The $85.00 Pumpkin

Man, the kid in me spotted these and kept thinking- how killer would that jack-o-lantern be!!!! 

Amicalola Falls

Took the little monkeys to the falls today. It is a great fall day, leaves are beginning to change and the air was crisp and had the slight chill. Before it turns dark and grey, damp and we all have the winter blues- gotta get them out of the house and out in the wild..... 

I'm a bareback cowboy

Riding my leopard through the dangerous carpet terrain

 

Giovanni

He is ever sooo dreamy

 

The Georgia Aquarium

 

told ya I was coming.....

 

Watch out Beckham!

Christopher is coming and he is one crazy beastie!!!

This is the last of my lazy, lay around the house weekends. My comfortable, cozy Saturdays will soon end and chaos will ensue.... Right now the weekends consist of nice non complicated days, nothing scheduled, nothing expected, just some quality time with the monkeys, a few high pushes on the swings and a romp in the yard with the pup... Sport seasons will soon swoop in and take every spare moment that I had reclaimed as my own, and the ol mini van goes in full suburban mom swing. My oldest girl plays tennis and volleyball and my boy plays some mean ass soccer. So my evenings will be spent carting the monkeys around, snacks in tow, satellite radio on random search and large bags of random crap tossed in the back. They love it, I love it!!! I love the hustle and bustle, the obnoxious sideline cheering for my babes! I wish my parents had been as accommodating, when I was a kid. I desperately wanted to be involved in something, jeez anything... but schedules and family obligations constricted my time. In the 5th grade, they put in tennis and racket ball courts in my school. I was hooked seriously, every morning I showed up at my best friend's house, rackets in hand begging her to go play. She hated every second of it, and frankly she sucked, but she was an excellent friend and she dealt with me. I would play everyday for an hour before school, I was soo into it... who knows, if things had been different, I could have gone all the way, even been on the cover of Wheaties.... or maybe not... either way, and obviously no resentment in tact (not...) I am totally looking forward to this spring season....ohh yeah, the crazy one in the pic-that one is mine- his body is much more suited for football than soccer and he treats every game as a mission to seek and destroy. Seriously, he runs down the field, just knocking kids down left and right... it is awesome- he makes me soooo proud...

School Days, School Days

 

Gabriella and Giovanni

At the High Museum playroom- Told ya art was fun!!!

 

ohh silly me...........

I think I look fat in this pic.. ugh... but my kids said post it...

Saint Augustine

The kids love this little city...

 

Gabriella- The Serious Beach Bunny

 

mmmmm, Mommy took us to a fancy resturant...

And all we ate was bread....
on a fork

yum yum

Gaby and Gio

A talkative parrot can be a mother's best friend

The never saw it coming

The kids tried out their best Croc wrestling moves..

Vacation!!!!

Awwww, the family pix.. Don't worry we did not feed Gaby to the Crocs- she is just a grumpy girl....

Gio and Gaby checking out the locals

How close are you to the gators? Ummm pretty close!

Alligator Farm- Saint Augustine Florida

The Alligator Farm in Saint Augustine is a must!! Where else can you start a alligator freeding frenzy with just some sprinklings of dog food??? We walked through the park sporting our best faux Australian accents, "that's the biggest croc, I have ever seen!" who knew poor Steve Irwin would leave us the next day. We will miss you, ya crazy bloke... thank you for fueling our respect and fascination of nature and the almighty croc!

Giovanni

Babies are the best thing ever!

Marisa and Gaby

 

Marisa

I think the very first time I realized what love was, was the first time I was handed my baby girl.. She was sooo beautiful, looking up at me with those big brown eyes.. She melted my heart and all my wounds and scars suddenly seemed to close and disappear. Like a new start, had just enveloped the horizon, and all my yesterdays cease to exist. She has been my best friend through it all, and out of all the people in the world she understands me best. She is strong yet sensitive, sweet but stern and she is everything I wished I had been as a kid. The apple of every teachers eye, and the first one to take all the wounded birds under her wing. I can still remember taking her to go see the Spice Girls (ugh is right) for her first birthday and her shaking her little tambourine.. She drove cross country with me when my ex, kicked us to the curb (the first time) and shared in my excitement as we crossed the Mississippi, shouting RIVER as loud as we could. She amazed me with her ease and grace when we visited Paris and she picked up about 20 french words right off the bat. Her little face lights up with every new day. She like me, wears her heart on her sleeve and her disappointments on her face. She speaks her mind, and stands up for her beliefs. She has this amazing love for her family and fierce loyalty to her siblings. Funny sometimes you don't know how much you love them till you think something is wrong.. Today, her bus was over an hour late, I sat impatiently looking out the window waiting to hear the loud roar of the engine as it climbed the hill. But it didn't happen.... I called her school, and the words from the receptionist made me tear up before she could even finish her sentence. "is your child on bus 11?" yes, I answered trembling, like ohhh shit what happened.... She answered everything is fine, the bus driver had forgotten it was a half day, he just arrived, your child's bus will be there shortly... Ok, cool...... but scary how every moment good and bad can flash before your eyes in the matter of seconds...hug the ones you love, often......

Niki de Saint Phalle

The Botanical Gardens is currently showing the world's largest exhibition of internationally renowned artist Niki de Saint Phalle's outdoor sculptures ever presented.

Gabriella

Dale Chihuly did a fabulous exhibit last year at the Botanical Gardens, there is still a few pieces left.