Exactly 1 year....

How can you be so neglected my sweet, dear blog. We have been so busy.... let's see:
in a year...
Attended a Downton Abbey Party
We fell in love with the movie Frozen!
Emaline turned 8
I turned 38
We went to Disney World! The kids first ever trip!
Parker turned 10
Celebrated Stacey turning 38! Yep, I'm older!
Parker and Emaline performed at the Spring musical at church.
My grandmother went to Heaven.
Bowden finished preschool. My baby....
Bowden got registered for Kindergarten.
Parker excelled in gymnastics.
Emaline had fun playing softball.
Parker went to Camp Deer Run.
Parker had an amazing fundraiser on Facebook!
Went to  Schlitterbahn for the first time.
Vacationed at Lake Way.
Bowden turned 6.
I had a great garden.
I worked out at 5:00am almost all year long. (I am taking this month off!)
We bought a house.
We sold our house. (In that order!)
Emaline held a Lemonade Stand.
Enjoyed 6 flags season passes!
Baby started Kinder, E started 3rd, and Parker started 5th.
I started my 8.5 year at preschool. This year I'm teaching chapel.
Parker broke his wrist.
Parker missed the whole season of Flag Football.
Stacey and I celebrated 14 years of married bliss.
Bowden started wrestling. Yes. He. Did.
Photography was good. I am so blessed by great clients. I love my job!
We got a new puppy.  Labradoodle.
All 3 kids performed in the Christmas church musical.
The Lord has been so faithful. My kids have grown in their relationship withe the Jesus. They love HIM! And so do I. He is so good. He holds me. He listens. He forgives me. It's been a great year!!!!

Oh dusty blog....

Yeah you. I'm sorry. I really am. I have things I want to say, and actually go to Facebook to write them, but end up deleting them because I think that not everyone wants to hear what I have to say, or it was stupid, or who cares. I think about coming over to the blogspot, but wonder if anyone actually reads these anymore. When google reader closed it's virtual doors, I moved all my blogs to some sort of reader thing.... and guess what? I have no idea what that website was and LOST all my blogs because of course I never memorized their URL. SO, if you read my blog, and YOU HAVE A BLOG, could you please post it in my comments so that I can find another website and try this thing again? Please. I do miss you. My 2 faithful readers who probably use a phenomenal website to organize all your blogs. Please tell me which one you are using to keep yourself all organized thanks. AND maybe I will get better about the ol' blog!

Sunflower Garden

 Next year, I just might have a garden that ONLY has potatoes, carrots, okra AND SUNFLOWERS! Our sunflowers always do good! This year, the monster was 9 feet tall, and the diameter of the SEEDS was 10 inches.

Little's Week

 While Parker was gone to camp, the Littles and I had a great time. They went swimming!

 Slept together, wearing  sleep masks and please look close to Bowden's ear! At Summer Spectacular he got that star light changer thing. HOW did it get into his mask???

 We got a call one morning from Mammy (Stacey's 89 yo grandmother) wishing she could get her hands on those peaches I had gotten. We jumped up, got ready, went to wal-mart to get some jars and sugar and headed to Waxahachie. When we got there, she had the set up all ready for us! You can see my HUGE box of peaches on the counter!

 What great memories!

On our way home from Waxahachie, I took the littles to Six Flags. We got to ride some of the smaller rides that we don't always ride when we have Parker.

 Now, the above picture is kind of a big deal. I let Emaline stand in line all by herself for the Mini-Mine Train- and she rode it all by herself! It was a fun day!

Thursday when Parker was gone was July 4th. I didn't really like NOT having Parker with me on a holiday. Like REALLY! I got up early and ran the 5K with a friend. It was my fastest mile ever and a PR on time. Then we went to the parade.

 Our sweet friends the O'Rears joined us!

 Is it a bird or a plane, or EMALINE on a bike in the parade???

 That is her wearing the red and white tank, just in case you can't find her.

The next morning, we got up early to head EAST! I had to go see a boy!

 

I hope I never forget what it felt like when he took off in a dead sprint to get to us.

This is one of his friends from his cabin. He lives in Taiwan. They were good friends.

 AND guess where we had to stop on our 'way' home? Yep, the peach farm.

 However, since we were there the day after July 4th, everything was picked over and that box of peaches I had gotten the week before, well, it was now double. We bought a smaller bundle for Mammy and a few friends, ate some ice cream, and this guy was ZONKED!

 He had chiggers in undesirable places. He showered once, I think, and brushed his teeth..... well. I had a few pictures from Camp they sent us, but I may let him blog that. He had a great time and slept for a few days.



I soaked his socks when we got home. This was the water!!!

Hail Dear ol Deer Run....

 Well, it's been since 1997- 16 years since I had been to Camp Deer Run. My oldest was finally old enough to over night camp. I surprised him with a decorated trunk. He loved it! I used the Chalk Paint Pens to decorate it so we could reuse it for other stuff too.

 On our way to Winnsboro we drove a little out of our way to go to a peach farm. It was SO MUCH fun. The kids had a blast and we bought a HUGE box of peaches for $20! We had some peach ice cream, tasted some peaches, and looked around their store. It was delightful. I could work at a place like that.

 I had only heard of Muscadine Jelly on Duck Dynasty so I was excited when I saw a jar. I didn't buy it, but of course had to get my picture made.

 Brain Freeze!

 They had all these decorations around the store. We thought they were funny!

 NOW, finally on way to Winnsboro!

 There it is!

 Wait! Is that a Morgan friend greeting us as we pulled in, why yes it is!

 Daddy pulling the trunk on wheels. It was perfect!

 Bowden was in stick heaven!

 His Counselor!

 His cabin backed up to the Horse Hill.  Can we say PERFECT!

 Canteen.

 OH WAIT, there's mom's name!

 AND I ran into an old friend there. We grew up at church together in Paris, and were on staff together as well at CDR.

 Here is Stacy and her dad Fred. Love that man. Many a memory with him at Lamar Avenue.

 One of Stacy's and one of mine. Future campers.

 Love you guy. Fall more in love with Jesus while you are here, just like I did.

 (Please just leave! No more pictures please!)

 A friend from his cabin. We ran into him just a few weeks later at Six Flags. He lives in Tyler.

The boy and his stick!!

It was hard driving off, but I knew he was in good hands. He would be covered by prayers. He would make friends and memories that would last a life time. Oh sweet boy. I love you! We emailed him every day along with family. He even wrote back- once. But, hey, he was only gone Sunday- Friday morning. I thought that was good.