So Good to be with Family

The kids have gotten to spend lots of time with Mema & Papa and cousins.

So good to be home!!!!!

Mother/Daughter Day 2009

For Christmas last year Nia wanted to go on a Mother/Daughter day. She wanted to do lots of things like massages, manicure & pedicure, hair & makeup done, shopping, get coffee, and other girly things. I knew this was going to cost us lots so I kept putting it off until we had enough money. (Although the amount of money we spent still makes me sick to my stomach.)

Realizing the other day that if we wait very much longer to have "our" day, it could be a LONG wait due to the baby coming. So.. we finally went.

We headed to the mall. First, I got my nails done and Nia got a pedicure. She wanted that rather than getting her nails done and the pedicure was her favorite thing.


Then to Glamour Shots. Although this was lots of fun it was very expensive. We WON'T be doing this ever again. I think we will just have to find a cheap photographer and do our own hair & makeup. In fact, my sister loves to take pictures and we will be close enough next time to use her.

They airbrushed the foundation on which really freaked Nia out.

Almost through....

Onto the hair... and after the stylist was finished curling all her hair, Nia told her she didn't like it so the stylist brushed it all out. She looked so cute with curls everywhere, but it ended up looking great.

Okay, she got finished and grabbed my camera. She thought I looked funny!

After that, we got our pictures taken and then went to the
Cheesecake Factory for supper and dessert.

This is her expressing how unbelievably good it was. That is Oreo Cheesecake.
After the yummy cheesecake, we went back to the mall to view our photos and order. Nia was not interested in this long process so she grabbed my camera again and took pictures of everything. I think I deleted around 20 pictures of photos on the wall at Glamour Shots. And another 10 of random people walking through the mall. Here are a few she took of herself.

This girl did my makeover and then helped us pick out our pictures.
Nia wanted to remember everything about this day.

Overall we had a FABULOUS day.

Children's Museum

Today we went to the Jasmine Moran Children's Museum in Seminole, Oklahoma. It is about an hour and a half away but well worth the drive. The kids have been helping me pack boxes, we have been staying home so much lately and I had used all the boxes, so I decided to take the kids somewhere fun.

Nia liked the waterworks and the handicapped areas. She liked trying to figure out how to get lots of water so that is overflowed and walking around on crutches.



Ian liked the waterworks and the handicapped areas too. He loved playing with the pipes so that water came out in different directions and he also liked riding in the wheelchair.

This was something new. Very Fun!

Riding this thingy - what's it called?

He couldn't just stand beside the football player,
he had to climb on top of him. BOYS!

My Dad

God gave me a great dad!

A man of his word, a hard worker, generous, giving, not a complainer, a very patient teacher, selfless, and wise. A great man of character.
I am so proud he's my dad.

This is a pic of my dad's mom and dad and sister. Obviously he is on the far left. And yes, my granny does smile, I just caught her in a moment.

Here he is playing with the kids

This a pic of the vanity he built me 2 years ago.
And now I'm moving and will have to leave it behind.

Is he REALLY sleeping?


Here he is fixing my deck

And again, on the roof of my house fixing something

that we didn't even know needed fixing.


Happy Father's Day DAD! Love you!

Great Wolf Lodge

This year for our family vacation, we went to Grapevine, TX. We stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge that has a water park inside the hotel. It was my mom & dad, my sister and her family (Hadley, Becky, Madisyn, Maci & Tucker) and us. My brother and his family didn't get to come - we missed them lots. We had a great time. I didn't take many pictures due to all the water so here are just a few things we did.

story time at night

took silly pictures
(I know you are all wondering what happened to my sister's eye.
I won't steal her story so go here to find out)

painted t-shirts, piggy banks, made bracelets and such at Cub Club

and played LOTS at the waterpark!!!!!!!

Spending Time with Family

We decided on Friday morning that we wanted to go to Mema's house, so we were out of the house in 2 hours, just me and the kids. That day was Becky's 34th Birthday so we headed to Lubbock as soon as we got to Dickens and then went out to eat at a Japanese restaurant. Saturday morning we got up again to head back to Lubbock to spend the day with my sister and kids. We had a great time.

Aunt Becky & Nia

Tucker, Nia & Ian

Maci & Madi

Mine & Becky's kids: Nia Maci, & Madi, Tucker & Ian

Maci & Ian

They had already planned to spend a couple days at Mema's so they just rode home with me. We had a great time on the way home. Lots of laughter, noise, and music!

The Events of the Day

It started at 5:40 am up with a sore throat. I had decided that I would go ahead and get ready for the day until I realized that the water pipes were frozen, again! I got Romeo and he got it all taken care of but it took until after 9:00 am for the water to start running again. This has happened about 5 times this winter.

Then off to my first Dr. appointment for my pregnancy. Everything looked great there and we learned that I was 14 weeks along and my due date is July 23rd. Very exciting until they MADE me go get blood drawn. I did ask if I could refuse it and of course I could but I was just being a little stubborn. So I went! I talked to the phlebotomist about my fear and she laughed at me and then told me that she was drawing 5 veils of blood!!! WHAT??? She got it on the first try and did a great job! I sang "Hallelujah" after it was over and then gave her a hug.

The roads here are still real icy and I learned that 2 people from our church were in a tragic car accident, killing one and leaving the other in the hospital. Please be in prayer for the family of Hank Stokes and Becky Carnell. (more about this below)

Supper time and Ian was helping me cook and ran his finger across a hot pan and sired his pinky finger. He said that it looked like a potato and he was scared we were going to eat it.

What an eventful day. I don't mean to just throw that tragic accident into just another day. DeLana Stokes (Hank's wife) is a very special lady. She and I did a Bible study together just recently and my heart just breaks for her. Nia was very loving towards Hank, hugging him every time she saw him. He will be truly missed. Becky Carnell I know because we were in the same Sunday school class for some time. She is okay but in the hospital with something broken and pain in her chest (not sure with all the detail so don't want to start any rumors with my info.). How does that happen, two people, in different vehicles, from the same church, get involved in the same accident? Please lift these families up in prayer.

Christmas 2008

We had a great Christmas. Here are just a few highlights:

The kids got to open one present on Christmas Eve right before we left for Texas.

Ian's styrofoam airplane broke the same day he opened it.

Then to Texas for lots of fun.

Dad didn't feel good so he napped while the rest of the adults played games
& the kids played outside.


Granny's is always sooooo exciting....

Lots more happened just not on my camera.
You can go to Romeo's website to see more pictures.