Nice and Simple...

My birthday was very nice. Casey and the boys got me a new camera, which I desperately needed. It was a wonderful surprise! The day started at 6:30 with Parker and Paxson running through the house pushing their dump trucks. I asked Casey if he thought many other families started their days out so energetically. Our house is very busy and loud from sun up to sun down. We baked July 4th cookies and shared them with neighbors. We had lunch at Chucky Cheese to celebrate my birthday. (LOL) It was a very nice and simple day! Birthdays change once you have children and they are the best when spent with family!

And it rains...

We started out today picking weeds from some of the flower beds in the front yard. I had some planting and transplanting to try and get done today. The boys helped by picking up the weeds and throwing them everywhere. They played in the driveway and road the gater. It began raining. Which doesn't happen often around here so we took advantage of the rain and enjoyed it! Paxson stayed inside and enjoyed his powered doughnuts. He went outside and started screaming every time the rain fell on him. Unpredictable Paxson!!!

Parker's Social Calendar

Today we went to Grayson's 4th birthday. Parker and Grayson have known one another since they were 7 months old. We have known her family for several years and feel privileged that we were all brought together. (Even though Grayson's mom went to OU.) haha

It is amazing how busy a social calendar/schedule for a 3yr.old can be. But we truly, truly love it. I feel completely blessed that Parker has so many wonderful and special friends. I can't believe that after next year most of them will be leaving School For Little People and moving onto Kindergarten.

Wow! I have to stop now or I will start sobbing....

Bring on the heat...

Texas summer weather is defiantly here. Thank goodness for SPF 70, fans, Popsicles, pools, sprinklers, and ice cold drinks. We wouldn't survive the summer without out these things. Parker and Paxson are true nature boys....they love being outside! It's hard to keep them inside. Yesterday we were swimming until 8:45 (Pasxon made it until 7:35 wahoo).

Then this morning Parker waited until 7:30 to ask if we could go swimming. We waited until 12:00. We swam and played outside for a while then we came in and made peanut butter & choc. rice crispy treats and rested a bit. (I'll share the recipe) yummy. Then we headed head back out! Thankfully, but with much caution Paxson has yet to get a sunburn. Bless his heart he is so fair skinned, but he actually does have a little tan . Yes, little blondie has tan lines. It is expected from Parker he tans so easily and always has. So as you may have guessed we are enjoying a wet summer.

Daddy getting Parker

Parker swimming across the pool!

YEAH!!

Paxson and the wind!

He tries so hard to keep up with Parker in the water.

So Gammer is the pool ready yet?

Summer full of play dates...

Parker and Jacob making a plan to throw the torpedo.

Parker and Jacob discussing the plug on the water gun.

Taking a break.........Having Snacks

Grandparents......to Great Grandparents

Casey and I have been talking a lot about our grandparents and fond memories we have from our childhood. I wanted to share just a few of the reasons we feel it's essential for our children to spend time and make memories with their great grandparents. We feel so lucky to have such fun, loving, and wonderful grandparents with lively souls!

Memories Casey has shared with me from time to time:
One of Casey's fond memories about spending time with his Grandad riding the tractor helping him on the farm then going and getting an orange (sometimes purple) pop and peanut butter crackers. He talks about Grandma and Granddad's juke box and listening to 8 tracks with them. He remembers running through their house with all the other grandchildren.

Dadaw and Casey would go to Gibbons every Saturday and get a new car and a pop. He talks about going to Mamaw and Dadaw's and playing the piano. He talks about looking through all Dadaws guns. He remembers going hunting with Pop. He also talks about Dadaw playing basketball with him when he was in junior high. He says that he and Dadaw usually won. But of all Casey's fond memories of Mamaw and Dadaw I believe that his fondest are camping with them. He speaks of camping at least once a week. Honestly he talks about how much he loved it and how desperately he wants to go again with our boys and Mamaw and Dadaw. The creek, fishing, the rocks, the camper...........



Things I remember...
I remember swimming in my blow up canoe at Papa's and Grandma Kay's. I remember once when my parents took a vacation and I stayed with Grandma Kay and Papa and she planned a very special themed week. Each day we celebrated. We made Hawaiian hula girls dresses (with glitter and crepe paper/tissue paper...still have the pictures), and we made special snacks & crafts. It was so much fun! I had my own little vacation. I also remember making Christmas snowflakes and decorations and hanging them from the ceiling. I recall the Easter Bunny coming to my school and sharing Easter treats. I remember singing...screaming the I want ice cream song in a restaurant with Papa and getting ice cream. I remember making sprite ice cream floats with Papa. We would add food coloring to make different colors. So so so much fun! And the memories go on.....these are just a few.


I remember pretty much doing WHATEVER I wanted at Grandma Carols' (now known as Gammer). Once she bought me a tape recorder and I sang, and sang and sang. I interviewed people and even hid and secretly recorded people. (I got my mom, and Grandma and Aunt Denise arguing about how to cook the turkey one Thanksgiving. She still has the tape.)
I remember when she took me on a trip to Memphis (one of our many many many trips together) and I ordered the 20 piece chicken nuggets at McDonald's. For my pre-teen years I remember a lot shopping. She bought me my first pair of Guess jeans. (With zippers on the side) Grandma Carol and I could shop for hours then we would go eat Chinese food. (She would let me order the two meals then I ate all the meat (Pepper beef, and Sweet n Sour Chicken) because I didn't like peppers or onions back then. I also remember when Grandma Great watched Aunt Denise fall through the ceiling at Gammers. "ohh ohh ohh Densie!!!"


I have rattled on enough, just couldn't help sharing a little.



Family is one of the greatest given by God! Thank you for creating me and bringing me into such an amazing family. Thanks for letting me marry into such a loving and caring family. My boys are very fortunate and I am grateful!!!

Love thy Father...

We started Father's Day off by making Daddy breakfast and giving him his gifts. Then we prepared for a trip to see Mamaw and Dadaw. It is always such a pleasure spending time with family. Casey and I often discuss how grateful we are that the boys get to spend time with so many of their great grandparents. Family is so important to us and we both have so many memories from growing up playing with our grandparents. It is imperative to us that the boys have the same opportunities to create memories.

After spending time visiting, eating, driving the golf cart, "wrecking the golf cart" (just kidding)and wrestling Dadaw we headed back home. By the way we found out Paxson loves choc. cherry Hersey kisses. Dadaw kept letting Paxson get chocolate cherry Hersey kisses. Casey even put them up at one point and Dadaw went and got them because Paxson kept signing and saying "more...more" and Dadaw can't resist any of his great grandchildren. :)

Once we got home and let the boys rest, Meme and Dandy came by and the boys gave Dandy his father's day gifts and we had a nice dinner. A Perfect Father's Day for everyone. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if I could have seen MY DAD!! He is busy working taking care of the family what dad's do and was out of town. I will get to see him in a few weeks. I have to pay a lot of respect and admiration to may DAD! I had to laugh when I heard about the dad that got a tattoo (I love the Jonahs bros.) for free tickets to their concert for his daughters. People were saying what an idiot. I agreed, but then thought a little, and I can envision my dad doing something like that for us. He has always loved us unconditionally and has always been committed to doing whatever it takes to see us happy. I love you dad!!!

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; Psalm 103:13

Pictures for Father's Day

Father's Day Pics

Here are a few of the pictures we had taken for Father's Day. It was a Bikers Rule theme, we thought Dandy would especially enjoy them. The resolution is low, sorry I wanted to be careful with that since they were taken professionally. (The actual pictures were so so good.) They were taken by Julie Gilmore at Creative Portraits. I highly recommend her for any photo needs. These turned out so cute. The day we went Parker was great as usual, but Paxson was crazy. He was in a mood and did not feel like getting his picture taken. He shared his feelings with great enthusiasm as he usually does. Can't help but smile