Let's paint and spin

This is for you Aunt Lori and Uncle Marc! We finally opened up the Spin Art that you gave Sam for his birthday and look how good the masterpiece turned out! The boys had a grand grand of a time with daddy as they watched the paint spin round and round. We now wish we would have opened it up sooner. Enjoy the pictures of the Spin Art morning!

Sam thought this was the most serious thing ever....

Matthew thought it was funny....
End Result: MASTERPIECE

on the path to work again

I am so happy to say that I am starting my own photography business. I love my new path. It has been so exciting to meet some amazing families and just hang out with the ones who have already been a part of my life here in Florida. I am in the process of working on my new website and ironing out all the kinks, however, for now, here is a link to my new blog:

http://www.erinteplinphotography.blogspot.com/

Check back often so you can see all my little cuties!

Double Celebration!

On Sunday, May 11, 2008 we not only celebrated Mothers Day, but Brad and I also celebrated our 6 years of marriage! For the past 3 years, I've had the honor in not only celebrating Mothers day, but being a proud mother myself! Seriously, what would I do without my kids and husband?

My husband who I wed on this day, 6 years ago, my rock and my strength. We have been through so many things together, good and bad. But most importantly we've held our relationship strong. Thinking back to this same day, 6 years ago, the skies were dark and the rain was falling. Much like our day today, however, we didn't have a wedding to worry about. The nerves were overfilled with excitement as I was about to marry the man of my dreams. And then, the party began. All of our friends and family were there to celebrate this day with us. What a glorious day it was, even though the skies opened up and rain, hail and lightning filled the evening.

Thinking back three years ago when Sam entered our world, everything changed. Not only life, but love! I never knew I could love someone as much as I loved that little baby growing inside of me. Then a few more months passed and we welcomed Matthew into this world! Then life REALLY changed and our hearts grew bigger and now Brad and I had a family we could call our own.

I sit here today, thinking back and I thank God for my life. Being a mother has made me a better person, and being a wife has made me who I am today!

Happy Anniversary Brad. Happy Mothers day all my dear friends and family celebrating as well today. I hope you all enjoyed your day and I am blessed to have you all in my life!

Daddy

is a monumental piece around this house. I used to be okay with Monday mornings....but now I shriek when that Monday morning wake up call calls for "Daddy". When that door opens and it's me, mommy....the boys both look at me with blank stares of disappointment and say, "mommy, where is daddy?"

When little hand hits the 5, mommy is history. Daddy is home and the boys forget about me. I'm okay with this...especially because I know they love me just as much, they just see me too much! But man, when daddy is home, this world is a better place!

Friends

They are oh so cute together! It's Ashley! Ashley and Sam get along like Brothers and Sisters. Maybe it's because she is that much older than Sam and she tends to kind of baby him, and Sam eats it up! She has this patience about her that I love. And I love it when Sam picks up on the gentle things she does. Even though Sam is a boy, I never shy him away from affection!

Sam asks about her daily and requests that we stop at her house, even though she may be there just to stop by and say hi to the door?! I love little friendships that happen. Thanks Ashley for spending the day with us last weekend! We can't wait for school to be out this summer so we can meet at the pool and eat goldfish and peanut butter sandwiches together.

Matthew..where are you?

Just have to note....this morning, during and after our jaunt through Publix, Matthew shocked the pants off me...

1. He walked up to the baker who had a cookie in her hand and gave her a Hi-5
2. Matthew let the cute bagger push the cart out to my car with him in the cart! He actually didn't even know where I was....
3. Kept his flip flops on the entire time in the store!
4. Ate the ENTIRE 2 cartons of blueberries that we bought
5. Drank his milk COLD.....right out of the fridge
6. Sat and WATCHED TV as I was making lunch!!!!! And laughed!!!!!

YEAH Matthew!!!! See, you CAN look and talk to (some) strangers.
Normally he gives the dirtiest eye contact and screeches at the top of his lungs!!!!!
TV is GOOD to watch Matthew!!!!

HOORAY for you. Looks like mommy needs to go to Publix every day now!

beach and fears

We had a great day today visiting the beach! The boys just love it there. As a matter of fact, so do we. Brad has finally accepted that the sand is okay and the sun won't hurt him!!!! Today we had another great family day there after running some errands. The weather couldn't have been better. Upper 80's/sunny/windy and just plain great. The tide was very high when we got there, but lowered back into the ocean after an hour of us being there. I know there probably is a better word for "tide lowered back" but I don't know the technical terms.....April, I know you have the answers! I think my family and I need a oceanography lesson from you.

Anyways, the boys just love the water and sand. Matthew seriously didn't stop running the entire time we were there. Sam and him jumped wave after wave, puddle after puddle. It was grand. Poor little Matthew bit the sand in some larger waves a few times....however, it didn't seem to stop him. Sam got a mouthful of sea shell sand a few times, however, that didn't stop him as well.

The boys both were given a plastic bag to collect shells. WOW...the bags are FULL of shells. They did great. Matthew thought it was rather hilarious when he found a broken shell!! Mom, we're saving the shells for when you're hear so you can help me build a shellasic (my word for Mosaic) picture frame!!!! Can't wait!

The beach was full today. There were so many people there. Kids were everywhere. I have to admit, being in the water with the boys does make me a tad bit nervous. One of my huge fears is drowning. I often have dreams that one of my children is trapped in the water and can't get out. I know this fear has come from my many years of watching Fear Factor. I have to say, I totally dislike that show ever since I became a mom and till this day I can't watch it. With that said, today I witnessed one of my mommy fears.

There are no lifeguards at the beach we went to today....a few of us were standing out in the water. There was a lady who ran out into the tide and I saw her run past me in a huff, but didn't think much of it. I head some screaming, but again, that's what people do at the beach. Scream, splash yell etc. It's all part of it because frankly, you can't hear anything. Anyways, she kept running back and forth, back to shore, into the water. There were a few men who went after her asking if everything was okay....I couldn't hear the conversation, however, I had a sense it wasn't a good thing. I finally went up to a man who had a blank stare on his face and I asked him what was going on. Now mind you there were hundreds of people at the beach.....The man informed me that this lady's daughter was missing. My heart literally sank to my feet. I think I got that blank stare on my face as well. The man filled me in on the look of the daughter but I as well had 2 little boys who I couldn't leave.

I swear, I got goosebumps up and down my body. I watched this lady run all over the place, yelling, screaming, crying, yelling, in the waves. People were finally spreading the word and so many people were helping her. I was just imagining her 8 year old daughter trapped in a wave...it was horrible. This mother was frantically sprinting back and forth, jumping in and out of the water, shrieking screams of worry. This was going on for 20+ minutes or so.

Many minutes went by, people were looking all over. Brad was 100% clueless of what was going on as he was having a grand ole' conversation with a friend of ours in the water watching the boys, because I just couldn't get the words out of my mouth to tell him. Many many many more minutes passed and finally I heard a "aaahhhhhhhh" flow over the beach. The girl was found. The mother yanked her up by her arm and grabbed her away from her 'new' friends she had made at the beach. The 8 year old little girl just found some friends and was playing along shore, had wandered off unintentionally and had no clue what was going on. The little 8 year old girl had no idea her mother was in a panic, worried that she would never see her daughter again. When I saw the mother hug her daughter I could only imagine the emotions that were going through the mothers head....RELIEVED, SUPER UPSET, THANKFUL, IRATE, LOVE.

I was standing along shore, tears were filling up my eyes...I seriously NEVER want to be that mother. I will have a leash on my children forever. I love the beach, but I am a nervous wreck thanks to Fear Factor.....but I'll go back, with my leash and electric collar that I will purchase to shock them if they go further than 5 feet away. My thought, a pool is one place, a HUGE Ocean beach....it's got my fear all over it. There is a reason my children have bright ORANGE swim suites...so I can see them at all times. I am crazy!

Sam's reaction to the news

So...we've learned a valuable lesson with Sam! To illimate the looonnngggg hours of anxious anticipation, we've learned not to tell Sam where we're going until absoultly positively necessary. SO, with that said, we did not tell him that he was going to see his beloved family, until he went to bed that night. We captured the reaction below. It was so cute when he let it sink in. We've never seen him go to bed as fast as he did that weekend!!! You're so cute Sam, we uve you!!!

Passover, 2008

We celebrated Passover 2008 in Tampa at Uncle Stephen and Aunt Vicki's house! We were served a great meal and we were surrounded by lots of family! Thank you guys for hosting such a wonderful night! Sela got a new bunk bed and let's just say that the boys thought it was a indoor jungle climbing gym. We realized AFTER we left we did not help clean up the tornado the boys created. Sorry Uncle Stephen & Aunt Vicki!!! When you visit Jacksonville, we'll make sure you re-create the tornado we left in Tampa!
We can't wait to meet in Gainsville!!!!

(these shots are not the best! My camera is definately a natural light camera and it was dark outside)

Sam and Papa Stan

Sam & Cousin Alivia
Sam drinking his wine out of his Passover Cup
(I know there is another correct name...anyone want to help me out here....)
The new room!