Cox & Kin

There are times in our lives when we may feel lost. Over the years, I have had my fair share of this feeling. One time comes to mind that I want to share with you. This happened quite a while back, but it is something that I am reminded of frequently. At the time, Ryan was working for a steel decking construction company. That meant that he was away from home more than he was at home. There were times when he would be gone for months on end. I was a full-time stay at home mom working a 31 business for something to be on the side. I hadn't decided to go back to school yet because I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do. Being that caregiver of two children is a big responsibility. On this particular day I had to take him to meet the crew so he could go off on a stint of out of town work. I hadn't driven to this location as he normally carpooled with others. We get him there and on my way home, my GPS malfunctioned and had me going the wrong way on I-75. I had no choice b...

As I sit here pondering how amazingly awesome my kiddo looks with all her crazy blue and yellow hair for school today (I'll include a picture below), I can't help but think how awful that spray was for the ozone layer. I then morph into a thought of what would I do if I could change the world? Really thinking over it, I think I would do what I am already doing and hopefully others would catch on. You see, it only takes one person doing something repetitively for others to catch on and really want to be part of the cause. For about a year, I have made it a point to do at least one thing that brightens someone else's day. You see, I firmly believe that it is better to spread love than hate. If we make it a point to be nice and uplift others, they will do the same for us. I think that if we were more supportive of one another rather than critical and demeaning, we would live in a completely different world today. Think about it: You are in a public place and someone ...

Aged Recently, I had the displeasure of missing my 20th high school reunion. We have only been in our new home for under 6 months and so we are still becoming acclimated to our new surroundings as well as having to adjust our budget to meet the new cost of living in our new city. This meant that my husband had to get a new job and that was quite the process. As we are bouncing back from a time where I was the only one working for a couple of months, I was reminded that some of the things I thought I "needed" to do were only wants instead. We didn't get to go to the lake this summer.  We didn't get to go to any of the activities downtown.  We didn't get to go to Pretty Place.  There are so many things we didn't get to do. This doesn't sadden me at all. It just means that I have the opportunity to plan for them and make our trip next year or later in the fall even more memorable. Last weekend I was hoping that I would have been able to have gon...

It's hard to write about things that are tough subjects and that is why I simply haven't been writing over the last several years. You see, I have been told what I should be doing for so long that I feel like a shell of a person just striving to do what others think is best for my family. You see, for so many years I was judged and I still am. People who are supposed to be in my corner are just sitting back there looking at what I do and shaking their heads. They shake their heads because what I am doing is not what they think I should be doing. As I explore more of expectations in this blog post, let's take a step back and see what is really going on. I have brothers and sisters, yes. However, when was the last time one of them contacted me just to say hi? I can't remember a time. Instead, they reach out when they want something. Whether it's to ask if I know how to do something or to simply tell me that I am stupid, that's the kind of contact I get. You se...

As I sit here getting woken  up enough to start my work day, I was wondering what I should blog about today. I have Abba playing in the background and thought that I might give you a glimpse into trying new recipes. I'll post a few of the recipes throughout the week, but since the girls and Ryan are a bit pickier about what they eat, I find that incorporating new recipes is the only way to make sure everyone has something they will like. Since we are on bi-weekly pay cycles, I meal prep and make menus for 2 weeks at a time. Since we are already a few days into it, I'll just start with today (Monday). Bacon Cheeseburger Biscuit Bombs Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers Salisbury Steak Slow Cooker Tortilla Casserole Beef Stroganoff Chicken Fajita Bubble Up Bake Cowboy Casserole Tortellini Soup Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Quesadillas 8 Can Taco Soup Philly Cheese Steak Pizza A few of these are recipes we have had before and they are amazing. Some of them are new to us and yet...

Since Miss Mack is headed to high school, and is 15-years-old, I've been trying to figure out how to approach her about post-secondary education. She's been very rooted in the "I don't want to go to college" thing. This has been a grumbling point for the two of us because I know how hard it was for me to go back to college after 15  years being out of high school. I only want what is best for my kiddos, so figuring this out early is a huge thing for me. Mack has been in choir since 4th grade. She has loved being able to have that release. Additionally, when we lived in North Carolina, she was asked to be in the high school rendition of Peter Pan. She was a lost boy. We were so used to going into the auditorium for practices and lately, I've been missing that whole lifestyle. She loves singing, and she's known she's wanted to be in music, but she was allowing mainstream media to really impact her decisions. It wasn't until she realized that Mamma ...

Jump Off Rock is one of those places that many thing you can go to one time and be done with it. For me, this couldn't be further from the truth. It holds special meaning because it was here that I was introduced to the beauty that is mountain scenery. I wanted to provide some  history into the place for those of you who are interested in going. At this scenic overlook, you will find panoramic views of the mountain ranges and rolling pastures of the Blue Ridge and Pisgah Mountains. This beauty is unlike any I've seen before. I think that for me it's because of the following passage: "You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible" Matthew 17:20 I look at those mountains up on the outlook and am reminded that even with the smallest amount of faith, I can move mo...

Miss Maddie said she had promised that I would give you some history from Jump off rock this week. I am typing this on Sunday and will have it scheduled for one day this week. I wanted to do more than just Jump off rock. I thought I'd give you a run through of just how much NC means to us as a family. In 2004, Roy, Carol, Grandma (Pappy's mom), Ryan, Mack (15 months old) and myself made the trip from the Clearwater/Tampa area for a long weekend in the mountains to see some family. We met Uncle Dave, Aunt Vicki, Uncle Danny, Aunt Sam, DeeDee, Courtney, Chase, Grandpa Craig, and maybe a few more family memebers (I can't remember because it 's been so long) at the "cottage" that Mr. And Mrs. Walker owned. The Walkers had let us all meet at their cottage, and it was big enough that everyone had plenty of room. It was the largest cottage I had ever seen. It is situated right on the golf course, so we had lots of fun with a toddler on the green after the golfers...

Sunday : Mom and dad left to go home while we went to putt-putt golf with yai-yai. We couldn't end our day without a little bit of ice cream. A trip to Mast General was in store for us too. We took a trip to the candy barrel there and brought home a baggie of yummy treats. Yum! Monday : We went to a place called Bird Rock Falls. It's one of Mom's favorite waterfalls. Pappy took us since Yai-yai was golfing.  That night, we visited Oscar Blues. There, we got to hear music and see tons of dogs. We've decided we want a golden doodle. Tuesday : We went to the pool in the community. This was one of our favorite things. Since we don't have a pool at home in Florida, we love having the chance to go to the pool whenever we can. Wednesday : Another day of fun in the pool. We event went to a water aerobics class with Yai-yai one day. That was really cool. Thursday : Jump off Rock! Another of mom's favorite places. Yai-yai took us to get some photos tha...

A child only turns 16 one time. Over the course of history, the age of 16 is one of the big celebrations. When a child turns 16, they are considered to have come of age. Yes, legally they are still a minor, but they have added responsibility. They are in high school and must think about their future They can get their driver's license They are expected to start looking for work in many cases.  Due to the history, we decided that we would do something epic for Mackenzie's Sweet 16.  Plans:  5 day CRUISE to Grand Cayman and Cozumel!  What kid wouldn't want to have a week long celebration, right? So we decided a few months ago to purchase a cruise and take her out on the open sea! Watch for some upcoming posts as we start to shop for the things we will need.  SPOILER: There will be a formal wear shopping trip in the future! She's not looking forward to that because she hates to try clothes on, but she knows it's for a good reason.  S...

Okay, so the title sounds a bit bleak, but last night was our last night before our girls come home from a week with the grands. Yesterday, knowing that we had tickets to a movie, I decided to go in to work a little early so that I could get off of work a bit early. This was a great idea! After a long day at work with issues creeping up, it would happen the one day that we needed to be somewhere, I finally got off and out the door we went. Since I had chosen the movie, Ry got to choose the dinner. We ended up at Hooters, no surprise there. He loves their buffalo chicken sandwich. I opted for a cheese steak sandwich. While at dinner, something with work came up, so I needed to step outside to make a few calls. This is what I love about my job. I can take care of some things no matter where I am. By the time I was finished with the calls for work, Ryan was finishing up. Next stop: Burlington. Nothing they had really wowed me. We just walked around for a while. Then we went to the the...

We took a much needed weekend to the Hendersonville/Asheville area last week. It was a great time to just disconnect from the mundane day to day life here in Ocala. It was also our opportunity to drop the girls off for a week with their grandparents. Due to how quick the weekend was, I took a few extra days off of blogging. I am back and going to get some fun things going for you! Thursday-- We drove from our house to theirs. We only made 3 stops. 1 for gas. 1 for food. 1 for bathrooms. We made great time. After we pulled in, our friends Jason and Terri stopped by for a quick visit. This meant so much to us because it was late, and we do not get to see them very often. Friday-- Ryan and I took off pretty early to go and look at a neighborhood we are looking at for our move. The girls went with Yaiyai and Pappy to go to a waterfall, but were close to running out of gas, so instead turned around and went back to get gas. We met back at the condo before heading into town. We all went ...

What is famiy time to you? Each family unit has their own idea of what family time should be. To some, it's as simple as watching something on TV as a family and to others, it's having a set day of the week to gather and share a meal. For us, it differs. Since Ryan works such an odd schedule, we take our family time when we can get it. It normally consists of taking a few days to just be away from home and disconnected from reality. This normally happens on his weekends off. We have done all of the following at one time or another in order to get some family time together: Clearwater beach Asheville, NC Tampa/New Port Richey Camping Busch Gardens Magic Kingdom Epcot Hollywood Studios Animal Kingdom Bonnet Creek Resort Netflix weekends As you can see, most of our family trips are within driving distance for us. We just need that time to get away. When we are in the mountains, we enjoy seeing his parents and hiking to waterfalls. When we are in central Florida, w...

Hi! I'm Mack. Mom calls me Macky or Kenzie, but I prefer Mack. She asked me to write about me. I thought I would just put a list of my favorite things: I love to sing Boybands are my favorite My favorite color is red My favorite food is pizza, but ice cream is a close second.  My favorite way to travel is by plane.  My favorite amusement park ride is the people mover at Disney World Orlando Soccer is my favorite sport I love watching Degrassi.  My favorite place in the US is Ohio My favorite Disney movie is the Lion King because.... What I was a young warthooooooooggggg!  My favorite princess is Belle.  When I get to choose where we go to eat, it's Applebees.  I'll be making more of these posts in the future so keep your eyes peeled! 

Over the course of our lives, people will come and go, but one thing remains... As I have thought back about things I might want to journal or blog about, I keep coming back to how amazing it is to know that I can make new friends, but I also have those true to the core friends that I have known since I was in school. This spring/summer, I have really come to realize just how important it is to make new friends, but also how much it is critical for me to strive to keep in touch with the old. You see, before I was in high school, I had a hard time making friends. I was very withdrawn and didn't make friends easily. It wasn't for lack of trying, but more because we moved around a lot and I was afraid of getting too close to anyone for too long. I started my freshman year at Charlestown High School and was enrolled in a life skills class. This class was amazing for me. It taught me not only some of the vital skills I would need after high school, but it also enabled me to lear...

Over the years, I realize that I never really introduced the family to our readers. So, without further ado, I'd like to take the next several days to do just that. Meet Dawn. I like to think that I'm fun-loving and fancy-free. Over the course of this post, we will talk a little bit about me.  Wifey to Ryan since 10/20/2002 Mom to Mackenzie and Madison College graduate Training Lead at iScribes Crafter Blogger Interested in Jesus and the bible, among other things.  Loves the outdoors-- take me hiking and I'm a happy camper.  After just a few of the highlights, let's get down to all of my favorites.  Favorite fast food restaurant? Firehouse subs. There's just something about them. They have a bit of a sweet taste to them. I could eat a Hook & Ladder for the rest of my life.  Favorite ice cream flavor? Ben & Jerry's Fish Food. It's a lot like rocky road, but has tiny little fish shaped chocolates. Those are my favorite.  F...

From birth to now, I have never really found that place that I belong aside from living in Hendersonville. As I stated in a previous post, our hearts have longed for Hendersonville since we left. We knew that we weren't finished. Coming back to Florida was just a means to an end for us. Yes, we were judged for it. Yes it has caused separation from my family, but not without purpose. "but Jesus told him, 'Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.'"Luke 9:62 When we returned to Florida, it felt like we were looking back. We weren't doing whatever it takes to be successful where we were called. We felt like Jonah when he wasn't listening to the Lord and was swallowed up by the fish. Florida is our fish. We know this isn't where we belong. Over the last 2 years, we have wrestled with where to go. We know that Ocala isn't where we are called. We have contemplated with everything you can imagine, fr...

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 The bible teaches us that there is a time for everything. As indicated in the above scripture, we all go through seasons. It is my firm belief that from 2009-2018, the Lord was putting me through a season. While I didn't understand fully why things needed to be done as they were, I now can look back and be thankful to the lord for those t...

As we prepare for our next adventure, we wanted to take the opportunity to enjoy our summer. This year, it's been a bit more challenging as Ryan is working tons of overtime and I'm workin 40+ hours each week. This means that we have to figure out creative ways to have a great summer. Normally, this means that there are daddy/daughter date trips and after work/on weekend family trips to include all of us. So far this summer, there has been so much to enjoy:  We bought Busch Gardens annual passes this year. We have done the Disney World thing, but wanted something a bit more budget friendly. We also have friends in the Tampa area that we do not get to see often enough. Since Kenzie is becoming more of a sports fan, we thought it might be fun for her to go to a baseball game with her daddy. I bought tickets for the 2 of them on the party deck to see the Tampa Bay Rays versus the Houston Astros. when they went into the park, they were both given Rays shirts. Needless to say,...

In spring of 2015, we embarked on a journey to move to Hendersonville, North Carolina. As you might imagine, the move almost 9 hours north of us was quite the experience. Since that time, so much has transpired. Through this post, I hope to give you a glimpse into all that has happened since then. Hopefully, it will give you a little bit of information as to why our blog was deserted for so long. Spring 2015 Ryan came home from working on the road. He had taken a week off to get us moved. We rented a rental truck and packed up from what we thought would be our forever home, but after there were many issues transpire up to an including a neighbor who was irate that we were buying the only piece of lakefront property that he didn't own on the street. He really made our lives as miserable as he could. We tried for a good year to do our own thing, but we found that he was just going to do whatever it took to make anyone living in that house miserable. Because of this, in the fall of...