Some pics after my dad introduced McCain in Sarasota Rally. Besure to view video on side bar as well!

Kevin

What we do on a day off

Although this post is not exactly timely it is pretty close. Kyle was out of school Friday, Oct 10 and Monday, Oct 13. I knew that Kyle would be going to spend the day with his grandma (Kevin's mom) on Monday and that Todd would be upset to still have to go to school while Kyle got to have all the fun. So, I took that Friday off and stayed home with both the boys. Even though the kiddos do have a tendency to drive me CAA-RAY-ZEE I do enjoy getting to stay home with them on a normal day. We do have so much fun doing all those things other stay at home moms/kids get to do.

Anyway...on to my domestic side now. I have recently found a great recipe for really yummy cupcakes. From scratch. So good. Since it is football season and it is getting close to Halloween we decided to decorate the cupcakes for the occasion. Most are Halloween motif, some for UF and some for FSU. I even made and used food color to dye the icing. I think my mom and sister are quite impressed with my sudden found domesticity (and that I actually can cook...)

Special Wife

Thank you all for your kind words. Especially thank you to my wonderful wife Ashley. What a beautiful post below and she has been more than concerned and carring for me all day. Even though I feel fine and have no real signs of being hurt (she did notice my shoulder is getting bruised from the seat belt), she keeps insisting I rest, be preparred to be sore beyond believe tomorrow, and overall worried that something may still show up (physical or bacterial as I landed in swamp water in median).

I truly am thankful to God and all my angels. I am embarressed to say it looks much worse than how I feel. I do know I was lucky and side airbags kick butt! I'm also embarressed it is not some cool story how it all went down but here's what I feel happend as it happend so quick:

Started day at 5:45 AM at buddy's house in Hollywood,FL. Met with customer at 6:45 on way to Miami Convention Center. Spent day at IBEX show which is where potential customers come by our booth to learn more about our services. Instead of heading home after show as originally planned, went to dinner with various existing and potential customers so didn't leave Miami until 10:20. So around 12:30, 13miles from Ft. Myers exit, I was going through construction area. As Ashley always gets on me about, when I drive late and start getting tired, I ride the solid line on the side of the road. Well, next thing I know, I'm just about to hit those large orange construction barricades. Then I do exactly the wrong thing, swerving really hard and hitting the brakes (I so know better!). Plus, the roads were wet from raining earlier in the night. As soon as my tires hit the construction dirt on side of road (they are adding a 3rd lane to I75), there is just all this loud crashing noise and next thing I know, I'm laying on my side with my whole body under water but was only just covering my body not my head. Once I saw windshield destroyed, I knew I was okay and not in a pond or something and no more water would be coming in. (that was the only scary part of the whole thing, was AFTER the crash for those 2 seconds not knowing why laying in water). The side curtain airbags acted as a cushion on my side, so that really helped.

So I stand up and stick head out passenger window to see where I am. I'm in the middle of the median between north bound and south bound lanes and no one around. I see the construction workers ahead and the State Trooper lights but not heading towards me, as no one saw or heard the crash. I lost my phone in the water so I found my computer and it seemed dry inside my bag. I turned it on to use "Skype" to call Ashley but that's when I realized how much water was still dripping around inside the car and the computer was indeed wet. So I found my wallet and phone under water, loaded up my computer in backpack, climbed out the rear window to start walking to a phone. Ended up getting a construction worker and using his phone. They of course radio the State Trooper, which then in turn got the fire truck, etc. Since I didn't damage any public or private property (other than my own), I didn't get any tickets. A special thanks to PG for coming in middle of night to get me. I'm fine, cars not, so we are all good!

Prayer Request - With a Twist

I am asking all I know and throwing out into the universe a prayer request...with a twist. Most of the time when I pray it is asking God to do something for me...give me strength, give me wisdom, help me be a better wife, mother, person, please keep someone safe, please help someone who is in need. In addition, when I receive a prayer request it generally falls along the same lines. While all these are all very valid things to ask of God I feel the need today to request that we all take one moment out of our prayers and THANK God for all He does for us.

Early this morning Kevin was in a horrible car accident. He lost control of his Expedition on the interstate on very wet roads. As he over corrected and swerved to miss hitting a barricade the truck went off the side of the road and then flipped over several times landing in chest high water in the middle of the median/ditch. All his air bags deployed. Every window in the truck blew out. The truck will most likely be considered a total loss by the insurance company. I am still wondering about all his electronics...ipod, cell phone, xm, computer, gps...some I already know are destroyed.

After the truck came to a rest, Kevin, miraculously, climbed out of the truck, found someone with a phone and called me. He is fine. No cuts, scratches, bruises, broken bones. Did not hit his head at all, therefore no concussion. He stayed on scene for another two hours helping the tow truck get his truck out of the ditch. Refused service from the EMT on scene saying he felt fine. When he finally got home, thank you PG for going to get him, he was shaken up, wet, covered in dirt and completely fine.

With all that could have happened...there are countless scenarios all with worse endings...Kevin walked away from a horrific accident. When the state trooper appeared on scene she was shocked that he was out of the car and walking around. She told him..."you are lucky to be alive." When PG picked him up and saw the truck, he texted me the same thing..."Kevin is lucky to be alive." Same comment from the EMT.

I do not count it as luck.

Last night I THANKED God more than 100 times that Kevin was not hurt. I have THANKED God more than 100 hundred times today after hearing more details. Anyone who knows me will know and understand that my faith has been a little shaky lately. Last night I think it was fully restored. While I was not watching, asking or waiting for God to help me...He did.

So, I ask just one small request for today when you are praying...THANK God...and I mean sincerely...for all the wonderful and truly miraculous things He does for us when we are not looking.

The musical stylings of the boys

If you have a great fondness for listening to a very arousing rendition of the "abc's" being sung with such enthusiasm and vigor by one very precocious 5 year old and one very mischievous 3 year old while shopping for your groceries, please feel free to join us at Publix.

Last night while grocery shopping with the boys (Kevin was out of town) Kyle and Todd decided they really needed to serenade the other shoppers. At a very high volume. For a long time. The same song over and over.

And wouldn't you know we saw several people we know.

Hijinks's and hilarity.

My speciality.

I'm here all week.

Kyle is a "man"

While dancing around the bathroom and flexing his muscles in different poses Kyle declares he is a "man." Not much more to do with that than laugh....