Thank you, Jessie!!

Thomas let Jessie pull a tooth that had been loose for AT LEAST 2 months!! She numbed his gums with some type of Orajel and then tied a string around it and pulled! I couldn't believe he let her do it, but it didn't even hurt. He did complain about his tongue feeling funny, though! The medicine worked a little too good! :)

Grandaddy's Workshop

Anyone who knows my dad, knows how much he loves to build! He builds amazing things, too! So, naturally he enjoys sharing his hobby with the kids!

For our most recent visit, he planned a pretty big project to complete with Thomas - a Soapbox Derby Car! He worked hard for weeks before we even arrived prepping the project and even putting it all together to be sure it worked before taking it all apart so he and Thomas could build it together!They spent all day that Saturday building the car, and I documented most of it in pictures. My favorites are the ones of my dad smiling as he enjoyed spending the special time with Thomas!


I think this is the coolest things for a granddad to do with his grandkids! This will be a lifelong memory!

After our visit earlier in the summer, Granddaddy built three treasure chests and filled them with pirate booty (gum coins)! Then, the kids used their compasses he had given them in June to find their chests in the yard! He is so creative!!

Down on the Farm

Just before school started, we went back to Florida for a short trip. We stayed with Papa and Peppy, but we spent some time on the farm, too! The kids always have a blast playing out there!

We had fun seeing the chickens and goats they have now!
I was really excited that Jordan went with us! It made for a fun trip! Finley LOVED Jordan! I must admit that I was jealous! Finley never talks to me, but she wouldn't let go of Jordan!
I can never resist snapping pictures of the kids with their grandparents! I love this one of Chase with his Papa!

Kentucky Friends

We were thrilled to be able to spend a day with our friends, the Brown's, this summer! They came down from Illinois to visit!Mark and Laura were our neighbors in Kentucky when we were in seminary! We had Thomas and Izak 3 months apart. So, the boys were very good friends! We love getting them back together!

Mark and Laura have three beautiful children - Izak, Esther, and Josiah! I can't believe I didn't get a picture of Esther! She is absolutely precious! I loved visiting with them!
The kids had a good time, too!

Happy Birthday, Grandmary

Even though Grandmary died when Thomas and Mary Frances were babies, the kids still talk about her and miss her! Surprisingly, Chase seems to miss her the most. I think it upsets him that he never met her.

Anyway, they never cease to amaze me with their ideas of how to invite her to parties or tell her things. They've suggested using a really tall ladder and throwing an invitation REALLY high into the sky in the past.

On Grandmary's birthday this year, July 31st, Chase suggested we send her some balloons! I was so excited that it was something we could actually do! So, we got 2 balloons (just in case) and wrote a birthday note to her. We sang Happy Birthday and let the balloons fly! It was so special. I'm so glad we were able to celebrate her someway! We love her so much! She was such a special lady, and we miss her SOO much!

Mmmm...Pancakes

Chase Turns 5

Chase turned five in July! So, we celebrated with a Batman party at our pool! The kids had a blast watching the daddy splash contest off the diving board!
Chase was so excited about his cake, but it melted before we made it to it!

Three is too much

Who decided that three meals a day was a good idea? It certainly wasn't a mother! All I do is cook and clean, load and unload! I understand how people who used to love to cook can't stand it after their kids are gone!

Three times a day???? It would be so much easier if everyone just ate once a day! My kitchen would stay clean, and I could get so much more done!! Agh...

I Slept in!

AMAZING!! I have actually been able to sleep in a few times this summer. That may not sound like much to the average person, but it has been YEARS since I have slept in even once!! With three kids, someone is always up early (before 7) and wanting food, drinks, or entertainment! So, I was surprised when I woke up at 9:00 this morning!

The kids had been up for a while. So, when I walked out of my room, I saw chocolate syrup and milk still sitting on the table and the kids were playing the Wii. Chase piped up and said, "We snuck Fritos while you were sleeping. Mary Frances added, "and we made chocolate milk for coffee!"

There was no "hello" or "good morning", just stating what had happened while I was snoozing. Who could blame them? I just laughed and put the milk and syrup away!

I was just thankful for sleep!

Celebrating the Fourth

We were invited to Lake Livingston to celebrate the 4th of July with a couple in our church who are getting married next weekend. I am so glad we took them up on it! We had a blast!This is Ms. Susan with the girls. Susan had another friend and her 2 girls there, as well.

The kids played together so well all weekend. There were NO fights, and they entertained each other very well!
The kids swam like fish once we convinced them there were no sharks in the lake!
Ms. Susan LOVES children! She spoiled them to death and had a blast doing it!


"Uncle Mike" is marrying Ms. Susan next weekend and our church. I have been working with them on the wedding and engagement party. So, we are excited about this weekend coming up!



I absolutely love that smile on Thomas' face!
Chase looked like a little rubber ducky when he got out in the water on his own in this green tube! It was so cute!

The girls played "tea party" with all the fancy clothes Ms. Susan had for them in her toy bin!
Someone thinks he's all that!!

Jordan's Wedding

My friend and business partner got married last weekend! We had such a blast! Ray C. was the pastor, Mary Frances was the flower girl, and I made sure it all happened! Jessica even flew in to help me out!

Mary Frances enjoyed a few Shirley Temple's over the course of the weekend!
She also found a new boyfriend, much to her daddy's dismay!
Jordan was a gorgeous bride!
This is Jordan with her sisters Jaye and Jensen.
Mr. and Mrs. Simpson make a very beautiful couple!
...and as for these two....

We all got our nails done the day before the wedding!

A Mohawk?

UPDATE: The mohawk was shaved due to its inspiration of less than desirable behavior!

The boys have been begging for mohawks for over a year. When it came down to it, Thomas decided to keep his hair, but Chase was all for it! I told them they had to wait until after Papa and Peppy's wedding, though! I didn't think they would care to have mohawks in their pictures!

Anyway, I gave Chase a fairly tame mohawk last week that was a little subtle, but today, daddy decided he needed a real one! It's a little too much for me, but I guess I can deal with it for a little while this summer!

That's my baby!!!!

Little Brother and Sister

Thomas has requested a lock on his door to keep out his pesky brother and sister! He has been enjoying some time to himself lately but can't keep out the little ones since his door doesn't lock. So, we decided he was old enough to have a lock. I took all the kids to Lowe's last week to pick it out. Of course, Chase and Mary Frances wanted one too, but I explained to them about privileges you get when you are older and that Thomas was old enough and responsible enough to have a lock.

He was so excited to have it! When Ray C. came home that night, they worked together to install it! My little boy is growing up!!

12 Years and counting...

We've been married for 12 years!! We had so much fun celebrating our anniversary on Sunday night! Actually, we celebrated two nights! Ray C. surprised me on Saturday night by picking me up from the church after my wedding and taking me out for seafood! He showed up with a dozen roses and a GREAT card!! Then, we went to my favorite restaurant on Sunday night - The Melting Pot! Yummm... We've been celebrating anniversaries with them since our first dating anniversary 15 years ago! It is such a great atmosphere for talking and enjoying one another. We sat in a secluded booth where we couldn't see anyone else! We talked for a long time about memories when we first started dating, in high school, and laughed at the things the other remembered! It was a very special evening!
We both agreed that we are more in love now than we were as teenagers - crazy as that may sound! We got married when we were 20 and 21, and I wouldn't change a thing! It has been a crazy fun experience that I wouldn't trade all the money in the world for!! Thanks, Honey!