7-midnight!! Wednesday--We head to Epcot for the day. We will have lunch at the Coral Reef and dinner at The Garden Grill. Thursday--We head to Disney's Hollywood Studios. We have lunch at the Sci-Fi diner and dinner at Hollywood and Vine. We will finish the day with the Fantasmic show and all the lights at the studios. Friday--Back to Magic Kingdom for the day. We will have dinner at Liberty Tree House. Saturday--Back to Animal Kingdom for the day. WOW that's a lot. LOL. We will be dining with characters for 4 different meals:)
WE LEAVE IN 1 WEEK FOR DISNEY!!!!
One week from today we will be on our way to Disney World. We are so excited!!! We have been planning this trip for a year. Its hard to believe its almost here. Matthew is looking forward to having breakfeast with Stitch. We will also be celebrating his birthday in Disney. I planned the breakfeast with Stitch so we could give him his presents and have a cake with Stitch. Andrew is looking forward to ALL the rides and collecting more disney pins:) I am looking forward to just getting away and enjoying time with Ben and the boys. I am really looking forward to the decorations, the Christmas parades, all the Christmas lights at Disney's Hollywood studios and Disney's Very Merry Christmas party at Magic Kingdom. I think Ben is looking forward to time away and all the rides. We all need this vacation. Its been a long couple of months. We have so many fun and exciting things planned for this trip:) I hope this week goes by fast!!!!!
My new favorite quote!!!
"The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique." - Walt Disney
Song lyrics to live by!!!!
I have heard Joe Mcintyre sing his song "Stay the Same" at both the New Kids concerts I have been to....it is amazing song. Here are the lyrics.
Don't you ever wish you were someone else,You were meant to be the way you are exactly.Don't you ever say you don't like the way you are. When you learn to love yourself, you're better off by far.And I hope you always stay the same, cuz there's nothin' 'bout you I would change. [Verse]I think that you could be whatever you wanted to be If you could realize, all the dreams you have inside.Don't be afraid if you've got something to say,Just open up your heart and let it show you the way [Bridge]Believe in yourself.Reach down inside.The love you find will set you free.Believe in yourself, you will come alive.Have faith in what you do.You'll make it through.
An update from the Yount house:) November 8, 2008
It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is 3 weeks from today!! Time flies that's for sure. Election day was crazy for Ben but he loved every min of it and now (thank god) its over!!! This weekend will be all about cleaning and getting things organized for the holidays. I have to work Saturday....its our final Great Gas Giveaway promotion. On Monday Joni and I are headed back to see New Kids in St Louis:):) Next Thursday Andrew is running in his first cross country meet. The elementary schools have put together this meet. They hope to have one in the Spring as well. The boys are doing well in school and the year is flying by. I can't believe its only 4 weeks till we leave for Disney:):) Then when we get back it will only be 10 days till Christmas. Lots and lots of fun to look forward to:):):):):)
A Yount-Hanlon tradition!!! Trick-or-treating together:)
Wyatt, Andrew, Matthew, Jackson, Brendan and Hailey. Next year there will be another Hanlon:) Kristy is due to give birth in just a few weeks:)
Boys will be boys!!!
Wyatt, Andrew, Matthew and Jackson taking a rest after some major trick-or-treating!!
John and Ben.....
need I say more LOL!!!!!!
A hippy and a rocker!!!
Porter and Andrew!!! Peace Dudes:)
Younts and Petersons!!
Marina, Porter, Bay, Matthew and Andrew!!
Cute little Clone Troopers:)
Bay and Matthew dressed the same this year.
The boys enjoyed feeding the ducks:)
October 19, 2008
It was a nice weekend. Friday we just hung out and Ben and I watched the movie "Baby Mamma". Yesterday I had to work in the morning and then we all spent some time cleaning. Then Andrew headed off to Wyatt's birthday party and Matthew went to Bay's to play. Ben and I decided to go out for a nice dinner alone:) We went to Longhorn Steakhouse and had a wonderful meal!! Today I am headed to Peoria with friend Melissa to see the play "Mamma Mia". I LOVE this play. I saw the play in Springfield last year and then saw the movie. I am really looking forward to a nice evening. This week is going to be CRAZY. Tomorrow night is Robb's going away party, Tuesday I have a remote after work, Friday and Sat. I have remotes. We are all very ready for our vacation. We NEED a vacation right now:) Only 7 more weeks:) Happy Birthday to: Wyatt--turned 10 Dakota--turns 8 next week Madison--turns 9 next week Mikayla--turns 5 on Nov. 8 We love all of you:):)!!!!
The kids with my brother Josh!!
Andrew, Matthew and Mikayla having fun with Josh:)
At the Zoo!!
Andrew, Matthew and my niece Mikayla:)
Picking out pumpkins!!!
Matthew and Mikayla pick out the perfect pumpkin!!
Fireworks on stage!!!
Such an awesome concert!!!
They sang "Hangin Tough" as the encore. It's their best and most popular song!!
It was an AWESOME way to end the show. They all wore Celtics jerseys:)
Here are all the guys performing on stage!!!
Way to go NEW KIDS!!!!
The countdown to the concert begins!!!
I have just a few min before Joni comes to get me so I thought I would write my feelings before we head to Chicago. I am excited and hyper about seeing the New Kids tonight. We are leaving at about 1:30 and will be arriving in Chicago at about 5. We are going straight to the arena to see if we can catch the New Kids before the concert. We changed the hotel we are staying at because we have heard its the same one that the New Kids will be staying at as well. Joni is a part of a text chain so we found out that the New Kids arrived in Chicago at 7:30 this morning. This will be an exciting night:):) Check back for lots of pictures!!!!!!!!!!! We will be jammin out to New Kids all the way to Chicago!!!!!!!! Only 7 hrs before the concert!!!!!! New Kids on the Block here we come:):):):):)
I need to explain my obsession with the New Kids On The Block:)
I have been asked numerous times why I am so emotional over the New Kids on the Block. I feel the need to explain. I was watching a behind the music special last night about the band and started to cry. Somehow I have a feeling I will be crying my eyes out at the concert this weekend. Let me start by saying that I went to see a New Kids concert when I was 14. It was a special treat for me because my family never had a lot of money and I never really had the chance to do much as a child or teenager. Things were not good at home and that concert is one of the few good memories I have of my childhood. It was something I looked forward to and it kept my mind occupied for those few hours during the concert. I remember being so happy during that night. As I head to the concert this weekend I feel like my life has come full circle. I am a mom and wife. I have a wonderful job and most of all I am HAPPY and stable. As I sit at the New Kids concert this weekend I will be able to fully enjoy the experience and know that my life is totally different from that 14 yr old girl that sat at their concert all those yrs ago. Have I said yet the THE NEW KIDS ROCK:):):):)
Bella's cake!!
She kept giving Elmo kisses. It was so cute!!
How funny!
Look at the look on Andrew's face....its a riot!!
Bella opens her gifts!!
Mom and daughter:)
Brandi and Bella
How cute is this balloon!!
Kyra and Matthew with Big Bird:)
Even the dogs enjoyed the bonfire:)
Major and Nelson get some attention from Andrew by the fire!!
Matthew enjoying his yummy smore!!
Andrew making a smore over the fire!!
Smores are one of the best things about this time of year:)
Roasting marshmellows over the bonfire:)
Update from the Younts. September 08, 2008
Ok so things once again have been totally crazy:) Andrew has LOTS of homework every night. He is honestly doing middle school work. He is enjoying school and likes his teacher. Matthew is having a blast in school this year. I think it helps that his friends Bay and Caleb are in his class. I have been working and working and working. I really love my job. One of our listeners told me the other day she thought I had the most fun job. I have to agree with her. It really is a lot of fun:) Ben's boss has been in town the last few days. He is truly their golden boy. He does such a wonderful job. We are blessed in so many ways. More than I can list. We have some exciting things coming our way. First, the New Kids on the Block concert is in just 2 weeks:):) Then the very next weekend we are going to Bloomington for some family time with my mom, brother and niece. We are going to go to a pupkin patch in Bloomington. I LOVE this time of year. The boys are so excited about Halloween. Then is just 11 short weeks we leave for Disney. We have added an extra day to our trip and we are going to Tampa to see our friends Chris and Susie. So its 6 days at Disney and 1 day in Tampa. Were still nailing down the plans but its going to be a blast!!! This weekend is all about cleaning and relaxing. I told Ben and the boys we need a calm weekend. Enjoy the weekend everyone:):)
Matthew getting finger printed!
Getting your kids finger printed is very important. If they are ever lost of hurt they can be identified.
Andrew getting finger printed!!
Yes, I actually had to do some work LOL!!!
It was REALLY windy today!!
All the kids at "Family Protection Day"
Here are all the kids playing a game.
Checkin out the fire truck!!!
The kids looking for grasshoppers and frogs.
Kyra, Matthew and Solomon.
The pond out at Susie's parents house!
Solomon and Matthew hanging out together.
Andrew and Kyra!
Taking in the beautiful day!!
Ron, Brandi and Bella watch the kids play by the pond.
The guys playing a game of washers.
The property Susie's parents live on is EXACTLY the kind of place I would LOVE to live!!
Andrew looks for Frogs!!!
We had such a wonderful day:)
Ben's guitar cake:)
Thank you Joni for making the cake. It was the "Talk" of the party:)
The kids took a turn playing "Rock Band"
Having fun at Ben's party:)
Ben and Jeremy having some fun playing drums and singing:)
They are so serious LOL:)
Our friends Chis and Susie are here from Florida and it was so great to see them.
That's Brandi with the guitar and Chris and Susie behind her:)
Rockin Out:):)
Porter rocks out:)
Playing in the pool for the last weekend this summer:(
Summer is almost over so we let the kids swim during Bens party.
Everyone loved Ben's birthday present.
"Rock Band" was a very BIG hit!!
Swimming in the pool!
Solomon takes a swim:)
All ready for the party!!
I realized today that Ben has NEVER had a party since we have been married. Today was a fun time:)
August 25, 2008 The boys first day of school and Ben gets an early B-day present!
The boys had a WONDERFUL first day of school. They both have awesome teachers. Matthew has Mrs Sarff and Andrew has Mrs Owens. Andrew is in class with CJ (his best friend) and Matthew is in class with 2 of his friends (Caleb and Bay). We are off to a great yr in 2nd and 4th grade:) On a side note Ben's birthday is this weekend. I decided to give him his gift early:) I got him "Rock Band" for the Wii. 3 people can play at the same time. One person can drum, one person can play guitar and one person can sing. Its sooooo much fun!!! After homework....yes homework already...the boys and Ben are now playing "Rock Band". Have a great first week of school everyone!!!
Ready for school!!
The boys ready for their first day of school!!
All the guys performing onstage!!
This concert was amazing but now I am sooooo excited about going to see the New Kids on the Block on October 4th. I'm letting all you girls know that are going with me that I will be crying like a baby LOL!!!!
Nick and Howie onstage.
It was Howie's b-day!!
What a silly look LOL
This is Brian onstage!!!
AJ on stage!!
AJ seemed really nice. Out at the buses he kept waving and chatting with everyone!
All the guys together on stage!
This really was a wonderful concert!!
This was the BEST pic of NICK on stage!! He is soooo cute!!
Joni got some GREAT pics:)
August 20, 2008 An update from the Younts:)
The boys are enjoying the last few days of their summer vacation before starting back to school on Monday. We had a fun Monday night at the Coons. They got Rock Band for the wii and it is soooooo much fun. Then Dakota spent the night here. Today Andrew headed to CJ's to spend the night and play golf tomorrow. A HUGE thank you to Lance(CJ's dad) who has taken Andrew to play golf several times this summer. We were happy to find out that CJ and Andrew will once again be in the same class at school. Now were just hoping that Matthew, Bay and Caleb will be in the same class at his school as well. We have REALLY enjoyed watching the olympics this summer. Andrew has been watching with us and has really enjoyed it. It is really fun to share such a historic event with him:) Were taking some time to relax before FINALLY getting back on a schedule for school!! Take care everyone:)
Taking Aim......
Matthew shooting a BB gun at the fair!!
He's very proud of his target!
Matthew showing off his BB gun target.
Point, Aim and Fire!!!
Andrew takes a turn shooting a BB gun!
Showing off his target!
Andrew shows off his hard work:)
Up Up and Away
Andrew takes a ride on the Sky Glider at the Fair!
The boys show off their baseballs!
They were autographed by Speedy:)
The boys with the Sliders mascot "Speedy"
The boys running the bases at the Sliders game!
Our new fooseball table in the boys room!!
Andrew and Matthew having fun with their new toy:):)
Matthew has a new friend:)
Matthew was able to pet one of the dogs from the Dock Dogs show!!
Andrew with a special treat!
A chocolate dipped deep fried twinkie!!
August 5, 2008
Yesterday Dakota came over to play with Matthew and CJ with Andrew. They swam and watched movies. Ben let the boys take their mattresses downstairs and they had a big camp out in the living room:) It was a fun night. Today we are waiting for the rain to pass so the kids can swim again before CJ and Dakota have to go home. We register the boys for school tomorrow!! Things are going to get crazy starting Friday. The IL State Fair kicks off Thursday night and so from then until August 17th Ben and I will both be working nonstop. Then its just a week before the kids start school. They head back on the 25th. Crazy week ahead for the Younts:):):)
August 1, 2008
Last night Ben and I took the boys to see the movie "Iron Man". It was a REALLY good movie. Today we went to a party at Roanna's brothers house. It was a lot of fun. There were 30 kids there but everyone got along. Those Coons can put on a party that's for sure!! Matthew is spending the night with Dakota. Ben and I decided to watch the old flick "The Lost Boys". We wanted Andrew to see it!! We passed it on to a new generation LOL!! I forgot how cool the movie really was....next week were going to watch the new "Lost Boys 2". Pictures from the party below!!
What a FUN party!!
The backyard looked amazing!!!
All the kids having fun on a hot summer day!!
The kids had so much fun!!
Ready...Set...Slide!!
Andrew on the slip and slide:)
We FINALLY put up our basketball hoop. We've only had it since Christmas LOL!!
The boys love playing basketball. Here is Andrew, Caleb and Matthew shooting hoops!!
Playing basketball!!
Andrew, Caleb and Matthew playing bball!!
Friends:)
Matthew and Caleb
Playing "Monkey in the Middle"
Ben and the boys play in the pool!!
Fun in the pool!!
Andrew, Caleb and CJ in the pool.
Sunday, July 27
I just wanted to say that Ben and the boys had so much fun with John, Wyatt, Jackson and Brendan today:) Thanks for coming over to swim and play!! Oh, and to Mike and Mary....thanks for stopping by:) It was so nice to see you guys.
Matthew enjoying some pizza.
I enjoyed my day with my little man:)
Matthew playing at KICKS!!
They have 2 lanes of bowling now at KICKS.
Matthew got 2 strikes and was very excited!!
Getting ready to rige the go-carts.
I was driving and Matthew kept telling me to go faster LOL.
Matthew skateboarding:)
He is getting really good.
Matthew, Andrew and Mikayla!!
Having fun at Chuck-E-Cheese:)
My sweet niece Mikayla with Chuck-E-Cheese
She is so cute:)
The boys having some fun with my brother!
Wrestle time:)
The boys try to pin my brother!!!
Fun with water:)
Andrew gets a face full of water LOL:)
My mom and the boys!!
The splash park in Bloomington!
My mom and Andrew having fun at the splash park!!
The splash park really is a cool place in Bloomington!
Matthew and Dakota at VBS!!
Kids having fun at VBS!
The boys finished up baseball season on Wed.
They WON their last game:)
Our next Vacation is coming up soon:)
WARNING:
PICTURE OVERLOAD AHEAD:):)
Best Friends!!
Matthew and Dakota are so close they are like brothers!!
They are best friends too:)
Andrew and CJ
The are 2 of the sweetest and cutest little girls.
Madison and Kyla
All the kids in the pool say Hello:)
They have become very good friends!!
Aubrey and Ryan
Every time I saw Dakota he was eating something:) LOL
He loved Ben's chicken wings!
Since we don't have a girl we just borrow Aubrey:)
Ben and Aubrey
Little Show Off:)
Ryan showing off her princess shirt!!
Our best friends:)
Jeremy, Dakota, Roanna,Aubrey, Grace and Madison
Such a cute family!!
Ron, Solomon, Brandi and Bella
We call her Aunt Linda(even though were not related to her):)
Aunt Linda and her friend Stacy
Our awesome friends!!
Robyn, Ryan, CJ and Lance
Our favorite weather man:)
Its Joe Crain and son Thomas
And more....
Chris, Rachel and Kyla
More Friends!
Melissa, Scotty and Mitch
Our wonderful friends!!
Chad, Joni and Michael
Andrew and I get a picture with the BIG DOG:)
Scooby Doo We Love You:):):)
It's Daffy Duck!!
I love this picture!!
I love this skunk:)
Meeting up with Pepe La Pue(Did I spell that right LOL)
Meeting up with some characters!!
Andrew with the bear he won!!
I had such a wonderful day with my oldest son!! I will remember this day always!!
Kick off to the parade at Six Flags!!
Scooby and Shaggy give Andrew a wave!!
Scooby-dooby-do!!!
Taz in the parade!
The parade at Six Flags was really cute:)
Andrew on the Tony Hawk Ride!!
A couple of our listeners were so sweet and took Andrew on this ride!!! I don't like rides with big drops LOL!!
Now this is the way to travel to Six Flags:)
Andrew was so excited about riding in the Hummer!!
Major swimming in the pool!!!
Major taking a swim in the pool!!!
Sometimes Major needs a little help getting out of the pool!
Major relaxes on a raft in the pool!!
This raft is considered "Majors raft".
Brothers and teammates:)
Ready to hit the ball!!
Andrew up at bat!!
Up at bat!!
Matthew gets ready to take a swing!!
Fun at the baseball game!!
Andrew and teammates say Hello:)
Andrew playing golf out at Pasfield golf course!!
Thanks to my wonderful hubby who took these pics for me today:):)
I love that Andrew is learning to play golf!!
Best Friends and Golf Buddies!!
CJ and Andrew get along so well:)
Is this golf or baseball?? LOL
We need to work on Andrew's stance a little:) He's kinda got the baseball stance going on right now:)
Update from the Younts. June 19, 2008.
It's been a crazy week at the Yount house:) The boys have been going to VBS all week. This is their third year at this VBS and they really like it. Tuesday night Bay spent the night here. Last night Matthew spent the night with Dakota. We have been swimming every day. This weekend will be a little crazy. I work tomorrow and then I have a remote from 4-6. Saturday I have a remote from 3-5. The boys have a baseball tournament starting at 6:15. I have to participate in relay for life from 6-8 and then head to the baseball game. Next week Andrew has golf camp with his best friend CJ every day. I am taking Matthew to free movie Wednesday with his friends Dakota and Corey to see "Shrek the third". Then our family and the Coons family are going to watch the muni presentation of "All Shook Up" on Wed. nite. A crazy and fun summer its turning out to be:):) Everyone is happy and healthy and that's what's most important!!! Have a great weekend. I will post some pics soon:)
Cute little Pirates!!
Dakota and Matthew at Solomon's party:)
Solomon and Kyra had to put this puzzle together to see what they got for their birthday!!
It says "Nintendo Wii Game System" (In case you couldn't read it):)
Lots of kids means lots of fun:)
All the kids at The Pizza Machine for Solomon and Kyra's party!
Ben and Speedy!!!
"Am I not turtley enough for the turtle club...turtle..turtle" --that is a total inside joke between Ben and I and he asked me to put it on the blog:):)
Ro, Bella and I!!
Ro, Brandi, Joni all the kids and my hubby and Andrew and Matthew all came to the downtown studio today:)
Having fun WHILE I'm at work:)
Brandi, Bella and I at the downtown studio:)
She is so cute!
Bella and I match!!
Best Friends:)
Matthew and Dakota share a laugh at the downtown studio!
June 10, 2008
I made our Dining Reservations for Disney today!!! Were going to eat at some REALLY cool places on our trip. From the Liberty Tree House to the breakfeast with Lilo and Stitch. I can't believe its only 26 weeks till we leave:) Today we are swimming in our pool. I LOVE having a pool right in the backyard. Dakota is here and is spending the night tonight. The boys have a baseball game tonight. Ro and Jer and the rest of their kids are coming over after their game to swim. I am on my new schedule at work so I am off Tues and Wed. and I LOVE it!! Have a great week everyone. I will post some swimming pics later:)
The front of the resort!
We had so much fun!!!
This is a picture of the lobby!!
The entire resort was amazing:)
The boys Monkey'ing around:)
This was one of the statues in the lobby!!
Not a great picture but I had to include it!!
The boys were able to pet and feed the baby tiger:)
Here's the baby tiger laying in his bed playing with a stuffed animal!
The baby tiger's name was "Little T"
Baby tiger playing in his cage!!
This tiger was so cute:)
They had a baby fox and a baby tiger in the lobby during the day.
Matthew loved this baby fox. He would have been mad if I didn't put his picture on the blog:)
Me and my hubby:)
Ben and I had so much fun together. We relaxed in the lazy river and really got to spend a lot of time together!!
This is the indoor waterpark!
The indoor waterpark is 175,000 sq feet.
Andrew tries to make it across the pool without falling in:)
Matthew tries his hand at being the next Indiana Jones in the pool:)
The boys having fun in the indoor waterpark!
We lived in our swim suits for the entire time we were there. It was great!!
The outdoor waterpark was HUGE!!
The boys get ready to ride one of the rides.
The outdoor waterpark!!
The arcade at the resort!!
They had everything at the resort!!
Our favorite TV show has now become our favorite game!!
The game was Deal or No Deal. The kids ended up winning 200 tickets!!
The kids show off their 200 tickets!
The arcade at the resort was amazing!!
Summertime, Summertime...Sum...Sum...Summertime!!
Matthew relaxing in the pool!
Summer 2008
The boys have gotten so big over the past year! They grow up so fast!!
The boys were so excited to swim today!
We LOVE this time of year:)
Wishing Everyone a Happy and Safe Memorial Day!!! Pictures are below this post!!
First a big thank you to Ro and Jer who had us over last night. You know you are good friends when you can curl up on a couch at their house with a pillow and blanket and watch a movie:):) We watched "27 Dresses" which was soooo cute!! Matthew spent the night with Dakota and Andrew with CJ. Today Andrew went to play golf for the first time with CJ and CJ's dad Lance. He REALLY enjoyed it and did well too. It ended up being a nice afternoon for a cookout! Ro and Jer and their kids and Ron and Brandi and their kids came over. We had such a nice time. The kids wanted to swim soooo bad. The pool is open and clean but the chemicals aren't just right yet so we didnt let them swim. Next week at this time we should all be swimming:) Its back to work and school tomorrow. 6 days left of school for the kids and 8 days left until we leave for the Dells. I CAN'T WAIT....WE NEED A VACATION:):) Have a great week everyone.
Happy Memorial Day!!!
They REALLY wanted to swim so they don't look to happy in this picture LOL!!
We opened the pool but its still not ready to swim in yet!
The kids all made signs and protested the parents not letting them swim! It was so funny:):)
Father and Daughter!!
Ron and Bella at our house on Memorial Day:)
Harrison Ford looks AWESOME for 60 yrs old.
INDIANA JONES ROCKS!!!
The boys and I went with Lance and Robyn(CJ's parents) along with CJ and his sister to see the new Indy movie this afternoon. Ben had to work:( Its that time of year where he works about 70 hours a week. I say this every year....at least he gets overtime:) Anyway, we REALLY liked the movie. It was a little weird at the end but it was well worth seeing!!!
COUNTDOWN!!!!
2 weeks 2 days until the boys get out of school
2 weeks 2 days until we leave for the WI Dells:)
20 weeks until the New Kids on the Block concert
28 weeks until we leave for Disney World
The countdown is on for a lot of things!! I love to countdown to exciting things:):)
We caught a Toad!!!
That's Matthew,Ryan(CJ's sister),CJ, Andrew, Madison and Dakota with the Toad they caught. Oh, the Toad is in the box...you have to look really close:)
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY:)
I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day!! With a cake, a stress free day and New Kids on the Block tickets my day has been AWESOME!!! I just want to thank Robyn and Lance(CJ's parents) for a wonderful evening last night. We had a cookout at our house and it was nice enough to eat out on the back porch. We had so much fun. Robyn and Lance are just a riot!! We watched the entire Indiana Jones trilogy yesterday too. I am so excited because we want to take the boys to see the new Indiana movie in a few weeks!! CJ ended up spending the night which was a good ending to the evening. We had such a great time I didn't even take any pictures:) Have a great week everyone!!!
They are the same height....
when Andrew stands on a chair:):)
Andrew had to wear a suit coat to meet the senator. Its a bit big:)
Andrew with Senator Larry Bomke
Do I see the future here??
Andrew LOVES acting like he's reporting just like his dad:)
2 very cool guys!!!
Saftey is the first priority!!!
Ben stands by as Andrew gets fitted for his helmet:)
Dakota getting fitted for a helmet!
Dakota LOVED BMX biking. I think its his new passion:)
That's Matthew trying to jump a hill!!
Matthew LOVED riding his bike on the track!!
Peace Dudes!!!
Matthew gives the peace sign during his music program!
The kindergarten, first and second graders music program!
I love Owen Marsh(the school Matthew goes to) it such a wonderful school!!
You know its a good party.....
when someone gets cake in their face:) Have a Happy Birthday Jeremy hahahahah:):)
Trying out for the role of a smurf......
my best friend Roanna:):) Jeremy smeared icing from his cake all over her face:)
Jeremy shows off his gift from Ben!!
Ben put the bow on the charcoal for Jeremy.
Everyone sings to Jeremy:)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEREMY!!
Grace and Matthew
Matthew calls Grace his big sister:) We spend so much time with Ro and Jer's family we might as well all be related:)
Grace's masterpiece:)
Grace put 4 handfuls of mousse in Matthew's hair. Doesn't he look cute??!!
Friends Forever:)
Andrew, Dakota and Matthew having fun at Jeremy's party:)
Thank You Andrew!!!
Andrew shows off his hard work.
It is April 16th and it finally feels like it!! Its 70 here today!!!
Matthew and Andrew love to be outside. They live outside during the summer months. Only 7 more weeks of school!!
Andrew proves he can do two things at once:)
He loves riding his bike while listening to his ipod:)
Matthew shows off his riding skills!
Matthew begged me to take a picture of him on his bike:)
I love this picture!!!
All the kids had so much fun today:)
Lots of kids showing off lots of snails!!!
All the kids found snails at the park. They are on that rock in the center of all the kids:)
Relaxing on a beautiful afternoon!!!
CJ and Andrew try their hand at skipping rocks at the park!!
Our new bikes are so cool:)
Andrew and Matthew show off their new bikes. Dakota didn't want to be left out of the picture:)
We love to EAT:)
The kids show off at Bennigans!!
A relaxing afternoon!!
Andrew and Pouncer cuddle up for some tv time:)
Boys Best Friend:)
OK one of his best friends...I don't think Major can compete with Dakota LOL:):)
Andrew loves to swim. He's like a fish:)
Andrew shows off a smile in the pool!!
CJ shows off for the camera!!
CJ is such a sweet kid:)
Father and Son:)
Matthew loves to jump on Ben in the pool:)
Those Crazy Boys!!!
Dakota and Matthew have some fun in the pool:)
Fun at the waterpark!!
Madison shows some attitude:):)
The YMCA in Taylorville
Andrew, Dakota, CJ, Matthew, Aubrey, Madison, Kyla and Grace!!!
Spring Break Fun!!
We are all totally exhausted!!!:) I have posted some pics of our trip to the indoor waterpark. We had a wonderful time with Ro and Jer's family. Then last night we went to see National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The kids loved the movie!!! It was so funny....Ben, Ro, Jeremy and I sat in a row behind the kids....our kids took up the entire row in front of us:) Andrew is not feeling well today and neither am I....I hope its just because we are so tired. We have a birthday party tomorrow night and the boys and Ben are going to watch some basketball with the Hanlons on Saturday. My radio station is playing in a charity basketball game against Channel 20 on Saturday night. I am going to go and cheer them on since I can't play....I have the whole heart thing so I don't get to play:( I will take some pics though:):) Hope everyone is enjoying their Spring Break!!! Check out the pics below!!
Spring Break is Here!!!!
The boys are on break this week and we are off and running. I am still working during the day but we are so busy in the evenings. First a big Thanks to Ro and Jeremy....Matthew spent the night with Dakota on Sunday night and then Andrew spent the night with him last night. CJ is here now and is spending the night. We are off to the waterpark in Taylorville with Ro and Jer's family for the evening. I will post pics later. Tomorrow night is movie night. We are going to see "National Treasure:Book of Secrets" at the dollar show with Ro and Jer's family. Thursday we are going to spend some time with The Peterson's:) Friday we have Corey's birthday party to go to at The Pizza Machine. A busy but fun filled Spring Break. Look for lots of pics in the coming days:)
Ben, the boys and I on Easter!!
Ben, Andrew, Matthew and I want to wish everyone a Happy Easter and a Happy Spring!!!!!!!!
Fun with Grandma!!
My mom and the boys!!
The kids show off their stash!!!
Lots of eggs for all:)
And their off.......
Dakota and Matthew filling their bags with eggs:)
All the kids ready to go hunt for eggs!!
1....2......3.......GO!!!!!!!!!
Best Friends!!!!!
Dakota and Matthew on the way to the Easter Egg hunt:)
The Easter Bunny came to visit:)
I love the way my table looked. Thanks Ro for the great idea:):)
Close up of the boys Easter baskets. I got them from "Its a Wrap" and she did a wonderful job:)
I really loved the sports theme!!!
Boys will be boys:)
Andrew, CJ, Matthew and Dakota!!
Crazy and Wild Best Friends:)
Matthew and Dakota are so cute together!!
Happy Early Easter!!
This is Bella. She is Ron and Brandi's daughter.
Go Andrew!!!
Andrew dissecting the sheep's heart!
Sheep's heart after the students made the first cut!
Sheep Heart before the students started to dissect!!
Aubrey wearing Ben's baseball hat!!!
I love this picture.
She is soooooo cute!!!
That's our friend Ron and his little girl Bella!!
Indoor water park in Taylorville!!
I wish we had one of these in Springfield. This was where we went on Sat.
Let's play some Wii!!
Clayton, CJ and Andrew ready for some Wii time!!
They grow up so fast!!!
Andrew and his friends playing the Wii!!!
POOR RO!!!
Roanna broke her foot about 2 weeks ago. She has been homebound. Poor thing:(
A Wii game from the Coons!!
Andrew gets excited about his gift from the Coons!!
Fun on Andrew's birthday at the Coons!!
Andrew opens gifts with some help from Matthew and the Coons kids:)
Go Cards!!!!
Andrew's 9th Birthday cake!!
My Fearless little Boy!!
Matthew tries to skateboard down 5 steps during his lesson. He made it down two!!
Andrew playing indoor baseball!
Andrew hits a homerun:)
Ben and I wish everyone a Happy 2008!!!!!!
Ben and I at Ro and Jeremy's on New Years Eve!!
A toast for a great 2008!!!
Thanks to the Hanlons, Flurrys and Coons for wonderful New Years Eve parties!!!
That's ME covered in silly string!!!
Everyone aimed at me......it was a riot!!!!
The porch covered in silly string!!
What a mess!!!!!!!
Kicking off 2008 with loads of silly string!!!
Ro and I covered in silly string right after midnight!!!!
Ready, Aim.......FIRE!!!
All the kids and adults had cans of silly string.....it was a blast. That's Ben and Ron!!!
Getting ready for Midnight!!!!
Armed with silly string the kids are ready for midnight and a new year!!
Friends having Fun
CJ and Andrew on New Years Eve
More fun on New Years Eve
Robyn and I having fun!!
Fun on New Years Eve!!
Bay, Sam and Matthew at The Hanlons!!
Nice picture huh??:)
Kirk and Ben at my company Christmas party!!
NOW THIS IS FUNNY!!
Not to worry Ben took this picture:) That is our good buddy Kirk and I at the Christmas party!!:)
My boss and I!!
My boss Robb and I at the company Christmas party!!
All in the family:)
Matthew, Mikalia, Josh and Andrew
My niece and me!!
Me and Mikalia
Having fun with their cousin!!
My niece Mikalia with Andrew and Matthew
My brother and niece come to visit
I was so happy to see my niece over Christmas!!!
We LOVE Christmas!!!!
The tree all ready for Christmas morning!!
Lots of work but the snowman is complete!!
Andrew and CJ show off their hard work:)
Putting the final touches on the snowman:)
Andrew and CJ really loved playing in the snow!
It's Saturday December 15th and there is lots of snow:)
Andrew, CJ and Matthew building a snowman on a winter day!!
THANKS EVERYONE!!
Matthew and all his friends:)
Lots of friends:)
Madison, Corey, Bay, Dakota, Wyatt and Andrew sing Happy Birthday to Matthew!!
Look how COOL!!
Matthew shows off his new skateboard!!
Matthew's cake!
Matthew LOVES Transformers!!
It's Magic!!
Matthew, Wyatt, Porter and Andrew enjoy a magic trick:)
Enjoying some pizza
Bay, Matthew and Corey enjoy some pizza!!
That's one BIG pizza!!
The biggest pizza I have ever seen!!
One REALLY big pizza:)
The crane brought the pizza to our table!
They are so cute!!!
Matthew and Dakota showing all their sleds:)
We Love the Snow:)
Madison,Grace, Aubrey, Brian and Andrew take a break from sledding!
So sweet!!
Brian takes Aubrey for a ride:)
That's Ben in the background
Ben and I both had a blast sledding
Go Matthew Go!!!
By the end of the night Matthew was basically snowboarding. He would stand up and surf on the sled.
This is our kitten Foxy in our Christmas tree!!
We have to keep Foxy in the basement because she runs right for the tree and climbs it!! Its the funniest thing I have ever seen:)
We did it!!!!
The tree looks great and the boys are so proud of themselves!!
Andrew puts some ornaments on the tree!
Andrew loves decorating the tree. He was begging all day to put up the Christmas decorations.
Matthew helps decorate the tree!!
I love this time of year:)
Andrew loves The Bears!!!
Andrew in front of a tree decked out in Bears stuff!!
My little show off!!
Matthew next to one of his favorite trees at The Festival of Trees
Very detailed gingerbread house!!
One of our friends Cindy actually helped make this gingerbread house.
Having fun at Matthew's School
Ben and I had a wonderful time at Matthew's school for his Thanksgiving program and Feast!!
Matthew says his lines in front of the class!
After he was done with his lines he looked at me in front of the class and said "mom no more pictures":):) Everyone laughed!!
Making an acorn game
Ben helping Matthew make an acorn game!!
Learning how to be a Pilgrim
Ben and Matthew stuff a sack full of leaves to make a pillow. I would hate to sleep on leaves YUCK!!
Matthew's first grade class
They are such cute Pilgrims!!
Doing my DJ thing:)
I have to say that I love my job!! Its so much fun:) Thats me with fellow DJ Brian at the food drive at Wal Mart.
Ready to play some basketball!!
Andrew gets ready to leave for the basketball game.
My hubby the coach:)
Ben gives the kids some advice during a timeout!!
Playing hoops:)
Andrew's baketball team the "Tigers" at their game last night. They are the ones in the green.
Standing Guard!!
Matthew with Chuck!!
OOPS!!!!!! They broke the hammock!!
Matthew, John Edward, Andrew and Dakota broke the hammock:) They didn't get in trouble....everyone just laughed about it!!
They are so cute:)
Ro with Dakota and Aubrey!!
Waiting to make some smores!!
Matthew, Dakota, Aubrey and Madison getting warm by the fire and waiting to make smores!
Going for a ride!
Ben takes Grace for a ride!
WE'RE GOING BACK SOONER!!
Things at the Yount house change hour by hour:) Ben and I were talking and decided that we wanted to go back to Disney sooner than 2009. We have decided to go next November during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas celebration. We want to go again while the kids are still young and really excited about it. Next year, however, will be the only year we go two years in a row. After that its every other year!!! The kids are just so excited about Disney and I really want to go at Christmas time so its perfect!! I am going to book our trip at the first of the year!! YEAH!!!!!!!
WERE GOING BACK!!!!!!!!!!!
WE HAVE BEEN PLANNING A VACATION TO MYRTLE BEACH FOR MARCH OR APRIL OF 2009 BUT WE DECIDED TO GO BACK TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!! IT WAS JUST SO MUCH FUN. THE BOYS WERE BEGGING TO GO BACK AND BEN AND I BOTH WANT TO GO BACK!!!! WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday November 7th
Could everyone please keep our family in your prayers. We have had a very rough week. Andrew has had a fever bouncing from 101-103 for 4 days now and Matthew spiked a fever of 103 this morning. My little guys are down for the count right now. Talk to everyone soon.
Thanks Jenny!!
So I have been sitting here all night admiring Jenny's slide show on her blog. I just had to steal her idea. I hope you don't mind Jenny. I will put some other Disney pics on the slide show tomorrow. It is so awesome!!!
Bad vs Good!!
It was a crazy couple of days. I'll break it down for you. I am being positive so here goes the good and bad from the last 2 days.
Bad--Our brakes were bad and when we took it in yesterday I was told it would be $600 to fix them and almost passed out. Good--Took it to a different place and only ended up paying $260!! Bad--Ended up running all over town trying to get the brakes fixed. Good--The brakes are fixed!
Bad--The House and Senate are back in session for the next week. Good--Ben will get overtime pay!!
Bad--Andrew, for some reason, thought he didn't have to take the bus home so he was stuck at school until 4pm yesterday. Good--We got him home!
Bad--Ben and I were totally exhausted yesterday. Good--Roanna and Jeremy had both our boys and took them to Chuck-E-Cheese and then they spent the night! Ben and I had the night to ourselves.
Bad--I had a ton of work to do today at the radio station. Good--I got more hours at work which means more money!
Tonight Dakota is spending the night so the boys will have lots of fun:) I am going to take a nap so that is a GOOD thing:)
Just what they need........
Cotton candy for Dakota and Matthew!!!
So cute!!!!!!! Do I see something in the future here??
Anytime were around the Coons Andrew and Madison hang out together:) Its really cute!!
Guess what Dakota was for Halloween??
A quarter!!! It was really cute:):)
The Yount kids, The Coon kids and many more!!:):)
Its time to trick-or-treat some more:)
Candy, Candy and more Candy!
Andrew and Matthew doing some trick-or-treating
Sharing a laugh!!
Andrew and Wyatt were both Anikan for Halloween. They have been friends since they were 2 yrs old!!
A Yount-Hanlon tradition!! Trick-or-treating together.
Matthew, Andrew, Jackson, Wyatt, Hailey and Brendan!!
More Pictures from Disney:)
Here are some more pictures from our trip!!!
At the Halloween Party!!
Captain Hook wanted Matthew to join his pirate crew:):)
Our resort
These were big x's and o's on the football field at our resort!!
Hanging out!!!
The boys hanging out at the resort!!
Mickey's House
This was the trophy room/game room in Mickey's house it was so cute!!!
Big Hug!!!!!!!
The boys give Dale a big hug!!!!
This was part of our resort!!
I just loved how everything was so big!!
The fireworks during the Halloween party were amazing
The BEST fireworks I have ever seen were at Mickey's Not-So-Scary party
Mickey dressed up for Halloween
I love how the characters were dressed up in costumes too!!
Matthew shows off his sword for some candy:)
Matthew trick-or-treating
Trick-or-Treat
Andrew doing some trick-or-treating at Magic Kingdom
All Decked out for the party
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Ready for the Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom
The coolest thing......
The line of smoke is actually the shuttle taking off. We were able to see it take off in the distance. How cool is that??
Showing off their treasure
Andrew and Matthew after they got back from finding treasure on their Pirate adventure
Real Pirates!!!
Andrew and Matthew heading off to their Pirate Excursion
My favorite picture!!!
Chip feeding Matthew dinner:)
Pluto loves Andrew
This is such a great picture
Such a pretty picture
On the left is the ride with Nemo and in the distance the ball that stands at the center of Epcot
Shark Food:)
The boys playing around after we went on The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Turtle Talk with Crush!!
Crush actually spoke to Matthew it was so AWESOME!!
Matthew at Animal Kingdom
Matthew with a frog statue
Another one of Matthew's favorite characters...
Stitch
My favorite ride at Disney
DINOSAUR
Signing autographs for the boys is Donald Duck
Matthew LOVES Donald
Go Pluto!!
Andrew and Pluto
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
I even loved meeting Mickey
Tree at Animal Kingdom
This tree has over 400 animals engraved into the trunk
Yeah it's MICKEY
Mickey signs autograph's for the boys
Fun with Goofy
Ben, Andrew and Matthew meet Goofy
Boys enjoying time with Walt:)
A statue of Walt Disney and Mickey!!
Fireworks!!!!!!!!!!
Fireworks at Magic Kingdom were Awesome
Pluto sees himself:)
Pluto enjoyed seeing and autographing himself:)
The boys with their pets:)
These are the stuffed animals the boys got autographed by all the characters
Tomorrow Land
We loved this park of Magic Kingdom.
So cute!!!
Halloween decorations at Magic Kingdom
Thank you Kali
The boys with my friend Kali...the entire reason we were able to go on this trip
He's cute and he's a chicken:)
The boys getting Chicken Little's autograph
You know your at Disney World when...
Mickey Mouse waves at you from atop a huge float in front of the castle at Magic Kingdom
She's the one and only....
Minnie Mouse in the parade
One of the coolest parades I have ever seen
The Spectromagic parade at Magic Kingdom
Playing the role of Stitch........
Matthew Yount
They look so real........
More from the Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom
Ben and I loved this ride:)
The Jungle Cruise is so cute!
Watch out.......Andrew learned to drive on this trip:)
Andrew and Matthew driving at the Indy Speedway at Magic Kingdom
The very first ride Walt Disney ever made was....
This one...Its a Small World.
I learned an important fact on this trip...
Chip has the dark nose and only 1 tooth where Dale has the brown nose and 2 teeth:)
Like Father Like Son:)
Ben and Matthew are all ready for Halloween
The boys LOVED meeting the characters.
This was the first character they met.
The boys were amazed when they saw how big the castle actually was.
Andrew and Matthew right as we walked into Magic Kingdom
I Love This Place:)
The castle at Magic Kingdom makes everything so real. You can see some of the Halloween decorations on the lamp posts.
So much fun we never want to leave!!
We haven't even been to the parks yet and we have had a blast!!!
More of the resort at night
The coolest place on earth
The resort at night
Time stands still here!!!!!
Swimming at night is so much fun
Swimming at the resort at 11 at night
Matthew learning how to skateboard at the Dew Tour
He learned from a very cute girl!!
Go Matthew Go Matthew
Matthew did an awesome job skateboarding
He loved this!!
Andrew loving the track
Go Andrew
Andrew riding a BMX bike
Andrew getting ready
Ready to hit the track to ride the BMX bike
This was a homeless guy at the Dew Tour
I think the sign says it all!!!!!!!
The most Awesome Resort!!
I don't ever want to come home. Everything is larger than life here!!
Our Room
LOVE THIS ROOM
Matthew with a picture of Donald in our room.
I would LOVE to take this picture home.
You know your at a Disney Resort when.....
there's a Mickey Mouse Head made out of towels on the bed.
My little all-star
Matthew loved this big star seat in the resort!!
ARRIVING IN FLORIDA!!
YEAH!!!!
A rundown of our schedule!
Thursday--Leave for Disney Spend the Night in GA Friday Afternoon--Arrive at Disney Friday Night--Dew Tour(extreme sports events) Saturday--All Day at Magic Kingdom Sunday--All Day at MGM Studios Monday--9-2 Animal Kingdom 2-10 Epcot Tuesday--A very special outing for the boys(I can't believe I have been able to keep in a secret this long:)) While the boys are at their outing Ben and I are going to breakfeast. Tuesday Afternoon and Evening--Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom Wednesday--Swim at Resort and Shop at Downtown Disney Thursday--Head Home Friday--Arrive Home
Meeting some real heroes!!!
Andrew's class with some local fire fighters. He is on the far left and is standing with BFF's Clayton and CJ!!
Log on, email, google........I didn't know any of these terms when I was 8!!
Here's Andrew at school learning to use the student server!!
More Corn Maze Fun!!!!!!!!
Andrew's class took a trip to the corn maze today. The corn maze is a popular attraction for school groups:)
I'm looking for a clue!!!
How do we get the heck out of here:)
Fun Day at Bridge View Park!!!!!!
Here is Madison, CJ, Aylssa, Dakota and Andrew hanging out on a fallen tree by the lake>
How many kids does it take to teeter totter??
Andrew, CJ, Madison, Alyssa, Dakota, Matthew and Aubrey!! Somehow when we go places with Ro and Jeremy we end up with about 12 kids in tow!!!!!
Andrew and one of his Best Friends CJ
CJ and Andrew had so much fun together today!!
The smallest catch makes the happiest kids!!
The kids caught this little fish and you would have thought they caught a huge bass with the way they were talking about it:) It was so cute!!!
Bubble Girl!!!!
Madison blowing bubbles at the park:)
Ben with Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney
Ben had the chance to meet and interview our next possible President. One of the many cool parts of his job:) Ben also had a picture of himself with President George Bush when he was running for President in 1999 but in true Ben form HE LOST IT!!!!
Matthew and Mom:)
I loved spending the morning with my little boy on his field trip:)
Matthew's field trip!!!
Matthew's first grade class at the corn maze:)
Matthew looking at his map!!
Mom I think were lost in this corn maze. Let me look at the map and help us find our way out:):)
The starting point for the maze.
Let's start at the very beginning a very good place to start:):)
Matthew with his buddies from school!!
It was 90 outside so everyone was really hot. It is just way to hot for October!!
Field Trip Fun!!!!
I went with Matthew's class on a field trip to the corn maze in Auburn today. It was very hot but lots of fun:)
CONGRATS:)
A big Congrats to Ron and Brandi on the birth of their daughter Bella Loren. She came 3 weeks early but arrived at a very healthy 7 pds 15 ozs and she was 20 in long.
Matthew and Foxy!!!
Matthew loves taking care of our new kitten:)
Let's go...stop with the pictures already:)
Andrew and Clayton ready to go have some fun!!
This is the All-Star-Sports Resort:)
This is the resort we will be staying at. We leave in 3 1/2 weeks. It doesn't seem real. It's been my dream to take the boys for years and now its actually happening:):)
Ready to get our swim on!!!!
This is a picture of the swimming pool at the resort we will be staying at!!!
Halloween Party at Disney:)
We will be going to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney. We are soooooooo excited:)
BOYS WILL BE BOYS!!
Andrew is having Clayton and CJ spend the night tonight. I think its safe to say they will have a blast!!
They are soooooo crazy:)
You get these 3 together and you never know what will happen!! CJ, Clayton and Andrew!!
Soccer Ball or is it Base Soccer???
Matthew and Dakota played baseball with this inflatable soccer ball:)
Together ALL the time!!
Dakota spent the night again last night:):) He and Matthew see each other every weekend. I am glad they are such good friends.
The hardest working teacher I know:)
Roanna in her classroom Thursday night. I went to help her grade papers and we were there till 10:30 at night!!!
Just like his Dad!!!
Matthew loves listening to our ipods. He wants one of his own for Christmas:)
Thank you so much Andrew!!!
The flowers Andrew picked for me!!
Flowers from my sweet little boy:)
Andrew picked these flowers for me and then put them in this vase.
It took me about 30 min to round up the kids to actually get this picture:)
Here are Solomon, Grace, Madison, Kyra, Andrew, Aubrey, Dakota and Matthew.
This is a little game called "Can you find the kids":)
Their all there....Madison, Kyra, Dakota, Matthew, Andrew, Aubrey, Solomon and Grace!!!
Round and round we go....where we stop nobody knows!!
Here are all the kids enjoying the merry-go-round.
How many kids can fit on a tire swing??:)
Andrew, Aubrey, Grace, Madison and Kyra all try to swing at the same time!! (It didn't work very well):)
Good Friends make good company!!!
Ben checks the fire while Dakota and Madison wait to make another smore!
Is this marshmallow done yet??
Dakota checks to see if its time to add the graham cracker and chocolate!
Give me Some More Smores:):)
Andrew made this Huge smore!!
FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ben made a really nice fire for us to cook smores!!!
Halftime Rocks!!!
I always love the halftime shows:)
The dads are really into the game.
Ben and Jeremy cheering on SHG!!
Nothing better than Friends and Football!!
Dakota, Madison, Andrew and Matthew enjoying the game:)
Time for the game!!!
We sat on the side with SHG fans. We made sure to sit with the winning team:)
Fun around the campfire:)
Roasting dogs on the fire!!
Nothing better than hotdogs over the fire:)
The kids loved cooking their dogs over the fire.
Come on dad I want to start the fire:)
Andrew sits by while Ben starts the bonfire!!
Ready...Set...Run
Ben and Matthew play football on a cool fall evening!!
Riding the River
Jeremy and Ben took the kids for a ride in the canoe down the river. They LOVED it!!!!!!!
Were Back:)
Back from a trip to the sand dune where the kids collected lots of clam shells.
The adults take a ride.
Jeremy and Ben took Ro and I for a ride down the river. It was very relaxing.
Time to hit the road:)
Dakota and Matthew are ready to go 4-wheeling with their helmets on:)
And their off.........
Dakota and Matthew hit the trails on the 4-wheeler with Roanna.
Matthew loves Dogs!!
Jeremy's uncle had 2 dogs....Lucy and Chuck. Matthew played and played with them. He would throw their ball into the river and they would swim to go get it.
Learning to fish.
Roanna teaching Matthew how to fish.
Fishing for the First time!!
The kids loved fishing even though they didn't catch a thing:)
Its a Frog..Its a Toad..Its one of the two:)
The kids made sure to point out to us that frogs and toads ARE different. The frog is on the left and the toad on the right.
This is a Frog:)
Madison shows off her baby Frog!!
Were rock climbing (kind of anyway):)
The kids loved climbing this wall near the river.
King of the World!!
Matthew loved climbing all over this fallen tree.
Great end to a great day:)
We wrapped up the day roasting marshmallows.
Time Together!!
Andrew, Grace and Madison enjoy time together splashing each other with their feet in the lake. This was the day we spent at the park during my remote for "Family Protection Day"
Its a bird...its another bird...wait, there's another bird!!
It was fun to sit on the pier and watch all the seagulls fly around.
Relaxing and enjoying the view!!
We all sat on the pier and stuck our feet in the water. It was really relaxing.
Don't Fall In:):)
OK that is my friend Roanna. If your wondering....no she did NOT fall in:) She made it around without hitting the water. She is so fun and crazy. That is what I love about her:)
Yep this is REALLY SPRINGFIELD IL!!
Hard to believe this is our city. The park my remote was at had the lake right in the middle of it. It was so beautiful. Here are all the kids enjoying the view.
JUMP JUMP JUMP
Matthew, Dakota, Aubrey and Madison enjoy jumping in the inflatable castle.
Big Boys with Big Balls:):)
That's Jeremy and Ben playing monster basketball!!!
Hard at Work or is it Hardly at Work:)
That's me with Program Director and fellow DJ Rob Rose at "Family Protection Day"
Time for some sword fighting:)
Porter, Andrew and Matthew have fun with swords while Marina tries to join in the fun.
My frog and me:)
Matthew loves this frog!!!
Baseball in the pool:)
Its back to school but its still 100 degrees outside so were still swimming!!
"DOG TIRED"
Major is so cute when he's sleeping!!
Our other "baby"
I was told I was being mean leaving our cat's picture off the blog since I have her listed in the title of the blog:) So here you go....our sweet kitty "Pouncer":)
Watching the movie together!!
I meant to post these pictures last week but forgot:) These are pics from our High School Musical 2 party at our friends Roanna and Jeremy's house.
Cutie Pie Zac Efron in the movie High School Musical 2
Yes, I actually took a picture of the TV while the movie was on:) I am a HUGE High School Musical fan!!
Best Friends!!!
Matthew and Dakota watching High School Musical 2 together:)
High School Musical 2 party:)
Roanna and husband Jeremy enjoy the movie curled up on the floor together:)
SMILE:)
My little man and me!!!!
The "Cardinals" team
The team poses for a picture together!!
Best Friends and Team Mates!!
Wyatt, Andrew and Clayton
It's raining its pouring:)!!
Matthew tries to stay dry under this big umbrella:)
Show me the trophy:)
Andrew shows off his trophy!!
Awards time!!
Wyatt gets his trophy from Coach Dan:)
Thanks Coach Dan!!
Matthew is so proud of his trophy and was happy to be the "bat boy" for the team.
Playing Catch!!
The rain didn't didn't bother the boys. They played catch even though it was pouring:)
Baseball Party!!
My hubby and assistant coach!!!
2 of the most awesome men in my life:)
Dad and Matthew take a stroll down the hall of the school before class begins.
A desk all his own:)
Matthew checks out his desk and gets ready to unload his backpack.
Matthew is all ready for his first day of first grade and his first day at his new school!!
Matthew's backpack was so heavy he almost tipped over:) All those darn school supplies!!
Off to the bus stop!!
Andrew and Malachi heading off to catch the bus!!
Back To School!!!
Andrew was up and ready to go to school by 7:30!! He is so excited about this school year!!
1...2...3..........JUMP!!!
Andrew, Madison, Dakota and Matthew all jump into the pool at the same time!!
The Coons Kids came over to swim
Madison tries to do a toe touch into the pool
Jumping into the pool is so much fun!
Andrew jumps from the deck into the pool
The catch of the day:)
Andrew holding the Toad he caught in the backyard
A little to close for comfort!!
Nelson tried to eat our Toad friend!! Andrew stepped in and saved him so no worries:)
It's a stare down!!
Major didn't know what to think of the Toad
Having fun inside on a HOT day!!
The boys and I had so much fun watching the butterfly eat and introducing the Toad to the dogs:)
Another one of Andrew's butterflies
We watched for a half hour as this butterfly ate off this flower
Family!!!
Andrew and Matthew with Dad, Uncle Thomas and Uncle Josh, Grandpa Steve and Cousins Henry and Holden:)
We love you:)
Andrew, Matthew and Grandma Jo!!
Henry is so cute!!
Me and nephew Henry.
Washing the car is so much fun:)
Matthew got more soap on himself then the car!!
Boys at work!
Matthew and cousin Henry wash Uncle Thomas's car.
Family!!
Andrew and his cousin Henry
Long weekend comes to an end!
Andrew fell asleep on the way home from bloomington:)
The float for the State Fair Parade!!
Joe and Roanna putting the finishing touches on the horse.
Working on the float
Amy painting the belly of the horse. Joe made me wear the mask because I was using spray paint!!
The float for the parade
This float is amazing. It has taken Joe 2 weeks to put it all together and it's still not finished yet. Abe's head still needs to be painted:):)
Working on the float
Joe touches up Abe's jacket
The float for the State Fair Parade
The man on the right is local artist Joe and that's me and my friend Roanna all standing next to the float. Oh, Joe is holding Lincoln's head:):)
Andrew and his butterfly
Andrew loves to catch butterflies and then he takes care of them. He feeds them sugar and water. This is a swallowtail butterfly.
My crazy little man!!!
Matthew loves to take a bath with LOTS of bubbles:)
My sweet little boy!
OK he's not little anymore but he will ALWAYS be my baby.
Summer Heat
Andrew loves to be outside even when its 100 degrees
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