Destin 2009

Our trip to Florida was perfect. Here is a breakdown of our stay in pictures. (Get comfy...there's a million!)

Sitting on the dock of the bay....
Dirty face didn't stay in Texas

That water is COLD!


Cuteness

Probably my favorite picture from the whole trip.

We love crab legs!

Each night my boys were worn out!

We love this real pirate and look for him every year

Feeding fish after dinner

One blessed momma

Taking an airplane ride

This was right before a small incident that involved our car turned around backwards and the employees coming to our aid. OOPs!

Bumper boats are always a hit

Zachary and Seth-part of the crew from his very first deep sea fishing trip

Quick nap on the way out to sea

Helping the captain

Displaying his catches. Please notice tiny fish too. We are proud of EVERYTHING we caught!

Z with the entire crew

Water is STILL cold!

But he couldn't stop "surfing"

Trent was content playing in the sand

A little water gun action

Absolute joy!

Little ocean side nap

Date night...we went to Ruth's Chris. Yummmmm

Z spent the majority of his time like this

Snacks are very important to Trent

Napping under our table at lunch

We love that Harry T's is back and better than ever! Watching ALL the boats in the harbor was so fun!

Ran into our pirate friend again

What a wonderful time with my guys! Thanks to Paw Paw and Grana for a fabulous time!

Funnies for the road

I have a few spare minutes before leaving for a tball game and then getting on the road for our trip. I remembered a few funnies that I wanted to document.

T: "Is this gum hot?"
Me: "No, I don't think so."
T: "Is it just warm?"

Trent didn't take part in the group picture at school last week. When I asked him later what the problem was, he replied, "I just didn't want to." Followed by, "When I am a little bigger, I will be in the pictures."

Zachary was having a moment last night and I was having to correct him. Trent looked at me and said, "He's bad." Several seconds later, he said, "And I'm good."

Trent has taken to wearing his underwear backwards. The design on most of his undies is on the back and so he puts them on backwards and refuses to change them. His little hiney looks hilarious with the skinny part of the underpants in the back.

We got his hair cut again last week. I kept telling him how much bigger he looked with the trim. He finally said, "I'm still a baby. I need a pacie."

Tone of voice has become an issue at our house lately. We are constantly reminding Zachary to watch his tone when addressing one of us or his brother. He came to me the other day and said that he thought we needed to teach Trent about tone.

That same day, I was lecturing Trent about something unrelated and he said, "Don't talk to me like that!"

Trent's vocabulary cracks us up. Here are some of his current favs: accinent. birfday, definitely, actually, excuse me, brudder (brother), nebermind, pay it (buy something), and finally, our favorite, annorging (combination of ignore and annoy).

How can you not love life when you have these two making you laugh constantly???

Leaving on a jet plane

First a quick update from my gal, Nancy. She sent a brief e-mail Tuesday morning and sounded great.

"I only have a second to write but just wanted to give you a quick update... The trip has been AMAZING so far... pray for the Christians here... they are under so much persecution from the Hindu people... it is awesome to see their faith and love for others.... they have such a desire to see their country redeemed for the Lord... The blog was updated today to tell a little about our experience so far... I am already in love with the people here and know that it is a place I will want to visit again. Oh... just got the word we are leaving!!! I love you all and will try to email again... Please pray for our ride... it is pouring rain and we have a very rough road ahead :-0!!!"

You can get more details on the blog that she mentioned by clicking here.

In other news, we are leaving TODAY for the beach! Just can't wait...

Zachary said on the way to school this morning, "I just cannot wait to have all the fun we are going to have. Throwing sand, playing in the ocean, swimming..."

Trent chimed in, "And flying!"

He is going to be so disappointed when he sees the Mommy Mobile packed up and then spends hours drving 1/2 way across America. Poor thing.

I couldn't damper his sweet spirit. I just went along with it.

Got lots to do to finish packing all of us. Brandon attempted packing himself last night for the first time ever and I can tell you that I won't request he do it again. :) At least when Trent packs non-essentials, it's cute. Not so much, when it's a grown man!

I hate to even jinx myself, but I should be back sometime next week with some adorable pictures. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Packin' up

Today the boys and I are home doing chores and preparing for our annual trip to the beach that is fast approaching. I mentioned to them this morning that I was going to begin packing. As I did laundry I went ahead and put some things in Trent's suitcase. A few minutes later, this is what I found by the door...

Think he's excited about leaving???

I opened it up to see what he had added. Check out the football, small pink ball and baseball hat.
I also found that he had generously packed himself and his brother a backpack with snacks. Plain crackers for both of them. Apparently we aren't going to eat too fancy on this vacation.

We are counting the days....

Park Date

Friday we went to Longview for a day at the park with Granny Great, my sister and niece, Katie. Granny showed us a park we had never been to and the boys loved it. We will definitely be going back.








I just love having a Grandmother who is still active and enjoys being with my kids and me. She will be 84 soon...isn't she a cutie?

Fancy Nancy

This is Nancy and I. She is one of my all time favorite people...

Nancy and I have known each other since Kindergarten, but only became friends in high school after we got over some unfortunate incidents of teased hair, tight jeans, and dating the same guy in junior high. (The first two were all her.) When she finally gave up on keeping me and my boyfriend apart
(I'm not bitter--just stating facts), she became our great friend. She even stood beside us years later when we tied the knot. She has been a dear friend to me and loves me even though she knows all of my unlovable parts.

[By the way, YES, she's cute. YES, she's single. And YES, she would be interested in being set up with your cute brother, friend, coworker, etc.]

Anyway, as I was saying....

This is Nancy saying "I'm outta here!"

You see, Nan has a heart that loves the Lord and desires to serve Him. She is leaving Saturday morning for Nepal for a medical mission trip. She is going to an extremely remote village in Nepal that will involve several modes of transportation in the process of traveling. (My favorite is the 5-8 hour HIKE!)

I am posting this information so that you can join me in prayer for her and her team as they travel, provide medical attention and spread His word and His love to several parts of Nepal.

Please be in prayer for Nancy as she travels alone for the first few legs of her trip. She has asked for specific prayer regarding getting through customs with LOTS of meds. Also, pray for her health and safety throughout the duration of the two week trip.

I will be updating as I hear from her, but you can keep up with her team through their blog by clicking here.

'

Nancy, I am so proud of you and am praying for a wonderful experience for you. PLEASE don't fall in love with a native and stay in Nepal forever.:) I love you!

Mother's Day

My favorite gifts this mother's day were all made with love by my favorite boys:

I'll definitely be cashing this in...

Zachary's cousin, Emma, helped him make the above coupon and a cookbook for me...




When I asked where they got the yummy recipe for the cookies inside, they explained that Emma had searched on the Internet and found it.:)

Zachary made this vase for me at school:


Trent made this mini vase for me at school

Mine was without a handpainted flower inside, the heart in it explained why...

I was unaware that he likes to stay clean--just another Mother's Day surprise for me!

I also got some really great gifts FROM all the moms in my life. And, I enjoyed two very delicious meals cooked by my mother in law and my brother in law.

My husband and boys also bought me a wii. I really have nothing else to say on that subject. I am sure one day I will laugh about it. Not today.

A funny from the day: When my mother in law opened part of her gift from us, Zachary explained, "My mama bought that for her Keno gift, but she didn't get to go."

Thank you, Zachary. I appreciate that honesty more than you know.

More funnies

Just thought of a few more funnies from recently:

*Zachary's Grana was talking to him about cleanliness. (I think she was trying to talk him to into taking a bath, actually.) She explained to him that God wants us to take care of ourselves and our things. He replied, "Yeah, 'cause if you don't you'll go to hell."

We have always laughed and said that he will someday be a preacher because of all the biblical lessons he tells us. Now we know that he'll be one of those hell-fire-and-damnation-tell-it-like-it-is pastors!

*Trent and his friend were throwing crackers through the fence at a tball game the other night. I repeatedly told T to quit. I finally told him that if he did it again, I was going to pop his leg. He turned to his friend and told her, "If you throw that through the fence again, my mom will have to pop your leg."

You should have seen the look I got from that sweet little girl!

*Brandon and Zachary love to rent old movies to watch. They rented Old Yeller recently. I was watching it with Z and when it got to the part where they have to shoot the sick dog I worried that it would upset him. After a few moments he said, "Mama, if that ever happens to Luke (his beloved dog that he claims as his own regularly).....I will shoot him."

Such a sensitive kid....

Friday Fun

The sleepover was a success. Zachary's friend stayed the whole night without any problems. They had a blast and finally passed out on the couch at 1 am! I heard them giggling at 7 this morning. Could be worse, I guess!

Trent hasn't left their sides once. He didn't make it as late as they did, but he sure gave it his best shot.

I wanted to kick off the weekend (and May!) with some cute things that I've been recording from the mouths of my babes.

*Each morning we pray in the car on the way to school. I always ask the boys if they have anything they would like for me to pray about. Usually the answer is no. Apparently Trent remembers all the important things that he wants to pray about mid-prayer. He begins yelling things like COW, BEAVERS, PAWPAW from the backseat as I pray. I repeat them and continue. One day this week, he never quit and we arrived to school STILL praying and walked thru the doors with him still naming things... Bless his heart, he is one thankful little boy!

*Brandon and I picked the boys up from school one day this week as a couple for the first time ever. (They were pumped that Daddy was there.) On the way home Trent said, "I not like that girl." He and Brandon had a discussion and figured out that he was talking about the lady in the car next to us. We asked him why he didn't like her. He answered, "Hers not cute."

*After spending some time with my mom Zachary said, "Know what Grandmaw calls Tank? (her dog) GUN of a SON!"

*Zachary was playing doctor with KK recently. She thought that they had actually cut her forehead because apparently they were using excessive force...surprising, I know. Zachary inspected her head and told her she was fine...it was just her wrinkles!

*I was trying to get the boys in the bathtub one night after they had been around cigarette smoke. I said, "Come on, you're filthy and you smell like smoke." Trent answered, "I not smoke today."

*On our first outing at the pool, Trent had an accident in his pants. (Thankfully in his pants and didn't share it with the other swimmers!) I took him inside to clean him up and he said, "I'm SO mad I pooped my swimsuit."

*Trent told us that the prettiest girl in his class was Halloweena. (Lena is her actual name.)

*When we were discussing Zachary having a spend the night guest, he told me that next time he wanted to have Sam come. He said, "I know you don't know his parents, but I know him real well 'cause I am in school with him every day."

BTW, I've known both his mom and dad for over 20 years. Another advantage of growing up in a small town!:)

*We have all kinds of rules trying to break the pacifier habit. Trent can't play outside with the pacie, he can't talk to us while it's in his mouth, no sucking it in public, etc. When we arrived at a t-ball game this week (an off limits zone) he announced, "And this game, I'm having my pacie!"

*Zachary got the game ball awarded to him last night after his t-ball game. He got 3 great hits (one off of live pitching) and made an out. Way to go, Z!

Life is so much fun right now. Time, please freeze!