Master Bedroom

Before picture - take note of the bedspread that I've had for 5+ years:

I don't think I've posted many pictures of the house since we moved in (over a year ago!).  I wanted everything to be perfect and put together before I posted pictures - ha!  That is taking longer than I'd expected.  Last week we finally got around to painting our room and re-doing it a little.  It still has a long ways to go.  I want new bedroom furniture, we've had the current set for over 10 years.  I need pictures hung on the wall - I have a perfect idea in my head of what I want and can't find it anywhere...

 The blue rocker above is 8 years old - I want it out of there especially because TJ puts that massaging thing on the chair - it sure doesn't feel like a massage to me - it feels more like a torture device!  And, it would be lovely if he could pick up all his clothes and shoes off the ottoman - but that's another subject all together!  So, against that wall I have visions of a nice little sitting area.  A love seat with a white slip cover, maybe some kind of plant, and pictures on the wall.  I will paint that bookshelf white so it will match the room.

 That tree in the corner actually doesn't go there, it's just in a temporary location until the Christmas tree is done taking it's spot downstairs.  I think when I finally get my little sitting area set up, I might move that bookshelf over there in that corner where the tree is.  I love my new 32" HD TV I got for Christmas!  I quite enjoy being lazy, laying in my bed and watching Food Network :)

 I can't find the specific pictures I want to go above my bed!

I think I'm pretty happy with that corner - I don't think it needs much else.  I am a goodwill junkie and am always on the hunt for good antiques, frames, knickknacks.  I picked up that lamp for $2.99, the vase on my dresser for .79 and the other little knickknack by the frame on my dresser for .79 as well.  I love that store!   And there you have it, my room!

Christmas Day

We had a wonderful Christmas.  I was sad we didn't have any family visiting, but it was nice with just us.  We had told Tyler on Christmas Eve that he wasn't allowed to come wake us up before 0630 on Christmas morning.  He came in at 0630 on the dot and said he had been awake since 0438 - yes, he's very precise with time!  We talked him into snuggling with us for another half hour (and so Brena could get some more beauty sleep!) and went and woke up Brena at 0700.  Here they are waiting to come down the stairs:

 Tyler was beyond excited to see his DSi XL from Santa that he had been begging for for months:

 Brena needed a bigger bike really bad, so I'm glad Santa realized that and got her one!

 And she got a V-reader, she loves it.  She calls it her Kindle like mommy's.

 Tyler also wanted all of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books:

 Brenalee got a Wii Just Dance Kids game and everyone is enjoying dancing with that game:

 Brenalee also got this Fur Real dog - it barks, walks, pants, etc.  Cesar was so confused by it!  It was sad and funny at the same time.  He would bark at it and watch it wearily wondering if it was taking over his territory.  I think he's finally figured out it's not real.

 Riding on a beautiful Christmas day.

Christmas Eve

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve.  Our neighbors invited us over for an Italian dinner.  The lasagna was so good.  The kids played and the adults talked.  I know I've said it before - but I am so very grateful for the wonderful neighbors we have!  I don't know what I'd do without them.

 Then it was time to sprinkle reindeer food!

 Time to open one present before going to bed.

 Pj's from mommy & daddy.  The kids look forward to seeing what their pj's will be.

 After some silliness it was time to read Luke chapter 2.  We talked about Jesus and his birth and what Christmas really means to us.  Then it was off to bed!  I was surprised it didn't take very long for the little sweeties to fall into dreamland!  Can't wait for Christmas morning!

Friday Flashback

Good thing I'm doing Friday flashbacks - I don't think I would have any other posts if I didn't do this!  This picture was taken 5 years ago tomorrow.  Brenalee was blessed on Christmas day by her daddy in Colorado.  My mom made her blanket and dress.  The really neat thing about her blessing dress is that it was my blessing dress that I wore when I was blessed uh...27 years ago (from the time Brena was blessed) I guess.

 Brena was also blessed on the same day as my niece Kayleigh.  Kayleigh is wearing my sister's blessing dress that my mom made her.  What a special day that was. 

Friday Flashback

I've been wanting to do something like this for awhile now.  There are so many events/photos that I have that happened before this blog.  We have our pictures on our computer as our screen saver - and I love looking at all our old pictures.  So, I'm going to try and make every Friday a flashback Friday.
This picture was taken on June 15, 2003.  It was taken at my parent's house in Colorado.  Tyler had just been blessed that Sunday at church.  My mom made the outfit and blanket.  I am so happy I have all these photos and have written about this event in a scrapbook.  I don't remember the day at all.  I have no memories of anything - just the photos and what I have written down.  That makes me sad that I can't remember all the little details of that special day.

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

We are having the most amazing weather here in FL!  When I took the kids to school this morning around 8:15, I saw ICE!!  Icicles everywhere too!  It was a balmy 25° when I took the kids to school - and with the wind chill I'm sure it was 15° at least.  LOVE it!!!

Gratitude Door

I wanted to get this posted more around Thanksgiving...  We started doing a gratitude door.  It lasts the entire year - not just around Thanksgiving or the holidays.  The kids have enjoyed writing the things they are grateful for on it.  It's a daily reminder of all we have to be grateful for!

Christmas cards & letter

Apparently, (I blame the mess on the desk above) I sent out some Christmas cards that were totally blank - nothing inside, not even a signature as to where it came from!  AHHHH!!!  If this happened to you - I'm so sorry!  There was a picture with our very first Christmas letter ever on the inside.   Here's what your card should have read/looked like.

Franklin Family 2010 Christmas Letter


We have never done a Christmas letter before and prefer not to make it a long, drawn out log of our daily events. Instead, we would rather provide a few updates for friends and family that seldom have the opportunity to see or visit with us. So, without further ado, here we go!

The last 12 months have seemed long at times with TJ stationed in Maine and then deploying! Thanks to a wonderful grandma who stayed with the kids, Melissa was able to go visit TJ in El Salvador towards the end of February. It was wonderful eight days together. Being a military wife is hard! Melissa learned that the hard way with TJ gone so much this past year. However, we weathered the challenges and he came home May 28, 2010. It was a glorious day! To say the kids were so excited to have their daddy home is an understatement.

Tyler is now 7 years old. He finished the first grade and has moved on up to second grade. Melissa home schooled Tyler from January, to the end of the first grade school year. It was a very enjoyable experience. Tyler is our shy, quiet, dependable little guy. He still likes to cuddle with mommy and daddy. He is such a joy to our family.

Brenalee is now 5 years old. She had a wonderful time in preschool and has begun Kindergarten! She was getting in trouble weekly for talking, but she has managed to get that under control – thank goodness! She is our very outgoing, outspoken child. We often remark that we don’t know where she came from because she is not like TJ or I. We laugh daily at the things she says.

TJ is still trying to fly the P-3. That’s a joke, because if you know P-3’s, they are always broken! TJ would love to have more time to play sports, play with the kids, or play anything actually. He is very busy with work and rarely has a free moment.

We miss all our friends and family. We are so blessed and thank the Lord daily for our blessings. We are grateful to have wonderful friends and neighbors here in Florida who give us constant support and love. Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The Franklins
TJ, Melissa, Tyler & Brenalee

Christmas lights

 TJ on the roof giving me a heart attack.

 Funny kids and Cesar in the back.

 Having fun dancing in the snow!

What a wonderful weekend we had!  It went way too fast.  Saturday TJ got a wild hair to put Christmas lights up on our house.  We had some on our trees, but he went on the roof.  This was no easy feat as our house is more than 20 feet in height!  I told him it wasn't worth it to even put them on, but he wanted to do it.  It wasn't safe either.  He had to first go up on the back patio, then put the ladder on the patio roof which isn't even a flat surface!  I'm grateful he didn't hurt himself!  I'll have to get pictures of it at night all lit up.  Sunday night we went driving around looking at lights.  There is a house not far from here that does a huge light show with snow at the end of the show.  We went last year and had to take daddy to see it this year.  I love the holidays!

Trip to the Zoo

I got to go on Tyler's field trip to the zoo last week.  We had a cold front come through and it was freezing cold that day!  I guess parents were calling the school asking if they were going to cancel the field trip because of cold weather.  I had to laugh at that!  Floridians aren't use to freezing weather!  Even though it was cold, we had a wonderful time.  Jacksonville has a very nice zoo - it's not like the San Diego Zoo - but it's a nice zoo nonetheless.

We first started out in the educational center where a volunteer brought out lots of animals and let the kids take turns petting them. 

I just loved this little screech owl - I thought he was so cute!

 Then we went into the zoo to look at all the animals.  This ostrich was doing some kind of worship dance to this pumpkin - it was hilarious!