It’s A New Year – Isn’t Life Great?
Part 1 – How Awesome was January?: I am in the process of revamping Da Haven as always. I still haven’t gotten it to the point where I believe the pictures are easily accessed therefore if you click the picture link you’ll see that I am working on changing that and adding all the pictures back to the site. It’s hard to maintain the site when most people are on MySpace, Face book and sites alike. I spend time updating pictures there yet some people don’t go to those sites so I still believe this is the best way to share our family.
January was a life changing month for me! I could not write any words that could express the pride and happiness I felt when Obama became our 44th President!! The picture speaks for itself!
Part 2 – The Holidays: As most of you have already realized we didn’t send out any Holiday cards and/or gifts this year. Please know that we LOVE all of our family and friends dearly however, we made a conscious decision to work towards spending less money during this past holiday season. I don’t have to tell you how rough the economy is right now and we are blessed to be among the people who 1) Hasn’t lost our home and 2) Hasn’t lost our jobs. However, our everyday and Holiday spending habits MUST change for us to remain a float. Our hope is that you all understand and that you also do whatever is necessary for your family to prosper in these next tough years.
Part 3 – Anthony & Toni School News: Anthony & Toni are continuing to be successful in school and in sports! It was just announced today that Anthony is being honored by St. Petersburg College during the month of February as one of the highest achieving African American scholars in Pinellas County. The dedication ceremony in on February 12th as a part of their Black History Celebration. This is a high honor and not one achieved by many. Especially African American BOYS. We are extremely proud of Anthony and his efforts to remain a great student. And you know Toni isn’t letting him out do her! She just brought home her report card today and she received ALL A’s! That’s pretty awesome for a 6th grader in Advance classes! Her goal is to get A’s her entire 6th grade year in which her brother wasn’t able to do. He got a couple of B’s. So keep your fingers crossed for her. She’s trying so hard to achieve it! 3 report cards down and I think 2 to go.
Part 4 – Anthony & Toni Sports News: Anthony decided to try out for competitive ball this spring. It was said, most try out 2-3 times before making a team. Well, you guessed it! He tried out and was invited to a team on his first try! So if you thought he was into baseball before, watch out because the spring is here and he is ready to play. This is more of a serious division.
Toni has decided NOT to play softball this spring. She’s changing every moment in front of my eyes. She says she wants to be a lawyer and with the way she talks, I have to believe her! LOL. She wants to take dance again, swimming and volleyball. And that’s today! Tomorrow I am sure it’ll be something different. She’s becoming such an awesome young lady. But still my baby always.
Part 5 – Renovations
Well, they say make do with what you have SO we’ve decided to renovate the house a little. Nothing major, just changing some rooms around. We’re just tired of that little back room as a bedroom. You cannot turn around in there and the closet space sucks or should I say there is NO CLOSETS. We’ve had enough. We have the “handy man” coming by to build a closet and although we could figure it out, who wants the headache when he’s doing it for so cheap! We are also changing the dining room and living room. We’d like to be all done by mid February. Wish us luck!
Carolyn has them working hard for the money LOL
Part 6 – Closing & Misc.: My job is actually going awesome. It was a little bumpy for a minute but I am enjoying working and feeling good about the work I am accomplishing! I think I’ve finally realized, nothing is perfect but a lot of things are tolerable if you search for the good in it and not the bad! Mikey doo is fine, just confused at why the house looks packed up. LOL….Carolyn is Carolyn. She’s so excited to be renovating. I think she was a carpenter in a former life. Or at least a painter (no complaints though cause the house is looking awesome!!!)
I will try not to take so long to update again. Time slips away and I guess that’s why it’s so precious!
Love you all,
Lolita
Summer Summer Summer Time!
First, if you sang the TITLE of this post instead of just reading it then you KNOW YOU LOVE THE 90s LOL
Anyway, thank GOD summer is just about here! Although the heat and I do not get along, I am always glad to see the summer come because for us that means TOTAL relaxation. The kids will be out of school, things will be slow at work for Carol and well, I’ll still be up to midnight writing but what’s new!
Toni (my baby still) IS GRADUATING next Tuesday from the 5th Grade. (All at once……AWWWWWW) So this means she is headed to middle school with Anthony. I will officially have two middle school children in my house. And their new favorite thing to do is bicker over everything! Does anyone want to switch with me until they turn 17 and 18 and are off to college???
We have another GRADUATE and that’s my nephew David. He is graduating from HIGH SCHOOL! Woo Hoo! Next road is college. He’s still sort of deciding what he wants to be but for now he’ll just take some prerequisites that you need for any degree.
Old Anthony wants to try out Basketball this fall. You all know our rule, you can try it once but if you don’t like it you must still stick it out the entire season. So I am sure there will be more stories to follow. He’s also said he’d like to play golf (anyone know of a kid’s league in St. Pete?) Over the memorial weekend we went down to PSL to visit my Dad and they got a lesson from Pro Mike Levine while hitting some balls on the range with their granddaddy. You know I just took the pictures. 
Toni is playing softball again in the fall and the spring. She also wants to play volleyball (again anyone know a league in St. Pete?) She made it to the Softball Allstar team this year and they played well. They didn’t place but it was a tough competition and our league had a bit of internal drama that may have contributed but it all got straightened out and the girls had a blast!
Some of you aren’t aware but we had to give Abbie away 
The major reason was because Mikey was absolutely depressed. He is so attached to us and he just couldn’t take having another dog around. Maybe if it were a big dog that he could run and play with but it seems he felt she was always a “baby” because she was so tiny that he just tried to stay away from her as much as possible. He went from playing all day to sitting in a corner and hiding. It was a mess. Plus Abbie (and all small dogs) need to be crated and it was impossible to crate train her while Mikey got to run around free. She couldn’t understand that! And she was going to get hurt because she’d get into things. So we found a great family (thanks Laura) who had no pets (their dog was ill and had to be put down) and they had one little boy who wanted a new dog. He LOVES LOVES LOVES Abbie and so do the parents. Abbie is a queen at their house as she should be. We miss her a lot but we know it was best. I speak to her new owners regularly and they said they love her and she is doing very well with them. Toni took it the hardest but she was a big girl and said she’s okay because she knows Abbie is with the new little boy who will love her like she did.
In other less depressing news…….
Carolyn is headed to Michigan to visit her family on July 2nd. She’ll have a whole ten days of no kids and I. Lucky her huh? Although I know she’ll make up other things to do as she cannot just relax! She has to be doing something! Anyway, I know she needs this vacation so someone please check on the kids while she’s gone because you know I’ll be feeding them McDonald’s everyday LOL – they’ll be ready to hitchhike to Michigan in about 3 days after she leaves. LOL
Well, I’ll leave you all for now. More to come soon! BTW – you all can write things too! Don’t be shy. Click COMMENTS and type away!
I’m Baaaaack!
Man, I feel like I’ve been in another world for a while there. I know I’ve been extremely busy since January but rest assured all is well and back to normal. Whatever normal means.
The great news is that I, yes, I finally finished my Associates Degree. Woo Hoo. I have some credits over to use towards my Bachelor’s yet I am in NO hurry to jump back in there until maybe January. At that point I’ll take one class at a time until I get there……not the FIVE I crazily took this last semester. I just wanted to get done.
I really want to say thank you to Carolyn, who helped me tremendously. She basically kept the house, the kids, the dogs, everything together while I entered the twilight zone. THANK YOU CAROLYN – You’re the Best! My graduation is on Saturday May 3rd. I guess I ought to go however, I am just so happy to be getting my papers I don’t really need to go. It’s a three hour long cermony that you have to sit through and aren’t allowed to leave early. Plus that day Toni has 2 softball games and Anthony has a baseball game and I missed so much the last few months I’d really rather spend the time with them. Then on to the cookout on Sunday I did get my cap and gown and will be taking my photos – of course!
Okay enough about me………
Miss Toni is graduating the 5th grade soon and heading to middle school. I get sad sometimes thinking of how fast they are growing but it’s a good thing I know. She’s becoming such a little lady. But she’s still my baby. For graduation she’d like a super bat and backpack for softball. She’s also been selected to play on the ALL STAR team which starts right after this season is over in about a month. She’s really good and improving every day!
Mr. Anthony brought home the sixth grade report card with ALL A’s which is wonderful because last semester he had a 2 Bs. So he was able to pull them up and hang on to that great GPA. His classes are so difficult but he’s enjoying being in middle school. He’s moving on next year to a tougher coach in Baseball because he feels his current coach is holding him back – his words not mine! He wants to be challenged more. He’s so versatile on the field. He’s played pitcher, catcher, 1st base, short stop, center field and 3rd base. He never seemed to do bad in either position.
You know what Mama is thinking – if you don’t it’s called SCHOLARSHIP. That’s where I am hoping this all leads.
Mikey and Abbie are still fighting as usual. He’s so sweet to her yet she insists on irritating him as much as possible. Some days, I swear I hear him saying…………..W_____H____Y??????????????????
Well, that’s all I really have for now. I am just so happy to be done for now and have some time to spend with my family and just RELAX. I cannot wait until Sunday to see Step, Rodney and the kids. Especially the baby – so I can get over my every two years wanting a baby stage. LOL. Soon as the baby needs something that costs money I quickly remember why 2 was enough for me! More than enough because they think they are rich!
Thanks for listening and feel free to leave comments and check out the new FAMILY VIDEO SITE as well. Use the link to the right to access it via YouTube!
It’s Been A Long Time!
Hello Everyone,
I realize I’ve been MIA for a few months now as far as updates go but things have gotten so busy I don’t know if I am coming or going these days. Rest assured it will all be over May 1st. I will have taken my last exam at that point. Trust me, I’ll NEVER take 5 classes at once again. I just wanted to get done. Anyway, everything is going well and I am scheduled to graduate on May 3.
Toni has been accepted at Southside Fundamental so she and Anthony will be back to ONE school again next year. Thank Goodness! She is very excited. She just got her latest report card and she got all A’s. She also scored high on her testing. She is growing up so fast. If you haven’t seen her in a while, you’ll be in for a little shocker (yeah she’s growing up)
Mr. Anthony and I say Mr. because he is as tall as I. He’s doing very well in middle school. It was an adjustment but he has it under control. Presently he has all A’s and one B in BAND!!! How do you get a B in Band? LOL But he wasn’t wanting to stay in band but now he’s back saying he may want to rejoin next year. WHO KNOWS! I don’t attempt to read a Pre-Teen’s mind!
Old Mikey Doo is being his usual good self while the new terror Abbie is aggravating him whenever possible. But he LOVES playing with her.
Carolyn is carolyn. Always smiling except when she’s sleepy LOL………..she recently did something wonderful at work and got a big pat on that back and don’t ask what it was because I cannot even understand it and I use to work there! She is definitely touched with the genius (in that anyway LOL)
As for me, school will be over in May. I plan to take the rest of the year off and restart slowly in January. Although this time I plan to pursue Web Development. Being self taught is cool but I need to really know what I am doing on “paper” so I can make the big bucks. Hopefully, I can find a decent hands on program to learn it. But as I said, I do not plan to inundate myself with too much. I just want to enjoy the kids and life a little more and stop working so much! I’ll have time when they are grown
I have a job interview at Saint Petersburg college on Tuesday the 8th so wish me luck. It’s somewhere I can grow and advance. There are many perks, one being it’s literally 5 minutes from my house (1.4 miles) LOL so when the economy really hits the low, I can skate (on Anthony’s skateboard) to work
As for the kids, you know I look at them daily and wonder where the time is going and I don’t wanna miss a thing so my new plan for 2008 is to downsize everything and enjoy life more!
Love you all,
Lolita
Scholarship Time!
Well not exactly! 6th grade is pretty early to be getting a scholarship but you won’t see us complaining. See the attachment explaining this exciting news. WE ARE PROUD OF YOU ANTHONY! Feel free to leave comments here for Anthony.
Click here for larger view
Check Anthony out here enjoying his favorite past time.
Merry Chistmas
Hello Everyone!
Please view our special Holiday Card from our family to yours! CHRISTMAS CARD
Love Always,
Toni, Anthony, Lolita, Carolyn and Mikey Doo
Here’s the deal
Hey everyone. I am working on a complete overhaul of Da Haven. Hopefully, it will be a much easier process to view the updates and see newly added pictures. I’ve incorporated a new method of viewing the photos. Click FAMILY PHOTO CENTER to view the family photos. Also, you can come here periodically and get updates on the kids, Carolyn and I.
You can also respond here on this portion of the site but you must register first. Registering is easy. It only requires two things – a username and an email address. That way I don’t have some crazies writing things on here. Please feel free to comment or write your own comments here to share with the family or friends. FYI – Keep it clean – the kids will read it too I am sure
Love always,Lolita