Quality Time

Today Z played hookie from school so that he and I could have a little one on one time. It doesn't seem like I am ever alone with him so it was a treat for both of us. We had lunch with his cousin Emma at her elementary school, surprised Grandmommy with a drop in at her work, loaded up our bikes and took a long bike ride in the park, and visited the library for some new books. We hit the dollar store for a treat (a new gun, of course) and the convenient store for an ICEE. I loved being with my blonde baby and based on his comments, I think he had a good day, too.

Here are a few of the things that came out of his precious mouth today:

"We really needed this time by ourselves, didn't we, Mama?"

Z: "Is Nancy a kid?" (This is my friend that is my age, but not married.)
Me: "No, she just isn't married yet."
Z: "Why?"
Me: "Well she hasn't found a husband that she likes yet."
Z: "I hope she don't marry me!"
Me: "You don't have to marry anyone that you don't want to marry. You get to choose your wife."
Z: "Oh good. Praise the Lord!"

Walking into a convenient store, I explained to Z that he had to go the restroom with me because he couldn't stay out in the store without supervision. A little while later he asked, "Can I go on the next aisle without your division?"

Learning to work his new toy gun, "I think this is how you do it. IN FACT, I know it is."

"Ms. Sherri is trying to get me ready for Kindergarten, but I am not even going for one more year."

"Emma's class doesn't look very fun."

"I am so glad that today is MY DAY so we don't have to do anything I don't like."

What a wonderful day! Now we are off to our second soccer practice. Wish us luck!

Celebrating Sixteen

I took Raegan and her friend, Alyssa, to Dallas this weekend to celebrate Raegan's big birthday. We had a great time going to the spa, eating good food, shopping, laughing, going to a movie and just talking. I told Raegan that we would do it again when she turns thirty! :)

Getting a manicure at SEVENTEEN spa

Enjoying the "pedicure pit"

More beautification

The finished products

After the spa we were off to have lunch, shop and take naps. (I chose to pass on the nap and spend a little time in the hotel gym. Since they had to wake up before eight on a Saturday morning, they were in desperate need of naps!) Once they acquired their second winds, we were off to Life's a Beach for dinner.

Here we are warming up next to the fire pit...it was a very chilly night.

My friend, Nancy, met up with us on Saturday night. She provided some much needed back-up.

This is where the mocking begins...This is their impression of Nancy and I posing for a picture. Just hilarious, aren't they???

The servers sang to Raegan while she stood in her chair...they told her to dance, but I saw very minimal movement

Raegan's birthday dessert

I forced them to "frolic" in the sand since we were at Life's a Beach. They were playing in this sand only for the picture, I can assure you.

This is were total obnoxiousness sets in...The ride from the restaurant to the movie theater was full of entertainment. When the fun of taking self portraits wore off, they entertained me with impromptu raps. Let me say, I don't think we have to worry with either of them having a future in that field, although they were very successful in making a rhyme with EVERY SINGLE WORD that I said during the drive.




After seeing Baby Mama, we went back to the hotel and went to bed. They had said that they were going to hit the gym (after telling me how much better shape they were in than Nancy and I), but I didn't see anything but hitting their beds!

Sunday morning we were up again before noon (such a sacrifice for them!) and went to lunch and headed home. They slept all the way home so I either wore them out or bored them to sleep!

I hope it's a weekend they will remember for a long time!I know I won't soon forget all the reminders of my ancient age!

Soccer Practice

Thursday was Z's first day of soccer practice. He is on a 6 and under team so we knew at four he would be the baby. We also knew that because we live in an area with a very high Hispanic population that his team would probably have several Spanish speaking kids on it. What we didn't anticipate is that the vast majority of his teammates would speak Spanish, along with is coach!!!

He hung in there for the most part, but got pretty frustrated because he couldn't understand any instruction from his coach. Not to mention that the Hispanic kids are older and have obviously been playing the sport since they could walk! We have tried to encourage him by letting him know that he will get better with each practice, but I am seeing that it's not going to be the fun activity that we had planned. Just two weeks until the first game...

Sweet (and SASSY) Sixteen

A very special person is turning 16 today!

Raegan is Brandon's cousin (her mother is Bran's 1st cousin), but because she is so much younger than us we call her our niece. They moved to the town we grew up in when we were in high school and Brandon and I, both, fell in love with that sweet, curly-headed angel.

At one point when I was in high school she lived next door to my family and we have lots of great stories involving our little neighbor. When we went off to Baylor she visited, even staying in the dorms with me one night. She was a part of our wedding and a frequent guest when we lived in Dallas and Little Rock.

Now we are neighbors again! Her family lives two doors down from us. We have loved having them so close by and getting to be apart of her and Emma's lives.

Raegan is beautiful on the inside and out. Brandon and I have loved watching her grow into a sweet, young lady--even if she has figured out that we aren't as cool as she once thought. My boys adore her, and as an added bonus, she makes a great babysitter! We look forward to sharing her next few years of high school and seeing what great things our Lord has in store for her after that.

Raegan was my Lil' Drill girl when I was a Tiger Doll

Here she is on stage dancing a routine that I taught her class

Precious flower girl in Sister's wedding.

After a long day of swimming

Rehearsal dinner before my wedding

Minutes before I officially became part of her family

Before the Aaron Carter concert.
I am still finding body glitter from this weekend and I have moved several times since. She owes me big for this!

One of her first meetings with Z

Z's 2nd birthday party

On a visit to Arkansas

Loving on Baby T

During one of our holiday flag football games

Rae and the NEW CAR!!!

Beautiful at sixteen


We love you, Raegan, Raegie, Rae Rae, Raegae....

Country life

Living in the country has LOTS of advantages, but there are also a few things that I could live without. For the past few days we have been watching this bird nest in a bush in our flower bed. Today when I peeked in there were a bunch of hungry babies. They are so tiny. We love watching the mother get worms and sit on the top of the house eating them before taking it down to share with her babies.

On the downside...it has been well established thru this blog that I am not a fan of snakes. I have nightmares about them after hearing a story about one.

Today after I picked up Z from school, the boys were playing in the car while I unloaded all of our loot. T kept hitting the garage door opener making the door go up and down. I noticed something hanging from the garage door as it rested on the ceiling. It was a snake!!! It was hanging down and sticking its tongue out at me. I grabbed a shovel and went after it for about 2 seconds before I realized that I was scared out of my mind! Plus I couldn't kill him because he was wedged up in the garage door. I called my dad and told him that this was a real emergency. Unbelievably, he showed up about 4 minutes later with gun in hand. The boys and I retreated to the backyard until we heard the fatal blow. We ran around to see a dead snake hanging from door. Super Dad knocked it down with a shovel so I could share this picture with you.

Brandon assured me that it was probably just a garden snake, I assured him that it was a very poisonous water mocassin. When I asked my dad what kind of snake he thought it was, he answered, "A dead one."

Thank you, thank you very much.

Straight from the 'hood

Last week I was invited to another Keno night. The theme this month was Hip Hop. Here are a few pictures of our attempts at dressing in theme.

Check out the "grillz"

Mom's shirt: "Party like a rockstar"
Baby Ayden's shirt: "Potty like a rockstar"

This "Rockstar Mom" was one of our hosts

PB & J

My little one LOVES peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! He has even eaten one for breakfast almost every morning for the last two weeks. This is what he looks like after enjoying one.

Wrapped around his finger

I feel in love with this little person the second I heard his raspy first cry. Every day I love him more.

Yesterday I told him that he was the cutest four year old boy in the whole church. He replied, "You are the prettiest girl in the church. You are the prettiest girl in the WHOLE WORLD."

Bless his heart!

Last night before bed he told me that he has two best friends--one was Daddy and I was the other. Then as I laid down with him as he was falling asleep, he asked me if I would hold his hand. He fell sound asleep holding his mama's hand. I laid there trying to memorize every feature of his little face. He is so precious and I don't want him to ever outgrow me.

Happy Birthday, Paw Paw

Yesterday we celebrated PawPaw Mark's birthday with a picnic at my mom's. (It was super WINDY so it was an inside picnic.) Their house is coming along so well. Very soon all of our family gatherings will be in thier new home!

The kids loved riding bikes, playing in the dirt and eating cake!

Happy Birthday, Paw Paw. You don't look a day over 40!!

Day at the park

The boys and I invited Katie to join us for a trip to the park on Friday. We had picnic (Sonic) lunch and played. The weather was beautiful and the kids loved being outside in the sunshine.