When Two Worlds Collide

Kim is a Clueless Geek

We went camping this weekend with two families in our neighborhood. We've made it a yearly thing, but normally we go in the fall. This year it got changed to the winter, and the weekend before we were to go it was C.O.L.D. Now all you non-South Floridians-I don't want to hear it! When the temperature during the day in South Florida doesn't get above 60 degrees-that's COLD! (for us) So you can imagine our apprehension about tent camping in 30 degree weather. We decided to split an RV with one of the other families (the third fam has a pop up camper). LOVED IT! The question on our minds as we drove back from camping was - How does one go camping again in a tent after camping in this rolling house??

Our destination was Camp Canaveral. It's about 45 minutes north of Vero Beach. We chose this area because we all wanted to go to Kennedy Space Center. (Listen closely because this is where the geek part comes in...) We went to KSC and I LOVED IT! The rockets, the moon rocks, the astronauts, the space suits, the shuttles, the launch pads... SO COOL!!! Some are in awe of the Grand Canyon. Others shed a tear when listening to a moving piece by Mozart. My jaw hit the ground when I saw the ginormous rocket boosters on the Saturn V. G.E.E.K. It's all coming together for me now.
*My neverending craving for new school supplies
*My intense desire to take notes wherever I go
*The fact that my OCD kicks into gear and I must match my shoes with my purse
*And now the Kennedy Space Center.
I am a clueless geek.

Nevertheless, here are some pictures of our fun family trip.


Bus driver Matt

We celebrated Ethan's and Ed's (one of the neighbors) birthdays.

Future astronaut Ethan and daddy walking towards the Explorer Space Shuttle.



The inside of the rented "house on wheels".


Matt's new look (just making sure you're paying attention...)

Saturn V

This is the Space Shuttle Endeavour on the launch pad. (All you can see of it is the orange tip of the solid rocket booster.) It will taking it's last night launch on Sunday, Feb. 7th at 4:39 a.m. We're planning on going up for this launch.

Manchas, Mia's boyfriend

Mia, our lovey pup

Four years 'til 40...

So today is my birthday...and what a great day I've had! To most, the things that made me happy today are pretty random, but they were some of my favorite things.

I got fun cards from my family (including the ass card from Matt-I might have to do a separate post just on that card). Then off to school I went...where I was greeted by little munchkins with handmade birthday cards. So cute!



I could really tell that they put lots of love and time into them (including the one with the flowers and the penny glued to it-adorable!). At the same time some of the munchkins came bearing gifts. I will be sipping Starbucks with a smile for the next couple of weeks. LOVE IT!


(And I'll be smelling like a rose while doing it.)


To top all of that off, my munchkins and their moms gave me a little party! With balloons and all. They really made my day at school a special one.




Then it was time to pick up the kiddies. Daddy came home a little early, and we went to Publix to find my favorite cake. (True, I probably shouldn't have been involved in the purchasing of the cake, but you do what you gotta do. Verdad?)


On to some DE-LISH pizza


and then home to enjoy the cake with the fam.


What a day! To top all of that off, the weather here is GORGEOUS!!! It's cold and clear and it just seemed perfect on a day like today. :)

Woof

Dog slobber: gross
Dog hair on furniture and clothes: more to clean up??!!
Dog butt licking: NASTY!

Then came Mia....


We went to the Humane Society on Saturday "just for fun", and we found her! Matt and I like pugs, and Mia is the next best thing: a Puggle. (A cross between a pug and a beagle). There was a hold on her from another family, so we were thinking that it wouldn't work out. But they called us and said that they didn't take her. We decided to go for it, and voila! We have a dog! They told us she wasn't housebroken, but she's doing great. She is SUPER sweet, and she absolutely LOVES Mackenzie!


All that stuff at the beginning of my post doesn't seem to bother me. I look forward to seeing her in the morning, and I feel a little sad putting her to bed at night. I even bought her clothes. What the heck is wrong with me??? Welcome to Dogville Kimmy.

Merry Christmas to All!

Mackenzie was concerned about the reaction of the guinea pigs when Santa pays us a visit tonight. So she wrote him a note and taped it to the door...



Ethan wanted to make sure that Santa could get into our house. So since we don't have a chimney he hung this from the door knob...


And of course, the cookies and milk (which is still in the fridge so it won't gross for Santa) are ready and waiting for the jolly man. We didn't get our letters to Santa out on time, so they set them by his snack. I heart Christmas!

Our Budding Gymnast

Mackenzie participated in her first "fun meet" this weekend. She had SO MUCH FUN! (That was the point.) I haven't seen her that excited about something in a while. She was a little nervous but more anxious to get to the gym and get started. She took part in four events- the vault, the bars, floor exercise, and the beam. She learned a small routine for each (very basic mind you), and she did great! For each event she was given a score and she ended up getting four blue ribbons. Everyone who participated got a t-shirt (which she has worn for the past few days, including to school under her uniform shirt) and a medal. So cute!

Is this the little girl I carried? Is this the little boy at play? I don't remember growing older. When did they? When did she get to be a beauty? When did he grow to be so tall..."

The Ladies' Man

Ethan might have a little crush on one of the teachers at his school. He has been drawing her pictures and writing her notes. She happens to be an FSU fan, and she knows we are too, so she calls him her "little football buddy". When he got in the car yesterday he told me this teacher gave him "that thing on the computer that starts with an e". (Email address) I asked, 'How come?' He said, 'because I asked her for her phone number and she said she would give me her email address instead.' Apparently, he likes to talk to her which led him to asking her for her digits. I forgot to ask him if he offered her some Courvoisier.

Kenzie, Age 8 and Various Other October Happenings

Our t-tiny baby turned 8 a few weeks ago. We celebrated with a few friends and our family by swimming at our neighborhood pool. While other areas of the country are getting cooler, we seem to be getting warmer. Such is life in South Florida...

Matt and I flew to Charlotte. We drove up to a vineyard in NC and really enjoyed our time together experiencing the real Fall season.









We got back in time to put our finishing touches on our costumes for Halloween...


Silver Mist Fairy and Indiana Jones


Yes, even I dressed up for school.


the Princess Pigs


Kenzie and the neighbors




Pops even tried on Mackenzie's fairy wings.


Matt, I mean, Venkman the popcorn eating Ghostbuster

I'm Alive

Yep. It's been awhile. I have stayed true to form...

I am on the treadmill (not literally-which is why my gym will probably call soon and ask why I haven't been there in a few weeks). We are certainly getting into our groove, and it's a busy one! Gymnastics, soccer, church, school, meetings, planning, etc. etc. etc.

Mack's birthday is quickly approaching. She is very excited to turn 8. Ethan is slowly adjusting to school...but I expected this. I love to hear his stories about his friends, like the one with the golden teeth.

Again, I am loving school. My class is full of cutie pies, and they make me smile. I have to remind myself to start a journal of the things they say, like when one of my students informed me that 'whore' starts with 'h'. Thankfully she whispered this one in my ear. Normally she isn't the whispering type. It must have been my lucky day. Of course, she was wrong...but I wasn't about to go into that phonics lesson with her.

Matt has started studying for the CPA exam. This has been keeping him busy.

So that's us in a nutshell. Oh! Here's that picture of the kids' first day of school that I promised...about a month and a half ago.

First Day of School

I watched my heart walk into school today with his big sister. My little guy, with a backpack that measures half his height, followed his sissy through the school gates today. Matt and I were all set to walk him to class, just in case he got lost. But he informed us that he wanted Kenzie to walk with him.

So we went to school with them yesterday, their first day. We walked the big second grader to class and met her teacher. After going into the classroom with her, she walked away to her new desk and didn't look back. (I didn't get a chance to say 'have a great day'. But I understand because I was just like her when I was in school.) Then we went downstairs to take Ethan to class. You would have thought I was selling him to his teacher because it felt like I wouldn't see him again. She asked us to come inside and get him situated. After getting him settled at his table we watched him draw a picture, and we waited with him for awhile until he looked up at us and said, "Are you going to leave?" After a few more minutes, we took that as our cue, gave him kisses and left him. I was strong...for awhile. He had a great day, and he told us that it was his 'best day ever'. Well okay then!

So after watching my heart walk into school today, I realized that I have to let go a little and let him grow up. I think I'm having growing pains.
(I'll post pictures soon!)

School

How did the new school year creep up on me so quickly?? I really can't complain though. I have had a full and very fun summer. I heart summer, remember? So tonight we were talking with the kids and making sure that they were excited about school. Mackenzie is nearly beside herself (she's like me). The way I discovered to get Ethan excited about school? GI Joe underwear.

So their bags are waiting for them in the hallway, full of clean notebooks and unopened packages of pencils and crayons. Lunches are packed and ready in the fridge. Uniforms are hung on the closet doors with care. And I'll be in bed later with a mind that won't stop racing and wondering how my baby got to kindergarten so fast. Unfortunately I won't have the opportunity to have a boohoo breakfast with Matt tomorrow because I'll be leaving straight from their school to mine. Needless to say we have a lot going on tomorrow. Hopefully I can post something about their first day in a timely manner. But you all know how that goes...

Family Trip to Marathon

I'm still coming off my Keys trip high so here is one picture to sum up our fabulous family trip to the keys.

Tallahassee, Part 2

Ok. My last post was a little lengthy. I apologize. But I have a hard time choosing which pictures to post. And I tried to post a bunch to my Facebook page and something went wrong. This time I will limit the number of pictures I post but I'm tired just thinking about our fabulous road trip '09 so I'll limit my verbage as well.

Upon arriving in Tally, our niece and nephew were at Matt's parents house. I think my kids were in the pool faster than you can say 3,000 miles. Our time with the other Cates kids was limited but it was great seeing them.



We got back in the car to go to the beach with Matt's parents and the other Cates kids. Destination: St. George Island. If you've never been there, it's really beautiful. It's a small island with pastel beach cottages up on stilts lining the shore. Here are few highlights:


Matt's sand sarcophagus


Watching Grandpa fish


Making sand castles


Looking for clams


The Cates kids



From the beach we headed west to Panama City, where some friends of ours live. Since seeing them last they have had another child and moved to a new home. Needless to say it was fun catching up with them.



Our last day in Tallahassee was spent in the pool and on the couch recharging our batteries for the drive back home on Sunday. Overall, our trip was a memorable one. Even though I joke about the miles we drove, it was all worth it.