Happy Birthday Beck Garmin!

Well it is birthday season around here and we have yet another birthday to celebrate. Happy third birthday Beck. Beck is definitely the entertainer of the family. He gets in lots of trouble but probably not as much trouble as he should get in because Josh and I baby him way too much. Beck always has a smile and a sparkle in his eye. He loves his big sister. He loves Diego and cars and boats. Of all my children, he is the biggest Daddy's boy. Beck is really tall for his age so people often mistake him for being Gates twin brother. But he is only three. Three sounds so old! Beck loves coke! (Go ahead and gasp. Yes, I give my children cokes even when they're less than a year old. I love them, too.) If you click on this picture and get a closer look, you can see the coke running down his chest. He was so happy and proud of his big boy drink. He is not quite two in this picture.
Two year old in College Station at the Atkinson ranch.
Beck loves Concan. We can't wait to go again next week.
When you ask Beck who's boy he is he rattles off "Momma's boy, Daddy's boy and E-maw's boy" (E-maw is how he says grandma. He loves my mom and asks me daily to go to her house)
He looks so big in this picture. Here, he is almost three.

Brand new Beck in the hospital. Hogan just had to give him a kiss.
Aggie Beck. They are all Aggies for now. Hopefully they will stay that way.
Beck was always happy and fat. His big head didn't seem to bother him a bit.
Eighteen months at David and Sarah Grove's house. He already looked so big.
Sweet boy! We love you!

One of those days!

Today has been one of those days. Josh has been out of town since Monday morning and I am worn out. The kids seemed to be extra grumpy today and everything seemed to go wrong. I couldn't even send the kids outside because now that the rain from "Dolly" is gone, we are left with mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds. The yard man showed up at 7:00 this morning and started mowing which in turn woke all of us up. I understand he likes to get started early to beat the heat but really 7:00 is so early. Then I was getting the snake out to let the kids hold him (no, we did not find the snake I am hoping he found is own way back to the wild, instead my sweet sister got Elisabeth a new one for her birthday since Elisabeth was so sad about the first one being gone) and I was holding him and he pooped on me. It was so yucky! Hogan cried all day because he just can't understand why his birthday is last. I tried to explain to him that he has already had two more birthdays than Beck but he wasn't buying it. I have misplaced my scissors and tape from when I wrapped Elisabeth's presents a couple of days ago. So... I had to wrap Beck's presents with a pair of two inch scissors and a one inch tape dispenser. Terrible! Beck really wanted a golf bag for his little bitty gulf clubs and I can't seem to find one small enough anywhere. I know they make them because I have seen them before. and did I mention I was up at 7:00. Ok now that I have vented I will get glad in the same pants I got mad in and tackle Beck's birthday cake. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided that I could make this: Mine will never be this good, but I will attempt. I'll post pics when I'm finished. I hope it goes better than the rest of my day. I can't believe my baby is going to be THREE! I'll have birthday pics for tomorrow.

Funny Story

I had loaded the kids up in Josh's truck to go out. Gates and Beck were in the back. Gates was trying to help Beck buckle his car seat. Beck was fussing because he didn't want Gates' help. He wanted to do it all by himself. Hogan was going to ride in the middle in the front, but was turned around on his knees coaching Gates as to how to get the car seat buckled. It was kind of crazy with all three of them talking at once and then Beck crying...so I asked Hogan to turn around and mind his own business. Hogan promptly said "Yes mam, but I don't have a business. Isn't that a job?" I cracked up laughing. Hogan thought it was great that whatever he had said made me laugh and he laughed too. He still doesn't get what I meant.

As promised more Elisabeth. Happy Birthday Baby!

Sweet baby about 16 mo. She is sitting on the swing in front of our old house ready for church.
3 yrs. old and a flower girl in Brandon's wedding. She was perfect.
eight months after church at the lake a set her in a fold up chair. She was checking out her shoes.
3 yrs on the city bus. She went with my sister on a home school field trip. She thought she was so big.
5 mo Christmas card pic. (Before the glasses) She got so chubby. I just realized that she looks a lot like some of my baby pictures. I never really thought she looked like me as a baby.
Brand new. 6 lbs. 8 oz. She was the tiniest baby to me. I can't believe she is so BIG.

Happy Birthday Elisabeth Anne!!!

I have tons of pictures to post but the flash drive was giving me grief so I had to go ahead and post these and will add the rest later. I can't believe she is seven. Wow, time has flown. Elisabeth is the sweetest little girl. She is alway helpful (sometimes bossy but mostly helpful) She loves music and singing and dancing (we raising a good 'ol church of christ girl LOL). She takes such good care of her brothers and is so giving. There are so many things that make her so wonderful, but most of all, she loves Jesus. (Age 4)

(First day of Kinder)
(Age 6)

No Electricity

So last night our electricity went out. It got hot while we slept and it was way too quiet. Plus the wind was howling from Dolly. All of this means no sleep. Our fence blew down (it was terrible to begin with Josh had it rigged) and we lost lots of branches from our tree but other than that Dolly was no big deal. OH... and 6-8 inches of rain. So... on with my story. I thought for sure we would have electricity by morning but no. So we went to my moms because she did have electricity and I couldn't cook breakfast. 11:00 still no electricity so we went out to run errands and finalize all the stuff for the BIG sleepover tomorrow night. (What was I thinking) Took Lolly to guitar lessons, got home still no electricity. Our house was HOT and muggy. YUCK! I had to stay home though because there was tons to do. The boys couldn't sleep at nap because they were hot and the house was too quiet. At 2:30 we finally got electricity. It took an hour for the house to cool back down but we are finally cool. It is really hard to care for four kids with no electricity. We take so much for granted. So I am off to bed and really tired. My little girl will be seven tomorrow. I can't believe it! and I have to hit the ground running to make her day very special. Oh one last thing....I still can't find that DARN snake. Don't you think he made his way outside? Surely? Right? Lots of Love.

Dolly Update

A lot of people have been calling or emailing me asking if we're ok and so I thought I'd write a little update of the storm. It really is no more than a rainy cool day. Josh called and said that he heard there were tornadoes spotted and wanted to make sure we knew to get in the closet. We have not seen or heard of any. So we are hanging out at the house. Not a big deal. On a side note, Push-ma-tah-ha (the pet snake) got out in the night while we were sleeping. So there is a snake loose in my house. We have been looking for him but no luck. I am cleaning out three fourths of the kids toys to get ready for birthday season at our house. So hopefully he will turn up during the big clean up today. I sure don't want to smell a dead snake in my house. What makes it worse it that we are going to have 15 little girls spend the night Friday night for Elisabeth's birthday and I don't want one of them to find him and be scared.....

So have a BlEsSeD DaY!!! Thanks for all the concerns and prayers.

Our Weekend at the Lake in Random Order

The lake wears all the kids out. Beck fell asleep on the boat and when we got him out he stayed asleep so we put him in this chair on our deck. He slept there for over an hour with all the kids running around him. He was so tired.
I worried that he would get too hot in his life jacket. But when he woke up he was fine just a little thirsty. We found this snake that Elisabeth made friends with and insisted we bring home. So we now have a pet snake named "push-ma-tah-ha". (that was Josh's grandpa's Indian name)
I went to pets mart and got it an aquarium and all the fixens. We will see how long we can keep it alive. I also bought him some live menoes to eat. He has yet to eat one. Don't worry he is just a small grass snake. Very harmless. I THINK! :)
Beck has on his head lamp so he can hunt for frogs. This is their favorite thing to do in the evening.

I found this locust. Isn't he cool.
I of course I had to include this picture of the sunset. God always makes it a beauty! My dad is riding in on the jet ski. He loves that thing.
We had a big fish fry on Saturday for Hailey's birthday. We had fried everything. Fried potatoes, fried okra, fried onions, fried duck, fried red fish, fried shrimp, and fried cat fish. It was a spread. We topped it off with deviled eggs, coleslaw and homemade ice cream. I think I gained 10 lbs. :)

Grandma. My kids think they belong to her. The ask to go to her house everyday. and on most days I oblige. I am so glad we live near family. It really does take a village to raise children.

So here you have it....our weekend in a nut shell. and boy it was fun. Thanks Holley for letting me use your camera since I forgot mine.

Here comes Dolly

Every summer we watch the weather as they predict where the hurricanes are going to go. We usually have a few close calls but we have yet to board up. My husband never thinks they will come. In fact we have never even gone to buy the boards. Looks like this one is going to be close but thankfully not very strong. and once again Josh says "We don't need to board up." So we will just sit back and watch. Maybe we can throw a hurricane party. Unfortunately I think Josh will be out of town. YIKES! Say a pray for us!

The Good Aggie

Today I was at a stop light with all four of my children in Josh's truck. (He took my car to Austin because it costs us less in gas.) For those of you who don't know, Josh drives a big truck. It is a crew cab and a long bed. It makes me tired when I drive it. I love being bigger than everyone else but it sure is a pain to drive in the city. There are never parking places big enough. So...coming from the other direction is this old timey car. (It was one that was really cool and had been redone but you know it was very heavy) The car had pulled into the intersection and was waiting to turn across the traffic when there was a break. Well apparently his car broke down and he was unable to make his turn so when the light changed, he was blocking traffic. The cars going perpendicular to us began moving and were so rude. They all kept honking and trying to go around him. The guy had since then got out of his car and was desperately trying to push it out of the way. He was a young kid who looked like he was in high school. I felt so bad for him because no one would help him push the car instead people were just honking. The car was obviously extreamly heavy and he couldn't get it to move at all. I debated in my head what to do. I am a scronny little girl but my help would be better than no help. I was just worried about my kids. So when the light changed I made my turn and proceeded to pull over so I could turn into the parking lot and run over and try to help him. As I looked in the rear view mirror I finally saw a man running over to help push. As I watched I noticed he was wearing a maroon shirt. Could it be? Oh yes he was an Aggie. What is this world coming to that we can't even help each other get out of harms way. I was proud to see and Aggie doing the right thing.

Just One More?

I love being pregnant. Well maybe not the first part where I barf for days on end and when I'm not barfing I'm feeling like I could barf any minute, but the rest of it I love.


I love having an infant to hold and nurse.


I love sweet little baby things and just how stinken cute they are.


I know I have days with my four that I just couldn't take on one more thing, but there is still that part of me that would love to have another.


I have really great kids that keep my really busy.


I know that they are all blessings from God. I still have not figured out why God thought I should be blessed so richly but he did. Thank you God!


I don't ever want to be greedy or take on more than I could handle.



I want my life to honor God and does raising five children help me do that?


So is it smart to have just one more? Josh says that if I really want one more that he wants to have it sooner than later. He thinks that four is plenty and definately feels the financial stress of supporting us all (including the private school and my shopping habits, which is a whole nother story). But would have another if I wanted one.


I hate having the decision put on me.:)


Another child would make us for sure have to get a new car (or two).


We have already out grown our house so I don't think that will matter.



But is it wise? with the economy?


Or maybe I am thinking too hard about it and I should just let nature run its course. Oh wait, that is how I got the other four. and Quick!


So...would you if you were me...or if you were you...have just one more?

My Sweet Boy!

When we went to Fort Davis to see Josh's grandparents, Hogan found this stick. Josh used his pawpaws knife to "skin" it. It is really smooth on the outside. Anyway, Hogan has really taken to it. He played with it the whole time we were there and then insisted that we take it home with us. Now that we are home he plays with it all the time and he sleeps with it. Josh went in to tuck the kids in and called me in there to look at Hogan and his stick. It was just to sweet not to share. So here is Hogan sleeping with his stick (although he is probably dreaming about girls).


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I promise I teach my children manners!

Today we were meeting some friends for lunch at McDonalds. We were parked in the parking lot while I finished putting my makeup on. I man pulled up and it looked like the sleeve of his sports coat was hanging out the car door. I thought to my self poor man it is probably really dirty now. So the next thing I know Hogan is jumping up and down saying "That man doesn't have a leg, that man doesn't have a leg!" I look up and it is the man that I thought had his coat sleeve hanging out the door. I soon realize that is was really his empty pant leg. I am so glad we are still in the car with the doors shut and the man did not hear Hogan yelling. So I proceed to tell the children we should pray for that man because it would be really awful to not have a leg. It was probably really hard for that man to normal things that we do and that I was sad for the man etc...The kids agreed and so I finished my makeup and we went in. When inside the store the man is at the front of the line placing his order. We are several people behind him and I see Gates trying to get a closer look. I didn't think much of it because we had just talked about it in the car and I felt that the kids had understood how sad it was etc...The next thing I hear is Gates saying "Hailey that man doesn't have a foot, look Hailey that man doesn't have a foot!" I look up and the man is standing right in front of Gates and saying hi to him and Gates is saying that. I was so embarrassed! He was a sweet old man and was just trying to be nice. I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Hogan headed for trouble

Today we went to a friend's house from church to swim. There were several families there including several teenage girls. On a side note: the teenagers at our church are awesome with our kids and always play with them. They a very pretty, too. While we were there, Hogan had the following conversation with Hailey (an 18 year old who just finished her first year at ACU)

Hogan: "Are you old enough to kiss?"

Hailey : "No, not yet."

Hogan: "When will you be old enough?"

Hailey: "Not for a really long time."

Hogan: "I'm old enough." long pause "Since you can't kiss, will you baptise me?"

Hailey: "I don't think I'm ordained to."

I did not hear this conversation. Instead the young girls mom told me about it over dinner with several other moms that were there. They all had heard the conversation. They did think it was very funny thankfully. I however, am so embarrassed! I told Josh he had to have a long talk with him.

Music to my Ears

Elisabeth has started guitar lessons. She really has come along way in a short time but that clunking around gets old fast. Last night Josh had his guitar out, too. He had her teach him everything she had learned. He's decided that he would learn along side her. Look out Miley and Billy Ray here we come! Ha!

On a side note I thought this was so funny. (Elisabeth loves music and can memorize anything you put to song. She could sing the Aggie war hymn by age two. She often makes up songs and is constantly singing. ) So... a couple of weeks ago I sent Elisabeth to a VBS at a local Babtist church with some friends. They had a great time. On the third day, we had this conversation:

Elisabeth: "Mom can we go to church here Sunday?"

Me: "I don't know we will have to talk to your dad. " I pause as I wonder why she would want to go to church there. Then ask: "Why do you want to go to church here?"

Elisabeth: (In an amazed voice) "Because they have a band!"

It's Raining!

It has rained here for five days straight. I am not complaining a bit because we need the rain so badly. Our grass was thirsty and the lake had gone down several feet in the last couple of months. Sunday night after we got home from the lake I let the kids play in the rain. They had so much fun. They needed a good rinse off from all the dirt that was still on them from the lake. Instant JoY!
(I am kind of embarrassed by all the coup cars and bikes all over the yard. When you have four kids you have to have four of most things or someone is crying. I would much rather the kids play outside so we accommodate)

More pictures from the lake...

Hope you're not sick of seeing all our pictures. I couldn't resist sharing these pictures I took with Holley's camera. Even though there is a huge lake in front of them. Harley and Hogan chose to play in a rubber made filled with water by the water hose.
This is Hogan bringing up the cast net with his big fish. He was so proud.
Check out the green tree frog my dad found in his boat engine compartment. It is very cool!

What a sweet face this little boy has! He is really such a stinker. But we sure love him. (Holley took this picture)
We fly both of these flags from the end of the pier every weekend. We occasionally get a boat load of people go by whooping. WHOOP!
Peek a boo! Gates and Harley see you.
Hogan filling his rubbermaid with the water hose.
Proud fisherman!

So much fun to be had so little summer!

My pictures are once again in random order. We spent the fourth of July weekend at the lake. We all had loads of fun. My brother Brandon and his wife Stephanie came down from Houston. It was good to see them because we don't see them near enough. Andy/Katie Bennett and Kim/Kyle Stringer came up for some fun, too. We had several much needed short rain storms and nobody got hurt. God is so good. By the end of the day Beck is so tired he just falls asleep on who ever will hold him.
Check out this beauty! The sun sets at the lake are always gorgeous. I wish everyone could see them in real life because my camera just doesn't do them justice.

God presented us with this beauty forth of July morning after a brief rain storm. Isn't she pretty. I love to see rainbows. It reminds me that God does keep his promises.
Josh taught Hogan and Elisabeth how to cast the cast net all by themselves. Hogan was able to catch this one all by himself. Isn't she pretty? Too bad she's a carp and not good for eaten. (I don't really know that she's a girl it just sounds good). They spent much of the weekend catching fish for bait. I have some pictures of the big fish Elisabeth caught to come. I didn't have my camera out and borrowed Holley's. As soon as she sends them to me I'll post them.
Check out her big orange lips!
He also caught this cute little craw fish Harley is holding up for us to see.
Josh also taught Hogan how to light fire crackers all by himself. He spent hours lighting black cats. It was so fun for him. I am not sure I am completely comfortable with him lighting fireworks yet but he was having so much fun I just couldn't say no. The fuses were fast so I didn't let him throw them like we were. I think Josh is loving that the kids are getting bigger and can do all that fun stuff by themselves now.

On an another note, we had an awesome fireworks display. My cousin has the lake house next door to us and her daughter's soccer coach came up and bought several thousand dollars worth of fireworks. (I just couldn't light up several thousand dollars in smoke but I am glad there are people out there that can because the rest of us got to enjoy it) Needless to say it was fantastic and lasted for hours.