Playing Hooky

It has been a very busy few weeks for our family and I've been thinking that we were due a day of skipping school. When we woke up to rainy weather, I announced that today was the day. The boys climbed in my bed and we didn't get out until after 9. Ahhhhhh....

When Zachary and I were discussing 'playing hooky', Trent kept repeating, "I want to play, I want to play." He had no idea what we were talking about, but he knew he didn't want to be left out!

The boys have loved being at home and I have loved having them all to myself today.

They helped with my laundry

They got really muddy...TWICE.

They worked on our landscaping. This was my very large bush that covered my A/C unit and helped hide my outdoor trash bins. Their dad told them that they could trim it back some.

And that they did! Here are all their trimmings....

That forced them to hook up a trailer and make several trips to the burn pile. I know they really hated that chore.

They made jewelry for Mom. (photography by Z)

We also squeezed a lunch date to CiCi's in our day. We borrowed some quarters from our Wii fund and played some games while we were there. They each won a small container of floam (which I am still convinced was invented by the devil himself).

But two worn out boys can be a good thing:

We have a t-ball game tonight and then Zachary is having his first non family overnight company. He is extremely excited about that!!!

Sure glad I got to sleep in this morning....

More ball

T-ball continues to take up a few nights of each week. For the most part, Zachary and Brandon, both still love it. Our little team is improving (slowly) and they are having fun.

I still think the site of this little person in his baseball uniform is one of the cutest I've ever seen!
Trent spends his time at the ballpark picking up girls with his cute smile (and yummy snacks.)

First Good Swim of the Season

The Price family invited us over for lunch and an afternoon swim yesterday. We were so excited to get a jump on swimming season in their heated pool. The boys had so much fun. Zachary jumped right in and just about sank to the bottom. He was screaming and flopping around. I was not overly concerned and let him figure it out--which he did in about 5 seconds. He swam beautifully the rest of the day. Trent wore his floaties and, as usual, wasn't afraid to try anything.

Sweet Izzy

Much of the whole crew. Can you tell that Trent was not liking the group photo.
Maggie Mae looking much like Cindy Lou Who

Loving his googles

Kai. Hopefully he was happy to have some boy company. He is the only boy in their family as of now.

Jumping from the bridge was great entertainment

As was splashing...

Thanks for the invite Price family. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Showering Nicole

I helped host a baby shower for my friend Nicole on Saturday. She is thrilled to be having her first boy. It was so fun to see all the tiny blue things...brought back wonderful memories.

Nicole had lots of help opening her presents from two big sisters. I hope they'll be that helpful once he arrives.

Big Sis McKenzie, Nanny Teresa, Big Sis Natalie, Nicole and Grandmother Cathy

We forgot to take a hostess picture, but got this after most had left. My friend Kisha is also Nicole's sister in law. Got to love a small town!

Can't wait to meet baby Daxton. Only a few more weeks!

Boomer Sooner

KK and I went to Denton to watch my brother's team play on Wednesday. The Sooners played against The University of North Texas. It was a beautiful day at the ballpark and really great to see Tripp.






Yes, we are hugged up like prom dates in the last picture...not sure what's up with that...he usually doesn't like me that much at all!

It's raining. It's pouring...

And it doesn't slow us down a bit!

Skeet

When I was in high school my dad FORCED me to take lessons on his skeet range. (He said that men wanted to marry well-rounded women.) I have shot only a few times since my lessons 13 years ago. (Apparently the man who chose me cares nothing about my shooting abilities. Thank goodness!) Anyway...some friends of ours joined us for some skeet shooting recently.

My dad proudly announced before we started that all I was capable of was making the gun 'go bang'.

He was right.

I did hit a few clays, and I was really excited that I hit my first target! After that, it went downhill. Fast.

But, we had a great time and plan to make it a regular date so that we can improve our skills.

Please notice our matching hats. He is quite trendy. :)

Leah getting some instruction from my dad

Kaye is MY teacher...my dad gave up on me, I think.

Zachary loved to be the official "puller"

He was an adorable spectator...he even shot 2 clays himself!

Trent wanted in on some action

Reunited...

...and it feels so good!

Zachary's 4 wheeler has been in the shop for a whole MONTH! (Don't even get me started on that mess!) He asked about it everyday that it was gone and missed it so much. Yesterday it was finally ready and was sitting in the driveway waiting for him when he got home from tball practice last night. He was beyond thrilled! He rode until 9:45 last night. (We stick to a real strict bed time around here!) This morning he was up and on it by 7:30. Little brother has been just as excited and ridden with him much of the time.

Now I am praying for safety and a 4 wheeler that stays in good working condition.

Our Zoo

Marla Taviano, a Christian author from Ohio, is currently in the process of visiting 52 zoos in 52 weeks and writing a book about her family's experiences. KK has befriended her through blog world and we were excited to be a part of her experience. Marla, her husband Gabe and their three sweet daughters stayed with Kaye last night between their visits to the Dallas zoo yesterday and their trip to the Tyler zoo this morning.

They are a precious family and I am pretty sure they had never experienced a 'zoo' like they did with our crew. My dad and company were shooting skeet when they arrived, he gave Gabe a short helicopter ride, and then got on a roll at dinner telling stories. Kaye and I told Marla that we wanted her to sign a non-disclosure saying she wouldn't share anything she learned from my father in any of her books!:)

I bet they are still talking about their evening with the country folk!


On a sidenote...I let TRENT ride in the helicopter for a very short trip last night! Am I crazy, or what??? He was set on getting to go when Zachary got in and I jumped in the backseat with him. He loved every minute of it and didn't act scared at all.

Easter 2009

Our family had a wonderful Easter. We woke up to see what all the bunny had left...

(This was after they had torn thru their things...I forgot to get a before picture.)

We even had time for a little painting with our new paints before church.
Once we were all dressed, we attempted to capture some cute pictures.
It wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but they were cute nonetheless....

Zachary said it was only fair that he get to take some of Brandon and I.

We hosted lunch and had our annual Easter egg hunt after a great service. We started doing this when Zachary was a year old. We would pretty much dump eggs out in the front yard and let the little ones pick them up. It has gotten increasingly more difficult and competitive as the boys have gotten older. Once we moved back to Texas, more cousins were able to join and added to the fun. Now we have a little kid's hunt and an older kid's hunt. It is so much fun!

Here are the smaller kiddos on the hunt:

Jeni, Lexi and Raegan are cool, but not too cool to hunt eggs when they are filled with lip gloss, nail polish, candy and MONEY!They had to really work to find their eggs...some were hidden above their heads.

Brandon and Jon took the hiding task very seriously...It took the girls a few minutes to notice this 'hidden' egg!

A great day to celebrate a remarkable event!

"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said..."