Labor Day Weekend 2010

We got to spend another great weekend up at the lake house. The Stuart's and Lunn's were able to join us for the fun! The weather was incredible so we were outside alot, well, until we discovered the ticks that have come to visit the lake house also! We just lathered them up with bug spray and kept on going! The kids had a great time out on the boat being pulled on the inter tube. All the kids went and had a blast! Here are some pics from the weekend!

Halie and Austin enjoying an afternoon snack on the boat dock.

Austin driving the boat

Camden enjoying the wind in his curly hair!

Halie soaking up the sun

I love to see this smile on my hubby - truly having a good time!

Keira just sitting back and relaxing!

Jax and Caleb taking the first spin on the tube!

Chloe joined the party

Halie and Bec enjoying the ride

Chloe - future model

Camden started off the kiddos!

Keira and Josh going for a ride

Daddy and Austin - what handsome men I have!

The thumb smile...We are working on that one now. The thumb, not the smile!

The kids were exhausted on Sunday night, we put on a movie and got them to bed early with not much of a fight from anyone!

We had a great weekend as always!

First week of school

Halie's first week of school was a success! She had a wonderful time and was asking if she got to go back tomorrow at the end of each day. By the last 2 days of the week she had gotten herself up and had her light on in her room at 6:45, 5 minutes before I came in to wake her up. By the end of the week she was pretty tired, but still smiling! This week at school she said they were just learning the rules and making friends. They learned about "self reading", which I assume means she gets a book and looks at it, because she has been very excited about doing this at home. Funny how it was never a very good idea when Mom asked her to go read book! Whatever works....thank goodness for teacher!

We have been able to walk to school almost every morning this week. Halie rides her scooter and we walk. Dad has been able to join us almost every day, so that has been an enjoyable start to our mornings!

While Halie has been at school, Austin and I have had the chance to hang out a little bit more and have some fun together. We had some beautiful weather the other morning, so we took a walk to the park and Austin fed the ducks his cheerios. He loved it!

Another morning we rode bikes and played basketball. The kid LOVES the outdoors, so I have been taking advantage of these nice mornings to get him out!

Yesterday he started to weed eat the inside of the house. He was walking around shirtless to start out with and found the weed eater. Then he walked to the laundry room and demanded dad's yard work hat. He walked around for quite a while doing some important work! He was so proud of himself!

The year is off to a great start. Hopefully next week will be just as great!

First Day of School!

What a great day for Halie! This is her all dressed up this morning and ready to head out the door. She has been a little nervous about this day for a while. Paul and I were able to walk her to school this morning. As we were walking she started to get pretty excited as she saw all the other kids heading to the same place she was. Once we made it to the school she very proudly led us the way to her class and I had to stop her at the door to get a picture with her new teacher, Mrs. Coe. After that she was on her way to start her day without me. I had to chase her down to get a goodbye hug! She said "I'm really excited now!" once she got into her class. It sure made leaving her there a whole lot easier! She had the same level of enthusiasm when I picked her up too! I'm so proud of her!

A couple of days ago I had the realization that this was the first time in her life that we were sending her out into the "world" without us. Except for the gym, all the other times she is apart from us is in a christian environment. It made me realize the gravity of it all, how important it is for Paul and I to be covering her little heart in prayer daily. Praying for God to truly write His name on her heart and draw her into a relationship with Himself early in her little life.

This was a big step today Halie. I love you.

Farewell Friends

We have some very dear friends, Eric, Emily, Madi and Mason who have been a big part of our lives for the last few years. They have been called to serve the Lord in Tanzania, Africa and are leaving next fall. They were unexpectedly called away to Houston for the remainder of their time in the states and these are some pics from our goodbye party we had for them this weekend. They are an amazing family and we will really miss them.

I will miss Madi's contagious smile!

Madi, Nathan, Mason and Carter

The big kids playing outside.

More big kids playing outside... Paul, Isaac and Eric

Lance and Renee
Tripp and Catherine

You guys will missed....

Back home

Well, we made it back home to Texas. We got in on Sunday night/Monday morning at 3 am. It did feel good to walk into our home for the first time in 6 1/2 weeks. It looked different to me when I came back, it looked bigger for some reason. That was 4 days ago, it's back to looking normal now! We were welcomed back to Texas by having our AC break on us on Monday. My parents were great and let us come sleep at their place until we got it fixed the next day.

Halie was off to Grandma and Grandpa's house on Monday for a visit. She had a wonderful time as always. Grandpa is her cards partner, he is teaching her lots of card games and says she is pretty good!

We were able to get together with Mike, Rebecca, Jaxson and Camden last night. It was wonderful to see them again after such a long time. This picture is Austin dressing up that night in a Santa suit and Paul's graduation cap. I couldn't get him to hold still long enough to get a great pic, but he sure looked cute!

Halie had meet the teacher tonight. Her first day of school is on Monday! She said she was really nervous about going, but today when we were shopping for her school supplies she said, "I'm not nervous anymore, now I am excited about going to school!" Here is a shot of her supplies all ready to go. I always loved new school supplies as a kid! Her new teacher seems nice, hopefully we'll have a great first year!

Before meet the teacher, Paul and Halie had a date this afternoon. They went to Target and had popcorn and went shopping for a new movie. Then they went to the Yogurt place and had a treat. Halie had a great time. I hope this is a tradition they can keep up together in the future.

Paul is already in bed. He has started going to swim practice at 5 am on M,W,F, so he has been getting to bed much earlier than normal. That is where I need to be headed to (to bed, not swim practice). More to come next week with Halie's first day of school!

Horseplay!

Last night the adults sat down for supper (the kids ate before we did) and we put on a movie for the kids. Noah and Halie were sitting on the couch watching it and Austin was walking around playing. All of a sudden I noticed I wasn't hearing anymore noise coming from Austin or the couch - never a good sign. This is what we found in the basement... Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb and completely dismantled the DVD collection and had a great time doing it!

The two of them have had such a great time playing and getting into trouble together! One of them does something, the other one copies it, good or bad. Poor Mickey (the cat) cannot wait for these two hoodlums to leave!

Austin has really come into his own the last few weeks. He is definitely a little boy now, playing with cars, balls, animals, barbie dolls.... :) I think we can blame the last one on having an older sister, lets hope at least! He has started saying tons more words now, it seems there are new ones coming out every day! His first sentence was "I want my daddy", at least that is what it sounded like and he was crying for dad!

This morning we got up early and headed to the horse stables. While we were waiting for our horse to get saddled up we fed some of the other ones carrots. The kids loved it!

Quite the little man, he has now started standing with his hands in his pockets.

Halie taking a ride around the arena on King, our horse for the hour. She was ecstatic about getting to ride him.

Austin was all about riding him too!

The whole fam taking a walk, Halie did a great job leading King around whenever the boys were taking a ride.

Jessica and Noah joined us for the day!

We kind of got in trouble two times during our hour with King. Not on purpose of course... Paul was the first one to get yelled at. Halie wanted the horse to run, so Paul tried to get him to run. Well, we were very loudly told that he is an old horse and isn't allowed to run. Oops! Then Austin didn't want to get on King the second time, so I hopped on with him. King is only a kids horse....no one told us that before. Sorry King.

Altogether we had a great time, apart from Austin screaming the ENTIRE way home. I guess when your almost 2 and decide not to eat your breakfast, you get kind of cranky and hungry after a while!