Friday Fun with Friends...

We had a great, relaxing pool party with our friends Katie and Nathan and our friends Ryan, Julie and Ethan. The kids played so hard and we all just hung out! It was a great ending to a long week! Of corse... you know me... I had to post some pictures!! I forgot to ask the pregnant ladies' permission before I posted their pic... I may be in some trouble... but arent they so cute! Im just glad it is them and not me!!

Coby loves Bryson!
Silly Micah!
Sweet Ethan!
Bryson liked playing in the water this time! Yeah!
Pregnant ladies everywhere!! Not me this time! :) Julie is due in Oct. and Katie is due in a couple weeks! How cute are they?
Go, Ethan!
Micah and Daddy having a grand ol time!
Coby jumping on his own... a huge step for our little water-fearing guy!
Cason's action shot!
Here are the guys hangin in the pool... looks like they are up to no good!

Ha-we-wu-yah, Summertime blues, & Cars

"Ha-we-wu-yah, Ha-a-we-wu-u-ya... for the Word God Ahmighty reigns... Ho-wee, Ho-wee, are you Word God Ahmighty? Wordy is da Wamb..." This was the sweet little song I over heard from the back room this afternoon. Cason was laying on his bed, just singin his little heart out! I must admit that it brought a little tear to my eye to hear my almost 3-year old singing his version of "holy, holy, worthy is the Lamb...." Gotta love K-LOVE! You don't realize how much they are picking up, but it is amazing that they are such little sponges!! So sweet!
On a different note.... we officially have the summertime blues! It is too hot for the park, we have no school to break up our weeks, and the boys are stir crazy and bouncing off the walls, begging to burn off some of that little boy energy!!! We have been going to the pool at least once a week, but it is quite an ordeal for me to go with all 4 boys, so I usually try to find someone to be my buddy.... so with my hurt foot this week, we have been playing a lot of UNO and High Ho Cherry-O and practicing our school work! You should see Cason with a pair of scissors... he is not too bad! For all the many people that read this blog (all 3 of you)... any suggestions for summertime activities with 4 boys??!!
We have a summertime bevavior and chore chart that I have been doing with the boys. I promised them that when they got 100 stickers on their charts, they could pick a fun treat... they reached their 100 stickers last night, so they chose to go see "Cars" tonite.... and loved it! All day long they were even more excited about daddy getting home because we were going to see the "racecars movie." It was a great movie, and I reccommend it to anyone, even adults. I must admit that I was really just going for the boys. I didnt think I would enjoy a movie about Cars, but they found a way to teach a lesson about humility, friendship, the simplicities of life, and they even threw in even a little romance... all of this surrounded by the usual Pixar humor... great movie! I tried to post a picture of the boys at the movie, but blogger is not being kind to me, so it will have to wait!
Oh, and a special thank you to our friends Ms.Katie and Mr.Nathan for watching Bryson for us... it was good to know he was in good hands... and good for you guys to have a little practice!! Baby Smith will be here in only a few short weeks! I cannot wait!!!!!

Mommies aren't supposed to get boo-boos!

Just like mommies are not supposed to get sick.... mommies just should not get boo-boos! I was trying to be a model home-maker and cook a big dinner for the family last night. It was in the oven and almost ready... the timing was going to be perfect! After I set the table, I was headed back to check the food in the oven and I stepped on a piece of glass. I let out a little squeal and grabbed my foot in pain, thinking I had stepped on a hot wheels car or something of the sort (which, speaking from experience, is about the same level of pain!!), and when I looked down, my hand was covered in blood. Micah had been helping me set the table and he doesnot like blood, so he was immediately worried!! I called Clint in to help me and we realized that there was a piece of glass stuck inside my foot. We got the bleeding stopped and he got the tweezers and tried to fetch the glass wedged into my foot. Unfortunately, instead of getting it out, he pushed it further in and got it stuck! So we were debating whether or not togo to the ER... We started making phone calls to any medically inclined friends to see what we should do. Our friend from church that is a urologist volunteered to meet us up at his office and pull it our for me, saving me the annoyance and the cost of the ER. I know, it sounds scary... a urologist pulling glass out of the foot... that is the wrong end of the body for him! Nevertheless, he is a very trustworthy surgeon, so we decide to take him up on the offer. In the mean time, I smell dinner, which is still in the oven, totally charred!! So it was off to McDonalds for a much less healthy but much more fun dinner! I spent the day hobbling around today... and let me assure you that taking care of 4 boys while hobbling is not an easy task. Clint was able to take some time off during the day to help me out some. We went and got the glass removed this evening. I now have what the boys are calling my "BIG boo-boo" on my foot. The hole is only about the size of a dime and my foot is a little swolen, but he wrapped it all up with gauze to keep it clean and protected, so it looks much bigger than it is! I usually have a picture or 2 to go with my post, but I think I will spare you a picture of my big boo-boo this time! ha!

Say Cheese!

We made a cute little book for my dad for Fathers Day, and here is one of the cute pictures we put in it! I just thought it was cute enough to post! For those who dont know everyone, from L to R is Quentin, Darin, Samantha (Casey's kiddos), Micah, Bryson, Coby, and Cason (my kiddos).

A Day at the Pool...

Sounds simple enough, but it is actually quite an ordeal!!

Baby Bryson is ready to go!
Bryson was not too sure about this boat thing... he would much rather be hanging out in mommy's secure arms!
Cason is like a little motor boat... with no fear!! He goes where ever he wants to go by kicking his feet with his life jacket on! It is so funny to watch!


Coby is jumping off the side to daddy... he is one who was not really crazy about the water. The other 2 are little fish... Coby is coming around!






Micah is swimming under water!


We love to play with Daddy in the pool!!!

Happy Anniversary to me...

And to Clint, too! On this very day, 7 years ago, we were married! It has been a whirlwind 7 years... We have done so much! I would not trade a moment! I could not have picked a better man to share my life with. Thank you for a wonderful 7 years, and I look forward to 50 more!
Clint took the day off from work today to celebrate us... So we went to the pool as a family! Really, we actually went and spent the night in San Antonio friday and went to Fiesta Texas to celebrate our anniversary while my mom and dad kept our kids... They were so excited about their "sleepover at MiMi and PawPaw's house!" It was a short trip, but it was a much needed break for the 2 of us to have some time to ourselves! We found ourselves feeling the need to cut up each others food just to feel normal! It had been 7 years since I had stayed in a fancy hotel, and Clint gave me a hard time about being so excited about all the little things about the nice hotels! The chocolates placed neatly on the perfectly turned down high-thread count sheets... the fluffy pillows... the soft bath robes... the individually wrapped q tips and cotton balls... and they even had soap and shampoo from bath and body works! I was like Ross on that "Friends" episode where he takes all of the freebies and packs them in his suitcase... except I resisted the temptation to swap out my $5 pillow for the nice down-pillows they had there!
I was a horrible wife and I did not take a single picture of us in San Antonio... I didnt feel the need to bring my camera since the kids werent going to be there! But I will post a few pics from our family pool day today! Thanks again, Mom and Dad, for watching our kids for us! It was nice not to have to worry about them and to know they were in good hands!

"Uncle Jo-Do"

Jordan gave me a hard time about not having his picture posted anywhere, so this one is for you, Uncle Jo-Do!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my daddy. I would not be the person or parent I am today with out you and all you have taught me. And I know that Cint looks up to you, too... and that means the world to me. Thank you for the example that you are and for all you have done and continue to do for us!


And Happy Father's Day to my hubby!! You are the "Best" daddy! I am so blessed to have you as a husband and a father to our boys! I love you!


Happy Father's Day to Clint's dad, Tommy (G-dad)- Wish we could have been with you on this special day! Thanks for all you have done to raise such an incredible man that I love and respect so much!

More pictures just for fun...

Bryson just went to the Dr, and he weighs 17 lbs, 6 oz! That is awesome, espeially since he started out as a premie at 5 lbs, 15 oz! I just thought this picture of his double chin was so cute! And the one below shows his newest challenge. He tries to get this whole toy into his mouth and it just will not fit! He makes the boys laugh!

Ready, Set, Eat...

Oh, the joys of starting solids with a baby! Bryson actually did really well!


Ready and waiting!

Here it comes!

YUMMY!

I think I will just eat my hands instead!

Monday, Monday, go away....

Why is it that I hate Mondays?? I guess just because the weekends are so great and so fun to have family time.... and we always cram them full of stuff to do.... and Monday just comes too soon. Plus - this weekend Clint had to work, so it seemed even shorter. And we had less family time and less "break-time" for me!! But my mom and I did sneak off to the pool this afternoon for a little Sunday afternoon sun! It was great hanging out and visiting with my momma with no kids... just the 2 of us getting to gab and bask in the sunshine!! I love my momma!! Micah asked me tonite, "Why do people have to go to work?" I tried to explain to him the concept of work and money and how we have to have money to buy things and to function, etc. And he said, "Why can't we just not have to work and make everything be free and not cost money. Then Daddy could be home everyday! That would be so fun!" It was such a sweet thought! Oh, to be able to see the world through the eyes of a child! I just love their innocence!
And on the subject of innocence, but having nothing to do with how much I hate mondays.... check out this great picture of Sweet Bryson... he has just found his tongue and he plays with it all day long! It is so funny... and I had to include a cute picture on my post to keep the grandparents happy, so I added him in!

Can You Count the Stars???

I remember going to Camp Agape as a kid, or "Day Camp" as we called it back then... and I had such a blast. I think it is even more fun to be involved in the planning and preparation and to see the joy in all of the kids as they get to attend camp. We have had a blast at Camp this week. The theme is "Can you count the Stars?" from Genesis 15:5. It has been a long and exhausting week for all of us, but it has been a great start to the summer! Above is a picture of the boys in their "campie gapie bandaidas" as Cason says.

And here is a typical afternoon after Camp Agape... Cason gets his nap there at camp. When we come home I get Bryson to sleep and I put a movie on and let them hang out on my bed some down time. Cason will lay still with them until they fall asleep. Then he quietly sneeks out and comes to the couch, where I lay asleep. He gently taps my face and whispers, "Mommy.... shhhhh.... the big boys are sweepin!!" It is so cute!

VOTE FOR PEDRO.....

okay, so I have never won anything in my life.... and this weekend at the Round Rock Express Game, I won a CAR!!! Not just any new car, but a 1987 Chevy Caprice with bullet-hole decals, a 2-toned green hood, cool spinning hubcaps, and the words, "vote for pedro" printed across the back. It was "used car night" at the dell diamond. I have not lauhed that hard in quite sometime!! We actually loaded all 4 kids, carseats and all, and rode in "pedro" to church this morning.... The kids thought it was fun!

We love Baby Bryson

Bryson came along to help tuck the boys in for naps... you can see how deprived he is for love and attention, huh? They just love him so much!!

Go Braves!!

Here is Micah with his cousin, Samantha.
You would have thought that someone handed Micah a $100 dollar bill. His face lit up like it was Christmas when thay handed him his cool trophy with the baseballs stacked up high! It was so cute!!

Here is (from l to r) Micah, Jamie, Samantha, Connor, Katie Lynn, Blake, and Lucas. Go, Braves!