State Fair Time!

We wait all year for September and October. We love LOVE to the State Fair! All the corndogs, cotton candy, exhibits, Big Tex.... love it!

We arrived at the Fair and found a parking spot on the street. David was so freaked out that we might get towed. I guess it looked like a "park here and be towed" parking spot. Although it didn't say that. So - David took MANY pictures of the truck so that he could prove it did not say "tow away zone" in case he needed too.

First stop - massaging chairs : )

Will, Ben and Andy

2nd stop. Attempt photo in front of Big Tex. We weren't real successful - but here's our try.

Andy, me and .... some of William.

Ben standing reluctantly in front of Big Tex. He really wanted a corn dog : )

 The boys standing in front of Big Tex looking at the train.

If I can't get the front side of them - I guess the backside is just as good and cute : )

A stop by Elsie the cow and MILK!

William, David and Ben

Andy was SOOOOOO excited to be at the Fair!

And even more excited to get to walk around and not be in his stroller : )

I think the boys favorite part (aside from the corndogs) was the petting zoo.

Ben and Andy

Andy - so happy....

Ben and William

William and Andy

David, Andy and Ben (where's Will??)

Here he is : )

My four boys. The loves of my life : )

Taking a break to play in the gigantic sandbox,

Ben and William

Ben and Will wanted to see the snakes. David said it was very sad. Big snakes in small cages : (

We let the boys play a few games.

William, Ben and Me

Stoping to wait for the parade and finishing up some cotton candy

William, Ben, Andy (in stroller) and Me

Our Family : )

David, Me, Ben, Andy and William

Leaving the Fair.

Ben's holding the spiderman glove that Will won.

Actually - William really wanted that glove.

He didn't win, but the carnie saw how sad he was and gave it to him. So SOOOOO nice!

We had a FANTASTIC time at the Fair (as usual) and already excited about next year. And the good news: Our truck was still there : )

Going Dark for Fall!

With Fall blowing in - I wanted something different with my hair. I normally have alot of blonde - which I like. But I feel as I get [gasp!] ... older - I feel it doesn't suit me. So this time around I went darker - and I think I like it. It feels and looks healthier to me - which I love.

here's me before with blonde highlights .... which i do still like.

and me now w/brown hair. i like them both - i think.


what do you think? i love the lighter in the summer - and probaby will end up going back. but the dark is fun for now : )

My mom's cataract.

My mom was told sometime ago that she needed to get the cataracts removed on both of her eyes. She's put it off for quite sometime because of one reason or another. Recently when she went to the doctor, her doctor told her she was about to become legally blind and it was crucial that she get her cataracts removed soon. Obviously - I did not know this information - or she wouldn't of waited this long. I am pretty 'protective and controlling' when it comes to my mom.

Reluctantly she made the appointment to have her cataract on her left eye removed and then she will go back in a few weeks to get the cataract on her right eye removed.

I drove her to her appointment today because my dad doesn't like to wait (he gets nervous). The appointment took about 3 hours start to finish.

The surgery went great. The doctor said once healed her eye should be close to 20/20. She won't need her regular glasses - just reading glasses.

It was pretty funny because they gave her a vallum before to relax her. She's never had any medications like that and was hesitant about taking it, but did. Afterwards she said "I imagine if I were drunk (and I don't know - b/c I have never been) it would feel something like this. I feel woo-sey." It was pretty funny.

Here she is.... I'm sure thinking "really - pictures, now?" But of course she knows me - I always ALWAYS take pictures.



Hopefully in a few weeks she'll get the other eye done. She can't believe how much better she is able to see and what she was missing out on all those years from not being able to see.

Andy has STAPH!?!?

Over the past several weeks Andy's nose has been running (clear) a little bit. He got his flu vaccine on Tuesday, the 15th. The next day his nose was running continually. Our pediatrician told me that if you have symptoms and get a flu vaccine - it can make them worse. I'm assuming that's what happened with the runny nose.

Also before the Flu Vaccine - he was picking at his nose alot. Yes, picking! Not sure what he was digging for - but always had his finger in his nose. So .... with the combination of the finger picking and his nose running - somehow his right nostril got infected.

I took him into the pediatrician and mentioned to her that David has a staph infection on his leg that he's had for 2 weeks. David's actually started with a mosquito bite and turned into staph. The pediatrician was worried since David had staph - so she prescribed Andy a stronger medication - just to be safe.

I tried to snap a few photos - but he wouldn't have any part of it and wouldn't look at me.



it's been so sad. he was in a lot of pain and wouldn't even let us touch his nose to wipe it. i started giving him zyrtec and that has helped to dry up the nose and once his antibiotic kicked in he felt better. Now - he's doing better. It's healing and starting to scab over. I'm just praying it isn't staph and that it doesn't last as long as David's has.

Afternoons outside with the family!

Most afternoons we are outside in the front yard writing with chalk, playing football, riding bikes, and just enjoying being outside with the boys.

It was raining outside - so we put the canopy up so we could sit out in the rain and play. It rained off and on - so we were able to get out from underneath the canopy for a little bit. Normally we have the other neighborhood kids over as well - there's about 14 kids that usually hang out in the front with us and our boys. David and I are the only parents brave enough to sit outside with all the kids : ) Actually - we enjoy it quite a bit (unless it's hot) and we aren't brave enough to leave our boys outside without supervision. Plus - our kids love it that we are outside with them.

The boys love drawing with chalk (and that includes David). Actually - I think David's true calling was to be an artist. He loves to draw and paint and he's really creative. He draws masterpieces with chalk in our driveway. It's great!

Andy's First Day of Preschool!

We decided to start Andy in preschool this year. He loves people and we knew he would do great (after the initial separation period) being around other kids. Not to mention - mommy needed a break : )

He's going to the preschool Will went to - which we love.

We got him a backpack, napmat and lunch box with his name on it that he absolutely loved. He couldn't wait to use it. He was so excited to go to school.

Here he is - he can't wait to get out the door. "Come on mommy."


Going by David's office on the way out "bye-bye dada."


trying to take a few photos of him outside before we get into the car. he wasn't real interested. ready for school....




his cubby at preschool. so sweet! the little girl he was sharing with actually isn't sharing - so he has it all to himself : )


his teachers names on the door to his classroom : )

he loved the pink vanity - of all things : )

decoration on the wall. his name is in green (just below the hot pink one)...

him jumping right in and coloring. i love he way his legs are crossed and he looks so intent : )

this is one of two photos. the other one was better of him - but it was out of focus.

He had a great day. Really enjoyed himself. He didn't take a nap - but I know that will come. I am just so thankful that he gets to have this opportunity to learn and attend a great preschool.

And I'm especially thankful for the time I get to get things done so that I really enjoy him when he gets home.

Grease on Broadway!

I LOVE, LOVE Grease in any form - especially in a musical. My girlfriend, Dena, loves Grease as much as I do. So we knew we had to definitely make this a girls weekend away. We booked a great hotel in downtown. Our showing was at 2pm. We met at the hotel, which was just blocks away from the Bass Performance Hall.

Don't you love the shirts? Dena's daughters BFF made these shirts for us. They were a HUGE hit. Everyone wanted one. We were sad we didn't make a bunch and sell them : )



One of the 'stars' performing was Taylor Hicks. He was the teen angel. He did a great job. And aftewards - we got in line to get a photo with him.



I have been getting pedicures for about 20 years and always get something very plain. This time - Dena talked me into getting something special to reflect the night. She always gets this elaborate art and it always looks great. So I did it ... and it was really cute. I can't say I will do it again, but it was fun! I like my plain jane nail polish : )



Here's Dena and I back at the hotel - trying to get a good shot of us.



After the musical we hit a few places in downtown. Heard some live music (The time Machine Band) and had a great time. It was a ton of fun!

I'm thankful to have gotten to spend the weekend with a great friend doing something we both love. My awesome husband kept the kids and let me have the night away. Thank you David! I love you!

My sweet Moochie!

i love my cat, fluffy, and i love that my boys love her too. they fuss and worry over her as much as i do.

andy loves petting and brushing her. and she really enjoys him doing it.



here's will and andy sitting with her watching tv (very intently).

10 minutes of Sword Play means so much!

My parents came over so they could help finish up a few things for their 50th Anniversary Party. My mom typically comes alone - but I asked her to make sure my dad came. Andy adores my dad and so does Will. The three of them are one in the same. Andy and Will get their personality from me - and I from my dad. They love to play, make people laugh and have a good time. Andy ask constantly to go see Papa. Will asks too - but Andy definitely asks more. He will ask to see his PaPa out of the blue without any other thought.

My mom was working (for me) and so Will pulled out the Nerf Swords and gave one to his Papa. I was suprised but thrilled that my dad got up and played with them. It really made me so happy to see him up and enjoying his grandsons.











My father had a stroke several years ago and lost the use of his left arm. It took a lot of energy for him to get up and play with them. It wasn't for long - but it meant the world to them. They love their PaPa so much and really want him to be present with them.

I'm thankful for the 10 minutes of Sword play that he was able to give to them!

Ben's first day of 2nd grade!

It's so hard for me to believe that he's in 2nd grade - already! Where did the time go? I can't believe he's 7 years old.

Ben went back to the Academy where he went last year. We are so thankful for this school. It has been wonderful for him and has really helped to keep him challenged and engaged. We are excited about the coming year!

His first day was a great one. He got up early - got dressed, ate his breakfast and his daddy and Andy took him to school.

He wasn't quite ready for summer to be over - but I definitely was. It was time to get a routine back in our lives so I was anticipating the start of school.

50 years and counting!

On August 28, 2009 my wonderful parents will celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary. And on August 29, 2009 David and I are honored to be hosting a celebration for them. My parents will be surrounded by 100 of their family and friends - and they couldn't be happier.
As the day gets closer - I get a little choked up. I am thinking about what this day means to them - and what it means to me. As a daughter - I feel so special that my parents loved me enough to stay together so that I would have a safe, stable home environment. I am the youngest of 5 children - so my parents were actually my age when they had me. As a mother and a wife - I am thankful that my mother was a great role model for me to emulate. Although - I do wish she had taught me to cook (and so does David : ).
People always say 'you look like your mom or your dad.' I have been thinking what characteristics of me come from my mother and my father. My parents are two different people - complete opposites (much like David and I).
My father is compassionate, kind, caring, trusting. He hasn't met a stranger - he loves to laugh and be the center of everyone's attention. I take the out-going characteristics from my dad. I, too, have all the qualities that he has but I am not as trusting as he is. I am fair, but just more guarded.
My mother is kind and caring. She is out-spoken and direct. She is not afraid to speak her mind. She is trusting, but guarded. I get my out-spoken, direct characteristics from her. Out of 5 children, and the last, I am the only one who possesses this characteristic. I am not afraid to stand up and speak my mind and I will stand for what I believe in - much like my mother.
As the date gets closer - I knew that I wanted to make their invitation as special as their party. They came over and I took them next door to our neighbors and took some photos outside their pool. It was full-sun and hot. I took down some of their pool fencing and got stung by a bee on my behind (something I will always remember). Nice, huh? The pictures turned out good - my parents were pretty much done after one photo. Afterall, I only needed one picture, right? Wrong! These are memories we are capturing - I wanted as many special moments as I could get my hands on.
As the planning is going strong - my mom is excited. She's helping me plan and giving me her input. This is the reception she didn't have. My parents will re-new their wedding vows, cut their anniversary cake, and make a toast to the committment they've shared and the next 50 years that we pray they will continue to share.
I wanted to share these special memories and let my parents know how truly proud I am of them and how much I admire their love and dedication for one another. This truly is a moment I hope they never forget.
front of card:


back of card:

ben vs. will

it's amazing to me how 2 brothers who come from the same mother/father can be so different. but that's definitely the case with ben and will. ben is 7 and will is almost 5.

• WILL is affectionate. he loves being hugged, kissed and held. BEN wants affection on his terms. when he wants to be hugged and kissed, he'll ask.
• WILL is giving. he will always give ben the best. the best toy, the best sticker, the biggest piece of cake or candy. BEN is selfish. he takes the best for himself. he always has to go first, and always has to have equal everything that will has.
• WILL is protective. he worries about his family. he wants us all to be safe and gets upset if we do something that's not safe. he tries to keep us from being hurt (especially ben and andy). BEN is protective of himself. he doesn't care if will gets hurt or in trouble as long as he doesn't get into trouble.
• WILL is concerned about his appearance. his clothes must match, be clean and fit well. his teeth have to be brushed, his hair has to be nice. he won't be in front of people (other than his famly) not 'put together'. BEN doesn't care. he won't go in front of other people in his underwear - but he's not concerned so much about his appearance, being matched, etc.
• WILL is relaxed. he does just enough to get by. he's ok with not being the best at something as long as he has fun. BEN is an over-achiever. he has to be the best and works hard so that no one will to get to a "higher level" on anything than he is.
• WILL is thankful. his manners are impecable. he constantly tells me how much he appreciates me and how much he loves me being his mommy. BEN wants what he wants and he wants it now. he does say thank you and knows his manners - but he often has to be reminded.
• WILL is imaginative. he can create fun for himself out of nothing. he loves to dress up as a different hero - and do pretend play. BEN is more realistic. he deals more with how things are in real life. he can't use his imagination real well. everything has to be lined out and in order.

WILL gets his emotional side from me. he gets his giving, affectionate, protectiveness side of him from me. he gets his manners from his daddy. he gets his relaxed tendencies and imagination from his daddy. he gets the need to being concerned about his appearance from me (although that's not been the case w/me too much in the last 5 years : ).
BEN gets his selfishness from me (i'm not too proud of that one : ). he gets the lack of desire for affection from his daddy. he knows he's loved - so he doesn't need to be reassured as much. he gets the not caring about appearance and what people think - from his daddy. he gets the over-acheiver, realistic part in him from me. and for his manners - from me too. i am thankful - but like him, need to be reminded at times.
i am anxious to see how ANDY turns out. so far he is made up of the best of ben and will, and so far - doesn't have too many qualities that aren't good. i think ben and will are made up of the best and worst of david and i, and andy's made up of the best of both of us. hopefully - he continues and stays the sweet, loving, well-mannered boy that he is.