Fall/Winter Pics (take 1) with Julie

We tried to have family pictures taken this past Thursday...but it wasn't in the cards for Daddy to be able to go with us. It ended up being Julia and Grant pictures, which is perfectly fine with me!! Julie managed to slip in a couple pictures of me with the kiddos...one of which turned out good, I think, and will be desk-worthy for Daddy. :)

Julie got to witness our kids' personalities in full force.... Julia, the performer, who insisted that she could "walk the catwalk" (her words) and "pose like a runway model" (her words) for her pictures...WHERE does she GET this stuff???? Grant, on the otherhand, wanted NOTHING to do with the camera. He wasn't having it. Any of it... Until Mama busted out the candy cane and Mrs. Julie told him not to smile...and not to sit by sister...and not to stand by sister...and not to look at sister...and not to stand by sister and smile.... Are you seeing the theme here?! They are two totally different children, that's for sure!!

BTW...I say "take 1" because we are going to try to get a picture of all of us together soon! :)

Here are a few of my favorites... They are ALL so good! It's definitely hard to choose the best!

Happy Birthday, Little Man!

Oh, wow, where to begin?! We celebrated Grant's birthday on Sunday evening. It is so hard to believe that he's three already!!! Our house was full of family and friends who were way too generous to Grant...Santa can definitely save the trip to our house!!

Grant chose his own birthday theme this year...Old McDonald's Farm...although if asked, he would very quickly tell whoever was listening that he was having a vacuum party! He also made his own invitation list this year, which I though was pretty funny. He named all the people he wanted to come and pretty much didn't leave anyone out! He's just as smart, just as well-spoken, and just as BOSSY as his sister!

Here are a few pictures of the birthday boy...at this point, it's a toss up as to what is his favorite gift. He LOVES his Dyson vacuum...but has spent a lot of time playing with new trucks, tractors, guns, basketball, a harmonica (thanks, Nat!), and power tools! Such a little boy!!

Note that this picture is the "deer head" for the wall in Grant's room...he also got camo big boy bedding and a super cute deer/bear/moose mount shelf for the wall. He thinks this is the "big buck" that he "shotted" at the deer camp! So funny!

There are so many things that could be said about Grant at this age...he is a very special little boy! A few things that come to mind immediately...

~Incredibly smart!!

~Incredibly FUNNY!!!

~Can throw an incredibly large fit at a moment's notice...and then be an angel 5 minutes later!

~Is an incredible story teller!

~Is still a Mama's boy....but is very much Daddy's boy now, too!!

~Is ALL boy!!!!! Although, he does love fixing Mama's hair with sister's pink flat iron!

~Can totally talk your ear off!!!

~Uses the word "booty" in every sentence he can possibly work it in...like I said, ALL boy!

As a nostalgiac mom...here is what he looked like 3 years ago at 2 days old! Happy Birthday, big boy!! The last picture makes me cry...look how they've grown!!!!

Happy Halloween!

We have renamed Halloween as "Night of the Living" around here...the four of us have had the flu for two weeks! I was first...followed by Grant (who had the worst bout), then Julia...and Paul was the caboose. Trick or Treating was really our first outing after everyone was fever free. We had to miss our church fall festival this year (insert sad face) because both the kiddos were still running fever. Thank goodness we were all feeling better to get dressed up!!

Happy Halloween from our rodeo clown and rodeo queen! Enjoy the pics!

Note... We talked with Grant about how rodeo clowns (bull fighters) wear "run fast" shoes because they have to get away from the bulls...in hopes he'd agree to wearing his tennis shoes instead of crocs or something crazy. Well...he very emphatically insisted that he would wear sister's cleats...those are run fast shoes. The boy has a mind of his own!!!

P.S.--Lindsay, this post is for you, my friend! :) Love you!

Dropped off the face of the earth??

Nope! We have not dropped off the face of the earth! Life has just taken a couple very unxpected (but good!) twists and turns since my last post....in JULY!! Where have we been???

1. We enjoyed a wonderful trip to Atlanta with Daddy in July. We got some great pictures, met up with some old friends, and truly had a very memorable and fun trip together!

2. We made a few day trips to a beatiful area nearby for some boating and fun in the sun!

3. Julia started 1st grade!!! I cannot believe my baby girl is a big ole' first grader!! She's doing sooooooooo well!!!!!!

4. Mama got a job! The same week Julia started school...so did I!! What a change for us!! After having been a full time stay at home Mom for over 6 years...it's been a wild and crazy time for us. I am now teaching (full time) math online! More to come...

5. Grant started Wee School! Look out, Wee School! I warned you! :)

6. Daddy has been W-O-R-K-I-N-G! A lot.

7. Sweet Pea's (my business) has gone BANANAS!

I hope to post again (soon!) with more details and pictures about all the things listed here...I just wanted to begin by letting all our faithful blog readers know they can quit harrassing me for info! LOL We're here! I'll post again soon!! Happy fall, y'all!!

Look out!

We're tagging along with Daddy on a serious road trip! Our little family of 4 will be packing up and heading toward Atlanta a little later today...we're hoping to have a really great trip! Daddy has some business meetings to attend...hopefully the kids and I can entertain ourselves around Atlanta while he's tied up! :)

In bigger news, I'd like to remind all my blog readers to pray for our friends the McCones. It's been a while since I've mentioned Alan and Melissa...Alan has been battling kidney cancer for almost a year now. He's in Houston today for a new set of scans and some other testing...we're praying for good news for them! To the McCones: We love you guys!!! Be safe!!! You're in our hearts and prayers constantly, and we so admire you for your strength and faith!

Next stop: Atlanta.

Daddy Time!

I know I don't often enough take the time to point out what a wonderful man God blessed me with 14 years (!!!) ago! Paul and I will celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary later this summer, and I have to say that our life really is what I thought it would be. He is the person I prayed my spouse would be all those years ago in youth group! I am so thankful that he is the Daddy to my children that I didn't have...and that so many kids don't have. He is loving and kind, he is fun and reliable, he has high expectations and the biggest heart in the world! Add to that being a strong Christian role model, a hard worker, and an absolutely amazing husband! How'd I get so lucky?? Here are a few pictures/videos of Daddy and his babies.... Hopefully he won't mind! Happy Father's Day! We've been amazed by the progress both kids are making in the little pool this year! Julia is taking swimming lessons and is doing great! I'll have pics/video of her next week when she finishes... Grant was really afraid the first couple times he got in this year....not anymore! He's quickly turning into a little tadpole! I think we're going to have a daredevil on our hands for sure with this one! I love watching those little feet...they're moving WAY faster than he is, but he can make it all the way across the pool now!

Look out Calvin Klein....there's a model in the making!

I told Grant that I wanted to take a picture of him wearing his first "big boy underwears" and I think he was a bit embarrassed. He wouldn't turn around at first...



and when he did turn around and I told him to move his arms so I could see his belly, this is what he did! I love it!!! :)

Some of Sweet Pea's Creations

Here are some of Sweet Pea's newest creations that haven't been posted on my website yet. I'm hoping to get to that soon, but I thought I'd share here for those of you who are interested...