Monday Miracles

three kids.  one coloring book.  one box of crayons.  no fighting.  miracle

Happy Anniversary

Happy 12th Anniversary 

Tanya & Charles!!!

Wishing you many more!!

The girls do their own hair now! :)

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Daddy let me drive...

(The girls had their turn at driving too.. but the pics didn't turn out) :(

Shoot Me! 10 of 52

Why are we so happy?

Mostly because Daddy just finished his second album!!!!  We are so proud of him!

But we're also happy because it's cooling off down here.  Upper 80's - low 90's.

We're happy because it's almost September... which means... a trip back home, birthdays, and some very special days.

Wordless Wednesday

Here's Johnny!

A rare, very rare moment....

J-U-M-P

The other week when the heat index soared to 110* for a day week... we jumped right into our day... err... pool!

6 kids, 1 pool... 1 fun playdate

Flashback Friday/Shoot Me 9 of 52

A long, long time ago... like the Summer of 1997, I had my senior pictures done... It was thirteen years ago this summer that they were taken.  Yet I can remember that day as if it was just yesterday.  That summer, to be more specific.

I had a long post wrote up about then and now, but decided against posting it.

While my teenage years played a part in who I am today, I'm thankful to be right where I am, even if that young girl in the pictures is just a slight resemblence of the lady woman gal I am today. 

Happily married, stay at home mom, 4 kids...

When I was growing up, I dreamed about these days... being married, having children... and now I'm living the dream.

**Thanks to Neisha for kindly reminding me about my Shoot Me! post... which I hadn't forgetton about, I, err, just didn't have a picture for.. a current pic that is. :)

Lost in the shuffle

(this post got lost in the shuffle..it was suppose to post right after this one)

The other afternoon/evening we got together at a nearby park.  Alot of the local people and friends have gotten word about Benjamin working his magic music in TN.  What was intended to be just a small group at home, turned into a large potluck at the baseball field.  It was a good time. We got to listen to great music, eat lots of good food.  Saw people we rarely see, even met some new friends (well, new to me, since I didn't grow up in this lil town).  The kids had a blast.. running around, dancing, playing...

The fun ended late.. but there's a few smiles left in these red-cheeked, mostly wore out, tired kids!

Harleigh, James, Jacob, Katie, Larissa, Benji, John, Emily, Katie G, Carolyn, Meri, Wyatt and Mariah

Shoot Me! 8 of 52

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County fair was the other weekend.  That means rodeos, truck pulls, livestock barns, cotton candy, popcorn, deep-fried cheese curds, blue-raspberry slushies...and RIDES! 

These three girls are some good friends of the family.  They wanted to go on The Hurricane... but needed a responsible adult (according to the sign) so I was nominated and glady obliged.  I'm not sure who screamed more.. me or the girls.  But it sure was fun!

Big Brother. Little Brother

There was a time when I went crazy for the big cowboys. Still do.  The hat, the boots, those shirts.. alright, lets just be honest.. it's all about those snug fittin' Wranglers!  

But, oh my sweet goodness.  No one warned me about little cowboys!  They take my breath away, make my heart a skip beat, put a smile on my face.. just like the big one I'm married too.

Chicken Catch

Maybe this is just a thing at our county fair... but it's hilarious. 

This year our kids joined in the fun!  All kids (10 and younger) can go down to the arena.  They make a big circle, turn around (then the rodeo clown tells them to lay down on their backs, roll over, do a push up, and stand back up). 

Then they let maybe 10-15 chickens loose.  Then oodles of kids make a mad dash trying to catch them.  It's H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S to watch.  Benji, Carolyn, Jacob, Emily, Larissa, Harleigh, Mariah and Katie G all took part. 

You can see Larissa and Katie in the start of the video.. and glimpses of rest...

We got some Culver's coupons out of the deal.... :)

County Fair - Rodeo

Benji

He never took his eyes off the horses :)

I'm behind...

but I don't really care....

Because I'm enjoying the view!

Shoot Me! 7 of 52

These are from the other week, but nonetheless, new pictures to share.

Our nephew Jacob spent a few days with us.  I was out numbered.  3 boys to 1 girl.

I held my own quite well.  They may or may not have took it easy on me.  {ahem} After all, I was the one who feed them.. you don't bite the hand that feeds ya!  :)

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  It's wonderful having aunts/uncles, cousins, grandparents so close to us!