Living For Him

Carson's 6th Birthday!

2012-01-22T17:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, this post is a LITTLE behind! I am playing catch up for sure, but I am getting it done. :) My sweet Carson turned 6 on December 19th. I seriously do not know where the years have gone, there are days that I look at him and think "Gosh he's so big!" and other days when I think "He's still my baby". Of course he is still my baby (don't tell him that-he might punch you).

We had originally planned a ice-skating party for C, but unfortunately his Daddy cancelled his party due to Carson's bad attitude. So, we had a family gathering and went to The North Pole Express in Grapevine. Had a blast! I think my Mimi and I had the most fun, it definitely makes you feel like a little kid again. Below are some pics of the special day.

And again Happy Birthday sweet Carson!
Breakfast in Bed
Snowman Pancakes

Mimi & Umpa

Umpa and our Host

Sexperiment

2012-01-13T06:32:00.000-08:00

I have got to get something off my chest. Last night and today, I have seen TONS of FB posts and comments speaking out against Ed and Lisa Young's Sexperiment and the way the are promoting it today on the rooftop of their church building while in a "bed". You can see their live broadcast here I am amazed at the amount of people that haven't seen or heard what The Youngs have to say, but are trashing them, and I mean seriously trashing them! WOW! It immediately makes me think of the amount of religious leaders that tried over and over to prove that Jesus was wrong, and put so much energy into "hating" him that they missed God. I am amazed that people in the church today are wasting so much energy trying to prove someone wrong to everybody else. It just makes me sad, and I had to get it out!

I am going to be very honest here, again me being real. I could live the rest of my life without having sex. Seriously. And yes, I went there! My husband however, does not feel the same way! :) With all my anxiety issues, and other things, it is the LAST thing I want to do. I pray a lot about this issue, and while I wish that I could have the intimacy that God ordained for our marriage, I don't. Anyway, this is something that I am working out with God, myself, and my husband, who is being very patient with me (bless him).

I just think that if some of these people were experiencing some issues in this area, they would understand why it's so important that this subject be approached. While yes, I have heard about it in church before, to the extent of "God, says have sex with your husband", that hasn't actually helped me. So, I am tuning in today from time to time to see what they have to say. They are talking about all kinds of things, and interviewing other couples, pastors, and their own grown kids. Along with the marriage sex topics, they are also talking about how to share with your kids about sex, etc.

PS I do not go to this church, so I am not biased! :) And did I mention that they have been together since they were 15, married at 21, and have been married 30 years? That speaks volumes to me!

Who I Am

2011-12-21T07:34:00.000-08:00

I am not perfect.
I am a child of God.
I get mad at my kids.
I don't always speak kindly to my husband.
While I have every good intention of teaching my children good, Godly principles, I fall short.
My kids do not wake up and recite scripture.
Lately it takes everything I have to get to church once a month.
I have abandonment/rejection issues.
I constantly battle Satan's lies about what I think others think about me.
I mourn friendships that no longer exist.
I want to be an amazing friend.
I get my feelings hurt easily.
I take hurtful words to heart.
I lose my temper frequently.
I can not tell a lie. (seriously I can't)
I sometimes take on a little too many projects at once.
I love pink.
I love to be girly.
I struggle with anxiety/panic attacks and have for over 10 years.
I sometimes walk in a room and have no idea what I am doing in there.
I wish I had embraced my senior year of high school more.
I have really big feet.
I LOVE shoes.
I like to drink wine.
I love time with my girlfriends.
Date nights make me happy.
I secretly want to drive a tank (oops not so secret anymore).
Quiet time with God is hard for me.
I can't stand fake people.
I love my boys (even when they drive me crazy).
I love my husband (even when he drives me crazy).
I sometimes say things I regret.
I love Jesus, and am so thankful for his sacrifice and forgiveness.

*UPDATE* I would like to challenge anyone who reads this to be "real" also. Post your Who Am I? I think we should get a movement started! Letting other women (and men) know that they are not alone, and that the only perfect person is Jesus!

Accepting Change

2011-11-05T12:09:00.001-07:00

I am trying out my new App Blogger for my new IPhone. Yep, I finally took the plunge and joined the club! Maybe this will help me keep back up with my blogging! For those of you that know me, I don't do change well. And this Apple thing is a whole new world for me. LOL Oh well, here's to accepting change in the modern world.

Not About Me

2011-10-21T05:53:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine's husband recently died suddenly during emergency heart surgery. She is my age, her 2 boys are the same age as Dalton and Carson. I hurt for her. I mean really hurt for her. I find myself weeping, sobbing, and having anxiety for what her and her boys are going through. And as much as my heart hurts for them, it is NOTHING even close to what they are feeling. I am writing this for a couple of reasons: 1. For you to please lift Jennifer Ogle, her boys Hudson and Cooper, and the rest of Jason's family in prayer. I know that right now she said she can feel the prayers and they are keeping her going. 2. To remember that we are here for a limited amount of time, to leave a legacy for Jesus.

While I didn't know Jason, it is so obvious that he truly left a legacy and definitely touched people. I pray that this will remain evident to his boys as they grow and they will turn to God their heavenly Father as their Dad did. I am going to post a link to her blog and to the memorial fund incase any of you would like to donate and or follow her experience. She is blogging as an outlet right now, and while her pain is obvious, her faith shows through in multitudes! Please come together prayer warriors!

Jennifers Blog: www.mom2hudsonandcooper.blogspot.com

Memorial Fund: http://www.giveforward.com/inlovingmemoryofjasonogle

Women of Faith Dallas 2011

2011-05-31T19:56:00.000-07:00

Ok ladies-it's almost here! One of my favorit times of the year...time for Women of Faith! For those of you that have never been, it is Amazing! It's almost too much for words. Every year, I am pretty sure that God hand picked the speakers just for me and my season of life. But then I find out from my friends that they felt almost the exact same way! I love it when God does that! ;)

Anyway, WOF this year is going to be Aug 26th and 27th at American Airlines Center. I would love to have you be a part of my group, we have super great seats this year! In the lower 100's area- Woo-Hoo! The cost for both full days including box lunch both days, is $89. Please contact me if you would like to attend. To be able to keep our super great seats, I will need to have payment turned in by June 10th.

You can click HERE to see this year's line-up.

Beautiful

2011-05-01T18:01:00.000-07:00

Let me first state that this post is in no way written to gain sympathy or compliments. But to celebrate in the freedom I have gained in Christ!!!

I have never considered myself pretty, NEVER. This is probably a result of mean kids in my past constantly telling me how ugly I was, and I know that this happens alot (not just to me). However, I bought the lie! I allowed Satan to have bondage over me in so many ways, and this was one of them!

There are 2 times in my life that I remember feeling pretty. The first was when I was 10 years old, and my mom had registered me in a Mini Miss Pageant. The second was on my wedding day. The first time was crushed when I was told I didn't win because I was so ugly, and there was no way I could ever be picked for anything like that. My wedding day however, still remains one of those times! :) I believed Satan's whispers anytime I tried out for a modeling something or other and didn't get it (you are just too ugly-you will never get picked for anything like this). Or when guys wouldn't stay with me (nobody wants you-so and so is so pretty-and look at you). I have shared my testimony on here before, and God just keeps adding to it!

Recently, my friend Kim with All About Pictures took some pictures of me (some for fun, and some for business purposes). When I first saw the pictures, I was shocked! I told her that her editing was amazing, because I didn't look like that in my mirror! Later that week however, I felt God whispering to me..."You are beautiful, you do look like this, you are my daughter, and I created you." WOW! Later, I had posted some of the pics on FB, and I was completely overwhelmed at the amount of unexpected comments! And again, I heard God whispering..."This is you, you are beautiful, everyday." Again WOW!

Tears were flowing this time, as I truly felt another huge brick of bondage lifted off of my chest! I cannot believe that I bought the lie! I didn't even realize that I had believed it for so long, but I really did. Every time I looked in the mirror, I just saw me-plain, ordinary, not pretty by any means. And, while I am so very sad that I allowed Satan to hold this over me for so very long, I am so excited now that not only do I know the truth, but that I truly believe it! I am beautiful! Inside and out! I can look in a mirror and say "I am pretty"!

I felt compelled to post this for others that may feel or have felt the same as I did. God loves you! He created you in His image! And he wants you to know Him! How amazingly awesome is that???!!!! I am so grateful everyday for what Christ did for me on the cross, and also for God continuously reminding me that He is here for me, that He loves me, and will NEVER leave me! I have always loved Psalm 139, but now I cling to it, as I encourage you to do the same! :)

So, thank you to Kim, for being a tool from God to help me crush one more lie! And thank you to my friend Tabitha for sharing words with me during this time that could only come from Him! I am blessed with amazing friends! Below are a couple of the pics:

New Venture!

2011-04-14T05:16:00.000-07:00

As if I don't have enough to do, I have recently started another business adventure. VAULT DENIM. I am an independent consultant for Vault, and get to go around throwing Jeans Parties! What's a jeans party you ask...Well, it is very similar to alot of the other "party" business out there, but with Denim!

The best part, I bring all the jeans with me to your party, and everybody gets to have tons of fun trying them on, and you take home what you purchase right then! No waiting!

What girl doesn't love a great pair of jeans??? Would you love them even more if they were up to 50% off Retail Prices?? Of course you would!
Welcome to Vault Denim, a new way to cover your assets...

We offer Designer Denim at up to half the retail cost!
Prices range from $48 and up
Many different brands & styles to choose from…
Jeans, shorts, Capri’s, & skirts are available depending on the season.

All Authentic, No Knocks Offs, No Seconds!!

Visit a Jean Party Today!
Or… earn free jeans simply by hosting a party!

Become a distributor and earn commissions and overrides from others.

The cost to become a distributor,
are you sitting down?
A $99 enrollment fee
No monthly fee or purchase required, and…
Vault Denim supplies the Jeans!!

Inventories are constantly changing, and we carry a large variety of both boutique and premium brands.

*I am looking for new hostesses, so that I can get my name and new business venture out there...Please let me know if you want to earn free jeans!*

Eight???????

2011-03-29T14:21:00.001-07:00

Ok, so here I am a week after I promised a post! Really....how does the time get away from me??? So, Dalton turned 8 on March 19th. I know unbelievable right!? Well, anyway-he wanted a sleep-over in the worst way. I am sure you can imagine that I was super excited with the idea of a bunch of wild and crazy boys at my house ALL night long! But, as it turned out-it wasn't that bad.:)

We ended up with 6 boys total (including my 2). We did a birthday scavenger hunt in the neighborhood, dart balloon throw, pizza, cake, icecream, and movies! They had a great time, 3 of the boys were out at a reasonable hour, but the other 3...well let's just say that at 1:45am they were still up!!!

Later the next week we had a family celebration at my grandmother's house. PS That is an IBC they are holding! :)

Dalton, we are so proud of the young gentleman you are becoming! You have an amazing spirit with a great love for The Lord, your Dad and I are so blessed to raise you!

Oh My!!!!

2011-03-21T05:28:00.000-07:00

I just noticed it has been over 2 months since I posted here! This is just to let you know that I will be posting later today! There-now I have to or I will be lying! :) Catch y'all later today!!!!

Who Doesn't Love A Giveaway?

2011-01-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

My new blogger friend Christina is having a giveaway! Check it out, she has some super cute stuff! Click here to check out Christina's page!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-05T18:58:00.000-08:00

The whole Christmas season seems to really have been a blur to me, but I am finally getting the pictures up for all to see! Christmas Eve we went to service at Keystone Church, and after we went to Diamond Lock (a neighborhood here that has amazing Christmas lights). It was a lot of great fun, and the kids really enjoyed it. Oh who am I kidding...I had a blast! There was one house that the lights changed in beat to the music, and I felt like I was a kid in 3rd grade again-all kinds of giddy!

The Pajama Elf had visited the house while we were gone, and thank goodness because we were in need of some photograph-able pj's! After getting the kids in bed (and making sure they were asleep), Santa visited! And this time Santa really outdid "himself" since he purchased alot of toys at Black Friday, there was a great multitude that would not have been normally possible! :)

Christmas morning, we had a great time seeing the kids faces as they saw all their loot, and then we opened presents between the 4 of us. After that, Jason made chocolate chip pancakes (yummy), I think this may be a new tradition! hint hint
Check out the picture of Carson and the whip cream. I was teaching him how to spray it, but he couldn't get his finger to stop, and there was a ton of whip cream! He didn't mind though!

Most importantly, we remind our kids that it is not about the toys and the gifts, but the greatest gift of all *God's Son sent in human form* Happy Birthday Jesus!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Making Time

2010-12-29T13:13:00.000-08:00

Ok,so I just spent the past 40 min or so looking through my old blog posts, and I realized that in my writing then that I seemed to be a lot closer to God than I am right now. So, I started thinking, why is that? Well, the answer that I come up with is that I was spending a lot more time with Him then. A lot more than I am now. So, I decided that I am not going to let that happen, and I am going to really start making time for Him since He ALWAYS makes time for me!

I hope this encourages someone else out there too! :) Maybe we can encourage each other together! I also wanted to repost this:

Santa Pics

2010-12-29T12:37:00.000-08:00

This year, we seem to have seen Santa everywhere! We made sure we got pictures a couple of times. So I thought I would share them with y'all.

Lone Star Santa at the Central Craft Fair

Breakfast with Santa at Dalton's School

Holiday in the Park

2010-12-27T18:15:00.001-08:00

My mom AKA Nani gave us all Six Flags season passes for next year! Thanks Nani! Because she purchased them when she did, we got to go to Holiday in the Park and got a free parking pass- Woo-Hoo! This gift is such a blessing and sooo much fun! The kids are estatic! (And so are we!!!)

Well anyway, I thought I would post some pics of our trips to Holiday in the Park for y'all to see!

Crazy Legs! Way too spinny for Mommy! :)

Dalton and Frosty (Carson declined this photo op!)

Looney Tunes Town

Carson decorating cookies

Jason right before his 1st ever roller coaster ride-The Judge Roy Scream

My Baby is 5!!!!!!

2010-12-27T17:44:00.000-08:00

Like really, 5 years old!!!!! I don't know how it happened so fast, but it did. And since he is our last, I really told myself to really pay attention so the time wouldn't fly by, but it is. Oh well, I guess I better pay more attention these next 5 years!

Carson, I love you so much! While you have a very strong will, you also have a very independent spirit! Your Daddy and I love that about you! I can not believe all the things you have accomplished before turning 5!

This year he wanted his birthday at Chuck E Cheese. And they had so much fun! The best part for us was no set-up and no clean-up. The kids had a great time! Enjoy the pics:

The Ticket Blaster was his favorite part, and I think the whole reason he wanted his party there! :)

Over Due

2010-12-15T05:59:00.000-08:00

This post is waaay over due....but, I really haven't wanted to write it. You know how it feels to know that once something is in writing then it is really happening, or permanent? That's how I have felt about putting this in words. This whole year, God has really been working on our family. One thing He has been working on me is through obedience. I am beginning to realize that I really don't like that word when it pertains to myself! I am all about teaching my kids to obey and to listen to me, but it is totally different when it is God's voice talking to me! Cause ya know it is rarely something easy when He is asking me to obey!

Well anyway, trust and obey has been the theme of the year for me. Near the end of the summer, God had revealed somethings to me that I really needed to deal with that I had kinda buried in my past. And personally, I like them right where they were...buried! But, through these revelations, God has been revealing layers upon layers that have needed to be peeled back and pruned. Now, this process has been pretty painful, but with each layer and each emotionally painful experience, God has shown His never ending love and strength for me. It is still truly amazing to me that someone can love me that much!

During all of this, God has been telling me to clear my plates...of everything! One of these things was my position as Women's Ministry Director at The Exchange. Talk about difficult! I literally cried for 2 whole days when I got confirmation of this! But, once again He has walked me through it! Now, since resigning from this position, I have truly been battling Satan's lies (and I mean like a bombardment of them!) But, once again, God's truth reigns mightier than Satan's lies. Praise God for that! :) But, you can probably imagine that this has been an emotionally exhausting and draining experience. Please continue to pray for my family as we continue in this battle of trials at this moment.

Dalton was diagnosed with ADHD earlier this year, (big surprise since I was also an ADD child). And with this came medication trials and errors, and lots of emotional moments that have tested our parenting patience. Carson has been dealing with speech issues, and has been accepted into the TALK program here in Keller ISD. With all of this, all I can see is labels. I am so sick of labels! But, God knows how to speak to me when I need it most, and one of my friends reminded me that these are just earthly labels, not heavenly and not eternal! Now, with all of this I would love to say that mine and Jason's relationship has been strong and steady through it all. But, we are human, and our marriage has really been tested! This is where God's command of obedience to me comes in full swing! If I had been immediately obedient to God and not led with my fleshly desires, than we probably would not have shown strains between us. But, thankfully once again God reigns!

As I write this, there are a few things we are struggling through that I can not post about, but please know that we still need your prayers. And, everyday I wake up and start over again, hoping to not mess up God's plan for that day! Oh, and while I am asking for prayers, please pray for Jason's dad Wilbur-he had back surgery a few weeks back, and his recovery is going a lot slower than originally expected. He is in a lot of pain, and is in a rehab unit at the moment. Pray for quick recovery and healing!

Edible Race Cars

2010-11-12T12:28:00.000-08:00

Dalton's school has a Incredible Edible Car Derby for the 2nd grade department. They are studying force and motion in science right now, so this fits right in! We had a really good time making his Super S'more as a family! He didn't win, but we now know that onion wheels are the way to go! :)

It had some alignment problems-oops!

D and his friend Tye

Pre-School Fall Program

2010-11-12T11:46:00.001-08:00

Carson Pre-School does a fall program every year. As always, it was very cute! He actually sang this year, Yay! I got a little emotional when I realized that this would be his last fall program in Pre-School (sniff-sniff). I think it is finally hitting me that my baby will soon be in kindergarten!!!!

Carson with his directors (on top) and with his teachers (on bottom)

And this is Carson trying not to have his picture taken! ha!

I just love this last set-he was so cute! They all were!

Camping Again!!!

2010-11-11T19:00:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we went camping with our friends The Price's. We went to Lake Whitney State Park. It was a little chilly (37 degrees), but we survived! The kids had a blast! We ate so many s'mores, that I may be turning into a marshmallow! There were some beautiful trails, we walked some, the boys hiked and rode their bikes. It was definitely a great weekend with good friends!

Another Cool Giveaway

2010-11-09T17:35:00.000-08:00

Check out Christina's blog again-she's got some great ideas and a cool giveaway!
here

Glen Rose

2010-11-07T16:37:00.000-08:00

We decided to go camping with our friends the Reuman's (and yes we went camping with them around this same time last year). Dinosaur Valley State Park has a Haunted Hike every year, and we thought it would be really neat to take the kids and campout. We stayed in some nearby cabins since the tent sites at Dinosaur Valley were already full. We all had fun with the exception of a few "surprises" at the cabin! LOL! Downtown Glen Rose had a Safe Treat around the square that afternoon, so the kids all got to dress up and gets lots of candy!

It was a very interesting evening 2 families trying to sleep in a one room cabin, but all in all it was alot of fun! On Sunday, we went to Big Rocks Park which is exactly that, a park with some really big rocks! The kids had a blast "rock climbing"! I have to say, I have been to Glen Rose several times, and I didn't know that Big Rocks even existed-it was really neat!

Enjoy the pics-and be warned, I will be updating more tomorrow, so be prepared for picture overload!

Pumpkin Guts

2010-11-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

We love Halloween over here! Pumpkin patches, farms, decorating, etc...we especially love carving some pumpkins! Carson picked out a pumpkin carving kit with a book of faces, and the boys have never been happier! They were able to carve their pumpkins all by themselves (almost)! Enjoy the pics below...they don't really do justice to the amount of fun and laughter that went into these, but hey-you can use your imagination!

Old Window Redo

2010-10-25T17:40:00.001-07:00

So, I found this old window in Canton 4 years ago, and it has been sitting in my garage ever since! (Just waiting for the perfect place to use it!) Well, we recently re-decorated my room at the salon, and what do ya know, but this window finally had a place! I sanded it and cleaned it up (not to much-I didn't want to get rid of the several layers of cracking paint that really added character. I then painted it black and sanded it again. I stapled the fabric to the back and Voila!

I am linking to:

Sweets This Week

Hall's Pumpkin Farm 2010

2010-10-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

Going to Hall's Pumpkin Farm has always been our family tradition. We love it! It is a smaller pumpkin patch, but is is just so quaint and cozy I think. They have an amazing corn maze! We have so much fun in there, I truly think I laughed through the entire thing!

Pumpkin Patch 2010

2010-10-16T08:59:00.001-07:00

So my friend Jennifer and I try to take our kids to the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch every year during a weekday. Last year we never made it together because of all the mud and what not. We made it this year! As usual the kids had a great time. Although I think it may be getting harder on us. Not sure why though! LOL! Enjoy the pics-there are a bunch!

Christina's Adventures

2010-10-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have discovered a fun, new crafty blog! And she's having a give-away! Just click here to check her out! You will be glad you did!

Gift Canvases

2010-10-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

*UPDATE* I've been featured! Texas Monkey has featured my gift cavases on her blog! I am so thrilled! And to answer your questions, yes, I do sell them. Prices range from $20 to $40 depending on size and style. I can do any color scheme, just let me know!

I am really loving homemade gifts. I think they are super personal, and that it is definitely something that the receiver will not be getting duplicates of! So, I just wanted to share some of my newest creations, enjoy!

This was a gift to my friend Pamela for their 20th anniversary! Notice their wedding date and names under the cross!

This was a wedding present, Devore is their last name (incase you were wondering) And inside the "bubble is their wedding date)

I am linking to:

State Fair

2010-10-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

We love the State Fair (Texas that is!). We went with some friends that we haven't seen in a while, and we had a great time!!! Rides, games, petting zoo, Little Hands on the Farm (although I think Dalton may be done with that one by next year), yummy food, and some shopping too! It was a blast!

**WARNING** Picture Overload! ;)

The Ocean Spray display, the kids got to pretend to harvest cranberries!

Little Hands on the Farm

Goofy Carson!

Petting zoo!

Rides-you might not see him, but Carson is beside Jason holding on for dear life!

Carson-a little dizzy!

Dalton and Kadin riding the disco spinner!

The boys favorite thing this year was the foot massagers Only 25c!

Carson and Avery-speed racers!

Stars Game

2010-10-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

So one Friday night we were ready to go to The Central/Keller football game, and a friend called and said she had really good seats to The Stars Game and did we want them!? Hmmmm.....High School football or super awesome seats 4 rows back from the glass! Stars win baby!!!!!

We had so much fun, although, we left our jackets sitting at the house! So, cheapest fix...buy a Stars Snuggie! Yes, I said I would never own a Snuggie, but it was really chilly!!!! The seats were truly amazing and the boys (and us) had a blast!

Grapefest Carson Style

2010-10-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

So, Grapevine has Grapefest which I love, and on Friday they had free admission. So I decided to take Carson for some one-on Mommy time! We had a blast! Although when we first got there and all we saw was boring booths and lots of walking trying to get to the kids stuff, he told me that I lied to him by telling him that he would have lots of fun! ha ha! Ofcourse, once we got to all the kids stuff, he was great!

He got to ride a few rides, and the petting zoo, and we spent a lot of time with Radio Disney!
This picture was right before that goat decided to jump up and attack Carson and knock him into the lady behind him!

Pre-K!!!!!

2010-09-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

Carson started Pre-K this year! He has been attending Circle of Friends Pre-School for 3 years now, and we are so excited to see what this year has in store for him! All summer he has been talking about getting to "go upstairs", because that's where the big kids go!

Enjoy the pics of my precious youngest on his first day!

Walking In

Hugging Mrs. Paul (I love this, because she is the director and she is there every morning to greet the students!)

Going Upstairs!

Mom-here's my basket

His teacher Mrs. Ogle showing him his name tracer

Catching Up AGAIN!!!!

2010-09-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

I seem to be really behind in blog world lately! But, I am going to wrap August up in one post! After Iowa, we went camping with Ryndi and Justin at the deer lease for one last time. We decided not to renew for this year. We had a really good time with them and the boys got in their one last free for all I am pretty sure! We even found a lake nearby and had a relaxing afternoon beachside.

Dalton started 2nd grade this year! I have a few pics stuck on FaceBook thanks to Steff for taking those for me! I am including some pics I took of him on the 2nd or 3rd day when he got to start riding his bike to school with some of his neighbor friends! He is such a big boy! And one of him where I cut off all his hair!

We went to a Ranger's game with our friends the Williams, and had a blast! Maybe we will get one more game in before this season is over-Just maybe!

Well, that's the rest of August in a nutshell-enjoy the pics!

Me and Carson on the 4wheeler!

Dalton "driving"

Lakeside

My big boy!

Lawson, Dalton, and Carson at The Rangers Game with Jawbreakers

Dalton's new "do"

Six Flags

2010-08-24T15:06:00.001-07:00

Dalton earned a Six Flags reading ticket for reading 6 plus hours. He earned one from Kindergarten too, but we never got to use it. So, this summer I absolutely had to take him! We decided to go just me and him to make it special. We had a great time!

We literally got to walk up to almost every ride, and never had to wait in line. Other the unfortunate mishap where I found out that my stomach 15 years ago, and my stomach now are TOTALLY different, all was well! We opened the park and closed the park! LOL

Enjoy our fun!

Summer in Iowa

2010-08-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

Well, this was a first for us. We were actually able to go to Iowa during a month where there was not snow in the forecast! However, August is waaaay hotter in Iowa than I would have ever guessed! But, we did have a great time. Jason and the boys drove up on a Friday while I was on a retreat, and then I met them on Sunday and we all drove back together on Tue night. Jason and the boys got to spend time with Grandma Mildred, and then we all stayed with Wilbur (Jason's Dad) on Sunday-Tuesday at the lake in his camper. It was great!

We were right on the edge of the lake and it was so beautiful. Don't tell Jason, but it makes me want to buy a camper and spend lots of time lakeside! Oh well, maybe in a few years. There was lots of fishing done, a nature hike that didn't last very long due to whiny humans, bike riding, and s'mores. It was a very good, relaxing trip.

I just love this series of pics, Papa just couldn't stop blinking...but check out Carson's face in every one-that child cracks me up!

The fave sport of the weekend was fishing. Dalton fished his little heart out. He caught 14 fish! Carson tired of fishing pretty quickly (I don't blame him). They did ride their bikes alot, and Carson started practicing some stunt riding. (I am thinking I would have preferred him to take a little more to fishing)

Uncle Jeff and Carson fishing

If you look closely, this is a picture of a beehive. And if you look even closer you can see a fishing line caught up in that tree right beside the beehive. Needless to say, the bees were not happy! But, it was an opportunity to see an actual beehive!

Breakfast Lakeside

Family Pics

Arkansas!

2010-08-14T14:51:00.001-07:00

Our very dear friends live in Arkansas (they are in ministry, so they never stay put!) We went to visit them for a few days, and man did I realize how much I missed them! Our kids get along great, Jason and Eric are good friends, and Pamela and I well, I consider her like my big sis! Anyway, we had a blast! We got there at the end of their VBS so the kids got to enjoy the big last night festivities with tons of inflatables and a dish soap super slide!

They even borrowed a boat so that we could enjoy a day on the lake! We went tubing and swimming and had a great time. We got to enjoy a couple of adult evenings too since their daughter Tori is babysitting age now (still unbelievable). All in all, it was a great, relaxing, super fun weekend with great lifelong friends! :)

Cow Madness

2010-08-14T14:40:00.001-07:00

Chick Fil A has Cow Appreciation day in July, and if you dress up like a cow, you get a free combo meal. Well, this summer's been a little tight so can you say "Mooooo?" We did! The boys and I had a blast! It was a lot of fun, and the key is to get there early to avoid the croud!
Enjoy the pics!

4th of July Haslet Style

2010-07-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

We went to The Reuman's house for a July 3rd cookout and fireworks. Their neighborhood literally shoots them off right behind their house-it was awesome! The only thing missing was some Lee Greenwood in the background! ;) There was a bike parade in the afternoon, which the kids loved even though we got there a tad bit late and couldn't find the actual parade. That's ok, because we found several other lost paraders on the way, and we made our own! The kids were super excited about their bikes (which by the way the parents pretty much decorated on our own-ha ha.

Later we went back to Tab's house and enjoyed an awesome cookout with their family and neighbors-it was really fun! Oh and by the way, Tabitha made this UH-MAZING Strawberry Jello Cake that was to die for! I can't wait for the recipe! ;) There were fireworks for the kids in the driveway-super fun! And then we got to see the main fireworks without dealing with a bunch of people and traffic! ;)

Enjoy the pics, and PS I am super proud to be an American!
Bike Parade
Jason being goofy
Dalton and Elise (and a little bit of mustard)
Sparklers
"Look Dad!"
And I just love this pic of all the kiddos intent in watching the fireworks!

On The Dirt Again....

2010-07-05T16:21:00.001-07:00

It's been a few months since we took the boys out to ride their dirt bikes, but we finally got back at it. The boys did great! It was as if no time had past since they last rode, almost like they got better. How is that possible? I don't know either, but what I do know is that my little boys are growing up way too fast! I am wondering when the racing will begin...since that is Jason's dream for them...and yes, you can pray for me!

Enjoy the collages, I figured this way I could get more pictures in one post without being as long as ten posts!

It's Official....

2010-07-04T09:16:00.001-07:00

Summer is here! It has definitely been a Texas summer...HOT! We have spent alot of time at the pool and at NRH2O, having a blast! I am trying to get as brown as posible without burning (too much), and I think the boys are trying to turn into fish! They may grow gills way before I turn brown! LOL But anyway, we are having a lot of mother son water fun trying to stay somewhat cool. Here are some pics of the beginning of the summer.

Carson at NRH2O

With friends at NRH2O

At our neighborhood pool

Backyard fun

Pine Cove in Keller?????

2010-07-03T11:56:00.001-07:00

Yep-Pine Cove was in Keller this summer! They started a new program called Base Camps. This is where they go all over Texas and partner with local churches to bring Pine Cove to your area. It is basically like a day camp, but Pine Cove style! And yes, we LOVE Pine Cove!

Dalton had a blast, and his week they focused on the armor of God in Ephesians. I was so proud when he would come home each night and share about what each piece of armor meant, and how he could apply that to his daily life. Brings tears to my eyes now! We are so grateful to Mimi for providing for Dalton to experience a week at Base Camp!

These are the pictures I got at the closing ceremony, but there are more pics they provided, but I am experiencing difficulties with that CD! So hopefully, more pics to come! Dalton's counselor's name was One Wheel Wonder, I love their camp names! Every morning when we drove in, it was like one big pep rally as we pulled into the parking lot...you should have seen the kids faces when all those college kids were whooping it up for them!

We Have A Horse!

2010-07-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe that is a slight exaggeration! We are the proud new owners of a puppy! :( He is a chocolate lab that one of Jason's customers could not handle-so Jason decided that we could! His name is Hershey (Carson's choice-the boys ro-sham-boed between Dirt and Hershey-I am kinda glad that Carson won!)

For those of you that don't know, Levi was already a thorn in my side, and now there are TWO!!!! The puppy stage of a puppy the size of a pony is really not very fun. The pee and poop accidents are HUGE, his teeth are super big and sharp, his legs and feet are gianormous. Oh well, I guess it is just one more thing I have to get used too. And he is only 4 months old! :( The upside is that now each boy has his own dog.

Enjoy the pics of our newest family member, I include a pic of Carson and Levi-(poor dog, Carson does this kind of thing often). The first pics are of the day we got him...when I was told he was 9 weeks old...actually he was 12 weeks old...big difference! It may look like I am smiling and liking him, but actually I was laughing at the fact that I could hardly hold him!

Wrapping up 1st Grade

2010-06-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

That's right folks! Dalton is officially a 2nd grader! It was a little touch and go there for a little bit, as we struggled with reading and attention span things, but he made it! And now, the kid is like a reading phenomenon (ok, slight exaggeration).

I thought I would include a few pics from their end of the year Luau party. These kids were truly a blast! I loved that Mrs Stanton had a little awards ceremony for the kids before the party! Dalton got the award for Most Positive Attitude, and was voted by his class most likely to be an astronaut! (Although, he felt jipped since he wants to be a police officer) I actually had to explain to him that he could still be a police officer even though his class voted someone else that spot. Poor thing, in his little mind I think he truly thought he was going to have to be an astronaut and that only the other little boy could be a police officer!

He's such a rule follower! I am blessed to have a child with such a big heart!
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Thirty-How Many????????

2010-06-29T15:03:00.001-07:00

That's right folks! 35! WOW! I remember when I used to think that 35 was REALLY OLD! Now, I don't think so at all! I am still pretty young at heart. Although, there are days that I do feel as though I am likely to fall apart at any moment! Mentally and Physically! LOL!

Anyway, the guys did it up right for me ofcourse! Homemade Red Velvet Cake with Chocolate Frosting (and sprinkles!) For Breakfast! Now, if you ask the boys they will tell you that Mommy's birthday is the only day they are allowed to eat cake for breakfast! And we all look forward to it every year! If you didn't know, I LOVE CAKE!!! Any kind of cake too-I am really not picky! If you will notice in the pictures, Jason was obviously trying to test our smoke alarms! Oh well, I did blow them all out-and it was delicious!

Did I mention the silly string attack in our living room? Yep-that was fun too!

Spring Coach Pitch

2010-06-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

This spring Coach Pitch baseball was a blast! Dalton really liked playing catcher this year, and he seemed to pay a little more attention than in the past. He's already talking about fall ball, so I guess baseball really is our sport! Sorry these are just getting out, but like I said-I am a little behind!

The first picture is him getting the gameball, which is always exciting! But, if you think he looks a little rough, it's because he had a little scooter incident the day before! Oh well, boys will be boys I guess!

>

Brittany Spears I Am Not!

2010-06-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, so apparently I have been away from posting a little longer than I had realized...Oops! So, I have decided that I am going to make one post a day for the next week to get caught up! And then I am going to try to commit to at least one post a week after that! Things have been really busy and crazy since school got out in May, and I will post all about it starting tomorrow!

Today, I am posting about FEAR. We were at a birthday day party at a park this afternoon, and on the other side of the park was a man with a snake. No, not a snake, a mammoth snake! Seriously this sucker was HUGE! Look at the pics and see what I mean! Well, I decided that I was going to trust in God's protection, and conquer a fear. It kinda helps that this thing seems to be tamed and housebroken! Note that I am still keeping my distance from the kind that are in the wild! And yes, I was freaking out and squealing the entire time! Note the laugh on the gentleman's face (the snake owner). But, now I can say I did it! By the way, that sucker is heavy and ways over 75 pounds! Oh, and yes in the last picture you can see where his/her tail was sneaking up and around my leg, which by the way also happened when everybody stepped away from me...What's up with that...don't leave me people! Within just a few short micro seconds, it was completely wrapped around my legs, and I was done!

Last Chance!!!

2010-06-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

Last Chance for Women of Faith tickets!!! I have some tickets remaining, if you would like to attend this wonderful 2 day event with me, please contact me ASAP! The dates are August 20th and 21st and the ticket price is only $89! This price includes a box lunch both days, and this year also includes the Friday morning event as well. My remaining tickets are in section 115!

You can click here to see the main Dallas page, and click on the video to see a little preview of this year's topic IMAGINE. As in Imagine what God can do if we let him! I don't know about you, but I sometimes struggle with giving Him the reigns. I can't wait, and I can't wait to go with some awesome ladies also!

Teacher's Gifts

2010-05-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! All of a sudden, the end of the year snuck up on me! Carson's last day of pre-school is tomorrow, so this is what I made today!

I took some raw wooden crosses from Canton that I had on hand, and Modge Podged on some scrapbook paper, added a wooden letter that I painted, then painted the edges of the cross, and gave it that "antiqued" look by lightly brushing on some of the paint over the paper. Then, I brushed modge podge over the whole thing and Voila! I also added a wall hanger to the back. I hope they like it!

Women of Faith

2010-05-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

So, all of a sudden I realized that I have not posted about Women of Faith! Now, I know i have posted about it, but not about the fact that I have tickets at a group rate!!! And there are still tickets available! I would love to invite any woman in the Dallas (or surrounding) areas! It is August 20th and 21st (Fri and Sat) at AA center in Dallas. Tickets are normally $99, I have them for $89! This includes all day Friday and Saturday, and box lunch for both days.

Please click below for to check out the line up for this years Imagine event in Dallas. And, if you would like to be a part of my group, click here, to sign up. Final payment is due June 1st to secure our seating. I have one group of tickets in the lower section, and one group in the higher section, so first come first served for the better seats!

We met at a bar-No! It was a restaurant!

2010-04-22T20:00:00.001-07:00

This is mine and Jason's argument over where we met! Today at Show Us Your Life at Kelly's Korner is how did you meet your spouse day. We met at Razoo's Cajun Restaurant-I was eating dinner in the restaurant with friends, and he was hanging at the bar with his friends! Long story short, I smoked way back then (I know so gross!) I kept going up to the bar area to have a cigarette, and I noticed him-I mean Hey-he is hot!

Ok, so I noticed that our waitress was hanging out over there alot, so I asked her the story on "the one on the left". The one on the right was her boyfriend, the middle one, a friend, and the one on the left was the friend's roomate. They all worked together. I told her he was very good looking. She ran off to immediately tell him! "Oh brother I thought-this can't turn out good" I had previously sworn off men-they seemed to all stink to me at this point in my life!

She comes back, and tells me that he wants to meet me, and will I please come ever there. After about 15 minutes of "No way!" I finally went over there on my way out. He seemed very nice, and asked me why I was leaving so early on a Friday night-I informed him that hairdressers have to work really early on Saturdays! He decided he might need a haircut that next day...Ha!

Well, we ended up dating for about 3 weeks, then he made me mad, and I didn't speak to him for a few months. Although, everywhere I went I would see him. I do mean everywhere! 4 months later, I saw him again (big surprise) and decided to be nice. He called me later that night, we talked for hours! And we have been together ever since! We were married 2 years later, and I will have to post pics later, cause I am tired!

PS We will be celebrating 8 years of marriage this year!

Raised To Walk!

2010-04-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

Last year, Dalton accepted Christ as his savior, and reconfirmed it several times throughout the year. We had decided at that point that we would not push baptism on him and that we would wait for him to bring it up. Well, once he did, he was on fire and super ready!

So this Sunday was the day for monthly baptisms at our church, so we talked and talked to him, and then a guy from our church talked to him, and then we talked and talked to him somemore. And he was definitely ready!

Our executive pastor and good friend Ben baptized him. I was really emotional ofcourse. I ended up crying all day yesterday at any and everything on TV or in print, it didn't matter. We are definitely proud parents that Dalton is maturing in everyway possible, and that this decision was made totally by him.

Enjoy the pics of our special day!

Tile Coasters

2010-04-16T03:20:00.001-07:00

Today at Kelly's Korner is Teacher Gifts
, so here is mine:

My new favorite gift to make is tile coasters! It is really so simple too. Here is what you will need:
*Ceramic tiles I use the 3x3 or 4x4 inch ones from Home Depot. You can use any type of tile, my favorite is the rough and tumbled look verses the shiny smooth ones.
*Stamp of your choice
*Stamping Ink
*Felt sticky dots-I found the best price at Hobby Lobby in the framing department
*Clear Arcylic Spray Sealer

Clean off your tile really good with an all purpose cleaner, and let dry. Then take a stamp with ink, (STAZ ON works really well)and stamp the tile. Let this dry then seal it with a clear acrylic spray sealer. Put felt sticky dots on the back, and Voila! You are done! I usually wrap them in sets of 4 with pretty ribbon or tulle. You can also do the same thing, with a bigger tile, and give just one and a small easel.

I couldn't find a picture of mine, and my cameras are broke :( so I "borrowed" this picture from somebody else, but mine look just like this with different stamps. I did verses, plus fleur de lis, and you could also do initial letters.

Huge Sale-Kingdom Creations

2010-04-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

I am having a clearance sale at Kingdom Creations! I will still be doing custom orders, but I am clearing out space in my house- LOL! So, hop on over to my other blog and see if anything appeals to you. Have a great day!

www.kingdomcreationsbyamber.blogspot.com

Face Lift

2010-04-08T06:16:00.001-07:00

Finally! I have wanted to get rid of the big ugly bushes in front of our house for over a year now. Jason finally caved (I mean agreed)! So, he starts yanking them out. He is so creative, he just wrapped a chain around the base of the bushes, hooked it up to his truck and VOILA! My hero! Our Easter pic above is the only one I could find that showed a before picture.

So with the help of some Home Depot gift cards! (YAY) We were able to make a whole new front of our house. I am so excited! Although, moving my rose bush meant that it had to be hacked to bits because it was growing out on one side and not the other due to the bushes behind it! Poor thing! But now, it can regrow big all around!

What do you think of our face lift?

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T18:30:00.001-07:00

We had a very busy Easter weekend this year! Friday night we decorated cupcakes and sugar cookies with our friends The Cormacks. This actually turned out to be more fun for Audrey and I than for the kiddos I think! Saturday Dalton had baseball practice, then our friends little girl Aubrey turned 3, and they had a super cute spring themed party complete with an egg hunt!

After that, we went straight to our churches Kid Fest 2010 which included a helicopter egg drop! It was awesome! Over 3,0000 people showed up! God was totally in the details for that one! There were several bounce houses and other cool stuff like a big truck with Wii's inside and couches to sit on! It was really hard to get the boys out of there! We had several friends meet us there, and had a great time with them too!

Later that night, we dyed eggs. This year we tried the camo egg kit, which was really kind of neat-just a little more tedious than the box made it look! Ofcourse, Carson picked that one over the crazy faces one! Although he is the king of crazy faces around here! ha ha

On Sunday, we had an awesome sermon at church, my family came with us and then we had a sandwich lunch at our house. After that, we had an egg hunt for the 3 boys. They absolutely love hunting as many as they can-Dalton wanted us to keep hiding them over and over! I think he is really into the hunt!

Anyway, we all had a great time and were able to spend it with family which I think is extremely important. But, please remember what this past weekend was really about, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who endured a horrific death so that we may experience eternal life with our heavenly father! How awesome is that?

Let the decorating begin!

Dalton and Elise
The helicopter dropping 15,000 egss!

The dyeing of the eggs

The only family picture we got!

Cousins!

I love this picture of all 3 boys tackling my Umpa for hugs!

Clean? What is that?

2010-03-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

It is Show Us Your Cleaning Tips day over at Kelly's Korner. I fear that I have been a slacker lately, but after today's post, and in my mind a challenge, I am going to try to get back on track.

Kelly posted what I think are the best basics, as far as 1. Make your bed everyday. 2. Load and run dishwasher at night, and unload in the morning. (These were all tips from my dear friend Susie several years ago when I was completely overwhelmed!)

And incase you haven't noticed, we have been blessed with 2 boys. Boys are stinky, and gross when it comes to bathroom etiquette. They have none! No matter how hard we try, threaten and take things away, they just can't be neat when it comes to pee-pee! But, I have come across these Fabulous wipes that work well for in between cleanings! They are AMAZING! As far as really cleaning the bathroom, Clorox, Clorox, Clorox-you are my friend! Tile floors can hold in the stench of urine if you don't bleach them from time to time (or once a week around here).

Another super awesome thing we have is a Pledge Fabric Sweeper-this thing is also AMAZING! We have 2 cats, and a dog, so there tends to be hair in a few places. This sucker takes care of that immediately without having to lug out the vacuum and waste tape or lint rollers! And, you can actually empty it when it is full, so you don't have to buy another one. Although I don't think they advertise it that way, but Ha-I am poor these days!!!

That is all I have for cleaning tips for now, if you know of anyway to not have to sweep the kitchen alot, please let me know!!! ;)

Play Ball!

2010-03-24T07:04:00.000-07:00

Well, baseball has begun! We have been practicing for a few weeks now, but last night was our first real game of spring season. Our team did really well, although we lost by two. That's ok, we played a really good team! Dalton's friend Austin from church is on that team, and his dad Ben (our executive pastor-who we are really good friends with,) is their coach. So I guess if we had to lose our first game, I would rather lose to them! It is funny, we didn't even know that we were playing them until we got there! The last two seasons, every time the boys were set to play each other, something happened and they never actually got to play each other. One time, the game was rained out, and another time Dalton was out of town. So this was fun for all of us, and as parents we got to cheer on each other's kiddos!

I think he looks adorable in all the catcher's gear! He seems to do really well there!

Austin and Dalton friendly rivals!

He's How Old????????

2010-03-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Seven! Yep 7!!!!! Where in the world has the time gone? I can't believe he turned 7 on Friday. He had been asking for a year to have a laser tag party, so we had an all boys Laser Quest/Pizza party! They had a blast! I however, was a little tired after hanging out with 10 very active boys! He was also very specific on wanting a cupcake cake, which I think is hilarious that he has always been one for detail! ha ha So, Bakugan cupcake cake we had!

The last picture is hilarious-the people at LQ do a little birthday thing, where they recognize Dalton, and have everyone sing to him. While we were singing, they had a leaf blower thing with toilet paper attached, and blew it all over him and the other boys. What did ten 7 & 8 year old boys think of that? AWESOME is pretty much all I heard! :)

We are so proud of Dalton, he never stops surprising us with his genuine heart, and his love for the Lord. All the while being a total boy! There is never a dull day around here, but I am grateful for the opportunity to be his mother!

Happy Birthday to my precious first born!

Catching Up

2010-03-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have been a blog slacker lately, so I am spending these last 2 days trying to get caught up. Make sure you scroll down and see the next few post to see what we have been up to.

Also thought I would catch you up on our most recent ER visit to Cook's downtown. If you might remember, Dalton had to visit there on Jan 1 due to burns from hot tea. Well, to follow in his big brother's footsteps, Carson visited there in Feb. One evening, Carson was running through the front hall (big surprise-ha ha) and fell, then slid right into the coffee table. He got a huge knot on his forehead, but all seemed to be ok. About and hour and a half later, after going to bed-he started throwing up everywhere! Jason was so good about taking care of that, since I had gone to bed early of exhaustion! We were concerned about a concussion, and after talking to Papa (an ER nurse), he informed us that only if he threw up 3 times or more should we be concerned.

So, after the 3rd time, called the Dr after hours # and they had us scheduled to go to Cooks downtown. He threw up several times on the way there, and ended up having diarrhea also! Turns out he just had a stomach bug! But they did a CT scan just to be safe-since he had thrown up 7 times-poor thing! So, he is 4, has been to the ER twice, and has already had X-Rays, and a CT scan! Oh Boy-this kid!!!

But we are thankful that all is well, and his brain looks to be functioning normal-well, as normal as it can for a 4-year old fearless boy!

Here are some pics of my poor sick baby!

New Dirt Track

2010-03-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

We went to ride dirtbikes at our normal place one day, and it was closed due to flooding after all the snow melted, and the rains. So, off we were in search of a new place. We found TMX in Roanoke. It was pretty neat, and the boys loved it. This was Carson's 2nd time to ride, and he did really well, but we also realized that he sometimes has problems following the rules and just does what he wants to. Not so good on a motorized vehicle! I guess we will be working on that!

Marble Falls

2010-03-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Jason and I took an adult weekend away to Marble Falls, TX. If you don't know where it is, it is in the middle of the hill country. It was absolutely beautiful, and we had a great time. Jason still had some LQ points from when he was traveling, so we got 2 free nights at the new La Quinta there. It was an awesome hotel-it seemed like some of the more expensive hotels, and every room had it's own private balcony over looking the Colorado River- but still regular LQ prices if any of you are planning to go there!

We did some wine tasting at the local wineries, and also some shopping! It was a much needed weekend away together without the kiddos!

Enjoy our pics!

Spring Break at the Lease

2010-03-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

Jason bought into a deer lease this past year, and we have enjoyed going there and having some fun family times together. It has a cabin/house on it and we are able to go their from time to time to hang out and stuff. It has been a lot of fun. We went with our friends The Cormacks for 4 days over Spring Break, and we all had a great time. With the exception of a little cabin fever when it was rainy and cold for a solid 24 hours, all was well.

Jason took the boys 4 wheeler out there, and all the kids took turns and had a blast. Their youngest had a battery powered little 4 wheeler, and had a great time right along with the big kids!

We even did a treasure hunt where we used a hand held GPS (thanks Michael)and had to follow to a set of coordinates and find the "treasure" In this case it was an old ammo box with candy and toys in it! The kids had a blast! It was alot of fun, and definitely something to interest them for a while!

We went fishing, and pretty much everybody but me caught something! Well, I did catch a nice sunburn! There are some funny pics of me doing laundry in a pot of boiling water on the stove too! Since it was really muddy after the day of rain, we kind of ran out of clothes (and socks) for the kiddos! So, what's a mom to do? Well, laundry in the kitchen ofcourse! It worked, and was pretty comical as well! Can you say Redneck?

Family Trip to the Zoo

2010-03-19T07:07:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, Dalton had early release day to start off spring break. We decided to take the boys to the zoo since it was such a beautiful day. We all had a great time, and Dalton even did the rock climbing wall! This is a big step for him, since he is usually afraid of things like that. He climbed all the way to the top, wasn't scared a bit, rang the bell and everything! He even pushed off and repelled down!

We really liked the new reptile and amphibian center, it is really big and has tons more than the old one that was tiny and stuffy! This one has temperature control and everything! And I am not a big fan of reptiles! But, I do have boys, so I guess I just have to get used to it!

Enjoy the pics of our fun family day!

The birds has always been our favorite thing there!

Muffins For Mom

2010-03-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

Carson's pre-school has a Muffins for Mom breakfast every year, and it is so sweet! They are all so cute, and we get to go to chapel with them and they sing songs for us. They have a Donuts with Dad in February, but I can't find those pics right now so I will post that later!

Carson's Super Awesome Teachers

I was so proud of my little man, when we went to the drink table he asked me what drink I wanted, and got it for me. He picked out a pink napkin and plate for me, and blue for him. He even pulled my chair out for me! I really felt special-he is so sweet!

Record Snowfall

2010-02-12T18:23:00.001-08:00

Ok, we really are having an Artic Blast in Texas!!! Yep-over 13 inches of snow in a 2 day period! It has been so much fun, the boys have been loving it! And even though mother nature through a ringer in our weekend getaway plans, we have had a great time hanging with family and friends!

Now, I made a couple of collages, because I didn't want you to get bored with a ton of pictures in a row. Jason made a ramp out of the snow he shoveled from our driveway, then took the wheels off of the boys skateboard, made a runway out of caution tape,..are you thinking what I was thinking? Not such a good idea right? Welll, no one got hurt and they all had a blast!

Today, we went to a big field with huge hills and had a ball sledding, falling, and 4 wheeling! And Jason played hide and seek (where's Wlado style) see if you can find him.

This is what I saw when I walked outside this morning!

Beauty tips and favorite products!

2010-02-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

This week at Kelly's Korner is beauty tips and favorite products.
Well, since I am a hairdresser, I have LOTS of favorite stuff. lol But my newest rave is the Brazilian Blowout you can check it out here. It is not a straighting product, but a smoothing system. It seriously helps to get rid of poofyness and frizz! And it leaves your hair feeling soft and silky, a totally new texture! It also cuts your blowdry time in half! Seriously!

Another new favorite of mine, is The Croc Iron. This is a super fabulous flat iron-sooo much better than the CHI (although I have been a loyal CHI follower since the beginning).

Pureology is also another hair fav! This stuff is amazing and sulfate free! It is also VERY concentrated, so you only have to use a little bit each time! It leaves your hair feeling so soft.

In the make-up product category, Bare Essentials Mineral Make-up is too die for, along with Bodyography mineral veil make-up primer!

Ok, those are my tips and fave products!

Fashion Accesories A Must

2010-01-29T12:11:00.001-08:00

Today's Show us Your Life tour fromKelly's Korner is Fashion Tips. Now, I really don't think of myself as someone to give fashion tips, so I will just share my favorite things:

I LOVE crosses and other inspirational jewelry that is super cute, and shows my faith at the same time! And since I am the only girl in a house full of boys, I love to be girlie and pair up some cute chunky jewelry with ANYTHING I wear! :)

Another fashion love of mine is sunglasses! These are just a few!

I also LOVE purses-of all kinds, colors, and sizes...but we won't go there today! (I have them in my closet in a bin, and in a whole 'nother box under my bed-shhh) lol And ofcourse there is shoes! Ahhh...the shoes! Many of my friends know that I have big feet, and for a long time it was hard to find shoes to fit, that were in my budget and cute! But now, it seems like I can find them anywhere! Uh--Oh! Needless to say, my shoe collection keeps getting a little bit bigger a little bit at a time! Well, at least I know that my feet are done growing! ;)

We are a Boy Family!

2010-01-27T16:29:00.000-08:00

These boys are so much boy it is sometimes overwhelming! Especially when you throw in their big kid all boy Daddy! And yes, they each have a dirt bike in our family now. Not me ofcourse-no way! I am not sure how it happened, but slowly and one sporty vehicle at a time it has happened! Now I am not against 4-wheelers, so if you know of anyone that just happens to want to pass one on, then let me know! Cause obviously from looking at all the gear they have, there is no money left for me. Ha ha! (*PS Do they come in pink?)

Anyway, we spent a very nice weather MLK day at Marshall Creek and the boys had a blast! It was Carson's first time on a dirt bike, and he did very well! He has absolutely no fear what-so-ever! (Ofcourse you would understand that if you know his father!) LOL And eventhough it had been a while for D, he picked it up again right away! Sometimes I am sad that there are no ballerinas or tiaras in our future, but watching these boys have such a good time it sure does make me feel good!

This should be the title of my blog!

Jason running behind Carson for all of about 5 minutes, and then he was gone!

One of many wrecks that day-Don't worry they were minor, and he was fine!

My Boys!

Thank You

2010-01-25T18:34:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to say thanks to all of you who prayed for us this weekend, God is Lord of all, and is in the details! Everything should be worked out by tomorrow! Sorry to be so vague, but it is just a long, complicated story! It was truly awesome this weekend though to hand it all over to God, and He totally encompassed us with pure joy that could only come from Him!

Can you say Pray?

2010-01-22T21:46:00.000-08:00

I have an unspoken prayer request, that I might not be able to share here, but please be in prayer for our family. We are all healthy, and nobody is hurt. But we definitely covet your prayers right now. God knows what's up! Thank you in advance my blogging friends!

Hot Beginning

2010-01-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

Well, it is a new year, and we start and end those with a bang around here! The boys stayed the night with Nani, Mimi, and Umpa so that we could have a few friends over for an adult New Year's Eve. I talked to my mom around 10:30 this morning, and the boys were doing great! Well, about an hour later, I got a phone call that Dalton and my mom had collided while coming around a corner, and my mom was holding a cup of freshly made hot tea! Yep, catastrophe! The tea spilled all over Dalton, and he was burned pretty badly! He was screaming in the background and obviously in pain!

It didn't take us very long to make the 25 minute drive over there, and on the way we texted several of our friends and started the prayer chain. When we picked up D, we went straight to Care Now in Lake Worth. The minute they saw him, they sent us to Cook's Children's Hospital in downtown Ft Worth. They did slather him with some cream that made it feel better for our trip though.

This is where the prayer part kicks in...when we arrived at Care Now, Dalton was red on his entire right side down to his belly button with severe burns on his upper right chest, and red down most of the right side of his back! By the time (15 min later) we got to Cook's, it was half that size!!! You couldn't even tell where the lower part had been red at all!!!! Praise God!!!

While at Cook's, the Tylenol I had given Dalton when we picked him up must have really kicked in, because he was all happy and fine! The only bad part was when they had to clean the burned part and get the dead skin off. He did soooo good! I however was ready to scoop him up and run out the door! I felt so bad for him! The good news, is that it was just 1st and 2nd degree burns, nothing worse!

When we got done there, we made a quick trip home, and then lunch at Mooyah Burgers, and a trip to Academy for some new shoes for D (his old ones were falling apart-and we think they got left at Nani's house).

Please continue to pray for quick and painless healing, oh and for my Mom too-I know she feels really bad-although it was nobody's fault and accidents do happen!

Ok, so let's break down day 1 of 2010:
Visit to Care Now $50
Visit to ER $100
Prescriptions $50
MooYah Burgers $20
New Shoes $37
Power of Prayer and holding my precious boy at home with me: PRICELESS!
Here's some pics from today-I just happened to have my camera handy! lol

December Catch-Up

2009-12-29T19:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, I posted I think 5 new posts tonight. So make sure you scroll ALL the way down to see them all! I think next year I am going to try to blog once a week (maybe)!

Mimi and Umpa's House

2009-12-29T19:27:00.001-08:00

Here are the pics I promised from Christmas Day:
You won't see any of my mom, because she was quarantined to the back half of the house because she caught some kind of stomach bug! I was very sad she didn't get to see the boys open her presents...but they sure did love them!

I just love this look of his, it's almost like he's saying "Look how cute I am!"

Giving Mimi some luvin!

Umpa helping with the Ipod shuffle headphones (probably for the 10th time!)

Dalton getting down with his Shuffle

Bakugans

More Bakugans

Smothering cousin Danielle

Christmas Eve/Christmas Morning

2009-12-29T19:03:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve we went to candle light service at The Exchange, oh and by the way it was a blizzard outside "Literally!". We had to turn around and get my car instead of Jason's truck, because we were sliding all over the place! We made it LATE! After service, we made chili at home, and opened some presents, then we finished our What God Wants For Christmas nativity set, watched some Christmas shows on TV, then off to bed! Which by the way they (Dalton) took FOREVER to fall asleep!

When they awoke on Christmas morning, they had a blast! After that, we went to my Mimi's house for Christmas celebration there. I will post pics from their house later. We spent most of the day there with family and friends. The kids got way to much stuff as usual, but we are very grateful for everything we have been given!

Opening some presents Christmas Eve

Santa's been here!!!

I absolutely love this picture!

Dalton with his bike

Carson with his bike

Trying for that "postcard" picture

How we really are!

4 Already???????

2009-12-29T18:13:00.000-08:00

Carson turned 4! I can't believe it! I mean he thinks he is 9 already, and acts like it too, but WOW!

We had by request of Carson, a Spiderman birthday party. (But with no Spiderman-if you know Carson, than you know he does not like people in costumes! LOL!) Our party consisted of Pin the Bad Guys, a silly string hunt for bad guys, and musical spidermans! The kids had a blast, and Carson got tons of presents!

Yummy Pizza!

Silly String was a hit!

No Peeking!

A skateboard!!!!!

Cupcakes Galore!

Medieval Times

2009-12-29T17:55:00.000-08:00

Papa (Jason's Dad) came to visit, and we treated him to a trip to Medieval Times. We had a blast! The boys truly thought it was the "coolest thing ever!" It was well worth the money, and we have a ton of memories from that night.

Visit with Santa

2009-12-29T17:22:00.000-08:00

To avoid last year's Santa incident,(click here if you don't know the story) we decided to go to Bass Pro Shops to Santa's Workshop this year. It was pretty cool there, and their Santa is FREE! We did however have to make it a 2 day process. We went on Sunday while Papa was here from Iowa, and the line was so long (and the power went out), that our 4:30 time slot was looking a bit more like 7 or so. We had got there at 1:30 pm! So, I kindly told the elf "We will be back tomorrow!"

So, on Monday afternoon, we waited a whole 30 minutes and got right in! Good Santa too! Enjoy the pics mainly of day 2!

My testimony

2009-11-30T11:23:00.000-08:00

Scroll down to bottom of page and pause music player before viewing video.

Who's Your One Person?

2009-11-01T19:12:00.001-08:00

Well, after finding out yesterday's news, today was still hard. Of course, I am sure it will be hard for awhile. You can see the post below if you need to catch up, just another crazy day in my life! lol

So today was a great sermon as usual, a pretty decent day at home, I even got a little nap in. (Thanks honey!) We had a night of prayer at The Exchange tonight, and while I had plans for an easy, quick dinner, that is not what happened! After a losing battle with a can of crescent rolls, and a change of plans to McDonald's, we were on our way.

Now tonight was soooo AMAZING, that it was immediately obvious why the 45 minutes before were so crazy! Satan did not want us there at all! Ha Ha to him!

One of the first things we were to pray about, was to ask God to show us one person or family that needs Jesus, and to pray for them and ask God how to show Christ's love to them. Who do you think God showed me? Hmmmmm....my dad! Yep! Can you believe it? Have you ever wanted to get up in the middle of church because you were really convicted of something? Well, I can tell you that I did tonight! (I mean wanted to, I didn't really leave! :) ) While we prayed about several other things, God really showed me that no matter what, no matter how he treated me, that he too needs Jesus, and that he too is a child of God. Uuugghhh, talk about a punch in the stomach!

Another thing they did tonight, was ask people that had a heavy burden that was maybe hindering them from truly worshiping to stand up. Well, guess who needed to stand?! Immediately as I stood, I felt God's presence all over me, all around me, even in my toes I think! Joel then asked to people to go to the people standing and cover them in prayer. WOW! To have several people hugging me, praying out loud to God on my behalf, it was AMAZING! And God showed me right then, that I am loved! I mean, I truly felt so much love, that I can't even begin to explain it! Thank you sooo much to my Exchange Family! I love y'all sooo much!

All of this being said, Who is your one person or family that you can begin praying for, and showing Christ's love too? Be ready when you ask God to show you that person, it may not be who you were expecting!

Wanted?

2009-10-31T19:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just need to cry. That was today for me. No, not cry, wail. I received some news today that made me very sad. My grandmother on my dad's side passed away about 2 weeks ago. Now although I had not seen her in a few years, I still send cards, and receive letters from time to time. So when finding out today, I was very sad.

Sad because my Nani had passed, and sad because I had to find out on my own. No one contacted me, I found it on the internet. For those of you that don't know, my dad and I do not have a relationship, he does not want me. I have been dealing with this for years. Last summer, I was finally able to move on. I know that my heavenly father wants me. I know that He loves me unconditionally, and would never leave me. I know that I am accepted by Him.

But today, it hurts again. Really, really bad. I want to curl up in a ball and stay there for a long time. I want to call him and shout "How could you not tell me?" "How can you not love someone that is a part of you?" "How could you break promises all my life?" While reading the obituary, something stood out..."She is survived by son....of weatherford, daughter ...of Austin....and she will be missed by 2 long time friends that she shared a birthday with." Notice anything (or anyone)missing? Apparently according to the weatherford newspaper, I do not exist.

This makes me wonder, has he completely erased me from his memory? Is that possible? And if so, how can he sleep at night? I don't know these answers, and as my friend Suzie put it, I probably won't know them this side of heaven. But I do know that I do exist, my Father created me and had a plan for me. And no deadbeat dad can take that away from me!(Thanks Tab)

I am so thankful for my wonderful, praying friends that got me through today! Thank you all sooo much!

New Venture=New Blog!

2009-10-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

I have a new blog up and running to display my new venture. Check it out here!

Today

2009-10-04T18:35:00.001-07:00

Today I will choose Christ.
Today I will choose joy.
Today I will choose to follow Him.
Today I will choose to call out for help.
Today I will choose to be obedient.
Today I will choose to breathe deeply.
Today I will choose to surrender. (To God)
Today I will choose to fight. (Evil)
Today I will choose to capture my thoughts.
Today I will choose to put God first.
Today I will choose to give my anger over to Him.
Today I will choose joy.

Tomorrow I will choose to start all over again! :)

What will you choose?

Help!

2009-09-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

I need to blog today, to just get things off my chest and to ask for your prayer. My oldest son Dalton is 6, and he is the most emotional child I think I have ever met. Being that he is a boy, makes it even more difficult for me and Jason to deal with. The smallest thing sets him off, and then takes about 20 minutes or more to calm him down.

One thing is that apparently he is a perfectionist. Really? He's a boy! Their handwriting is supposed to look like scribble-right? I am starting to think, that right now we are being attacked, and it is through our children. Jason has been training to be a Life House leader (that's what our church calls small groups-we have these instead of Sunday School classes). He has been in training since January, and his first official LH meets this coming Sunday night. We have both seen God's blessings over and around us these last several months.

Now, as we all know-where God works-Satan attacks. And I think that God is allowing this to happen to see if we choose to handle it through His strength. Sounds easy right? Not so much. Please pray that Jason and I will be able to use the strengths and fruits that God has equipped us with, instead of lashing out of our flesh.

This is my sweet, sweet boy: I know it is hard to believe that I have been talking about him right?
If you have any experience/ideas in how to handle this situation, please let me know! I am really beginning to believe that the phrase "It takes a village to raise a child" is totally true, and I can use all the village I can get! :)

First Grade!

2009-08-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it! My little boy is in 1st grade! He had a fabulous first day, and came home super excited! He couldn't stop talking...I have no idea where he gets that from! His teacher seems to be really sweet, and young! They all seem to be really young! He He! Maybe I am just getting older...Naaahhh

Check out my super cute boy on his first day of full day school!

Isn't he adorable!

Women of Faith

2009-08-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend I, along with 15,000 other women, attended Women of Faith. It was AMAZING! I have wanted to go for the past 3 years, but it was always sold out by the time I remembered to order tickets. Thank goodness for the economy this year, there were plenty of tickets remaining when I remembered to check it out this year! I was able to bring some friends with me (about 13 of them!) And my mom got to come too!

We had an absolute blast! We stayed at The Fairmont Hotel, my room had some AC issues, but all in all it was pretty good. We had already decided that we are reserving rooms early next year, at The W! Woo-Hoo!

Do you ever notice how God sometimes put things in your life that He wants you to hear? Over and over...and over.LOL Jennifer, Stefanie, and I attended a small women's retreat in July, and it was about dealing with heart issues. Mainly things that you have buried really deep, that you may not necessarily want to deal with again. Well, guess what one of the things they talked about at WOF was! Marliyn Meberg talked about how we put things in boxes...shame issues, parent issues, abandonement issues, whatever....Yeah, I got boxes!

There were so many awesome speakers there, and the worship was absolutely wonderful! Steven Curtis Chapman was the final act on Friday night-talk about UHH----MAZING! He had everybody in tears, but he and his family are a true example of praising God in their storm.

PS I have pre-ordered 50 tickets for next year! August 20th and 21st are next year's dates. Let me know ASAP if you would like to reserve tickets! First come, first serve. I have 38 left right now.
Below are some pics from our super fun weekend!

Steven Curtis Chapman

Erin &Sharon

Me & Ryndi

Felicia's B-Day at El Fenix!

Ofcourse, I had to wear the hat!

Jen, Lynda, and Kelly

me and Tabitha lounging!

Gulf Shores

2009-07-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

We went with our friends Suzie and Nathan and their girls to Gulf Shores, Alabama last week for our family summer trip. Needless to say, we had a blast! I am including the best pictures, but be warned...there are many!

The first 2 days there, it rained-not too bad the first day, but on Tues-it was a downpour! So, we drove to Pensacola and went to the Naval Air Museum there. It was really neat, and the boys had a blast! I also have a little bit more history knowledge now than before I left. LOL

We went on a dolphin cruise (which is really just a boat ride out to see some dolphins jump around). We loved it! Had tons of fun! We did this same ride 3 years ago, and it is absolutely worth every penny! Ofcourse, after we did the cruise, we could see dolphins jumping around in front of our spot on the beach! Both Jason and Suzie were making comments about how we could have saved $50! (They are a lot alike!) Whatever-we loved every bit of the experience!

I love how well the kids played together, I miss being able to say "go downstairs and play in the sand-we'll see you in a little bit"!

If you are wondering about the circling birds, this is what happens when you throw out goldfish crackers around a resting Amber on the beach! Hmmmm...Nathan thought he was funny!

And of course, we had to take the obligatory "Family Beach Pics"!

There's so much more, like the boys boogie boarding, and hermit crabs, but I will have to add those another time...this is way too many photos to expect anyone to look at in one sitting!

Our Special Place

2009-06-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

It is time for Friday Home Tour again from Kelly's Korner!
So here is our master bedroom:
Please ignore the paint job at the top, we are "eventually" getting crown molding. ;)

This is not only my favorite saying, but a literal rule!

See that empty corner by the window? It needs the perfect chair...I am still hunting...

This is my side of the bed, it usually has a big pile of magazines on the floor, but I cleaned them up just for you! I made the "Faith, Hope, & Love" sign, I think it goes well with the decor.

And since I was out of town last weekend, I am posting a couple of pics of our "new" playroom. We have recently put both boys in one room in bunk beds, and made a playroom out of the other room. It has actually worked out really well! There are still remnants of Carson's old tractor decor, but it is still a work in progress!

Father's Day and Camping Trip

2009-06-22T06:46:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day Weekend, we went camping with some friends to Lake Murray, Oklahoma. We had a blast! We drove to Turner Falls and hung out there for a little bit on Friday, and then back to our campsite at Lake Murray. There is an ATV area where we camped, that is totally massive! The boys had a blast just riding around our campsite area on their bikes. (Which we highly recommend to anyone going camping that you throw in your kids bikes!)

On Saturday, we rode 4 wheelers for a bit, and then drove down the rode to Sunset Beach. It had a great sandy area shallow enough for the kids to just play for ever without having to worry about drop-offs. After a couple of hours of fun in the sun, it was back to the campsite again, for more 4-wheelin' fun, and yummy dinner! My hubby grills a mean steak and sausage!

The evening was even better with s'mores and 20 questions around the campfire! Of course, the kids were in bed when we were playing 20 questions, because I get hundreds of questions when they are awake! LOL

Sunday we celebrated Dad's Day with a yummy breakfast, and then dirt biking and 4-wheeling mainly for the kids. And yes, there are pictures below where Jason took D through the mud and got stuck (or as Jason calls it not stuck but high-centered) (looks stuck to me) ;) Dalton did great on his dirtbike on the kid friendly trails, and apparently Carson rolled the little 4-wheeler and got back up ready to ride (2nd child)!

And to answer your question: Yes, we tent camped! And yes, it was hot, but, Jason brought a massive shop fan, and we actually needed a blanket while we slept! I love tent camping, after the first couple of hours of getting used to it again! :) We really need to go more often, so that we continue to "love it"!

Enjoy the pics! I have more to post later!

Fire Trucks and Water Guns

2009-06-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

Thursday when our power finally came back on, our fire alarm kept going off, sending the signal to the alarm company that our house was on fire. Jason and the alarm company got everything figured out, and it stopped! Tonight, (Saturday) while the kids and I were eating dinner and Jason was out putting up our new fence (Yay!), the fire alarm goes off again! This time, it is going off about every 30 seconds! While talking to the alarm company, who apparently can't do anything about it, we hear sirens turning onto our street! Seems like ADT forgot to cancel the fire department! So hear come 5 firemen into our non-burning house, which might I ad is very messy since I was at VBS all week!

They check everything out, and are headed on their merry way. They did allow me to get a photo op in though! Carson didn't want to be in the picture-surprise-surprise!

After talking to ADT again, and being informed that if a technician came out on a Saturday evening, it would cost $223, we unplugged power to alarm, battery back-up and all! They can come out on Monday for $25 (our normal fee under our warranty protection plan that we pay extra for!) Helllloooooo-our extra fee doesn't include Saturday's apparently! $223 for something that we didn't do, nor do we have any control over! Hmmmmmm...doesn't seem right does it?

So, while all this is going on, the boys are riding their bikes outside-'cause you sure can't stay in a house with a fire siren going off every 30 seconds! Two houses down from us, they are having a water party for their 11 year old's birthday. The boys get invited to come and join, and they had a blast! It was definitely old school hanging out going on, which I love! I love to see kids play with an innocence that this is all life is at the moment, no worries, nothing but fun!

Big Storm

2009-06-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night, super big storms came through our area in like an instant! I mean really fast! I noticed through our front window that it looked like it was about to storm, and by the time I walked to our back door (like all of 30 seconds), it was a massive difference! I opened the back door to huge winds ripping the screen door totally out of my hands! Jason and I were looking out the door and watching the updates on TV, when suddenly the sky looked really green, everything had calmed down a little bit, and then Wham! huge winds picked up everything in our backyard at once!

I, having lived through several tornadoes, told Jason to get Dalton in our closet, as I went to yank Carson right out of his peaceful sleep. Our closet is the center of our house. So, we make a pallet for the boys with pillows and blankets in the closet, and then let them have ice cream in there too! Yeah, I know they are going to want it to storm all the time! :)

After everything had blown by us, their power went out! Forever! I mean seriously-we had power through the whole storm, and then poof! So, after what seemed like forever to get the boys in bed, we attempted to go to bed ourselves. Somewhere between 1 and 2 am our power came back on, only to go off again somewhere between 5:30 and 6 am! So, I had to shower and get ready in the dark! Aaaaaggghhh! I had to go curly to VBS that day-good thing too-since the minute we pulled into the parking lot, the sky opened up a massive downpour! Which lasted a minimum of 6 hours!

We had a lot of damage at our house, but I know there were several who had it way worse than us. I am thankful for a husband who is extremely handy, and can save us tons of money by doing the labor himself. Although, sometimes I think he would like to be able to just sit back and watch someone else do the work! ;)

We now have instant access to our creek, and the eyesore apartments behind us!

We also have access to our neighbor's yard on the "Do Not Mow" side of our house! Fun times!

This picture does not show all the damage, but we have an entire section of shingles missing!

VBS

2009-06-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

I love Vacation Bible School! I mean I really do love it. I love being loud, excited, and energetic! (I know that's really hard to believe!) I love seeing the kids being sooo excited to learn about Jesus. I love the food, I mean seriously, at FBCC they really take care of their volunteers in the food department! So, I will be working out extra next week!

Since we now belong to a new church plant, that meets in an elementary school, they aren't having a VBS this year. So, I volunteered at our old church First Baptist Colleyville. I have been working in the second grade for the last 3 years, and I absolutely love it! It seems to me that 2nd graders are still at the point where they are just scared enough of you that they still listen enough to obey when needed. I had decided that this would be my last year at FBCC VBS, but my friend Suzie informed me that her daughter Lauren who I just adore, is very excited to be in 2nd grade VBS next year with me. So, one more year!

We had over 20 students in the 2nd grade make decisions for Christ! And that, is why I volunteer! I strongly encourage you to volunteer at your local church if you get the opportunity!

Here are a few pics, mainly of my kids, but hey-what else would you expect?
Dalton singing in the masses

Dalton and Jaden

Laura and Carson

Lynnleigh and her pigtails (she smiles later)

Carson and his prizes

Dalton and his prizes

All Smiles

Lynnleigh happy

Sweet Lauren

Dalton and Monster Croc (Pastor Craig)

Toothless

2009-06-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

So, about 4 weeks ago, Jason sends me a text at work, that Carson punched Dalton in the mouth, and now Dalton has a loose tooth. The very next morning the tooth right next to it was also loose! The second tooth however was not near as loose as the first tooth. Monday night as we are eating dinner, the "second" tooth just falls out! I mean literally, I happened to be looking at him as it happened. I think he and I both had the same surprised look on our faces!

He was sooo excited, I was however a little sad. This is just one more step in him getting bigger. So, we put it in his tooth pillow that I bought over 2 1/2 years ago. I couldn't help it, it was perfect! I also bought Carson the same style but in John Deere tractors, and he was only 9 months old when I bought his!

Enjoy the pics of my "big" boy, and of his tooth loot!

Potty Time

2009-06-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Check out Kelly's blog here for more bathrooms!

Yesterday's Home Tour was in the bathroom...
I am a little behind due to VBS, crazy weather, and many other things that I will post about later tonight!:)
Here is our main bath, better known as the boy's bathroom. We recently redid this bathroom at Christmas time, and I LOVE IT! My husband did the texture and tile, and I did the painting and decorating. Check out the cabinets, I painted the faux wood look myself, and I think they actually turned out really well! I don't have a picture of what it looked like before, but trust me when I say this is MUCH better! :)

The last picture is of the sand/plaster handprint my now 6 year old made when he was 3. Isn't it the cutest?

Home Tour-Office

2009-06-05T05:31:00.000-07:00

This is my first time to post from Kelly's Korner Home Tours! I hope you enjoy!

We recently moved our office from our 4th bedroom to our formal dining area in the front of our house. It has been great! Especially since we were able to turn our 4th bedroom into an actual guest bedroom!

Before:

After:

And this is what it looks like now:

This is apparently now on my to do list for today!
Oh! And I almost forgot...this is my own personal office/craft area:

You don't even want to know what it looks like right now! LOL

Kindergarten Graduation

2009-06-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

WAAAAAAAHHHHH! Dalton graduated from kindergarten today, and it was bitter sweet for me. I can't believe how much he is grown in one year! I mean, he can read and write, add and subtract...I am still in shock. Needless to say, I cried today-alot, as a matter of fact, I am probably going to go cry some more after I finish this post!

The kids were so cute at graduation, they sang some super cute songs, one to the tune of New York, New York (Picture "First Grade, First Grade") totally lost it to that one! :) We surprised the boys after, and took them to Incredible Pizza. Of course, we all had a blast there! I will post those pics later.

We also found a bunk bed from Craig's List that we have been looking for for awhile now...the boys are going to share a room, and then we are turning Carson's room into a playroom. Although, the way it is sounding right now, I am rethinking this pretty quickly!

Enjoy the pics from this morning...

Busy Month

2009-05-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

May is apparently an extremely busy month, I am pretty sure that it is busier than December. And it just seems to get busier every year. I guess now that Dalton is in school that is just how it is going to be!

Well, I played a little catch up again today-so below are several posts with pictures of our crazy busy last couple of weeks!

Par-Tay!

2009-05-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

Dalton's end of year Kindergarten party was a blast! They had a water day, which included water guns, a huge blow up slide, small pools, sprinklers, and the hit of the party for the boys, was the shaving cream! I couldn't stop laughing, they were so adorable! Carson got to join in all the fun too, so they had a great time!

Rangers Game

2009-05-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

I really, miss going to baseball games, we used to go all the time. But of course, life changes and some things have to get cut out. We went last week with several friends of ours from Life House, and had a blast! And I mean a true blast! And no, we were not drinking! It probably seemed like it to others around us, but that's just how we roll!!! Enjoy the pics!
Justin and Ryndi

Our crew!

Who knows?

Carson's First Dentist Visit

2009-05-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, so since we were losing our insurance benefits, we decided to hurry up and get the family into the dentist. We use Chip Mercer in Arlington. He is a friend of ours, and an amazingly awesome dentist! Our whole family loves him and his staff, so if you ever need a good dentist, he is worth the drive!

This was Carson's first time, and we weren't sure how he was going to do. He did great! Until...she squirted water in his mouth and used "Mr Thirsty" (the suction thingy). He didn't like that one bit! In fact, he sat right up, ripped off the bib thing, and got out of the chair and said "I all done"! LOL We talked him into trying again, but he would not put the bib back on, as you can see in the bottom pics! And, he only let her do Mr Thirsty one more time. We had to rinse his mouth by just letting him rinse and spit in the sink! D-R-A-M-A! Luckily, he didn't have any cavities or anything-'cause I sure can't see that child sitting still for any of that!

My Birthday

2009-05-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

My birthday was last Saturday, (Memorial weekend). The boys brought me cake and sang Happy Birthday at 7:15 am! I have to say, that I love the tradition we started last year, where we eat my cake for breakfast! Ice cream cake with a brownie bottom is really good at 7:30 in the morning! I love getting presents, especially from my family-cause they love to give them!

Jason had set up a massage for me that morning, Woo-Hoo! Later we stayed at La Quinta at North East Mall (Free room with LQ points). We went shopping, saw Star Trek, had dinner, went swimming, and just chilled out, all with no kids! Thanks Mom for keeping the boys! She is awesome with them, and has been a big blessing to us by helping with them!

Jason hates this pic, but I think it is a really good one of me! :)
All in all, it was a really good birthday! Except for the fact that I realized later this week, that all the pants I bought while shopping, were the ones that were my "no pile" from the dressing room. Talk about sad! But, I got that all taken care of on Friday!