Bluebonnets

It's that time of year again... and they sure a gorgeous this year! I will be so sad when my boys are no longer excited about this tradition! But for now, every time they see bluebonnets, they want to have their picture made in them... precious boys!

Micah is growing up way too fast... developing his own unique personality and witty sense of humor. He can usually be found with this cute little grin from ear to ear... He is still my super helper and a great big brother...

Coby has a heart of gold... he is always thinking of others and saying the sweetest things to everyone. His sweet prayers bring tears to my eyes nearly every time. Along with this gentle heart is a super goofy side that always likes to be the life of the party, too!

Cason is just all around sweetheart. He has really grown up this year in kindergarten and he has taken on the role as "big brother" more with Bryson this year. He is constantly asking questions and wanting to learn something new or do something to help. He has the sweetest little manners and is so easy to be around.

And Bryson, my little red-headed pistol. He is so much fun. He makes us laugh and he amazes me every day by how sharp he is. He is absorbing all that is going on around him and growing up way too fast. He and I have had lots of fun being home together just the 2 of us. I wish he could stay my "baby" forever.... he loves school, he loves his friends, and he adores his brothers (or as he calls them, "the boys")

Thank you, God, for my precious blessings....

M.A.D.S.

Mommas Against Daylight Savings.... Anyone else wanna join the group???

It has thrown everyone for a loop around here.... the boys' sleeping late on Sunday was nice, but this 'going to bed while it is still day light' is weird... and everyone is tired and grouchy (but not too tired to lay in bed and giggle with the brother on the top bunk because it is so bright in the room...)

Tomorrow is Jog-A-Fun at school, and the boys are so excited... momma is saying a prayer that my Coby does better this year... last year I distinctly remember being reprimanded by a "race official" for carrying him around the track when he was having a hard time on his own! He says he is ready, so we will see. Micah's goal is 22 laps, and Coby's goal is to beat Micah... hmmm.... friendly competition? I suppose.... whatever gets that strong-willed child of mine around the track I guess!!

For now, I will close with a few recent pics of my cuties for the grandmas.... wish us luck tomorrow!

Micah's new "thing" is football... he takes this ball everywhere he goes...

Sweet Coby working on some art....

Cason on "Silly day" at school (for the letter "S")


Bryson catchin bugs... his favorites (and the only ones he will touch) are RoliePolies.

Big boys...

Here are the boys in some new PJs that they got for Christmas (thanks, Gigi!). I just loved this picture and how you can really see their heights.... and how skinny they all are, too! :o)... they are already beginning to eat me out of house and home! My boys sure are growing up!!

We're Home...

I think we brought home enough sand to build a sandcastle in my laundry room... so I will have to post more pics when I have time, but for now, here is a "teaser" for the grandmas....

ANOTHER ONE??!!

This was Bry towards the end of the photo session... we had bribed him with an oreo, but I think he was beginning to doubt us! :o)

More to some soon.... gotta go unload, unpack, and "move back in" at home!

Feelin Beachy

Hope you are all having a great weekend... it is Fall Break for our boys, and here is a glimpse of the FUN we are having here!!

Anything to Avoid Housework!!!!!

So it is friday, and we have had one of those weeks where we have spent little time at home. So my house is in need of some serious cleaning.... but who wants to do cleaning when you hav these fun little guys to play with:

Case-O

Bry

Momma - (don't mind the "I just woke up look" and the morning hair-do)
Cason said that I looked funny with my smile....

So I tried a serious pose.... this one makes me laugh too! :o)

Anyone wanna come over and help us clean today???

Fun Times!!

The Best infirmary... and other news

We have 2 down around here... and hopefully NOT 2 more to go... I have a feeling these boys got strep throat from their momma who was excited to see them when they returned last week and gave them a little too much lovin! Sorry boys!! At least they have a buddy to keep them company while they get to hang out on mommy's bed and watch an insane amount of movies! :o)

We have been busy little bees since we got our little wild ones back! My boys have come back to the realization that mommy is just not as fun as GiGi, but she will have to do for now. We are back to having lots of fun (sickness aside) again. Bryson is saying lots of funny stuff right now like the other day at rest time I said, "nite nite, baby" (I have always called him my baby) and he responded with "I not baby, I big." So I said, "ok" Then he told me (in a bossy tone), "Mommy, now you say, 'nite-nite, big.'" I obliged and called him "big" and that is what he wants everyone to call him now. Funny stuff. Our potty training is all back on track and he is doing really well. Sometimes he spontaniously wants to tell (or show) perfect strangers about his new spiderman underwear. He is proud... and shameless....

We had our last baseball games of the season (can I get a halleluiah?!). It was bittersweet, but I am really looking forward to this saturday sleeping in and NOT spending 3+ hours in the 105 degree texas heat... with a 2 year old who loves baseball and baseball games, but even he knows that is crossing a line. Seriously, it has been a great, fun season, and it is always so neat to watch the boys meet new friends, learn new things and grow and improve so much, but Lord have mercy, it has been H-O-T!

Here is a fun "action" shot of Micah... he had an incredible hit way out in left field. I wish I had a pic of his proud snaggle-toothed grin as he crossed home plate at the end of his grand slam!

Here is Cason's new ingenious way of "carrying" his glove to the car. I have a rule that they have to carry their own glove (simply because I have the ice chest loaded with drinks and snacks and 6 folding chairs, plus the above mentioned 2-year old who is not always elated to abide by my rules after 3 hours in the 105 degree heat) and this way, he can carry his glove and his drink and snack from the snack mom (or in this case, his newly earned medal).... cute boy!

Sweet brothers showing off their medals.... Micah had not played yet, so he hadnt gotten his yet. That is why he isnt in the picture...

Earlier today, I was going to refill the gatorade for the "sick and infirmed" who were quarantined in my bedroom and I made some little friends in my fridge. I have a feeling there is a cute little red-headed boy somewhere looking for these 2 friends... or maybe he is laughing at his momma getting such a kick out of his antics! :o)

disclaimer: please dont inspect the cleanliness of my fridge...

Hope you are all having a great "last week of summer" I had big plans to take the kids to lots of fun places, but strep throat has made me slow down and I have done lots of cleaning instead. Keep them all in our prayers that the strep stops here!!!

GiGi detox and strep throat

We are in GiGi-detox mode around the best household... our house is filled with lots of noise and activity again and the boys were all so glad to be home. I cant count the number of times they have said, "but that's not how GiGi does it...." or "GiGi lets us..." I think it is kinda a dose of reality for both them and me. I have had this quiet restful week and they have had a week where the world revolved around them! They had such a great time and have some wonderful memories from the week. But the other day, Cason was getting a spanking and he said, "GiGi doesnt know how to give spankings. GDad has not taught her that yet." We both had a pretty good chuckle, but it did not get him out of his spanking!!
*Micah's favorite part of the week was shooting his first gun with Gdad and diving off the diving board (not at the same time...)
*Coby's favorite part was going swimming at the pool with a big slide.
*Cason's favorite part was riding the tractor and seeing a rattle snake.... yikes!
*Bryson just responded with "I go swimming, I ride tractor with Gdad. Gran Gran silly"

Well, it seems my date with chloraseptic last week was not long enough... I woke up at 3AM choking on my own tonsils because it was so swollen back there. I went to the minute clinic at CVS (I highly reccommend it) and got a rapid strep test which usually takes 5 minutes to process. Within 20 seconds, mine had gone to positive. yikes. Being so sick makes me so sad for my babies when they have this awful thing... strep is miserably painful!! Here's hoping no one else gets it!!
Sorry there are no pictures on this post...

D-Day

The time has come..... we are about to leave to go pick up my sweeties.... it has been fun... we have had lots of dates, lots of movies, I had a date with my Ibuprophen and Chloraseptic spray (yes, I got sick while they were gone... annoying!!!!), LOTS of sleeping in!! Some painting, some shopping, some relaxing...
But I must say that I AM READY!! I cant wait to see them!!
Thanks, Gigi and Gdad and GranGran for a wonderful week off!! (yes, it took 3 adults to wrangle my boys!)

Honey and Heaven

Our church family will not be the same for anyone with out the presence of our sister and friend, Ruth "Honey" Dillard. Unfortunately, I was not one of the many who knew her so well... (see Emily's beautiful tribute to Honey here) but I know from her funeral today that she touched so many lives so deeply. My boys knew her not only by her contagious smile but also by her bell. She had a walker that she lovingly referred to as "John Henry" and she had a little bicycle-type bell on it. The boys loved to go ring her bell every sunday, and she loved for them to run up and greet her as they rang it each week. Last Sunday, Cason asked if he could go find Honey and ring her bell and I told him that she was not there are church because she had died and gone to Heaven. His face went from a state of shock to one of pure joy. "I bet she is gettin to see Jesus, mommy!" I fought back the tears as I agreed with him. "Yes, I am sure she is with Jesus!" I wish I had the faith and the desire of a child...

Today at her funeral, they played a recording of an interview that she had done before she went to see Jesus. She had the sweetest voice. When her distinct voice came over the loud speaker, Cason began looking around, "Mommy... that's her... that's Honey!"

"No, Cason, that is just her voice."

"From Heaven?"

Sweet, sweet boy.... he was so confused... I explained that it was recorded before she passed away and he tried to understand but he continued to look around as if he expected to see her standing across the room. At the end of the service, my boys were given the honor of closing her memorial service with one last ring on John Henry's bell. What a beautiful picture I have of Honey up there with Jesus, with a smile on her face as they rang her bell one last time. Every time I hear a bicycle bell, I will think of Honey and the incredible example she was to so many.

Livin' at the pool and the little league field!

So I havent done very well updating my blog lately... we have been super busy up until this week... but since then, we have been hanging out at these 2 places:

Livin' it up at the Pool!

Here is my little motor-boat... he gets anywhere he needs to go just kicking away...

The 3 amigos... they have a blast together! All 3 are swimming really well this summer, so the pool is pretty easy for me! This has been my first "easy" summer in 7 years! :o)

My Goggle-Eyed Friends

Crazy Boys!

Livin' at the Little League Field....

Micah is rocking it out in Coach-pitch baseball... he gets a good hit on the 1st or second pitch each time... even this past time when we needed a pitcher, not a belly-itcher... (clint filled in at the last minute as pitcher when the head coach couldnt make it to the game! :o))

Coby is ready to go! I had a pic of him batting, but the sunlight in the background messed it up... We can tell a huge difference in Coby's focus and catching abilities post-eye surgery!


Cason up to bat. He is so cute as he runs those bases with a big ol' grin!

Hope you all are having a great, realxing summer!!

Lost and Found

My camera went mysteriously MIA last Thursday when I was gone to bunko. Luckily, it was found back behind the couch... in mint condition... and just in time for Camp Agape this week (more pictures to come soon). As I downloaded my pictures today, the mystery of the missing camera began to unfold......

Picture # 1: A (small) foot... I now have 4 suspects

Picture #2: Daddy is [so diligently watching the boys while mommy is away at bunko] sleeping in the recliner

Picture # 3: Ceiling fan

Picture #4: The rug and some body part...



Picture # 5: I have no clue

Picture # 6

I would recognize those baby blues anywhere! Mystery solved... almost...

Picture #7: My red-headed stinker and his Accomplice!!

Camping pictures

These pics are from several weeks ago, but I am trying to catch up on posting... You may have read the post about the chair that we lost in the fire... well, here are a few more fun pictures of that camping trip... the weather was absolutely perfect and the boys had a blast. Every Friday, they ask if we can go camping again!

Here is my little Burrito at bedtime.... it got pretty cold on Saturday night... the wind was piercing the next morning!

The weather was warm enough for swimming, but the water was still freezing!! They had a good time splashing around some!

Cason was camera shy all weekend and when he saw the camera, he would run the other way, so I was lucky to get this quick shot of him!

Throwing rocks was a big highlight of the weekend!

Bryson spent hours beating on trees and the ground with his stick. He is all boy.

Here the boys are playing with "Hermie" a little worm they be-friended on Saturday. We made him a little home out of a cup for most of the day, but we decided to let him go back into nature for good. Coby thought he needed to go find his mommy because she would be sad if he was lost. I love that kid!

unique

Every evening before bed time, I have the boys lay out their clothes for school the next morning. They wear school uniforms, so the choice is pretty easy, but it is just nice to have it all right there in a little pile rather than having to dig thru closets and drawers when they are half-asleep at 6:30AM getting dressed.....

Below is Micah's pile. He likes to stack it neatly on the coffee table so it doesnt get sat or stepped on. His shoes are always laid left-right, his clothes neatly folded, and his belt rolled.... a boy after his mommy's own little OCD heart...

And now for Coby's pile.... :o) And just FYI, he will snuggle up and waller around on this couch all over these clothes for a good 10 minutes in the morning before he even attempts to put anything on. But I am so proud of him that he now gets every piece to the uniform here to the "pile!" He even thought up his own idea of keeping up with his glasses by putting them inside his shoe! Sweet boy!! And you cant see it, but there is a little bit of dried toothpaste on his belt from last monday when they had to wear belts for chapel...

This just made me laugh as I walked thru the living room last night, so I decided to take a picture... I love that my boys are all 4 so different in so many ways. It helps them to be more flexible and it is interesting that they have so many diverse friends I think because they are able to embrace eachother's differences... Yes, it is the cause for lots of squabbles, too!! But I wouldnt have it any other way!!