C's Academy Kid's Pre-K graduation

C had his Pre-K graduation today from Academy Kids. He started attending this Mother's Day Out right after he turned two. I still have his picture on his first day of school.

They had a rhyme that spelled out School Days.

Isn't he handsome in his graduation cap and gown?

This is C throwing his hat in the air at the end of the ceremony! They all really enjoyed this part!

This is his whole class.

I specifically wanted this picture. I know we will eventually have one when he graduates from high school and I want to have a pic with C, my huband and I at each gradutation. I think it will make a great set of pictures from all of his graduations.

Have a blessed day!

E Falls Asleep In the Strangest Places

E falls asleep in the strangest places. She was sitting in the computer chair and the next thing I know she is asleep! At 10:40 a.m.! I couldn't even move her this time, b/c I had K asleep on my lap. E stayed in the chair, asleep, for about 45 minutes. She even woke up once, looked at me, talked to me, and then laid her head back again and went back to sleep. I tried to get her to move to the couch when she roused, but she would not. When K finally woke up, I did move E to the couch, then on to the van, all without waking her. She woke on the way to lunch and looked around and then asked where we were going! I was so glad I had my phone beside me so that I could snap a couple of pics.

This is after she woke up and then went back to sleep this way.

Here is a pic of my three kiddos all together. I love putting E and K in matching outfits!

Splash Day and Picnic

On Tuesday, C had a field trip with his Barn School class to the Splash Park in Forney. They played on the playground, splashed in the splash park, and had a picnic lunch. It was a fun day where us moms just got to sit and talk with each other while watching the kids play. They had so much fun and we were so grateful the rain stayed away for the day. Here are a few pics of C playing in the water.

E did have her bathing suit at one point. She took one run through the water, getting just a little wet, and decided it was too cold to play in the water. So, she played on the playground and just hung out with me, K, and the other moms.

Here is a sneak peek of C in his graduation gown for Academy Kids Mother's Day Out for his graduation on Friday. Doesn't he look so handsome? They took pics today and I was helping with them, so snapped this of C. I can't believe he is getting to be so grown up! Academy Kids graduation is on Friday at 10:30 a.m. I'm sure I will have lots more pics!

Have a blessed day!

Happy Memorial Day!

What a fun Memorial Day! We spent the day at Grandpa and Grandma J's house. Grandpa grilled pork chops and jumbo shrimp and squash for us and Grandma fixed potatoes, green beans, and rolls! It was delicious. Then we had a great time just hanging out, taking turns napping, and playing inside and out. Below are some pictures I took throughout the day.


Here is a pic before we left the house. The girls are in matching outfits and looked so cute. And C looks so handsome.

While Grandpa grilled, C and E shelled and ate peanuts outside.

After our lunch feast, we pulled out desserts which included homemade cheesecake, watermelon and ice cream. C loves watermelon and polished off two pieces. E stuffed cheesecake in her mouth and both enjoyed the ice cream.

E enjoyed some bowling outside on the front sidewalk.

K tried her hand at playing the piano.

My husband and C practiced hitting the ball--Using a pipe and bouncy ball! C did awesome at hitting the ball and greatly improved how to hold the bat and keeping his eye on the ball.

K loved playing with her big ball and loved bouncing on it.

Grandpa J with two of his girls!

Have a blessed day!

This is a cute pic that K's Mother's Day Out teacher snapped for me today. K's class went for a ride outside in the wagon. She took several from the front, but I love this one showing all of their backs. It is adorable!

She also got to come up to my class for an hour or so this afternoon and loved playing with the older babies. She is getting to be such a big girl and thinks she can keep up with anything they can do. She is walking so well now and knows she is more mobile.

C and E are spending this weekend in Arkansas. I felt like I was forgetting them when I left school today. They are excited about getting to see Grandma and Grandpa T and spend some time with their cousins and the rest of my family. I think K is already missing them. She is so used to them being here to entertain her.

Congratulation to Justin, who is graduating from Lamar High School tonight. I am so proud of you and wish I could be there. Congrats!

Have a blessed day!

E's Dance Recital

E's first dance recital was Thursday night. She was so cute and did so well during the recital. She twirled, jumped, and participated in the dance. I was afraid she would just stand there, but she was really into it.

This is a pic of E before the dance.

E's group performed the Teddy Bear dance. Ms. J let them take their teddy bears home and E was so pleased that she got to bring it home.

They performed two other dances with all of the Mother's Day Out classes. It was so cute to watch.

Have a blessed day!

The mystery of Jumper Cables figured out!

Oh the mysteries of jump starting a car! I have never had the need to jump start my own vehicle, myself -- until today! Normally, I would wait until my husband could do it or someone else that was available and had the know-how.

Yesterday morning, I got myself and the kids all ready to go to playgroup, gathered all of the things needed to spend the majority of the afternoon at the park, locked the door and got everyone in the car. WELL, the rear side door had been left open (they open electrically), therefore the van would not start. So, much to my children's dissappointment, we did not make it to play group. Instead, we spent the day around the house and my husband jump started the van last night. Yay! We're back in business.

This morning, we prepared to leave the house to take C to school and run a few errands. I decided to start the van -- before loading everyone, therefore opening those electric doors. I shout out a warning to the kids not to open their doors! So, I go to start it....click, click, click! Won't start!!!

So, I make a few quick phone calls and arrange for someone else to pick up and take C. Then, I called my neighbor and she agreed to drive her vehicle down so I can jump the van. With some instruction from our husbands, we managed to get the right cables attached to the correct charges and got my van started. We didn't even have any major goof ups!

I went directly to the auto repair shop to have my battery checked. Nothing was wrong with it, they say. He cleaned some corrosion off of the cables, that will hopefully solve the problem. Maybe it just didn't get enough of a charge last night.

Here is a cute pic of E. She fell asleep up on top of the back of the sofa. I did move her down to the seat, but not before I snapped a cute picture!

Have a blessed day!

Busy weekend

This past weekend was so, so busy! We had C's graduation on Saturday morning, went to eat afterwards at Saltgrass in celebration of his graduation and my birthday, baked cookies all Saturday afternoon for a bakesale at church on Sunday, church on Sunday morning, manned the bake sale afterwards, ate at a Thai restaurant for lunch, cooked sausage and bacon for CARE bible study (my husband actually did the cooking so that I could get in some rest), and then went to CARE on Sunday night! Whew!

I think that is all that we did this weekend. We stayed on the go most of the time.

Here is a pic of some of the baking I did. I made Chocolate Chip Lollipop cookies. They were fairly easy to do and the children loved buying them at the bake sale. I wrapped them individually and tied a ribbon around them.

Have a blessed day!

Barnschool Graduation

C graduated from Barn School on Saturday morning. The program was so cute to watch.



They recited the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Answered various questions relating to history and science that they had studied throughout the year. C's favorite question was, "Where did Christopher Colombus land when coming to America?" He answered correctly-- Plymouth Rock! How amazing it was to see the knowledge these children have learned throughout the year.



They sang many songs to us, recited nursery rhymes, danced, and told of favorite things they liked to do at Barn School, such as painting and playing outside on the hill. C recited Baa, Baa, Black Sheep for us.



Then, it was time for the young graduates to receive their certificates. There were five of them to receive certificates that will go on to Kindergarten in the fall.



C is leaving Barn School with much that he has learned. But-- perhaps most importantly-- he has the confidence of knowing that he can do anything he trys to do!

The slideshow now shows pics from this graduation!


Have a blessed day!

Pajama Day

Today at Mother's Day Out was Pajama Day! Everyone could wear their pajamas to school -- kids and teachers. C, E, K, and I all wore our pajamas. Here is a pic a friend took of all four of us together. It was fun!

We have another busy weekend coming. Barn School Gradutation for C, Birthday lunch for me, bake sale at church, baby shower at church, and CARE (bible study group)! I'm sure I'll have lots of pics to post!

Have a blessed day and a great weekend!

Lunch with C

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, C has Barn School. When I took him this morning, I forgot to leave his back pack which, of course, had his lunch in it. I had planned to run errands most of the time he was there, so I decided to pick up lunch for E, K, C, and I from Chick-Fil-A and eat lunch with C. Then, we would go to Wal-Mart in Forney while C finished up and then back to pick him up.

So, here is a pic of them eating lunch. C was so excited that we were there to eat with them and it was so neat to see him interacting with Ms. R and the other students.

Also, here is a few pics of them doing some learning activities in the afternoon. They are learning to tie their shoes and tell time.

Have a blessed day!

Gardening

It is so rewarding to garden. I have a little tiny garden with a few vegetable and fruit plants in it. I am loving to see it produce things. They aren't even edible yet, but I love to see them grow and begin to bear fruit.

Here is a pics of the plants "producing."

Tomatoes

Squash

Banana Peppers budding

Strawberries

I took these pictures on Tuesday and have just now had time to blog about them. So, when I went out to check on my garden a few minutes ago-- I found ants all over the strawberry! Arggg! There is another small one growing now, but that just makes me mad! They'll probably get that one too! Those ants best watch out. I am going to research and see how I can keep the ants away!

Here is a pic of Emma with fingernail polish on her chin. She decided to paint her lips with the fingernail polish, she said. And her thumb nail. She got a little dot on her thumbnail, some on the back side of her thumb, her chin, upper lip, and a little bit on her lip. (she did get in trouble for opening it without permission!)

Have a blessed day!

Christian Fiction

I read Christian Fiction books a lot. Most of them have a romantic angle to them. I had the discussion recently with a group of friends about substituting reading fictional books for your bible reading time (not completely, just not spending as much time with the Bible). I have to say that it convicted me. I often walk away from reading a christian fiction book with a better understanding of a biblical truth than I may have had before. They bring interesting topics to mind that I may not have thought about quite that way before.

However, should it replace some of my Bible reading time? I think the answer is an unqualified NO! God gave us the Bible to guide us. I do think that he uses the hands and thoughts of authors to bring certain messages to us and I by no means think we shouldn't supplement our Bible reading with other readings, but that is exactly what it should be-- a supplement!

So, I am going to try something. When I am reading a Christian Fiction Book, I will try very hard to explore the things discussed and revealed to me while reading them and study them with the Bible. I am also going to make sure that I have done my Bible Reading before I pick up my Christian Fiction book. This way, the Christian fiction book becomes a tool that will really help me strengthen my relationship with God.

For Mother's Day and my birthday, my husband and children presented me with an Archealogical Study Bible. I had been hinting that I wanted one. I love it! It brings to light so many things that I didn't know. It is really helping me to understand some of the background behind the scripture.

I have been reading Unredeeming Love by Francis Rivers. It is based on the story found in the Bible in the book of Hosea. After completing the novel, I went and read Hosea's account of the story in the Bible. I can't remember understanding Hosea that well before.

Okay, enough of my thoughts on this subject!

Have a blessed day!

Happy Mother's Day

First of all, I want to say, "Happy Mother's Day" to our two awesome Moms. I don't know what we would do without the help of our moms. This help comes in many ways, shapes, and forms and my husband and I are so grateful and so, so blessed to have such fantastic moms! Thank you so much for being the examples you are and for all of your help and love that you give to us so freely! We are truly blessed to have both of you in our lives! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!


Today was a great day! After church this morning, C told his daddy, "We are going to have to work really hard today." I overheard and asked what they were going to work "really hard" on? They were going to work really hard because it was Mother's Day! He wanted me to know how special and loved I am!


I have such awesome kids! I am so blessed to be a mommy to them! They show me they love me in many ways throughout each day and this day simply lets them express their love in different ways. I love all of the gifts that they make for me and the hugs and kisses that go along with them.

My husband is so awesome too and treats me so great! He even made sure I had time to take a rest today. I tried to take a nap, and think that I dozed several times! I so much appreciated the effort everyone showed to give me some rest time today.


We went and ate Chinese food for lunch and then spent the afternoon at Grandma and Grandpa J's house.


Have a blessed day!

Royal Ranger Twilight Camp

On Saturday night, my huband took C to a Royal Ranger Twilight Camp. It was from 4:30 until shortly after dark. This was for the youngest group of Royal Rangers -- The "Ranger Kids."

They had games set up for them to play, such as:

Horse shoes

Tug Of War-- C loved this!

Disc Golf

This one they tossed the thing in his hand and tried to get it to go around the bars.

They also had a camp fire and roasted hotdogs and marshmallows.








The temperatures took an unexpected dip (at least unexpected to us, since we didn't watch the weather), and so they froze in their shorts and t-shirts. C decided he wanted some cuddle time to warm up! And, of course, my husband loved this! They had to show me what cuddle time was when they got home!




Several skits were performed by the different groups from around the area, flag ceremonies were performed, and songs were sung! I have been serenaded tonight with a Pizza Hut song they learned. It is so cute and has motions to go along with it!




Here, C is looking at some termites that they found on a tree stump. He thought these were so cool to look at!

Have a blessed day!