It's a Southern Thing!

24/365

2011-02-04T00:25:00.000-06:00

My assignment was "What They Do."

This is what the kids like to do every evening since Christmas.

They gather around and make fun of Daddy trying to win the races in Mario Cart. LOL!

23/365 New Beginnings

2011-01-26T23:30:00.002-06:00

Kylynn had her New Beginnings night for Young Women's at church tonight.

She will be going into Young Women's in April. WOW. That is so stinkin' hard to believe.

She has really begun to turn into a gorgeous young lady. I am so very proud of her.

Geez! I don't think I can do it!

2011-01-26T23:11:00.000-06:00

The 365 I mean.

I am still going to try. But it is practically impossible for me to find something to photograph every day... and then I will find three or four things another day. You are just going to have to be happy with the 365 MOMENTS, whenever they happen! ;o)

22/365

2011-01-21T19:28:00.000-06:00

A few moments from today. Our bookwork, and taking some breaks from our bookwork.

21/365

2011-01-21T18:14:00.000-06:00

20/365

2011-01-18T12:57:00.001-06:00

One of my Mom's many babies.

19/365

2011-01-18T12:42:00.000-06:00

Helping Grandma eat her Jelly Beans.

:O)

Grandma always keeps such goodies in the house for her grandbabies.

18/365

2011-01-18T11:45:00.000-06:00

I don't know why I love rust. But I do. Rust, rocks, brick, yeah. They are beautiful. :O)

17/365

2011-01-18T11:36:00.000-06:00

This is a site my kids love to see every year. A local farmer's market turns on their sprinklers when the weather is going to be below freezing. The icicles protect the plants. A whole field of Beautiful BIG icicles all over!

16/365

2011-01-16T22:28:00.001-06:00

Finding beauty in strange places.

15/365

2011-01-16T22:09:00.000-06:00

During a trip to the doctor's office with Bryon I took a stroll beside the building.

14/365

2011-01-16T21:50:00.001-06:00

Light at Gwennie Lou Who's Car Wash...

13/365

2011-01-16T21:10:00.001-06:00

I wasn't going to use my business photos for my 365 moments, but I really loved this one of Kylynn. Gorgeous girl! :O)

12/365

2011-01-07T21:52:00.001-06:00

My Kaylie Girl

I was playing around with the camera and new lens while they were watching TV. I love this shot.

Beautiful Girl!

:^*

11/365

2011-01-06T20:58:00.005-06:00

Our Theodore All Grown Up!!!

10/365

2011-01-06T20:47:00.001-06:00

Little Man's Half Smirk

;^,

9/365

2011-01-06T20:30:00.001-06:00

Never can get them all with a nice face at the same time.

Never.

LOL

8/365

2011-01-05T16:42:00.004-06:00

An impromptu photo shoot in the car at the grocery store? LOL! It is great how the inside of a jacket can be an instant backdrop. ;o)

7/365

2011-01-03T23:07:00.003-06:00

At the softball fields tonight.

I had several shots, but this is the one I have ready to post.

FHE was playing some softball, then coming home to hot wings/chicken, celery and carrots. Ice cream for dessert. Then a little trip to Grandma's instead of the movie we had planned. A really great night! I have missed those softball fields SO much! I am very ready for our season to begin!

Beautiful Kylynn!

Moment #6

2011-01-02T21:02:00.008-06:00

Little Man is Graduated from Nursery to Sunbeams!

Moment #5

2011-01-01T21:45:00.004-06:00

Today is New Year's Day! Which means a special good luck meal. Black-eyed peas (for good luck), Greens (for a year with no financial worries), Corn bread and Ham (for a life full of "fat". Nothing left for want.)

YUM!

Moment #4

2011-01-01T21:20:00.003-06:00

Ensley and Bryon watching movies on New Year's Eve.

Waiting for Midnight.

We watched Igore and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Then it was time for a few fireworks.

We had a special round of family prayer before bed, with each of us taking a turn and asking a special blessing on our family and friends for 2011.

Moment #3

2011-01-01T21:11:00.005-06:00

My sweet Mollie Girl is spoiled. Every time I sit down she is clawing at my leg asking me for something. Either to go outside or for food... but most of the time it is just to be held.

This is her new favorite spot. In my lap as I work on the computer.

2011-01-01T21:05:00.002-06:00

Moment #2

The kids made their gingerbread house after Christmas this year. Just didn't have time before.

The photo was taken in an extreme hurry, as the house was beginning to fall apart. :O)

365 Moments in my life

2010-12-29T19:13:00.002-06:00

Moment #1

We went to Hartford today and visited a little old log cabin that we love. Can't wait to go back in the spring when the flowers are gorgeous there.

This has been preserved as a landmark.

Photos Of Ryon from our Halloween Weekend

2010-10-31T20:58:00.005-05:00

Ryon was a Train Engineer!

Photos Of Ensley from our Halloween Weekend

2010-10-31T20:46:00.002-05:00

Ensley was a Ballerina Doll... and she really is a DOLL!

Photos Of Kaylie from our Halloween Weekend

2010-10-31T19:29:00.005-05:00

Kaylie went as a firefighter to the trunk or treat, but to the trick or treat she went as herself. LOL

Photos Of Kylynn from our Halloween Weekend

2010-10-31T18:53:00.004-05:00

Halloween!!!!

2010-10-31T01:16:00.002-05:00

OK, so... Halloween is not my favorite holiday.

I could make a list as to why, but there is no need.

This year was very different.

The Trunk or Treat at church was great. I was pleasantly surprised, as the last few years have really bombed.

I was very thankful that it was a great one, since we invited the Holland's to go with us. I think everyone had a good time. The kids were glad they got to spend some time with the Holland's girls. Kylynn told me that she thinks that she and Madelyn are finally becoming friends and that made her very happy.

It was just a really great night.

Kylynn was a girl from the 50's.
Kaylie was a firefighter
Ensley was a ballerina doll
and Ryon was a train engineer

Tonight, the kids went on a hay ride and went trick or treating for the first time in several years. Usually we just do the trunk or treat thing, but since the two things happened on different nights this year, we decided to give it a go.

Mindy Sherrer invited us on a hay ride last night at the trunk or treat. Since we were planning on going, but didn't have plans to go with any one else, we decided to go with her.

It was a really large group! It was GREAT! Loved having so many kids to go with, and they all had a blast.

So the kids got to dress up twice! That was great too. Kylynn decided to go as a mascaraed princess tonight, and Kaylie decided to go as a softball player. Yeah, a real stretch there. LOL ... I know everyone thought she was nuts, since several of the kids that went were from her softball team. Hee hee.

Ensley and Ryon were the same thing as last night.

Photos to follow!

;o)

Taking a break from being creative.

2010-10-29T09:12:00.001-05:00

Ha! It is catching up to me.

Tonight is the Fall Fest Party at church with the trunk or treat.

Then tomorrow night the kids are going trick or treat for the first time in several years.

So, I can't be creative right now.

But I will be taking tons of photos, maybe I will have a few worth sharing.

GROW

2010-10-27T20:42:00.002-05:00

Today's theme is "GROW."

HEAVY METAL

2010-10-26T22:00:00.005-05:00

The theme for today is "Heavy Metal"...

I have not been doing the journal assignments for this course. Shoot! I am SO bad at that.

I will try to do better....

Multilayered

2010-10-25T21:51:00.007-05:00

Taking a couple of days off for an extremely busy weekend, it was back to my project today.

Here are the results for "Multilayered."

Another challenge

2010-10-23T01:13:00.002-05:00

The theme for today was Picnic.

It was extremely hard for me to come up with anything.

But it was interesting. I decided that since I didn't feel my ideas for the photo were very creative, then I would just get creative with the editing.

Here is the result....

2010-10-21T20:02:00.003-05:00

My first creativity assignment for today was to:

1- Write a letter to myself as if I were at the end of this course and had completed it successfully.
2- Ivory

I must use MY "medium"... whatever that is: Paint, pen, pencil, sculpting... whatever my choice of medium is.

My choice of medium for this two week course is my camera, and photos.

So, using my creativity I use the "theme" of the day to produce a photo.

The theme for today is "Ivory".

Here is my first completed assignment.

My journey

2010-10-21T11:40:00.002-05:00

I am embarking on an exciting journey.

I am going to intensely study the art of photography for the next 6 months. At the end of that 6 months, I intend to decide if I am going to continue for another 6 months.

I am starting a two week course today.
While doing that I am looking for the next course to take.
I will be taking a one on one course through PhotoRama soon. Maybe that will be my next course. When I take that one day course I will then put what I have learned there into practice for a while.

I have found a series on online tutorials, and I will use those and whatever I can find in the meantime, in my year long journey.
In January there are intense courses starting through Photorama, and in April there is a course at the Junior college.

That is my first 6 month in a very rough outline.

Detailed outline to come later perhaps.

2010-10-03T20:17:00.002-05:00

We measured the kids tonight.

Kylynn is 4' 9"
Kaylie is 4' 1/4"
Ensley is 3' 11"
and Ryon is 3' 1"

Interesting.

Kaylie has grown almost exactly an inch since her pictures were taken for Softball... that is about 6 months ago.

The other girls have grown more than that, but I am not sure how much more.

Kylynn is up to my eyes now. She will soon surpass her mama's 5'1". I mean, She's only 4 inches away from that.

Eeekkk!

My Dream House

2010-09-30T09:50:00.005-05:00

To be added to later perhaps....

In my dream house,
You can't see the best parts of the yard from the road.
You know, those parts where the kids love to run, play and explore on the early Autumn mornings.

In my dream house,
I have the most wonderful neighbors.
Loving, kind, generous, and patient.
Living just out of sight, over that hill...

My dream house is not huge, or fancy.
But there is a place for everyone around our dinner table.
There is at least one, quiet, private spot for every person who lives there.
Each has their own personal Safe Haven from the world.

In my dream house,
The Spirit of our Great Lord lives with us.
He dwells with us, He eats at our table, He hears our prayers, He teaches us, and He holds us close.

In my dream house,
There is cheer in our work,
There is Love in our service,
There is Compassion, understanding, and respect.

From my dream house I can see the wonder around me.
I can see the fish swimming in the brook.
I can see the butterfly emerging for the first time in the summer sun.
I can hear the laughter of my children.
I can feel a strange cool breeze in every season of the year.

In my dream house,
The windows are huge, and they open wide to let the cool Autumn breeze take out the heat of the summer.
Then again, to send warm Spring currents through to take out the chill of the winter.
The light streams in and shines a spotlight on the happy faces inside.
There are window seats, and flowing drapes to hide you inside when you want to sit in the sun and read a book.

I'm still dreaming...

Ensley's birthday

2010-09-20T01:24:00.003-05:00

I mentioned before that Ensley had a sleep over for her birthday. Very small, just two friends (Kate and Beth). The next day Bryon helped Johnny move the camper trailer in the morning and then we took Ensley for some one on one time with Mommie and Daddy.We took her to Chic FilA. To Toys R Us so she could use her gift card, and then to a park in Dothan.We want to take the other kids back to that park one day soon. It was great!Ensley had a "everything Hello Kitty" birthday. She is 7 years old and catching up to Kaylie in size. :-)

Her own personal heart cake

Her Throw that is SO Soft!

The Hello Kitty Picture I made for Ensley

Then Ensley's Birthday Photo Shoot....

Happy 7th Year Sweetheart!

:o)

Oh my goodness, what relief!

2010-09-20T01:16:00.001-05:00

Well it appears that the lump is just an infected lymph node. Ryon will be on antibiotics for a week. If it does not go away they will try stronger antibiotics. Then possible surgery to remove the lump and have it biopsied. But all the tests showed was high white blood cell count and everything else looked clear. So hopefully it is just an infection that will clear up soon. You know, you never really know how you will react to such things until they happen. I was quite seriously a puddle of goo for a couple of days there! It scared me, and even though I felt like I was completely overreacting, I could not help myself. It is amazing to me how my thoughts and my emotions/body can work so completely independent of each other!

Little man gave me another scare this weekend.

Ensley had a sleepover Friday night for her birthday. Ryon, who is normally quite tame, decided to show out and do some tricks on the bed. Tricks like jumping from one to the other and dancing on the beds. Well, he fell and gave himself a horrible black eye. I have been taking pictures of it everyday. But I missed the morning right after it happened. It was completely swollen shut for most of the day. Poor guy. He's killing me!

This is less than 30 minutes after it happened


The next night

Sunday just before Church

Tuesday

Wednesday

A not so good day....

2010-09-15T18:50:00.000-05:00

Little Man had to go to the doctor today. It was actually a really nice day, well, the spending time with Ryon part. Just Little Man and Mommie, most of the day. That is something very rare.

He was so sweet, playing his games on the ipod, and flirting with the nurses.

He has had a lump under his right arm for a couple of weeks. We didn't realize it was a lump until this past weekend, but he has been complaining of it hurting there for a couple of weeks.

The doctor laid out a few things it could be... an infected lymph node caused by a couple of different things.

or

It could be cancer.

He sent us over to the hospital for tests and x-rays.

Ryon continued his being Mr Wonderful. He barely flinched when they drew blood.

He backed right up to the x-ray machine like he knew what it was for. :o)

So now what?

Antibiotics for a week. If that doesn't cause it to go away, then it is most likely more than just an infected node. Then what? Surgery. To remove the knot and have it biopsied.

That is where we are.

Scared to death, yet, glad the doctor laid it out straight. Otherwise I may not have taken it as seriously as I needed to take it.

Now, to do a little research. Is lymphoma hereditary?

Yes, there is a history.

Labor Day Weekend 2010: getting ready to go

2010-09-12T21:14:00.001-05:00

Kylynn was our photographer for the day ;o)

Labor Day Weekend 2010: Little Man catches a fish

2010-09-12T21:11:00.003-05:00

He Caught It!

Labor Day Weekend 2010: Our favorite fishing spot

2010-09-12T21:07:00.001-05:00

Labor Day Weekend 2010:

2010-09-12T20:59:00.002-05:00

Beautiful Ky

The rare one of Kaylie. She doesn't like the camera.

Labor Day Weekend 2010: Ensley

2010-09-12T20:55:00.001-05:00

Checking out the view.

Ensley is done with Kylynn's picture taking. LOL

Labor Day Weekend 2010:

2010-09-12T20:34:00.001-05:00

Ryon is done for the day. Taking his grape mustache home.

Great Nephews

2010-09-05T17:56:00.008-05:00

It is late in coming but I am VERY proud to announce the arrival of my great nephew(s).

Yes, that is right. 2 great nephews. Am I getting old or what?

Brianna had a baby boy on June 13, 2009. So he just recently celebrated his first birthday~ His name is Micheal Escobedo...

Here he is around the time of his first Halloween


And here, just before his first birthday! SUCH a cutie! He looks SO much like Briana! ..............................................................

Then Van and his wife Samantha had a baby boy on July 4th this year! (Talk about a lame excuse to not show up at our family reunion! P~Shaw! The nerve! LOL)

They named him Harley Van Jay...

Honestly, it took all I could do to pick just a few of these photos. This was my very first photo shoot ever and I am SO happy about how these turned out! I can't wait to take their pictures again!

This is Van when he was a baby. I wanted to show how very much they look alike! This one and the one of Harley in Camo!

Ancient Egypt

2010-08-30T00:16:00.000-05:00

Ancient Egypt - Ensley

2010-08-30T00:11:00.000-05:00

Ensley drew this picture of a pharaoh from the above photo. GREAT DRAWING ENSLEY!

Ancient Egypt - Kaylie

2010-08-30T00:09:00.001-05:00

Kaylie shows here the carvings on clay that were the early writings. Also shown is a pyramid and the bright Egyptian sun.

Ancient Egypt - Kylynn

2010-08-30T00:07:00.002-05:00

Kylynn's drawing of the ziggurats of Mesopotamia.
These were built earlier than pyramids. They served as platforms for temples. The pyramids look much like the ziggurats except they are hollow and usually used for burial chambers for pharaohs.

Softball update

2010-08-29T22:46:00.003-05:00

The rec center here in Enterprise decided not to do fall ball this year. They were going to do powder puff football. Well, a total of 8 girls signed up for that, so it was a no go.

They gave away our fields and now, not only is the Rec center not doing Fall Ball, but we don't have any fields to practice on either.

Our travel team fell apart, as the parents didn't want to continue with school starting. By the time they get it all back together, Kaylie will be too old to play for them. She has to move up this year, as she just turned 9. So....

I decided to get a group together.

Danny Holland and Chuck Ennis are helping me coach the group. So far we have about 13 girls. They are all ages. Ensley is the youngest so far, with a girl a little older than Kylynn being the oldest.
We will meet in Level Plains every Thursday evening. Kaylie will also be taking pitching lessons from Danny on Tuesday nights/ or Thursday before the regular practice if that works out better for Danny.

So, that is where we are with softball. Hoping to keep going through the Fall and Winter so that the girls will be ready for Spring Ball!

Gooooooooo Gardner Girls!

2010-08-29T22:27:00.002-05:00

This week we have been studying Ancient Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt.

The kids watched a couple of documentaries that they really liked one was
"Egypt: Engineering an Empire" Which told of how and why the pyramids were built, as well as other history of Egypt.
Another was "Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen".

They watched a couple of others that I would not recommend. Very dry.

Just for fun next week we are going to watch the kids movie "The Prince of Egypt".

Then we are moving on to Ancient China.

We also worked on reading and math, of course. We figured out how to pick up a bottle without touching it, and talked about the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

This year we are going back the 4 year rotation of subjects. We are doing Ancient History, Chemistry, English Fundamentals, and Old Testament, Pearl of Great Price.

Wonderful day...

2010-08-14T22:34:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful day today.We celebrated the birthday's of Ryon and Kaylie together at the park.Lots of great friends, and great laughs.We were afraid we were in for a disappointment as it started P-O-U-R-I-N-G as we were driving to the park. Then because we had to roll up the windows, the heat and humidity started making the cupcakes melt! But when we got there it was clear and stayed clear the rest of the afternoon. We started the grill, cooked hotdogs, and brats. Had watermelon and even the melted cupcakes were great!My sweet man turned 3 on the 7th, Kaylie will be 9 on the 21st.It is going by so fast.LOVE YOU BABIES!!!!!!!!!!

Before the party at the park, Kaylie had a sleep over with Em.

Kaylie getting ready to open gifts

Little Man with one of his favorite gifts

Miss Em enjoying a cupcake that she helped make!

Three beautiful kiddos!

Inzy and another Miss Em

Ryon LOVED his walk around the walking trail with miss Anna! Thank you Miss Anna!

Kaylie is the most hilarious child I have EVER seen... ok, maybe next to my cousin Jeremy

2010-08-10T13:59:00.003-05:00

Kaylie Logic... "You HAVE to act like a kid when you are a kid, and an adult when you are an adult. Because if you act like an adult when you're a kid, and a kid when you're an adult, then people think you are weird your WHOLE LIFE!"

2010-07-28T10:23:00.000-05:00

My little man. Loving on his Mommie. He certainly has a good tug on my heart. :o)

2010-06-13T22:44:00.002-05:00

Softball, Softball, Softball...

That is our story for now.

Kaylie made the all star team AND joined a travel ball team. She is having a blast with it. We were at the ball park 2-5 times a week with Kaylie and Kylynn together during regular season. Now it is 3-6 times a week with just Kaylie!

It is totally worth it. We are having some great family time, and we all love softball.

Kylynn gave up the opportunity to be on a travel ball team. She just wanted to do other things this summer. It is good I guess, since it would have been even more GO GO GOING.

2010-04-11T22:11:00.007-05:00

Great Sunday. GORGEOUS day, and beautiful services at church. The soft ball season is going really well, but it keeps us very much busy. We were at practice today with Kaylie's team.

But we love it too. Kaylie is really thriving with it.

I haven't thought much of it, but I was tightening the waste band of her pants from time to time, when I saw her tugging to keep them up.

Then the other day she said, "Mom, my pants are getting bigger! They are all falling off and I am getting frustrated with them!"

I had to laugh. Of course her pants aren't getting bigger! She is slimming down with all the softball she's been playing! Not that she had any to lose! But she did have a tiny pooch in the tummy that is suddenly gone.

So funny! It dawned on her before I even said anything to her about it.
"I think the softball is making me lose weight!"

"Yep, Honey. It sure is... and that is why you are always hungry lately too!"

:-D

I took lots of great pictures over the Easter weekend, and of softball. Got to get them on soon!

Kylynn, too excited to go to bed

Baskets waiting to be filled by the Easter Bunny

Food they left for the Easter Bunny

Line out the door, little ones first!

Kaylie, hunting eggs

Kylynn hunting eggs and finding beer bottles. Y~U~C~K~

Grabbing the goods

In the TREE!

Take a moment to look at the camera before you get that one! LOL

Opening Day

2010-03-26T13:14:00.003-05:00

Today is opening day for the Spring Softball Season! Yay! Kylynn and Kaylie are already getting dressed and ready for Opening ceremonies tonight.

They start at 5:30, we have to be there at 5:00.

Their first game is tomorrow,

I should have pictures to share tonight.

Eating at Cutt's before the ceremonies

Dad and Inzy at Cutt's

They were so dratted cold in their sleeveless shirts!


Little Man!

Letting the Balloons FLY

Just here.

2010-03-02T12:45:00.002-06:00

Today is the anniversary of our Temple Sealing. A very special day!

Not much happening today. Yet anyway.

2009-12-09T12:59:00.002-06:00

2009-12-09T12:29:00.002-06:00

2009-12-09T12:04:00.001-06:00

It's Christmas Time!

2009-12-09T12:02:00.001-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house.

Wish I was more in the Spirit. :oP

2009-10-28T09:47:00.003-05:00

It's been a LONG time. So much happened, and I didn't record any of it. Except on Face Book where it is pretty much gone after a few days.

Mom is closing on a house today. Which means she and Joey will be moving out. They have been living with us for about a year.

Mom and Dad have not been officially separated during that time, but since they were living in different houses they were technically separated. I am not sure how them moving back in together is going to go. I really feel that they have both been happier with it this way. But I am certainly praying for the best.

His first steps!!!

2008-09-11T17:33:00.002-05:00

The fact that I don't have internet at home is seriously hindering my blogging!

Little Man has taken his first steps!
Yay!!!

His Daddy kept telling him that he HAD to do it before his 13 month date. Well, he SHOWED him... hee hee hee. He took his first step, then his first two steps, and then his first 5 steps in a row... ON his 13 month date. September 7th.

He has no interest in doing it again either. He only did it that time because of the attention he was getting for it.

He is the most laid back little guy I have ever seen. He is just plain happy. Happy to crawl, happy to not push himself. But he is getting more independant. He wants to feed himself. He wants to GO.

He has also found.... the out doors. He is in HEAVEN when he is outside. Especially when his sisters are riding him around in their jeep. He gets so excited that he screams and squeals, and has a little hissy when we make him come in.

We have been doing great with the school work. Kylynn's reading is taking off. I just wish I could find a way to make her confidence do the same. She just doesn't believe that she can do it. I am trying to find a way to change that. Maybe a friend willing to take her once a week for a couple of hours and just work on reading. Giveing her assignments and goals to accomplish at home every week. Someone besides Mom and Grandmama to tell her that they are impressed with how wonderfully she is doing, and reward her for trying! So she will try, more.

Kaylie is a whiz. Absolutely. I am amazed at how fast she learns and how good she does with any school work task I put in front of her. At the same time, she is mean. Really, I know it is in her nature and she needs to learn how do turn that around. But she is really mean sometimes. On the flip side, she is very loving and wants to do what is right. It is an inner conflict with her, and she is having trouble learning how to control it. But I have all the confidence in the world that she will.

Little Ensley is loving her school work as well. She feels like such a big girl, getting to do her own school work this year.

I cut all my hair off.

Yes.

12 inches of hair... about 3-5 years it will take for me to grow it back, if I decide that I want to.

I haven't decided what I want to do yet. Right now, I just want to get it to a point where I can fix the major mistakes the stylist did with it. But, I am really liking it. It is different than it has ever been in my entire life. More natural body, and I really like it. Just hate the gaps the lady who cut it left here and there.

I think I can fix it though, eventually.

It is funny how much of what we think of ourselves is wrapped up in things like that. Our hair, our clothes, our weight. A major change so fast, really does feel so odd.

Today has been a good day. We did our schoolwork, shared lunch with Bryon... a very rare treat, as he was chosen as a jurer on a court case and got to come home for lunch. He was released from it soon after he went back, the guy on trial was aquitted. So we went to Wally World and met Mom who was having a perm. We got supper and came to her house to fix it.

The girls are swimming.

Just a good day.

Looking forward to tomorrow.

Pay day. ;oD

Then there were 3...

2008-07-08T21:29:00.002-05:00

Three teeth for little man.

He cut one on the top during the night! So three teeth at exactly 11 months old.
Hee!

The girl's all had a mouthful by that age. But I am thankful... seeing how he is still nursing!

Eeeekkk!

;o)

He is a hoot!

Signing...

2008-06-30T09:38:00.002-05:00

Little man is almost 11 month old now. He is pulling up, scooting around and is still the best baby I have ever seen. He is obedient. If I tell him no, he generally leaves it alone. He is a good eater, and still a snuggle bunny.

His sign language has really taken off this week!!! Especially the last two days.

He has signed "all done" for a long time. But since that only happens when his food is gone, and that is not a happy time, then he wasn't too happy about that sign. He is also not happy about saying and signing "bye bye" since he learned that it usually means that Grand Mama is leaving. ;-)

I think it was the rain.

When he saw the rain, and I signed rain. He signed rain, and it seemed to really click. He understood that when we sign, it actually has meaning.

Today he is signing many things, and gets excited about it. He signed "more", "rain", "all done". Yesterday while we were at the house painting, I showed him was Daddy was doing and signed "painting".... he signed "painting".

He understands other signs too, like "ready to go".

It is so great to see him sign. I feel like I am cementing my own learning, but I feel like I am not learning fast enough! I still don't practice everyday but some signs are there and not an effort to remember. I just need to work on doing all the signs I know as I am talking. Then We will all learn them faster and better.

My little man..... he is sooooo sweet!

The girls are growing, and changing. It is a hard time for us. But we are good.

Growing up out in the Sticks...

2008-06-05T21:41:00.004-05:00

And the little man has teeth!!!

Hee!

Well it's about time after all!

Before we went to bed Saturday night, I was rubbing his gums wondering when those two white spots were going to finally make their way through to the surface. Then Sunday at church... there they were. Shining. Two little teeth on the bottom.

He is almost 10 months old. He is scooting around, pulling up on things and has good control over his body. He started moving much later than any of the girls, but has much better control over himself once he does get going. He is not clumsy. All of the girls were "blessed" with my clumsiness. :-)

We are in our little camper. We are actually doing very well out here. It just goes to show that having room outside is more important that having room inside. At least for their current ages.

They are enjoying the room to GO! They ride their bikes, walk the dogs, roller blade, ride their little jeep.... they are having a great time.

It is just getting hot enough that they don't want to go out in the afternoon. So we will be starting our school work more seriously soon. After all, if they are going to be inside because of the heat, they need some things to keep them busy... especially in 300 sq ft of living space.

They will have an hour or two in the mornings when it is still cool to go out and play. Then in for snack time, school work, lunch time, school work, then time for Daddy to come home.

More play time in the evenings.

I have some new pictures, but we do not have what we need to download the pictures onto the computer yet. We either need to get the USB cable working again, or find room for our printer.

Maybe I will have new pictures for you soon.

This would have been paradise for me as a child. Except that I can't let them go in the woods alone. The river is just down the road, and they have been able to walk down with Dad several times. When it gets a little cooler we can go every afternoon.
The little creek flowing into the river is awesome. You can walk up it, crossing over in the water several times, maybe a 1/4 or even 1/2 a mile. But the girls think it is much further. They have seen many different animal tracks, found snake skeletons, and let some tiny toads go free there. (They found the toads in another location and brought them here... as if there were not enough toads out here. LOL!)

So, life moves on.

I am finding great, GREAT, joy in my children. I just hope I can get better at giving them a joyous Mom.

2008-04-06T18:49:00.003-05:00

I hate it when I don't post regularly.

I begin to feel behind. I feel as if I can never catch up, so why write at all.

That seems to be a theme in my life.

If I can not do it perfectly, I will not do it at all.

So. I will try my best to catch up, and disregard my feelings of inadequacy in writing.

In the time that I have been idle in writing. Many things have happened.

We visited my aunt Linda on her birthday. March 17th. That was a great day. We took her tulips and had supper with her, and my uncle Ray. A wonderful day.

We have worked steadily on the house. Preparing it, and ourselves, to put it on the market.

We are almost ready, but have decided a slightly different course of action. Instead of staying here, and living in the house while we wait for it to sell, we are going to move into a camper trailer and live there. It is the same camper that my in laws had beside our mobile home. Where G'pa G stayed on extended visits.

It is large. For a camper. But tiny for a family of 6.

We will manage. We come out of this ahead in the end. I am actually looking forward to the changes it will bring in me, my personality, and my priorities.

Over the last few months our dear baby boy has grown and changed.
He has begun to say many words. He waves hello, and good bye.

Ay! as he waves hello.
Di Di! as he waves good bye.

He is very out going. He loves his Grandmama above most others. Something I cherish greatly. I am so thankful that our children love our parents. That has always been important to me.

He just recently began to scoot. Quite different than our girls, they were on the move very early.

I was showing his daddy how he had begun to turn around on his tummy a month or so ago. Daddy, quiet sarcastically, said, "Oh gee! My son swivels!" LOL!

But he has now begun to scoot across the floor, and we are sure to be in for a run.

His hands, feet and mind have always been go, go, go. So when his body catches up we are in trouble!

:-)

That is it for now.

I will try to remember more later.

Life Flash

2008-02-04T17:06:00.000-06:00

I don't know if you would call it a flash forward, or a flash back, or what... but I have often had a flash of my life.

I will be sitting, holding one of my babies, or watching them interact, or it even happens while leaving the grocery store when I'm headed for the car.

I will have a flash of my life. I will feel the moment and think... "If I could have seen myself today, from 10 (15, sometimes 20) years ago I would feel _______."

It is almost always overwhelming joy. I would feel sooooo excited for my future and I would wonder what I did to make it happen. I would work 10 times harder to try to make that image happen.

Then I wonder, if I HAD seen this then, and I HAD worked 10 times harder to make it happen, where would I be right now. It would surely be even better. ;oD

There are also times when I have this flash, that I feel I would be disappointed, but that is very rare. Those moments are the ones where I am mourning the loss of something usually. The loss of my face to bell's palsy. The loss of my figure, or my health. When I am having a particularly painful day.

But even then, I think... but if I saw that little girl and knew that she was going to be my child... I would jump for joy!

That wonderful man is MY husband? FOUR beautiful children? THAT house? THAT car? What in the world did I do to be so very blessed??? ???

Not that I am rich by the world's standards. Far from it.

But I am truly blessed in eternal matters. I have a truly charmed life in the matters of the heart. The things that MATTER.

:oD

2008-02-01T19:15:00.000-06:00

It is amazing how a little feud with a neighbor can put a knot in your stomach so big!

It has preempted my ideas for my blog, and so many other things.

It just isn't right.

I am NOT a contentious person and I hate how it makes me feel.

So why do some seem to thrive on it? FEED one it?

:oP

But the situation has become worse, so I am sick at my stomach almost everyday.

We fasted and prayed about selling the house. We got a great big YES answer.
Not only that, but something I didn't really expect. We were planning to get it ready to sell and put it on the market in a month and 1/2 to 2 months. We were prompted to do this ASAP and to not take our time like we were planning. To "get to it and get it done." We both had that feeling.

So, there we go.

We have packed and are planning a HUGE yard sale for every weekend that weather permits until we sell the house.

Big decisions...

2008-01-20T22:57:00.000-06:00

We are thinking about selling our house.

It would take care of all of our debt. Put us in a place where we have no debt and can save money to buy a new house in a year or two.

We would have to rent in the mean time.

We have a lot to think about before making this decision for sure. But while we are thinking and praying about it we are getting the house ready to put on the market.

Yard work, painting, clearing out, and throwing out.

;oD

2008-01-17T07:55:00.000-06:00

Early this morning (4:00am feeding!) he said Mama!!

We sat and said it back and forth a few times. Then I said Da da and he started saying that too. Then back to Mama in a few minutes.

He has also said bye bye, but I'm not sure he knows what he is saying there.

He is just going to be talking up a storm in no time!!!!

;oD

His first word!!!

2008-01-12T18:21:00.001-06:00

and his first word is....

Da da!!!

Hee hee!

We were sitting on the couch last night and he was making gurgling noises. He said DaDa and I started saying da da. He stopped and listened and mimicked me. He said it!

Then he has said it several more times since then. Especially when coaxed.

He is not even trying to say Mama... :-(

But that's ok!

:oD

A letter about my Kaylie... written for one, but needed to be put here.

2008-01-10T01:09:00.000-06:00

I want to explain Kaylie a little bit. Her "problems" with primary are much deeper than you realize.

Kaylie was born this way. She was less than a month old when it was more than obvious she had issues.

Bryon told me one day he had noticed that she screamed and cried, as if completely terrified, every day when he got home from work. When he would look at her and say his hellos to her, she would scream. This is when she was just 3 weeks old.

I had not made that connection. I watched, and listened. He was right. She was scared of him. After about 3 hours of him being at home she would finally let him look at her, maybe hold her.

I thought it was because she went to bed around 8:00pm, he got up and went to work by 5:00am; before she was awake, and then he did not come home until about 3:30pm. That is a long time for a baby to not see him, and then suddenly he is there. I thought she would outgrow it.

But then it progressed. Got much worse.

Even when my mother would look at her, anybody would look at her, except me, and eventually Bryon. Literally, just to look at her, she would scream. She would watch people. Like, if I was standing talking to someone, she would intently watch them. She was still only a month or two old... yet she was so intent. You could see her mind examining people. She was OK if they never looked her in the eye or spoke to her. Once they looked her in the eye, or spoke to her she would scream.
Not for a minute. But HOURS and hours... until she was at home. I HAD to take her home. I tried to keep her at church a few times, but I sat out in the lobby for over two hours once, with her screaming. I knew then that even I could not comfort her.

I had to learn with this child. I had to stretch. I had to love her, without the usual ways that you show a child that you love them. She was not a snuggler. (She has certainly outgrown THAT! She is a big snuggler now.)

This happened everywhere. Church, grocery store.
People LOOK at babies, they TALK to babies. It was a nightmare!!!

Then it progressed further. She began to cry when I would get out of the shower. She would scream in terror when she saw me... until I was dressed and my hair was DRY and I looked like *ME* again. So I started waiting until she was napping and then rushed to get showered, dressed, and my hair either dried or pulled up. She could not even stand to see my wet hair. It scared her.

The only person in her life that she has never been frightened of is Kylynn. (Well Ensley now, but that is later.) This explains so much of her extreme bond with Kylynn.

So move forward. To time for her to start nursery.
She would cry. The leaders just treated her like any other child that would cry. But when she could not be consoled, they would bring her to me. I would have to go home. By this time she would calm down when I put her in her car seat and she knew we were on our WAY home.
They put me in nursery for a while, because I was sitting in there anyway.

When they released me, she was still in nursery. I had to tell the teachers to not look at her. Do NOT look at her. Do NOT speak directly to her. Give the little lesson, set a place for her at the table for snack time, maybe say, this is Kaylie's place, but do NOT look directly at her.... and she will be fine.

Well you can imagine how well that went over. First the leaders tried to get her to participate..... screaming... I had to take her home.

They just didn't understand. They did not listen to me at first. But eventually they saw, as long as they did not look or speak directly to her, she was ok.

Well, I was called to Primary, Bryon was called to Primary. It was hard but we managed to get her to sit with her class as long as she could see us. She would even go to her class (we were not her teacher) most of the time. But the problem was still there.

However, her year from age 3 to age 4 was a miracle year for us. She turned around. She lost her terror. She began to talk to and interact with other people. (She always talked to us, in fact she was talking at an extremely young age.)

She began to go to her own class without us having to worry about the kicking and screaming.

Every time she got a new teacher, however, we would have to sit in class with her for the first couple of Sundays, and let her know we were going to sit there for a little while and then she was going to be there without us for a little while, but we would be back. We always had to promise we were going to be back. We had to explain things. Talk to her so she knew what to expect.

Now, when the whole primary presidency, teachers, everything changed (the time just before this presidency), she began having anxiety again. She was just about to adjust to it, when one of the then counselors started making a point of saying something to her about her "not wanting to go to class." in a condescending way. This made Kaylie nervous to even be around her. I tried to explain that it was more than that, but she did not listen.

Then she started giving Kaylie a hard time. I caught her once when she didn't know I was there, scolding Kaylie. She said something to the effect, you are WAY too old to be acting like this. I don't remember the rest, but soon she turned around and saw me, and walked away.

Kaylie got worse about not wanting to go, and this counselor got worse about scolding her. (It still makes me mad... SHE was causing the problem she was scolding her for!!!)

Anyway, I have to tell you this. Over the years I have begun a little ritual almost. Where, as I leave the Chapel and head to the Primary room, I begin to pray. I pray for Heavenly Father to let me know what I should do when it gets to the "I have to go now" part. I have been very blessed, and Heavenly Father has REALLY helped me to know what to do. I feel Kaylie's sweet little hand in mine, and I pray.

Sometimes it is, "No, don't push her today, give her comfort."

Other days it is, "She will be OK, she just needs an extra assurance, tell her you love her, you'll be back, and go."

With this answer, sometimes I had to make sure her teacher had a hold of her before I walked away. But once I left, she was fine.

But my point is that I really prayed about this, and I was frustrated about the fact that the leaders, especially this one counselor, obviously objected to the way I handled Kaylie. She had no right to be that way and I should have said something. But I DID try to explain all of this to her, and to Kaylie's teachers, etc. I did not go into detail, but I told them that this was not a behavior issue. They completely ignored me.

I have been stressed. Since I got pregnant with Ryon. I have gotten progressively more stressed. So my ritual "prayer to the primary room" has been clouded at best. Sometimes non-existent. So, I have made the wrong choice now and then. I am paying for that now, because on top of her uneasy feelings with this leader, I wasn't listening to the Spirit, or even asking for guidance. I just forgot to even ask. That was very wrong of me, and now because of those few times when I didn't pray, and did the wrong thing because of it, she is extremely anxious again.

So I pray. I pray, and I pray some more. Not just on Sundays, but everyday. To know how to correct this wrong.

I am writing this, because I want you to understand Kaylie better. To know that she is NOT misbehaving. She has real issues. Just because she is a child does not mean that her feelings and anxieties should be ignored... or that I should FORCE her to do what I want her to do. Not just Kaylie, every child has individual needs. Their feelings are just as important as any adult's feelings.

I do NOT "give in" to her. That is not the way it is. I have never been able to make people understand that. It is NOT a power struggle. I know her. I know when she is having a power struggle with me, and she does, just like other children.

But THIS is not that.

I am her mother. No one is more entitled to personal revelation on her behalf than me.

Yes, Primary leaders are given a special gift of personal revelation for those children whom they teach. A very special gift indeed.
But it should never be assumed that a parent is not following the promptings of the Spirit. That one knows better than the mother and can see the error of her ways. "That will come back to bite her." type of attitude.

I don't expect anyone to walk on egg shells around Kaylie. I just expect them to try to understand her and not judge... her and her behavior, or my parenting skills.

I have never minded the kind word asking her if she wouldn't like to go to class. The coaxing. If it is done with the Spirit can be effective. I need the help of her teacher in this. Sister Christl has been awesome! Truly wonderful.

I will tell you one thing that might help, and I think it is this way with most children, if you get down on her level... eye to eye, I mean, and talk to her in a very quiet, loving voice. Ask her how she is doing today. Treat her like a real person and not a stray calf that is wandering away from the herd. It will be much more effective and she will feel that she can trust you. I am just saying... I have been in Primary. I know how they are herded. That is not usually a bad thing. Just a little impersonal, and Kaylie NEEDS personal. Don’t always make it about wanting her to go to class.

She has a very mature soul and does not respond well to being talked down to like most adults talk down to children (not that you do, just that some people do.) She expects to be treated as an equal.

I think she deserves that too. Every child does. Every child.

Two days and counting

2008-01-08T19:37:00.000-06:00

Two days and our goals are going well. !!!

We had a good day today.

We got up early, got going on our chores and schoolwork.

Kristy (dear friend) called and asked me to watch Kate while she went to the doctor. Of COURSE we will keep the little cutie!!! They stayed to eat lunch with us. We always have great conversation. She is having another baby. A BOY! Yeah!!! A little friend for Ry!

I can't wait to see him!

Got to go now... more goals to keep don't cha know?

;o)

2008-01-07T09:01:00.000-06:00

Well, it's Family Home Evening night again.

With it being the first one of the new year we are having a goal setting session!
;-)
We are setting 3 family goals and 3 personal goals each. I think we may set 1 or 2 for Bry and I to work on together, just the 2 of us, as well.
We are writing them all down and posting them on the wall where we can look at them together at least once a week, or however often is needed.

We are keeping them rather simple and easily obtainable for the most part. To encourage the girls to keep up with it and so they can see their results rather quickly. They are very young yet and need more to see HOW to set goals and feel how good it feels to accomplish them. :-)

This should be fun.

We are having neighbor troubles. I was warned that the new neighbor was a crabby old lady. That she did not like the noises from my children playing outside or my dogs. (Told this BEFORE she actually bought the place... so WHY did she buy it??? !!! ) She proved it the other day.

Off to the vet today to make sure the pups are all caught up on everything, then a call to the animal control officers to come out and see how we are keeping the dogs, so they know ahead of time of the situation and can see how my dogs are kept. (We only have two.)

She knocked on our door at 7:00 Saturday morning claiming that they woke her up barking every day last week at 6:30 in the morning. Which was not true. They were out that morning, but every other morning they had been locked in our laundry room because of the freezing weather.

She also said that she had talked to all my neighbors and they all agreed that my dogs were a nuisance. I highly doubted it, so I went to the neighbors. I have known them all for more than 3 years now, I think they would have come to me if there was a problem. None of them said they had any problem with my dogs.
She was very demanding and threatening. Told me to get my husband out of bed RIGHT then to take care of it. That she did not want them to bark at her when she went out in her back yard either and if it happened again she was taking me to court.

Ahh well. Here we go. *roll eyes.

Anyway, there is more to the story, and I won't continue. At least I have more than warning now about how she is and know that my HSLDA membership for my children also needs to be renewed... fast.

She's HOME!!!

2008-01-03T21:58:00.000-06:00

Yeah!
I went and got Mom today and she is HOME!

I am so glad to have her back. I took her to her house where there was a houseful of people waiting to greet her.

She is getting around fairly well, and getting better everyday.

This whole experience with her has been surreal. It has made me realize how much a part of my life she really is. How much I still depend on her. How much I want to help her. How much I love her.

(Smiles Mom, if you're reading! I love you!)

The girls were so excited to have her home. They only went to her house 2 times while she was away. (Almost a month) Both times they didn't feel the same without her there. Ensley even went around the house looking for her once before she remembered where she was.

Today was a very good day.

I went to get Mom.

Aunt Gw came to play with the girls while I was gone.

I paid some bills and began a long hard road of paying off an unfair debt... ($10,000 worth of debt that we were not supposed to be responsible for! ) But it felt very good to go and write that first check. Like a confirmation that I was doing the right thing, and everything is going to be alright.

It is going to be alright isn't it? Mom is home, where she should be, and I am healing from a hurt that I did not know that money could cause.

Yes!!

2008-01-02T23:20:00.000-06:00

Woooo Hoooo!!!

I did it!

I got the slide show down at the bottom so it can be permanently on the front page!

I may delete it from the individual post now, but as hard as I worked to get it there, I think I'm going to leave it a few days at least!

Hee hee hee!

It is satisfying to work on something and finally get it right!

:oD

2008-01-02T12:29:00.000-06:00

I wanted that slide show to be a fixed element at the bottom, but it won't do it!

Aaaa! I keep changing it, adding pictures, etc. I think I've got it good right now, but I do need to add one more picture of Elizabeth, our grand daughter.

Also want to find a way to add it to the bottom of the page where it can stay there all the time. It says I can do it, but it isn't as easy as it should be. ;0)

Dinner conversation

2008-01-01T20:14:00.001-06:00

As our family was eating a New Year's feast we got out the left over cranberry sauce.

Kay, "Is that made out of real berries?"

Mom, "Yes, do you want me to get one out for you?"

Kay, "Yeah!" (Mom has both jellied and whole berry kinds mixed together)

Mom digs out a berry and gives it to Kay.

Kay with a confused look... "Cram berry?". Then says it slower while looking intently at it, "C r a m Berries."

LOL!!!! We are laughing as she asks, "Because they cram them together?"

ROTFLOL!!!

She is a riot!

And of course became a clown as soon as we told her it was CRAN and not CRAM; getting them and trying to CRAM them together.

LOL!

Little Man Plays the Drums

2008-01-01T19:50:00.000-06:00

Our little drummer boy!
He was doing this when he got excited, but has learned to do it when we ask him to.

Smart little man!

:-)

Ry's beautiful hair gets cut for the first time.

2008-01-01T13:56:00.001-06:00

12/24/07 This is a little blurry but you can see the ring he rubbed off around his head. Thus the reason for the hair cut.

You can see how happy he was about it...

Actually he was quite happy through most of it...

It sure tired him out though...

Then a look at it finished, from the top.

I did not want to cut his hair. He was born with more hair than I have ever seen on a new born, and LONG. But it was very hard to keep clean, was in his eyes, and looked very bad with the bald strip around the back of his head.
I am very happy with it now. So much easier, and cute!

:-)

2008-01-01T13:48:00.000-06:00

Taken 12/24/07

Santa's Little Helper. Ry got to stay up and watch Santa come. That won't happen next year!

A New Year is almost here

2007-12-31T23:19:00.000-06:00

It is 11:20pm on New Year's Eve 2007. A new year is just around the corner. I am not sure what it will hold. This last year has been hard, but amazing. I am praying for better in the coming year, but not expecting it... for good reason.

Tonight is Family Home Evening night. The girls wanted to stay up to see the New Year in. So that's what we are doing. I doubted that they would make it. Well, I thought Ky would, but doubted the others.
But since they wanted to try, we got popcorn, sparkling grape juice and trail mix, and decided to make a movie night of it.
It was 9:45 and we had three down and one to go. LOL!
But Ky is going to make it.
We watched Ice Age and Ice Age 2. We were going to watch Madagascar but decided to just watch the New Year's happenings instead.

Mom is coming home Thursday from having hip replacement surgery.
Scary
I am certainly praying that this will change her life for the better!
I can't wait for her to get home.

I have some good pictures from our holiday season this year. When I figure out this blog thing better I will post them.
:)