Holding on for dear life!

Wow, it is 2012! Seriously! How did this happen? It was just 1991 and I was graduating from high school with the world at my fingertips. I had it all planned out, and I guess "big picture" I got pretty close, it is just those fine details that I had no idea about, much less how to live through them. I just finished reading "Choosing to See" by Mary Beth Chapman so I am feeling a little mushie-gushie. If you have not read it, it is a great read, very emotional, but excellently done. (Is excellently a word? If it is that would make a killer "Words With Friends" word!) Anyway, Steven and Mary Beth lost a daughter in a tragic accident that involved one of their sons hitting her with his car. A parents worst nightmare, except you can't even come up with something that horrible. Anyway, it was a very honest and open account of this lady and her family trying to pick up the pieces of their lives and live them through faith that God is in control and that ultimately, our time on earth pales in significance to what Heaven and eternity will be like. So of course, reading all of this has made me look at my own two and wonder, am I enjoying it enough? Do I find joy in picking up the socks that are all over the house, because I have a messy little boy leaving them there. One day he will be grown, and to be quite honest, Tim is a pretty tidy guy. Or do I find joy in the homework and projects they bring home? One day there will be no more projects and I won't have to call out spelling words over, and over and over! But that is just it, my kids are growing up... FAST! I just wish and hope that I have and will take the time to slow down and "smell the roses" as they say. I want to cherish every drive to soccer, every time I brush hair or put a braid on that beautiful young ladies head and LOVE it when she still lets me put a bow in! My babies are growing up, and I am so thankful to be their mom, with all the good, bad, fun, frustrating, neat, messy, hurried, laid-back moments I get with them! I thank God that he blessed me with them... even when I am ready to pinch their sweet little heads clean off! Motherhood.. nothing better!

Summer 2011

Wow, what a year! I am so thankful that God has led us through and we survived. So many changes over the last year and as far as I can tell they are all good. This summer is flying by and I am dreading school starting. The beginning of this school year marks the beginning of the end. This will be Claire's last year at Baker and I just can't believe that! It seems like yesterday (no kidding) that I was dropping her off in her Kindergarten class with Mrs. Cunningham. The thought of middle school totally scares me to death, but I am going to make myself enjoy this year and put the fears away until it is actually time for them. Brock I am confident will have a fantastic year. I can't believe it will be the 3rd grade, but he is excited. I know that this next year will be a great one, but I am sure it will be full of changes too. I am praying that God will lead us through all of them.











Also, this is Benjamin's Senior Year! This makes me so sad to know that he will be leaving for college, but we will for sure enjoy watching him play every game this year. Since he is going to be starting QB, I told him that I will be taking a Valium and an IPod to every game! I hate the thought of him being the one every defensive player on the field wants to tackle! I really enjoyed him being the one hitting that guy, but now the role is reversed... not cool!











This summer has had some fun times and we still have several more fun things planned. Over the 4th of July weekend Brock learned to ski which was exciting. Claire cheered for him and was so excited! Of course as always, she was happiest on the boat or on the tube! I am just thankful to have such a happy little girl!

Whoops, let time slip by!

Okay, so I am ashamed that I have forgotten to update the blog! Things have been busy, Brock played soccer and did really well. The kids are doing great in school, and doing and saying funny things all the time. Brock is obsessed with football and has made sure that Tim and I kept up with who was ranked what and why. I thought that it was going to be contained to college, but nope we are into NFL also! I love that he is a sports kid! I don't know what I would do with a boy that wasn't! Claire loves to go be everyones cheerleader! She was so happy every Friday night and Sat going to B5 and G10's football games. She loves her cousins and is always their biggest fan! I am thankful that we live close and that she is able to go to their games. Halloween was very fun this year and Christmas was a total blast. I adore my kids and watching them grow up is the best blessing I could ever imagine. Here are a few pictures to cover the time...

First Day of School

Soccer was so much fun! Brock really learned a lot this season!

Brock's President's report on Thomas Jefferson

Brock's outfit for Charlotte & Wilber day

A good part of our fall was spent going to Friday night Football games. We love watching the boys play football!

Claire wearing her "G" tshirt

Claire was a "Queen Bee" for Halloween

Brock was Ronald Weasley from Harry Potter and was bound and determined that Tim and I were going to dress up for Halloween too. So I spent HOURS AND HOURS hand sewing Woody and Jessie (Toy Story) costumes. Brock loved it! I can't believe I actually got it done and they didn't fall apart during the night!

How cool to have big cousins come to join you for your Christmas party at school!

I got to enjoy both parties as well!

Christmas morning hugs!

Tim reading the Bible to them on Christmas morning

Christmas Picture 2010

Family Picture of 2010

Well that catches everything up.... now 2011!

More Summer Fun

One of my favorite things in the world is being at the lake during the summer. It is just a perfect escape from the realities of life for me. So I take every opportunity I can to get up to the lakehouse. This past weekend the kids and I got to be up there with Heidi, Sheila and her 3. It was so much fun and we all just laughed and had a blast. I can't believe how fast they are growing up, but man they are cool kids! Here are a few pictures from the madness... (oh, and I am still sore!)

My First time on the Wakeboard

Before I took a knee to my head (love the tongue)

Summer is almost over!

I can't believe how fast this summer has gone. It always hits me this time of the year that things are gearing toward school and I hate it every year. I think that as much as these two monkeys drive me nuts it is easier to have them around than not. I always miss them so much while they are at school. Plus, I am just a summer person. I love spending the days at the pool, or the weekends at the lake. Just more my style than being holed up in the house avoiding the cold.

We haven't really done much this summer other than the pool and lake, but this past weekend the kids and I did take off to Dallas for a quick trip to pick up our new Suburban. I had been looking since May for what I wanted and found it in Dallas. It was a quick trip and in hind sight I should have left the kids here, but for some reason I thought they would have fun. Brock was particularly vocal ab the trip (Suprise). He had some funny stuff to say.. I told them that we were almost to the dealership and he said "Well Hallelujah, would you like to tell me exactly why we had to go to Dallas to get a car when there are perfectly good cars to buy in Little Rock?" I tried to explain that I had found a much better deal in Dallas than I had in Little Rock but he wasn't buying it. He said "Well let me tell you something, the next time you start out on one of your little car adventures, count me out, I am OFF THE TEAM! I am statying HOME!" I laughed so hard at him, but he was really serious! Then we were about to Arkadelphia on the way home and he said "How many more hours do we have?" I told him one that we were getting close and he said "MOM, I got two words for ya... LOSING IT!!!!!!" He told Tim when we got home that he was only interested in me going to Dallas to buy Christmas presents from now on....

I will post more on the summer later, that was just the lastest and funniest part so far.

Gran turns 90!

I have been so fortunate in my life that my mom's parents have been a constant in my life. We have always lived in the same town and for the most part, always gone to the same church. They are precious people that have been such a huge part of my life. This weekend we had a party for Gran's 90th birthday. Actually we had 2 parties, one Friday night and the other was Saturday afternoon. Friday night we met at Franke's for supper and then Saturday was the big party. We enjoyed getting to celebrate her and her 90th birthday. It was quite an occassion because only 12 of the grandchildren, grandchildren's spouses or great grandchildren were not there. Out of a group of 90ish that is pretty amazing. Here are some of the pictures to remember such a fantastic event.

Gran

These are Grans' Siblings and then Sister-In-Law

These 2 Monkeys are so funny together!

Mom & her sisters