Hello

Well, it is hard to believe that my last post was almost a year ago. Much too long of a time to wait and share what has been happening in the Batts family. 2010 was a good year but went very very fast. I will briefly speak of some of our family highlights. This will help it be a shorter post. (yeah right, LOL!!!)

Of course my last post spoke of our fantastic trip to NC in February where we saw snow. We actually went back again for the July 4th week to celebrate my husband's sister, Glenda's 50 birthday. We had an awesome time. Glenda even announced that she and her boyfriend, Hugh, were now engaged. They are getting married this year on September 10th.

Glenda with her fiance Hugh.

With work, schooling, and several trips to NC in 2010; we were only able to fit one camping trip in this year. We went to the Sebastian Inlet State Park for 3 days in late March for spring break. It was a great time away with the kids. We did fishing of course but did not catch much too speak about. It wasn't snook season but a lot of people were catching snook all around us. (Surprising with the loss of over 10,000 snook during the 10 day freeze that killed so many) We were so excited when Ashley our 13 year old hooked her very first snook, reeled it up to the dock, but it flipped off right before we could grab it. So of course no picture, just another fish tale. Oh well, at least we had some fun fishing with the kids.




During the summer we were able to enjoy attending our youngest son's, Dalton, basketball games. He finally reached the age of joining the pee wee league with the city. He did well for his first year. He was a little nervous during play time and would freeze up sometimes but he still did a great job. I can not wait until he joins another team. It is exciting watching your child play on a team.
Dalton's team photo


With the start of another school year we had some changes come about. My family wanted me back home instead of working. So with a farewell to my job at the church, I came home to focus 100% on schooling again. Even though I truly miss my job and being with the best staff around, it was actually the best move I could make for our family. My eldest son, Devin, was starting 10th grade but as a dual en-roller at the IRSC college; How proud we are of him. Ashley is starting 8th grade...last year before High School...where does the time go. Dalton is now in 3rd grade and he is my main focus for coming home. We are going to have a fun year with home schooling.

September brought around the birthdays of our two older children, Devin and Ashley. This was a big year due to Devin hitting 16 years old. You know what that means!!! Yes. The dreaded teenage driving juncture. October 1st was his official license day and the beginning of our pacing the floors while he's away phase of our lives. Devin had already gotten a fixer upper car the year before and him and his dad had used the year to get the car ready. Well, it was done and Devin was raring to go. Driving himself to college, how proud we are. (A little secret...I cried the first day that Devin went to the college for his classes. You probably are thinking a lot of parents do that, but it is usually when your child is leaving home to go and live on the campus. He comes home every day. I cried because it was his first time going to school out of the house. I was acting just like a mommy putting her kindergartner in school.LOL)
Devin gets his new car home on September 4, 2009
This is Devin's car in January 2010 after getting new interior done.
This is Devin's finished car with new paint job and decal on hood.


On October 29th, we our proud to announce the new addition in to our family. Please meet Thaira (pronounced like Tyra) our new puppy. She was 7 mths old when we adopted her from the Palm City Humane Society. A little on the hyper side and very stubborn but she is learning a lot and very fast. We love our new little girl.


At the close of the year of course we had a few gatherings with our families, one of which, included another trip to Mike's parents house in NC. We usually try to go for the turn of the New Year but this time we left early in December on the 10th. On the way up we stopped by the U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship located in Wilmington,N.C. This same ship was toured by the Ghost Hunters team and we were so excited to be able to see this ship. Even though it rained all day and we did not see any ghost during our tour; we still enjoyed the day of sightseeing.

After our stop over at the ghost ship we head to Granny and Grandpa's home. It was so freezing cold from a storm that came through with high winds for about three days. But, after it was gone we got to enjoy some beautiful snow. Snow this early in the winter for this area is very rare but so very welcomed by us. Mike and Ashley also made an old family recipe for us. Snow Cream made from the fresh snow. It tasted just like vanilla ice cream. Nice little treat and a reminder for Mike from his childhood. Our dog, Thaira, enjoyed the snow tremendously, she wanted to stay outside all day. Our trip was wonderful and we made it home safely and just in time for Christmas.


Well that pretty much sums up our 2010 year, but of course there were so many other things that filled the other days. Too many things to mention. 2010 was fun, fast, and forever filled with special memories. Now it is time for 2011.

This is my family portrait taken on Christmas Day at my mom's house in Port St Lucie, Florida.

Spring Break Camping

Devin caught a toad fish; my friend Julie with her son Chris; Ashley,Dalton, & Chris found a load of starfish, the kids playing at the swimming hole, Smores time


Kicking off our Spring Break week with some camping is just what we all needed. A good break away from schooling. We booked a camp site at the Sebastian Inlet State Park for the last weekend of March. It was a time of camping with my closest friend Julie and her two boys, Alex and Christopher. Needless to say the kids were so excited to be camping with their friends. This was also Julie and her boys first time camping.

Mike, was so sweet, he hooked up the camper and towed it up to Sebastian and set up every thing for us and then returned four days later to pack it all up and tow it home. I am sure he was excited about his break at home too.

The weather was a little rough, very windy. We did not even attempt to go to the beach because of all the rip currents. But,that did not damper our vacation at all. There were plenty of things to do in the state park. The kids swam, there was a playground, and we did plenty of fishing. We also got our fill of wildlife. There was a pod of dolphins that lingered all weekend by the parks fishing dock. They were so beautiful and fun to watch. The sea turtles were plentiful, seeing their little heads popping up for air every so often. On our last day, the kids and I had a manatee come right up to the rocks where we were fishing.

This was an excellent spring break trip that was very inexpensive for both Julie and I. Sharing the expense and getting away from home to have fun with the kids. We could not have asked for a better time.


One of the dolphins passing by, the kids taking a break during our walk, Dalton found a crab claw, Me and the kids right before Mike came back to pick us up, Ashley fishing

Peace River Camping Trip February 2009

We finally were able to go camping as a family again. Our last trip was back in August of 2007 when we camped at Lion's Country Safari. (Awesome time there)
The long lapse was a result from our oldest son getting very, very sick and then the gas prices were way to high to drag a 34' travel trailer around. So this trip was long due.

Our camp site

Eating breakfast on our first morning

We had a blast. I highly recommend the Peace River Camp Grounds located in Arcadia on highway 70 just west of the main part of town. It was a little more pricey than your typical camp ground but was well worth it and they had a lot to do, especially if you have any 4 wheelers, ATVs, or golf carts.

ATVs were every where.

Our camping weekends usually consist of only two nights but because of a double holiday weekend we had a three night minimum stay. I was a little upset about having to squeeze in an extra night but in the end I did not want to come home yet. It was so relaxing and beautiful.

The kids in the pool.

The coolest thing to do was dig for fossils. The river is full of them. We spent most of Saturday just sitting in the river and sifted through dirt and rock to find our treasures. We found some Indian beads, bones, sting ray barbs, and a load of sharks teeth. Ashley won the prize for the most found, she dug up about a 145 teeth. We did not count the boys collections. But, Dalton, got the prize for the biggest tooth found. It is a beauty.

Mike sifting

Me and Ashley searching

Of course being a double holiday weekend the campground was very packed and I have never seen so many ATVs in my life. I sat and pondered the fact that the economy is so tight for everyone but it is funny how everyone has so many toys. I know it was tight on our budget just to camp there and it was even more for the weekend bracelet for having an ATV. But, you can tell everyone was having a great time.

We were curious what the ATV trails had to offer; so we rented a golf cart for an hour. Even though the there was a set speed limit, we were able to tour all the back trails, see the campgrounds river beach, and watch a little of the mudding through the mud hole. I was really bummed to have to turn back in the cart because the time flew and we were not ready to stop playing on the trails. I now knew why all the kids were constantly on their ATVs and going back and forth from their campsite to the back trails.

The Mud Pit...

Devin and Ashley driving the cart

It is safe to say that this was every one's favorite camping trip so far. We loved the different activities and the beauty of the river. Next time we go we will have to try to canoe the river. We will definitely go back, we did find a cheaper campground not far from where we stayed. It did not have as much to offer but when you don't have the ATVs to do the trails you are better off staying at the cheaper place. Who knows maybe next time we will own our own ATV and go back for some mudding fun.

What's been going on?

Well, I keep telling myself I will stay on top of blogging but time just gets the best of me. So today I figured I will post a few things that has been happening in our lives since my last posting.

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years with family. We traveled to N.C. on Christmas Day night to be with Mike's family for the New Year. It was great but very cold. We were able to go sight seeing one day up into Virginia, we saw Appomattox and the Natural Bridge. Very cool stuff.

This was a view as we were walking up to the Appomattox court house.


This is a picture of the Natural Bridge


Our family along with Mike's dad at the Natural Bridge.

Our beautiful iguana "Godzilla" died in December. I miss him, he was so cool. It got so cold one night and he decided to sleep in his bath (which was not that deep) but when it got so cold he could not move and his nostrils went under the water and he drowned. (We are getting two bunnies tomorrow to put in his cage...I can not wait.)

Dalton turned 7 in the beginning of January, in fact we drove home from N.C. on his birthday. I can not believe he is 7 already.

We celebrated Dalton's birthday the night before we left to come home.

Dalton just had an accident the other day. He was playing with some friends outside in the dark on our cul-de-sac and while turning to run away he ran into the side mirror of our neighbors SUV. He knocked his upper front tooth clean out. It was not loose, so we thought, but it had to be on it's way out soon for the whole thing to come out. I am just thankful he was not hurt worst.


We are so excited about going camping in a couple of weeks to Peace River. This will be our first camping trip since Devin got sick with E-coli and was in the hospital for 3 weeks. It is amazing how long ago that happened but we could not go camping for a while because the gas prices were way to high to drag our camper any where. We are very excited about our trip and I will post those pics when we get back.

Last big news, Mike got another vehicle for his business. It will be much better on gas and it is needed just in case prices go back up real high. If you are wondering why him getting another vehicle is such big news, this is something he does quite often. I am actually surprised at how long he kept his last truck. This car makes number 36 for us; and no we are not in the business of selling cars. He cleans pools for a living.


So, I think this gets me caught up with the latest and greatest. Not to much happening in my life and that is why not a lot of posting going on. But, that will change soon, with our garden being planted and us getting back into our camping excursions I will have a lot to share in weeks to come.