Monster Parade!

Me reading to Abby's class!

The whole class dress-up in their monster costumes

Abby's candy corn back--check out that hair barrette---those are pixie sticks!

Abby parading through the halls!

This morning all the kindergartners paraded through the halls in their own homemade "monster" costumes. It couldn't be anything scary or store bought so each costume was an original. I must say there are some very creative kids in Abby's school! One of my personal favorites was the bead monster--she had glued a ton of Marti Gras beads all over her shirt and pants--it was adorable and sounded quite funny:)
Abby's was of course my 1st favorite-she was a candy monster. We glued all kinds of candy all over her shirt and made 2 cute barrettes of candy. She said the shirt was really heavy and all the kids couldn't keep their hands off of her---she didn't like that:)
After the parade Greg and I volunteered in the classroom for the fall party/activity day. We had a blast! I played bingo with the kids and Greg got the snack station--which is funny to me because he can't stand eating things kids make or touch--he's kinda OCD about that:) -he was a trip to watch...but he was great with them--good job honey!
I was thrilled when Ms. Thomson asked me to read a book to the kids--- that's right up my alley-not sure I could do it EVERYDAY like her--but it was very rewarding;)
Abby had a wonderful party day and Reese even got to come to the parade--Maw Maw and Poppa came to watch the fun and were kind enough to watch him the whole time so I could help out in her room--and he got to spend the night with them the night before--that's all he can talk about today! I got some great pictures of their excitement and will blogging about that soon!

Scary Pumpkin Man!

My super patient husband!

Check her face out--I love it!

Abby loves to get dirty---Reese does not---he cleaned his hands 3 times...too funny!

Last night after family night we decided it was time to finally carve the pumpkin. The kids have been wanted to do this since we bought it a few weeks back but last year ours was rotten before Halloween! Soooo this year we got smart and cut him open only a few days before:)
Anyways the kids were really excited about it at first but as time wore on they lost interest! (so did I ;) Poor Greg was left all alone slaving away creating a masterpiece while we sat on the couch reading books! All I gotta say is I'm happy he does it and not me---let's just say I'm not much for "detail" work and it drives me crazy to take on a task that takes forever!

~I sure can't wait till the kids get older so we can have a pumpkin carving contest--now that's more like it---I love a good competition! ( I'll do detail work if there's a prize involved..hehe--what can I say?---that's the competitor in me;)

Party! Party! Party!

Reese got a Pirate dress-up kit....oh was he excited! My dad got him to put on the earring--too funny!

seeing his bike for the first time!

getting the whistle from Abby.....I look really stupid here but look how excited he is?:) ...and her! Priceless!

Going in for the kill!

CRAZZZZYYYYY!!!!!!

The cake I made for Reese--boat is made from cake that I carved to look like that...surprisingly it was easy---you should try it! (and fondant is super easy after you give it a go a few times!)
Thanks to my friend Faith--she taught me the ropes last year ...I am forever grateful for your cake wisdom:)

Well Reese's Peter Pan party went great and I can't believe it's already over---seriously I have been planning this thing forever! It was really hard finding Peter Pan stuff and when and if I did find anything it was always on Ebay from the UK---meaning super expensive shipping! Soooo I had to improvise! I ended up finding napkins and a table cloth with the map of Neverland on it(score!) -which Reese LOVED-and everything else was pretty much green or pirate themed. When the kids got here we had a treasure hunt in the back yard then broke the pinata before it got too dark. Then we had my dad's homemade pizza--thanks dad--good job! We then opened gifts and had cake. Reese got a bike from Greg and I and he was thrilled---since he's riding without training wheels now he was super excited to get a BIG bike! As soon as he got it he wanted to go outside and show everyone how good he was--it was cute!
Last year I had his party at a local park and well lets just say that that was a great idea! The kids were soooooooo loud being inside---all the boys were playing sword fighting while the little girls ran around screaming! (note to self-have his party outside next year!)
Anyways one of the most memorable moments for me was when Reese was opening Abby's gifts to him. She has been working around the house to earn money to get him something really special and she did just that! She got him a Peter Pan whistle thing--which he has been wanting forever (when he opened it he acted like she got him a new puppy or something and it was only 88 cents!)--- she also got him this Potty Putty which is pretty crude but he sure thinks it's hilarious! It was so sweet to see Abby so proud of her gifts and then his reaction made her day! I loved it!
So as you can see things went great and the cake turned out--which I was worried about since I have NEVER made a ship but it ended up being really easy...who knew?
Well Happy Birthday to Reese and I still can't believe he's already 4---he's such a wonderful boy with such a tender heart----I wouldn't trade him for the world!
*when he woke up the day of his birthday I was telling him I couldn't believe how old he was and as I was hugging him and holding him like a "baby" he says, "Mommy, you can send me to Neverland so I'll stay your boy forever but you gotta go with me ok?" -sniff sniff....isn't he great? -my heart breaks thinking these days with them are going way toooo fast....slow down pleasseeee!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Reese!

Today Reese is 4 years old! We just got done with his Peter Pan birthday party and I am pooped!
My parents got to come in town for the party and get to spend a few days here with the kids. Today I let Reese pick his favorite things to do (as is our tradition) he picked painting, going to lunch with Abby at school with Granny and Papa and playing Disney Scene It! Pretty simple huh? I wasn't quite sure what he would pick but I sure figured it would be Incredible Pizza or something like that---guess I got lucky:)
I am too tired to put together a birthday party post but will get it together tomorrow---Reese had a great time and when asked how he liked his party he said, "It was nice!" -simple fellow that Reese!
I also just went in to say goodnight to him and I asked him what present he liked best and he said, "Mommy I liked all of it--- and oh Mommy when I wake-up in the morning can I play my drum?" (thanks for that Aunt Annie and Uncle Doug! ) --- I told him he could play it whenever he wants...in his closet;)

Horseback Riding

On Friday Abby started taking horseback riding lessons from one of the girls from our church. Rebecca lives right around the corner and Abby just loves her so it's perfect! Abby has been waiting all summer for the weather to get cooler so she can ride and now that's its here it's about all she can talk about!
She wore her cowboy boots and told me next week she had to wear them again--I guess she's a full blown cowgirl now huh?
We're gonna take 4 lessons and see how it goes--but if this week is any indication then she'll be barrel racing before we know it!:)

I can't believe it's not socialism!

Ok so my husband played this for me this morning...it's hilarious and it's TRUE!
Enjoy and spread it around like wildfire:)
*just click on "this" and it will take you straight to the page!

What do you think???

Tonight after 2 weeks we were finally able to eat at our newly painted table--hooray!
My parents brought down their old(er) oak table a few months back for us and we decided to paint it to match our kitchen. Little did we know or expect that it would take so stinkin' long:)
This table took 6 coats--primer, 2 coats black, 20,000 touch-ups with black;) and 2 coats of a sealant---wow! BUT.....we are very grateful we were given a table -thanks mom and dad--and we now have a new appreciation for those in wood working/painting/sanding/manual labor--Greg and I decided no more projects for awhile--esp. since we have 2 birthdays coming up 10 days apart....I am now officially in birthday mode:) Let the games begin.....

Boy Wonder!

See ya later training wheels!

Ready-set....glide!

Whoaaaaa.....easy does it!

It only took him 30 minutes to learn this....AMAZING!

As I said----I was freaking out!!!!! Good job buddy!


Tonight Greg and I decided Reese should try learning to ride his bike without his training wheels- so after work we headed to the park to give it a try! Now Greg-being the thorough man that he is, researched on what was the best way to teach an almost 4 year to accomplish such a feat. He found this website that gave some great advice--and it WORKS!
Ok- so first thing Greg did was take off his training wheels then lower his seat all the way down. Then you go to a small hill with a pretty good incline with room to coast at the bottom-you don't want your kid flying down a hill into oncoming traffic or anything:) So with the seat all the way down you tell them first to coast down (which he loved) with your feet off the pedals and using them to balance if needed all the way down. Reese skipped this step he just went gung-ho down the hill with his feet spread out to side. He learned to balance super fast then we took the seat up a few inches at a time and then told him to put his feet on the pedals and go! Well he went alright....all the way across the soccer field and he never looked back! I was freaking out! Honestly--not to be a cynic or anything- but I wasn't sure how he would do. He IS only 3 (gonna be 4 on Monday) and he didn't take a nap today:) so you get my drift--things could've gone south really FAST! Well that sweet boy proved me wrong again and I never cease to be amazed at his ability! He's a rock star!!! Seriously!
Anyways he and Daddy had a blast riding all over the park on the sidewalks---and when we asked Reese what he wanted to do with his baby-wheels (as he calls them;) he says, "lets hang'em in the tree!" --Will do my boy....will do;)

Field Trip!

My group-- a very energetic group I might add!

Decorating cupcakes--NO CUPCAKE FOR YOU!!

The class got to pick out a pumpkin for their classroom.


Don't you remember how much you LOVED field trips? Man those were the days huh? Well Abby got to experience her first and she was ecstatic! This trip was their "small" trip (test-run being that it's their first year and all:) They went to Tom Thumb (grocery store) and took a tour. Tom Thumb is about 2 blocks away from the school so we were able to walk. Each parent volunteer got a group of 4 kids and were told to keep them alive:) -only kidding but honestly that was one of my goals!
The tour was fun for the kids and Abby says her favorite was when she got to walk in the freezer--it was super cold---when we walked out our clothes had almost frozen--sounds fun doesn't it?:)
Now since Abby started school something new to Greg and I is the "snack" policy in the public schools--we have been shocked to find out that the kids only get junk food at parties about 2 times during the whole year! The other times they can only eat "approved" foods like- crackers, cheese, goldfish, bread and one of my personal favorites-ear of corn with chili powder? WHAT? That is just craziness! Well the kids did get a snack during their visit- pieces of bread and juice--just plain ole bread...too funny! Earlier in the tour they got to go to the bakery and help decorate cupcakes and I think every kid thought they were gonna get to eat one---but no instead they got bread--Abby was a bit puzzled--it was hilarious to watch:)
Well we got the kids back happy and safe and don't worry I let Abby eat junk food at home--in moderation of course!

Great Pumpkin Festival

peek-a-boo!

The famous pumpkin house!

falling......good thing those pumpkins were there to catch 'em:)

Reese hugging a pumpkin--that's my boy!

Abby set this pose up all by herself!


Today we took the kids over to Dallas to go see some pumpkins! Every year the Dallas Arboretum puts on a great pumpkin festival with over a billion pumpkins:) -ok not a billion but at least thousands!
The kids weren't quite sure if they were gonna like it but they changed their minds quickly when we got there and saw the pumpkin house--it was awesome!
We just walked around and took in all the "fall beauty" I love fall!!! It's by far the best time of year--it starts getting cooler, all the fall colors are surrounding you and PUMPKINS are out everywhere! And one of the biggest reasons I love fall is because it's the beginning of the holiday seasons but it's just far enough away you don't have to start worrying about all the holiday's just yet:) -not that I don't love Christmas too but things start getting busy and you don't have time to stop and enjoy everything around you all the time! So today we took the time to just stop and enjoy everything fall---it was lovely!
*The first time the kids and I saw pumpkins out at the grocery store I ran up to them and said, "Kids don't you just want to hug this pumpkin?" They laughed a little but mainly looked at me like I was crazy. But today both of them asked me if they could hug a pumpkin---that's what I'm talking about!:) -I think our kids are developing the same love for the fall season!
Now I have an assignment for each of you---Go hug a pumpkin;) -it will make you feel better I promise!

pumpkins anyone?????

Peeking through the pumpkin house window!

Greg challenged the kids to try and get this pumpkin on the top of the hay stack--as you can see it was pretty hard work!

After working a long time this is how things ended--Reese got smashed:)

Greg and the kiddos--what a great day!

Visitor from D.C.

Tuesday night our friend Eric from DC came in town for a conference and stopped by to stay the night with us before he headed into Dallas. We were so excited to hear he was gonna be in town! We asked the kids if they remembered Eric and Erin (we missed you Erin and Emilia:) from DC and Abby says, "yeah they did my Nemo birthday!" I was SHOCKED! She was 2 years old--how does she remember that? I guess we just have talked about them so much that she never had the chance to forget them! This couple means so much to Greg and I--we could go on and on about how they helped us while we lived in DC. We had only been in DC about 2 days and we met them and immediately were friends! We had just had Reese and they offered to have a birthday party for Abby. Since their birthdays are so close together it was gonna be super hard to pull off anything close to what they did for her! Thanks so much guys- it meant the world to us! It brings tears to my eyes to think back on that time of our lives. We had so many obstacles yet God provided in EVERY WAY---we could write a book of God's faithfulness in our lives...hey that's a good idea I need to do that:)
Anyways back to the visit--we wanted to give Eric a big welcome to Texas so what's better???? Mexican food of course! We took him to Joe T. Garcia's in Ft. Worth and the kids had a blast telling Eric jokes and Reese even spilled a Sprite all over Eric---isn't he sweet?? Wow- poor guy he seriously looked like he wet his pants the rest of the night! -thank goodness he has a kid....he was VERY understanding!
Also-Greg and Eric were looking at houses for sale all night---I"m not sure Erin, but I think he might have put a down-payment on a house here---he really likes Texas;)
And we would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have you near!
Thanks for coming Eric--oh and sorry about the whole ice cream bite thing....Greg will never let me live that down!:)

* And Erin your husband was a great guest--he put his dishes in the dishwasher and even stripped his bed..WOW--you have trained him well;)

OK so I'm NOT a Scientist!

So the other day Greg was doing yard work and the kids were running crazy around the house so I decided we would do some experiments! Well I tried---and I read the instructions and followed them to the "T" and I still didn't get ONE of them to work! In this picture the egg was "supposed" to be sucked into the bottle BUT as you can see it never happened!
We also tried to do a few more and all off them were duds--welp I guess we'll stick to painting--it's fool proof!:)

Reese Playing Catcher!

Greg and Reese---he's baseball ready:)

Scoring a RUN!

Got a little tired squatting down the whole time--he decided on his knees felt a little better!

Precious---I just want to squeeze him!


Reese was so thrilled to play catcher on Saturday and he was so funny trying to catch the ball--- all he was worried about was trying to keep that huge helmet on his head!

A Relaxing Day at the Spa:)

*NOTE to my devoted readers*
-you must read this entry
--it's too hilarious to skip over...take time and read this one you won't be disappointed!:)



OK so I have to tell you all about my experience at the Buckstaff Bathhouse in Hot Springs, AK. I was really interested in checking out what everyone was talking about SO while Greg and the kids went to the aquarium, I went in for my "spa" experience.....it was NOT a typical spa experience--not that I have ever gone to a spa but I am pretty sure this was nothing like it:)
Anyways I pay my $52.20 (not too shabby I thought) and waited for the elevator to come pick me up while I kissed the family goodbye---the elevator was super old school--like 1912 old school;)
When I got to the top they told me to go left and someone would assist me in the dressing room. Now if I knew then what I know now I would not have been so eager to turn left and enter that dressing room---being that I was naked in front of about 50 women that day--no big deal!
OK so they lead me into this tiny locker cubbie like deal and told me to take all my clothes off. They said to holler when I was ready and they would get me a sheet---a sheet?! What is she talking about I thought? Well she wasn't kidding--I called out that I was "ready" and she rips open the curtain and tells me to turn around and then proceeds to wrap a sheet around me like a tunic. I held on to the sheet for dear life as I entered the waiting room--some woman says, "Wow we look like a bunch of angels!" I was thinking we all look very confused and vulnerable--but whatever:)
So they finally call me back to the bathing area. I follow this lady named BJ and little did I know that she would be very well acquainted with me as the day went on---if you get my drift:)
She then leads me to my bath room and before I can even get behind the curtain she rips my sheet off and says, "watch your step" I was thinking -I hope she doesn't watch me while I watch my step!
I was pretty uncomfortable about this time and was hoping the bath lasted a LONG time so I could gather enough courage to get out of the tub again:) I got to stay in there about 20 minutes then BJ walks in grabs a towel and tells me to stand up---now even though 20 minutes had elapsed I was not ready for whatever she had planned for me next, but reluctantly I arose from the tub. She then began to dry me off---yep she did--she actually did it for me...weird huh? Well that was more than awkward but by this time I had my sheet on again and I felt security in holding on to it for dear life---not that she wasn't afraid to rip it off me- but falsely I felt a bit more comfortable:)
She then led me to the most disgusting and awkward part of the "spa" experience --the sitz bath---there was a row of sitz bath stalls with no shower curtains, and I was assigned one amongst a few other (very large) women. I hadn't been sitting there long and I look to my right and see a sign that reads- relieves lower back pain, hemorrhoids, and syphilis---I about died! Was I supposed to skip this step? I keep looking around wondering if anyone around might have these conditions and if they did I was gonna freak!
Well I guess my lady took a break or something because she didn't come around for about 15 minutes and the whole time all I could do was focus on thinking about anything BUT catching a disease from the person that went before me! (ok so it wasn't that dramatic but my OCD/germ issue didn't help matters AT ALL!:)
Thankfully she let me get up and took me to the next step-- the most unusual/scary contraption I had even seen---it was basically a steam box--I sat down (naked:) and she closed me in and the only thing sticking out was my head--there was only an opening for my head THAT'S IT...it was crazy! I sat in this "box" for about 10 minutes and sweated like no other--they said it was a cure for obesity back in the early 1900's--I can see why! When BJ came over to check on me she opens the box, looks at me and says, "Welp, you look done!" -I sure did! I was beet red and dripping like someone had just poured a bucket of water on me--it was insane!
I just keep thinking, "what have I done"? I never get to go to a spa and now finally Greg and I decide it was a good time and I get this? -I tried with everything I had to be grateful, but all I could think about was--these waters better be magical---meaning I better look 20 when I leave this place!!:)
Well after the steam box, things started looking up--she brought me to a "cooling" area and wrapped me with STEAMING hot towels---I'm talking scorching HOT towels--she wrapped my legs and it was WONDERFUL--I felt like jello and got to lay there for 20 minutes or more!
She then took me to this crazy shower that had about 30 shower heads shooting on your body --she dried me off again....thank you very much--and then I got a 30 minute massage!
Honestly that part was great and made me forget (kinda) about my syphilis sitz bath:)
***Now--I have told this story a few times to my family and they have all asked if I would ever do this again.....honestly I don't think so--it was an experience that I will NEVER forget but I plan on next time going to a more modern spa---you know the kind that was built after the Carter administration...I figure that's a safe bet:)
I must say before ending my dramatic story that after I got done I got in the car with Greg and the kids and my skin felt like butter---it was amazing and it even healed a wart I had on my finger (gross-sorry) but for real---there IS a little magic in those Hot Springs waters after all:)

We had a great trip!

We got back last night from our family vacation to Hot Springs, AR. We had the greatest time and I honestly don't know where to start! We did so much in 4 days. It was action packed yet also very relaxing--Greg is ALWAYS wonderful in planning our trips and he is very intentional in finding fun stuff to do that each of us will enjoy---he is very thoughtful and I just love that about him!
When we got into town we went straight to the golf course-which we all loved! We got the kids their own clubs and they did really great...and I have found a new LOVE---I love to golf! Greg and I plan on going golfing for a date in the near future...who knew? I tried once in high school and gave up before I even started--what a shame! That was over 10 years ago....think how good I could be right now? Shame on me--but I don't plan on wasting anymore time---golfing is wonderful.....no wonder every guy loves it!!! (too bad I have terrible form --as you will see in the pictures--but Greg said besides that I'm pretty good!) -he's too kind;)
Anyways the rest of the weekend we hiked through the Ouachita Mountains, dug for crystals at a local mine--which the kids LOVED--every kid is happy with a mount a dirt and a shovel right?...and the weather was beautiful so that was icing on the cake! We came home with 2 buckets of crystals!
We also went to a local music review show downtown and Greg got to dance on stage---what a ham....I will post that video soon!
We took a tour of the historic hot spring bathhouses---very interesting--for us more than the kids:) If you are unaware of Hot Springs and how it got it's name well all throughout the mountains surrounding the city are springs that flow steaming hot water out of the rocks. (see pictures) Starting around the turn of the century people all over country would come to the town for healing by sitting in the water which are filled with natural minerals(from God:)--doctors would prescribe these baths and still today people are coming and using the waters for natural healing.
I was really wanting to experience this bath everyone was talking about so while Greg went to the Aquarium with the kids I took a hot springs bath at the Buckstaff Bathhouse and it was HILARIOUS! I will have to post that story later, but lets just say this- I have seen enough naked ladies to last me the rest of my life and I have never been seen naked by as many strange women in MY life....it was humbling and shocking all at the same time:) I can't wait to tell you all about this---stay tuned!

-Well we have a ton of pictures of our adventures so enjoy!


I have a terrible swing---how embarrassing! (I'll get better...you'll see!)

Abby and Daddy-golf pros!

Ok-he was way better than me--I'm ok with that!

the kids loved the carts....so did I:) -so did Greg actually he was a speed demon!

Reese was great at putting! But whenever he saw a ball he would pick it up and throw it--he never really figured the whole "don't touch the ball" idea:)

Enjoying the changing colors of fall-- at least one leaf was changing.

Digging for crystals on the set of the movie Deliverance.

What a handsome devil. He's standing on top of the digging pile.

Looks like she found a keeper!!

These are the fine specimens they collected before we got there. Nothing remotely close to this big in the dirt pile.