...Birthday parties

Sure seems like we go to a LOT of birthday parties, in fact this weekend we will be at 4 total!! Geez!  

...however, last weekend we attended Trevor and Devon's swimming party.  The Campbell's are very near and dear to our hearts, we couldn't make it day in and day out without them.  Tasha keeps Kate while I'm at work and then keeps Jax and Madi after school.  We are very blessed to have her!

Anyways, the kids had a great time playing with them in the pool along with their cousin Schecota.  

 Here's the clan!

 The birthday boy, Devon ~ Kate LOVES Devon.  She 

watched intently while he opened all his presents...

....and was just as excited as he was about it all!!!

 PIRATES!!!!

FUN in the pool!!

We have a Bike Rider!!!

Goodbye training wheels...

only 2 wheels now!

GO Madi!!!!

 Such a good daddy!!!

Will taught Jaxen how to ride his bike...now Madi, he has a lot of patience!

 ...and she's off!

 Proud of you Madi!

"....sometimes your greatest MESSAGE is the MESS of your life..."

Matthew 6:1
Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

Back to School!!!

I can't believe it's already that time again.  The kids started back to school today. 

Jaxen is in 3rd Grade and Madilyn is a Kindergartner!!! 

They were both ready to get back to the swing of things and see all their friends.

Here they are all ready for school... and Kate seemed just as excited like she was going too or something!  It was a big day for her too ~ because she is wearing big girl panties, yep we are embarking on potty training. 

The big 3rd grader.  I told him I wanted to take his pic before school and he said "uh mom, think you could just take one at home...you're not coming into the school are you??" 

Oh my gosh!

How can she already be in Kindergarten!  Oh man, time flies!  She picked out her own clothes and has been preparing for this day for a week.  We searched high and low for the "perfect" backpack and ended up with this cute one! 

...and last but not least... Kate!  She has a goose egg bruise on her head and thinks she is just as big as brother and sister...and underneath that skirt are DORA panties! 

Oh yes, we are potty training ~ bring it!

haha...Told ya!

The next BIG event of the day... it's Will's BIRTHday!

We are so blessed!  Will is an amazing father and husband ~ 

We love you Will and hope your day is great!!!

...a fun morning in our household as the kids were obviously anxious for school, wonder what it would take to continue this momentum til..........oh I don't know... May?!?!



I LOVE my family!!!

Well obviously I haven't been a very good blogger lately, but I've been busy and having fun!!  That's right, I have been working a LOT and am very busy at work but every second I can I am soaking up time with my kiddos before school starts. The past month we've made trips to the lake and we also went on VaCaTiOn!  We've had a lot of fun together as a family and made some great memories.

Red River, NM

Vacation:
We went the middle of July to Red River, NM.  It was wonderful!! We left Oklahoma's 111 degree weather and went and enjoyed a week of temps ranging from 70-85!  It was heavenly!  We had a great time and vacationed with Matt, Abby, and Bo and Grammy and Papa!  It was relaxing, fun, and if I turn up missing.... I might just be in Red River...but don't look there first, give me some time to enjoy it!

Our family on the top of the mountain - Red River

We took the kids fishing, rode go-carts (Kate's favorite!), the guys played golf (Jaxen went with them and it was his favorite part of the trip), we rented Jeep's and went on a day adventure through the mountains, we rode the ski lift to the top of the mountain (Madi named it "the lifter"), we ate at some fabulous restaurants, we played games, we went on walks, we shopped, we explored, and we had a GREAT time together as a family. 

The kids LOVED this stop...parked the jeeps, played in the

water and had a picnic!  So fun!!!



When I think back to my childhood I remember family vacations more than I remember anything else.  Our family vacations usually consisted of either Branson, Eureka Springs, or long trips to the lake but it was my favorite part of growing up.  I hope Will and I are creating the same memories for our children.

(another one of the kids "favs" the hammock on the back porch...)



Then last week the kids got to go spend a few days with Mema and Papa (my parents) they love to go there!  They swam approx 12 hours each day, rode on the golf cart, swam again at my parents neighbors house, conned my mom into a trip to Wal-Mart for a "Toy", and they had a great time!... so great they didn't want to come home.  Thank you Mema & Papa for giving Mom and Dad a little break!  The kids had a great time...and well my house was clean for 3 whole days! :)