Blessings in My Life...

At church we are putting up a Blessing tree, you write a blessing down and role it up and tie it to the tree.. Well, I thought I'd share a few of the things I feel blessed about, even in the rough waters our family has swam this year.

1. My husband loves me
2. My children are healthy
3. Just a few weeks ago Avery and Alex both asked Jesus into their hearts.
4. I'm getting the hang of school :)
5. God has given me wonderful friends to lean on in joy and sorrow.
6. I have 3 wonderful big sister's who I love greater than they know
7. I have the most awesome Dad in the world
8. Even though I miss mommy beyond words, I know without a doubt I will see her
again, and I am glad she isn't hurting anymore.
9. I have a roof over my head, and car that works
10. I get to spend everyday with my children
11. My grubs love listening to Tony Evans each morning.
12. Cassandra is going to church again, and her little A loves cubbies and sunday
school.
13. I can pay the most important bills somehow
14. I know I am blessed, and that God is watching out for me always
15. Rachel, LaRue, Joel, Karen, baby, Ester, and Matthew are okay.
16. I know miracles still happen everyday, we just have to keep our eyes open to see.

I know I can have so many more.. but here are just a few I wanted to share. Hopefully soon I will get some updated Grub and Blossom pictures up : )

Monkeys... in my tree...

Most of these are pretty self-explanatory..... my boys working together and climbing trees.... This was Anthony's idea to see if they could get the limb lower... the did succeed.

Then they had the idea of all getting in the tree on the limb (mommy is praying we don't break any limbs!) and started bouncing as they were riding horses..... oh the imagination they have..

Here is Avery's first time in the tree.. thankfully he stayed close to the bottom, but he was so proud he had to have his picture taken.

And one morning.. while making breakfast I here Mommy, Mommy, Mommy... I knew they were outside (watering the cats)... ummmm nope Alex had climbed the tree.. this was his first time to do so.. and he didn't stay close to the bottom.. and he's in pj's and barefooted.. ahhh.. the joys of being a kid and not minding that a cedar tree is rather itchy...

Here's a close up of my proud guy... he thought it was great view.. and acutally spent most of his day in the tree... of course he did come down eat breakfast.. make his bed, and change clothes.. and put on shoes ( at mommy's request)

Discovery Science In Tyler

After our rainy weekend camping... We were supposed to get to go to a Water Park..
However we got rained out... So we treated the boys to an afternoon at the Discovery Science Museum in Tyler..
They Loved IT~~~~

This is a pizza parlor set up.. They had a blast cooking and flipping the pizza

Anthony found a room full of fascinating light things to look at.. Here he is checking out the eye.. He was so amazed.

Up in the giant boat.. Daddy and Avery played around with magnets... Both totally fascianated.

The favorite part was dressing up in real clothes.. Avery is pretending to be a pilot here.. Aint he cute!!!

Weekend Camping KOA Trip

Early this month we took a weekend and drove about an hour away to a wonderful KOA campground. It was so nice and peaceful. And inspite of the fact that it rained and drizzeled almost the whole weekend. We had plenty of fun. Grub 1 loved fishing, and is really good at casting. Grub 3 needs a bit more practice. But they both had a blast sitting on the banks and fishing..

Even our sweet little blossom tried her hand at it.. thankful by this time there was no hooks on the pole : )
otherwise she would've caught a grub!

Hand in hand my little grubs ran to the playground during a short dry recess of rain..... They were never out of our sight as the playground was very nearby.
With a fort, tire swing and mini kabin, what else do you need?

Grub 2 tried his best to oversee that Daddy did all the cooking correctly on the firepit. The rain however was driving all the ants out
The smell of food had them near the firepit and we all got a little bit.. Thank goodness mommy had special salves!

One of my favorite Outfits

Okay. Grammy bought this for Val when I was still expecting.. It's Gymboree size 3-6 months.. She wore it last year, and it still fit her this year.. and the shoes just finally fit.. I had to take her picture as she is finally outgrowing. My little girl has grown a lot this past month.. jumped from a size 2 to size 4 shoe !!!!!!

Don't you love the shoes.. they are too small now.. Val loves shoes.. she goes around trying on shoes all the time.. funny thing is she doesn't always keep her on as she loved taking them on and off.. Funny funny girl

I found the hat one day out shopping with mom.. I thought it went well with the outfit.. Isn't she adorable.....

Grub 1 in the tree

It's been a about a month now, but one morning while doing dishes. I here Mommy, come quick I need you.. I go outside
"Why do you need me?" I yell, still not seeing him from the door.. Alex says "Mommy, Anthony needs you to take his picture"... OHHHHH!!
So off I go get the camera to take a picture of my sweet oldest grub way up in the tree.. I wish they'ed wear tennie shoes for this.

after the picture is taken He climbs down runs across the yard.. and up another tree.. Where I get Mommy, take my picture in this tree..
What a funny thing.. but it was a change of pace around here... Slowly my Anthony is starting to be himself again.

Little Mommy

My little blossom is really enjoying her dolls. She often has one and she will find anything to wrap it up in. If she doesn't have her blankets, she will use a wash rag, or hand towl and the other day she even used one of her bubba's shirts they'd left on the floor.

However she is smart. And she knows mommy can always use her hands and hold her still. So she kept trying to figure it out the other day.. So I took her blanket tied it around her and instant sling.. She was very happy.. Unitl about 30 mins later when she relized she needed help to take it off...

July Hot Air Balloon Racing

Every year now since the year Alex was born. We get up at a unheard of time and pile sleepy kids into the car.
Mom and I used to do this, and one year Daddy got to go. And Jori & Jordan have joined too.

We find the location(s) of where they are going up. And watch them fill with air and wave goodbye to the happy pilots floating throughout the sky.

Up and down the travel along the roads of Longview.. Where the are going noone really knows... Which makes it so much more fun trying to guess where will we end up?

People come from all over to just get the chance fly in are yearly race.

But be carefull, you never know who might be watching you with their big gigantic eyes.....
Here is the Purple People Eater. Anthony go to help put it away once it landed in front of our local Target right on the side of the road.

Our Life Upside Down and Learning how to put it Right Side UP

I haven't blogged in a long time. There are few reasons.

1) I haven't been ready. It just seemed pointless
2.) I've been very very busy.


On May 9. I woke up to a phone call Cassandra was in labor and I was headed to the hospital. Of course I was very happy. Baby Lathan was coming into this world. It was only a few hours in the day before Terry called. He had all the kids as my mom wasn't feeling well. A few hours later he calls again, this time to tell me my mom was being taken to the hospital by ambulance. If anyone knew my mom you know this means THINGS WERE BAD.
Here I was on the 2nd floor, my mom down in the ER. I knew she would tell me to stay put, that there wasn't anything I could down there and that Cass needed me. I prayed so hard that day, for mom, for me, for Cass, for Terry, for Dad, for everyone... FOR A MIRACLE
Early evening/late afternoon baby Lathan came into this world, he was perfect, a cute little bundle of joy. I got things together there, and went as quickly to the ER as my legs and elevator could. There I learned my mom was to be taken to the ICU. I saw her on this bed, tubes going everywhere and I felt like a little bitty girl all alone. Lost because my mom was dying and I knew it. I wasn't ready. I wanted to scream. I was afraid, my heart hurt, my lungs felt tight. I didn't understand. I prayed again. I called my friend and told her I needed her to please drive me home. I went to ICU and saw my mommy. I talked to her, and she knew who I was. She signed to me to help her clear her throat. I cried. I went back downstairs to the 2nd floor and there I sat in the hall curled up in a ball and let my tears of pure anquish come out. I cried for what felt an hour or more, Several people stopped, others walked by. I didn't care. My life had just turned totally upside down. I went home and sleept only a few hours before the call came to come back quickly. We left. The day was blurry, I cried, I clung to those I loved. I screamed, I wanted to hit, run and yell. It wasn't fair. WHY MY MOMMY????????????
Late that afternoon, my mommy went to Heaven and all that was left was all of us, just like that. Nothing mattered, she was gone out of my life forever. How was I to tell my precious babies that their grammy was gone and that she would never come back. HOW????
So you see my life the past few months have been a day of questions after another. Everywhere I turn and look I see my mom. I am always saying somthing she taught me. She was my mom, but she was also my best friend. We did everything together. She help me teach my children. She was the one who listened to my flustrations. She was the Glue in our family and she was suddenly without warning ripped from our grasp. I have tried so hard to understand, but I don't. I hurt. I keep asking why is the meaning to anything?
I look to my kids and Anthony doesn't sleep, he curls up most nights on his grammy's pillow (we have been staying with my dad) and he stares at her picture. He doesn't totally understand I know he is lonely. The shared birthday's and a special deep bond. Alex is scarred to be left anywhere. He is afraid something else will happen. Avery my sweet baby thankfully doesn't understand except that grammy went away and we can't go see her even to visit. Baby Valarie, how it pains me. She started taking a few steps just a few months ago and is practically running after her bubba's. My mom never saw that. She repeats almost everything you tell her, and she is so smart. And when she smiles at you she looks just like my mom, her eyes, her smile, her little face, and I cry because mom can't see how much my only baby girl looks like her.
I've taken over different roles now. I help my dad with budgets, phone calls. I'm trying to figure out how to be teacher my boys. How to be a wife and mom when I feel as if 1/2 of me is gone. I'm learning how to put things back Right Side Up. I take each day as it comes. Good, bad or indifferent.
I fight with those around me, I laugh with them, I cry with them. I want to run, I want to stay. I want to turn back time and change everything.

I am learning to survive.......
I am learning to live when I don't want to.....
I am learnng to lean on others.....
I am learning how to laugh and smile and not feel quilty....

I AM LEARNING....

Mommy 4-8-1948 to 5-10-2009
My mom recieved the most precious gift on mother's day to see the face of her Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ. I am happy for her, I am sad for me and for those her still on earth who are missing her so desperatly and feel her abbsence so greatly in our lives. Lord be with us still as we grieve.

HOPPY FROGS>>>>

Last week Alex and Avery went frog hunting... and on day one they found these two cute hoppy guys.

The second day Alex had to go to school.. so Avery looked by himself.. and wow was I shocked when he came home with the same frog he had the day before.. Now you would think a frog would learn it's lesson after being carried around all day by little grubby hands.. but hey when you get to invited to eat lunch at the table.. Maybe not..

A few days later Avery and Alex go around looking again.. and again to my amazement Avery has the same frog.. I'm not just saying this.. This one frog had a certain chirp.. no it didn't croak it chirped... and it only did/does it when Avery is holding him.... Very Very Cute... Here Avery let the frog kiss him.

One night after coming home from awana.. Avery and Alex found frogs on the way into the house.. We told them to tell them goodnight.. and they decied the frogs needed to kiss each other good night too before heading off to bed.. Now don't you all wish you had such Hoppy Frogs around your house...

Cheerios Princess

Valarie absolutly loves cheerios and here she is with her fist full of fruity one.. It doesn't matter the flavor she loves them all....

Friday at the Park

Avery is learning to ride his bike.. and since he thinks it's to hard to pedal he sat on the luggage rack, put one foot on the training wheels and the other foot pushed him along. around around and around the park.. You would think this would be tiring.. but I guess it's not.

Here is Alex yelling for Avery in one of those things.. you yell in one and there is another one somewhere else on the playground.. It's actually a pretty cool thing.
He was taking a break at the moment from riding his bike in circles.

Valarie. sweet little girl she is. Sat quietly on a blanket. She found the tope to her baby food and tried so hard to get it to go in her hair.. She spent almost 1/2 hours on just this.. Tasted a gumball and had fun laughing at her brothers and playing with Buster who stayed very close by.

Anthony wore himself out. He must riden his bike a couple of miles in circles. Through the grass and over and over. He made a lot of stops at the water fountain too.. He rode for a good 1 1/2 very hard.

Needless to say, with a day starting out at the Track meet with Dusty and Aunt Jennifer.. and then going home.. then playing at the park till late.. All the boys were very much ready for bed when they got home.. Actually a few of them fell asleep before home..

Monday Morning Chaos

Below is a few picture of what my home currently looked like Monday morning.. WHY??? Anthony's room is in the living room and everything is getting put anywhere... So by Saturday this will all be clean and finished.. Anyone want to help???

Here we have the living room.. At least that is what I heard it was.. Not so sure right now about that at all..

Here is the kitchen/dining area.. and I was told there is a table under there.. SOMEWHERE>>.

and if the mess wasn't enough in there.. we had all the toys in anthony's room and his bedding piled into his brother's room.. SOOOOO now we have more a mess to organize also.. Watch were you step.. yesterday I hurt my foot on a mountain..