The Reynolds Nation

I walked out of my mother-in-law's house today to this sweet message. Judah wrote on the sidewalk for me. This boy totally captures my heart :) Hope you had a great Easter!

Do yours?

I brought these two book on the cruise with us last week. I almost bought them in the bookstore. I am such a sucker in the bookstore...I love books. I always have. I love to flip the pages and read on...letting the story unfold. I am totally a book junkie. Well, I didn't buy them because I am also frugal. So, I went to the library and looked for them. And I found them in there....score!!!! Okay, so for you Downton crazies...the first book on the left is awesome. All the background stuff about the show. I loved it. Did you know that they rarely eat in the scenes in the dining room...because the shooting of that scene can take 10 hours and they would have to eat the same piece of chicken the whole time (can we say yucky salmonella)? I love all the background facts. And if you like Downton Abbey, then you will love this. Also, I read the book Below Stairs. It's very cute. It's the story of a real servant like the ones who serve on Downton. It gives a real account of life b...

This was the simple dessert I told you about yesterday that I found on Pinterest. I was searching just the night before because I ran out of time during week. I found this and knew that it would be a hit! It was super simple to make...inexpensive...not too heavy after a big meal...and most of all, delicious. There is a brownie on the bottom, then vanilla pudding tinged with green (next time I will add some mint flavor to it), followed by cool whip and then an Andes candy on top. Super good! And I made them hours before hand and they stayed very nice and the brownie did not get soggy in the refrigerator. Love it! Give it a try at your house!

The title says it all...I feel so distant from my blog. And I hate it. Life has been so busy lately, so I just haven't had time to post much. And I am sorry. And I know I will be sorry in the future because I like to look back at all the events of our life. I briefly hinted before that we had something in the works around Bryn's 16th birthday. Well, that was a cruise that we had booked for her and a friend to celebrate her birthday.  The four of us went last Friday to Monday to the Bahamas on a Norwegian liner. And it was fabulous. It was fun to take her and celebrate her. She is so special and wonderful to us and this was the perfect way to celebrate the major milestone of a birthday. We had a blast being lazy on the beach down there and on the deck of the ship. It was super relaxing. Can't beat staring at crystal blue water while you drink a pina colada, right? The worst part of the trip is coming home. All day Monday I washed clothes and got the house ready for the sch...

My husband brought this ginormous bouquet of flowers home yesterday. So sweet. For our 17th anniversary. Love him. Seventeen years...amazing! Can't believe we have been married that long. We have lots of good times and some very dark, sad times...but it's all about the journey. Who are we in the end. I hope one day our child will call us blessed and that we are not only touching our generation, but the next and next generation. Are we perfect? No way. Do we have perfect lives? Yeah, right. But God is so good. And I love this man more today than I did 17 years ago. It's about the journey, folks!

This was the week. Bryn finally turned 16!!! The coveted age. She counted down for this one. There has been much anticipation for the day. It was a great birthday...and a great party. Super busy this week...will be back next week to share more. Enjoy the picture of our girl :)

It's cold this morning...for Florida at least. About 43 this morning. Yes, I know for you northerners, not cold at all.  Anyway, the boys were rolling around the floor with their blankets and Mia came out for the morning...and headed right for the warm spot in the house. So smart. Love my little pug!

One of my first thoughts at five this morning (when my eyes first opened) was...Thank God it's Friday. After a busy school week with 5 kids, I look forward to the end of the week. Matt will be home for the weekend and I don't have school to do. Lovely. Today we actually have co-op and then the park...so worth waiting for. Now, don't think that I don't like homeschooling my kids. I love it. I truly do. It is one of my favorite things in the world and I think daily how blessed I am to do it. But this year has been harder. Five kids under my care in regard to their schooling. They stretch me totally. They demand so much of my attention. It is hard...point blank. There are times where I have 5 pairs of eyes staring at me waiting (not as patiently, I might add) for their turn (and they are usually holding a book that they have to show me which adds to the intensity). And then there is Judah. I was thinking yesterday that I truly have met my MATCH . He is his own story. He i...