February....what happened to February??!!

These really are BUSY DAYS and times for a family with two working parents, two school aged children and three fur-babies and multiple construction projects going on at multiple residences.....I say this every year but time seems to really SPRINT by these months as we are in the midst of season in Vero Beach with our town's population at least tripled which means at least double the work load for both Jon and I along with our day to day family and household obligations that seem to grow each year along with the kids.  I have multiple lists going and post it notes in various places so I don't drop a ball, and I email myself A LOT...more than I care to admit!  I am in the middle of a huge transaction in our community, likely one of the largest in the next 50+ years as our local community hospital is being integrated into the Cleveland Clinic's network of hospitals. It is HUGE for our community and HUGE on my plate along with a team of other lawyers I am working with.  I also have my dearest long term paralegal who I worked with even at my old firm retiring this year at 70...she gave me a year to make the transition and to find someone else and I have decided to replace her with a part time associate female attorney I know and think will be a great fit.  Fingers crossed this is a HUGE step.  The next few months we will go through that transition and work Edie in and Beth out.  Beth is like a lawyer without a degree and in another time she would have been an attorney and I have been so fortunate to work with someone like her.  She is like our office mom and we will all miss her, luckily it will be a slow phase out through the coming months.  Jon is also very busy at work he has over 130 open pool projects right now and is selling more each day.  In addition to that, his side business he formed with our friend Clint several years ago doing sales and engineering of the pools has really grown to the point the guys are really thinking how they need to work that into more of their day to day work vs. just a side job that made some pocket change when it started.  Good thing they have a good lawyer in the family (and a good accountant, Clint's dad does all their books and is wonderful as their accountant)!!!

Jackson is really maturing this year, he is growing into a little man before our eyes as he approaches his special double digits 10th birthday this spring.  He is still my sweet boy though and really loves one on one attention whenever he can get it, he likes his back rubbed before bed, his blanket still, and he loves to be read to and will even come in when I am reading to "sissy" and listen to her story just to be read to more!  He is very tolerant and loving towards his sister who can sometimes be a typical little sibling pest.  He takes it all in stride with her.  I hope they always have this special bond.  He will play store with her and other creative games especially when we are away and places like the lake when there are no friends around.  He also really loves his video games and computer...we monitor that time so there is a good balance and if we catch him during good times of the day for attention he will tear into a good box of legos and build a mean lego set!  I cannot believe he will be ten soon!  We are talking about his birthday party and trying to decide if he wants to do a party with a magician to come or a tennis and swim party at the Moorings...he is working very hard at school to make A/B honor roll this quarter.  4th grade has proven to be a real challenge for him for the first time.  His teacher is a wonderfully experienced teacher but she asks a lot of the kids and really is trying to get them to be more independent, the ADD has really been a challenge this year to keep up with it all and keep track of homework assignments, tests, etc but we are doing the best we can.  He has really showed maturity with alter serving. He takes it like a champ and has been thrown into some situations early on where he was the ONLY one and he handled it really well.  This has been good for him and he has surprised me time and time again with how well he does with this!!!

Sarabeth is as angelic as ever.  She is the kindest most caring person I know and sometimes I'm not sure how she is part of our household...she is so type B and calm and such an old soul...her world is always filled with the brighter side of things and rainbows and unicorns...we need this in our lives and she is a blessing.  She is still missing her two front teeth although the one "british tooth" (as Jackson calls the big front teeth) is starting to break through the gums on one side...I need to snap more of these toothless shots while the two front teeth are out!  She also has quite a little lisp right now due to the missing teeth.  She is coming along with her reading although it is still a challenge for her.  We are working with her extra on that to keep her up to grade level.  All other skills are where they need to be and she is especially good at math!!!  She did not get that from me!  She is actively planning her 7th birthday party...this year she wants an art party at a pottery or painting place....I am trying to talk her into a tennis and swim party at the Moorings...with birthdays so close together and right when school gets out it is a challenge every year and I went over the top last year so now I'm dead in the water lol!!!  She is also very excited for our upcoming spring break cruise and then her trip to Ohio solo with me for Megan's shower....and then the wedding this summer where she is the flower girl!

This past month we made it over to the lake once more for the long President's Day Weekend and had warm temps although no access to our boat our dock...the contractor's finally started on re-building our boat house after the hurricane in September...yikes...we are loo

king forward to having the lake house back in gear for this summer!  In other news on the home front the disaster from the bathroom water leak is at a stand still...just like the lake house the insurance is a nightmare to deal with and plays all sorts of bullcrap games trying to rip us out of money we are entitled to.  It really is unbelievable especially for what we pay for coverage.  It is not unique to us though, I actually have multiple clients dealing with similar matters. It is just so ridiculous and we can do nothing until that is resolved so we are living with only one bathroom upstairs and a torn up living room and dining room space, ugh.  It is enough to drive me crazy  I just want it all done and no more contractors for at least a year.

In fun news, Jon and I finally got our adult vacation we tried to take back in September when the hurricane hit!  We went to Exuma which is an out island very south and east in the Bahamas...it is BEAUTIFUL and we enjoyed 4 nights and 5 days at an adult only all incluvise there and even got to golf at the most beautiful course we have ever seen.  This really is a place I would recommend.  It is exclusive, hard to get to and just amazing.  The golf component was nice for Jon and it was more of an upscale sophisticated crowd there.  We even got to meet Jason Aldean and his wife Brittany and their friends who were also vacationing there.  We spent an evening one on one with them after dinner one night...I have NO pictures because we did not want to be THAT COUPLE but it was oddly normal like we were sitting with friends.  Jon and I have to tell this story in person it is just that crazy.  Suffice it to say it was a great trip and while we were there I turned 38...eek!  We returned home feeling rested and ready to face the rest of the season and happy to see our wonderful babies whom we missed very much.

Here are a few pictures from  our vacation.  The pictures just don't even come close to the beauty and the literally aqua color of the water in Exuma!  I need to download life from February besides the vacation and will do another post soon with general February pictures!  For now here is EXUMA!