Oh, to be 6!

Just wanted to share some highlights of all of Ben's birthday party's. His actual birthday is tomorrow but since Jason will be out of town and we couldn't arrange everyone together at one time he has actually had several small parties.

Cake Namaw made for him

One of his many gifts from Namaw and Papaw

Namaw and Ben together



Next are some pictures from his friend party! It was a soldier theme and he had so much fun! I LOVE watching him with all his friends and this year was special because he mixed church and school friends!

Ben racing a friend with the Army guys!

These guys were so sweet and I think the kids really

enjoyed having them!

I know our little birthday boy

enjoyed them!

Cake and Popsicles with friends!

Next we had a little party with us, meme, and Stacie. It wasn't anything big but we did have more cake and ice cream :) Jason wasn't able to make a cake this year so that was a little sad for him (Jason) but Ben enjoyed all the attention none-the-less!

This is one of the things we got him! It was the only thing he

asked for :) snorkel goggles!

Our 6 year old!



For his actual birthday it will just be the kids and I. His request for the day included going to the "big" library and getting a library card and books. Then we are off to bowl! The kid loves to read and bowl! I thought it was funny that he picked these 2 things out of movies, parks, splash pads...everything else :)

Welcome Crazy Summer Busy-ness!

I can't believe it has been a month since my last blog! No one really hangs upon my every post but still..I do TRY to stay current. I don't want to lose the few readers I have :) Ok..so it has been crazy busy and I can barely keep myself organized and focused on what is coming next. We have had a great start to the summer which would only be better if Jason wasn't having to travel ALL the time for work. He is such a dedicated husband, father, friend, and employee. He hates leaving as much as we hate seeing him go! I am so thankful for his hardwork and dedication to our family. He gives a 120% when he is here and when he isn't. Today he left for a 2 week trip. Already missing him. So, upward and onward, this is what we have been doing...

Ben's last day of school was marked with a "student appreciaton" day. I was able to work one of the fun stations and watch him run all over the playground. This was a difficult day for me. As I dropped him off that morning I realized when I walked away that this was the last day of Kindergarten... I would be ending the day with a 1st grader. He looked so big out there doing all the different stations. Running and laughing with his friends. I am so proud of him. His time at home is going so much faster then what I would like it to but I do feel beyond blessed to watch him grow. He is a sweet young boy...He ended the year with all "green days" which means he was on task and acting right. Here are a few pics from that day.

My station, spoon race

They finished the day off with (very messy) popcisles!

Last Kindergarten class picture

Cleaned out his cubby and packed up his bag :(

From this we went right into Memorial Day weekend/Cousins weekend. We are so blessed with a wonderful group of cousins/friends. We love our time with them...and wish everyone could have made it. Kaleb and Kelsi were able to bring the boat so that was an added fun thing we got to do. We laughed, cryed, ate, ate, ate, had fun at  the lake and on the boat, shopped..and just enjoyed being blessed by each other. Here are a few pics of that!

One of the many times we were eating :)

Lots of Love...Memorial Day at the lake :)

Leaving a legacy for our kids...Wyatt and Isaac starting off young- learning

what cousins are all about!

Wyatt, Calista, and Nellie-all 3 are blessings in our lives!

Next, we headed to Dallas with Jason. He had to work but we went with, since the kids were now out of school and I hadn't started work yet. We were able to see him some in the evenings. The kids and I had a great time. We swam, enjoyed a great little yogurt shop, played games in the room, and went to a neat science and history museum. It was a nice little get-away. I loved watching and listening to the kids. It reminded me a lot of my sister and I on vacations. Besides Lizzie's near death experiance in Dallas traffic..that nearly gave me a heartattack (and made me feel terrible) it was a great time. If anyone wants to know that story just ask..for now I will just say to be sure the carseat is actually attached to the car...not just the child belted in! uh, makes me sick to think of it! Anyway, here are some pictures of that trip...oh, and the last few are on our way home. We stopped at Turner Falls. It was a hit and we will be sure to go back when we are able to stay longer!

Playing trouble in the room...I got beat :)

Ben learned how to swim while we were there!

Just before swimming one day!

Museum fun!

Stacking cups at the museum

Fun in the room...I love that Isaac wrestles with them!

The next few are at Turner Falls!

We ended the week with Ben's Birthday parties. That will be my next blog as he turns 6 tomorrow! I feel so blessed to have opportunities to make these memories and loved ones to share them with. Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Saying Goodbye..

We finished the last of 3 birthday weekends for Isaac today. I always hate when we have had a full house for several days and then they leave. The house is always so quiet and the remnants of loved ones being here are still all around. It is a lonely that I always dread. :( We have had 3 wonderful parties for Isaac. He is surrounded by so much love and we are so thankful for that. This year we were so lucky to have Mike and Karen, Jason's dad and aunt, come to visit us. They are especially hard to say goodbye to since we know it will be at least another year before we are able to see them... and possibly longer. His aunt Karen has fought breast cancer this past year. She is so strong and I love her hope in and love for the Lord. It was so nice to be able to hug her neck and tell her I love her personally instead of over the phone. I hope she knows how much she means to us- and Mike too! :) The kids LOVED having "papa Mike" and "aunt Karen" here to play with. They had such a wonderful time. We hope to make it out there to see them next summer!

So to all the wonderful family who spent one of 3 special weekends with us..we love you, and thank you for loving our little 1 year old Isaac. Thank you also for loving on Benjamin and Elizabeth while you were here. They are all three so blessed to see what having a loving, supportive family is all about. We love each and every one of you!

His 1st year...

Isaac's 1st birthday is approaching much faster than I can hardly even stand. At the end of the week we will be celebrating the last 1st birthday of our children. Oh say it isn't so! Truly I feel so very blessed to have healthy, happy children that have hit all of their milestones without any problems. What a great blessing to have them here beside me to celebrate their birthdays- I don't discount that at all. Still, I find myself a little melancholy at the thought of Isaac already being one. They grow and change so quickly...our time with them is so short in comparison to their life and all that they will experience and do. I pray that the time we do have with them will prepare them to be God's workers, to love others, and to know that they are loved. We will have family in this weekend and I don't want to miss documenting the things on my mind so I am going to do this a little early. If you know me then you know picking out pictures to showcase is SOOO hard for me to do but here is a month by month picture review of my precious almost 1 year old! What joy he has brought to our lives.

On our way to the hospital...last family of 4 picture!

1st family of 5 picture-he was brand new and Ben and Lizzie

couldn't keep their hands off their new baby brother!



Sweet little man weighed 8lbs 1oz and was 201/2 inches long

Month 1- looking around, smiling and cooing

Month 2- getting stronger and loving tummy time.

Month 3- He loved laughing and talking! He was rolling from front

to back by now. This was a fun day at the splash pad.

Month 4- Hanging out with his big bro :) full-out belly laughs, playing with toys,

looking at books, 1st time to bible class, eating cereal...lots of 1st's!

Month 5- Trying lots of new foods, everything goes in his mouth, pops

his paci in and out, talking all the time, sits with a pillow behind him...

and my favorite, he started reaching for me!

Month 6- rocks on his knees, plays with toys, say momma and bubba,

loves church class, and sits up alone.

Month 7- talking all the time..dada, momma, bubba, and lots of

squeals. He loved to play with Ben and Lizzie and laugh with them.

Month 8- Exploring everything, starting to crawl, everything in the

mouth, daddy gave him his 1st bite of fudge :)

Month 9- Really crawling now, eating some real foods,

playing and interacting with anyone nearby, he loves to

swing and play at the park.

Month 10- So much fun, experienced his 1st snow,

loves to play with balls, boxes, and toys..this

is when I really started having to watch him getting into things-or

at least try to prevent it :)

Month 11- so playful, sweet, and cuddly! Walking along anything

he can pull himself up on, eating anything he can find...including

non-edible items, drinking milk, drinking out of the toilet, talking like

 crazy. He loves for his brother and sister to hide from him and jump out.

It scares him to death but he absolutely cracks up laughing afterwards~

Month 12- standing up without help, talking a few guided steps, so

happy and fun. Still eating everything and still a cuddler. He points to

everything and tries to repeat what your saying. Uses sign language to

communicate if we aren't getting what he is trying to say :) Stopped nursing on

his own.Can make it up the stairs and loves to play in the bedrooms up there.

Most recent family of 5 picture :)

Happy 1st birthday my sweet Isaac Lucas!

Basghetti Fun!

Awe...who doesn't enjoy watching a baby try new foods? Isaac LOVES to eat! Up until now he has been choosing non-edible items (or a least they are suppose to be). Wipes, cords, toilet paper, toilet water, Kleenex, fuzz off the floor, shoes, dryer lint, toys, grass, dirt...basically anything he can get his hands on. We have all (including Ben and Lizzie) fished many gross things from his mouth. Sometimes its best to not even try to figure out what it was! Now he is also choosing edible items and it is so much fun to watch as he tries new things. Recently, he had his first spaghetti dinner. It was a huge success and I wanted to share some pics of it with you!

"No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention"- unknown

No fan of Charlotte..or her web!

Today was spent mowing and cleaning up the backyard. Many of Jason's family are coming into town this weekend to help us celebrate Isaac's 1st birthday! Oh, sweet Isaac...1 already! :( Yes, we are celebrating a few weeks early but that's the way our schedules worked out! Anyhow, back to my story...mowing, cleaning, and discovering all the wildlife that live in my very backyard! Ick! Ok, so it isn't really "wildlife" but after being in the city for 9 years it seems that way. Now, I am not typically scared of bugs and such BUT I really do not like snakes and spiders. Last week while cleaning out the flower bed I found a snake....and was much to slow to actually grab the shovel and kill it. It was more of a high pitch yell "SNAKE", and stumble backwards, hesitant to continue my work. So that threat is still out there! Today I found many "creatures" in my backyard..

The Beloved Rolly Polly

This sweet, now albino, frog. He was found in the closed mailbox below.

I made this for the kids a while back...somehow Mr. Frog

found his way inside. It was closed so I was a bit sad for him.

He was still alive though.

A creepy centipede-y thing

The following pics are what totally ended my yardwork back there today! Thank goodness I was pretty much done!

I trapped this monster because I knew someone would need to kill it!

Then I thought, this thing is huge! It should be documented. I put the

quarter down, pulled the glass away, and snapped a shot-quickly!

I woke Jason (he was home sick) and he confirmed it being a black widow!

ICK! ICK! ICK! I am NO fan of this Charlotte! Jason took care of

killing her..which did make me sad~ she is a mother after all...Jason

replied.."yes, a mother who ate the daddy"

Guess our next step is to put stuff out to make sure we don't have anymore of these unwelcomed guest! That will be Jason's job!