E LOST A TOOTH!

Check out this smile of sorts! Boy this thing had been loose for a long time. She wasn't able to eat her favorite foods, so we knew it was time to get it out!


WELL, you see, it was our 10 year anniversary and it JUST SO HAPPENED that one of my students brought me this box of cupcakes for a JUST BECAUSE gift, but we used it as our celebration treat after dinner. E loved that she could finally bite without it hurting again! Anniversary post coming at some point!

Bara Church Luau

This was our second year to celebrate with Bara on a luau for our town. Wyatt came and did his thing! Angie was his assistant. They did amazing.

We had been there 5 minutes, no lie when Bowden got carried away on a slide and busted his head! He still had a great time!



I have LOTS of video from this night because my speed light went dead! bummer.

What we found

We found this little jewel in Bowden's little red car! HOW SCARY! A tv show we like to watch showed us what to look for and when I spotted the signs.... I investigated! We had such a teaching moment!!!

Lil' E's Muffin Tin Lunch

I have loved making the kids Muffin Tin lunches this summer. It makes lunch fun. I would love to jump on the Bento bandwagon, but I just don't have the time. LOVE THE IDEA, and steal little things along the way... but most of the time I just fill the 6 cups with different foods. WELL, one day E decided she would make lunch for her and Bowden. (Parker was already a 1st grader).


This is what lunch looked like! She did a great job filling the spots, and next time we will talk about WHY I put what I do into the cups. She was so proud though.AND BOWDEN LOVED IT! Now, do you see a small problem with Bowden's muffin tin?

You see this smile, well, it can change in an instant!Check out the floor! See the problem now with Emaline's muffin tin for Bowden? B got a Sunny D but no straw! Oh, he was upset. This caused such a mess. I am still finding red sticky spots in my kitchen, AND we have to paint the chairs! That red drink under his booster did some major damage!

Have you tried muffin tin lunches? The kids will love the variety, and I hope you find some fun in putting it together!

SOCCER

Soccer season began today. Parker was amazing as a goalie. I will post photos soon, but here is a video for E's first goal!

A fun day at the RANCH

We went to the ranch for part of Labor Day weekend. We had a blast, and of course I took the camera. What I didn't get a photo of was the tent the big kids and daddy slept in. They did great! Slept all night. I got to sleep inside with B :).
My favorite picture of the day!

Parker practicing his bow! He did so good!


I cropped out the thumbs up!
Love this photo!
Cousins!
Bowden riding the oldest ride at the Ranch. This was Cole's. It only lasted down the hill. It even has a hole in the tire. Like, a literal HOLE with rocks inside of it!
Parker being a COWBOY!

Did someone say, thumbs up?
Cole got in on the thumbs up!

Look at this little doll!
Okay, so the thumbs up is something that B started doing in his photos a few weeks ago. I cannot lift my camera without him giving me one. AND most of them also include the stance on the left!
Brothers.

She loved seeing her shadow!!
GET OUT!
WHAT! I hope Stacey has a BIG STICK!
We also made s'mores! Bowden really loved just catching the marshmallows on fire! There was a burn ban, so we had to roast in the grill.

We had a great time at the ranch!

Random Acts of Kindness

This summer, as you might remember, we have been working on Random Acts of Kindness. We have left money on gumball machines, bought gift cards for cashiers at Wal-Mart, raked neighbors leaves, etc.... but this one... this one made me cry! You might have remember back at the beginning of the month I set out to run 5 miles and almost didn't make it! Remember me wanting, praying for someone to STOP and give me water. I told the kids that we should put water in our car and look for runners who might need it. Well, we never did that, but last week, as we were driving home we saw a runner in the dead heat of the day. We talked about how she could really use some water. As we drove in our driveway Parker RAN TO GET THE WATER! Now, he ran to get one of our reuseable water bottles and went to fill it at the sink! Quickly we told him to grab a bottle out of the fridge. OUT HE RAN. I actually thought he was going to miss her. She had in her ear buds and passed our house. He caught her though. We talked about our random acts of kindness!

Tonight I checked the mail.... and guess what we had? He had a note in our mailbox from the RUNNER!!!


OH he was thrilled!! THRILLED! But maybe not as much as I was. I cried. Did you read the words in her letter where she wished for water! I immediately thought about my 5 mile run and how I was PRAYING for water! I believe God used us to bless her! Just a quick bottle of water, see how it made her day! Just a simple act.

We are going to discuss as a family how to bless other runners especially since Stacey and I are both training for half marathons and realize how water far from home is a VERY nice treat! I will let you know what we come up with, but I am thinking a small cooler we can put behind our mailbox so that runners can grab water during their run. I tried to run with a water bottle the other day, and it was hard! I ended up stashing my bottle behind a friends mailbox to get on my way back. Stacey has bought a belt to carry water, but I haven't tried it yet. You never know how your act of kindness will completely bless someone else.

GO BLESS SOMEONE!!

Wakahachie!!

Since Parker was little, he always called Waxahachie, WAKAHACHIE! So cute. Before school started we went down for a few nights and Cousin Cole and Cousin Cassidie joined us.
Everyone knows that arts and crafts are better in pajamas! And with Mammy's supervision.


BOWDEN LOVES HIS COUSIN COLE!

This is what I woke up to on Friday morning. Parker loves playing an animal zoo game on his DS, so that is what the boys were doing.

Mammy made me a caramel pie, my favorite, and she made Stacey a peach cobbler because that is his favorite! We get spoiled every time we go down there.

We also went to Paris for a few days to stay with GayGay and for me to see cousin Clint to check out this throbbing pain I was having in my mouth. We were totally spoiled the entire week between Paris and Waxahachie! I don't have any pictures from Paris, well, GAY DOES! I heard she liked her suprise we left on HER camera!

Cousin Isaiah comes over to play!

Aunt La La came over to give all of us back to school hair cuts so we also got hang out this this cute blonde curly haired cutie!



He and Bowden had a great time running their trains into the pans and pots making some great noise!!

I love you little guy!!

Parker's First day of First Grade

Well, the day hit and we all survived. My baby going into first grade. He has had his clothes picked out since the day we bought them, 3 weeks ago! He wasn't nervous at all! I wasn't either. It was a calm time around here. Like we were pros. I made his favorite dinner last night, homemade lasanga, and we did some swimming. Came home, bathed and prayed and I taught him how to work the alarm clock in his room. Next thing I know.... 6:01 and that little guy is awake, tapping on me with his brother telling me he is ready! The alarm, well, it was set for 6:30!!!
Here is Ms. Edwards. Parker knew that I wanted him to get her, so when we found out it was her, HE WAS THRILLED! So cute!
Notice the pennant on the wall? ACU alumni!! WOOHOO!
One last hug before I had to go...
And our girlie, Camille. She was already doing her work! What a good student.
These were taken before school started.
Brother giving us a belly laugh!
And Babe stands like this all the time. ALL THE TIME! He is ready for... on your mark...get set...go!
This photo represents his missing teeth!


You can read about last year kinder HERE. AND compare his photos! I cried!



Parker I love you so much and am so proud of you. Last night as we were praying I asked how you were going to be a light in your classroom and you said you were going to serve! WITHOUT having to think about it. I love your heart.
Your favorite thing to do right now is watch Billy the Exterminator, but are a bit sad because I only let you watch it when I can sit right beside you so that I can explain what is going on and talk about words we DON'T SAY! You also like to play your ZOO game on your DS. Although you have other games, this is the game that you enjoy the most, and I enjoy you explaining it to me. You are an amazing Zoo keeper and designer. You always ask for sweet tea, knowing we are probably not going to say yes. You love to be helpful, and to clean up, and to decorate the house for special occasions. I loved us shopping for you back to school clothes, just the 2 of us. You love your brother and sis. I love how you remember everything, and remember to pray for things I forget. I love you dude.