Summer Fun and McDonalds

While her husband was at camp with Allen, my sister and I had lots of fun last week. One afternoon she came over at let Marymae swim with the kids. They also played in sidewalk chalk and managed to get it all over themselves. We went to McDonald's and let the kids play. There's a new one in Corpus and it has the worst service we have ever had and it's already filthy. I am a little germophobic! or a lot! The kids like it though and so I have to ignore all the terrible thoughts that cross my mind. I am so thankful that we have summer to spend with the kids and not worry about staying up too late or getting homework done. Just having lots of fun.

Doesn't Benjamin have such a cute smile?

Cheer leading Camp

Last week Elisabeth participated in cheer leading camp. They had lots of fun and learned lots of fun games, cheers and jumps. Here she is cheering.
Another cheer. I think she had the skinniest legs there. She is built just like her mother. Josh still calls me chicken legs. Poor thing. :)
These are the girls from Elisabeth's soccer team. They all had tattoos on their faces.
Go pink and blue!!!

God

This weekend we went to the lake. We always have so much fun there and I usually post tons of pictures of the kids having fun playing in the water, mud, with frogs and many other lake like things. One thing we love at the lake is the beautiful sun sets God gives us. It is one of my favorite parts of the lake. This Saturday as I was watching the sunset a storm began to roll in. I took this picture of the gorgeous sunset and not more than five minutes later I was able to take this picture of an awesome storm. It is so magnificent to see such beauty and power all rolled up into five minutes. While we don't always see Gods hand in things like we should at home, he makes it so easy to see him at the lake. I am so thankful that we have such a neat place and that our kids can grow up and see his creation and his power so evident.

CrAzy HaIR DaY!!!

Today was cRaZY hAiR DaY at cheerleading camp for Elisabeth. She requested pink hair with little ponnies. So she got it!
Hogan liked the crazy hair and requested a mohawk like his cousin Allen. So he got it!
His even has a pink stripe thanks to sister. Beck and Gates got pink stripes too but did not want their picture taken. Grumps! It is officially summer around here. We have put on our bathing suits everyday for two weeks. FUN.
PS Elisabeth lost another tooth. She pulled it herself. That make six teeth gone. We will definately need braces! :(

Jelly Anyone?

This morning we woke up at 6:30 to go walk with my sister and her kids. (This is way early but well worth the end result) While we walked we stoped and picked wild mustang grapes that grew along the path. The kids had lots of fun. After we got plenty of grapes and the kids played on the playground a while, we took the grapes to my sisters to make homemade jelly. DeLIcIoUs! (sorry the pictures are so out of order blogger is difficult when uploading lots of pictures ) Oh and sorry for the picture overload I had to document it all.

Boiling the juice with the pectin and the sugar (seven cups of sugar to five cups of fresh grape juice !WOW!) for 1 minute. (This is actually step 3 but pics are out of order)

Pour hot mixture into jars. (This is step 4)

All our jars of JeLLy! Yum Yum!

Gates takes a taste!

Gates found this beauty on our walk.
...and he gave it to me!
This is step one boil all the grapes for ten minutes. Aren't they so pretty? I love to see how God made things just so with such vibrant colors and beauty.
Step two is to strain the juice.
Notice the pretty maroon color. WHOOP!
Elisabeth picking grapes.

Beck picking grapes.
Look mom I got a big one!
Wonder what he is thinking about?
I got a big one, too!
Lots of fun today!

You know you're raising your kid right when....

....you give them big pieces of completely blank paper and paint and they paint this. :)

They decided they were painting this for uncle Stephen. I am not sure is you can read it but the top paper says I heart Aggies not Longhorns. I love that we have brain washed our children to love the Aggies like we do. Are we terrible?

Update: Elisabeth painted the top one and Hogan painted the bottom one. They figured out how to make maroon from the water colors all on their own. Red and Black works everytime.

Did you know where rain comes from?

Elisabeth went to my sisters this afternoon to hang out and she told me sister this story:

Elisabeth: "Sheshe you know where we get storm clouds and rain from?
Shannon: "Where?"
Elisabeth: "It is when little clouds all come together and they get crowded up and start to fight. Then one of them gets hurt and starts to cry. And that's where we get rain."

I was completely unaware that that is where rain came from.

Happy Fathers Day!

I found this picture of Josh asleep on the couch with all the kids and it reminded of what an awesome daddy Josh is. (Sorry this picture is so small not sure what the problem is) I had been out on a girls night out and I came home to find this. Josh with two of them laying on him and the other two on the floor by him. They had been up watching movies and all fallen asleep. Josh is always so good about playing with the kids and showing them how to do things. I on the other hand just do it for them real quick because it is easier and faster. Josh is such a hard worker and provides so much for our family. He can be so patient even when there is four of them all asking for something at once. I feel so blessed to have such a sweet husband and father to my children. I am so glad that we have a special day to honor our men and thank them for all the wonderful things they do.

Budding Photographer

I had to crack up when I found these pictures in Lolly's camera. Apparently the blue blanket is supposed to be the water. She made a fish out of paper plates and it is in the water. Then she had the little boys (Hogan knows better than to sit there and do what she says anymore) pose for pictures. They are wearing a fishing hat and have a homemade fishing pole (The pole is made out of a ruler and she really did catch 2 T*W*O fish with it last week. Josh and I can't believe it. It is really a paint stirer that she colored and fishing line with a hook) I must make them pose for way too many pictures. Ok so maybe I am the only one that thinks this is histerical but for those of you who have a since of humor EnJoY!!

The Bank

I took the kids to the bank today to open up savings accounts. SuMmEr is here and the kids are quick to tell me they are board so..... they have been getting chores. Needless to say they tell me they are board a lot less often. I actually think that because we are always so busy, that if we have one day where we stay at the house and accomplish things that they think they are board. Ahhhh....I can't win.
I thought it would be fun if we had chore charts and savings accounts and tithe envelopes (Josh hates me to use that word. He says "Babe we're not Baptists." I on the other hand think it is a great word). Ok a brief sound off. I am NeVeR this organized. In fact, this may only last a week. But I am giving it a shot. So we went down to the bank with our piggy banks and opened up accounts. The lady at the bank was really nice and they all got new piggy banks, a ruler, a pencil and a lolly pop. Of course I had to document the whole 1 1/2 hour (and yes it did take that long. Ahhh....again. Way too long for four little kids to be quiet and good. However, it was ok) event on camera so here are the pics.

All the kids standing outside the bank with their piggy banks. Little did they know they were about to be trapped inside for 1 1/2 hours.

All the kids and the lady who set up all the accounts. She was very friendly.
and of course it wouldn't be a bank trip with out a lolly pop in the car on the way home. Please disregard the fact that the two middle boys are not in car seats. Josh took my car out of town to save on gas since it is so high and there is not enough room for all the car seats in the back seat of his truck. But yes they do usually all wear car seats.

Water, water everywhere your gonna get wet!

Doesn't this place look fun?!?! We had the best time today at the Aquatic Center. This is just one of the three pools they have. My sister, Shannon, and her kids met us there and so did some of our friends from church. All the kids had tons of fun and wore themselves completely out. They all have slightly pink cheecks that will be totally tan by tomorrow because they all got Josh's super awesome skin. This is the second pool of three. It has three large water sldes and a volleyball net.
Gates and Marymae had a great time one the baby slide.
The older kids love to entertain baby benjamin. Beck popped up from underneath the water just as I snapped this picture.
Here is Elisabeth doing a one legged cannon ball. She was so brave and jumped off the super high dive several times. I was so proud because I think that thing is scary myself.

"Fore!" There's Four

Lately we have been taking the kids to the driving range in the evening. It has been ReAllY pReTTy here and the heat isn't so bad then. The kids love it! Josh is awesome at teaching the kids, too. (When I see how good he is with the kids I can't help but thank God immediately because there are so many dads out there that just don't care.)



We starting buying little clubs for Hogan when he was two. He has grown so much that it was time to get him some bigger ones. So Josh took him to pick out some new ones. The little clubs are now perfect for Gates and Beck. Elisabeth uses some of Hogan's clubs and some that my dad picked up for them at a garage sale. Needless to say, there are plenty of clubs to go around and the lady at the driving range gives us a free bucket when we buy a bucket since we bring all the kids. So NiCE! She says that when she gives it comes around ten times.



When I told Josh that Beck was going to be a boy he said "I only have to pay for one wedding and I have a foursome for golf." However, it looks like Elisabeth will play golf too. Can you have a Fivesome?



I brought my camera out last night to document the fun.....eNjOY!.... Hogan with his new driver. That is his FaVoRItE club.
Ok in the grand scheme of things, do you think it is so bad to teach the kids to hit the balls at the TrActOr when it is collecting all the balls. It just makes them better right? Bad 'ol Daddy.

All the kids lined up for fun. Elisabeth is playing in a dress. So typical.
Getting started. Here we go!
Daddy showing Elisabeth the way to swing it right.
Beck is teeing up his ball.
Gates poses for a pic. The kids have all already improved since the first time we went out there. it is amazing how qUicKlY they learn.