Life with my sister

I need a camera. I seriously need a camera. I have three pictures of birthday week. Three. And none of them are of Anna. I need a camera. We leave for Disney World (is that supposed to be one word? I don't know) in 18 days. I need a camera. I'm sure you're saying "go get one!" But you know my history with cameras, right? I have broken my last three cameras. The first one I allowed my kindergarten son to use and instead of pushing the button to take the picture he was pushing the power button. After about 15 minutes of that, the camera shut down, never to open up again. I was sad, it was my favorite camera I've ever had. The second one, I broke. The battery compartment door broke off. When the compartment door is off the batteries don't stay in. This is a huge problem. The third one I had less than a month. I allowed Anna to take a picture with it while we were on vacation. She was taking a picture of a cat, a man came around and said "BOO", scar

Henry started eating food this week! Green beans were his introduction to the world of food. Carrots were second and I think he is in love! He took to them totally different than the beans. I was laughing at him as he aimed for the spoon with his little head. He is his mother's child. I adored carrots when I was a little girl. My Granny (great-grandmother) always cooked them for me. Last night I smiled thinking about her sitting with the multitude of cousins and laughing at us from heaven. I know she loved watching Henry suck down those carrots. By the way, one time when I was in college I ate a whole bag of carrots in one day and turned orange. A little useless information to put in your pipe. Abby

My man loves to play in the dirt and he loves to be outside. He is blessed that he gets to make money doing what brings him great pleasure. Many of you have asked me what he does and I give you a round about answer. I am hoping this post will better explain it. He does not just play in the dirt, nor is he a field hand. He is a super smart guy who has a big job to do. This is what my house looks like right now. Randall says I make it sound worse than it is. The thing is, I live on a dead end street in town, so it is a little much to have all this research and planting equipment in my yard. I laugh about it, but I am sure the neighbors are not laughing so much. He has a storage unit he keeps it stored in but for some reason it is in my yard today. Oh well, it supports me. Meet Dan. He is the Answer Plot Man. He is a doll that has all the tools that an Answer Plot man needs to do his job. Randall bought this boxed doll for Henry. It is a mini Daddy and it explains what Daddy does. The A

Henry got to see his Marmie at Juju's house. We went to celebrate 3 birthdays. Henry went to his first birthday party too! Juju was so excited to see Henry. These two are quite the pair. Uncle Stephen is quite smitten with our boy too. Anna celebrated her 6 th birthday. This is possibly the saddest looking cake I have ever made, but she was super excited about it and that is all that really matters I reckon. David & Daniel turned 9 and had a Game Day party. I purchased their cookie cakes this year. A baseball and a basketball. They think I made them. I had Kroger leave the store stickers off of the trays. I am crafty like that. Julie and I have agreed to lie to the kids in order to make us look good and " auntly " no matter what. Having them think we are super women is just too cool and there is really no need to burst their little bubbles. The boys came up with the idea that the boy with the most cookie cake left got a whip cream pie in his face. David lost a

The streamers are in the trash, the balloons are floating low to the ground, the gift bags are put up and the wrapping paper is thrown away. Our visitors have left, and toys have made their way to their homes in our house. Things are getting back in order. We still have one birthday cake left to finish. Four birthday cakes in four days is a lot of cake! But I wouldn't trade having birthday week for anything. I like the excitement, busyness, and mess of it all. And then I like to relax from birthday week. I think next year we should plan a beach trip for the week after. That sounds like something I could go for! My mom, Abby and Henry came for the weekend. It was such fun getting to be together with them. David and Daniel had a birthday party Friday night. We had originally planned a bonfire in our yard but it rained. So we switched gears and moved the party to the gym at the church. Everyone had a great time and I didn't have a mess at my house. Well, except for the mess that w

3rd Birthday 4th Birthday 5th Birthday Anna, Today you are six. Today you don't have to ride in a car seat anymore. I think you probably will because you like sitting up higher and being able to see out the window. Today it takes you two hands to show people how old you are. Today you get to wear your birthday tiara and your "Birthday Girl" shirt all day. You will also get to wear the sombrero at the mexican restaurant. That will probably not make you happy, but you may surprise us and laugh through the whole song. Today you are six. Six. Wow. You are finishing kindergarten. You havehad a good first year of school. Next year will be better, I promise! You are so funny. And cute. And sweet. You have really come out of your shell. You aren't near as shy as you used to be. You start conversations with people and speak when spoken to. Prayers have been answered. You are a delight. Your daddy and I love you so much we can hardly stand it at times. You make us laugh and

I may have the cutest baby on the planet! I heard this from the bed last night and thought a cat in severe pain had somehow gotten in the house. I got up and found my baby boy in his bed talking away. I hate to tell his Daddy this, but I fear he is going to be loud like his Mama. I love how he lifts his hands up to me as though I might want a chew or two on them too. So gross, those wet hands of his. He is a mess! Abby

Recently Abby and I have had occasion to share a laundry tip with dad. Our dad is quite particular about his clothes. He likes certain brands and certain looks and will not be bothered with anything that isn't what he deems "cool." He really does have good taste in clothing, and hardly ever embarrasses us by what he wears. There are a couple of pictures that remind us of times when he wasn't looking his "coolest", but since I don't have a scanner or the time to hunt for the picture you won't ever have to know how bad it really was. Abby told him how I bleach a small spot on a large item. I get a q-tip dip it in bleach and just spot-bleach the stain. Most of our clothes can't be bleached because of the other colors on them, and I always have chlorine bleach on hand, so that is how I get the coke, mustard, and other odd stains out of clothes. Well, daddy apparently scrubbed his shirt with the q-tip and made a hole in it. Only daddy. I have never

Instead of going to bed like a good boy, Henry did this for about a half hour last night. He makes me laugh. I love it. Abby

Luke is here! He is most precious. I cannot wait to see him in person. Abby

My BFF is at the hospital in my home town getting ready to have her 3rd and final boy. We are so excited about Henry and Luke being so close in age. Drew and Grant are going to be precious big brothers to Luke. Please pray for Melissa tonight as she labors to deliver this sweet boy. She is a strong gal and a fabulous mother. I know Luke is anxious to finally see her pretty face...I do love that pretty face of hers. Abby

I don't know what today holds for me. But yesterday was such fun, that today might not be able to top it! Stephen and I went to a funeral yesterday morning. The lady that died had a son that used to attend our current church and had a son that attended one of our former churches. We went to the funeral and not only got to see her children and families but also friends from our former church. It was so good to visit with people we enjoyed spending time with a few years ago. I say a few years ago, we moved from there when Samuel was 2, he's 12 now. So, its really been a while. Stephen and I went to lunch, just the two of us. It was nice to be together for such a long time during the day. There is so much more to do and see in the daytime. I think I'm going to start requesting that "date night" actually happen in the day time! The kids did school outside, even though the wind and the pollen were flying all around us. None of us looked yellow from the pollen, but all

While sitting eating breakfast this morning. Anna was having to watch ESPN because Samuel had the remote control. Texas was playing baseball and all the sudden Anna says (in her cute little 5 year old voice. I think she still sounds a bit young for her age because she doesn't go to "big" school) "what is a right-handed batter?" Poor thing, I can't believe she doesn't know the answer to that question. I'm sure her brother, her daddy, and her grandaddy will make sure she knows soon! I know, I posted a picture. I can't believe it either. This was taken before Daniel ripped his pants as we were about to walk out the door for church. Thankfully, he had a pair of clean jeans. Julie

I have loaded all our Easter photos for you to see. Henry did Easter up big. We had so much fun telling him about Jesus, singing Easter songs over the past few weeks, and having the Easter Bunny bring him treats. Last year we were just finding out that Henry was in my belly . So funny to see how fast life can change in a year's time. Henry went to see the Easter Bunny for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It was funny how unaware he was...it will never be that way again, I know. Henry dressed up for Easter to go to daycare, as usual. He is always decked out for the holidays! Henry had an Easter tree in his room...so cute. Henry dyed eggs for the first time. I remember doing the eggs alone last year and smiling thinking about my wee little baby in my belly sitting in a Bumbo seat helping me dye eggs in 2010 and it came to fruition...yay! Daddy telling Henry to revolt, cry, scream because Mama is a dork! Henry seeing and touching an egg for the first time. Our family on

My baby boy is 4 months old! He is such a happy baby. He knows what he wants and is not afraid to let us know about it. He babbles all the time. He loves to stand up and bounce. He likes to suck on his hands, take baths and play in the floor with his Daddy. He has discovered so much this past month. He helps hold his bottle and he likes to grasp things all the time. Henry started a new daycare...the daycare of choice! We are so excited the wait is over and he is now attending such a wonderful place. It is such a sweet place for him to be. I feel so blessed to have him there. Henry is a little weed...a cute little weed! I have included the past 3 months....so funny. I loved this outfit on him. It is now packed away. I thought he was so big at the time. He looks formula drunk...poor thing! Happy 4 months, Henry Patton! Abby