February FUN

February is such a fun month in our house.  Ryan and Tye get to celebrate another year of life and I couldn't be more thankful for both of them.  Happy 8th and 35th to two of my favorite guys!

My dad taught me how to play chess when I was a little girl.  I can remember playing game after game with him.  He also taught Ryan how to play and it's one of his favorite things to do.

 Ayden got a brownie recipe from her pen pal (who also happens to be her great-grandmother, Jane) and she couldn't wait to try it out.  I love that Ayden and Mim write letters to each other.  I know she will cherish those conversations forever!  I'm also proud of her growing confidence in the kitchen.  She'll be cooking supper and making dessert all by herself before long.

 It snowed!  It snowed a LOT.  The kids were so excited when they woke up.  We drug out all of the snow gear and they played and played.  They came in for hot chocolate and to warm up by the fire and then they went out to play some more. 

 B and Shell showed up with their four-wheeler and two sleds.  

The kids took turns riding and had the best time!

 Cutest snow bunny!

 Sydney fell asleep...on the floor...just like this.  

Sweet little girl couldn't last another second!

 The kids did a great job on their little snow man.  They did this all by themselves!

 Riding the four-wheeler around the country is one of my favorite things to do.  We don't really DO anything, we just piddle around.  We found a fun spot to park and the kids built stick tee-pees and played with broom weeds.  It doesn't take much to entertain our family.

 Ryan won four Tech baseball tickets.  Of course, he wanted us and his brother to go with him so the girls spent the afternoon at Mim and Grandaddy's house.  The sun came out and it ended up being such a pleasant day.  Tye and I enjoyed the time we spent with just the boys. 

Poppa brought my grandad's (Papaw) gun out to the house the other day.  Ryan got to shoot it.  It was so special for my dad and for me.  We miss Pop so much and know he would've enjoyed this day just as much as we did.

 I've recently started more therapy for my back and the kids have been so sweet about it.  They've been helping me and trying their best to make me "feel" better.  Sydney drew me the sweetest picture.  I especially loved the sun she drew on my tummy.  She was right, it DID make me feel so happy!

 Myles and Sydney had Valentine's day parties at school.  They made boxes to put all their cards and goodies into.  They both were so cute and matched their personalities perfectly.

Myles and his shark

 Sydney and her unicorn

Do you see the glasses she drew on the unicorn's eyes?

 Ryan got his first rifle for his birthday.  It's called a Davy Crickett and it's a single-shot .22 rifle.  He loves it so much and is doing really well with it.  He wants to shoot every day!

 Sweet Bailey on our four-wheeler ride.  She is such a sweet girl!

This month seemed to go by so much faster than January did.  Sometimes the days are long.  Kids fight, argue, whine and Tye and I aren't always so kind to one another.  That's life though.  It's full of wonderful days and so-so days.  One thing I know is that I'm thankful for all the minutes that fill those days.  Even the ones that are long...

Here lately, we've talked a lot about kindness, tone of voice and obeying quickly.  It's funny sometimes to put the kids to bed and reflect on the day.  So many times the very things that I've repeated over and over are the very things I need to hear.  Kindness and tone of voice to my spouse and to my children (especially when I've repeated myself a THOUSAND times) but most of all obeying quickly.  Purposefully and intentionally seeking God's word everyday so that I can obey, even as an adult.  

More than anything this month I'm thankful for grace.  To receive grace is such blessing but to give it is such a life changer.

Summer FUN #2

Summer has marched on without a beat.  We've been busy but have had relaxing days at home too.  I always wish the days were longer.  I love the ages of my kids right now.  They are loud and crazy and it's chaotic but when it's not, it's not home.

We all went to White River Day Camp.  Tye had to stay home to run a sandfighter and who knows what all else with this crazy weather and Sydney had "cousin camp" with Spencer at B and Shell's.  The Blevins boys stayed in our camper and I couldn't be more thankful for such SWEET boys and friends for my kids.  We are so thankful to raise our kids along side Link and Monica.

I taught the 3rd grade class and had so much fun, especially with Kam and Amy there to help. 

Myles Lewis just being Myles Lewis!

My sweetest girl in the world and NO I don't mean Lucy.  That cat drives me bonkers!

Sunday picture before church.  We don't always take pictures.  Sometimes it's my idea and sometimes it's their idea.  This morning it was their idea!

I caught this little sweetie reading in his bed with his robe on.  Sometimes Ryan can be the cutest, youngest little old man.  He's just continued to grow and mature and I'm so thankful to be his Momma.

We went to Gail's Crossing with B and Shell, Kenzie and Spencer.  It was fun and I loved getting to watch my kids play and climb and get SUPER dirty.  We cooked hot dogs, correction B and Tye cooked hot dogs, on a fire and they were the best hot dogs ever.  

Future White River campers and the best of friends!

Mallory, Sydney and Asher

Childhood is about watching TV in Amazon boxes for no reason.

Sydney had a eye doctor appointment last week and everything is looking great with her precious little eyes.  Dr. Riley said that her Esotropia has corrected it self remarkably well.  She still needs her glasses for now.  That's okay though, she likes them!

Indians...not sure what tribe.

 hahaha

The kids and I made our first batch of real homemade ice cream.  We talked about why and how the salt makes the ice cream freeze.  The kids loved making it and we all loved eating it!

We had a game night with Poppa and Honey.  

Ryan and Poppa in a serious game of Chess.  Poppa might have taught Ryan to play a little too well.

Also, this picture cracks me up.  These two are the SAME person.  It's so crazy!

I absolutely love that she still likes to dress up her baby.  Matching pajamas for the win!

Honey is seriously such a trooper!  Twister had us all twisted up!

She loves her strawberry swimsuit and of course socks with shoes.

This Sunday was my idea!

I'm glad I got to sneak some pictures while they were at camp.

Ryan built a combine out of Legos.  He did an amazing job.  This took him about 30 minutes which BLOWS my mind!

We celebrated Father's day.  If Tye looks tired in the picture it's because he was tired.  He's been on a tractor for nearly two solid months.  It's been a crazy season filled with crazy weather.  We are all still alive and happy though.  What more could we ask for?!

We've still got lots of summer adventures planned!  I can't wait to enjoy every single day with this precious family of mine.

We did it!

We did it!  We finished our first year of homeschool.  We actually finished about three weeks ago but we have already been having summer FUN and I didn't get a chance to post.

This year was our year to work out the kinks.  We figured out what worked and what didn't.  We tried different ways to just about everything and I think we've finally got it all worked out.  

We all loved it so much and are excited for next year!

There is something fullfilling about seeing at the first of the year the LOADS of work and getting every single thing DONE.  Ayden had a lot of work this year.  Third grade has been the most challenging so far.  There is more work and it all gets just a little bit harder.  Ayden did amazing.  She made A's every single 6 weeks and her reading is out of this world good!  She amazes me and I couldn't be more proud of how hard she worked this year.  

On to 4th grade my sweet girl!  I can't wait!

 

 Ryan flew through 1st grade with flying colors!  He's a lot like me in the fact that if we've got something to get done, we get it DONE!  He also made A's every 6 weeks and would often tell me to give him something harder in Math.  Math is his favorite thing and nearly every single day he would tell me "Momma, I just love numbers!"  I'm so, SO proud of him and can't wait to see how he does in 2nd grade!  

Happy 7th Birthday Ry-Man!

  Today you are seven years old.  Daddy and I can't believe how fast your life is flying by.  It  seems like just yesterday we brought you home from the hospital.  With Ayden only being 18 months old, Daddy and I thought we'd have our hands full.  We were right.  We did have our hands full!  You were so different from your sister from the minute you were born.  We loved you so much then but we love you even more now.  We know everything about you.  We know that you have a freckle on your toe that you think is really cool.  We know that you like to spike up the front of your hair sometimes and sometimes you don't.

We know that the first thing you do when you get home is take of your shoes and socks.  We know that you don't like to sleep on your pillow but have to have a pillow on your bed.  We know that you always go for the banana yogurt first and that Nutella and crackers are your favorite.  We know how much you love macaroni and cheese.  One of these days, maybe now, but one day you'll know that I only make it because I know you like it.  

We know that you love to mix your eggs and sausage together and that you love toast but only if you've got jelly to put on it.

We see you pick Peppa Pig to watch not because you like to watch it but because you love to see Sydney's face light up when you suggest it.  We hear you let Myles pick what he wants to play with first.  We hear you encourage him and we hear you tell him that he's your best friend too.

 We know that you love Ayden.  We see you choose to sit by her on the couch and we see you share the blanket so her feet won't be cold. 

   We know that you love to build things and to help around the house.  

We know you Bubs.  

Watching you change and watching you grow has been one of the greatest joys of our lives. 

 You are our boy.  We have so many hopes for you.  We hope you have the best childhood that we can give.  We hope that someday you grow up, go to college and find someone to love you the way Daddy loves me and I love Daddy.  Our biggest prayer is that you grow and change and mature and learn that God loves you more than us.  We want you to understand that a life without God being first is no life at all.

 We see you getting there.  We see you reading your Bible and asking if it's "church night or Sunday."  We hear your prayers growing stronger and getting more mature.  

We are SO proud of you.

 Never, ever forget how wonderful you are.  Never, ever forget how hard you have to work to get the things you want and most of all never, ever forget how much you are LOVED!

Take me out to the ball game...

T-ball and softball are finally over!

I never knew how much I would enjoy watching my kids play ball.  They are so cute and I love to watch them learn the rules of the game.

Ayden moved up to coach pitch this year.  She did so well!!  She even made a home run!  Her coach was so patient and I loved watching how much her confidence grew toward the end of the season. 

Ryan and Myles were on the same t-ball team this year.  This was Ryan's second year to play and he was so good!  He was ready on the field and he was ready at bat!  He's going to do great next year in coach pitch.

This was Myles's first year to play.  He was about the cutest little baseball player ever.  He did really good and loved going to practice and games with his brother, his best buddy. 

His little determined face.

Rye man was READY!

Look at that stance!

Times like this just remind me of how blessed our family really is.  Every single game my kids had stands full of family cheering them on.  Grandparents, great grandparents, great aunts, aunts and a cousin (Spencer was a trooper).  They will never question just how loved they are!

Until next year!!!