Boxes=FUN!!!

All summer (since we have mainly been indoors due to the horribly hot weather:/) the kids have been very into boxes.  They love all shapes and sizes but mostly HUGE boxes that they can fit in, play in, paint, sleep....actually whatever fits their fancy:)
Tonight Abby made a phone call to Papa Larson and she sat in the box.  She liked it.  Papa thought it was funny. I thought I would take a picture so Papa could see...here ya go Dad. We love you and continue to pray for a FULL recovery everyday!!! Enjoy the pics!

First box of the summer---painted house.  They worked together on this and they were very compliant...well mostly:)

talking to Papa

I love my Papa!

Reese and the box:)

P.S.  Chick on the last picture and you can see the canvas Greg got me of the family on the mantle...I LOVE IT!!!  Thanks Greg:)

Grandchild #5!

Last week my sister-in-law had a baby!  Colson Dean is about a week old now and he's so precious!  

The grandchildren are all elated to have another little one to join them at cousins camp, once he's potty trained of course:)

My kiddos could not wait to hold him...neither could I:)

Such a big girl...she can't wait to babysit him:)

My baby holding a baby!

One happy Aunt:)

Reese and the brothers....very excited brothers!

Awe so sweet!  One day there will be a picture just like this but it will be her ow baby!  Crazy!

I thought this would be fun...

I thought it would be fun to take a look back in my pictures and see how much Abby and Reese have changed over these past few years.  I found these and thought I would share:)

Abby first day of Kindergarten
Mrs. Thompson 

1st grade
Mrs. Piland

Abby 2nd grade (she didn't let me get a picture in her class -she was too quick:)
Reese first day of Kindergarten

I didn't want to let him go:)

First Day of School! First Day of Schooooool!!!

The walk of...JOY:)  ha!
My kids are already past liking school...boo!
p.s. I think they are just saying that to be cool!
...at least that's what I used to do:)

the first day of school pose....geez Mom!

Abby and her teacher, Mrs. Hollingsworth

Reese walking to class with Greg

Reese and his teacher, Mrs. LeRoy
He is excited and he tried to hide it;)  

Today was Abby starts 3rd grade and Reese starts 1st....wow!  I know everyone says it but it's a true statement...TIME FLIES!

 I have mourned this fact this summer more than previous summers.

 I am super sad they are going back.  I feel like they are crossing over to another season that requires less and less of me and Greg.  Now I know this is a good thing because we want them to be independent and self-starters (and so many more character traits) BUT it's still hard to let go!  
God reminded me this morning before the kids got up for school that it's not all about me.  Thank you Lord:)  It's about HIM and HIS purpose, HIS GLORY and I want God's best for my family.  So I hand them over to the best "babysitter" ever...He is with them when I am not and He cares for them more than I ever could!
He wants the best for them...that comforts me today.
I hope it does the same for you!

Quick Trip to KC

So the other day I had had it!  It is so super hot down here that we couldn't take it anymore!  I talked to Greg and he agreed that it would be a good idea to head north to KC to cooler weather.  The kids don't start school until August 22nd so we had a full week to go see my family...so we did.  It ended up being the perfect little break from the heat.  It was only about 75 and raining (we haven't seen rain in months).  I also got to be with my Dad while he had another surgery/procedure (of sorts) to check on his esophagus where the ventilator had been. He's having trouble choking after he eats--it's driving him nuts!  They didn't find anything alarming and chalked it up to the swelling from the steroids he is taking for his lungs.  He gets off the steroids August 31st and he is SUPER excited about that!!!
Anyways we had a fun trip!  We went to Worlds of Fun (amusement park), Moon Marble (you get to watch/learn how to actually make a marble), we ate at all our/my:) favorite places (Spin Pizza, Custards Last Stand:)  Pizza and custard what more do you need?:)
It was fun to take a little road trip to finish off the summer with a bang...now time to get down to business!
School time again:(  I'm gonna miss these little boogers but maybe, just maybe I'll get those kitchen floors mopped! ha!

ready to learn how to make marbles!

Marble demonstration

Spin Pizza with Papa

Granny and Abby (love this pic!)

Raining day Apples to Apples at the coffee shop!  My kinda fun:)

Papa and Reese drawing up plans to make a wooden baseball bat!

World of Fun Pictures!

About to ride a roller coaster!  I still love roller coasters!

Granny Loving!

Octupus ride...kids loved this one.  I couldn't go...I would yak everywhere!
Motion sickness is a new friend of mine:/  

Abby's favorite ride.  It spins super fast then the floor drops out and you stick to the wall!  My fav as a kid.
Before I got old and boring;)

See.... it's super fast!

she loved it so much she rode it by herself.  She rode this ride about 17 times...wow!

oh the love!  Right before this picture they were hitting each other:/  Ha!

Rockstar:)

Check out the outfit Abby picked out for her first day of school....are ties in? I don't know but she feels confident and cute so we'll go with it:)
I always say it doesn't matter what you are wearing if you "own" it everyone will think it's adorable and want to buy one too:)

Lacrae

While driving in the car we listen to alot of awesome music:) but yesterday I was cracking up while he was rapping with Lacrae (a Christian Rap Artist)
Check it out...he's hilarious!

Expander

Reese is out of room in his mouth!  He has two permanent teeth that need to come in and there's NO space at all!

The other day we took him into my orthodontist and he told us what we were dreading....expanders!

He's actually REALLY excited (probably because he COMPLETELY naive to the pain:( --I won't break it to him:)  He actually has to wear 4 braces for a short time to straighten out his front teeth too because they are kinda sideways:/ and causing the "no room" problem.  

It's funny but at the kids school it's so cool to have braces so Reese is thrilled and Abby is jealous!  How funny is that?  Who knew it?  I was super cool with braces...weird. :)  

Wait no, adult braces are never cool:)

This week we start the whole process....pray the pain is minimal and that the excitement lasts the whole year of treatment!!!

WIDE MOUTH REESE!  

Basketball Camp

This past week Reese was in a basketball camp at our church.  He has never played b-ball on a team before because he has always been busy with spring and fall baseball.  Greg has taught him alot of stuff in our driveway but he was excited to learn even more in camp.  He had a blast and loved going everyday (bonus:)  It was a Christian organization that put on the camp so everyday they got to memorize a verse and Reese was all about that making sure he knew the verse for the next day!  

The last day all the parents got to come and see what the kids learned and for the award ceremony.

Each kid got a certificate honoring them for a character trait that the coaches saw in them during the week. 

Our sweet Reeser got Joyfulness!  

I was SO proud.  He is such a joyful kid and loves life.  He challenges me everyday to focus more on being grateful!  

They also gave out 3 other awards and Reese got the Barnabas Award!  It's for being the most encouraging kid in the group and for doing all his homework....I got teary eyed I gotta admit:)

It fills my heart with joy to see my child displaying the character of Christ.  Sometimes it gets discouraging being a parent as you question how effective you really are ya know?  

But he really does listen!  Yay!  Some of what we are saying and trying to lead by example is sticking with him!  

Praise the LORD!

Ready for the award ceremony!

Proudly accepting his award:)

All the kids with the coaches

Well Reese taking a stab at basketball was fun and all but he informed us he's more into baseball.
                                                           We were not surprised:)
Our next adventure is flag football...this should be interesting...ha!
Here's a few more pictures of Reese in action:)

Bowling for FREE!

We love free stuff!  Who doesn't right?:)

Everyday at a bowling alley nearby the kids can bowl one game for free....one game is about all they are interested in bowling anyways so it works out prefect!

We are planning on going Comic bowling (glow-in-the-dark) this week...the kids and I are super excited 

--glowing makes everything more fun right?:)

cool/weird picture I took--not sure what happened but I thought I would share anyways...

Reese and his prefect form:)

sweetest bowler in town!

Strike?  No, but he hit a few...good job Reeser:)

New York huh?

Yesterday I was looking through Greg's coupon book that Abby him for Father's Day.
Quite a request don't you think?  Ha!  I don't blame her...I love New York:)

Cars 2 Party

Last week Maw Maw and Poppa planned a Cars 2 party at their house.  We are aware Cars 2 came about a month ago but with all of us travelling and such this is the first time all of us could get together to do it:)

They planed a big night: first we to the movie, had dinner (tater tots, hamburgers and fruit--I think Maw Maw let Abby pick-shhh;), dessert (see pics) and games (including pen the tire on Lightening McQueen and "hot potato" with Charlie's lLightening McQueen car:)   

We had such a great time and are so blessed to have such a fun family!  The kids had a wonderful time and I know the adults liked it too---thanks Debbie and Jerry for all your hard work!  Good times!

table all decorated....so fun!

close up---isn't she original? Way to go Deb!

Landry taking the first shot at pin the tail on McQueen...he missed but we ALL missed!  some worse than others....Debbie!!!:)

eating cake...Abby's favorite!

Look what she made.  It's a cupcake Mater truck!  Love it!
That had to take forever!  Good job Debbie!

Papa made a big airplane out of cardboard and the kids tried to land their cars in the back while it took off  (you gotta see the movie to understand this one:)

there it is up-close...pretty cool huh?  Looks like they both worked hard!  Way to help out Jerry:) 

The finals of "Hot McQueen"  We are all VERY competitive.  Let's just say none of us (that's Greg's brother Doug in the blue) were going down without a fight!
We were passing it so fast there at the end that we couldn't even tell who had it last when the timer buzzed!  Ha!  Move out of the way kids we want to WIN:)
Here's a video if Me, Greg, Doug and Anglea in the finals of "Hot McQueen"...we don't like to "let" the kids win---then they will never learn to be losers right? Ha!

Abby's turn!  

This is where Maw Maw put her tire....not even close! Good try:)

Maw Maw and Poppa with the grand-kids minus one....Reese was not wanting his picture taken at the moment--if you squint just right you can probably see him though;)

                                                 Thanks for all the fun M&P it was fun for all!  Good idea!!:)