The kids

The kids have been having a blast lately. Between home school field-trips, sports, and just some family fun; it has been a fun full schedule lately. When I look at my calendar I often wonder how I am going to get through the week, but it is all so worth it.

Last Tuesday Devin, Ashley, and Dalton just finished up their tennis class and absolutely loved it. They did not want this class to end. I will definitely be signing them up for it again. This up coming Tuesday is their first day of basketball which they also took in the fall. They are excited about doing this class again too.


Devin and Ashley have been playing football with the church. It has been awesome hanging out watching the church group come together and have some fun. There have been so many showing up to play. I think this is Devin's favorite day, all he talks about all week is football. Too Cool!!!


We have had some fun activities other than sports too. We had recently went on a field-trip with the home school group for a boat tour down the St Lucie river. That was a neat adventure. I wrote an article on-line about the day and it got published in our Wednesday newspaper. Here is the link to the story, if you wish to read it. http://tc.yourhub.com/PortStLucie/Stories/Outdoor-Sports-Activities/Boating/Story~581877.aspx

Also, just last week, we had a fun family day hanging out at the county fair. We were thankful that the weather was warming up because we were going to go on a different night but it was just too cold. Well, it ended up being so hot. But, we kept cool for a while watching the rodeo under cover. Nothing like enjoying a day at the fair with some fattening food, fast rides, and loads of animals to look at. Great time for all.



So that only sums up a portion of the activities that have been going on lately. This is one reason I don't post too much. But, I like to share the fun things that are happening. Talk to you soon.

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.

The Newest Member of the Batts Family

Meet Crystal, our brand new baby bunny.
We got Crystal last week from the Marasco Ranch and today has been one full week in our home. We named her Crystal because she has these bright blue eyes. She is so sweet and the kids love playing with her. We decided to keep her in the house, especially because it has been so cold lately.
She is 6 weeks old today.

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.

What a beautiful sight

We are in awe lately because we have had a beautiful hawk move into the neighborhood. We notice him several weeks ago and wake up each morning to see him in our backyard up on a telephone pole. He spreads his feathers out and is getting ready to find his morning breakfast. It is wonderful to hear his calls, so unique, there is no mistaken that it is him.

This morning, while doing school, Devin noticed something out on my truck. I ran to the window to see what it was and there was that beautiful hawk sitting in all his glory right on the hood of my truck. So close, it was so cool. Usually he is way up high on the pole and now he was eye level from the window. I snapped a few shots before he flew away.

Traveling down memory lane...

I was born in W.P.B. and lived there till I was 10 years old when we moved down to Coconut Creek, Ft. Lauderdale. I loved my childhood neighborhood; I have so many awesome memories. We lived on a tiny street with about 10 houses but loads of kids. We played constantly in the streets; kickball, baseball, tag, superheros, hot wheels cars, etc. This is something my kids don't get because there are no kids in our neighborhood at the present time, and I wish they had it my way. We have the perfect cul-de-sac to do all those games.

Well anyways, on Monday, Devin had a check up at his Neurologist for the E-coli episode. We decided to make a day of it. My mom, sister and me with the kids drove down for lunch and the doctors visit. While there we took a trip down memory lane. We drove by my Grandfathers house in Palm Beach, and drove by the bike trail paths that my parents took us on, "Oh so many times". We went to the end of the road to see the inter coastal of Palm Beach and told the kids about the witches cave and drove by honking our horn to hear her scream. (just a little thing our parents would do to us, of course it is not true...)

Finally we went over into West Palm Beach to see the house that I grew up in. We lived in Belvedere Homes, which is not far from the Dog Track. Our road was called Pine Rd. and I was so excited to be able to visit the area. Well, it is not the same. It is not a great area to be in, very run down.

It is so funny how when you are little you think the things around you are so big. That is what I thought about our house on Pine Rd. but boy was it tiny. Everything was tiny, even the road that we use to play ball in and walk around the block thousands of times.

Even though it is so different now and not the same as it was when I was little, I still have all my precious memories of a glamorous childhood. I would not change one bit of it. Here are some photos from our day.


Mom, Ashley, and Monica at Duffy's in West Palm Beach


Devin, Me, and Dalton at lunch


Dalton, Ashley, and Devin by one of the beautiful Banyan trees in Palm Beach by the water near the bike trails. This is just a couple of blocks from where my grandparents lived.


This was the witches cave, in the wall on the right, about halfway through there is a drainage pipe that is behind bars and that is where my parents would tease us that a witch lived in there and we believed them. Well, my kids did not fall for it.


My house that I grew up in. Now keep in mind, it was not yellow and there were no trees in the front yard and no fence around the front yard. It was a nice clean beautiful house and yard. Our driveway,as my child mind remembered, was huge and all the neighborhood kids use to meet in our driveway to do roller skating. I have photos, I think I will search for them and post.

Our Halloween, I know, I know, it is way past that.

Devin is a pirate teaming up with his pirate friend Ryan.

Ashley is an over happy Disco Diva.

Dalton is our Mighty Ninja on the attack.

O.K. it has taken me a while to get the time to post a few pictures of the kids on Halloween.

For the weekend of Halloween we were pretending to be away camping in order to surprise my mom for her 60th Birthday party (which worked). I tell you it was so hard to sneak around.

First off, it is hard enough not to pick up the phone just to call her. I had to remind myself Friday and Saturday "DO NOT CALL HER!"

Well, it was even harder to go out and do shopping or just even drive on the road. I had no idea where she would be and because I couldn't call her; I couldn't even check where she was.

Any ways, the kids were invited to a Halloween party which was just a whole lot of fun. We had a blast, but boy was I exhausted. I felt so sad driving home from the party because the kids could not show grandma and grandpa their costumes. Every year we swing by their house and ring the doorbell like tricker-treaters and see if they recognize their grand kids.