Saturday, June 27, 2009

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....

Friday, June 26, 2009

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?

Thursday, June 25, 2009

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

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

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!!!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

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

Saturday, June 20, 2009

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







Friday, June 19, 2009

Making Father's Day Gifts...

Father's Day 2008
Last year I started buying a canvas for the boys to paint for Daddy for Father's Day. He hangs them in his office and gets many comments about them. (LOL) The boys seem to enjoy it and it will be fun to watch their artistic abilities change over the years. I suppose by the time they turn 18 Casey will have around 36 canvases to try hang.













Father's Day 2009

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Tough Love

Tough Love can be hard and every parent experiences it. It may come as a shocker but Parker doesn't have to be reprimanded or punished very often. This may be surprising because anyone who knows Parker knows he constantly has 1000 questions & Million ideas so there are many opportunities for learning life lessons. He is full of dreams and thrives on new adventures. Well, today was one of the times that I did have to step up and share some tough love. It really wasn't that big of a deal, more principle. Parker walked into the kitchen and looked at me with such a charming smile and said "Mommy I love you!" I replied with a little uncertainty "I love you more!" Then he pointed to Paxson's room and said "Paxson did that." He did what Parker? "He untied all those things." What things Parker? "Those things on his bed." (The ties on the bumper pads) I looked at him and said Parker, Paxson didn't do that, he doesn't know how. Parker looked at me "You're right mommy, Paxson didn't do it, I did." Why Parker? We have talked about this before, plus you lied, who gets sad when you lie...blah.....blah...blah... you get the picture. Well, Parker sat in his room and watched Paxson and I play. He watched through his window while we played outside in the horrible heat (but I thought it would be a little more effective even if I had to pay the price, because the lives to play outside) for a bit and apologized and attempted to help me tie all the ties back and promised to "never ever again untie the ties!!!"


Now Paxson, he is a different story. I sense that his learning lessons may entail slightly more occasions for Tough Love. He constantly cracks us up, well I guess cracks me up, Casey doesn't find his strong sense of independence as funny as I do. Just as he so strongly showed us, the other day when he was upset about his push-up. :)

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Three P's of summer...

We started the morning with breakfast at the park. I knew it was going to be a hot day so we started out early! We stopped by Southerlands on the way home I needed some more potting soil and Parker and Paxson got orange Popsicles push-ups actually (remember those?)
They opened them in car (after being told to wait.. hmmm.) By the time we got home Paxson's had fallen out of the wrapper so he was screaming and throwing it around. I got him out of the car and tried to put the ice cream back into the push-up holder and it kept falling out. Paxson just kept screaming and throwing it. (His sweet little temper was showing! Thanks Allen's :) LOL..... Parker kept looking at him then looking at me with confusion. I explained that he was okay he was just really mad. Parker asked why he was so mad, he "could just get another Popsicle, he acts so silly mom".) Anyway we cleaned up and Paxson took a short rest! LOL Then we worked on Father's Day gifts, ate lunch, and rested. Next, we headed to the pool. Paxson so enjoys the water now. It is great. Parker is diving under to get his diving sticks and torpedo. He is so proud. After swimming we re-visited Popsicles outside on the back porch (the only place the eat them!)
P.S. Paxson's new favorite word..............MINE!!!!!!!!!!!! It is very evident that he fully understands the meaning of the word. He says it with such enthusiasm and pride and uses it so often!