Steak & Shrimp Calling

We love eating steak and shrimp so we have committed to eating both at least once a week.  We feel the call of eating from the land and the sea! AMEN!  Steak and Shrimp are both gifts from God!  One must not abstain from what the Lord has provided. 

TGIFridays has become one of our favorite places to eat.  Jack Daniels Sirloin & Shrimp mania is enough to make anyone sleep good on a full stomach.  Of course this meal pairs nicely with a red wine, tea from Long Island, or a glass of Jack Daniels: however, since we don't drink we will leave that for another discussion.  Ha!

Okay..  I know there are other places that have good food, but TGIFridays is great buy one get one free meals.  
 

California Dreaming Turkey Style

The holidays are just weeks away and there is no better way to spend Thanksgiving than with Mickey & Minnie Mouse.  Well...  that is not completely true...  spending it with Mama Lou is fun also. Oh that's right, Mama Lou is coming with!!!!  How awesome is that?  We are delighted to have Mama come with us for this special time in California for 4 days.  And not mention, we love her and enjoy spending time with a true servant of God.

And the coolest thing ever will be our Thanksgiving dinner at Goofy's Kitchen.  I am completely serious..  I am not kidding!!!!  WE have RESERVATIONS to eat a character Thanksgiving Meal..  GET OUT!!!  NO I am really serious.  

DISNEYLAND 2011! 

The Joy of Being a Leonard

We have been blessed so much this past year and I know the Lord has clearly had His hands on our lives.  Anna is thriving (like she does at everything) at teaching and will soon complete her Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education.  We are thankful for her commitment over the past five years for being a stay at home Mom, but God has allowed her to return to work.  AMEN!  Anna continues to be the shining star God created her to be and makes everyone consistently involved in her life very proud.

My Girl is the sweetest two year old ever.  I love her more than I could have ever imagined possible.  My best time with Emily is sharing ice cream at Dairy Queen after school.  We usually don't tell the other two, because its our special time and they don't need to know.  I look forward to fixing Emily's hair and occasionally painting her toe nails.   

My little young man is totally the coolest kid on the block.  Andrew is respectful, smart, good looking, and for the most part makes other five year old's look dumb (okay that is not true, but funny).  He is learning his sight words very quickly and thinks he knows how to snap his fingers even though we don't hear anything. 

I am still the same me, which is a blessing for everyone!! In order to celebrate I think I am going to buy a flat screen TV.  Yep, it is now out and in the open.  I said to myself, "Pete....  why a flat screen, why now?"  So of course I answered myself, "Pete....  because you can and you should."   So after class tonight, I will make the purchase.  This is only one of two of flat screens coming to North 25th Dale.  Our recent bedroom revamp now allows for 50" to 60" TV over our LOVE sofa.  Nice!!! Can a happy couple like us ask for anything more exciting?  Probably,  but for right now it is about the TV.

One final thought...  Thank you Shannon for allowing God to move in heart.  :)

Everything Changes Soon or Later

Everything changes (except for my charming personality, which I will keep) and it is fun to be part of the process:  Anna returning to work, no more child care in our home, Andrew starting school, Emily going to preschool, re-arranging the rooms in our house (new colors and a few new pieces), & vacations with our special kids.   

Our trip to the beach has been totally awesome.  Yes the seafood every evening has spoiled us, but experiencing rest and relaxation at the ocean could not get any better.  I have great memories of the beach with my parents growing up and it is now awesome to create the same with my kids. 

Already have reservations for next summer!!!  We may even become residents of South Carolina one day.  Possibilities are endless. 

the last vacation of the summer

it's hot & muggy mess here but well worth the 2100 mile journey to get here...  Litchfield Beach rocks and we are having a blast.   Anna and I both are both beach bums when we get a chance and luckily for us, Andrew and Emily are following right in our footsteps.  There is nothing better than heat exhaustion, sunburn, and sandy shorts in 100 degree weather.  I love leaving hot phoenix and coming to hot South Carolina where I get to use my southern drawl and eat all the seafood I want.  The crab legs we ate last night were incredible.  

Now that Anna is teaching during the school year, we will be staying in VA for 6 weeks during the summer and of course one of those weeks will be at the beach.  

This is living!!!! We love it!

operation six pack

operation six pack begins today..... six abs in six weeks in preparation for a fabulous summer

Why abs, why now? 

Thanks for asking...  With Anna's recent Zumba craze, it would look better if we both have washboard's when we lay poolside at the Planet and when we take the boy and girl to enjoy the recently renovated water park down the street.  

This is the summer for outdoor fun.  Of course.......... plenty of Arbonne sunscreen for my pasty white skin!!

Mom we are posting pics soon! 

Im so thankful...



Our spring flowers

This past weekend I spent two days creating an outdoor living space for the four of us to enjoy.  I love this time of year when the leaves are coming out and everything turns green.  This year we have a good mixture of different shrubs, flowers and bushes (most of which have incredible blooms).  Two of the new comers to the backyard are rose bushes.  We planted a yellow rose bush in honor of my mother-in-law, Mama Lou and a pink rose bush in honor of my mother, Nanny Phyllis.  These are two incredible women whom I absolutely adore and I can never repay the love we receive from the two of them.  We love having Mama Lou in our home (not to mention she thinks I am funny).  She is always welcome anytime she wants to come.  Even though Nanny Phyllis does not get to visit as often, she spends many hours on the phone with us and we appreciate the time we do get to spend with her.

I am lucky to have a wife like Anna who is full of honor and always demonstrates her Christ likeness.  Anna models her life after the strong example of her parents.  We love you Anna and I know your heart is where is it supposed to be.  I am looking forward to the summer months and everything we have planned.  I mostly enjoy the balance you bring to our home.  THANK YOU for being YOU!!! I wouldn't have it any other way.  Our recent trip to VA was only the start to a fun summer.  You deserve a good time and I am going to make sure you have one!  There are greater things yet to come.....  Yes I will take you to New York City and yes we will see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. 

I am thankful for our home, the opportunities I have to teach and my recent promotion at my full time job.  I am thankful for the ability to experience life to its fullest and experience Christ abundantly.  I am thankful for my two wonderful children.  I am thankful for the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the eternal salvation I have in him alone.  I am thankful for his mercy and undeserving love.