Summertime...

Let's play a game!!!  Since I've been a blogger, can you guess how many times I've used a song title as my post title???????? *answer at end of post*

Summertime and the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma is good-lookin'
So hush, little baby; don't you cry

One of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing
And you'll spread your wings and you'll take to the sky
But till that morning, there ain't nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mammy standin' by

One of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing
And you'll spread your wings and you'll take to the sky
But till that morning, there ain't nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mammy standin' by

 

To answer the question posed at the beginning of the post....... I have no idea, but I can tell you it's been a lot!  Did you really think I was going to count?....not gonna lie, it crossed my mind.  "Does that make me crazy?  Probably."  (If you just sang that quote then you and I are on the same wavelength!)

life-n-pics

I came up with a title to these random "phone pic" posts.  Remember, I hate PICTURE DUMP?   LIFE-N-PICS sounds better so, LIFE-N-PICS it is!

interesting play on words

I died laughing when I spotted this salon in Tyler

the girls @ the Tomato Festival

Edy loves Songic!  Especially a watermelon sprite.

eating.my.words.

Y'all ready for this...?????

This is me....EATING MY WORDS.

I swore up and down that I would NEVER...ever... ever... drive a mini-van.  And...here I am...embracing it! :)

For about a year, we have been weighing the options (suv/minivan), checking prices, contemplating, etc.  At the beginning of the week, I found a deal that we just couldn't pass up, so I called to check it out.  Next thing I know, I'm headed down to Livingston, TX to do some negotiating--that I did.  I'm confident that I got a bargain of a deal so I'm okay with saying,  I'm the proud owner of a new-to-me Honda Odyssey!   We have been so extremely pleased with our Accord (knock on wood) so we kept it and traded Graham's car.  #hondasnobs

Also on the list of things I said I would never do:

*home school

*live in the country

*marry a pastor

*be a stay-at-home-mom (long time ago before I had children of my own)

*breastfeed

*read The Hunger Games and Twilight series

*live in a small town again

*let my kids watch The Wiggles or Barney (again, this was said before I had children)

*give my children double names

I'm sure there are many more times I've eaten my words, but that's all I can come up with for now. (Graham will be sure to come up with some more.)

And by the way, the kids LOVE it.   They are still too young to care what their mom drives.

List of things I will never do:

*wear "mom jeans"

fathers.day.

The girls and I had a great time celebrating one heck of a dad...

He is such a great man--loving, caring, hard-working, compassionate, humble, forgiving, funny...Okay, I hate thinking of adjectives.  You get the picture, right?!

After church, he suggested that we go to a movie as a family--so we did! #madagascar3

After the movies we went for coffee and then headed to his favorite store...

How many of you remember Joe Diffie's song "John Deere Green"?  Umm...I'm pretty sure every time I see anything John Deere that song comes to mind (or...out of my mouth #liveinsong). 

Graham commented that he is getting tired of coloring princesses, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, etc.  AG suggested that we get him his very own coloring book and crayons.  It was a hit!

After Lowe's we went to Outback for some surf-n-turf and then to TCBY.  It was a great day for honoring Daddy.

*I gave G a fantastic elliptical machine I found on Craigslist.  It is such a good one that I might even try it out (not an elliptical person).

blog facelift

I've had the yellow and turquoise color scheme on the blog since before Christmas (and that's a REALLY long time for me).  It's time for a change...

desktop background

summer.pics.

 Yesterday, I took the girls out to our favorite picture spot for some summer pics...

discovery science place

Last week, I took the girls to the Discovery Science Place in Tyler.  It is FANTASTIC!  I'm certain that we will be going back a bunch from here on out.

I took a lot of pics, but the lighting was poor and made for dull photos. Here are a few collages of our trip...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

gross.

Since we are homeschooling our girls, I've been preparing the "schoolroom".  Remember the desks I bought?  Well.....check out all of the gum that I had to chisel off of them.  YUCK-O.

Calling all homeschool-ers.  I need pointers.  I've got some ideas and feedback on curriculum/teaching methods, but I would love more input.  Also, I would love to know how you all schedule your day/week?  What websites/blogs are most helpful?  Co-ops?

Not gonna lie....I'm way nervous.  Yes, I'm a certified teacher, but I have never taught a child to read.  I am excited, but there is a twinge of nervousness about the unknown.  Tips, pointers, advice, input....its all wanted and welcome.

Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight

best.play-date.ever.

One of my friends is a photographer (like a real one!) and invited the girls and I to her studio for a play-date (back in April). The kids dressed up, put on make-up, ate pizza, and had a ball.  It was a lot of fun for me because Ashley took pictures the whole time--I left my camera at home.*gasp!!!*

Here are some of the pics from what AG refers to as the best. play-date. ever.

getting all glammed up

 

AG is having trouble with her smile :)

 

little fashonistas

 

One of my friends has three boys and I was wondering how this play-date would work out for them. No worries...there was plenty of manly ties, hats, and toys to keep them busy!

How cute is this?

 

 

 

Thank you, Ashley for the best. play-date.ever.

{nine} Wonderful Years

WHOA!!!  Has it been that long?  Where has the time gone?  

Nine Wonderful Years.

{two kids in love}

I've always wanted to say that and due to some unwanted wrinkles laugh-lines I think I can... two kids in love, for sure.

How did we enjoy our anniversary?????

with the best. cheese dip. ever....

a slice of wedding cake...

a night in Little Rock...

with gifts...

I got Graham a much needed new robe.

relaxing....

We went back to the Peabody.  We also stayed there on the first night of our honeymoon.

with laughter....

We went to the Clinton Library and found this letter from Nolan Richardson amusing. #hookonphonics

blessed.