Sea World Camp

Julia went to Sea World Camp again this year with Emily and Janey!!  It was a fun, hot week with friends and lots of sea creatures!!   We are so lucky to live next to so many amazing resources for camps, entertainment, etc.  Plus added bonus, they finally moved away from the pale yellow shirts and into orange!!!  What a nice way to start the summer off!!  

Fabulous Friends at Fourteen!

I think as a mom ... one of the things you pray for the most is that you children will choose wonderful friends.  I can says my prayers have been answered with this group of girls.  I absolutely love the friends that Katie has made through her volleyball team ... especially these three ladies!!!    Carly, Kristin, Stephanie and Katie are so great together!!  They are fun loving, funny, sometimes wild, always considerate and just quality young ladies.  We had them over around Katie's birthday for the weekend and they had an absolute blast!! Swimming, playing volleyball, making videos, singing, dancing and of course, the photo shoot!!  Some highlights below!!

Crazy Katie ... loved all these silly faces!!

Fantastic at Fourteen

So we survived our first year of teenage hood with #2.  She had an amazing 13 year old year - coming into her own athletically, socially and academically.  Katie continues to blow Sean and me away with her pinpoint focus, determination, competitiveness, energy, humor and faith.  It is an honor and pleasure to watch this tomboy grow into a lovely young woman.  She has maneuvered through the beginning of adolescents with grace and style!  For her 13th birthday, we had 2 big parties, loads of gifts, Taylor Swift concet, sleepovers, custom cakes.  So for 14 we went low key (well as low key as we can do!)  Katie invited her WPS friends over on her actual birthday after Bishop Moore summer school.  We had dinner, swimming, cake and presents!!    I try to decorate fun for each of their birthdays!  I borrowed an idea from a friend by decorating the front of the house with orange and white swags!!  Katie really loved it! Orange is one of her favorite colors so we went with orange decor and an orange candy bar!  Happy birthday Cooky Mooky!!

Our First Sail

Dave and Susan invited us over to the Sarasota Yacht Club for a day of sailing.  Everyone was very excited, but a wee bit nervous.  None of us had been sailing before!  Their boat is gorgoues and they treated us so well!  Tons of food, took us out in the gulf and in the bay.  Uncle Dave said it was the roughest day that he had had in the gulf and we had to turn around.  A few of the kids felt pretty sick, but once in the bay, we had a great sail!!  We ended the day at the pool!!  Wonderful summer day trip!!

Bishop Parkes

We have been so honored and humbled by our Pastor, Father Gregory Parkes, over the past seven years.  There are few times in ones life where you encounter a very special person.  These past seven years have been one of those times.  When we first moved to Celebration, the closest Catholic church was in Hunter's Creek so we were parishioners at Holy Family.  In late 2004, the bishop established Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Celebration (2 blocks from our house!).  We were thrilled that God had answered the community's prayers for a local Catholic Church.  What we didn't realize at the time was the blessing of Father Gregory.  Father Gregory, standing 6'10", can be described as a gentle giant.  He is young, traditional, funny, humble, and direct.  We started our parish in the Celebration K8 school, grew into the Celebration HS cafeteria, and after 5 years, built the most beautiful Catholic church!!  The past 7 years have been so meaningful in the growth of our family and our faith journey.  Father Gregory is a light for each one of us. As you can imagine, anyone with this many talents and blessings we know would be called to serve God in higher capacities.  And of course, he was called.  Pope Benedict XVI named Father Gregory the new Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee.  Although bittersweet, we were so thrilled and proud of our Pastor.  Sean attended his ordination in Pensacola and said it was one of the most moving, special events he had ever attended.  

Father Gregory baptized Julia & William, gave Katie and Matthew their First Holy Communion and confirmed Andrew.  I treasure the pictures of him with our children.   

Giving me a blessing the day before William was born. 

Matthew's First Holy Communion 

Katie serving with the Bishop and Father Gregory 

Giving William a kiss after his baptism.   

At Andrew's Confirmation 

Katie's First Holy Communion 

Baptizing William - with Mrs. Stellwag.