4th of July!

We had lots of fireworks to watch! The kids were in heaven enjoying the beautiful colors and crazy sounds!! Josh and his cousin put on an amazing show for all of us to see. It was great fun!!

The kiddos all got sparklers and were having so much fun making neat shapes with them. Gracie was amazed at the pretty colors and how hot they were.

Paris and Gracie had too much fun making faces at the camera. Those two are hams!! A great friendship starting, no doubt!

The girls are a lot like their mommies...great friends! Ash and I both got to sit and enjoy the fireworks...thanks to our hubbies! We had so much fun watching our kiddos playing and laughing with each other.
A rarity...a picture of me and Brian. Doesn't happen often, so enjoy it! ;o) Usually one of us is behind the camera.
My favorite...See no, Speak no, Hear no, and Smell no evil. Our kids are performers in the making!!
Sparkler city!! Pretty cool time shot!!

Thanks to our dear friends for having us over for a super fun night!! The fireworks were awesome, the dessert fabulous, and the friendship is priceless. We love you guys!!!

Our trip to see the Durkees

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Gracie and I were able to spend some great time reconnecting with friends at their home in Arkansas. We spent the time touring their town, going to Branson, going to church for AWANA Sunday, visiting U of A to see Guy's name(totally cool) and hanging back at the homestead spending some quality time together. Gracie and Hope were able to get to know each other as big girls which had its challenges, but was so great to see. When we got back on the plane, Gracie was so sad and misses her friend to this day! When she sees the pictures she cries. That tells me she has GREAT memories and had a super awesome time!! She wasn't the only one! I totally enjoyed getting to pal around with my great friend, Jen! I truly enjoyed the chance to catch up and spend quality time together. Plus, we both got to meet the twins!! Grace and Nolan - 15 months - were so much fun!! I was completely taken by them! I am just amazed at their similarities and yet they are so different. It was so wonderful. Thank you to the whole Durkee family for making us feel so welcome. Thank you for the fun times and priceless memories. Words cannot express how much fun we had and what a blessing you both are to me. Thank you thank you thank you. I hope you all enjoy taking our trip with us...it was such a great adventure!!

Grace and Cael...fast friends

Gracie has wanted to meet Cael for so long! She is trying to get the concept of adoption, not quite there yet. But she does know she gets to have a new friend! That is the best part in her eyes. Cael came over to our house and brought his mommy and daddy. The kids were a little shy at first but quickly overcame that. Before we knew it, they were swinging together, eating together, and making BIG chalk prints on our driveway! (Thanks to Betsy, bringing the coolest toys!! Thanks Bets!) They seemed to bond pretty quickly. A few days later, we got to see them all at church and Gracie was SO excited to see her new buddy!! And just a few days ago, Bets and I went on one of our favorite shopping trips, but this time, brought both of our kiddos!! We rented the cool car strollers, went to our favorite stores, and ate a yum-o lunch. The only downer for me, the Disney store is officially closed in our mall. A sad day for all. So we needed to commemorate the event by having the kids stand on Mickey's ears and taking their picture. I will always remember that store fondly....moment of silence for the closed chain....thank you. After we left our friends, Gracie talked the entire ride home of her new friend and how much she missed Cael. I am so glad that our kids love each other. Thanks for sharing your balloons, Cael. You are one sweet little boy! And Bets, you know I love you!! We had so much fun. Thanks again!!

Betsy giving the kids a push.

Grace and Cael swinging in our backyard.

Our kids on the ears of Mickey in front
of the now closed forever Disney store.

Brite Idea!!

For Christmas, Gracie got her first Lite Brite. How many remember those?!? I totally remember the "classic" version, a flat board, black construction paper (usually left my hands with black all over them), colored pegs, and one single Christmas light bulb illuminating my masterpiece. It fell over a lot, the pieces got lost (the dog enjoyed them, I am sure), and it was sometimes hard to see the depth of my creation. Now, I am not knocking this groudbreaking toy by any means. I LOVED my Lite Brite! Truly, ask my mom. (Mom, tell them.) But I am amazed at how far toys have come in 20 some years. Now, it is a cube, much steadier, the paper is still black, but doesn't come off on your hands. It has a centrally located light, illumens all 4 sides at once, and it shines so brightly, you can actually tell the peg popped paper is a car! As for the pegs themselves, nothing new under the sun there. Same pegs, different dog. Sorry Chewy! But as for the enjoyment of my kiddo, priceless!! Please enjoy Gracie's first ever published Lite Brite materpiece! (If you can't tell, its a butterfly.) Love to all, happy creating!

Mother's Day!

So Mother's Day was so much fun this year!! We had an AMAZING musical that the K-6th graders put on, and WOW!! They did a fabulous job! I was so excited to see these adorable little ones honor their mommies in this way. I also thought it was a great day to take pictures of some of my buds and their kiddos. I hope everyone had a great and special day, and to all those mommies out there, I love you and thank you for doing a great job doing the hardest job out there!! Love to all!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Our Disney Adventure

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Gracie, Brian, Gammy, Poppy, and I all went to Disneyland and California Adventure for Gracie and Poppy's birthdays. We all had such a great time together! It truly was a blast! Enjoy the slideshow!

Friends!!

Just a few pictures of me with some friends. The first two are Ashley and me. We always seem to be going a little nuts but always having fun!! Love you Ash!! The last is of me and Jessica. Jess you are the greatest! Love you too Jess!! (Jealous of your tan, but I still love you!!) A tribute to my friends...hope you both are blessed and find rest. May God grant you laughter, time, energy, and lots of sleep. He has blessed me with you both in my life, and I am forever grateful! Love you!!!