the oneals family blog

more fun from spring...

2011-12-10T17:47:00.001-10:00

collier comes with me to the boys' school a lot!

anderson's class had a fun easter party!!

celebrating with griffin's class at briarpatch day!

collier having a play date!

dying easter eggs!

SPRING BASEBALL

2011-11-23T18:18:00.002-10:00

Back in the Spring, Anderson had his first "real" season of baseball!

He played on the A's with one of his best buddies, Jacob, and they had a blast!!!

Coach Daddy

He's a lefty!

Griffin had another great season of baseball!

Saturdays were busy, but I wouldn't have had it any other way!

Partying with a Princess...

2011-07-03T18:18:00.000-11:00

Back in the spring Collier got to go to the cutest Cinderella birthday party!!

When we first got to the party and were waiting for Cinderella to arrive,

the little princesses played on the playground...

Like a good princess she kept her fancy shoes on the whole time :)

When Cinderella arrived we ran to the door to see her grand entrance...

She was totally in awe!

When Cinderella came in in her rags she gave each little girl

an apron and some rags so they could help clean up!

They they helped "sew" a dress...

Cinderella taught the girls how to hold their gowns while they walked...

They went to the ball and danced...

Then the prince let her try on the glass slipper...

She had the best time and has been planning her princess party ever since!!

gymnastics and fishing...

2011-06-06T17:34:00.000-11:00

after many, many months of watching her brothers play sports,

collier got a chance to do an activity this spring!!

gymnastics!!

she loved going and made some sweet friends...

it was fun to see her get to play with girls for a change :)

loved this moment of them cuddled up looking at daddy's fishing magazine...

the boys and their lego boats...

one afternoon the boys went fishing in our neighborhood with michael...

they were so proud of their little catch :)

proudly showing collier...

love these boys!!!

Spring Break part 2

2011-06-04T15:25:00.000-11:00

We spent the last few days of Spring Break in Destin!!

Spring Break Fun...

2011-06-03T18:01:00.000-11:00

I do realize this was over 2 months ago...

still trying to catch up!!

Over spring break, we went fishing...

rode bikes...

and played with friends!!

Have I mentioned I love having a girl?

2011-05-08T16:54:00.000-11:00

A few months ago my sweet girl stopped taking a nap.

I really fought it for awhile, seeing as how both the boys

were still napping at three years old,

but after many nights of her still being up at 10 PM, I gave in!

One day I went to her room after "rest time,"

and this is how I found her...fighting a nap can wear a princess out!

I was totally surprised when I found out I was having a girl...

having her in my life has been more fun than I imagined...

february...

2011-04-13T16:10:00.000-11:00

so, february was a fun month...

we actually had snow!!!

we were able to make snow cream for the first time!!!

i got to go for a fun weekend

with some favorite friends from college...

we threw our hands in the air,

and waved 'em like we just don't care...

there were even a few days of warm sunshine!!

we spent lots of time enjoying

one of anderson's favorite birthday presents...

a zip line!!!

if you're looking for a fun gift idea i highly recommend it-

even for sweet little girls...

*in case you're wondering, the brand is spring swings

january...

2011-04-03T16:09:00.000-11:00

i can't believe it's been 3 months since i posted anything!!

i've had a nice little blogging break,

but now there's some catching up to do!

going back to january...

our local weathermen predicted a
huge snowstorm was headed our way.

the kids were beyond excited, and a bit disappointed

when all we actually got was ice!

they had the best attitudes though,

and we had such a fun day sledding on the ice!!!

the boys started out sledding in our front yard...

collier didn't want to sled by herself,

but we ended up going to the golf course where we all got to sled

(except for michael who was sadly inside with the flu).

the kids and i actually went sledding for a total of 4 hours that day...

it was a blast!!!

anderson dressed up like a circus conductor at school one day...

griffin and collier wanted to be his clowns :)

collier had a playdate with another "princess"...

and sweet anderson learned to ride his bike without training wheels!!

he really took to it right away and has hardly stopped since!

he's even able to bring pucker along in his little pouch :)

Christmas morning...

2011-01-28T19:27:00.000-10:00

this is what sheer excitement looks like...

(sorry these cut off)

griffin always played football with the

checkers from the connect four game,

but now he has an actual field and players :)

anderson was sooo excited about his remote control excavator!

collier got a little necklace kit that daddy helped her put together...

i have been quite thankful for these helmets...

we even got to see some snowflakes on Christmas Day!!

griffin got some "real" football shoulder pads,

and for the first few days he even wore them

during dinner and all regular activities...

collier got an art kit that she loves!

we celebrated with my mom on christmas day,

but unfortunately poppy was sick and not able to join us...

other than that it was such a wonderful day!

when we got to celebrate with michael's family,

collier loved helping with sweet emma,

and tyler was soooo sweet to let her :)

and of course all the cousins had a blast!!

collier loves having a buddy her size now...

so blessed to have these sweet cousins...

i promise that was the end of 2010!!

i fell in love with charleston...

2011-01-21T19:23:00.000-10:00

do you know what makes me really happy?

escaping for a few days to go on vacation

with the man God blessed me to marry TEN years ago!!!

michael totally surprised me and planned

a getaway for us celebrate our anniversary...

guess where?

he didn't tell me until we were on the road--

when we hit I20 i finally guessed...

CHARLESTON!!!!!

it was our first visit, but i SO hope it won't be our last!

we stayed in an adorable little bed and breakfast

with our innkeeper, judy, whom i loved!

every day she brought us delicious baked goodies,

and i love me some baked goodies.

(sidenote--my apologies to charleston...

we didn't bring our good camera,

and these photos don't do you justice!)

she had cute christmas decorations out that were so fun...

the food.

i'm still dreaming about it.

i have never, ever had food as good as what we had in charleston.

this was in front of poogan's porch, one of our favorites.

inside poogan's porch...

what you can't see is that

i'm sitting right next to a roaring fire place.

roaring fire place + incredible food + my husband = perfection

our favorite thing to do was ride bikes

(that precious judy had for us)

all over that beautiful city.

we literally spent hours riding around,

if it didn't say "no trespassing,"

we assumed we were welcome to explore!

i decided that there must be a green thumb test the residents

have to pass to live there, which would totally rule me out.

but, oh how much i enjoyed the greenery that covers that town!

this was inside "tellis pharmacy"

that adorable lady behind me, alice tellis, and

her sister have owned it since the 40s.

i'm not a history buff, but i loved the history of charleston.

this monument was in battery park, and i just love what it says:

"to the glory of God and in abiding memory of

146 valiant young men of the united states navy

who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of our country."

this was another one...

it said "count them happy who for their faith

and their courage endured a great fight"

love that.

our few days in charleston went by waaayyy too fast,

but it was enough time for me to

absolutely fall in love with that town.

beautiful homes, the best restaurants ever,

history, the water, shopping...

what more could you want?

so, so thankful for my sweet husband and the last 10 years!!

i go back to december all the time...

2011-01-16T18:06:00.000-10:00

growing up my mom got me an ornament each year,

and i've continued that tradition with my sweet kiddos...

it's become a big deal to them every year now...

so fun to see the ornaments they've received over the years...

they love hanging them on the tree!

i save their new ornaments for the year for last...

i found the perfect one for collier this year...

a little blonde headed girl sitting in a pink chair

holding a baby doll--it's like it was made for her!

anderson fell in love with this one at the mall one day,

so i surprised him and went back to get it.

(still lovin' his haircut?)

griffin got an alabama football ornament last year,

but since that's still his obsession i continued that theme again...

anderson's little k4 class sang christmas songs at a nursing home...

i got to go with griffin's class to desoto caverns on a field trip...

his friend, brooks, from another class...

his class...

we had a blast at zoolight safari!

the boys were ecstatic to see santa there!

for the first time, collier was happy to see him too!

though she preferred to stand in front instead of sit on his lap :)

there was face paint...

the boys had alabama on one cheek and auburn on the other...

collier rode the carousel...

i love, love, love christmas time!!!!

a wise man in the family...

2011-01-12T18:59:00.000-10:00

griffin was thrilled when he found out he was

going to be a wise man in the 1st grade Christmas play!

nana went to work making him a beautiful costume,

and griffin helped decorate his fancy collar!

getting ready for the big performance...

i sneaked back to snap his picture before he walked out!

with his camel that he led to the stage...

he was very serious during his walk to the stage!

i had a hard time getting many pictures of him on stage...

yea!! all done and they did a great job!

griffin with caleb, one of the other wise men!

griffin and his friend, will

after the performance, we went to his classroom to visit!

granny and papa dave with the wise man!

with nana (poppy had just left)

mommy and daddy were so proud of him!

celebrating three years...

2011-01-10T16:49:00.000-10:00

on collier's actual birthday we went to one of her favorite places...

...the mall!

she LOVES to ride the carousel!

her friend, nathan, was there to make it even more fun!

later that day we all went to California Pizza Kitchen

for a fun birthday dinner!

a HUGE brownie sundae to celebrate...

her favorite present that we got her is a baby doll that "drinks" a bottle and takes a paci (you know it's reminded me of the good ol' days of her actually sleeping when she had the paci :)

my sweet girl.

she is my little sidekick...attached to me at all times.

she would rather help me cook, put on my make up, etc.

than go play with her toys.

but, she takes such care of her baby dolls.

i have been amazed at how God has given

her such a nurturing spirit.

she not only takes great care of her baby dolls,

but she also tries to take care of our family...

...sometimes the boys appreciate it :)

when she really wants their attention she'll say, "grittin davis!"

don't know where she learned the "use the full name" trick :)

she is very tall...the 80th percentile, and

her feet are extremely long (size 11) but very skinny--

makes it a little difficult to find shoes that fit well.

she has a strong spirit and always wants her way,

and we have had many sleeping showdowns

since the paci left the building.

she loves pink and any kind of art project.

she is so very loving and affectionate, and

she is capable of melting my heart in an instant.

here's a few pics we took of her a couple months ago...

happy birthday, princess!
i love you so!!!

collier's adopt-a-baby party!!!

2011-01-03T19:20:00.000-10:00

our sweet girl celebrated her 3rd birthday on november 29,

and there was no doubt we had to include her

LOVE of babies in her celebration, so we had an

adopt-a-baby party at an adorable little doll shop...

it started with a "glitter ceremony" where she got

to sprinkle each of her sweet guests with glitter...

next, they each put on little doctor coats...

...and we walked to the "nursery"

each of the little girls got to pick out a baby from the nursery...

and the birthday girl brought it out to them...

collier was very proud of her new addition!

after they each had a baby we all sat on the rug

and they each gave their babies a "dr. check up"

they listened to their babies' hearts, measured them,

took their temperatures, etc...

then they brought their babies to the stage

to sing them a lullaby...

collier chose "Jesus loves me"

and it was absolutely precious to watch them

sing to their little babies!

then they each came up and i wrote the name

they chose for their baby on a little birth certificate

and we took their picture with their baby

in an adorable pink chair!

then the girls played around in the store for a little while...

then, they put their babies in their little strollers

(i asked them to bring them)

and we walked to get ice cream!

collier loved picking out her toppings...

her daddy helped her load it up!

the male relatives, who went elsewhere during

the baby doll portion of the party,

joined us for ice cream!!

collier loves her nana!!

aunt nanette and elise

it was a joy for me to see my sweet girl have such a special day...

with her love for babies and all things sweet,

i think it was the perfect party for her!

boy stuff...

2010-12-25T19:39:00.000-10:00

Back in November, Poppy took Michael and the boys

to Tuscaloosa in the camper to tailgate and go to a game...

they L-O-V-E riding in the camper!!

(and, you'll notice we were still enjoying anderson's haircut :)

When they got there Friday and set up they met some new friends

and the boys struck up a football game--of course!

The next day the campus was full of life and activities...

They had inflatables and all sorts of things for the kids to do...

Both of them climbed this rock wall!

The beautiful sunset over Denny Chimes...

(you know I had to ask Michael what that was :)

Poppy and the boys outside the stadium...

have I mentioned before how incredible Poppy is?

He is one of the amazing ways

God has illustrated His grace in my life,

and to watch my children be blessed by him as well

is more than I could ask for.

The players' walk from the bus to the stadium...

The boys had an awesome time and loved the entire game,

which didn't even start until 6 PM!

And here are just a couple random shots Michael caught

of the boys playing pirates in the backyard...

another one of their favorite activities!

Okay, enough testostorone!

Brace yourself...the next post

is going to be filled with so much

girly cuteness I can't even stand it!!!

Thanksgiving, The End (I promise!!)

2010-12-22T17:05:00.000-10:00

This year we stayed at Aunt Sherry and Uncle Lynn's cabins again, but this time we were in two different ones. The kids were bummed at first that we wouldn't be all together until they realized that both cabins had indoor pools! They spent SO much time playing in the pools and it was so fun for them to be able to swim in the middle of winter!

Let's just say I am very glad the floors
around the pools were waterproof!

The kids liked the "swimspa" that was in Nana and Poppy's cabin more than the in ground pool in our cabin, and I never did get any pictures of them in our pool!

collier enjoyed her birthday present from grannybee!

my cousin, aaron, let the boys ride
the big bulldozer they have at the site...

on our last day we had a great time at the gatlinburg aquarium!

hardly ANY of my pics at the aquarium turned out at all!

we had such a blast--thank you so much to

nana and poppy for such a fun week!

and be sure and check out http://www.smokycove.com/

next time you're heading to pigeon forge/gatlinburg!

Thanksgiving Day at the Farm...

2010-12-22T07:17:00.000-10:00

Thanksgiving Day was the most beautiful, perfect day...

a great day to be at the farm!!

Eating a delicious lunch and looking at a gorgeous view!

Then the fun really started...

aunt sherry is so gracious to bring out all the toys!

we took turns riding all the BIG toys,

for the kids of course :)

then we walked over to see the horses...

the kids had a stare down with some of the horses...

it is such a beautiful place...

we all loved exploring the barn...

two of their horses are "sweet tea" and "amazing grace"

my cousin, meghan, who LOVES horses

and brightens all of our lives...

aunt sherry, mom, granny, and uncle mike!

brings me back to the days

when i was obsessed with horses as a little girl :)

back at aunt sherry's house,

the kids had a big time playing hide-n-seek!

poppy joined in on the fun!

my sweet granny with her great-grandchildren!

griffin made this picture to bring to them!

it was the most incredible day...

one of my most favorite thanksgivings ever!

Thanksgiving, Part One

2010-12-21T17:26:00.000-10:00

AAAH!!

I need an entire day to catch up on my posts!!!

I'll start with the annual Thanksgiving marathon...
We made the drive to the mountains the day
the boys had their feasts at school,
and they actually rode the whole way dressed in their costumes!

The next morning we set out for the go-kart track...

the first go around the kids rode with us...
griffin and i took down the competition.

the kids were dying to drive themselves...

Collier decided to try out the go karts this year...

this kind, patient worker

hopes she doesn't do that again for a very long time.

we rode the other "kiddie rides" also...

once anderson realized we were taking his picture
he put on a silly face show each time
the boat rocked to show his face...

these two caught on to the game...

Later that day we rode the sky lift...

ate a yummy dinner...

and walked around gatlinburg...

much more to come :)

fishing, feasts, and fun!

2010-12-07T19:06:00.000-10:00

back in october michael took the boys

on a guys' weekend to the beach...

they fished. and fished. and fished.

and didn't want to come in.

i think that moment may have brought their daddy to tears.

i think this trigger fish looks like a cartoon character...

they came home with a ton of fish for our freezer,

which would be awesome if i liked seafood.

i'm trying to develop a taste for it!

before thanksgiving both of the boys dressed up for a feast at school!

griffin had to dress like a pilgrim and give his first ever report!

anderson's class dressed like indians and had a feast!

and, so i don't leave the princess out,

here's a couple pics nana took of her

when she was playing at her house recently...

2010-12-01T18:56:00.000-10:00

collier and i went with some friends
to see the princesses at the disney on ice show!

collier and sarah kate

this little gumdrop has given us quite an adventure
the past couple of months
when we had the nerve to take the beloved paci she slept with away.

see? here she is, saying,
"YOU must be crazy!!!"

i thought it would be hard
but it surpassed my expectations.
it's just now getting easier...
not easy, but easier.
we're thankful for baby steps...

i got to bring doughnuts to share with anderson's class on his b-day...

he's been really into writing me "notes."
he drew an awesome picture of me :)

he's still a tree hugger :)

anderson thought it would be really fun to cut his own hair.

we didn't really think it was fun,

but thankfully hair grows!

griffin is seriously obsessed with football.

when he comes home from school he throws this uniform on

and plays football in the backyard as long as i let him.

he even brings a football to school with him

to play with the other boys when they're outside!

he knows all the teams in the sec

and loves to watch the games on saturday.

it's like he's grown up overnight!

FALL BALL X 2

2010-11-21T17:14:00.000-10:00

this fall we became a

"two children in sports" family.

michael was the head coach of anderson's team

and the assistant coach on griffin's team.

we were busy.

it was a blast.

i wouldn't change one minute.

griffin's games were really a blast to watch

now that they keep score!

he really progressed and even hit his first home run!

one HUGE blessing is that collier

LOVES

going to the ballpark.

anderson had such a blast his first season.

he LOVED having daddy as his coach.

and if i could brag on my husband for a minute

he was amazing with those sweet kids!!

we weren't going to let anderson start baseball yet,

but he came to us and really wanted to play.

he enjoyed it so much more than we expected

and we were really happy he got to play!

five years ago...

2010-11-12T19:01:00.000-10:00

just over five years ago...

God gave me this beautiful baby boy.

who owned my heart from day one..

so very sweet, loving, sensitive, and emotional. repeat, emotional.

always a bit mischievous...

...usually covered in dirt...

with a smile that can put me in a good mood any day.

on his big day we celebrated from morning to night!

it just so happened to be grandparent's day at school,

so that morning he got to go to school with Nana, Poppy, and Granny

(Granny was gone when I took this pic).

then we went to lunch at his favorite restaurant

with Nana, Poppy, and Daddy,

and he opened up some birthday presents!

that afternoon Nana and Poppy brought his present over--

a brand new bike! he was ecstatic!!

that evening we had a fun birthday party at jump zone!

anderson spent most of his time playing hockey...

...with lots of fun friends!

he chose a hot wheel cake...

they really enjoyed it!

it was a super fun time with his friends...

and a great celebration of an awesome FIVE year old boy!

trick-or-treat

2010-11-09T17:08:00.000-10:00

the annual "front porch" shots before we set out...

my little girl was so excited about being a princess...

this rough n tough cowboy was supposed to be buzz lightyear

(in the costume i was so proud to find at a garage sale)

until he turned into a cowboy the day before...

i've tried to imagine this uniform in orange...

we went to par-tay with some friends
where we finally caught up with buzz...

collier thought it was super exciting to pose with "big girl" belle...

cute kiddos ready for some candy!

such a fun night!

pumpkin palooza

2010-11-07T17:09:00.000-10:00

isn't that fun to say?

my little anderson buddy just went on his first field trip

and i got to go with him!

he was super excited about his first bus ride!

with his buddy, jeb

feeding a goat...

picking a pumpkin with stephen...

it was a special day with my sweet buddy!

the kids had a big time carving a pumpkin.

i asked them to show me how

they wanted our pumpkin's face to look...

cleaning out the pumpkin was a group effort...

i think it looks just like them...

pumpkin patch

2010-11-03T17:41:00.000-10:00

we made our annual visit to the pumpkin patch

and maybe had the most fun there yet!

one thing i love about the pumpkin patch is the vibrant colors,

and i can't help but take 3,037 pictures.

hide and seek in the corn maze...

i am always amazed at how much joy

the boys get out of these little tractors!

the hayride...

my sweet husband walked all over the pumpkin patch

to find me these fantastically awesome pumpkins...

here's to you, step 2

2010-10-24T16:56:00.000-10:00

in a world full of short lived toys and video games,

i feel the need to give a shout out to step 2

for making this toy that has provided hours of fun...

the kind of fun that keeps you outdoors,

getting a little dirty and laughing hysterically

learning to take turns...

and when it's okay to push your brother or sister...

learning to do your part to keep the fun going...

and that sometimes it's okay to fall down...

we got our beloved step 2 roller coaster from some friends

that outgrew it just before griffin turned two...

five years later it is still one of our most loved toys,

and even a favorite at griffin's party full of seven year old boys.

so, here's to you, step 2. five years and counting...

unplugged 2010...

2010-10-19T18:22:00.000-10:00

the boys just had fall break,

so i planned a mystery getaway...

even michael didn't know we were going

anywhere until the night before!

when we left the next day i drove and

listened to all four of them try to guess where we were going.

it was all kinds of fun for me...

we arrived at beautiful lake guntersville state park

and everyone was so excited we hopped out of the van

and immediately took some pictures :)

as we drove into the park we were greeted by mr. buck...

and we were blessed to see this sweet fawn with her mommy!

my goal was for the five of us to

spend some time away together with no distractions.

actually even get a little bored...

we stayed in what i will call a "rustic" cabin

that met all of our needs...

we did a little hiking...

practiced skipping rocks...

went for a ride in the kayak...

made a new friend the kids called "nutty"

made some yummy smores...

got a little messy...

rode our bikes and scooters...

experienced elation on a nearby merry go round...

and best of all enjoyed our uninterrupted time together...

our sweet weekend was fun and relaxing,

but we didn't have time to get bored...

i'll have to save that goal for unplugged 2011.

big girl stuff and a porky-potty...

2010-10-13T16:59:00.000-10:00

We moved our big girl to a big girl bed!

She has been loving it...and I love watching her sleep peacefully.

We also went for a big girl haircut...

first one since she was 14 months old!

She liked making faces in the mirror!

on a completely different note,

one day last week the big boys were playing outside

when they came running in and said,

"mommy! we built a porky-potty!!!!"

they led me outside where i found this:

apparently we've spent too much time at the ballpark.

more specifically the porta-potty at the ballpark.

i really never thought i'd have my very own in my backyard.

2010-10-04T09:58:00.000-10:00

He is home! I am beyond thrilled to introduce my new nephew!

He is precious and happy and I fell in love with him instantly!

My three pumpkins COULD NOT WAIT to meet their new cousin!

We brought him some goodies...

Notice how many hands are in his face...

can you say overstimulation?

he was really good with the puzzle!

griffin brought him one of his favorite trucks

and drew a picture of him (with a sunflower) on their driveway.

he was so sweet to him!

benjamin with his mommy!

he is already attached to nanette and can say "mama"

benjamin and his baba (Chinese for daddy)

he loves balls!

michael already got him to say "uncle O!"

i just want to shout praise to the Lord for this precious life

and for allowing us the opportunity to love him!

i feel so grateful!

i didn't want to overwhelm him too much

with my big camera in his face,

but i'll be back soon with more!

S-E-V-E-N

2010-09-29T10:25:00.000-10:00

a few weeks ago something totally crazy happened...

my first baby turned S-E-V-E-N.

we celebrated with all kinds of fun,

starting with doughnuts with his class!

after school we headed straight to the lake!

we took an afternoon boat ride

(pardon this camera phone picture)

griffin celebrated his seven years of life

by jumping off chimney rock!

in case you want to see him in action...

we came back from the lake and had a "fake campout" blowout!!!!

i got that invitation idea from a blog,

but i can't remember which one.

sorry mystery blog mom!

we set up a few tents in the backyard...

eating hotdogs and smores...

we had 19 kids (17 of which were boys).

they played flag football, flashlight tag,

and had a wild and crazy time!

(with an emphasis on wild and crazy)

michael told them a story about the "birmingham bobcat"

that fascinated them and actually kept them still for 10 minutes!!

opening some presents...

he got an alabama football uniform and decided
to test out the helmet with poppy!

happy seventh birthday to one of the most fun,

happy,

creative,

friendly,

deep-thinking,

kind,

adventurous,

playful,

enthusiastic

people i know!

i am blessed to be your mommy!

2010-09-21T16:00:00.000-11:00

Before Nanette and Scott left for Taiwan

we had a little shower for them...

Courtney, Nanette, Julie, and me!

We had lots and lots of cupcakes--thankfully Courtney and Julie were in charge of those (remember the pencil cake?). It was a special night to pray for them and anticipate Benjamin's arrival!!

THE TIME HAS COME!!!

2010-09-19T17:32:00.000-11:00

How cute is he?

Don't you just want to reach through the screen and squeeze him?

Well, guess what?

WE'RE ABOUT TO!!!!

Aunt Nanette, Uncle Scott, Bryce, and Elise are leaving tomorrow for Taiwan, and they will return to the US on September 30 with their son! They will be updating their new blog while they're gone if any of you want to hear how everything's going. You can go there now to read their Adoption Story! http://bickelfamilyblog.blogspot.com/

first day times three

2010-09-12T17:29:00.000-11:00

we've had a super busy month over here getting back to school!

anderson started k4, which means he gets to go to the same school as griffin now, and he LOVES riding with daddy in the morning and walking in with griffin!

he has a precious teacher and is off to a fantastic start...

i never thought he would love it this much!!

griffin started FIRST grade...it was painful just to type that.

thankfully he has a precious teacher that

has made it somewhat acceptable.

collier and i made the boys a very sloppy

looking pencil cake to celebrate their start...

thankfully they haven't seen cake boss.

collier started mdo last week...

she got to bring in two little friends for a picnic on the first day...

two mornings each week she will get loved on by these sweet ladies--

the same precious teachers the boys had at this age...

she walked in and saw these baby dolls and never looked back...

she celebrated her fun first day with a

huge cookie that made her a wee bit happy!

i didn't think i was ready for school to start.

but the routine is not so bad after all,

and the troops couldn't be happier!

guess i'll have to force myself to enjoy

a little more alone time :)

random...

2010-09-06T15:57:00.000-11:00

Before the boys went back to school I got to have a little mommy date with each of them, and I hope it was as much for them as it was for me! It was such a joy to just completely focus on them one at a time! Their personalities are so different and that showed in how they planned their days!

Griffin and I went bowling, and I had forgotten how fun that was! Part of the fun for me was watching Griffin--after the pins would fall, if he was happy with his performance, he would dance all the way back. I don't think he ever noticed or cared that no one else in the whole place was doing that. He was in his own little world of celebration--I would sum Griffin up with the word "FUN!"

Anderson wanted the two of us to play "Go Fish" over and over and over. He talked the whole time, and I think he just loved hanging out--he is my "chill" child. He was so precious and just giddy about the whole thing--I would sum Anderson up with the word "SWEET!"

He took some time out to get his groove on too, but in the privacy of his own home :)

Can you read that cake? Michael had a very important birthday a couple weeks ago! We just had a quiet celebration at his request...I would sum Michael up with the word "VINTAGE!" (sorry babe, couldn't resist...seriously though, i dig vintage!)

one more random beach picture i forgot...

the last destin pictures for this year!

2010-08-30T15:15:00.000-11:00

the boys did a lot of fishing this summer...

and i have to admit, it is pretty fun :)

collier got so much better at "life jacket" swimming!

nana and poppy came down with us for a few days...

we had a blast with them!

one morning the "big" cousins went shark fishing...

we also took a few family pics...

a few shots i took of c at the beach...

2010-08-24T14:29:00.000-11:00

2010-08-19T15:37:00.000-11:00

we really enjoyed our carefree days of summer...

griffin scored the winning goal in the world cup

(or maybe it was just soccer camp,

but he celebrated like it was the world cup)

anderson found trees to climb...

collier began talking our ears off and grew up before our eyes...

griffin spent his first night away from home at camp briarwood.

i shed a few tears looking at my baby's bag all packed,

complete with the giraffe he's had all 7 years of his life.

apparently giraffe never made it out of the bag

and my big boy had an absolute blast.

we had a great time at the zoo with friends...

...and discovered the "foam zone"

anderson spent hours digging in our dirt pit....

...and apparently had so much fun he was unable to stop even for necessities.

getting clean was as much fun as getting dirty.

we found 101 ways to play in water in an effort to avoid

a massive heat stroke.

it was a fun summer.

it was full of laughter, travel, and time

with the most incredible gifts in my life.

it was certainly not perfect,

and i was certainly not the perfect mother.

but, i'm more and more aware of how amazingly blessed i am.

kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com

yet another post that has rocked my world

and forced me to recognize how even

the worst day in my life is better

than the best day for many.

a road trip...

2010-08-13T17:45:00.000-11:00

Nana and I went to visit Grannybee in Knoxville a couple weeks ago while Michael and Poppy were on a trip (more on that soon), and we made it to one of my favorite places--the Knoxville Zoo!

The kids had their first camel rides, which I remember doing as a little girl!

This little tortoise was named "Anderson," and I think that was the highlight of Anderson's day!

We also made a trip to Dollywood with some of my family we rarely get to see--it was a treat!

Here's Grannybee, my cousin, Meghan, the kids, and I cooling off on the River Rampage...

Collier took me for a spin...she was a very focused driver.

That's Anderson giving Meghan a ride!

Griffin rode solo...

One day we went to a super fun park!

The kids also LOVED playing at Grannybee's house, building forts...

...and playing in her little pond...

We had a great time, Grannybee! Thank you so much for having us!!

benjamin update

2010-08-03T09:40:00.000-11:00

i had some people ask me for an update on benjamin's court date...which means you remembered and hopefully prayed--so thank you!!! they have heard that it went very well and that there were no problems at all, but by law the judge can't give the final ruling for a minimum of 10 days. so, we're praying that in 10 days the judge will give the final ruling (as opposed to dragging on for months)! i'll keep you posted!! thanks SO much for praying!!!

summa-summa-summa-time...

2010-07-30T16:44:00.000-11:00

it's seriously hot.

so hot that we don't go outside unless we can be in water within a few minutes.

that has meant many dates with the slip n slide.

this is love...the kind of love that makes you willing to go down a slip n slide with your face pressed in water just so you can hear your sons squeal with absolute delight!

hope you're staying cool!

my long lost brothers??

2010-07-23T08:34:00.000-11:00

i often wonder if anyone else out there sings about randomness as much as i do...yes, i make up songs about the mundane things i do. when the kids are cleaning up, it's "don't stop the cleanin'" (think journey), when i'm teaching the kids how to make a new recipe, it's "this is how we do it" (think montell jordan), when the kids are asking me to heat up the bath water, it's "warm it up, mommy" (think kris kross). as i think about it, the funny thing is my kids pay no attention--they think this is just a normal occurrence. anyway, i just discovered this video and think i may have been separated from these two at birth...

i'm so ready to try this...who's with me????

Meet Benjamin...

2010-07-09T16:49:00.000-11:00

"You are the helper of the fatherless.

LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;

You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,

To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,

That the man of the earth may oppress no more."

Psalm 10: 14b, 17-18

This is Benjamin.

I am overwhelmed with gratefulness that he will be joining our extended family in the next few months.

I have been blessed to see the Lord give Nanette and Scott a desire to add to their family through adoption.

I know that God chose this adorable little boy to be the perfect fit to their family. He turned three in April, and right now he is living in an orphanage in Taiwan. The adoption process has taken longer than we all hoped and expected, but He is in control of every detail and we are just trusting Him!

I wanted to share some great news: they received a court date!!!

I would love it if you would pray on August 1 (the time is 10:20 PM in Birmingham) and after that the final ruling would come quickly and they would be able to go to Taiwan and get their son!

I will keep you posted!!

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,

is God in his holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families,

he leads forth the prisoners with singing."

Psalm 68:5-6a

More Destin???

2010-07-05T16:51:00.000-11:00

And I bet you thought I couldn't possibly have

pictures from Destin!

Seeing the dolphins was probably the highlight for Collier!

This is one of our favorite places to go in Destin--The Lucky Snapper--not because of the food (although they do have some AWESOME cheese biscuits), but because of the incredible view!!

Griffin loved snorkeling and sharing his finds with all of us!

I love this picture--the boys decided they were going to run into the water, but they did it in their own way. Anderson took a leisurely jog, and Griffin ran like he was in the Olympics.

We saw FOUR of these LARGE sharks swimming very near the shore on our last day. We actually went up the beach and had to tell a lot of people to look out for them. They were coming amazingly close to the swimmers! We've never seen them like that, but apparently they haven't migrated as usual because of the oil. So, if you're headed to the beach, be on the lookout!!

Destin...

2010-06-24T16:42:00.000-11:00

We slipped in a quick trip to Destin before the oil hits the most beautiful water and beaches in the world...sigh. As usual, I took a bazillion pictures, but I'm having lazy summer brain and don't feel like organizing them in any way, so this disheveled post will have to do!

Happy Father's Day! (and some randomness)

2010-06-17T15:38:00.000-11:00

Happy Father's Day to an awesome Daddy!!

Side Note: Teachers are really steppin it up these days...

I can't get over all the crafty end of the yr goodies they give the kids!

Here's an adorable bug jar Anderson got--

it had this precious poem in it about why God made lightning bugs...

Collier's teachers made each of the kids a little scrapbook with pictures from the year

and a trivet with her handprint.

Griffin's teacher made them a scrapbook too--

I can't imagine all the time these things took!

Can you tell I'm thinking as a former teacher?

I guess it makes me really appreciate them :)

Last bit of randomness...I recently found this little "Goody" at Wal-Mart...it has a gel handle and it actually makes the 27 minutes it takes to dry my hair like a massage for my hand! If you have a lot of hair that takes 27 minutes to dry, I'd totally recommend it!!!

Jump, Ride, Flip, Dive!

2010-06-11T09:28:00.000-11:00

We spent a very fun weekend at the lake

with Granny and Papa Dave.

The weather was less than perfect and I'm a big time wimp when it comes to cold water, so I held tight to the camera to make sure I didn't get thrown in. I took a gazillion pictures and my plan worked perfectly until a quick moment of weakness on our last day. My precious husband took advantage of this moment and smiled so big as he pushed me in. The kids thought it was hysterical.

No picture of that.

The kids rode in/

drove/

jumped off

the little green fishing boat.

Griffin perfected his flip off the Super Mable...

Anderson learned to drive the kayak by himself...

Will someone please tell these two they are NOT allowed to keep growing like this???

Collier loved swimming with her Daddy and thought splashing him was especially hysterical.

If only Anderson looked at all like his daddy...

We've now come to the "Jumping Extravaganza" part of the post...otherwise known as "Michael's Funny Face Portfolio" :)

We giggled so hard at those...

Griffin loved for Michael to hold him as high as possible and throw him in...

BLAST OFF!!!

STILL FALLING!!!

Granny and Papa Dave's sweet neighbor offered to take all three kids on a Sea-Doo ride!

We had a great time, PD and Granny, thanks for inviting us!!

28 Pictures in one post...is that a record?? :)

the obnoxiousness is back...

2010-06-05T09:37:00.000-11:00

The Princess is two and a half, and that means it's time to overwhelm you again with 337 pictures of her in the old fashioned hat! In case the obnoxiousness level in this post isn't enough for you, click here or here to see said obnoxiousness at 6 months and 1 and a half.

Nana went with us, and, no, we weren't able to refrain from buying other poses, which means we got the cd, which means I get to post 337 pictures...

Nana suggested that I jump in and take a few "mother-daughter" shots...

This completes obnoxiousness 2010...:)

Spring Saturdays...

2010-05-25T17:03:00.000-11:00

This spring we spent our Saturdays cheering on two adorable little ball players!

Griffin played baseball again and enjoyed every minute!

It was so much fun to see him continue to develop...

He LOVED running the bases, sliding into home, and getting people out!

We loved cheering him on and seeing how proud he was of himself!

This was the first time my little Anderson buddy has been the one playing instead of cheering on his big brother!

He was so cute out there I had to fight the urge to run out on the field and squeeze him :)

He was a bit nervous before his first game, but after that he had a blast!

Mother's Day and More...

2010-05-14T14:59:00.000-11:00

I had the awesome privilege of going to a Mother's Day Brunch at Anderson's school...it was precious! He made some adorable presents for me, but please prepare yourself for my favorite...

Excuse me while I go eat him up...

His teacher apparently dressed them up and took these pictures, and they were made into Mother's Day cards for us...priceless! Another keeper...Griffin made me a book at school--this page was my favorite--it's me screaming as he chases me with a green bug. Notice the smile on his face...

Speaking of Griffin, have I mentioned what an INCREDIBLE big brother he is?? His little bro and sis are super blessed :)

I think I'm going to have to go snack on these precious pink cheeks now...can't even take it!

Nana and Poppy created some cardboard sleds and the boys had a BLAST sliding down a hill in their backyard...

My grandmother's sister (who lives in San Diego) has been visiting my grandmother for awhile, and they came to visit us for a week!

Final Note: please excuse all the snack references. I'm on Weight Watchers...

do u need to laugh today??

2010-05-14T09:35:00.001-11:00

Popsicles, Pigtails, and Pretty Blooms

2010-05-09T16:27:00.000-11:00

Do all kids LOVE popsicles? It's amazing how still and quiet five busy children can be with a popsicle in their hand.

My little princess has decided she wants to wear pigtails everyday! When I get her out of bed in the morning she says, "I wear pigtails today!" She loves to run and feel them bounce!

I am in love with hydrangeas...they are my absolute favorite flower and I had to take a few pictures of my favorite pigtail princess with them while they are in bloom!

My tree-climber...

I really LOVE flowers, and yet, I seem to be one of those people who just doesn't naturally have a green thumb. Even my indoor houseplants die. I never know if I'm watering too much or not enough--it's quite confusing. So, you can imagine how ecstatic I get when things actually bloom around my house. A couple weeks ago a lot of things in our yard were in full bloom, things that I haven't done anything to--maybe that's the secret? I don't know, but I had to take a picture to remember that it is possible!

FIESTA!!!

2010-05-06T16:58:00.000-11:00

I just want to throw out a disclaimer before I share this: I in no way mean to portray on this blog that I am a perfect mother that is always doing creative, spiritual activities with my kids. I really am not very creative and don't do many cute things with my kids, but I just blog about the things I do...mainly because I love getting ideas from everyone else's blogs!

Okay, so last year I found some adorable Cinco de Mayo decorations at the Dollar Store, so I thought it would be fun to have a little family Cinco de Mayo party!

We decorated the kitchen with our dollar decorations and each wore a very goofy looking sombrero--may I just say that I think it's hard not to have fun when everyone you're sitting with is wearing a sombrero--people in Mexico totally had a great idea with that one!

We had a fiesta (party) with arroz (rice), maiz (corn), papitas (chips), queso (cheese dip), and quesadillas (quesadillas).

It was fun hearing all of us attempt to use the Spanish words throughout the meal!

While we were eating I read some info about Mexico that I found on http://www.operationworld.com/ (great website for praying for other countries). Here's some of the stuff I found:
18 million people live in poverty in Mexico City - one of the biggest and most polluted cities in the world. 7 million live in filthy housing as squatters. As many as 600,000 children sleep on the streets each night.
I haven't been able to get that number out of my mind....600,000 precious children just like mine will be sleeping in the street tonight. And tomorrow night. And the next. It's heartbreaking.
We spent some time praying for the people in Mexico and these precious children. Our little fiesta was both fun and meaningful for us...think I might make it a tradition!