Hunter's Pre School Graduation

If I was an emotional person, I definitely might have shed a tear or two over Hunter's precious graduation today. He looked like such a little man. I realized how tall he is when standing up next to his classmates. They had the tallest ones in the middle and he was dead center. Can you believe he starts Kindergarten next year... I cant!

The program started with the 2/3 year old class singing... Ashton was quite serious during his performance.


The 3/4 year olds then did there stuff.

Then it was time for the preschoolers.

During the processional.... so sweet

The bells.

The singing.

Receiving his "diploma"

Here is my preschool graduate.

Group Shot- Grandma, Uncle Nolan, and Queenie were able to attend.

Family Shot

Hunter- I am so proud of you! Congratulations sweetie!

*** I uploaded a bunch of the videos if you want to watch them. Just click this link!
Remember, my video site is private, if you want to view them then I need you to give me your email address so I can "invite" you to look.

Shepherd's 18 month stats

Shep had his well baby/ child check up today.

He has totally figured out the doctor thing. The minute he saw the nurse, from the waiting room, he went from laughing to crying. He cried the minute the doctor got into the room until the doctor was finished touching him. He was quite dramatic about the whole visit. Ironically, getting the shots was the least amount of crying he did. Go figure!

Anyway, he looks good.

Weight: 25.12 (71%)
Height: 34.25" (97%)

He is seriously growing up so fast. I guess having two older brothers plus he seems to pick up on things fairly quickly leads to an 18 month old who acts much older.

I love him to pieces- though he is starting to get quite demanding and his little temper flairs up a couple times a day... but he still makes me laugh... a lot!

Hunter's Last T-ball Game

Today was the end to Hunter's 2nd T-ball Season. He has really improved this season since they allow the kids to play without the "T". He hit the ball on first pitch his first time up at bat. His second time up, they gave him like 6 pitches and he finally hit. :) Click here for the video of him hitting the second time.

Hunter's 1st at bat... line drive to 3rd base

Aunt Joan, Julie, and Grandma were able to come to the game and Shep and Ashton were very well behaved as they had lunch to keep them busy.

Ashton cheesin' it up- look at how red his little face is

Today was also Easley's Green and White Scrimmage/ Spring Game. And boy was it a hot day for these activities. We all got a bit crispy, not burnt but red.

Shepherd's arms show what the sun did to us from 11 to 1! Pretty crazy!

We are now moving into a "relaxing" schedule. Spring football is over and hopefully Chad will be home before 5 for the next couple weeks, Hunter only has 3 more days of pre-school, swim lessons begin in a couple weeks, and summer feels like it is definitely starting to make an appearance.

Eucharisteo Part 12

316- Gaps in baby teeth

317- Getting the mail with no bills

318- Hearing the sound of trains of wood floors

319- The smell of honeysuckles from my back door

320- buttery saltiness of Ritz crackers

321- Finding a few forgotten dollars in my pocket

322- A good cup of coffee

323- Reading the Bible per Hunter's request

324- Hunter hi the ball without the "T" at his game

325- Molly's pink collar- the only pink in the house

326- An amazing mom

327- Girls night out with my mom

328- Showing the boys proper form for rolling down a hill

329- No ear infection

330- Boys and neighborhood friends

331- Again, the amazeness of hot glue

332- Hearing Shep sing Deep and Wide

333- Pretty handwriting

334- Ashton giving more kisses

335- Putting the last child to bed

336- Tacky plastic pools

337- Good cheeseburger

338- Shepherd's ever expanding vocab

339- No more fever

340- Hunter sounding out words

341- Cousin Owen's new haircut

342- mouth pains subsiding for dad... one less tooth

343- A brother who goes on field trips with his nephews

344- Sprinkler fun

345- Ant killer!

346- Mississippi corn bread with a glob of butter

347- 8 to 1 taio on kid to adult plates when unloading the dishwasher

348- Church cookouts

349- Cool rainy days

350- Ashton proving that practice does make perfect, even when working on puzzles

351- Butterfly bush tripling in size, can now see from bathroom window

352- Piles of shoes by the door

353- Warm brownies with ice cream

354- Old toys rediscovered

355- Good sales on a solo Saturday

356- Brothers riding Power Wheels together

357- The last few cool days of spring

358- GrandpaGordie's birthday

359- Pre-k field day

360- Surprisingly good supper

361- Reading while basking in the sun

362- Cousin's wedding plans put into motion

363- Friends selling home

364- First watermelon the season :)

Happy Birthday Day GrandpaGordie!!!

The songster of the family! GrandpaGordie is always up for a song!

GrandpaGordie! I posted your Happy Birthday video on the video site.... click here to view it.

(GrandmaDean, you will have to create a google account to view, but you can use your bellsouth email address to create it. You will notice that you have an email inviting you to view my video site, so just follow the links and you should be able to view... let me know if you have troubles with it.)

Anyway, GrandpaGordie... you are the best and we love you so much!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Shepherd... already 18 months?!?!

Picture from today

It is hard to believe that you are as close to 3 as you are to your birth! These past 18 months have been a whirlwind. You are such an essential part to this family.

Taken last Wednesday

I think my favorite thing about your personality is your humor. I think you are going to be the clown of the group.

Some funny things that you have started doing is rolling your eyes at people…. It is really more of closing your eyes really tight for a second, but you do this when people ask how you are doing or when I get on to you for something. You also love to sing. Your current favorite is “Deep and Wide” (click on the link to hear Shepherd singing - please ignore my voice--- and read the note at the bottom about how to view my videos)

You LOVE some Sesame Street. You could look at Sesame Street books for a long time. You know most of the character names and can point to the right ones when I name them.

You have the most mischievous little smile.

Without a doubt your favorite person is mommy.... in fact, your favorite word is also mommy. Now, mind you, it is not a sweet sounding mommy, but more of momEEEEEEE. I probably get to hear you say it at least 100 times a day.

You love your brothers and call them by name. You are starting to figure out how to press their buttons. You have bit Ashton on numerous occassions and bit another little boy in your Sunday School class this past Sunday. Though your biting is not unprovoked, we are still trying to learn that biting is not how we handle conflicts! Your vocabulary is quite impressive. Yesterday, we were outside and you came up to me and said “Juice / Eat” and ran to the door ready for your snack. Speaking of snacks, you are a great eater. If you are hungry, you will eat whatever I put in front of you. You really love fruit and anything sweet. As of now, bread is not your favorite delicacy and you don't really care for pancakes (which is so weird to me). However you love real man food... meat, potatoes, spaghetti, lasagna, hot dogs, etc. Hopefully we can keep your good eating habits up!

You are the best surprise of my life and I can’t imagine my life without you in it!

Happy 18 month birthday Sheppy,

I love you more and more everyday,
MomEEEEEE


*** As I have stated before, I cant get my video function to work on this blog anymore. So, I just created a new blog that I will use solely for videos. I think I am going to make it private so if you want access I will have to add you using your email address, let me know if you want me to add you to the elite list. You can use any email address to create your google account. :)
I am also thinking about making this blog private too... we shall see.

How Much Do I Love My Kids?

I love them enough to

... spend $30 on a inflatable pool when I only have $80 left until the end of the week

... spend an hour blowing up this monster 10 foot by 5 foot pool by mouth when the directions clearly state that it is best to have 2 adults and an air pump.

... allow this pool a spot to reside in my backyard and therefore killing my grass

... put up with all the water and grass that little feet will inevitably bring into the house with a water source right out the back door

However, they love it and it gives me an excuse to put my bathing suit top on and play with them. Only got a couple pictures in fear of water damage to the camera!



On a side note, Shep is on antibiotics for his sinus mess. He napped during the major "pool" fun. Hopefully he will be back to his ol' self in the next couple days!

Mother's Day and Other

Just a warning, this is post should probably be like 4 different posts... lots of random information that does not flow from one point to the next.

Not much to report as far as Mother's Day 2011. Chad has been so busy that Mother's Day was an afterthought (though he did have his dad deliver 7 bales of pine needles for me... and believe it or not, that made me happy.)
Edit- My sweet, sweet brother Nolan got me a beautiful flower and a sweet card... thanks Noshie!

And while I am on Mother's Day, let me just mention how blessed I am. At church today, the teaching was on 2 Tim 1:3-5 which is when Paul is talking to Timothy. Paul tells Timothy that he knows that Timothy has the faith by the teachings instilled by Timothy's grandmother (Lois) and his mother (Eunice). I started to think about my mom and my GrandmaDean and I realized that the same could be said of me. I have been surrounded and saturated with the faith and for that I am sooo thankful. I am also thankful that I am now able to do the same with my boys. So, thank you mom and GrandmaDean!

Here are the mother's day gifts we made for the moms, grandmas, and the teacher appreciation gifts.

Teacher gifts

Mom/ Grandma Gifts


Yesterday, my mom and Nolan took Ashton to Gastonia for the day to visit with my grandparents. Hunter had a t-ball game so we couldnt go. Ashton had a great time and really enjoyed being the center of attention for the day.
Turns out that I was glad that he went as Shep started running a fever yesterday afternoon that he still has as of now... he actually fell asleep between my legs at Hunter's game. He has been whimpering in his crib since I put him down 2 hours ago.... looks like a doctor's appt may be in our future tomorrow.
Just a side note, going to the doctor with all 3 of my children has to be one of my least favorite activities... blah. Anyway, guessing that he has yet another ear infection. :( Hunter has been coughing up a lung today as well. So, despite staying relatively healthy this winter, the month of May has been quite unkind to us.

Here are some picture from the last week.

A couple from Hunter's games



We pulled the sprinkler out this afternoon. They had a ball (well Shep tried but he started whining early, so we came back inside). Even Chad got in on the action.

My little stair steps

They both liked the crotch shot a bit too much :/

So though it was not a Mother's Day to write home about, it was my life and for that reason, it was perfect.

And now, here we go on another 100 hour work week for Chad. Someone please tell me why he loves it so much?

Happy Mother's Day!

All's Grace

Muffins for Mom

Hunter and Ashton's "pre-school" had a mini program for Mother's Day this morning.

I left thanking God for my precious, well-behaved children. Wow, some kids are quite... something.

We had a muffin breakfast, the kids sang two songs, and then the moms got to see our gifts.




Again, wish my video worked on here.

This series of pictures will probably make you glad that my video doesn't work on blogger.

One girl started screaming and pitching a royal fit before it even started. Hunter tells me that she cries all the time. She is in the top right corner.


This caused a girl on the row down to start crying (white shirt and white bow)


Which in turned caused the little boy on the bottom row to start crying.


Whew, it was quite interesting. I know it is hard to speculate on what I would do if that were my child, but... I would yank them up and we would have a true come to Jesus meeting.

Anyway, my presents from the boys were precious.

Hunter made me an apron, a keepsake placemat, and funny "recipe book."

Basically the teacher asked each child what was there favorite thing to eat for dinner. Here is a picture of Hunter's. I can just hear his voice in this. The other kids kind of made up how to do it, not Hunter.


Ashton made me keepsake placemat, gave me a potted flower, a wisk with Hershey kisses, a card, and teabag thing that made me laugh.
This is what made me laugh- it is not the typical corny Mother's Day saying. :)

It was really sweet. I love my fellas!

Grace

Sunday night, mom and I went to hear Laura Story sing in a mini concert in G-ville. We were able to hear her last year when she came to Clemson. It was such a great time with mom and listening to Laura Story not only sing and play but talk about her life and our Lord. If you ever have the chance to hear her in person, GO, you will laugh and probably cry listening to her testimony.


In case you don't know, Laura Story sings "Indescribable", "Mighty to Save", and her new song "Blessings". If you listen to Christian radio at all, you have probably heard one or all of these songs.

Anyway, during her song "Grace", I really felt God speaking to me that His grace is sufficient, His grace is everywhere, His grace is in everything. As she was singing, my mind wondered then to Eucharisteo and my list of things I am thankful for and how each of those gifts are examples of his abundant grace. If you have forgotten about my list, here is the link to where it started.

Instead of signing her letters, with Love or In Him, the author of "One Thousand Gifts" (Ann Voscampe), signs her letters with "All's Grace." I find that so appropriate and encouraging (I have often started signing off with this as well) because isn't everything that He gives an example of his abundant grace. Even the things that are hard, grace can be seen. Praise the Lord that All is in fact grace.

I would encourage you to start looking for His grace in the unusual places, even the hard places because it is there that you will see Him. I know since I started my Eucharisteo list, which is essentially naming the things that God has given me that I am thankful for (aka- grace) that my eyes have seriously be opened where I see His grace everywhere.

For example, when I step on a toy train and I want to scream "pick up your toys", I try to instead thank God for that little train that brings joy to the boys.
When I am about to lose my cool with the boys, I try to instead thank God for those blue eyes looking back at me.
When I am so sick of picking up the same messes over and over and over again, I try to thank God that I have messes to pick up.
When I want just a little bit more of something, I thank God that we are surviving on one teacher's salary and a coaching supplement.
Ya'll, GRACE. What an awesome gift!

Anyway, here are the lyrics to "Grace" and the music for it.

GRACE
My heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused.
I see the things You do through me as great things I have done. And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me and hold me as my father and mold me as my maker.

Chorus:
I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?"
And you answer: " My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face, You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."

At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged, knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job. For who am I to serve You?I know I don't deserve You. And that's the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on.

Chorus*
I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abounds?"
And you answer: " My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face, You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."
You are so patient with me, Lord.

As I walk with You, I'm learning what Your grace really means. The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary. So, instead of trying to repay You, I'm learning to simply obey You
by giving up my life to you For all that You've given to me.

Chorus:
I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abounds?"
And you answer: " My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face, You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."

Thank you mom for our fun night out. I love you!

Remember no matter what kind of day you have,

All's Grace,