Sweet Little Annessa!

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Reese and I got to babysit the sweetest little girl the other day! I am absolutely in love with her and when her mom asked me to watch her I was thrilled!
Reese was so wonderful with her and he was a BIG helper! He dressed-up as a pirate to make her laugh, played peek-a-boo, fed her (a ton of goldfish-I had to have her spit it out:) -oops, read books and played Spill the Beans! It was a busy hour and a half but so much fun! Also she sang Reese and I the Barney song and I got it on video---precious! It's a must see! Enjoy!

Abby's Pet Worm!

The other day we were doing some gardening and Abby found herself a pet worm! We had just read about a little girl that had a pet butterfly so Abby went to work on making a home for her worm! As you can see she got a tubberware bowl--now what I hadn't realized was that she put the "home" on the kitchen counter with the lid off. I must admit that I did tell her that the worm needed to breathe but NOT in my kitchen:) Well you can imagine what happened---we had a pet worm loose in the kitchen--yuck! After much drama mommy found it and now the worm must stay in the garage!
But doesn't she look so happy? Who knew? We got the kids a dog! A worm is alot less maintenance
and it only lives a few days---what were we thinking??? :)

Cute Couple!

Today Greg and I got this picture from one of our friends from the wedding we went to in Florida. I thought it was so cute---well accept it looks like Greg is sticking his hand in my armpit....awkard:) --but I guess you might not have noticed if I didn't point it out...well actually you probably would!!

Whole Wheat Honey Garlic Pizza Crust!

Hey guys-- I have never done this before, but this pizza dough is too good not to share!
My brilliant father invented it and he was gracious enough to pass it on to me! (and now I am passing it on to you--(Rebekah this is the dough I was telling you about;)
Well I sure hope you all like it! Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Honey Garlic Pizza Crust

1 Packet Yeast, dissolved in 2 TBL warm water @ about 105 - 110 degrees

3/4 cups warm water @ about 105 – 110 degrees

1/8 cup olive oil

1/8 cup honey

1/8 cup skim milk

1/4 TSP Salt

1 TSP Garlic Powder

1 Glove Garlic finely minced

1 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flower

Combine yeast, warm water, olive oil, honey, skim milk, salt, garlic powder and clove garlic in mixing bowl.

Add whole wheat flower and mix until dough is elastic (10 – 15 minutes maybe more) and is not sticking to bowl. Add a very little water if necessary. Place in greased bowl, cover with towel and let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours. You can place bowl in oven with a pan of very hot water below bowl. Dough will rise better this way. When double in size push down and roll into pizza crust. Poke top of crust wit fork in several places around crust. Let dough rest for 15 minutes before adding toppings.

Dough can bee frozen after making into crust.

Makes one crust.

Baseball Ready!

It's finally time for Baseball!

They told the boys to get baseball ready--this is Reese's version:)
**notice he is already covering his "area"--is that innate"??
(sorry I'm not meaning to be crude:)

Slugger!

Today was Reese's first T-ball practice and you would think we were taking him to Disney World or something! He was so excited that we practiced all day and He could barely fall asleep for his nap!
He was so adorable and I can't wait for the games to get started--opening day is April 5th--he's gonna be a trip to watch:)
Greg and I got talked into being "more involved" this year--Greg is now a coach and I am a dugout mom and Abby has also been named team "helper"---yeah! Believe it or not we are all really excited!
When the kids think back on their childhood I want them to remember that Mom and Dad were always there---Greg and I are both blessed with these memories from our own parents and it's so wonderful! Thank you guys for your presence in our lives it has made a world of difference! (think how crazy we might have turned out--scary:)

Monkeyin' Around!

I was cleaning up lunch today and Abby calls out for help---this is how I found her and Reese.....she can climb up but has a hard time getting down! (Reese says he was "helping" her--I guess he was planning on breaking her fall--sweet brother:)

He is Risen!

We had a wonderful weekend full of fun! We went to a big Eggstravaganza party put on at a local park by our church, colored easter eggs, ate lots of food and had some great family time!
Today for Easter lunch we went to Greg's parents house and there were 49 people there---it was so great! Every year Debbie and Jerry open their home to anyone that doesn't have a place to go for Easter dinner and this year we were able to round up a ton of people--17 kids! We had a wonderful time and the kids had another big egg hunt, decorated cookies and got lots of candy(yeah:P)!
I decided to put together a slide show to cover all the great pictures we got! I hope you all enjoy--I also wanted to explain the Easter Garden that you will see in the pictures. Growing up Greg's mom did this with her boys and it was a tradition I felt was a wonderful way to teach the kids about the resurrection story! So every year the kids and I plant some flowers in a pot and put a "tomb" in it and on Easter morning the kids get to go outside and see that the stone was rolled away. The kids love this tradition and they can't wait to wake-up and run outside and see if the stone has moved--and if we're lucky Mommy makes it outside before they get up and moves the stone--this morning I was "lucky" :)


We hope you all had a great Easter!

No Training Wheels for Me!

Look at that--pretty good picture huh?:)
Well a few days back Abby's cousin, Charlie, road his bike over to our house and he had NO training wheels---well it didn't take Abby long before she was taking off her wheels and giving it a try herself!
About 6 months ago she tried the whole "no wheels" bit but she wasn't too into it--so Charlie was a great motivator for her! Thanks Charlie!


*I wonder if we can get Charlie to come over and "motivate" her to clean her room....hmmm I might be onto something here....;)

Check Her OUT!

You go girl---steal that ball:) It's funny...we teach them to "not steal" and "to share" yet in sports you do the opposite---try explaining that to a "literal" kid like Abby:)

Yeah--she's the one in red dominating the field (look those girls are so scared they can't move)---I'm so proud ( I played a little soccer myself ya know....I think she got her abilities from me:) --sorry Greg!


Abby is playing soccer this Spring and she's a natural! I am not just saying that--she really is good....honestly Greg and I were kinda surprised (and I don't mean that to sound mean or anything:) She missed her first game because Greg and I got her signed up too late (oops) and so she hadn't even practiced or got her uniform and she scored 2 goals! (the only 2 goals of the game I might add:) Anyways she is loving the game and we are so thrilled! We can't wait for her next game and hey maybe they'll declare her team captain? --sounds right to me:)

Ragtime Cowboy Joe!

Here is a very funny video of Reese and Abby singing a song that they learned this weekend. It is pretty long but if you have the time watch the whole thing because Reese sings it twice and the second time is hilarious! --also you may not be able to understand every word but hopefully you'll catch one here and there:) Enjoy!

Weekend at Maw Maw and Poppa's

On Friday night Charlie and Landry came over for a sleepover--wow I bet that was super crazy!

Reese learning to rope--he loves the Rodeo!

While Reese was going to the bathroom Poppa started chasing the kids acting like a bull and
Reese wasn't gonna get caught even if he was on the pot--this is how Poppa found him...smart boy I'd hide too (but I would probably pull my pants up--for Jerry's sake:)


This weekend while Greg and I were in Florida the kids got to spend the weekend at Greg's parents' house. Debbie sent me a summary of the weekend's highlights and I thought she told it best so here it is:

Thought y'all might like to hear a few things that happened during the weekend.

Fri. AM Abby & Reese helped us with some yard work. Poppa said after we finished what we were doing we'd break for lunch. Abby disappeared & would have finished, but had to come ask me where the bread was. She'd gone in & started lunch. She made everyone a peanut butter & jelly sandwich & set the table. She told us, "There's a dessert fork!" She wasn't sure what was for dessert but she planned for it nicely!

Abby at the supper table: How about if instead of you doing the dishes I do the dishes? (She rinsed them & I put them in the dishwasher--& Charlie & Reese brought the dishes from the table.)

Landry dripped a little "Poppa Pop" (Flavor Ice Popsicle) on his pants so he shows up in the kitchen with his bag, opens it, gets out a fresh pair of pants, I help him put them on and he zips up the bag & takes it back to the bedroom without me saying anything about it. He kept things pretty clean for us!

Abby & Charlie are jumping the pond--on the wide side--from the island to the side by the lounge chairs. (Abby did fall all the way in when they tried it holding hands.)

Reese fell totally into the pond once.

We were going to read a Brer Rabbit story under the reading tree. Charlie: We need Poppa Pops. That's how we always do it when we read.

We watched a "Little Rascals." All the kids were sitting on the couch & we were sitting in our chair. Abby gets up & comes over & crawls up there with us. Then Charlie comes over & climbs on. Then Landry. Reese is oblivious to everything going on. Finally he looks up & sees everyone's gone so he comes over & climbs on top!

When we were tucking Reese & Landry in we were singing to them. Landry said he wanted a book. Dad said, "How about a song?" and started singing "Step by Step." Landry shook his head & said, "No." The whole time Dad was singing Landry just sat there & every few seconds just shook his head no a couple of shakes with a really serious face. After the song I told "Tad's Glad Sad Mad Glad Day." He was happy with that!

Abby & Charlie were the first up Sat. AM. They put the bacon in the pan, kneaded, rolled out & cut the biscuits & broke the eggs into a bowl. They all did a great job of putting it all away (at the table, that is!)

Yes, we had a little cow-tipping going on. (And yes, MawMaw was one of the cows.) But nobody is brave enough to face Poppa Bull. (See attached photo of Reese hiding behind the shower curtain. He was stripping down for a bath after he fell in the pond when Poppa Bull came through.)

They all 4 went to bed without anyone getting in trouble. They did a great job. Next morning when Reese & Landry got up I was giving them 3 M&Ms for going to sleep so well. Before I handed them to them, Reese said, "Landry & me talked." And Landry added, "We talked." They both lost one for talking but they gained one back for honesty! We never heard them!!

Lots of laughing & giggles & prayers of thanksgiving for getting to play with their cousins!

Wedding in Florida!

Sarah and John --the wedding was beautiful!

Me getting a picture with the best man!

Emily, me, Greg and Steve--some of our friends from DC

One happy couple!


This weekend Greg and I went to St. Petersburg, Florida for our friends Jon and Sarah's wedding! Greg and Jon got to be good friends while they worked together in DC and Jon asked Greg to be the best man. The wedding was right on Tampa Bay and the reception was in an art museum--which was super cool--when the wedding party took their pictures after the wedding the guests walked around the museum...brilliant (wish we would have thought of that:)
It was a super busy weekend for Greg and he is really tired. He was up late every night doing "best man" things with Jon and the other groomsmen, then during the day Saturday they went to play paintball. I, on the other hand, had a very relaxing weekend and laid out by the pool, napped and hung out with some of my DC friends that came to the wedding too!
It was a really great weekend and we had a wonderful time getting to know our friends families. Jon is British and Sarah is Italian which made for a very exciting mixture of people:) It was so hilarious talking with everyone---everyone had a different accent and way of thinking...it was such a blast!

Birthday Girl!

PF Changs---the first restaurant of the night:)
-oh by the way...our waiter guessed I was turning 25--I think he was lying to get a good tip-dirty dog:)

Cheesecake Factory--round 2

Taking a picture of ME happy with my new camera!

Crazy Greg and Reese eating yummy chicken!

Today was the day--I'm finally 30! I must say I have dreaded this day for quite awhile but really I feel fine...30's not so bad after all:)
Greg and the kids took me out to dinner and I picked PF Changs--yumo! I was so proud of the kids they really loved Chinese food--orange peel chicken was a hit!
After eating way too much we decided the Cheesecake Factory sounded good so off we went to get our favorite-Crazy Chris's Outrageous Chocolate Cake---WOW if you have never tried this you must---with a name like that you know it's amazing.....and it has coconut--fantatic:)
Well the evening was wonderful and I didn't think anything could make it more perfect.....
And then there was the gift.....
Now I wasn't expecting anything since Greg is taking me to Florida tomorrow for the weekend---YEAH~ but my wonderful husband thought he would out do himself---again:)
He got me a new camera----yippppeeeee!!!!!!
You don't even know how delighted....no ELATED I am----my camera (the one I take all these blog pictures with) is well dying! ~Not kinda dying--- but seriously on it's last leg and I was just making the best of it and Gregory knew I was really wanting one so of course being the most wonderful, loving, perfect husband he is---he got me a camera (and by the way he's not just the best husband because he got me a camera--but it did help a little:) j
Anywho~ my birthday was unforgettable and prefect and thank you to all of you who wished me a happy day---don't you just love birthday's??~~and I still love them even though I am getting older...amazing;) ...we'll see how I feel when I turn 40! hehe!

Happy "Early" Birthday to Me!

Wednesday is my birthday and since I will be 30 we are celebrating ALL week:) We had a birthday lunch with Greg's family yesterday and that was the beginning of the festivities:) (thanks guys lunch was wonderful! )
Tonight I come home from bible study and Greg had taken the kids shopping for my birthday and wow, they picked some really special things for me;) Greg decided to let me open now because Reese was gonna tell me anyway:) Now before I tell you what they got me I must explain something. They both are now old enough to earn their own money by doing chores and they have been saving money to buy me a gift. Well Greg lets them totally pick whatever they want and so that can be a bit creative when it's done by a 3 and 5 year old:)
So ok-- from Reese I got a hanging flower pot which is actually pretty nice cause we have all these hooks on the backyard porch with no pots on them:) Now Abby's gift is a bit more...well, funny---she got me onion plants. She told me she picked them for 2 reasons- first because I love onions (which is true) and second because they were a pretty purple color which is one of my favorite colors (so thoughtful) Greg was cracking up the whole time I was opening the gifts and when I was done opening and thanking the kiddos I asked the kids what they wanted to get Daddy for his birthday in 6 weeks---hehe...just you wait Greg. I'll let them be as creative as they want!
-I do want to add though that I love my gifts and am so proud of the kids and their hard work in raising their money...these really are some of the most special gifts I have gotten because I know they are purely from their sweet little hearts--I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world!

All Tucked In and Ready for the Show!

This is how Abby and Reese look every Friday for movie day--they are so funny about getting everything ready before we begin the show. Reese has to have his pillow, 3 blankets, his dog and popcorn and Abby must have 2 blankets, her dog named Star, and milk. I would say they are a bit crazy with how "particular" they are about things, but SADLY I am very aware of where they got that from--ME ...which I got it from my dad (thanks dad:)

Can you believe it?

Reese jumping off something really high--he didn't break anything---yet!

Yes this is a picture I took from MY backyard IN Texas! ....weird!

One happy little girl....eating snow!



Snow!????
What in the world????
Yesterday the kids and I were playing at the park and it was in the 60's and TODAY it snows--sounds perfectly normal right?
Well anyways no matter how "abnormal" it is the kids were SOOOO excited--this afternoon we got all our ski gear on and headed out to play! I must say Greg and I were thrilled to use our ski stuff again since you only get to use it once a year! (not much snow in these parts:)
Welp-they say it's supposed to snow all night so we'll see if we need to dig our car out in the morning....... actually the way things are going lately I wouldn't be surprised if it's in the 80's tomorrow by late afternoon! ( yeah maybe I can wear those shorts I wore on Monday!:) ..

" Mommy, he looks like a old man!" -Abby

Now I debated a bit about if I should post this and well as you can see I just couldn't help it!:)
Anyways today Reese was having a bit of a "problem" so he spent sometime on the potty and this is how Abby and I found him!
Man they start early don't they? :)

Party Time!

Birthday boy Jonathan and Reese

Abby and Jonathan's sister Natalie

Abby and Reese were so excited when our neighbor Jonathan invited them to his 9th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese! It was so sweet of him to think of them and for the past week they have been counting down the days!
The party was really fun and the kids each got 40 token-- now that's a ton of tokens for a 5 and 3 year old so mommy and daddy played a little too to help out:) (we really were trying to help--no really we were...we didn't enjoy it at all:)
I will say though I was so surprised at Abby's skee-ball skills! She was racking up those points and putting me to shame! It's really humbling when your kids start beating you at everything--speaking of that--Abby was playing basketball the other day and she says, "Mommy you're pretty bad at basketball let me show you how to do it!" Now I have never claimed to be good at basketball but I have a feeling she has been listening to her daddy. One time he had to watch me play intramural basketball in college and he says it was pretty painful and embarrassing:)
Well anyways we always have fun at Chuck E's and I recommend if your gonna have a party there have it on a weeknight--we didn't lose the kids once and that's amazing for us;)

Climbing Tree

Yesterday we went to this really cool park with a nature trail.
Our kids are "nature nuts" --they look all over for the perfect walking stick and are always looking for some tree to climb. Most of the time the tree is either too big or too difficult to climb but yesterday Abby found her favorite climbing tree ever! She was so excited and just had to get a picture of her and her tree---she says she's hugging it--too cute!

LIfe is So HARD!

So pathetic! You just wanna squeeze don't ya?


This is Reese being a pirate--scary!

Cheeseball!

Reese is such a character! Today he got in trouble for throwing sand on his sister and the neighbor kids so he had to sit in time out. Well in the first picture you can see how upset he was about that and he had sand, dirt and snot all over his face-classic! So anyways the progression of pictures are so funny to me--you can see he cheered up a bit and after about 3 minutes all was right in the world....that's pretty much how Reese deals--he quickly gets over things and the next thing you know he's playing baseball--gotta love it:)