I Got Ran over by a Bison

Here's a story Reese wrote for his teacher the other day....very creative:)
One day I was practicing shooting my bow and arrow and then I saw a bison coming right in front of me so I ran fast but it caught up.
The End.

What happened when it caught up???? Oh no! What a cliff hanger:)

ICE!

Purty:)

My fleece babies:)

Ready to go in!

Impressive!

Huge!

I had to sit in the  ice outhouse....I would have made a funny face but there was a line of people staring at me:)

getting ready to go down the ice slide

Abby and Reese racing

Ice dragon!

Abby got a cookie as big as her face:)  Little did she know we were all sharing with her! ha!

Checking out the trains and Christmas decor:)

Burrrr!!!  It's cold:)
We had such a great day!  We got tickets a few months back to ICE at the Gaylord Texan.  It's just a bunch of ice carved into shapes...very impressive actually:)
We pulled out all the stops this year.  A few years back we were not so prepared and froze to death SO this year we broke out the ski gear...smart:)  Only our faces were cold but we felt like it would be a little much to wear face masks;)
After walking around the ICE display of Shrek we then walked around the Gaylord and saw all their Christmas decorations.....it is officially Christmas people!  I must admit I mourned a little today as I threw all my pumpkins away:(  NO I do not make pies out of my pumpkins, that's why they sell cans of pumpkin:)
It makes me sad to think I have to wait another year for Fall...I love the Fall. Christmas is cool and all but there's nothing like the Fall, nothing:)
Greg put up the Christmas lights on the house today and tomorrow we break out the Christmas tree...it's gonna look so pretty:)  Let the countdown to Christmas Day begin!

The Tale of Two Earrings

Happy to be done!

Abby got her ear pierced for her birthday and I have been meaning to blog about it forever but I'm glad I didn't because Friday we were sad to find out she had to take them out:(
I got a call from school that Abby was at the nurse.  Her ear was infected and the nurse suggested we take the earrings out because in just a few short hours her ear lobe had doubled in size and completely swelled around the earring and you couldn't see the earring anymore:/
After school I took her to the doctor and found out she is allergic to the nickel in the earring --I should have guessed, I'm allergic to the nickel too:(
She really didn't want to take them out and was sad she wouldn't be getting earrings for Christmas but she understood.
 It was pretty crazy trying to get that earring out!  I couldn't even see it to pull it out and she was wiggling like a worm! I finally did get it after about an hour of talking her into it:/  She kept saying, "Just a second, just second...I'm not ready!"  I told her she was never gonna be ready!!! :)  It was gonna hurt she was gonna have to deal with it!
 I'm not sure she will want to do it again anytime in the near future but I told her she didn't need to make a decision just yet:)
My guess she won't get her ears pierced again until she's about 16...we'll see;)

Thank you Pinterest...thank you:)

So if you don't know what I am talking about, shame on you:)  Ha!  Just kidding!  There is a new(ish) website that I LOVE and it's called Pinterest.  It's basically a site where women post cool stuff about home, cooking, fashion, design..etc.  I saw this on there the other day and we decided to give it a shot tonight.  It works so good and the kids love it. It's pancake batter in a plastic bottle and they can design their pancake however they want.  Abby and Reese got real creative...so did Greg:)
Did I mention I LOVE Pinterest?  Ok, just checking;)

Go Mizzou!

I am SO behind in blogs it's ridiculous!  I'm so ashamed:/ Well, not really but I do feel like I need to get caught up!  It's such a busy time a year and we have done ALOT of stuff so get ready:)

Anyways, while my Mom and Dad were in town we all went to the Mizzou/Baylor game.  My parents noramlly go to most of the games in Columbia and were very happy to find out that while they were in Texas for the kiddos birthday's that Mizzou was playing about and hour south of us!  

The weather was perfect, the company was sweet, the football was well, not so good BUT good ole Mizzou (after we left with 8 minutes remaining:/)  Came back from behind scoring 3 touchdowns, which was AWESOME but not good enough sadly...we lost by 3 points:(  Boo!

Well we still had fun and are just so grateful that Dad was well enough to go to the game!  He's such a trooper and is doing so amazing!  It blows my mind thinking where he was and where he is now....it's a miracle!  God has more in store for my Dad and I'm glad!  I love you Dad...and you Mom;)

Thanks for paying the big bucks and taking us to the game!  

Abby's Sleepover Birthday Party!!

Happy 9th Birthday Abby!! 

She decided she wanted a sleepover so she could get a bigger gift:)  Good idea Abby...hopefully she will do the same when she gets married one day:)  Smaller wedding, bigger gift! ha!

Anyways the party was so fun!  The girls all got along and it was painless for the adults...yay! Thank you Mom for braving this night with me....you're a trooper and were a HUGE help!! 

It was a Movie Night theme and the girls all slept in the living room, two of Abby's favorite things! 

She was thrilled all night....she planned the whole thing and was beside herself with joy---success:)

This bowl pretty much sums up the night....SUGAR!  Sugared up girls, giggling and being silly!
Recipe for FUN!

Let the movies begin!  They watched Enchanted and Tangled...2 of Abby's favorites!

We had a cupcake and ice cream bar so the girls decorated themselves and  LOVED it!

opening gifts!

decorating...

before the party began Maw Maw and Poppa brought Abby and Reese a tether-ball  pole for their birthdays!  HUGE hit with the girls....they wanted to play all night:)

Pizza and D.P. for supper....NO VEGGIES ALLOWED:)

Urban Air Trampoline Park!

We went to this trampoline park the other night and it was a BLAST!  It was probably the most fun we have had as a family in a long time!  We jumped for an hour and a half and man were we (Greg and I :)  beat!  It drives me and Greg crazy that with every year we have more and more aches and pains no matter how much we workout and stretch:(  The day after we jumped we could barely move-haha!

I do not like growing older!  Not one bit!!!:)

The kids were a sweaty mess and want to go back as soon as possible!  Reese has already declared this his birthday party next year....ha!

I think I want someone to throw me a surprise birthday party here for my birthday actually....any takers:)

One big warehouse of trampolines!! So fun!

getting ready to play dodgeball! Greg and I "tried" to take it easy on the kids:)

oh the love:)

the pool of blue blocks was SO fun but very hard to climb out of if you are an adult:)  

Reese at a glance...

I wanted to do write down what ways we have seen each of our kids grow/learn this year for their birthdays...I did Abby (see next post) and now for Reese:

Reese is now 7 and is a bundle of energy.  He is always wanting to express his love for you and is quick to melt in your arms. Cuddling is his favorite sport:)  He is going to be a awesome husband, he understands peoples feelings and his heart aches when others ache.  He loves for me to do "Slice, Slice, Slice" on his back every night (it's a back rub song I sing) and wants me to sleep with him every night.  He still has a small piece of his receiving blanket that he had when he was a baby that he carries around.  He has broken himself of sucking his thumb but "sometimes he forgets":)  He loves crackers, mac and cheese and fruit snacks from Costco. He still pees most mornings off the back porch and thinks it's funny to write his name in pee on the fence:) Boys.are.so.funny:)  He rocks my world...he fills me with joy.  I am so proud of him.
He has been into football lately and says he doesn't want to play baseball in the spring...we will see if he changes his mind:)  He still runs around the house with only underwear on and loves to be around people.

He is a party in himself.

He doesn't like to keep money lying around...it burns a hole in his pocket.  Everything is his favorite thing.  Everything excites him and he loves new clothes.  He can pick out a great outfit for me when we shop...he's got a great eye.  He loves to watch old videos of himself and our family. He loves for you to tell stories about him...he thinks he so funny;) When he gets in the car after school almost everyday he has a new joke for me.  He's a character.
He could still use an afternoon nap after school and if I make him lay him down he will fall asleep in 2 seconds.
He is thoughtful, sensitive and grieves deeply when someone doesn't like him or makes fun of him.  He desires to be loved yet is still learning to be a good sport, not quit and treat others how he wants to be treated.  I see great potential in him and I pray everyday for him to see himself the way the Lord does--holy and blameless.  I pray he will be a man of God that hungers and thirsts for righteousness and counts others as more important than himself.
He is a joy to have around and we are blessed to be his parents.
I can't wait to see what he will be when he grows up but I am confident of this;
...goodness and love will follow him all the days of his life!  from Ps. 23
We love you Reese and have treasured these last 7 years....lets make it a 100 more;)

Happy Birthday Abby!

Shame on me for not blogger earlier!!  I have been so busy and when I do have down time I just feeling like staring at a wall:)
Ok so Abby turned 9 years old on Monday and wow was she excited to have a day all dedicated to her!  I heard her say, "Mom, since it's my birthday..." a hundred times;)  That's my girl!  ha!
We, of course, woke her up to a cupcake and candle but then she wanted ice cream, strawberries and whip cream for breakfast so the cupcake was eaten later!
She had to go to school but was excited to get her birthday book from her class and my parents and I were coming for lunch and bringing Panda Express (orange chicken) so she was thrilled:)
After school Granny took her shopping and she got a new outfit and black boots at Justice. We then headed over to eat at Cheesecake Factory with Greg, Reese and Papa.  She had orange chicken again:/ and she was happy about that..ha!  Too much for my taste but it's her birthday she's the queen;)
Greg and I got her an electric scooter and she has been loving it!  We told her she still needed to get exercise on her bike and scooter so it's been pretty funny to watch her ride then run over and get on her other scooter and say look Mom I'm getting exercise just like I said I would:)  haha!
It was a fun day celebrating Abby, we love you sweetie!

Over this past year we have seen her grow up so much.
She is a goof ball and wants to be a singer.  She won't sing in front of you but some days if I'm lucky I can stand at her door and hear her beautiful voice...she is gifted.  She has a great concern and love for people.  She is still learning how to express that but I see the Lord developing that in her each day.  She is the one that reaches out to the lonely, friendless and the lame.  She is a true gift to all she meets.  She is more and more beautiful everyday, her heart just beams through her.  She will NOT cut her hair even if I payed her 100 bucks.  She is an individual, she won't be easy to tempt when she's a teenager...she's got a good head on her shoulders.  She is very determined.  She wants to be a pilot and talks daily about how she will pay for college.  She talks of working at Chickfila so she can get a scholarship.  She saves her money like crazy...I am proud of her.
She really enjoys reading and can read a book in about 2 days.  She loves coffee and anything sweet.  Her favorite thing to do with me is go to the coffee shop and read or play a game.  She loves playing chess with Greg and her and Reese like building tents and playing in the tree house together.  If you can't find her look in the tree house she'll be there reading a book.  She loves I love Lucy, Loony Toons and Food Network. She still hates Math but is getting better and more confident everyday! She has gotten more affectionate and open to showing her feelings.  She still really hates getting in trouble or disappointing anyone but we are watching her learn to process her feelings and is a stable and wise little girl.
I have really been focusing on praying for Abby to be teachable and let the Lord have full control of her heart.  Greg and I desire to see her love the Lord above all else and have a desire to get in His Word and hide it in her heart.
I am excited to see what this year has in store...we are blessed beyond measure to get to spend it with her.
We love you Abby!

Wake-up sweet girl!!

Grandma Reese brought by a gift for her....she got some art canvas'!  Good pick Grandma!!

Lucy got into the birthday fun:)

Abby and Grandma Reese

getting her scooter!

Hooray!

It goes pretty fast!

me and my Mom:)

Flag Football!

Reese started a new sport.  He has never been interested in anything but baseball but this year he was ready for a change.  It has been a welcomed change!  He has played baseball since he was 3 and I am loving football!  I got to sit on the sidelines in a jacket while drinking coffee cheering for my favorite boy in the world.  Good times!
He had an AWESOME first game.  He caught an interception and ran it back for a touchdown (or as some people say-- a pick six ;)  He also threw 2 great passes that were unfortunately dropped in the end zone:/ Good try Reese!
He is just a super athletic little boy and he seems to conquer any sport he tries.   He'll be happy about that when he gets older:)
Got some pics on the sidelines...He's such a stud:)

My boyfriend:)

Quarterback Reese!

Pumpkin Carving

Sunday Papa and Greg brought home 4 pumpkins to carve.  Granny had gotten some cool pumpkin tools that we were anxious to try out.  The kids always like to carve but are pretty disinterested once we begin because we didn't trust them with a knife:/  Well this year with the cool tools we decided they could make a go of it.  They did great!  We spent 2 hours carving and the weather was beautiful!  Double bonus:)

I just love fall!  Pumpkins AND weather that doesn't make you sweat or cold!  Bliss!

the fun part...

hard at work....we were pretty intense:)

Check my pumpkin out!!  Wow right?  I shocked myself:)  

Greg tried the etching route...pretty impressive! Go Mizzou!

My Daddy!  Getting better everyday.  Still dealing with fatigue but is doing awesome!  He was walking with a walker 6 weeks ago and yesterday he went to the gym with me!  He's such a rockstar!  So proud of you Dad!

our creations.
Greg's, mine, Abby then Reese

for real, I really did do this all by myself!!!  Next year I plan to top this one:)

Abby and the pumpkin bling that Granny got for her!

Reese and Greg's creation.  Daddy assisted a bit while Reese kicked the football;)