Sweet Swinging Dreams

Tonight was the night that we decided to hang the souvenirs that we brought back from Honduras for the kids--Hammocks!! They have been SO excited since we came back and showed them what we had found...kid-sized ones just for them!

It took us several routes of thought process to figure out just how we were going to hang them, but once we got it straight it didn't take long to get them up. The kids could hardly contain their excitement!
Lawson got right into his, with no trouble at all. He just plopped his booty in and swung his feet up and laid down... Jordan, on the other hand, required a little more assistance:
Whoops!
Almost...
Wiggle, wiggle, scoot...
Squirmy squirm,
Cool beans!
We contemplated taking wagers on how long they would last in the hammocks, since they both had plans on staying in the hammock all night...

An hour after I did bedtime, Jordan is out cold in the hammock, arm hanging over the side. Lawson has relocated to the bed, where he is sound asleep.

Sweet swinging dreams everyone!

One of our favorite places with some of our favorite people

May 21-22 we went to Chattanooga with our friends the Bybees. Sunny already posted about this here, but I thought I would make a post of my own, too! We had a late night Friday, full of driving, checking into our hotel, Cracker Barrel and getting 5 wired kids ready for bed in a hotel! We were so excited to have adjoining suites, so we put the kids to bed in the bedrooms, then the adults could stay up and talk in the living room as late as we wanted!! After Jason and Sunny headed back to their room, we moved our kids out to the sofa...Jordan got herself propped up on this couch cushion--glad she's not a grown-up because she would've been sore the next day!Once everyone woke up, it was kind of like a mad house!!!
Saturday was Sunny's birthday, so Jason and the kids had some gifts for her to open...
Then Jason put the wrong sized memory card in the new camera that he got Sunny, and had to use my tweezers to do 'surgery' and extract the foreign object!
So in the meantime, Jackson decided to just keep on being cute...
Then we went to the aquarium. Here are Lawson and Abby Kate looking at a snake...
And Lawson and Jackson petting stingrays and sand sharks. Lawson's sleeve and right side of his shirt is completely soaked, by this point...
These are 3 of my most favorite people!
We spent some time in the butterfly house, where Jon caught a butterfly, then helped Lawson hold it, then helped Lawson give it to Jordan, then helped Jordan hold it. That's teamwork!
After the aquariums, we were headed back to the parking garage to head home, and Joshua was walking backwards so that the sun wouldn't be in his eyes.
When lo and behold we heard a baseball announcer from high in the sky! We looked up and saw the stadium for the Lookouts, and guessed that the game was just beginning from the announcements. We hiked up about 8,000 steps and got in for only $4/adult! Of course we were all so thirsty we drank $20 worth of drinks, but it was still so fun!
Sunny and Abby Kate
Jason and Joshua
Jon and Lawson
Jon and Jordan
Joshua and Lawson
We left the game right after the 7th inning stretch because it was late, we were tired, and we still had to drive home! We realized we hadn't had dinner yet, so to top the night off we had a fancy birthday meal at Krystal!! So fun!

It really was a fun way to spend a weekend with great friends!!

T-Ball 2010

Today, at exactly the same time, was his last game of the season...and her first game ever. It was kinda sad that we were split up for the games, but I guess that has to happen sometimes!
Without any number requests at all, they both happened to be numbered '4' this year!
Great season Cardinals!!! And good luck Pirates!

Such A Good Big Brother

I love this picture and this memory so much!

One day a few weeks back I was downstairs trying to get some things done. My kids have always been very good about being interactive with me but also being able to play on their own when I need to work on something. This particular day they were playing upstairs in their rooms, but I noticed that they had been especially quiet for a while. I walked upstairs and peeked in--to see this.

I love that they are laying next to each other. I love that he is 'reading' this story (that he practically knows by heart) to her. I love that they are cuddled under his blanket, but that she has her blankie to keep her company. I love that they love each other so much, and really are each others' best friend for right now.

Now Let's Go Out and Play

My friend Lindsey just started a blog, and I loved reading her first post!! She is such a genuine, kind, loving person. Her blog is called I'll Never Be June Cleaver, and it reminded me of a poem that I posted a long time ago. I've never re-posted one of my posts before, but I'm going to re-post this one. I first blogged this in July of 2007.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For most of you, it's no big secret that I am not going to win any housewife awards. Or housekeeping awards. Which would include dusting awards. Or dishes awards. Or laundry. Or shower-cleaning. Or cooking. Or anything else that involves keeping anything tidy, for that matter. At any given moment, there may be dishes in my sink, flowing out to the counter. Dirty clothes strewn through the living room (and pretty much anywhere else someone from the family has walked today!) There might be dirty diapers laying next to where I changed them (because I'm too tired/lazy to throw them out one at a time). And a plethora of toys and books spread across every inch of floor to let you know that we HAVE been doing something today.

A visit to my house has a prerequisite of at least a 10 minute phone call!! This gives me enough time to scrape the surface and at least make the carpet show through the stuff again! And if you drop in on me, you can bet I'll try to keep you out of the kitchen!!! :)

I found this poem on one of my favorite places to lurk and read--Rocks in My Dryer--and I love it!

I have always said that all I ever wanted to be was a mommy--I don't remember ever mentioning all that housekeeping stuff!! :)

Now Let's Go Out and Play

Some houses try to hide that fact
That children shelter there.
Ours boasts of it quite openly--
The signs are everywhere.
For smears are on the windows,
Little smudges on the doors.
I should apologize, I guess,
For toys strewn on the floor.
But I sat down with the children
And we played and laughed and read.
And if the bathtub doesn't shine
Their eyes will shine instead.
For when, at times, I'm forced to choose
The one job or the other,
I want to have a lovely house,
But first I'll be a mother.

--Author Unknown

Buddies

Here is Lawson with one of his best buddies...I just think this picture is precious! (Well, minus the pile of dirty napkins piled high in front of them! Five kids on one end and four adults way down on the other...can you imagine the mess those napkins had to take care of!!)

Lawson and Joshua have been friends since they were babies because their mommas (here's his momma) were friends and they had no choice! But they have grown into that friendship and absolutely love playing together and being silly together. This is their 3rd year to play t-ball together and they are having such a fun time. I hope that their friendship grows to be strong and deep over the years and that they can encourage each other to live out their faith daily.

I am thankful that Jon and I have good friends who are fun to be with but who also sharpen us in our spirituality. I pray that our children will grow up realizing the importance of having friends who love God and encourage us to be more like Him!

Just look at her...

When we moved into this house a little over 3 years ago, Jordan was only 4 1/2 months old...

And now...well, just look at her!!

I guess time really does fly when you're having fun!!!

There's about to be...

a color explosion in our yard!!!

Easter 2010

This Easter was a wonderful day for our family. I was determined to wake up early, get a ham cooking, get our sides in the oven, get myself and the family up and ready and get to church early for the breakfast they were serving. Saturday night Jon went to see a movie after work with some friends, but I warned him that if he did not get up and help me in the morning he would be dead meat.

I woke up at 5:45 (practically the middle of the night) and was in the shower by 6. When I got out at 6:15 I was puzzled to hear the kids squealing with delight about their Easter baskets downstairs. I couldn't figure out why they were up at 6:15, or allowed to go see what was waiting for them without Jon waiting for me to at least get out of the shower!! As I was getting dressed, Jon came in and told me that his clock has an automatic timer and since the old Daylight Savings Time was this weekend it sprung forward an hour in the middle of the night. He had heard me in the shower, looked at his clock, saw 7:15 and ran to yank the kids out of bed and do Easter morning in 15 minutes!!! I was a little bit sad to not get to see them see their baskets, but the knowledge that Jon did that out of fear of what I'd do if he had overslept an hour was so worth it!! It was priceless; it had me chuckling all morning. In fact, I just chuckled a few seconds ago. And now. :)

Anyways, we got a few good pics of the kids, got to church when I had planned (!), enjoyed a wonderful worship service, and came home to a delicious (if I do say so myself) ham, potatoes, green beans and fresh bread. Then it was naptime for me and the kids...you know, since we got up in the middle of the night!!

The weather was absolutely beautiful and after naptime, we went to a nearby park and greenway, where the kids played, Jon and I threw the baseball, then the kids rode bikes while we walked. It ended with us throwing rocks into a creek and Lawson skipping his first stone!!!

Anyways, here are a few of our pics from Sunday morning...

Big cheeseball...

This one's a keeper...

My kids and their Daddy...

And because Jon made me get in one...

And hey...it's only 5 days past due!! :)

'Tis the Season

We've been staying busy lately...here are a few pics of what's been keeping us occupied the last few weeks (among other things!)

One of a kind...

I love this picture of my sweet girl for a few reasons. She is such an independent, strong-willed, dramatic, silly girl.

The day I took this picture we were on a field trip to Petco to see and learn about the animals. One would never know unless I told them that while Jordan is entranced by the fish tanks that she is missing the entire presentation on lizards and salamanders and turtles and such. Does she care? Nope. Because this girl does her own thing.

Another reason I love this picture because her shoes are on the wrong feet. And they stayed that way all day. Because she did it herself. And no one was going to be able to make her change it. Never mind the fact that her big toes might be numb the rest of the day--that doesn't matter!

Finally, I love this picture just because that little girl is just so darn cute. I love it when she smiles at me. I love hearing her giggle. I love it when she gets in my lap to cuddle. She's sweet as pie.

And she's definitely one of a kind.

To the woods they go...

Early this morning Jon and Lawson got up to bundle up super tight and spend the morning out in the woods. They were going squirrel hunting, but didn't really see anything. Didn't matter much, though, because they spent 3 or 4 hours wandering, exploring and enjoying the nature that God has blessed us with.

It won't be long before they are bringing home their 'big kill', but for now a day in the woods is good enough for both of them!

The Boys and the Bow

Jon decided it was time for Lawson to have a kid-sized bow so he could start getting in some target practice and hopefully learn to love one of his daddy's favorite pasttimes.

This particular Saturday afternoon was FREEZING cold outside, but they still got in about an hour of target practice before Jon had to go to work. Jon spent time teaching Lawson how to aim, how to re-load the arrows, and most importantly, how to run up to the target to see how good the shot was!

This target is old and nasty, but Lawson was so excited everytime one of his arrows hit the mark! I can't stress enough how much I love to see my boys spending time together, learning from each other, and making memories that will last a lifetime.