Just Kidding

My Ballerina Girl

2011-09-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

Laney started ballet this week and really enjoyed it. I think my little ballerina looks adorable in her leotard.

Sunday Picture

2011-08-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is a picture from Sunday.

Vacation Days Continued

2011-08-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

Afterward we went to Chad's favorite attraction, The Monster Truck ride. We had a crazy driver who made this lots of fun. I wish I had more pictures to post of this event.

On our last day in Wisconsin, we enjoyed the water park and went to the movies to see the Smurfs. I think I enjoyed this as much as the kids.

This is my last vacation post. After days 5 and 6 things went downhill for our trip. I ended up with food poisoning and am choosing not to remember the last two days of this vacation.

Vacation Days 5 and 6

2011-08-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

Day 5 of our vacation was spent at one of my favorite attractions, The Wisconsin Deer Park. We were able to feed the deer from our hands. The kids were able to hug and pet them. It was a wonderful experience for all of us.

Vacation Day 4

2011-08-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

On our first full day in Wisconsin, we visited the outlet mall. I was a little disappointed in the shopping. It could not compare to Dallas. The kids enjoyed the Disney Store but that was about the extent of our purchases.

We ate at a local restaurant called Sprecher's for lunch. It was great. They made gourmet sodas which were delicious. I had cherry cola and the kids had root beer. After lunch we headed back to the Great Wolf Lodge to play at the waterparks.

We ended the day with a round of miniature golf.

Vacation Day 3

2011-08-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

We made the 5 1/2 hour trip from Des Moines to the Wisconsin Dells. This seemed like one of the longest days of our trip. We basically drove across Iowa which is filled with red barns, cornfields, and silos. We stopped in Waterloo for lunch at Popeyes. I was so happy to see sweet tea.

We arrived in Wisconsin in time to eat dinner at Buffalo Phil's. This is the restaurant that delivers your food and drink by train. The kids loved it!. We also had a couple of hours to enjoy the waterpark at our hotel. Let's just say we all slept well that night.

Vacation Day 2--Adventureland

2011-08-18T06:42:00.000-07:00

We spent the second day of our vacation in Des Moines, Iowa at Adventureland. This was a really nice amusement/water park. Everything was really clean and we did not have to wait too long in line.

The kids favorite ride was the Frog.

Chad's least favorite ride was the Silly Silo. Apparently 30 is too old for spinning.

We ended the day with dinner at Uncle Buck's fishbowl grill located at the Bass Pro Shop. It was like eating in a large aquarium complete with a bowling alley. Sorry no pictures of this experience but we had a good time.

Vacation Day 1

2011-08-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

We have returned from our long awaited vacation to the Wisconsin Dells. We had a wonderful time and took advantage of the cooler weather. While Arkansas was sweltering at 115 degrees we were enjoying low 80s. Our first day we woke up early and drove to Kansas City for lunch. The kids loved eating at the T-REx Cafe and making a Build-a-dinosaur.

We also stopped at Cabelas and shopped. Chad thinks he likes this better than the Bass Pro Shop. The kids and I enjoyed looking at all of the "stuffed" animals and feeding the fish.

Afterward, we drove to Des Moines, IA where we played in the swimming pool before calling it a night. The kids were so excited and did so well considering we drove a total of 8 hours.

Family Tree

2011-07-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have found a new hobby to occupy the little spare time that I have after work and kids. I am working on our family tree through Ancestry. It is so much fun and I have found some interesting stories and people. Periodically, I will share some of this information on my blog.

Meet my 34th great grandfather, King Louis IV of France. He is related to me through my father's maternal side.
Louis IV (10 September 920 – 30 September 954), called d'Outremer or Transmarinus (both meaning "from overseas"), reigned as King of Western Francia from 936 to 954. He was a member of the Carolingian dynasty, the son of Charles III and Eadgifu of England, a daughter of King Edward the Elder.

He was only two years old when his father was deposed by the nobles, who set up Robert I in his place. When he was only three years old, Robert died and was replaced by Rudolph, duke of Burgundy. Rudolph's ally, a Carolingian himself, Count Herbert II of Vermandois, took Charles captive by treachery and the young Louis's mother took the boy "over the sea" to the safety of England, hence his nickname.
Charles died in 929, but Rudolph ruled on until 936, when Louis was summoned back to France unanimously by the nobles, especially Hugh the Great, who had probably organised his return to prevent Herbert II, or Rudolph's brother Hugh the Black, taking the throne. He was crowned king at Laon by Artald, archbishop of Rheims, on Sunday 19 June 936.
Louis IV fell from his horse and died 10 September 954, at Rheims, in the Marne, and is interred there at Saint Rémi Basilica

Summer Fun

2011-07-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend. It has been really hot so we took a trip to swim at Lake Fort Smith. While we were there, we got to see a family of deer. The kids love spending time there.

Playtime with Mackenzie

2011-07-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

Logan had his best friend/girl friend over to play last week. They had fun playing dress up and swinging. We had birthday cake ice cream for snack. I think that was mine and Mackenzie's mom's favorite part. I hope we can do it again soon.

Logan Helps

2011-07-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

Logan helps his dad put on the new license plate for his truck. He loves to help Chad with projects.

Sweetness...

2011-06-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

Huston's Party

2011-06-27T09:10:00.001-07:00

The kids had fun Saturday celebrating with their cousing Huston at McDonalds. He is now 4 years old. The highlight of the party was watching little Maylee 18 mths climb up the playset and decide she wasn't coming down. It took half of the party including Logan, Kristin, and Chad to finally get her back down :)

Last Day of Swimming Lessons

2011-06-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of my two swimmers. Both have learned so much in their swimming lessons. Laney went from depending on floaties to swimming the length of Mrs. Kelly's pool. Here are a few pictures from our last lesson. If you notice, Chad works really hard at the swim lessons.

We have Library Cards..

2011-06-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

Saturday my children became official library card holders. Since Logan has really enjoyed reading this year in kindergarten, we want to continue through the Summer. Both kids joined the summer reading program and checked out books. We are going to have lots of fun reading together this summer.

Rodeo

2011-06-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

We attended our very first Rodeo Friday night as a family. It was extremely hot but we were still able to have a good time. Logan's favorite was the bull riding and Laney liked the dandies. We look forward to going again next year.

Swimming Lessons

2011-06-02T10:35:00.001-07:00

We started swimming lessons over Memorial Day Weekend. The kids are loving it and learning so much. Logan is swimming across the pool by himself and Laney is swimming without her floaties. Both are improving from last year. Now if we could just put in our own pool...

End of Kindergarten

2011-05-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe Logan's Kindergarten year is winding down. They had their end of year program and awards ceremony this past Thursday. Logan was so proud of his reading trophy. He has learned so much this year and I know he is going to continue to grow and mature in the coming years. My baby is growing up. He asked yesterday if he could now be called a 1st grader.

Mother Daughter Bonding

2011-05-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Laney and I have found the perfect mother daughter bonding opportunity. We love to eat chicken minis and drink sweet tea at Chickfila. The men in our lives should take notice that the way to our heart is through Chickfila.

Riding out the Storms..

2011-05-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

This has been a tough storm season but I am grateful we have not had any damage. My thoughts and prayers go out to our neighbors to the north in Joplin. This is a picture of us taking cover at Mom's House. Even Cookie is under the pillow. Hoping for blue skies and sunshine ahead.

I hear you Loud and Clear..

2011-05-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

We have been concerned about Laney's hearing as she asks us to repeat things from time to time. They had a health fair a couple of weeks ago at her preschool where they tested her hearing. She failed it in her left ear so we made a follow up appointment with an audiologist. Her test was today. She did so well listening to the doctor and being still while they tested her ears. The good news is that her hearing is fine. We took her to lunch at Chickfila after her appointments. This is a picture of our happy daughter.

Decoration Weekend

2011-05-19T11:27:00.000-07:00

It was Decoration for Chad's family cemetary. After visiting the cemetary, we went to Pa Armer's for a belated Easter Egg hunt since ours was rained out. The kids had a great time hunting the 183 Easter eggs.

Little Lei Lei's 5K

2011-05-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

We participated in the Little Lei Lei's 5K over the weekend. This race was a benefit for our local children's emergency shelter. It was held in memory of Logan's sweet friend Leightyn. It was evident what an impact this little girl's life had on our community and church. We received over $30,000 toward our church's building fund in memorials for Leightyn. As of last Wednesday, our church is debt free. 22 people accepted Christ at Leightyn's funeral and her memory walk raised over $8000 for the local shelter. Here are some pictures of Chad and the kids from the race.

50 Point Chart

2011-05-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

Logan has been reading books all year and taking tests at school over each one. When he passes a test, he gets 0.5 points. Last week he made the 50 point chart which means he has read over 100 books this year. He is now reading the 1st grade books since he has read all of the Kindergarten level readers. I am so proud of him. He will receive a trophy at the end of the year program. He also got to pick a prize out of the School Treasure Box. Here he is with his prize.

We got ready early..

2011-05-05T06:33:00.001-07:00

This is definitely worth documenting. We were dressed in time to take a picture before school this morning.

School Carnival Fun

2011-05-02T14:02:00.000-07:00

Logan's school carnival was this past Friday. We had lots of fun playing games with Logan's school friends. It is hard to believe that Logan's kindergarten year is almost over. He has learned so much this year.

It is Raining

2011-05-02T14:00:00.001-07:00

and I feel like this...

Birthday Parties

2011-04-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

It must be Birthday season. We have had 4 birthday parties to attend in the last two weeks. Logan is loving it. The last party was for a sweet girl in his kindergarten class. Here is Logan with his friends at the skating rink.

Logan at Work

2011-04-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

Chad took Logan to the office with him last week for a couple of hours. Logan loved pretending to work like Daddy. Of course he could not work without his puppies in the chair with him. I hope he is able to find future employment that will allow him to bring his dog.

First Sleepover

2011-04-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

The kids had their first sleepover Saturday night. Their friend Mylea came over. The kids had a blast playing. We went to McDonalds for dinner and made Easter cookies. The kids slept on one big pallet in the living room. I thought it would be crazy trying to get all of us ready for church Sunday morning but we were actually ready to go early. I guess it helped that the kids woke up befor 7.

Everyone had fun!

Are we going about this all wrong...

2011-03-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

Chad had built a small dog pen for Shelby, our lab/hound. This would allow the kids to play in the yard without her jumping all over them. Logan had other ideas. He wanted to play in the pen while Shelby played in the yard.

A Happy Note

2011-03-21T13:36:00.001-07:00

Logan has been having trouble at school with his behavior. He loves to talk and has trouble keeping his mouth closed during class and lunch. I received the infamous call from his teacher stating she did not know what to do with him. He was disrupting class. Chad and I both met with her at conference and heard the same thing. We have had a come to Jesus meeting with Logan explaining he has to follow the rules at school. We no longer watch tv during the week and eat dinner together at the table every night. I hope we find the answer somewhere. After a stressful week, I was happy to see the note above in his backpack.

After the Storm and Time Change

2011-03-15T07:05:00.001-07:00

I woke up to this...

Logan's Birthday Party

2011-03-14T11:50:00.001-07:00

Logan had a great time at his birthday party. He was thrilled that several of his school and church friends were able to come celebrate with him. We had pizza and a bounce around with a Toy Story theme. Thanks to everyone who made his day special.

Papa John Dale

2011-03-11T09:24:00.000-08:00

This week Chad's dad was honored for his 35 years of service to Pepsi. We are very proud of him for his loyalty and service to Pepsi and his family. We love you Papa!

Laney's 4 Year Old Check Up

2011-03-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

Laney had her 4 year old check up last week. We were a little late since she has been sick and we had to reschedule. She is still at the top of the growth charts for her age. She is 40.5 inches tall and 44 lbs. She had to get 4 shots and barely cried. She is a tough little girl. I thought I would take this time to update on her latest skills.

Motor Skills: Hopping, Skipping, and dribbling the basketball. She wants to take gymnastics or dance so that will be our next adventure.

Academics: She just learned to write her name and is learning to recognize simple sight words. She can't wait to read like her brother.

Favorite Foods: Lucky Charms, Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches, Chick-n-minis, and mints

Favorite Drink: Sweet Tea or Milk

Not so crazy about: turtlenecks, Shelby (the new dog), or having the tangles combed out of her hair

A new Driver in the Family..

2011-03-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

Yes he already drives better than his mother. I am still terrified to drive go carts. I am glad he did not inherit my phobia.

My Self Portrait

2011-02-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

Logan drew a picture of me. I thought is was cute.

Happy Birthday Logan!

2011-02-23T14:07:00.000-08:00

My sweet boy turns 6 years old Friday. Six years ago at 7:59 p.m. he made me a mommy. I am so thankful for every day I have with him. In the last year he has grown and changed so much. I can really tell my little boy is growing up. He has already read 60 books this year. He can write sentences and do math problems. He loves his dogs and his sister.

Happy Birthday Logan!

Adopt a Shelter Pet

2011-02-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

I want to introduce you to our adopted sweetheart Shelby. She is a 6 month old lab/bloodhound mix. She was rescued from a "kill shelter" by a rescue group. They had her along with other dogs at Petco Saturday to be adopted. Once you looked in her sweet eyes, you couldn't say no. Now we are a 3 dog family and I must avoid Petco on future adoption days or we are going to end up with a zoo.

Valentine Surprise

2011-02-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

The kids were thrilled to receive Valentine cards from Granny and Papa with McDonald gift cards. Thanks Granny and Papa!

Our Snowman

2011-02-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

We had a hard time making our Snowman last week. He ended up being short and stocky. I had to get creative with his face so he has a candycane nose and ritz cracker eyes. The dogs really appreciated this detail.

What to do when you are snowed in...

2011-02-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

Go to the mall and play on the playground.

We are all stir crazy from all of the snow days so we went to the mall early Saturday to play on the playground. The kids loved it and pretty much had the playground to themselves.

Laney will be 4 on Sunday...Happy Birthday!

2011-01-12T14:39:00.000-08:00

My sweet little girl turns 4 Sunday. She is such a delight and blessing in our lives. We can't imagine life without our "Gracie Annie". We love you little princess!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T07:34:00.000-08:00

Santa Came...

2010-12-25T07:30:00.000-08:00

Santa visited us this year. We made sure to leave milk, cookies, and dog bones for Santa Paws. All were gone and Santa left Logan a special note. Before we went to bed Laney made sure that everyone whispered so that Santa wouldn't hear us. She knew he wouldn't stop if we were awake. We had a great Christmas and hope you did too.

Trick or Treat

2010-10-19T07:38:00.001-07:00

My handsome Buzz Lightyear and sweet Rapunzel.

Cookie

2010-10-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have blogged about our newest addition Cookie yet. We have had her since March and she is now 11 months old so I am a little behind. She is half Shih Tzu and half poodle. She is wonderful with the children and gets along with Sugar my almost 10 year old Cocker Spaniel. Enjoy the pictures.

Fall is Here

2010-09-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Fin and Feather. I love to visit local festivals and craft fairs. The weather has turned cooler and is starting to feel like Fall.

A Luau

2010-09-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

Chad's parents had us over for a surprise Luau. We had grilled chicken, shish k bobs and fruit. They even bought grass skirts for the occasion. We had a blast! I thought I would share some pictures.

When Mommy is Out of Town...

2010-09-16T13:51:00.000-07:00

This is what happens...

Strange Birds in KC

2010-09-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

The second day of our trip I was able to sleep until 10 a.m. I don't think I have slept that late since having Logan 5 years ago. We then went for lunch at Jay Walker's Sports Bar across from KU Med School campus. It was a fun place to eat with great burgers. Too bad no one in Kansas City serves sweet tea :(
Then I met this guy. Chad should be worried.

Kansas City Day 1

2010-09-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

Mom and I got the chance to go on a girls trip to Kansas City. We had a wonderful time. The first night we shopped The Plaza and ate at Jack Stack's Barbecue. As you can tell I loved the Cheesy Corn with Ham.

Logan's sentences

2010-09-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

I love that Logan is learning to write new words and sentences. He is on his way to reading. Check out his latest work. I love " I see a Mama."

A visit from Pa

2010-09-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

My dad likes to come visit the kids on Saturdays. They were going to go ride their bikes at an empty parking lot. This was not exactly what I had in mind.

Go Hogs

2010-09-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed watching the first Razorback game with friends this weekend. These are pics before the game.

Go Hogs!

Laney's New Dress

2010-09-01T08:11:00.000-07:00

Laney enjoys shopping almost as much as her mommy. Nothing makes her smile like a new dress. Thanks Granny for this adorable dress. As you can see, Laney loves it.

What Logan thinks about Kindergarten?

2010-08-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

Obviously, this is an old picture but it was too cute not to post. Sometimes I have to remind myself that he is a big 5 year old and not this adorable little toddler. After two weeks of school, Logan likes the following things about kindergarten:

1. New friends like Parker, Andrew, Quinn and Isabel
2. Playing new games and swinging on the playground.
3. Eating his lunch out of his spiderman lunchbox. (He is afraid he will accidentally throw away his ice pack so he brings everything including the half eaten sandwich home each day)
4. Wearing red, white, and blue on School Assembly Day
5. Only taking a short nap.
6. He loves his teacher.

I hope he continues to be this happy about school.

My Boys

2010-08-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Chad and Logan had fun "playing dress up" this week. Well, that is what I call it. Chad says he is getting ready for hunting season but he is just as thrilled to dress up in his camouflage as Logan is. I love this picture.

The Fair

2010-08-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to a local fair last night. They had a blast. They rode the kiddie coaster at least 10 times. Thank goodness it was armband night or we would have spent a fortune. It brought back memories for me of going to the fair as a child and teenager. Of course we had to visit the kids' favorite animal the pig. Thankfully, this fair had an entire section devoted to the pigs.

We had a great time and are looking forward to next year.

Remembering Leightyn

2010-08-20T07:50:00.001-07:00

It has been two weeks since we lost precious Leightyn. She was like one of my own children. She was Logan's best friend and they had great plan of going to kindergarten together and one day getting married. That all came to a crashing halt when she didn't wake up two weeks ago. It left us all with broken hearts. Her mother has shared their story here. Please remember them in prayer.

Logan's First Day of School

2010-08-19T07:43:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe how fast time has went by since Logan was born. Today he started Kindergarten. He was very brave and went into his class like a big boy. His main concern was that he would forget and throw away the ice pack that goes with his lunch box. I am hoping he will have a wonderful day today.

Singing at Church

2010-03-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

The preschool choir sang at church Sunday night. I thought they did a great job. I guess I am a little partial since two of them are mine. Thanks Missy for doing such a great job with our kids on Sunday nights.

Logan is 5

2010-02-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

Logan celebrated his 5th birthday yesterday. It seems like only yesterday he was born. He will start Kindergarten in the Fall. He is growing up so much. I am so proud of my sweet little boy.

Snow Days

2010-02-03T19:09:00.001-08:00

Laney is 3

2010-01-21T19:41:00.000-08:00

Laney had a great birthday. Thanks to everyone who celebrated with us and shared in her special day. We had an Ariel Party.

Hermie the Caterpillar

2009-12-30T08:30:00.000-08:00

Logan and Laney were in a program at their preschool before Christmas. I am just now getting a chance to post pictures. The program was centered around Hermie the Caterpillar. They sang songs about being special. It was really cute. We decided Logan is just like Chad and Laney is just like me when it comes to public performances. Laney stood on the stage and did not move. No smiling or singing just a statue. Logan on the other hand danced and sang his heart out. For some crazy reason they placed him close to one of the microphones. I could see the problems right away with this arrangement. About halfway through the program Logan starts inching closer to the microphone and begins to sing a solo. The teacher has to call him out during the show. Oh well, it was a great one to have on video.

Christmas Wrap Up

2009-12-30T08:12:00.001-08:00

I hope to post more pictures soon but wanted to give a quick update from Christmas. We had a wonderful time with our families. The kids had a great Christmas complete with 3 inches of snow on Christmas morning. They received a special visit from Santa in Texas. Logan thought he looked and sounded a lot like Papa Charles Hmmmm... They have a new playhouse that we hope to enjoy once the weather warms up and both kids have bikes now. We tried to instill the true meaning of Christmas in our children. At least Logan can tell you the 3 gifts the wisemen brought. We are looking forward to 2010. Laney will be 3 in a couple of weeks so I will post more updates soon.

Laney's a Big Girl Now

2009-12-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

We had promised Laney that she could get earrings once she quit having accidents at home. She would go all day at school without accidents but would come home and have them. Last month she finally turned the corner. Mom and I took her to get her ears pierced. She was a little nervous at first but did not cry at all. She is such a big girl. I can't believe how fast she is growing up. I attached the before and after pictures.

Thankful

2009-11-25T06:23:00.000-08:00

Our family has a lot to be thankful for this year. I could never list everything in one blog post but I wanted to list those dearest to my heart.

1. I am thankful that Jesus is my savior and that he watches over our family

2. I am thankful for our health. I read so many blogs of sick children and families suffering from terrible diseases. It reminds me of how blessed we are to be healthy and have healthy children.

3. I am thankful that we have wonderful grandparents that are still alive and healthy enough to enjoy our children and share holidays with us.

4. I am thankful for my parents and in-laws who support us and love us no matter what.

5. I am thankful that 4 years ago we saw a miracle with my brother and that through his surgery he was healed.

6. I am thankful for our church family, co-workers, and friends that encourage us and share the good and bad times with us.

7. I am thankful for our jobs. Both Chad and I have been at the same jobs for the last 6 1/2 years. We are truly blessed in this economy to both have our jobs.

8. I am thankful that we have have a roof over our heads, clothing, and food as I know there are many that do not have the basic needs for their family.

9. I am thankful for our freedom in this country and appreciate all of the men and women who fight to keep us free. Many of them will not be with their families this holiday season.

10. On a lighter note, I am thankful for Thanksgiving and the 2 days off from work. I look forward to spending this time with my family and enjoying some good food.

Logan's Fish

2009-11-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

Dad took Logan fishing a few weeks ago and he caught his first fish. Unfortunately, we didn't have a camera to record the big event. He went again this week and caught more fish. They were able to eat the fish they caught that night. Logan loves spending time with Pa in his camper.

I am going to miss this

2009-11-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

I do not want to forget any of the cute things the kids have been doing lately. I am not great at writing everything down so I am going to try to use my blog as a digital scrapbook. Laney loves playing with her baby dolls and stuffed animals. Her latest thing is putting them down for their nap. It is like an obstacle course in our house with babies covered up all over the floor in her room, hallway, and the living room. I took a picture this morning so I won't forget this sweet time in her life. She always reminds me to be quiet the babies are sleeping.

Farewell

2009-08-27T08:22:00.001-07:00

I can't pretend to be sad that Chad's motorcycle has sold but I know Chad will miss it. Maybe, one day when we are rich he can get another one. At this point I am happy to have the extra money.

At least Logan still has his motorcycle..

A day with Daddy at the Park

2009-08-16T19:23:00.001-07:00

The kids had a great time Friday afternoon playing with Daddy at the Park. Logan was a sword carrying cowboy. He has quite the imagination. I hope to get back to regular blogging soon. I have vacation pictures to post.

Our Anniversary

2009-07-31T10:28:00.000-07:00

Six years ago I was waiting for a mini tornado to pass through Fort Smith. We had spent a year planning the perfect outdoor garden wedding. It only took a little over an hour for a storm with tornado like winds to destroy it. This storm also knocked out the power to the hotel our out of town guests were staying in. The morning of the wedding revealed the destruction and the rain continued to pour. I was so stressed and upset. How could this happen on what should be the perfect day?

Then a couple of hours before the ceremony started, the rain stopped and left us with a beautiful sunset. The ceremony was moved indoors. It was a little crowded but we still were able to get married and celebrate at our reception.

I guess marriage is alot like that day. Sometimes your plans change and you have to improvise. You have storms in life but once they are over life is that much sweeter.

I am so glad we were married 6 years ago and have been blessed with our two wonderful children.

Happy Anniversary Chad!

A Busy Weekend

2009-07-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

We had a busy weekend. I has a much needed garage sale Saturday and am proud to say we can now see the walls of our garage. We also made enough money to pay for a mini-vacation. Saturday afternoon we celebrated Leightyn's 4th birthday with waterslides. We all had a great time. Laney even slid down the slide by herself. Sorry I do not have any pictures. Hopefully, Missy will post some to her blog.

We are starting VBS tonight. This is Logan's first year to attend. Chad and I are helping.

What makes me happy?

2009-06-24T10:53:00.001-07:00

I love for someone to surprise me with flowers especially when they come from my two favorite kids. Hydrangeas are my favorite flowers and now that the kids know that, they like to pick them from my mom's bush for me. Sorry Mom.

Happy Birthday Granny!

2009-06-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

I just want to wish my sweet Granny a Happy Birthday.

New Pictures of the Kids

2009-06-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

We had family pictures done a couple of weeks. Our photographer was awesome as it is quite a challenge to get a 2 and 4 year old to cooperate.

We are done with diapers...

2009-05-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

I was hesitant to say this since I didn't want to jinx myself but Laney has officialy worn panties for over a week now. I am happy to say that we are no longer changing diapers in our household. We have graduated to the visiting all public bathrooms phase. I can now tell you where all restrooms are located at the mall, walmart, and restaurants. I am so proud of my big girl!

Our Family Easter pic.

2009-05-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

I am only a month behind but wanted to post our family picture from Easter.

Update

2009-05-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

It has been quite busy around our house lately. I thought I would give a quick update and hopefully I will have pictures to post soon.

Logan has started t-ball. They will have their first game this Saturday. It should be interesting since he is on a team of 2-4 year olds. Chad is helping coach. At the last practice he was assigned the task of teaching them how to run the bases. At least Chad is getting great exercise out of this.

We also had revival at our church this past week. It went really well. We had a great attendance for all of the speakers. I am looking forward to next year's lineup.

We also will be taking family pictures next weekend so if anyone has some good ideas for poses, location, clothes, let me know. This will be our first family picture since Laney has been born.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

are you ready for children?

2009-04-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

I am so glad Magen sent me this email. I thought this was hilarious and yet true.

Enjoy :)

Are you considering having children? To determine whether you are truly prepared for the experience, we suggest you take this set of simple tests...
MESS TEST:

Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Now rub your hands in the wet flower bed and rub on the walls. Cover the stains with crayons. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.

TOY TEST:

Obtain a 55-gallon box of Legos. (If Legos are not available, you may substitute roofing tacks or broken bottles.) Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream (this could wake a child at night).

GROCERY STORE TEST:

Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop at the grocery store. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.

DRESSING TEST:

Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all arms stay inside.

FEEDING TEST:

Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a stout cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal (such as Fruit Loops or Cheerios) into the mouth of the jug while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.

NIGHT TEST:

Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8 to 12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 8:00 PM begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 PM. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 PM. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing these too until 4:00 AM. Set alarm for 5:00 AM. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for five years. Look cheerful.

PHYSICAL TEST (WOMEN)

Obtain a large beanbag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now remove 10% of the beans.

PHYSICAL TEST (MEN):

Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. G o home and read it quietly for the last time.

FINAL ASSIGNMENT:

Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training, and child’s table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run riot. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.

A morning in the life of a Mom...

2009-04-09T06:41:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share with you what a typical morning looks like for me. I am sure many of you can relate.
My alarm is set for 6:20 but I end up sleeping until 6:40. I drag myself out of bed and get ready. We wake up the kids, dress, and feed them by 7:25. I am feeling pretty good about this since we don't have to actually leave until 7:35 so I get the kids dressed in their jackets, load two boxes of juice boxes, 2 Easter baskets filled with eggs, and a package of wipes for the daycare. It is 7:30 by the time everyone is buckled in their carseats. Since I think I am running ahead of schedule, I decide to do something indulgent like stop at Chick fil a and get sweet tea with chicken minis. After all I didn't get breakfast before we left. As soon as I am given the food via the drive through, Laney starts asking for french fries as she assumes that is what is given at a drive thru window. I explain that it is not french fries but mama's breakfast. Now I am feeling guilty that I got something in front of them so I take out a chicken mini to share with them. That works well because Laney wants the chicken and Logan the roll. It is now 7:45. Half way to the daycare, Laney starts coughing and precedes to throw up her chicken. I arrive at the daycare at 8:00 with a child covered in throw up. Her extra clothes are in the daycare not in the car. I grab the extra wipes and start cleaning her and the car. I then have to parade through the daycare with a child covered in throw up trying to explain she is not sick she just gags herself periodically on her food. The other parents are thinking, "yeah, right." We somehow manage to get her, the wipes, the Easter basket and juice boxes into the classroom. I change her clothes. Of course now she is dressed like an orphan for her Easter party with a hairbow and shoes that do not match her outfit. It is now 8:10 and I still have to take Logan and his stuff to his class which is in another building. As we start walking up the hill, it begins to rain. I do not have an umbrella so we try to hurry with our arms full of stuff. We get to his room but he doesn't want to stay so 5 hugs and kisses later along with intervention from the teacher and I am out the door. I drive in the rain to work and arrive at 8:28. I am supposed to be here by 8:30 so all is well.

Keep in mind all of this is done while wearing heels...Life is good.

Yee-Haw!

2009-04-07T10:20:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time celebrating Logan's birthday. We were hoping to have his Cowboy party in the backyard but when the high was 50 with 25 mph winds out of the North, we decided to move it to our church. Logan was so thrilled to have his friends from school and church along with family to party with us. I have posted some pictures from the party. Laney's favorite part was the cupcake. Logan loved the pinata and looking for Gold (Chuck e Cheese tokens) in the haystack.

Thanks to everyone who made this a special day for Logan.

Guilt

2009-04-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

I am back with a deep meaningful post. I have been having a hard time lately with leaving my children while working full-time. My job has become more demanding this year with added pressure. I was able to take a few days off during Spring Break with the kids. It reminded me that my children are starved for my attention. They are at daycare/preschool from 8:00 to 4:00 Monday through Friday. Logan is already getting to the point that he does not want to go to school. Who could blame the kid? That is a long day when you are 4. I never had to deal with this when I was a child. Mom stayed home with us so I went to preschool 3 mornings a week. I got to stay home during the Summer and every school holiday. I want my children to have this opportunity. Unfortunately, I am trapped in a good job. I make a good salary and have good benefits for this area. It would be a financial struggle for us to make it on Chad's salary alone. I have begged and prayed for a part-time job but my company does not offer this option. It is all or nothing for them. Please keep me in your prayers. I am struggling and unhappy. This is the reason I do not want to go to church on Sunday and Wednesday nights anymore. I don't want to leave my children in the nursery again after being away from them all week. Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated...

A Bloggy Vacation

2009-03-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have been MIA lately. I am suffering from writer's block. I have a lot on my mind but can't seem to find anything to write about. I will get back into the groove hopefully soon. I have a lot going on at work and at home. I am working on Logan's birthday party which will be the first Sunday in April.

Check back soon :)

If you don't like the weather in Arkansas...

2009-03-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Stick around it will change. We started the week close to 80 and had sleet/freezing rain by Thursday. I am so ready for Summer. As a result of the crazy weather, I have two sick kids. Is anyone else tired of the weather?

Happy Birthday Chad!!

2009-03-04T09:14:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Logan!

2009-02-25T06:19:00.001-08:00

My life has changed..

2009-02-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

It is funny how life has a way of changing on you. Sometimes it changes dramatically but most of the time it is the little changes over time that move you along the way from point a to point b. That being said Valentine's Day used to be such an important holiday. In Junior High it meant a chance to attend the coveted church valentine banquets. In my hometown this was a major event. The churches decorated like it was prom. Girls went out and bought formal valentine dresses and the guys wore tuxes. In high school I would always hope I had a boyfriend for Valentine's Day. I swear the guys knew the holiday was coming because I almost never had one for Christmas or Valentine's. Valentine's Day was still important but in that depressing kind of way. Chad and I started dating in College and would celebrate Valentine's Day with a romantic dinner. He would bring me flowers, etc. It was always a special time to reflect on our growing love. FAST FORWARD 6 years or so....

Valentine's Day 2009--I find myself at Chick-fil-a for their candlelight Valentine's Dinner Family style. I have a four year old on one side of me with my husband and 2 year old sitting across from us in the booth. We are eating chicken nuggets and french fries while trying to keep the kids out of the candle. We get a slice of free cheesecake but our kids devour half of it. The kids get their balloons and hug an oversized cow as part of the celebration. Happy Valentine's Day they shout as we leave the restaurant. Wow, life has changed...need I say more.

A new cousin for Logan and Laney

2009-02-03T08:56:00.001-08:00

I was thrilled to receive a phone call from my sweet cousin Raven. She and Michael are expecting their first child in October. Our Texas family continues to grow and it is such a blessing to see all of the little ones playing together. So far we have had at least one baby born every year since 2005. Now we will have one for 2009.

You can follow Raven's blog here.

Our Outdoorsman

2009-02-02T08:58:00.000-08:00

Our local wildlife can let out a sigh of relief. It looks like they have nothing to fear with Logan. His latest trip to the nature center with Dad did not result in the killing or catching of any live animals. In fact Logan ate the three slices of bread that were intended for the ducks. He also ate the marshmallows that was supposed to be his trout bait. Yes, I do feed my child...he had already ate chicken nuggets and french fries. All was not lost. He got to participate in a class about snakes. The "snake teachers" as Logan call them let him touch a King snake. He thought it was great. He did look at me and say, "Seriously, mom we do not touch snakes unless the snake teacher is there." That is a relief. I was afraid he would now be searching out snakes to hold.

I didn't get any pictures from Saturday but I had to post one of my favorites of Logan.

Laney's Birthday Party

2009-01-23T10:51:00.000-08:00

Laney had a great time at her birthday party last Sunday. We had to change the date from Saturday because I ended up with a monster migraine. Anyway everything ended up going well. She had a poodle party with pizza and icecream. Enjoy the pictures!!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-21T12:39:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Laney!!

2009-01-16T09:57:00.000-08:00

Laney's Birth Story Part II

2009-01-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

I got to see Laney only for a second before they whisked her away to the nursery. I did hear the pediatrician give her an apgar score of a 6. I knew then that things were not great since Logan's apgar had been a 9. I kept asking if anything was wrong while they were completing my c-section. The nurses and Doctors assured me this was normal for a 36 weeker born by c-section. I stayed awake throughout the rest of the surgery and the hour long recovery that seemed to last forever. Finally, I was wheeled back to my room. I looked around for Laney but she wasn't there yet. Chad said she was still in the nursery. Little did I know at this point that he had already seen her and knew that things were not great. The NICU physician came in to visit with us. I was shocked to hear that she was in the NICU on oxygen. I couldn't see her at this time. I started crying and questioning everything I had done with this pregnancy. Could I have tried harder to delay my labor? Logan had been born at exactly 37 weeks without any problems. He had went straight to our room. Needless to say this was great motivation for me to get up after my c-section. I begged them to let me go see her in the NICU. I had to wait until the Spinal wore off so I could feel my legs. As soon as it did about 10-12 hours after surgery, I was up and making my way to the NICU. I looked like a 90 year old trying to shuffle down the hall but I got to see my baby. The image from yesterday was what I saw. She looked so small and helpless but I truly believe hearing her mother's voice helped her. I went in every time they would let me. Two days later she was breathing on her own. She was brought to my room on Thursday the 18th. These are pictures from those days in the NICU.

Laney's Birth Story Part 1

2009-01-13T12:12:00.001-08:00

I have never written Laney's birth story so in honor of her second birthday which will be Friday I am going to try to document it with my blog.

My pregnancy with Laney was much smoother than my first pregnancy at least in terms of how I felt. I seemed to have more energy and did not swell up like the Goodyear blimp. I was due February 9th but by January 15th (36 weeks) I had already gained 31 pounds and looked like I was ready to give birth. I had been experiencing periodic contractions for the last 2 weeks. My Doctor was monitoring me closely and expected I would not make it to my scheduled c-section on February 2nd. I had taken the 15th off for a couple of reasons. 1)It was cold and icy. 2) I was 9 months pregnant and wanted to spend one more quiet day with Logan. We did just that. In fact he even took a good nap that day which allowed me to rest as well. We had an uneventful night until after Logan went to bed. I started having a few strong contractions after 10 p.m. Chad was already asleep so I started timing them. By 2 a.m. they were lasting longer and coming every 3-5 minutes so I called Mom to come stay with Logan so we could go to the hospital. Keep in mind it is one of the coldest nights we have had so far and still a little icy. My mom falls in our driveway and hits her head. Luckily she doesn't break anything. We get to the hospital around 2:30 a.m.
They check me in and start monitoring my contractions. I am definitely in labor so they call my Doctor. My wonderful Doctor had given me a note to give Labor and Delivery so they would call him even if he was not the one on call. He was such a saint. He arrived around 4 a.m. and had them give me something to slow down the labor so he could prepare for the c-section. The moment the nurse put that medicine in my IV I went from alert to semi-crazy. I couldn't get the words to come out right and absolutely could not get out of bed. Mental note: I should never try recreational drugs. I somehow managed to call the office and leave a few incoherant messages with my supervisor that I was in labor and would not be coming in. I was the first c-section for the morning surgery crew. They prepped me and started the spinal. I was terrified the anesthesiologist was going to wait too long to give me the Spinal and I wouldn't be numb. I kept asking them to pinch me so I would know for sure it was working. Chad was in there with me in his scrub suit. I felt tugging and pressure but no pain. The anesthesia made me a little sick at first but she gave me some oxygen and I felt better. I remember listening for a little cry. At 8:33 a.m Laney Grace was born weighing 6lbs. 4 oz. and 18 inches long. Instead of a wailing baby, she sounded more like a baby kitten whimpering. To be Continued...

Super Dad!!!

2009-01-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to do this post for a while but was waiting for the perfect day. Well today is it. I don't mention Chad enough on my blog but I wanted to recognize what a great Dad he is to Logan and Laney. He has arranged his work schedule so that he can pick up the kids every day. He has taken them to Doctor's appointments and stayed home when they were sick. I am so thankful my children have the opportunity to spend so much time with their Dad. We have definitely adopted the 50/50 approach to parenting and they love it.

I know there are other great dads out there as well. It seems this new generation of fathers are much more involved than the fathers of the past. What do you guys think?