My Bluebonnet baby

I just had to share these this morning. We took these pictures of Lauren when she was almost 6 months old. We had just moved to San Antonio for some training for 4 months before moving to OK. Anyways, it was bluebonnet time and if any of you have been to TX when they are blooming-it is so beautiful. We saw this little patch of bluebonnets and I said lets go put her in the flowers and take some pics. I have had these pictures hanging on her wall ever since, but the other day the frame fell down and broke. I took the pictures out and started really looking at them again. It brings back such sweet memories. The 4 months we were there were so wonderful. Greg's training schedule was sooooo great! He was home a ton! We lived in this little apartment with nasty carpet ate at our card table with plastic plates and utensils every night. I loved it! Seriously-it was nice just living simple. We lived right next to the park, so I took her out every morning to the park, swam in the afternoon and just played the rest of the time! Lauren was at such a precious stage of babyhood and it was so fun being a new Mom and treasuring every little new thing that she did. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this age! Thinking about these sweet memories helps to remind me to treasure each of the days I have with all my babies even now as it seems like I took these pictures just yesterday.

ICE CREAM!

Joshua got to have a special ice cream date with me on Tuesday, because on Monday he climbed to the top of the rope at gymnastics. I told the kids from the very beginning that if they climbed to the top of the rope (there are 2-1 smaller one-maybe 10 feet or so and the other one is scary high in the big gym) that I would get them an ice cream. I really didn't think of this as bribe-just a fun treat for accomplishing something they worked hard at. Maybe it is a bribe-I don't know-whatever...Joshua got ice cream! I was watching him throught the window and when he got to the top he just turned around with a HUGE Joshua smile and waved. As soon as he came out-the first thing out of his mouth was - I get ice cream now!! I don't think we have even talked about it for a year or so. FUNNY the things they actually remember!

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Joshua is such an explorer. Everyday he is outside searching for anything that moves. This last week I think he caught a couple crickets, a catepillar that he named "little Buddy" and some other bug. Well-we are always seeing lizards in the back yard on the wall and Joshua is always sad that he can't get close to them before they run off. Well-2 days ago I was inside the house and he opened the back door yelling "MOMMY! Come see what I caught"! Oh my-what was it going to be. It was a baby lizard! I seriously couldn't believe he caught it, because they move so fast! It was the cutest little thing and Joshua just had the biggest smile on his face. I know that right now my sister is probably totally annoyed with me for him catching it-I know LOOK DON'T TOUCH!! He wanted to keep it, but I told him that his Mommy was probably looking for him. I took a few pics and then we took it back to the wall where he found it and there was a HUGE lizard right there on the wall. It was so cool! We decided that we thought it was the Mama and so we place the lizard on a rock on top of the wall. Today Joshua told me that someday he would teach me how to catch lizards (just don't tell Auntie!).

Lunch and Memories

Sunday would have been my Grandma Otie's 100th birthday (she died in 1997). Anyways, my sister, mom, Lauren and I went to lunch and talked about Grandma Otie memories. It was a special afternoon and so much fun to share those memories with Lauren. She did a lot of giggling at some of the funny stories we told. I love the pic of my Mom and Lauren. I just think it is precious.

Hand Coupling Daddy

This is a typical scene when Daddy gets home from work. Within minutes G was on the floor with the kids. Joshua decided to take Daddy's socks and "hand couple" him. I am not quite sure what Brennan was doing, but he took this face scrubber thing I have and was putting it on him and kept whispering to Greg "You're almost done". It was pretty cute. This whole thing went on for probably an hour.

My little singer

Brennan finally LOVES to sing and sings us songs all the time. He doesn't like me to video him singing very much, so I was excited he was happy about doing this.

Fishing with Daddy

A couple weeks ago Greg took the boys fishing with some great friends of ours. They had a blast with Daddy and caught a bunch of trout! Mr. J told me that every time Brennan caught a fish he would just squeal! Joshua was thrilled too, because he found some crawdads (sp?). They enjoyed their time with Mr. J, firefighter Casey his sweet girls. Mr. J and Casey gut the fish for us ,we froze them and then grilled them the next week. They were great!

Counting My Blessings

The last week was kind of a rough one with hubby being gone and then the last few days I have had some serious sinus/asthma stuff going on. Well-yesterday my friends and family blessed me so much! The kids totally helped me out. Lauren made lunch for everybody, she vacuumed the family room and helped clean her bathroom. Joshua folded laundry and helped clean the downstairs bathroom. I started wheezing about lunch time and I couldn't find my breathing machine anywhere. I searched the house and was kind of starting to panic a little bit ( I had my inhaler, but I needed to to a breathing treatment) I started thinking I let someone borrow it, so I actually called a couple friends to see if I had let them use it for their kids or something. I finally called my sister and she said she was going to call my Mom (who is gone) and see where she bought it for me (back in college) and maybe we could go find another one. Well-it was at my Mom's house. It completely forgot that I had given it to my Mom in case Brennan needed it while Greg and I were on our cruise this year. Sooo-my sister said "Sooo-this is what is going to happen-I am going to Mom's and getting it for you and I am going to bring it over". I just started crying! I was feeling so bad and so upset that I couldn't find it and then my sister just blessed me so much! She had to load up her 2 kids and spend an hour out of her day (during nap time!) to do that for me. What a blessing. Last night about 7pm or so my brother in law called me to say his was out by my neighborhood and could stop and get me something from the store if I needed anything! I didn't need anything, but just the fact that he called was so thoughtful. Also-when I got home yesterday morning I found a box of flowers on the front door step from my precious wonderful friend Joni. I thought they were from Greg at first, but then I read the note and saw that they were from my friend just trying to pour out her blessings on me. I am truly blessed and so thankful.

Brothers

It seems these days it is difficult for Joshua and Brennan to be next to each other without arguing with each other, so I was excited when I was actually able to capture a moment of sweetness between the two of them! Lauren and Joshua went through this when Joshua was about Brennan's age, so I am hoping that this too will pass...or at least not be as frequent!

Little Man is in Kindergarten!

Friday Joshua started his homeschool enrichment program for Kindergarten and was so excited. It is just one day a week and is at a different school from Lauren's. Her school doesn't start the program until 1st grade. It is a little bit of a drive, but it is all day on Friday, so it isn't too bad. He had a great time and said P.E. and Music where his favorite things. It was crazy, because I was talking to the lady who runs the program and it turns out we were in band together in college! Joshua had a few friends from church in his class, so he was happy about that.

Lauren's 1st Day Back

Last Tuesday was Lauren's first day back to her home school program. I can't believe she is a 3rd grader now! That just seems so big kid! She was very excited to see her friends and her wonderful teacher! I can't say enough about how thankful we are for Mrs. B!

Cherish the Moments

Brennan is my strong willed one and is completely 100% boy. He is going going all the time and is very loud and over the top on everything! To be honest-some days are pretty difficult. Thankfully though he has a very sweet loving side-when he want to :). I know that God created him this way and I pray that He will use Brennan's strong willedness (is that even a word?) for His purpose someday...whether it is to stand up for the Truth or not give into peer pressure, but whatever it is-I am trying to see the positive in it while trying to train him up. Anyways, this last week Brennan became attached to this baby doll that we have had since Lauren was 2. A cousing gave it to Lauren before Joshua was born. Brennan has been taking the baby everywhere and has wanted to sleep with him. He said the baby's name is Joshua and he even was rocking it singing to it. It truly was precious and it is these sweet moments that I just love.

Brennan

Today Brennan was asking me where Daddy was. He has starting asking me at least 5 times a day when he is gone where he is. Then he started asking "where is Auntie, where is Tio, where is Dominic, Lauren, Joshua, where is the sun, where is the sky, where is God"? Then he said "Well-I just want God to knock on our door and come into our house". So precious.

Funny Joshua story

Yesterday was a struggle for Joshua. I took him in the bedroom and was having a discussion with him about making bad choices and asked him if it is fun to make bad decisions. He said "No-it isn't exhilarating". What? I have no idea where that came from. It was so funny.

Fishing in OK

One of the kids favorite things to do is go out on a boat. Gramma and Papa rented a boat for us to all go out on and go fishing. When we first got to the lake it was POURING rain! We hung out for awhile and the kids kept busy exploring until the rain let up. There was a little kitten that kept Lauren busy, but she had to wash her hands every 5 minutes since she is so allergic to them! The boys dug in the dirt and ran around. Finally it started to clear up, so the kids went fishing on the dock and then we were able to go out on the boat. It cleared up and ended up being a beautiful day. We all had a blast and enjoyed the water, fishing and just being with each other. Uncle Matthew had the day off so that was even better that he got to joing us. The kids loved fishing and my little princess Lauren had absolutely no fear of the nasty worms! They did all of their own bait and she even hooked the worms for me. I don't care about the minnows, but I cannot stand worms!

Annual Tea Party

It has become a tradition now that when Lauren goes to Oklahoma, she and Gramma have a beautiful tea party. Gramma L has made them so special. This year her friend Dana had it at her house and Gramma L had arranged for an author to come speak about her books. She writes a series called House Upon a Hill. Lauren has made a friend there and they had such a good time together. After the tea party we took the girls to see the American Girl movie.

I just thought this picture of the kids at the zoo was so funny. Landon looking up at Brennan thinking "exuse me, what are you doing"? The couple they are standing with were like surrogate grandparents to the kids when we lived in OK. They lived across the street and we try to visit them everytime we go back. The other picture is of the kids with "babysitter Michelle". She was their babysitter when we lived in OK and was always like part of the family. She is an amazing girl and I am so thankful that she is still in our lives. We met her for coffee at Starbucks one morning. I wish they would have had that when we lived there! They call her babysitter Michelle so she is not confused with Auntie M :).

More pics of Tulsa-Splash Pad

It has been such a busy month with traveling to Tulsa, then I went to see my friend Starr, I am getting ready for school again and Greg left for 2 weeks, so I am finally getting a chance to sit down. This was in OK as well. The kids had so much fun at this splash pad by Aunt Kari and Unlce Jeffy's house. Cousin Adrianne came out too and brought the kids ice cream! Brennan was a little hesitant at first to go in, but after awhile he got some courage and went in.