The Baby

Yesterday, Beck got in "BIG" trouble (that doesn't say much because he is Rotten with a capital R). I made him sit on the brown door mat that leads out our back door. When I went to let him out, he looked like this.Sweet little angel with his hands under his cheek.
I forget that he can't make through the day like the other kids.
As big as he looks. He is just three and just a baby. A sweet little baby in a BIG GIANT body.
For those of you who haven't seen him in person, he is as big as Gates our five year old.



We went back to the beach this weekend. There is always so much fun to be had. We stayed until way too late and then realized that Josh had left the keys turned in the truck and the battery was dead. The beach quickly became not so fun. It took two cars to jump my big 'ole truck. But we did get it started and home we went.

Beck spent a lot of his time fishing. He still hasn't caught a fish but oh how he tries. Here is a picture of him and mom.

Such precious memories.

...more beach fun

...because that is ALL we ever do around here! LOL

We have been having a little too much fun at the beach lately.

Holley took these pictures last weekend....and I just had to share.

Cartwheels over the dunes....Life is good!

We stayed at the beach until 9:00pm. The kids were having way too much fun dune jumping in the dark. Check out that magnificent evening sky. God amazes me every day.
Henley and Lolly are the best of friends.

I love how Lolly looks like she's flying through the air with such ease.

If I did this, I would be so sore the next day!

...and since I never make the 'ole blog. Here you go.

I don't really like pictures of myself so don't expect anymore for a while. :)

I just can't get enough...I just can't get enough

Stephen and Brianne came down for a visit and while they were here we went to the BEACH. (AGAIN) It seems like we just can't get enough of that place lately. When the kids were really little I hated that place but lately I L*O*V*E it. Stephen brought sweet Alice. She is such a sweet dog. My children LOVE her.

While we were there, we ate and drank all the nastey stuff we usually don't get to.

We found cool sea creatures.
Like this live sand dollar.

The kids played HARD!

Elisabeth got to play with her sweet cousin Henley! Beck let this little hermit crab crawl on his hand.

Mommy let these two hermit crabs crawl on her hand.

Hogan built sand castles and such.

...and we're going back SATURDAY. There's too much fun to be had. We gotta soak it all in!

Wordless Wednesday

Summer is Here!!

I am so excited that summer is finally here. These last few months of school have been so busy and this momma was ready for some down time. This weekend we took the opportunity to do just that. My family got together for a crawfish boil at my brother's house. Doesn't this spread look delicious. Crawfish, shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, potatos, onions and mushrooms. YUM!!! This is a look in the cooler before we boiled those little suckers. This one was showing his stuff.
Hogan officially finished kindergarden Friday. For his kinder graduation he got a new big boy fishing pole. He was able to take it out and fish while we were there. I can't believe he is already so big.

He mastered the new pole like a champ.

Gates caught a stonefish. He was not sure about it and stayed far away from it once he reeled it in. Stonefish are very poisonous if you get poked by one so it was probably good he stayed back.

This was his happy face after he reeled it in. He didn't care how ugly it was.

Ugly fish but fascinating. Once again, I am in love with Gods creativity.

Hogan had to kiss his first catch. What cracks me up about this picture is that earlier that day they (my four children; they call themselves the Leftwich four) had formed a band and Elisabeth drew earings on him with a marker. If you look carefully you can see that they are still there. He had a mohawk and the word ROCK written on his forehead but I made him clean it off before went out. He must have missed the earings. He was small but Hogan was so happy.

In this case, size doesn't matter.

The littlest fisherman trying so hard. He wanted to catch a fish so bad. He even baited his own hooks.

The BIG fisherman. Hogan fished the longest and got the most fish of the night. He caught three. He was such a big boy with his new fishing pole.

To Eat Out or to Eat In.......

I love to eat out....I know I know it is so bad for us...but I don't care. I just really love to eat out. There are so many things that make it GREAT. Like the fact that when one of my four children ask me for more to drink, I don't have to stop eating and get up and get it we just ask the wait person to bring us more. Not to mention the fact that there is no mess to clean up. No dishes to wash, no floor to sweep. Ah....so nice. However, the practical person in me knows we need to be better. It costs us tons of money and it is such a big waste. So I'm turning over a new leaf....Instead of eating out 60% of the time, I am aiming for 10% of the time. It is much healthier for us and will save us so much money. It will be a hard habbit to break but here it goes. I am turning over a new leaf....So my friends....if you see us out to eat next week, shake your finger at me and remind me of my new leaf.

If the first time I posted about this wasn't enough....

to convince you to take your little girl...Then maybe these will help.

While we were in Dallas for Josh's pawpaw's funeral, we made a quick trip back to the American Girl store with our cousin Shelby. I couldn't help but want to go back after our last experience. and I am afraid Elisabeth is going to not want to play with dolls anymore really soon. She turns eight this summer.

So....here are the girls walking up to the store together. In true Shelby fasion, she was a little unsure about this new adventure.

Elisabeth began showing her what was inside this store....
...Here we go!

"Look Shelby....dresses just for Ellie!"

The trip wouldn't have been complete with out a trip to the bueaty shop. Kit got her hair done with a ribbon.

Ellie got a spa treatment (ie a good old wipe down) and a ribbon in her hair.

Here are the girls at the table waiting for their food.

Ellie in her high chair ready to eat. Kit in her high chair ready to eat.

The food there is delicious!
These happy faces are enjoying ice cream sundays. Oh yeah!

Shelby had to stop and change Ellie's diaper with her new diaper changing stuff.

Elisabeth got a bag for Kit to go in and Kit got a bag just like it for mini Kit to go in. Yeah a little much. This store knows just how to appeal to these little girls.

We all had a great time. If you were thinking about going anytime, I would highly recommend it! I think ages three in up would have a blast!

P.S. I did like it better when we went during the week because it was less crowded.