Welcome Marley!

We have a new addition to our family. Little Marley just arrived a couple days ago. He is just the cutest little thing. Not much bigger than a quarter. He must have gotten washed up on our porch, and we have now created him a little home. He will be moving to a much larger home in the next month or two. He is just the cutest little water turtle. Actually he's a musk turtle. He mostly eats live little bugs and some occasional greens. We are happy to add him to our continuing little mini zoo we are creating at the Orr House.

Because of all the crazy storms we've been having in Oviedo... we have a large pond in our backyard... Woo hoo we have waterfront property now! Not so good for our poor grass.. and the nasty mosquitos it brings.. But here is a view from our porch of the Orr Pond.

Marek is catching Marley some dinner!

Sorting out Marley's meal. :) Yum Yum!

Pumpkin Patch Update

This is our first and largest pumpkin. He is now completed.. and his stem has dried up. He's not the prettiest thing I've ever seen, but regardless we're pretty happy about it. Hopefully our plants will continue to produce more fruit up until Halloween.

One Cool Dude

Styling on the way to school. Its actually funny that he's wearing his glasses this morning because the sun was under a ton of rain clouds.... Probably ended up not swimming at school today.

Morning M&M's

Potty Training....

Every morning I give Marek his M&M's from the previous night for using his potty. I don't give them at night because it's time for bed and he has already brushed his teeth. So I tell him I'll owe them to him. This morning he was soooo funny. He wanted to enjoy his M&M's in our bed, while all snuggled up with his lovey..

Rough life he's got.. Just wearing his undies in bed... snuggled up eating chocolate... Now that's the life!

NEW HAIR

I am back to brown! I told Coleen I was ready to go back to my super chocolate brown hair. I'm thrilled with the cut and color. I always love to change it up.

Coolbrook Lola Luah

We had a Luah on our street that we have been planning for months. We finally caught and roasted Lola the 200 pound pig that had been roughing up our backyard and pulling up our neighbors fence. So practically the whole street came down for the festivities. It was a lot of fun, and a blast to say farewell to large hairy Lola... She was super tasty!

It's hard to tell how long and big she is.. but it's actually a real BIG cage.

Marek is heading to the party. He's so gangsta!

Playalinda Beach

We went to the beach on Saturday with our good friends the Perez's. Marek and his buddy Zyel that are the same age just ran and ran and swam in our pools that we dug for them. It was a perfect day at the beach.

Check out how deep the pools we created were!

These pools rock!! Zyel is totally chilling in the pool!

Drip castles rock! Good job Kev!

Busted

Kevin totally walked into finding Marek doing his hair like mommy. Im sooooo happy the flat iron wasn't actually turned on, or he would have had a rude awakening..

He's a Keeper

Nothing beats a note like this on a Friday morning. Gotta love what an Architect husband will come up with. :) Had to share.

I love the part that says... "Not to Scale"

My SIS and family are in O-TOWN!

My sister, brother-in-law and two fabulous nephews are down visiting for a week and doing all the Disney fun things while they are here. I think they have literally rode every ride at least once. Last night we met them at Downtown Disney for dinner at Wolfgang Puck and Lego playing. Of course the boys had a big kick doing that.

Marek and I built a little car to race against the other kids cars. WE WON! We cheered for our FAST little winning car. Marek of course was super thrilled! I think it was the added flair on the side that really sped us up. ;)

Here are a few pictures of us, and my adorable nephews Josiah and baby Landon. :)

Here's our winning car!

Giving Uncle Kevin a thorough check...

Funny Sleeper

We find Marek in the most bizarre sleeping positions. Here are just a few of the crazy things we walk in on. Keep in mind.. When he goes to bed at night.. He always starts with a shirt, shorts or pants.. and usually house shoes. He's a big fan of his bear shoes... As you can see in the pictures... he's removed items.. and added some items..

Layla 1st Birthday

Marek had a splashing good time at Layla's 1st birthday. Here are some pictures from the fun party! Thanks for having us Golds!

Look at Layla, she's a total DOLL! I feel like it wasn't that long ago when Marek was having his first. Love the classic cake pictures!

Mommy takes a tumble...

Yes... So I've always know I've been a major klutz.. Most of the time I don't even realize my arms are attached to my body.. because they usually have a mind of their own. They slam into walls, I bang up my jewelry.. Im a real big mess.

Well... my biggest fear is for me to be holding Marek and actually fall down and drop him. And that is exactly what happened to me yesterday afternoon.

We were actually leaving Marek's school and I was holding him and praising him on the great news I had heard from his teachers. (We have had some issues with Marek the past couple days) so good news was a real blessing to our ears. So here I am holding him and telling him how proud I was him. Obviously not completely paying any attention to the end of the curb. Which is a nice actual smooth transition, except for the fact that I stepped off the sidewalk into the grass. My foot/wedge heel went into a hole and dropped me straight down onto my right knee. Marek and cell phone in hand. I somehow managed to set Marek safely to a sitting position on the ground while I dragged my foot out of the hole, and managed to some how not break a second phone. Or hurt Marek in any way. Which was my biggest concern that flashed through my mind while this was all happening. After feeling shocked that I had just done this... And pulling myself up and off the ground. I look down at my knee and realize that I now have a rather large hole in my pants at the knee. I pull my pants up to find a nasty bloody scratch.. which has now turned into a puffy hard sore. NOT FUN! Though the first thing out of my precious sons mouth is.... (In the saddest and sweetest voice) Ohhh no Mommy! Let me give you a hug. Honestly... I will never forget that. I am a lucky mom, and so very fortunant that he is safe.

My knee looks much better than yesterday, but boy is it sore.. my twisted ankle should be back to normal in no time too. So happy that no bones were broken!

I'm a major proud mommy.

I am pleased to announce that we started potty training Marek last Saturday before last. Two days of potty training over the weekend, and then we tried pull-ups on Monday for his first day of school. I told him if he had no accidents in his pull-ups at school, then he could go back to wearing underwear like he got to do over the weekend. (Underwear to him.. means MAJOR big boy)! So after getting wonderful reviews from his teachers, and no accidents we allowed him underwear on Tuesday.. Boy am I the proudest mom ever! He had ZERO accidents ALL week and all weekend long!!

How I did it... First day... He received a Hershey kiss for every pee, and a Hershey bar for... well.. a poo... Well that quickly changed when I realized that he had more pee than most dogs... Somehow he managed to go about 20+ times in a couple hours... We quickly switched it to one M&M.

Now after I hear a good report from the teacher and no accidents each week. He gets to visit the "Fun Monster Treasure Chest" (filled with all kinds of fun little toys) This is very motivating to him.. Because he sees the box.. and really wants a toy from it. Hopefully fingers crossed.. he keeps up this accident free streak!

Here is a book he likes to read often to us, and to himself while on the potty or at night. He reminds us regularly that he goes just like Joshua.. the little boy in the book.

I am not posting any pictures of him on the potty.. But... it is quite a sight to see. He actually uses two different pottys... depending on what he needs to do.. the small potty is for pee. And he sits on it and bends completely over where is head practically hits the floor... It's a real sight to see.

My Birthday Week

I had a wonderful birthday week. I have such awesome friends and family. I feel really blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.

On my birthday Eve my friend Ara threw me an awesome celebration at the office. With my favorite chocolate eclaires and black and white cookies from TooJays. Yum Yum.. The office was happy to enjoy those. :)

Here are a few pictures from the events.

On Tuesday which was my birthday. Kevin and I took off work and went to Islands of Adventure and Universal. And then surprised me with a very special yummy lunch at Emerils. Yummmm it was all delicious. That night Marek and Daddy surprised me with the most beautiful and tasty Raspberry Chocolate Torte cake with "firework candles" Marek likes to call them. And then Marek of course had a blast opening the presents that he helped pick out. Some that he completely picked out. Like a truck frame.. for a picture of him and me.. Too cute!

On Thursday we had a trifecta birthday lunch. We have done this the past couple years with my friends at work that have birthdays the same week. So we had yummy Thai food. Another one of my favs!

Blurry.. but here's one side of the table. Me in the middle and Birthday Girl Janet at the end.

At the other end was birthday girl Natasha!

Then on Thursday night my glitter girl friend Susan threw me and Janet an indoor pool party (no water) at her house with our group of gals from work. That was a blast!

The birthday girls. Me and Janet!