Our Christmas Pictures

We took the boys to the park on Sunday to try and get a decent picture for our Christmas card. These are some of the ones I took. I was pleased overall and my Christmas card turned out cute. So, it was a successful day with only minor boughts of fit throwing and screaming profanities from their dad! :)

My little model Braxton

Brady and Mommy

My 3 little angels... :)

My Son!

"Bryce, what can we do to make our days go better?"

"EAT ICE CREAM!"

The Joys of Potty Training

I've been away from blog land for a little while. Sick babies, potty training a 2 year old, and Christmas along with normal mom job stuff will do that to a girl... But I've been reading all of yours when I get a second and I have to tell you that I love blog land! It encourages me so much to read all of them--to share in your joys and frustrations and to know that you share in mine too! So thank you Ladies!

Here's a laugh for you today! As I said before we are potty training the 2 year old. My first child of course was the easy one--gave up his bottle with no problems, handed me his pacifier one day and never took it back, become interested in potty training at 18 months but was out of diapers in the early 2s.

My #2 child...not so much! He'll be 3 in April and he has his own agenda in everything so I've let him do things when he gets ready. With a new baby, I just haven't had the fight in me! But 2 weeks ago I read something that said most children are potty trained between 18 months and 31 months. So I sit and count up #2--He's 32 months and in diapers all the time! So I thought ok, we're going to do this. And he's done great! He's completely out of diapers even at bedtime! I'm so excited!

But there's one little problem...have I mentioned he has his own agenda? Two nights ago, I reminded him to go pee-pee in the potty. He walks right inside the bathroom door, pulls down his pants, and pee-pees in the floor. Since then, he's peed on a big thing of toilet paper that I set in the bathroom floor and yesterday he peed in the trashcan when he got up from his nap! I have no idea what's going through his head! The really bad thing is that I have to stop laughing before I administer the discipline! :)

Christmas Tag

Wrapping paper or gift bags? I think that Wrapping paper is more fun to open. Plus, there couldn't be wadded up paper fights if all we used were bags!!! (Ditto Stacey!)
Real tree or artificial? I love real trees but I have an artificial one. It's big and beautiful and it was FREE! (Do you remember Amy and Rachel?)
When do you put up the tree? The weekend of Thanksgiving....but this year I got the Christmas spirit the weekend before! We put it up and the boys put 2 ornaments on every night until this week.
When do you take it down? Whenever I get the energy
Do you like eggnog? NO WAY!!!!
Favorite gift received as a child? I'm not sure what I thought then but now it was my doll house that my Pop made. My gorilla, Patrick, from my dad would be a close second.
Hardest person to buy for? this year--Brady! What do you get an 8 month old that has 2 older brothers?!
Easiest person to buy for? Braxton and Bryce--they both have a list a mile long that ranges from a new Star Wars toothbrush to a Wii!
Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I love it!!! It was my Mamaw's!
Mail or e-mail Christmas cards? Mail if I can ever get them out. I've still got a big stack of Brady's birth announcements! Maybe I'll send those for Christmas cards! ;)
Worst Christmas gift received? There's a story that my family loves to tell of an outfit I got when I was probably 7. I opened a box from my Grannie and saw orange and brown plaid material and I said "OOOH YUCK!" I will never live that down! But the red satin bra in front of all my family when I first started wearing one was pretty embarrassing!
Favorite Christmas movie? Miracle on 34th Street, Prancer, Charlie Brown Christmas...anything except Christmas Story! (Lloyd loves that movie and I think it's stupid!)
When do you start shopping for Christmas? Summer time
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yep, tonight at a Dirty Santa
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Fudge and other sweets and my father-in-laws smoked meat
Lights on the tree? White
Favorite Christmas songs? I love Christmas music! The Christmas Song (it starts out, "chestnuts roasting on an open fire") and Mary Did You Know and Do You Hear What I Hear (I don't know if that's the name of that song)
Travel at Christmas or stay home? Growing up we were always traveling but I thought it was cool b/c Santa came to my house early and then again at Grannie's house. Now, I don't care as long as we're with our family!
Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Am I a mother of three? Of course I know them!!! ;) Ditto again! You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixon. Comet and Cupid and Donnor and Blitzen but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all?
Angel or star on top of tree? I actually have a beautiful red bow my Grannie made for me
Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas eve and then Santa's stuff on Christmas morning
Most annoying thing about this time of year? Traffic
Favorite ornament theme or color? I have a variety of ornaments from mine and Lloyd's childhood and a new one for each year for each of the boys. It may not be the prettiest but it's special to us!
What do you want for Christmas this year? I want the kids to have a fun Christmas and for us to make lots of wonderful memories together!!!! Ditto again but something sparkly wouldn't be bad either--actually I asked Lloyd for a robe. How old am I?

Things I Would Have Missed

• Helping Braxton get his first science fair project to school
• Bryce "McDonalds! I wuv that pwace!"
• Bryce "Call Daddy. Call Daddy NOW!" when he went pee-pee in the potty.
• Brady's belly laugh when I tickle him
• Taking and picking up Braxton from school
• Bryce's hugs and kisses for no reason
• Bryce "Mommy I wike your senin (singing) while I unknowningly sing along to "Troy 1" (High School Musical) b/c its played 4 times in my house in the last 2 days!
• Brady following me around the house army crawling
• Brady saying "Da-Da"
• Nursing Brady
• The sword in my shoe
• Wiping snotty noses and dirty behinds (yes, I'm thankful for that too b/c I KNOW they are being taken care of)
• Hearing Braxton's friend Sam try to "Get him to Jesus" b/c Brax was being mean to his little brother
• Hot chocolate, a warm fire, and a movie with my boys

I could go on and on... Thank you God for showing me just how precious this time is to me and to my boys!

Work or Home?

Let me edit this and say that this post is about ME. This is my own personal conviction and question. Each woman has an individual choice to make and not every woman is called to stay home with their children. I understand and respect that.

For a while we have been struggling with what to do about Lloyd's job. He interviewed for a job here in Fort Smith but we found out just a couple weeks ago that he didn't get the job, and then the next week we found out they had to lay off several people. So that was a God thing! I know Lloyd is unhappy where he is but the money is good, and honestly until we get out of debt we need that money.

Lately, I have really been thinking about going back to teaching. I don't want too, but it would really help our financial situation and might free up Lloyd to take a lower paying job that he enjoyed.

Earlier this week, God reminded me of when I first received confirmation that I needed to quit my teaching job and stay home with Braxton. I was really struggling with it so I decided to fast during my lunch break and pray. I remember being on my knees in the dark in my classroom. It's funny to think about now--what someone would have thought if they came in...But I was desperate, and I felt like that's what I was supposed to do. Anyway, God reminded me of the scripture in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

I knew then that I was supposed to stay home with Braxton because my job was to teach my children to love God. I was to "impress" that on my children! Wow!

And do you know that I've had that verse come up 3 other times this week?! I think God is definitely trying to remind me again!

Now, if I could only take to heart Matthew 6:25-34
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Lord, I know this is a precious time in my boys' lives that I will never experience again. And I know that the time I have with them is much more valuable than anything money could buy. Thank you for reminding me of my "job" right now--to teach and train my boys to love You with all of their beings. I pray that I will impress that into their lives daily. Help me to be content knowing that You will provide all that we need!

My Husband Rocks Belated Friday!

I meant to write this last week, but I never made it. I have to tell you that MY HUSBAND ROCKS in a major way! Last weekend, my friend celebrated her birthday by inviting several girlfriends to rent a cabin in Branson for some serious Girl Time! Not only did Lloyd encourage me to go, he insisted I go and leave all 3, yes all 3, boys with him! Even when the school called that Friday for me to come pick up Braxton after the other 4 of us had been on antibiotics all week, he kept telling me to go. So I went--teary eyed and feeling extremely selfish--but it was just what I needed. I came home completely refreshed, with a new appreciation for my husband. He greeted me with all 3 boys smiling and healthy, with the walls still standing, and the house somewhat in order, and with a new appreciation for me. I love my husband! He rocks my socks off!

Hectic

Life has been crazy the past few weeks and my internet went down last week, so I've spent what I feel like has been my entire day on the computer catching up. How did we survive before these things? Sometimes I wish we could go back to the days of phones in our homes (even before answering machines) and hand-written letters. When family time was not interrupted by cell phones vibrating, because you know you can't turn it OFF, and you didn't have the urge to check your email 15 times a day afraid you might miss something important. Oh the days..

Pluck

Almost 3 hours ago, I sat down to update my blog. I was angry at my husband and frustrated with my children. Lloyd was asleep at 9:30 after arguing with me. There are black crayon marks all over Bryce's door. Brady won't sleep through the night anymore, and Braxton has become an argumentative, opiniated 5 year old. I really didn't know what to say in my blog, so I decided I would read everyone else's updates first.

I ended up on a blog of a couple I knew in college. Their baby boy, who was a little over a year old, died earlier this month. As I read the mom's blog, my heart ached (still does) for her, and her husband, and their other little boy. As I read about her wanting memories of her son and desiring to smell his smell, tears poured! Suddenly, I realized that she would do anything to have crayon marks on her door from a 2 year old, and a baby to hold at 4am, and a 5 year old to argue with her. And I want to run to my boys' rooms and smell them...

I also read Stacey's blog, and she had a link to another blog that reiterated what I was already convicted about... http://aholyexperience.com/2008/08/what-mother-must-sacrifice.html. I need to "pluck." I need to remember that one of the most precious gifts I can give my boys is myself, and one of the most precious gifts I can give myself is my boys.

When I sat I down to this computer, I felt unappreciated, aggravated, and tired. Just now, Bryce started crying (he fell out of bed) and I gladly went and put him back in the bed. I hugged him tight and smelled deeply and said "I love you." and in his still very sleep voice he said "I love you...too." Sheer bliss. God forgive me for not appreciating these precious gifts you have given me.

Ladies, may we "pluck" with willingness and thankfulness. May we cherish each moment with our children and our husbands. And may we never take for granted what has been "plucked" for us...

Cool Like That

I just told my mom last week that I needed to go look for some long sleeve shirts for Braxton since it's starting to get cool, and he wanted matching pjs for Christmas. (He thinks he has to match to sleep!) And guess what? One of my friend's sisters sent a bag of clothes with long sleeve shirts among other things we can definitely use and 2 sets of matching pjs in Braxton's favorite thing--Power Rangers. To top it all of...they were the Red Power Ranger which Braxton is going to be for Halloween. Not only that, but she had thrown in a few pairs of socks. I couldn't find any in the whole house while packing for our trip to Dallas on Friday... Isn't God cool like that? I need to be sure to point these things out to Braxton. God really does give us all that we need and want--better than the Lilies of the Field! Why is it we have such a hard time remembering that?!

Matthew 6:28-34

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

He Answers When I Call

As you could tell from my blog last week, I was having a very difficult time mommying my 2 year old. And as I said, every book I read about parenting was for dealing with a rational, reasoning child, which mine is not in the midst of a 2 year old tantrum. I was at my wits end one afternoon, sitting on my bed with Brady on one hip, trying to hold my Bible in a way that I could read it and still keep it out of Brady's grip, asking God to help me...I opened my Bible and this is how He answered my cry.

"23Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25Those who oppose him he must GENTLY instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth..." 2 Timothy 2:23-25

I was convicted immediately of all the foolish and stupid arguments I've been having with my 2 year old, that I wasn't being kind or teaching anything that I wanted him to learn in my frustration, and I was definitely resentful of the fact that he was not cooperating with me!

A friend of mine recently told me (in regard to another relationship) that I need to stop trying to make people live up to my expectations and stop trying to be the Holy Spirit. When I read the part about GENTLY instructing in the hope that God would lead them to the truth, I was reminded that I need to apply that same idea to my children. I need to stop trying to make my boys live up to my expectations and the expectations of others and allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. I am to GENTLY instruct. GOD grants them repentance and leads them to truth.

So ladies, I pray that each of us learns to gently instruct and then we get out of the way for God to powerfully work in our kids!

BTW-I wrote this scripture on my mirror in my room as a reminder. Dry erase markers are great for that!

My Husband Rocks Friday!

My husband Lloyd is a wonderful husband. It's 11:30 at night and he just left to go get milk so I can make biscuits in the morning. That's after he worked all day, driving an hour each way, and keeping all 3 boys all night so I could go do a Pampered Chef party. I love him! My husband rocks (and he's hot!)!

My Sweet Bryce

I thought I needed to put some pics of Bryce because of my last blog...



Pretty cute isn't he? Gotta love those boots!

Making Your Children Mind Without Losing Yours

This is the name of the book my well-meaning mother bought me. Funny huh? But with a defiant 2 year old screaming NO at me all day long, I thought I'd read it. I'm about half way through it, and it's the same as all the other parenting books. Every one I've ever picked up is for reasoning, rational children which is great for my 5 1/2 year old but does absolutely nothing for my non-reasoning, insanely irrational 2 year old. This afternoon we missed nap time b/c we had to take Braxton to the doctor. When we got home, it was too late for naptime. So in about 20 minutes, Bryce managed 3 different spankings, 1 time out, and soap in his mouth. And for those of you who think that sounds horrid, trust me I have tried all kinds of rational reasoning, kind-speaking, redirecting of behavior. IT'S NOT WORKING! Nothing in my 4 years of college majoring in elementary education or 5 years of teaching or 5 years of parenting my oldest have prepared for my darling Bryce. (Those of you that don't know me--please understand that I say this in jest but also in truth. I LOVE my children more than you can imagine!) But if any of you have any guidance for convincing my sweet boy to eat or put his shoes on or not take off his poopy diaper or just get in the car without a war breaking out, I'd love to hear it!

Silly Questions

These are a list of question that you must answer w/ one word answers (from Stacey's blog).
It's harder than it sounds, trust me!
1. Where is your cell phone? hiding
2. Where is your significant other? sleeping
3. Your hair color? blonde(ish)
4. Your mother? strong
5. Your Father? trying
6. Your favorite thing? kisses
7. Your dream last night? none
8. Your dream/goal? Godly
9. The room you're in? living
10. Your hobby? kids
11. Your fear? death
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? family
13. Where were you last night? Lowe's
14. What you're not? organized
15. One of your wish list items? debt-free
16. Where you grew up? TEXAS
17. The last thing you did? checkbook
18. What are you wearing? clothes
19. Your TV? rare
20. Your pet? destroying
21. Your computer? annoying
22. Your mood? tired
23. Missing someone? Pop
24. Your car? Ewwww!
25. Something your not wearing? bra
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your summer? hectic
28. Love someone? lots
29. Your favorite color? red
30. Last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? today

This is Me

I SOOO want to be that mom and wife. The one that I blog about--who relishes her husband and children, who satisfies her husband's every desires, who can sit and play with her children without thinking of the 74 other things she should be doing. But I'm not her. I'm ME and lately it's been killing me!

Yesterday, Lloyd had to work late so he didn't get home until 7:00. So in my mind I had it all worked out where I would have homework done, the kids bathed, a fabulous supper on the table, etc. Instead, all hell was breaking loose! I had taken all 3 kids to Walmart for the 2nd and LAST time! So by the time I got done, the last thing I wanted to do was cook dinner. And how in the world was that going to happen between the crying baby who's hungry, the cranky 2 year old who's hungry, and the angry, ill-adjusted 5 year old who's hungry? What I did manage was a frozen pizza for the boys, a bottle for Brady, and a very quick bath. We were all cranky by the time Lloyd got home. I just said "I'm sorry!" He of course had no idea what I was talking about! I explained, and he told me that I need "to let go of that." He is perfectly happy with the way I am and understands that I have 3 small children to care for. (I am so thankful for him!) So why is it that I can't grasp that? Why is it that I want to be "Super-Mom?"

I was asking my home-group ladies to pray for me tonight about it. One of them made a comment that it took her 42 years to realize that God made her the way she was and she hoped it didn't take me as long. That really struck me! I was reminded that God created to be this way! I am not super-mom. I can't do it all. My ministry right now is not my toilets or my floors or even a fabulous dinner. My ministry right now is my children and my husband and the youth kids and hopefully a few other people that God places in my path during the day. So who cares if my floors aren't swept every day and my toilet hasn't been cleaned this week? If you do, don't come to my house! :)

So ladies, may we enjoy who we are as individuals! May we never look at each other's blogs and lives with envy (I admit it-I've done it). May we rejoice in the woman that God created us to be!

Encouragement in a New Light Continued

Ok. I promised I'd talk about the sex side of the book The Truth About Cheating that they talked about on Oprah. (You know what's funny? I took notes on the show just so I could blog about it! He! He!) Just a reminder...Mr. Newman, the author of the book, said from his studies that 1 in 3 men cheat but 92% said it was not about the sex. It was the emotional disconnection from their wives. 88% of the men did not cheat with women who were in better shape or were better looking.
Mr. Newman did say that the majority of men said it was not about the kind of sex but about the frequency of sex. He said that our society, women's magazines etc., tend to make women think they have to learn all these new positions and techniques but in actuality its more about how often you're having sex. He also said that "women initiating sex is like men washing dishes and giving us flowers!" (I love that!) He said that men express love, connection, passion, and sensuality through sex. Sex makes men feel like a winner, adored, admired, etc. Have you ever thought about sex in that way? Those are certainly things I want my husband to feel and know.
I mentioned in my other blog that I had gotten an email. It was actually my Daily Espresso from imom about the differences between men and women. The article was by Dr. Greg Smalley. Here's the link if you want to read it. http://www.imom.com/ispecialist/articles/index.php?id=116 Here's a little bit of what he said...
4. Men Want Activity; Women Want Relational Connection
If you mention intimacy to a man, they most likely will imagine a host of things that fly in the face of what you're thinking about. Here are a few differences in the way women look at intimacy, feelings, and emotions:
o Deep emotional connection
o Daily time sharing their heart
o Daily time hearing the heart of the one they love
o The ability to cry easily and together at emotional moments
o A sensitivity to know immediately when feelings are hurt
o An understanding of each other's dreams and goals
o Closeness of the heart and soul
Men have very little idea about these concepts of intimacy. Their brains are soaked in testosterone, remember. This means that they are fact-focused. Intimacy means something entirely different to most men. Take a look at this list:
o Deep physical connection
o Foreplay
o Hand-holding, hugging, kissing
o An understanding of each other's physical needs
o The ability to communicate physical needs
o Physical time alone together
o A sensitivity to know when physical needs are present
These two lists illustrate a very important difference between men and women. When defining intimacy (a deep emotional connection), according to renowned sociologist Dr. Deborah Tannen, most men and women do not see eye-to-eye on intimate matters. In other words, men and women define intimacy very differently. Women usually view intimacy as "deep talking" or connecting through words. This is why my wife does not usually feel "intimate" when we watch TV or "do" something. Instead, she feels a strong connection when we talk or communicate at a deep level, sharing feelings and needs. On the other hand, men usually view intimacy as "doing things" or connecting through activity (e.g., TV, sex, wrestling, or whatever). This is why I do not feel "intimate" when we are merely talking. Now, you get me talking while I'm fishing or playing ping-pong, then I feel connected because of the combination of action and words. This difference certainly impacts a couple's sexual relationship. Men often view sex as a way to secure intimacy, in that the activity of sex leads to a feeling of intimacy with his wife. On the other hand, women view sex as a consequence of the relationship, in that a good relationship leads to a desire for sex. It's no wonder sex is one of the top conflicts in marriage—look at the difference in how sex is used in the relationship. The man uses sex to feel an intimate connection with his wife, while the woman uses an intimate connection to have sex. We are so different!
So I feel God has been trying to teach me through all of this that I need to invest in making more of an emotional connection with my husband. That includes doing things to make him feel loved, encouraged, and appreciated. Evidently, frequent sex is on the top of the list of how to accomplish that. But right along with that, I need to continue searching for small (and large too) gestures to encourage Lloyd.
May God open our eyes to the ways in which we can encourage our husbands. May we find great pleasure in doing so! :)

My Husband Rocks Friday!

Thanks to my friend and fellow blogger, Stacey, I've found this great new blog that totally ties into what I've been blogging about. Basically, every Friday is "My Husband Rocks Friday." The author, Katy Lyn says "Every Friday, I will be posting a story, or photo, or quote about how and why my husband rocks! And I invite you to do the same!" So join with me girls and let's share how our husbands rock!
Also check out this website http://www.frommetees.com. You can get a t-shirt that says "My Husband Rocks!" I also love what they stand for. Their mission statement says
"From*me Tees was started by a married couple who knows what it is to work through hard stuff and yet stay together and stay committed and only grow to love each other MORE through it all. One of the great and wonderful mysteries of life is that loving each other in action--what we do and say--produces romance. Everything in our culture today teaches the opposite, that romance turns into love, but nothing could be further from the truth. Love is a choice and we decide how we're going to treat each other in the good and in the not-so-good times. What a hope-giving reality that a strong, loving, thriving relationship can be built, simply by changing how we interact with our spouse.
Marriage was created to be a blessing and a little kindness and respect goes a long way. Accept the fact that your spouse isn't perfect and then start taking notice of all the good things they bring to the table! Pretty soon you can train your mind to be grateful for who they are as opposed to feeling disappointed about who they are not. When you allow yourself to believe that your spouse rocks, you will free yourself from the downward spiral and temptation of self-pity, disappointment, and even dispair. The fact is, your spouse is probably a greater blessing than you allow yourself to realize...so lay down your expectations and praise your spouse for his/her attributes. After all, the key is to change yourself! And you'll be surprised at the positive affect it has on the one you choose to love...and you!"
This is exactly what I've been feeling! It's about us! We have to recognize and enjoy the gift God has given us in our husbands!
So... one way my fabulous husband, Lloyd, rocks is that he is an excellent father. When he was 15, before we were dating, I saw him playing with a child and the thought came to me (which I now know was God) "He's going to be the father of my children." I didn't understand then what exactly that meant. I just thought "that's the man I'm going to marry." I really think those words spoke volumes about the kind of Daddy Lloyd is. He loves his boys as much as I do. He enjoys playing with them and loves to wrestle with them even after a long day's work. Every single day, when the boys hear the door open, they run from wherever they are in the house screaming "DADDY!!!" with arms open wide! It is a beautiful thing and a true reflection of our "Daddy's" love for us!
MY HUSBAND ROCKS!

Encouragement in a New Light

Did anyone else watch Oprah today? I never, ever watch Oprah or Dr.Phil. I don't have the time, but today Brady was hungry and the boys were watching a movie. So I decided I would watch Oprah while I fed Brady. It was awesome. She was interviewing a man by the name of Greg Newman. He has written a book called The Truth About Cheating, in which he interviewed men of all ages. It was an eye-opener for me. According to his studies, 1 in 2.7 men cheat (Oprah rounded up to a whole man so 1 in 3 cheat.) The thing that surprised me most was the 92% of the men that cheated said that it was not about the sex. They said it was an emotional disconnection with their wives-- the lack of thoughtful gestures--that they feel taken for granted for things like going to work everyday. Doesn't that put the 30 days of encouraging our husbands into a different perspective?
Don't get me wrong. My husband is a wonderfully loyal man, but it made me realize even more that I need to take some responsibility in this. It is part of my job as his wife to ensure Lloyd's needs are met, not just physically and sexually, but also emotionally. (I think society has emphasized the sexual needs for a long time. Of course, it's extremely important but it's not the only thing...) We as women tend to assume that men are not emotional beings. They are, just not in the same way we are. One of the things Mr. Newman said today was that men desire to have those same feelings again that they had when they first got together with their spouse. I don't know about you, but there are times that I would love to have that goosebump, butterflies in my stomach just from being kissed feeling. Guess what? So do our husbands!
You know it's funny, but I think God may have been confirming through Oprah what He has been speaking to me. You know I started the 30 day encouragement challenge in August and I'm behind. But I've discovered on this journey other ways of encouraging my husband. It's made me more aware of the things I say and do and how they affect him. Like last night, Lloyd told me that he had really felt loved the past few days. Why? Because I've been doing something as simple as preparing his lunch b/c we're on the Sonoma diet. Then I got an email today talking about the differences between men and women and how they connect emotionally. Then I just happen to watch Oprah with the same basic thing--encouraging my husband shows him my love and keeps us connected which in turn keeps us happily married! Neat!
So my point is girls... keep encouraging your husbands! Tell them you appreciate them getting up and going to work every day. Tell them you love how they take out the trash, and mow the lawn, and play with the kids. Help them to feel loved, respected, admired, adored, etc.
I'll talk more about the sex side in my next blog! :)

Life As We Know It

Life as we know it is about to come to an abrupt halt! We've actually known for some time that Lloyd, my wonderful 29 year old husband, has high cholesterol b/c a doctor put him on medicine for it before I got pregnant with Brady. It concerned me then and I got on a kick for all of us to eat healthier. I lost a bit of weight and so did Lloyd, but he never really got motivated. I really hated that Lloyd was so young and was on medication for something like this. But I got pregnant and sort of lost my direction...The doctor kept him on the medicine and then re-checked his blood levels. A few months ago, we found out that the medicine was elevating his liver enzymes so they took Lloyd off of the medicine. A few weeks ago, Lloyd went to a new doctor for a check-up. After doing some blood work, the doctor discovered Lloyd still has high cholesterol. But rather than put him on medication, the doctor told Lloyd to go on a low-fat diet and exercise.

So, I've found a new way to encourage my husband. We've come to the decision that as of Tuesday, September 9th, we're embarking on the Sonoma Diet, which is actually not a diet but a lifestyle change. High cholesterol is something that we'll be managing forever, so it's time to make some changes. I am addicted to ice cream. Lloyd is addicted to coke. So as I said before, life as we know it is about to come to an abrupt halt! No more late night Taco Bell runs, a very bad habit we've continued even after having Brady. No more Blue Bell Cookies and Cream or Braum's Hot Fudge Sundaes. No more Sonic cokes!!!!! Yes, we're taking this very seriously and we're quitting cold turkey. We're going to change the way we eat entirely and we're both excited about it. I know this may seem silly to some of you, maybe drastic to others, but what I've realized is that our bodies are gifts from God to each other and we have not been taking care of them.

Here's my motivation scripture: Hebrews 12:1-13

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin (food) that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4In your struggle against sin (food), you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."[a]
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace (and health) for those who have been trained by it.
12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13"Make level paths for your feet,"[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

The "Br" Brothers

We were given these "brother" shirts so we had to take pics before Brady outgrew his.

Notice the boots...

We couldn't resist adding cousin Jack. LtoR: Jack=1, Bryce=2, Brady=4mon, Braxton=5yrs

The Inevitable

Well, it happened...the teacher met me at the car on Friday...with a very unhappy look on her face I might add. She said "We have a problem. The stamp that is on his hand is NOT from today. It's from yesterday." (He gets a stamp whenever he has a good day and doesn't have to "pull sticks.")

"Oh boy..." I'm thinking..."What has he done!?" (Braxton is not generally a bad kid and definitely not a rule breaker, at least outside of our home). So I said "Ok..."

The teacher continues "We have talked about this many times, I promise, that we only cut...(she looks at Braxton very teachery) PAPER.

"Whew! That's it!" I'm thinking.

"Show mom what you did. (Braxton reveals a 1/4 inch cut at the bottom of his t-shirt.) It makes me very sad and I know it makes your mom very sad too."

"Uh-uh..." I say in my most convincing voice as I try to hold back a smile. Then I proceed to tell her that I've been meaning to talk to her because Braxton is still having problems on the playground. So we agree to make an appointment for next week. I thank her and she goes inside.

I turn around and look at Braxton and ask him "Why did you cut your shirt?" He responds "I don't know." So I say it again. He responds, "Mom, I don't know!" and the tears start flowing.

Ok, so is it me or was that a little over the top? Of course, I would never let Braxton know that because I want him to respect his teacher, but seriously.... First of all the purpose of the stamp is to let me know whether or not he had a good day. I knew he still had the one on from yesterday. It didn't come off in the bathtub. You would think that would be enough, not to mention I would notice the cut on the front of his shirt. Or she could even send a note home if necessary, really anything other than a dramatic walk out to the car the 2nd week of school for an already emotional kindergartener would have been sufficient. I don't know. Maybe it's just me...I would have walked out the girl whose hair got cut (not by Braxton)and explained that to her mom...

I do think if I ever go back to teaching, I'll be a better teacher since becoming a mom. I'll be much more sympathetic to the kids.

Please Pray

Hey Ladies! I have 2 prayer requests that are very dear to my heart because they are friends of mine but also because I understand what they're going through.
My friend Ashley Sullivan's (the one with the twins) sister Sarah, had her baby prematurely. I haven't been able to get a hold of Ashley other than to know that Brayden weighed 2lbs 15oz. He's 4 days old and they took him off the ventilator today.
Also my grade school friend Mandy had her baby (Cliff Jr.) at 25 weeks 1 day. He weighed 2.2lbs. Mandy finally got to hold him on Monday, but she sent me a message today that he has pneumonia. Please pray for them!
Thank you so much!

Masterpiece

Well, we survived the first week of school. It's even harder than I thought it would be. Braxton came home two different days saying bigger kids had pushed him on the playground, but overall he loves school. Then we picked him up on Friday. I asked him how his day was, as he got in the van. He replied "horrible." Lloyd was with me and we both implored "WHY?" Evidently, some girls on the playground were saying he looked "stupid" and like a "freak," and it majorly hurt his feelings. So much so, that his friend Garrett The First Grader couldn't even console him.

It just really shocked me that they start so young being so mean! Friday was picture day and Braxton was dressed in a green striped polo and some khaki pants that roll up to mid-calf with some crocs on. He looked way cute and very much like the other kids, but for some reason he was the target of some girls' cruelty. My first reaction was that maybe they were needy kids who were jealous of Braxton. So I asked him what they were wearing. He said "cool clothes" and went on to describe in detail the girls skirts and shirts. So that ruled that idea out. I thought maybe they were older kids just picking on younger ones for no reason. Evidently they were in kindergarten too. So I'm sitting in the van looking at Lloyd about to cry because MY CUTE BOY IS NOT STUPID OR A FREAK AND HOW DARE THEY SAY SO!!!!! And then I remembered my friend Christina and her countless talks with Hanna about who GOD says Hanna is, and I remembered Hanna's bulletin board with all the verses on it.

So I asked Braxton if he knew what God said about him. He said no. So I said "God says he made you to look just like you. He made your eyes to be Braxton's eyes and your nose to be Braxton's nose. And your ears to be Braxton's ears and your hair and your hands...everything about you God made to be just the way you are. And God says you are His MASTERPIECE." He didn't know what a masterpiece was. So we talked about our friend Mr. Shawn the artist and how he sculpts and paints things and those are his "masterpieces." In that same way, God sculpted and painted him (Braxton thought that was funny) to look just like Braxton and he was God's masterpiece.

I hate that the girls were mean to my cute boy, but I'm thankful that God allowed me to use it to speak to Braxton about what HE says. I told Braxton that the next time the girls were mean to him just to say "I'm God's masterpiece and I don't care what you think." But now that I think about it. I may tell him to say "I'm God's masterpiece and so are you."

May all the mean girls in our kids' lives hear that truth spoken to them, and may our kids be the known as the kind ones....

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (NLT)

School

My oldest son, Braxton, started school on Monday. It is so hard to believe. My mother-in-law told me when he was born that before I knew it he would go to kindergarten and then just a short while later he'd be coming home saying he was going to get married. I thought she was crazy! :) But it's here and I can't believe it. I didn't cry too much. What made me the saddest was looking at Brady thinking just yesterday Braxton was like this...
Braxton wasn't bothered at all. There were several little boys in his class sobbing, and I asked him if he wanted me to stay. He kind of waved his hand like I was dismissed and told me I could go. I made him let me kiss his hand and had him kiss mine (like The Kissing Hand-great book) and he acted embarrassed! He's only 5!!!
He came home telling me school was "Awesome!" and that he had to go the "Officer" when he fell and hurt his knee and the "Prisoner" put a band-aid on it! Public school these days....
Anyway, we are both surviving! Him probably more so than me, but it is a little less chaotic during the day...

Boots, Boats, and Pirates

A few year ago, my mom bought a pair of black cowboy boots at a garage sale for my nephew Dylan. They've since been passed down through the boys. Currently, Bryce is obsessed with them. They are 2 sizes too big,come up to his knees, and obviously not in the best shape, but he loves them! He wears them everywhere (yes with shorts)--to the store, to church, even to the swimming pool!

I keep finding toys stuck down behind the cushions on my couch. I clean them out and everyday, there are more. I knew who the culprit was so I asked Bryce why he was hiding toys. Our conversation went something like this: "Bryce, why are there toys behind the pillows? Did you put them there?" "Ya" "Are you hiding them?" "Ya" "From who?" "The bad guys." "Brother?" "No." "What bad guys?" (After several motions and more caveman speak, I discovered he was talking about pirates) I said, "Oh is that your treasure?" "No. My boat." "Are you a pirate?" "I Jack Sparrow." (Now you understand the boots obsession! Jack Sparrow, the pirate on Pirates of the Caribbean, wears boots.) "You are so cute Bryce!" "No! I cool!" :)

Can you believe I don't have a picture of Bryce in the boots and he's worn them everyday for a month? These are pics of Braxton in his favorite boots at 2!

Bliss!

Last night, I had a few moments of perfection...Colbie Caillat playing softly, lights turned down low, cool breeze from the fan, nice sway from the rocking chair, and the warmth of a sleeping baby...Pure Bliss! I pray that we can stop our crazy, hectic lives, take advantage of those moments of peace God gives us, and bask in them!

I've Already Failed!

I keep getting these emails and seeing everyone's comments about the "30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge." Honestly, I've been avoiding it. I have good intentions but I really just don't want to make the effort. (Yes, Matt. 12:34"out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." UGH!) Today, I read a comment that suggested I got check out a blog of a girl I knew in college. So I did, and in her blog Stacey extended the invitation for everyone to join her in the challenge. I feel like God might be trying to tell me something... So, I've decided it's time. My husband definitely needs it and I need to get my heart right. So today is August 1st and it looked like a good day to start.

In case you're not familiar with this challenge, you can go to www.reviveourhearts.com and click on "30 Day Challenges" or you can just click my links on this page. Here are the rules as stated on the website.

Here's the 30-Day Encouragement Challenge...for the next 30 days:
* You can't say anything negative about your husband ...to your husband...or to anyone else, about your husband.
* Say something that you admire or appreciate about your husband...to your husband...and to someone else, about your husband!

Then each day, they give you something else to work on. Unfortunately, I didn't decide to do this until later in the afternoon, and I knew I had already said something negative to someone else about my husband. But I thought I had to start somewhere so I would just start this afternoon. Guess what? I think it's been 6 hours since then, and I've already failed just trying to follow the basic rules. I haven't even made it to the extra stuff today!

Do you have any idea how hard it is to not say anything negative? In case your wondering...negative means: (I thought I'd better look it up since I can't say "anything negative."

• marked by denial, prohibition, or refusal
• lacking positive qualities; especially : disagreeable
• marked by features of hostility, withdrawal, or pessimism that hinder or oppose constructive treatment or development
• not affirming the presence of a condition, substance, or organism suspected to be present

In other words, Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Wow! I've definitely failed already, so I'm calling a "do-over." I'm going to get a fresh start tomorrow morning! Until then, I'm going to pray that God will help me to tell Lloyd what he means to me and the only words that come out of my mouth will be ones that will benefit him and build him up.

Let's do this together! If you haven't ever done this challenge before, it's time and you know it. If you started and didn't finish, start again. If you've completed this, please share how God changed you and your husband through this experience. Most of all, let's pray with and for one another on this journey to even better marriages!

Blast from the Past!!!

Here are some old pics I found on my computer! Thought you'd enjoy!

Me? Rebellious too?

Ok, so Vicki has been stirring up a hornets nest over on her blog but it goes right along with my life right now. I was confronted last night with my sin, and it sucked. Someone in authority over me said that I was "passive rebellious", and it took me by surprise. I'm not sure why...others have joked with me about being rebellious and I used to say I was a "Harding Rebel." (Harding is the ultra-conservative college I went to and I used to rebel against some of their rules b/c I thought they were stupid). But anyway, when I told Lloyd what this person had said, he said "Ya! I've known that for a long time." And no one implied that it was a good thing. I admit that I am questioner by nature. If something is given to me, I question, I weigh it, I look to see if it's good, if it's real, if it's right. I've always thought that was a good thing--that I don't take everything at face value. My intent has never been rebellion.
So all day today I've been struggling with it... Is there a time when rebellion is ok? Even good? I looked up what God says about rebellion and came across the same verse Vicki used in her blog on rebellion and many others, most of which were about God's people in rebellion against Him. It was never good.

I Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."

Proverbs 17:11
An evil man is bent only on rebellion; a merciless official will be sent against him.

But I don't feel like I've been rebellious against God. So I looked up OBEDIENCE.

Hebrews 13:17
17Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

2 John 1:6
6And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

So here's my question: Is rebellion always wrong? Some would have accused Jesus of being a rebel.

When I taught school, I worked for someone who did some very unethical things, and I totally rebelled against it. The verse in Hebrews says to submit to their authority so their work will be a joy. But do I submit if they're wrong? Kind of goes back to the same question Vicki's asking in her blog? God says to submit to our husbands. What if they're wrong about something? Do we submit anyway? God doesn't say submit or obey if they're right. It makes me wonder if some of the rebellion I'm seeing in my kids is coming from the example of their mother...

My ultimate desire is to be like Christ. Psalm 119:5 says "Oh that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees." I just pray that God will reveal the truth to me.

Encouragement

Lloyd, my husband, has really been struggling lately. He is stressed to the max and like most of us, he takes it out on the ones he loves. Me. And the boys. The problem is that I am not the quiet type... at all. I tend to say exactly what I think and feel about his issues and the way he's treating us. It doesn't exactly go over well with my already stressed out husband.
But God has been speaking to me lately. In fact last weekend, one of my friends prayed that I would shut my mouth. Well crap! Then God kept reminding me of the verse that talks about winning over your husband without words but in your behavior. Crap again! I hate when God reprimands me but I figured I better listen. So I looked it up.
I Peter 3:1-2 "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives."
I think I've just sort of passed this verse by before because my husband "believes the word." But when I read it this time, I was reminded that there are times when we may not believe ALL of the word and God's promises. I think that's where Lloyd is. He needs to be reminded of what good things God is doing. And he doesn't listen when I nag him. So last week before I left for Texas I wrote scriptures on the mirrors in our room and bathroom with a dry erase marker. Guess what? He looked them up and thanked me for them!
Tonight, my mouth ran away with me again, and I said some things I should not have said. God spoke loudly to me and my heart was convicted. I am supposed to Lloyd's helper and I am not helping! I apologized immediately and wrote a note of encouragement for him to read in the morning. And I wrote a new scripture on the mirror.
Here's the 2 verses I gave him tonight.
Psalm 22:8 "He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
Psalm 37:23-24 "If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand."
I pray that we can all be encouragers, not naggers, for our husbands and that our behavior of purity and reverant lives will remind our husbands of God's goodness and faithfulness.

Help!

Someone very dear to me recently wrote me that she always feels guilty as a mom...wondering if she's doing the right things, spending enough time with her child, feeding them right, etc. She asked me "What do you do to reassure yourself that you're doing a great job?" So I'm posting that question into blog land? Talk to me!

I'm reading a book right now called Your Boy: Raising a Godly Son in an Ungodly World by Vicki Courtney. I love it, but it has made me really think further into things I was already pondering. (I like that word-pondering) Anyway, it has really hit me recently the things my boys see in me not only will define much of who they are, but will greatly impact the type of woman they will seek as a mate. That's a little scary!

So what kind of woman do I want my boys to marry? I haven't really thought about it. I just always pray that God is preparing someone for them and that they will love God. But here are a few qualities I've come up with.

1. God-seeker

2. Pure in heart

3. Loves my son unconditionally

4. Fun-loving

5. Compassionate

6. Kind

7. Serves others with a joyful heart

8. Independent yet needs God and my son

9. Adventurous

10. Family-oriented

So I guess the question is... If this is the kind of woman I want my sons to marry, is this the woman I am?

What you want to Know!
For my blog readers copy this and do yours on your blog too-- PLEASE

2008 QUESTIONNAIRE

Welcome to the 2008 edition of getting to know your friends. Change all the answers so they apply to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends that you might not have known!

1. What time did you get up this morning? Which time? I think I finally gave in a little after 8:00-roofers were pounding at 6:45!

2. Diamonds or pearls? DIAMONDS

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Prince Caspian--Braxton & I had a date

4. What is your favorite TV show? I don't watch much TV but I love a good reality show--Survivor, Big Brother, American Idol

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? I don't eat breakfast (I hear Robbie yelling at me right now!)

6. What is your middle name? Renee

7. What food do you dislike? fishy tasting fish

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Colbie Caillat--I don't own this but I want it!

9. What kind of car do you drive? Barney purple mini-van

10. Favorite sandwich? Turkey or a good PB&J

11. What characteristic do you despise? Meanness

12. Favorite item of clothing? Zip up Hoodies-I agree

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Ireland

14. Are you an organized person? No way but I think I could be if I could have a shopping spree at the container store and a professional organizer to get me started

15. Where would you retire to? The beach!

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? My 30th last year!!! Back to the 80's

17. What are you going to do when you finish this? Put my boys down for a nap

18. Furthest place you are sending this? Blog Land

19. Person you expect to send it back first? Doesn't really apply!

20. When is your birthday? Next week--July 23rd!

21. Morning person or a night person? night

22. What is your shoe size? 9 1/2--My feet grew a 1/2 size w/ my 1st 2 kids!!!

23. Pets? Hershey the dog

24. Any new and exciting news You'd like to share with us? Nope

25. What did you want to be when you were little? A nurse

26. How are you today? Tired

27. What is your favorite flower? Gerber daisies

28. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?17th-my 9 year anniversary

29. What are you listening to right now? Braxton singing an original song

30. What was the last thing you ate? Christina's famous Burrito Casserole Recipe

31. Do you wish on stars? Kind of--but more like I pray when I see them--

32. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Today-a bright pink color

33. How is the weather right now? humid-it's Arkansas

34. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Lloyd

35. Favorite soft drink? Coke

36. Favorite restaurant? I agree, Someplace Yummy with a great outdoor Patio!-- Here probably La Huerta on Garrison

37. Hair color? blonde but it's getting darker

38. What was your favorite toy as a child? Care bears, Cabbage Patch Kids, Strawberry Shortcake, Barbie

39. Summer or Winter? summer

41. Chocolate or Vanilla? chocolate

42. Coffee or tea? Coffee

43. Do you want your friends to email you back? No Just Blog it- and I would like it if ALL my friends had a blog-especially those far away!!!!

44. When was the last time you cried? 2 nights ago watching PS I Love You

45. What is under your bed?Lots of dust

46. What did you do last night? went to bed before midnight for the first time in weeks!!!

47. What are you afraid of? Something happening to my kids or Lloyd

48. Salty or sweet? probably sweet but both together is always good!

49. How many keys on your key ring? 3

50. How many years at your current job? Momland 4 years and Pampered Chef a little over a year for the 2nd time! BTW-If anyone wants to have a book party, let me know!!

51. Favorite day of the week? Saturday--Lloyd's home

52. Do you make friends easily? I'm good at making acquantices, but good friends are hard to find esp when they all move away! :)

53. How many people will you send this too? Who Knows?

54. How many will respond? not sure

55. Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? yes

Hidden Treasures

Bryce, my 2 year old is a special boy, as are all my boys! He is delightful--full of energy, mischief, and joy! Right now he is very much enjoying pretending. He and Braxton, my 5 year old, spend much of their day pretending to be cowboys (or Ye-ah Ye-ah in Bryce speak) and pirates (Ya-Yas to Bryce). Earlier this week, I was headed out to the van to leave and Bryce ran back into the house jabbering about his "ye-ah ye-ahs" (horses) and "eat." I didn't know what he was saying so I let him go get whatever it was. A minute (or more) later, he came back with nothing in his hands! Evidently, he had to go get IMAGINARY food to put on the plates that he and Braxton had taken outside for the IMAGINARY horses. Then while at Walmart, I had to wait to load the boys into the van because they both had to put all their IMAGINARY horses in first. It's amazing we all fit! :)

So, yesterday we went to Burger King for a friend's birthday party. Bryce was busy playing and one of our plastic play forks fell on the ground. I just picked it up and put it in the bag thinking he must have stuck it in his pocket before we left. Well, he fell asleep on the way home. So my husband layed him down on the bed and decided to change his pull-up before his nap. This is what we found...

There's also a green knife on the right side that you can barely see! Don't you know all those utensils had to be uncomfortable, but he never said anything! We were cracking up!

Fifth of July

Every year we go to Lloyd's cousin's house for an annual 4th of July party. We usually eat grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, homemade ice cream, and other yummy stuff. Then when it gets dark, the guys put on a fireworks show for us. It usually turns into "Let's see how many fires we can start in the woods?" or "Who got blown up by the fireworks?" But we love it! This year we decided to buy the boys a few of their own fireworks. So Lloyd bought a couple small things and sparklers of course. The boys loved it! Unfortunately, a storm came through and made things very uncomfortable so we left before the big fireworks show. It was a great night anyway!


Uh-oh! I didn't do it....(This is my favorite)

Bryce can't figure out how the chicken works!












Sparklers (sorry its a little blurry)









Helping Daddy light the fireworks
(This was actually a staged picture Gram--don't worry)