Wordless Wednesday

(I stole the idea from here..)

30

Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday dear..... me, Happy birthday to me!

(that wasn't awkard at all!)

Well, this is it.  Today I turn 30.  No more twently-anything.  I remember back to the days when I thought 30 was so, so, so old.  I obviously have changed my mind about that! :)  It honestly does not bother me to turn 30.  It's just another birthday.  Not to mention I've gotten alot accomplished in my 29 years.  I found a great man, been married for 8 years, and have 4 kids, I've grown up (hold your comments), add a few more things to the list of places I've been, things I've done.   What more could a girl ask for?!

 And besides... you're only as old as you act, right?!?  

And it's not so hard to hit 30 when your 2 sis-in-laws, 1 brother-in-law, best friend, and hubby have been blazing the 30 trail long before me :)

So this is what I have to say...

Bring on the 30....

(I may change my tune in a few days, weeks, months years) 

sweet dreams

The other night I put the kids to bed, then went to check my email.  I heard lil footsteps.  Then they stopped.  Out of the corner of my eye I could see him standing in his door way.  Quietly.  I pretended  I didn't see him, and went about my business.  Within a minute, he went from standing to sitting, to laying on the floor to this.  Fast asleep.

Boppa and Gma...

wishing you both a very happy anniversary...

(Boppa and Gma with 6 of their 10 grandkids.)

 Love,

Benjamin, Heather,

Benji, Carolyn, Katie and John

Monkey Uncle Pile

Can you spot the monkey uncle (whom I'll leave as anonymous) underneath the pile of kids?  :)

Shoot Me! 1 of 52

Shoot Me! It's time to stop hiding behind that camera of yours. Your family is missing you in the picture. So it's time to post a picture of YOU (yes, you) every Thursday with your child, your spouse, your friend, your dog, or even by yourself. Just get in the picture, you'll be glad you did! And just jump in now with 1 of 52, you can do it!   This is me us in real life.  What you see is what you get.  It's hot (100*), humid and sunny.  And the pool in the back ground.... we (meaning the kids and me) spend most of our time in it.  (Daddy joins us when he gets home)  Little swimming suits, T-shirts, towels, caps and water toys are a common sight on our deck yard.  So are water bottles.  There's no denying... it's SUMMERTIME... southern style!!! 

choo-choo

When it hits 100*

We hit the swimming pool

and the water bottles, shade and air conditioning! :)

growing garden

The hot (nearly 100*) and humid weather has really helped our corn (and other veggies) grow. 

Happy Father's Day!

Daddy:  The one who watches over, protects, provides for, loves us and so much more....

I've tried and tried to put into words how much the Daddy of our children means to me and our kids.  But no amount of words can adequately express my feelings or do justice to the praise he deserves.  To say he's the Best Dad... EVER.. (which he is) and our kids are the luckiest ones around to have him as their Daddy... (which they are) doesn't even come close to giving him the credit he deserves.

His first love is for his Heavenly Father and his Faith.  His 2nd love.. his kids/family.  And I honestly would not have it any other way.  I've always loved him from the very start, but it wasn't until the moment he became a Daddy that I realized what true love was really all about.  There are a few moments in my life so far that I am not likely to forget.  Four of them being the birth of our (4) children.  No camera could ever capture the emotion, the proudness, the love, the thankfulness on their Daddy's face.

'Safe in Daddy's Hand'

For all you've done for our family

For all you do for our family

For all you've given for our family

For all you've sacrificed for our family

For all you've shared with our family

For all you've added to our family

For all you will do for our family

For all you mean to this family....

Happy Father's Day  Daddy!

We love you SO much!

Benji, Carolyn, Kathryn and John

Happy Birthday Emily!

Happy 6th Birthday Emily!

We Love You!!!

U. Benjamin, A. Heather

Benji, Carolyn, Katie and John

From the lips of our babes...

So many, many times our kids say things that I don't want to forget.  But since I forget to write them down, I end up forgetting them.

Carolyn:  Mom, I wish you would have born 7 babies.  Because 4 kids is just too boring!

{Mom is thinking "4... boring...where is this lil girl during the day"}

Mom: Well sweetie, 4 is the magic number for us.  Maybe someday when you grow up, you can be a mommy to 7 kids.

Carolyn:  Oh yes!!  I want to born 100's of babies!!!

{Mom is thinking she'll change the # of babies, she wants to have, but who am I to stop my child from dreaming?) :)

I think it's cute and often hilarious when our kids get words mixed up.  They mean one thing, but say another word... for instance...

Instead of saying grown up or adult, Katie says humans.

Katie: "I can't do that, I'm not a human, I'm just a lil girl!"  {thats the excuse she uses when she does not want to do something}  or "I'm almost human, I'm big enough to do that!!"

Carolyn means to say raw, but instead says rotten.

So when I thaw meat, she informs everyone not to eat the meat yet... it's rotten.

Or when I make cookie dough... "Mom, can I have a bite, or is it rotten?"

Benji recently read a book about gorilla's.

He's wondering why I don't walk on all 4 and carry John like the Mama gorilla's and why I don't beat my chest.

I told him, I was a human, and God made us to walk on our feet and carry our babies in our arms (and instead of beating our chest, Mommy's pull their hair out! :)  j/k )

Close Cousins

We Our kids are very lucky.  All ten grandchildren, live in the same town.  Some are just a short walk through the woods, some are just a short drive across the hills.  Either way... cousins are close by.  Most know that because of my husband's work, we are spending some time in TN.  So when we come back home, it's like one giant 'Cousin-fest'.  Kids are here.  Kids are there.  Kids are everywhere.  The days are long full of laughter, energy and fun.  The nights are short and sweet.  But we enjoy every minute second of it while we can.  Because the time will come when we each have to go our seperate ways (for awhile).

kids...

Fortunately our kids love most fruits and veggies... even without chocolate on them :)

load of fun

Boppa + 4 wheeler + trailer + 9 grandkids= Fun

June 15, 2002

 8 years ago today, we became husband and wife....

And we're still madly in love.. 8 years and 4 kids later! :)

Fun in the Park

driving me crazy...

who's dirtier?

(You can barely see Benjamin's black hands in the top left corner of the pic.. just a tiny glimpse of a golden wedding ring...)  Anywhoo... Daddy was out working on the semi.  John was apprently helping. {ahem}  He came in got drug into the house, not once, but twice.  Covered in oil, grease, dirt, sand and who knows what else.  The 'first' time it was contained to his hands, mostly.  The 2nd time.. it was in his hair, on his face, hands, arms, shirt, pants, neck..pretty much everywhere.

Sweet Sisters

MOM! I'm stuck!

Mommy's lil helper

Reason #427- why we love summer

Summer time + playing hard all day= deep sleeper

And, yes, this is how he actually fell asleep.