Family of 4

Merry Christmas!!! I hope everyone is well with you and yours. We are having a very nice Christmas this year. I wanted to share a family pic, but could not decide which of these I like better, so I decided to use both! I'll be posting more of the boys soon.

Christmas Break is here!

School is out and it is time for Christmas. Josh had a great class party today. His teacher gave each student a coloring book with markers AND mechanical crayons. He sat at the dining table for surely over an hour coloring his little heart out! I was absolutely amazed because, I'm telling you, the boy is rarely still for a moment.

I know Andrew is going to be SO glad to have a playmate every single day for the next two weeks. Especially since there will be so many new things to play with in just a few short days.

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! Don't forget to celebrate Jesus everyday!

Can you guess who this baby is?

I was looking to see what pictures I had to post tonight, when I came across this one I had scanned last Spring when the church was doing a slideshow. I thought since it is obviously a Santa suit, it would be perfect! Give up??? It's Craig at, I'm guessing, 1 year old. So cute! This picture reminds me of Andrew.

Makin' Butter

Okay, I am ashamed to say that in all the years I've lived on a dairy farm I can't recall ever making homemade butter. But now I have. I had no idea how simple the process really is.... Though it does take a lot of shaking! Now don't let these pictures fool you.....the boys did shake long enough for a picture, but I did most of the work! Oh and Craig helped quite a bit too... It ended up looking and tasting like whipped butter and is quite good on waffles.

30 and 3

No that's NOT just a goofy way of saying 33! It's true that Craig and Andrew both celebrate birthdays the week of Thanksgiving and you guessed it...Craig is 30 and Andrew is 3. The other day Craig said, "Andrew, did you know I am 10 times your age?" Crazy isn't it?

Anyway...I hope you all have had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are ready for Christmas. As you can see, Andrew got a Little People nativity from us, so we're getting in the Spirit of the Season.

Splashes of color

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. It is so rare that we get really good color change around here though. However, this year is spectacular! Last Saturday we took a drive up to Fayetteville where the color is always a little better than here. It was so pretty and we went out on the lawn of Old Main (on campus) to let the boys run and watch all the squirrels and to snap a few pictures. We didn't get any of all four of us that were good enough to suit me. I'm kind of particular about that and it's such a challenge to get everyone looking up, smiling, not squinting or blinking......ugh......it makes me tired just to think about it! But we did get some good ones of the boys, of Craig and the boys and of me and the boys. I suppose we could do some superimposing! LOL Anyway, it was a fun time none the less and I really enjoyed the stroll down memory lane!

Nothing like it!

There is nothing like playing in fall leaves! So fun!!

Rescue Heroes

Well I know it's a bit early for Halloween pics, but the boys spent most of Saturday playing in their costumes and had a ball! Joshua wanted to be a Fireman this year and poor Andrew gets Josh's Police suit from last year. He's happy with that though! And how convenient is it that they go together so well!! : )

We're on our way...

Fireman Rescue

Afternoon Toons

I'm sorry it has been so long since I've posted. I keep waiting for exceptional picures to share. I decided to just go ahead and keep it real though!! : ) This is what the boys do about every afternoon. Ahhh...I remember the carefree days of childhood, coming home to Mom's fresh baked cookies and sitting down to watch Sesame Street before heading outside for chores. My brother always teased me about watching that and Mister Rogers because he thought I was much too old for it. But don't you know he was right there beside me, watching it too! Most likely he was just procrastinating.....but he was watching it none the less. And he's 6 1/2 years older than me!! So WHO is it that watched kiddie cartoons way beyond the acceptable cartoon watching age?! Truth be known....you can still find us both watching cartoons when we get the chance!

Where'd the froggy go?

Andrew and "Franklin" hanging out, watching the new fishies.

Tickle, Tickle, Tickle

This is a Cat Lover!

Best Friends

We had a little impromptu photo shoot tonight. The boys came in each wearing a hard hat and carrying every toy tool they have! One was wearing a tool belt and the other carrying a tool box. Out of all the shots I took though, this was my favorite. (Even though you can't see any of the items I've just described!) These little guys just love to play together! It is so sweet to see them hug after Josh comes home from school and to hear Andrew say, "Josh, did you learn all of your colors?" Of course Josh knows all of his colors already! But that's what Andrew asks, none the less. I am so thankful for them....we are certainly BLESSED!

A.D.

J.R.

I think Josh looks SO grown up in this picture! He is upon the threshhold of that line between being small enough to hold and too big to hold. It makes me sad and yet so happy (I guess the word is bittersweet!) because I will miss him being little, but I am so very glad that he is healthy!

Lovin' life

What chocolate donut?

Dimple Face

Fun at Home with Mommy

Here are some closeups with Andrew! I just love seeing all those cute details in the faces of my sweet boys...

School Has Begun

Well I just got back from dropping Josh off at his first day of Kindergarten. He was so excited and didn't have a bit of separation anxiety.....which I never expected that he would. He's a very independent little guy and loves school. He was excited to see many of his friends from last year and it sounds like there will be several new friends too. I am thankful that he is not too shy and can adapt well. That is such a wonderful blessing and makes it much easier on me! This picture shows how he looked when I left him.....he looks like he will have a great time, doesn't he?

10 Years of Wedded Bliss

This was taken at our "surprise" dinner at Falls Creek on July 27. Notice the girls in the background.... There were nearly 50 more youth surrounding us and as strange as it felt to be the center of attention like that, I know that it was an awesome testimony to those kids to see us there for them on our special day and the fact that we've achieved something very rare in this day and age. A marriage of 10 years and still going... Lord help us be a stable example of your Love to these precious youth.

Silly boys

Here are two favorite pics of the boys. Andrew has his hat on backwards and Daddy's boots on the wrong feet! Josh is being goofy as usual! I have several good close up shots of Josh. Andrew is harder to get close up because he moves right as I take the picture. I love close ups....so I will try to get some more. I am thankful to God for the gift of two handsome, healthy boys. Even as frustrated as I can get, I love them more than words can express.

Camp, School and other musings...

Well it has been one week since our lives changed. Falls Creek went very well and Craig got things started off on a good foot. All the kids and adults seem to be happy that he is the new youth pastor. It looks like there are the beginnings of a whole new dynamic in the group. One that is respectful and loving. We are excited to see what God has planned.

It was nice to see Craig on our 10th anniversary. The cooks planned a little party for us...it was sweet. They decorated a table outside and let us eat our dinner together while the kids watched and blew bubbles at us!

On a different note: school will be starting soon and Josh will be in kindergarten. It's hard to believe my little boy is a real school boy now! He can be so funny. He came in here a few minutes ago with the best laugh....he was wearing a wig that Craig brought home from camp. (I think one of the kids got it while playing bigger or better.) It was hysterical to see my little pale face kid in an Afro!

Andrew is doing well too....I think he is going to miss his big brother when he goes to school. They have gotten to be better friends this summer. I'm hoping that Andrew will enjoy some time not having to fight over the toys though. He has gotten so big! This summer he has gone from being my baby to a big boy....although he still wears diapers! I'm not too hung up on getting him potty trained though, because I know it will happen when he's ready and I learned the first time not to try too soon. Saves us all so much frustration!

Well...I better go get some things done so I can go grocery shopping. Thanks for checking in with us and please do leave comments so I will know you were here!

It's an interesting road we are on...

Well, God has done it! He's gone and done one of the things I never dreamed He would do.... Although I know and recognize that ALL Christians should be "ministers" of the Gospel, Craig and I are now "in the ministry" so to speak. We are the new Youth Pastor and Youth Pastor's Wife at Immanuel Baptist - Sallisaw! Mind boggling isn't it?

Craig will be "bivocational" and will still be operating our carpet cleaning business. This week he is at Falls Creek, summer youth camp and I will be joining them on Thursday, which happens to be our 10th wedding anniversary. It seems strange to think that we were the youth of IBC 10 years ago and now we are leading the next generation... Please pray!!!!

We are very excited about what God has in store for us and we want to be found faithful in His site. We would very much appreciate all of your prayers...

Our Family

N.O. pics I promised

Now a family site...

So I was thinking...maybe I should just make this a general family site and not only for the boys. I wanted to have a place where I could share misc. other pics and comments, including my trip to New Orleans.

Some of you may or may not know that I had the privledge of going on a mission trip to help with the Hurricane Katrina relief effort a couple of weeks ago. It was my first "mission trip" ever and it was indeed eye opening. Unlike other stories I've heard, the people we found there were SO grateful for everything we did. Just our presence was appreciated. We were, however, much more than a presence. We worked HARD and yet so much is left undone.

Our group worked as a "Mud-Out" Team. Sometimes this did literally include mud, but mostly it is removing all items from the home (trying to salvage anything precious, ie. pictures) and tearing out everything from the kitchen sink, to trim, sheetrock, flooring and nails. You name it we probably took it, all down to the base of the structure, except for ceilings, toilets and any flooring stuck down too tight to pull up. Some incredible things we saw 9 months after Katrina.....water still trapped between two glass panes in a door, water trapped in an upside down bucket, items on a top shelf of a closet, still soaked.

One of the houses we worked on, the lady who lived there was actually rescued on Day 4 from the roof! We were able to meet and pray with her, which made the whole experience much more personal. Another house we cleaned was that of an older man who had cancer. He survived Katrina, but died shortly after. His children all lived in the same neighborhood. They all lost their homes and their Dad....it was emotionally difficult for them to say the least. One daughter came the day we were working and looked through things as we pulled them out. She was absolutely thrilled when she found one polaroid shot of her Daddy when he was younger. She thought that all of the pictures had been lost.

There were so many other experiences as well. Perhaps I will share more later.

It was my intention to post pics with this blog....but for some reason they aren't working...I'll try again sometime...

Boys love dirt!

This dirt fun occured on Daddy's watch. They piled the dirt on the sidewalk and then rolled around in it. What is it with boys and dirt anyway?

Yay for me!!

I've finally posted new pictures! These are the spring pictures taken at the school. Aren't they cute? Josh and Andrew are becoming better friends and today I silently thanked God because they played SO well together. I needed that today even more than usual and consider it such a blessing. I am so thankful to have healthy, happy, active boys. That includes their Daddy too! More and more I realize how wonderfully Blessed I am! Thank you Jesus...

New Pics Coming Soon

I've got new pictures to be developed if I can ever remember to take the film in! Also need to pick up some batteries for the digital camera. Sorry it's taking so long!!! Please keep checking back.

Yum Yum! Tootsie Pops

Little Fellas

Last night it was so cute! I was baking chocolate chip cookies and the boys "bellied up to the bar" in their cowboy hats and said they wanted to order something. I said the kitchen was closed and the only thing they could order was a cookie. Josh said something to the effect of...."well I s'pose this little fella will...." I cracked up! In this pic he is telling me the "little fella's" name is Andrew. Of course everyone enjoyed fresh cookies from the oven! Josh is the biggest cookie fan of all!

John Deere Green

Okay, I know you are all anxious to hear more!! So here you go... I have to confess that I don't have any very recent pictures yet, but these were taken within the last few months. I thought it would be most proper to start things out by telling you that Josh and Andrew are BIG TIME tractor fans. Any tractor will do, but they are very fond of John Deere and have quite a bit (as you can see) of John Deere gear!
Josh has grown so much this year. He is in HeadStart (preschool) and loves it. They sent home a paper the other day that said that since the beginning of school he has grown almost 2 inches and gained 6 pounds! He is looking so much healthier since he had his tonsils removed in January. He's full of energy and eager to learn. One night at Awanas (church children's program) when told that the Bible story was about the Good Samaritan, he proceeded to tell the class the entire story detail for detail.
Andrew is really changing a lot too. This year his vocabulary has EXPLODED! He can pretty much say anything (well he doesn't say his s's very well!). He says yeth for yes! But the other day, he just started singing the ABC song, out of the blue! Maybe I am just a proud mother, but I think that's pretty darn good for 2 years and 4 months old! Andrew has a very sweet spirit and is a toucher. He has to rub my arm to fall asleep!

Welcome to our site...

Blogging seems to be the craze these days, so I thought I would get in on it! Sending pictures of the boys through email seems to take up a lot of time and space, so maybe this will work better for those of you who are interested in seeing them. Plus, it will give me incentive for getting out there and taking more pictures before they are all grown up!