They really mean color stay...

Last Monday, the kids and I went to my mom & dad's for Nathan to go to golf camp there all week. I was busy packing my stuff and getting ready in my bathroom and as I came out of the bathroom, I asked Nathan, "Where's your sister?" No sooner had the words come out of my mouth than she came through the door telling me, "I'm pretty!" and looking like this: She had helped herself to my purse and found some lip gloss.

Here she is SEVERAL hours later at my parents' house. They really do mean color stay when they advertise that. After several different remedies she was finally all clean by bedtime that night.

What can I say? She is a girl and she loves ALL things girly!!!

Celebrating 11 Years!

Last Saturday, Clay & I celebrated our 11th anniversary! It's hard to believe that it's already been another year since our awesome Mexico trip last summer. The time has flown. We have such a great life together with our sweet kids. I couldn't have asked for more. Thanks for a great 11 years honey. I can't wait to see what the next 11 will be like. You're the best!

We chose to celebrate by spending the night at the Gaylord Texan. Clay's sister works there so she hooked us up with a great room deal. We took another couple with us who had also celebrated their 11th earlier in the summer. We had a great time relaxing with Brian & Danyelle.

We ate dinner at the steakhouse at the hotel. It was so DELICIOUS! We loved every bite. After dinner we walked around the hotel and then went over to the Glass Cactus. They had a fun band playing that night and it was also a great place to people watch.

Sunday morning, we ate breakfast at one of the coffee shops and then went to the pool for a couple hours. It was so nice and peaceful to be at a pool with no children to be responsible for. We love our babies so much, but it was nice to have some grown up time.

We had to take pictures of our desserts because they were so beautiful. They were also, as the waitress would say, "phenomenal" We did a little spouse switcheroo for dessert. Brian & I shared this yummy chocolate cake. Clay & Danyelle shared the carrot cake cheesecake.

After dinner we visited the kiddie shop at the hotel. Some of us had to let our inner "kid" come on out. :)

Happy 4th of July!

We all went to my mom & dad's for the 4th. Marcia & Mallory were there too, but no Matthew. He had to stay home and fight crime. We sure did miss him, though. Even without him we managed to have a good time. There was golf, swimming, homemade ice cream, golf cart rides & decorating, & lots of playing.

The evening of the 4th there was a neighborhood golf cart decorating contest and parade. Nathan came up with the plan for how to decorate Paw-Paw and Dee's golf cart and we helped him put the plan into action. He loves any kind of project and this was right up his alley. We didn't win the contest, but we sure had fun decorating our golf cart.

Paw-Paw and Dee rode on the golf cart with all the grand kids for the parade.
We take eating ice cream very seriously in our family. Abby thinks you even need to wear a helmet or "humut" as she calls it. For some reason she wore this helmet alot over the weekend.Mallory had some good snuggling time with her Uncle Clay. Whenever Marcia would be holding Mallory, Clay would come up to her and make clicking noises. This would cause Mallory to become very shy and bury her head in Marcia's chest. It was so cute!
The morning after the golf cart parade, Nathan started another project. He and Abby took all the decorations off the golf cart and started decorating the front flower beds.
Dee found this Disney Princess plastic mat at the fabric store for Abby. It has no specific purpose other than Abby just loves the princesses. She loved to just lay around on the princesses.

"Tower of Butter Packets"

This was Sunday after church. Like I said he LOVES projects!

Last Day of Golf Camp

Nathan had such a great time at golf camp last week. He has definitely been bitten by the golf bug. On the last day they played some holes. When I got there to pick him up they had a leader board with everyone's scores on it. Nathan had scored a 17. The high scorer was 14 and there were also some 24s. So we feel like he did really good and are so proud of him. After I picked him up we had to head out to the driving range so he could show Abby and I his stuff. Abby of course did not want to miss out on a chance to have her picture made.

Can't Believe June is Over!

We have all recovered from our crazy weekend last week. Abby just had a fever virus, Clay has a new computer, & got his truck out of the shop this morning. Amongst all this we have been very busy running here and there at home. Clay & I also just got back from a grown up weekend at the lake. Those pictures are on the camera that had the battery charger & cord stolen from the truck. Don't know when we'll get those off the camera.

Nathan has gone to 3 VBS programs at various churches and with various friends. He has loved every minute of it. This week he is going to a junior golf clinic and is having a blast. I have to honestly say this is one of the only things I have ever seen him been super enthusiastic about. Today when I picked him up he was grinning from ear to ear and very eager to show me some of his drives. He has been out in the front yard hitting balls this afternoon and can't wait to go back in the morning.

Nathan & Joey at Power Lab VBS

All set and ready for golf clinic.

Not to be left out from anything her big brother is doing.

While Nathan has been at all of his activities, Abby has also enjoyed some of her own special times. She has had different playdates each week with some of her little friends. One week we played at Reagan's and then celebrated Sofia's birthday at Chick-fil-a, the next week we went to the park with Katie, & tomorrow we are going to play with Kendall & Kaitlyn. Abby was very sad the first day we left Nathan at VBS. She cried as we walked out and said, "We can't leave Nathan!" I think she's gotten over that, though and is enjoying her fun times.

Wouldn't this be a great ad for Wheat Thins!?! Nothing like laying on the kitchen floor and snacking on crackers. She loves Wheat Thins!

Another Visit, Another Fever

The kids and I got back last night from a visit to Houston to my sister's for a wedding. Originally we had planned this trip to be one for the whole family, but someone had other plans. Thursday morning as I was packing our suitcases someone in Dallas decided to try and steal Clay's truck. They were unable to get the truck started, but did render it undriveable. The worst part of the whole situation was that since they couldn't take the truck, they decided to take Clay's computer, computer bag, & all his work inside! It was/is awful. He has spent the last 4 days getting a new computer and trying to get it up and running like his previous one. It is going to be a long process for him. So after all that, Clay decided he needed to stay here. So the kids and I headed on to Houston so we could go to the wedding for our friend Laura.


We arrive in Houston to find Matthew laid out flat on his back after throwing it out at work on Wed. My parents came earlier than they had originally planned to keep Mallory while Marcia went back to work on Thursday afternoon. The fun keeps on going, though.

Friday morning, while Marcia is working, my mom and I load up all the kids and head out to the new outlet mall. This was fun! The kids were all so good and happy for us. When we got home, we put Mallory to bed and when she woke up she was running a fever of 104.3!!! Scary! By this time Marcia is home and she and Matthew, whose back is better, head off to the after hours doctor. It was not the usual fever things. So they drew blood, took urine, and poked her all over. All that to say it was just a virus. Pesky viruses.

Saturday morning, we wake up and Abby has a fever. She is usually the one who always gets sick when we are together. So it wasn't too shocking. She has been on Motrin since Sat and whenever it wears off her fever spikes again. Needless to say she and I are headed to the Dr. here in a little bit. I don't know what I am going to do with this girl and her fevers. Luckily she functions pretty normal while she's on Motrin and keeps on going.

Saturday was the day of the wedding. When Abby woke up with the fever I decided I would just come on home, but then my dad stepped up to the rescue. He and my mom had gone to the rehearsal dinner the night before. So he said he would stay home with Abby. Nathan had been dreading going to the wedding all week, he stayed home too. Matthew stayed home with Mallory and mom, Marcia, & I headed off to the wedding. It was so fun! We got to visit with so many people that we have known most of our lives. Thanks, Dad!


Sunday the kids and I got up, packed up, and headed home to see Clay. He was eagerly awaiting our arrival. We went out to dinner when we got home and had a great time all being back together.


Even though it didn't turn out to be the weekend we had planned on we still managed to make some sweet memories and have fun with all our kids.

The marble works structure. Nathan and Paw-Paw built this Saturday morning. They had a great time playing with this all day. The fun ended that night when Abby lost her balance and fell into it. Nathan was so upset that it got knocked over and Abby was quite upset from the loud crashing sound it made when it fell.

Paw-paw and his girls!

There was no keeping these two out of Mallory's bath Saturday night. They have really been looking forward to the day Mallory could sit up with them in the tub.

Abby LOVES her Mallory!

Pictures!

While we were in Houston, one of Marcia's friends came over and took pictures of all the kids. Man, is hard to get pictures of 3 kids all looking the same way! I think the one of the 3 of them below is the only good one of all 3 kids together. These are some of my favorites.