San Angelo.

Snack after swimming.

Trampoline time after playing in the mud

MUD

She painted herself brown...

Our trip to San Angelo was very nice and relaxing...we got to see old friends and some new ones. The kids had the best time just playing outside with their cousins! One morning they decided to play in the mud, and I fear their unders will never be the same color again! My best friend brought her kiddos over one afternoon for a day of play and dinner that night. It made me really miss "home". And in case you are wondering, no. My kids didn't put clothes on pretty much the whole time we were there. Not sure what it is about the country that makes being in your underclothes not only acceptable but expected...

This is the evil rooster that woke me up every morning before 6 o'clock. And I really really really thought the first morning that someone was outside my window screaming, "OH MYYYY GODDDDD". We don't use that phrase in my family so I sat up quickly full of anxiety only to realize that it was...this...thing.

Off to San Angelo!!

I am headed to Angelo in the morning! I should be home Thursday or Friday, whenever I feel like leaving on one of those days...Just letting y'all know. :)

Early Bird

She blinked her eyes and focused in on the clock...6:47. She was awake. The house was cool and quiet and dark. She tiptoed down the stairs in an effort to keep the sleeping asleep and started the wonderfully aromatic coffee. Then she had an idea..."I'll make donuts!!". So she did. 2 hours and 15 minutes later, they were ready to devour. Ugly may not be a strong enough word to describe their appearance, but oh the pride she felt when all who ate sang their praises!

Yesterday

Most people who read this know that yesterday was the birthday of our firstborn, Chloe. She died when she was 4 months old, 8 years ago. I want to thank you for the prayers. There were moments when I felt them...other moments, not so much...

The day typically just sucks. I wake up thinking about what I was doing 8 years ago. How she looked, how excited we were. And I just start to wonder, all over again, WHY? Why the first child? Why me? And I have to remind myself that He has a bigger plan. That people have come to know Him because of her. That she helped to further His kingdom, just like we are supposed to. That, chance are, I wouldn't have the other three if she were still here. And this is where it gets tricky. In my mind, I feel like if I sit and cry all day, I am choosing her over them. But, on the other hand, if I ignore her birthday, I am forgetting her. So, there is a nice mixture. lol We bake a cake and sing. We buy balloons and "send them to Heaven" for her to play with. My girls all know about her. They all talk about her. They thank God for her birthday. And I have to be like that. I AM so thankful I had her for 4 months. Her life changed mine. And He promises me that ALL things will be beautiful in its time. Y'all, she is beautiful. Her death is beautiful. Someday I will understand, but for now, I choose to be content with it. I choose to be proud of what she accomplished!

Bargain Find

I went to a sale this morning benefitting a local homeless shelter, and it was FULL of Target and Pier One leftovers. All new. Awesome!!


This is my favorite find. I paid $5 for it. Can you believe that?!!! The basket holding my fruit was $3. I have been searching for that certain something for my kitchen for years. I mean, y-e-a-r-s.
You can't really tell in the picture, but that is fabric pieced together and stitched on a big fabric covered canvas. So much fun!

Keeps Going...and going...and going...

I cleaned the house. Scrubbed walls, doors, fabric in the girls room. I swept, mopped, and vac'd the stairs. I scrubbed toliets and the shower/tub. It is clean!! I even dusted and windexed all the glass! WOOHOO!! (all for you Becky. lol)

AND, on top of all that, I got in my workout. The energy is baaaaack!!

Hey.

I started working out. I can't move. Y'all, I am SERIOUSLY out of shape! But hopefully I can stick with the program and tone up this old body! For now, I am trying to stop eating so much sugar, stop drinking cokes, and replace all that with fruit, veggies, and water. It doesn't make me happy :) And I am EXHAUSTED. I just really want a cupcake...

Umm...Mother's Day was great. I got some cute new little things and got to spend the weekend with my Mama. My girls are the best! They kept coloring me pictures and telling me they love me. It was beautiful.

Gracie finished her Awana book! We started in January or February (not sure which), and she is done! She has memorized a crazy amount of scripture and can say all 66 books of the bible! She's growing up...

I started the Beth Moore Esther bible study. It is wonderful! It's hard being a woman!

pinks!

We are...bored. Isn't that sad??!! So we are going to get crafty. That is the goal. Woohoo!!

Piggies in the Mud

I had my camera on the wrong setting so the pics are a bit blurry, but you can see what they are doing... We had BIG rain today and it created a gigantic mud pond under a big tree at the end of our building. The girls were coming home from a friend's house and got a little sidetracked with the mud. This is what we caught them doing. Ellie held her dress up most of the time because she didn't want it wet (like it wasn't already), and the other most graceful girls spent most of their time falling and slipping and ohhhh the GIGGLES.!

I have the best memories of doing this when I was a kid...hopefully they will too!

Week in Review

hmmm. let's see.

We completed first grade! Gracie did a great job this year. :)

We had our last WACHE Tuesday school and a field day where Gracie actually participated in the games (those of you who know Gracie, know that she does not play organized games. Not sure where she got that...haha)

We went to track and Gracie ran an entire mile, without stopping, in 12 minutes! She also ran an additional 3/4 mile a lap at a time. Faith and Ellie screamed into the drains to hear themselves echo...guess that was more fun than running in a circle in the heat.

I rented Bride Wars and cried pretty much for the last hour of it. I have no idea why, let's just say emotional. It was a cute movie though.

We had family worship last night. We sang, had a Bible study, and played games. It was sweet and perfect and just...I dunno...great!

Today I made a Hello Kitty cake for a neighbor. I didn't take a picture, but it turned out pretty good until I was carrying into the building with a downpour from the Heavens and I stuck my arm in the trim. Darn. I was so close!! Still turned out cute, but now the neighbors are requesting cakes...eek! Maybe I should have kept that semi-ability a secret.

Now it is raining steadily, we are watching the Breaking News of the Cowboys Building collapse (haha), and my house smells like pumpkin bread and banana cake. Nice. Real nice.