Scrap Book Retreat or BUST

Courtney made this wonderful sign for me, since this time tomorrow I hope to be in Ky getting ready for another wonderful scrapbook retreat. I can not wait! My flight leaves at 5:25 in the morning and I should arrive in Nashville just a few minutes after 8. I am looking forward to scrap booking with my wonderful buddies this weekend. This will be our third annual retreat and we plan on 32 wonderful and talented ladies to attend. I can not wait, sorry did I say that again. I guess I am really excited about this trip even though I am leaving out before daylight in the morning, which means that I will probably get no sleep tonight and if this retreat is like the past two, I'll probably end up staying up all night one night scrap booking, I am excited about seeing everyone again. Did I mention that I do not leave to come home until Monday evening, that's FIVE whole days in KY (YIPEEEEE). Well if you think about it say a little prayer that my travel goes well. Love to all and I can't wait to see everyone this weekend!!!

Field Trip & No Cell Phones

Phillip has spent the last week working in south Florida. Needless to say, he had a week of long working days. So on Thursday, he and I agreed to a "no cell phone day". We surprised the kids by waking them up early and headed off to Orlando to Sea World.



Since it was a Thursday and Noel was just off the coast of Florida, the park was not crowded at all. Most rides we were able to walk right on, therefore we were able to see almost everything without having to rush around.


We saw a love for the dolphins in Courtney's eyes. I think she could have stayed in this area all day.

Since moving back to Florida, the kids have had an interest in the "sea cow" also known as the manatee. Sea World has a great rehabilitation program for injured manatees so that they can be let back into the water.
The Dolphin show has always been one of my favorites.

Heather, I thought about your experience at the beach when we visited the shark encounter.

It's Shamu and yes we got wet. At every show the kids insisted that we sit in the best seats, the soak zone seats.

I was able to talk the kids into having their picture taken with the "Otters", I like the way the one otter is copying Courtney. This is how Courtney walked up to have her picture taken. Courtney has never been one to have her picture taken with any type of character even with Santa Claus

Happy Halloween

Our little Pumpkin
Hope everyone had an enjoyable Halloween and I hope that you enjoy our Halloween pictures. This year I made Jonah's costume which turned out cute, if I do say so. With lots of moving boxes around the house, making a Rubiks Cube for a costume was pretty easy and fun. For the first time this year, Phillip and I allowed Courtney to be a witch. Normally we do not allow our the kids to dress up in anything scary, but Courtney loved this costume and really made a cute witch. She even made her broom out of some dead grass and a stick. She was very cute!

Jonah was a Rubiks cube on wheels, he decided to roller blade around the neighborhood.

Trey and Jonah

Off she goes, I love this picture.

Courtney, Andie, Trey, and Jonah

Rascal meets a fellow trick or treater, a spider

Holly (Sharpey), Courtney, & Andie (Horseback Rider)

Carving Pumpkins

The kids and I along with Andie, spent the afternoon carving Pumpkins. Since I found a good deal on pumpkins I bought one for each of us to carve. The kids did a great job and did most of the work themselves and were very proud of the outcome. Cleaning out the pumpkin +Concentration

+ Lots of gooey fun!

= some very cute pumpkins

Our pumpkins

Courtney's, mine, and Jonah's

Jonah and his ghost pumpkin

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!

Rascal

Another silly picture of Rascal sitting on the window ledge, this time in our bathroom window. Don't ask me how he got up there but he could not figure out how to get down. It is kinda funny and he almost looks like a stuff animal sitting there. Just goes to show you that there is never a dull moment at the Starling's.

Weekend Fun

Twister Anyone!!!

Spencer (cousin), Trey (neighbor) and Jonah

Well, lets just say that this was a great weekend for the kids. On Friday, Jonah and Courtney, along with the Trey and Andie (friends from across the street), spent the afternoon selling frogs and lizards to kids and a few adults in the neighborhood. Jonah and Trey spent the afternoon catching the animals while Andie and Courtney made signs and flyers to pass around the neighborhood. They ended up selling two frogs ($3 each) and two lizards ($1) each. Who would have thought? The lizards were actually bought by adults just to be let loose in their yards and the frogs were bought by two boys, who unfortunately had to let them go with their mom's found out.

On Saturday my brother's boys, Spencer and Brandon came down to spend the night. Along with Trey, all four boys had a blast playing football, Twister, riding anything with wheels, and playing video games. The boys even talked the girls into playing hide go seek with them.

Phillip's Longtime Friend

Phillip's friend since childhood, was in Florida over the weekend for the Fl/Ga game (what a joke) and stopped by on Sunday before heading back home. We had not seen Danny since Jonah was a baby and I will say it was good to see him again. Danny and Phillip were able to catch up on old times, on what has changed and what has not. Jonah and Courtney enjoyed meeting "Uncle Danny" and thought he was a funny guy with a lot of humor. Somethings just never do change.

Silly Rascal, Window Ledges are for Cats

Since the weather is cool and rainy this morning, I have the windows to the Lanai (fancy word for screened in -porch, that I think someone with nothing to do, thought of) open. With the blinds pulled up and the window open Rascal found that he can jump up on the window ledge like a cat would. He thought he was something until Penelope, our Beagle, who was on the Lanai at the time, decided to raise up on the window ledge and spook Rascal. Needless to say Rascal did not appreciate it.

I've been Tagged

I have been tagged by Beth, so I hope that you enjoy this. Here are the rules-- 1) Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves. 2) People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules. 3) At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. 4) Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog Here goes............ I rarely wash my makeup off before I go to bed I can not figure out how to operate our new microwave in our house, go figure! I graduated in the top 10% of my graduating class, what a nerd! One of the first things that I do in the mornings is, open the blinds throughout the house and make our bed. I love natural light and I can not stand to walk past an unmade bed. I hate my handwriting I love to cook and try new things, I only wish my kids enjoyed it as much My shirts in my closet are grouped by their color All my shoes are in plastic storage boxes and labeled Well fellow bloggers, it is now your turn, copy and paste and for some of you update your blog while you are at it, Joanna. So, tag your it.............Judith, Joanna, Tonya, Laura, Melissa, Jill, Lisa, Ashley and whoever else wants the challenge.

Courtney's Room

Here's a few pictures of Courtney's new room. We think it turned out great. The colors were Courtney's choice and the lady at the paint store gave Phillip a very funny look when he asked for these colors. But this room totally fits Miss Courtney's personality. The hard part has been for me to step back and let Courtney add her decorative touches by placing her things in her room. Which she has enjoyed and is proud of.
My father built this desk in the early 80's. Courtney and I painted it white and added new stylish drawer pulls. Not everyday but some days this is where she likes to sit and do her school work, especially when Jonah is getting on her nerves. (Go Figure!!!)

Spoons and Friends

I feel so blessed to have so many friends, wonderful friends and right now as I should be ordering pictures from my camera, I am looking back over the last couples of months with tears in my eyes, missing my "Old Kentucky Home" and our wonderful friends. This week has probably been the hardest week for me with the move. Reality is starting to set in, that this is not a vacation or a short trip like Joanna or Alicia would say but it is permanent.

Well let me change the subject and talk about SPOONS, I love this game. In fact it is probably one of our most favorite games to play, well besides "Big Booty" and Pit and those are only fun on New Years Eve at the Mason's. Thanks Jill!! Okay, Okay, I know I am getting off the subject again. Anyway, the weekend before our move, we got together with several of our friends for dinner and fellowship. Well, fellowship always consists of Spoons with this group. Did I say that I love to play this game? Of course, I did, and anyone who knows me, knows how I can get in to this game. We had a great time and I think all of us laugh harder then we had in weeks. We hated that Kerry, Harrison and Steve (Steve Who?) could not be there but we missed them. We did let the kids play a few rounds of spoons and we even played guesstures with them. Phillip (not mine, but Rebecca's) even let the kids sing on the mics and play music, sometimes too loud, but what the hect, they're kids.

Oh and for all you Florida Friends who does not know what SPOONS is. It is played with a deck of cards and yes, your kitchen spoons. So next time you are with us and you are ready for a high energy game just say the word and we'll teach you the game. Believe me if Steve Day can learn, anyone can.

Thanks for a great time guys and we look forward to playing again in February.

Guesstures

After playing spoons, for I don't know maybe hours. The kids wanted to play Guesstures, well we could have played adults vs kids but we decided to be fair. I had not played Guesstures in years and forgot how much fun it could be. Well the names of the teams were the Losers and the Winners, however the Losers, won and the Winners lost.

The Kids

While the adults were playing spoons, Jonah decided to take pictures with my camera, which I am very grateful for b/c without him we would not have some of these photos. Here is what the kids were doing while we adults were playing spoons. Unfortunately there is not a picture of Bailey who sung on the microphone most of the night.

We love these kids and over the last six years we have watched them mature and grow and even though we are miles always, we will still enjoy watching them grow up.

Who's My Man?

I copied this from another friend's blog. Hope you enjoy it. Who is your man? Phillip Anthony - AKA Flipper
How long have you been together? 14 years (married)
How long dated? 2 years
How old is your man? 39
Who eats more? Phillip
Who said "I love you" first? Phillip
Who is taller? Phillip
Who sings better? Carla
Who is smarter? Carla is booksmart, Phillip is smart in other ways (politics and Current Affairs)
Whose temper is worse? Phillip
Who does the laundry? Carla
Who takes out the garbage? Mostly Carla
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Phillip
Who pays the bills? Carla
Who is better with the computer? Phillip
Who mows the lawn? Phillip
Who cooks dinner? Carla
Who drives when you are together? Phillip
Who pays when you go out? Phillip mostly
Who is most stubborn? Both
Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Carla
Whose parents do you see the most? Carla's
Who kissed who first? Phillip
Who asked who out? Phillip
Who proposed? Phillip, on my 19th birthday
Who is more sensitive? Carla
Who has more friends? Carla
Who has more siblings? Phillip has 4 (Don, Ricky, Stephen, Tammy); Carla has two (Robbin and Bryan)
Who wears the pants in the family? depends on the subject and we will leave it like that

Courtney's New Friend

Last Saturday, we meet several of our new neighbors. We live on a street with 10 houses, so all of the kids (around 12 total) can play on the road since only the people who live on the street usually drive down our street (we live on a "Loop"). The family that lives in front of us has a boy and a girl both of which is the same age as Jonah and Courtney. Andi is the little girl and as you can see in the picture, her and Courtney has become good friends. I took this picture from my front door. I thought it was sweet, because instead of the girls running and playing with the boys. The two of them sat on the grass talking for about an hour. It was neat to watch them sit and talk just like I would with a friend, but yet this was two nine year old sitting and enjoying each others company. Yesterday, I look out my dinning room window and saw the two of them sitting on Andi's front porch talking. Is this a sign that my little girl is growing up?

A Quick Update

Well as you can see from the pictures, our move was very interesting. Phillip and I found out quickly that we have too much stuff! The moving company was able to get everything on the 53' semi except for the basketball goal, which we ended up donating to FCA. The kids enjoyed riding their scooter down the ramp of the moving semi on moving day. As most of you heard, one of the packers stepped through the ceiling of our attic into the kitchen. A major OOOPS!!! We closed on our house in BG on the first and spent the next two days traveling south. We closed here on Wednesday morning and our moving semi arrived on Thursday. Which allowed for me to paint Courtney's room Wednesday afternoon. It turned out really cute, if I do say so myself.

All of us, has worked very hard trying to get everything in order and I think we have accomplished a lot in just a few days. We are now down to less then a handful of boxes in the house. However we still have not been able to locate the extension rods for our bed frame yet. My guess is that they were placed somewhere in the garage, which is a whole different story. We went from a large walkout attic to hardly no attic at all.