My baby cousin is having a baby!!!

I remember the day Lori was born.  I can't believe she is about to have her first baby!  Y'all Lori was my living baby doll.  My life size barbie!  I spent many of nights at her house dressing her up, fixing her hair and spinning her all over the room as we watched Star Search!  So now to see her married and expecting her first child is so exciting!!!  I couldn't be more happy for them!  So when she asked if I could take a few pictures for her I shouted OF COURSE!!! 

This picture below is all wrong but I loved it anyway! 

Ryan is so excited.  He was so ready to jump in and get those pictures made!  I loved his excitement!

Lori is absolutely stunning!  And so laid back!  She is going to make a great mommy!

I can't wait to meet Miss Ava Kathryn!  She is one blessed little girl!  Spoiled rotten already from what I hear!  But what child isn't spoiled...that's what they are for right!

Check back in October...we when Miss Ava makes her debut!!!

Cooler weather=Park time

This morning I met some of the ladies, from my MOPS table, at the park!
It was the perfect morning.
Griffin did some swinging. And I think he thinks if he holds his tongue just right it makes him have super powers or something!
'Cause he does this alot!
,,

He did some sliding.
And played tag with a few little girls.

He wanted me to spin him faster and faster on this little thingy.
So I did. As fast as I could.

Until I got this look...and then I knew it was time to do something different!
(And seriously...it should be illegal for a little boy to have eyelashes like that!)

Update

Jason and I have started our 2nd week of training for a 5k!  Tonight we run and will be one run away from finishing our 2 week!!!  It's exciting.  And the runs are feeling easier!  Next weeks may kick my booty though! 

Griffin Gabs

Tonight Jason and Griffin were sitting in the chair together chit-chatting.  When I hear Jason start saying, "This little piggy went to market.  This little piggy stayed home.  This little piggy had roast beef.  This little piggy had none."  Holding Griff's little toe Jason says, "What did this little piggy do?"  Griffin said, "This little piggy ate a cupcake!"

We laughed out loud!  Because I bought cupcakes as a treat for after school and it was a huge success tonight!  This boy loves his foods! 

He is a stinker!

How tall are you?

Something I thought would be neat to do is measure my kiddos before they start to school and then maybe at the end of that school year to see how much they have grown. I really wish I had of started this tradition when Alli started to school 7 years ago.

Today Alli starts 6th grade and is (58.75 inches) 4' 10.75 "
I would put her weight on her but she would KILL me!


Walker at the start of 2nd grade is (50.5 inches) 4' 2.5"
And he weighs about 58 lbs.

Griffin at the age of 3 is 41.5 inches tall and he weighs about 42 lbs!
Big boy!

First day of school

Oh the first day of school how I love thee...

My kids were looking forward to today.  I asked Alli several days ago if she was ready for 6th grade and her response was, "Might as well be!  I can't do anything about it!"  That's not a bad attitude to have is it?

Jason and I set our alarm for 6:15.  I got up to a freshly brewed pot of coffee :)  And then started making their waffles!  Jason in the mean time gets everyone up.  Alli comes bee bopping down the stairs.  While little brother slowly makes his way to the kitchen.  This is the norm!  Walker is not a morning person.  And Alli has always been!  She ate all her breakfast...He wouldn't touch it.  I reminded him it was a LONG time until lunch.  He is very stubborn :)

Miss Alli modeling her backpack and lunch box that she sooooo loves! 

And here she is putting on her final touches before pictures and school...

LIPGLOSS.

She loves her lipgloss!

Here is my Walker.  That sure is a sweet smile even though he did not want to get out of bed!  He was such a big boy this morning.  He wanted to walk in by himself this year.  Such a big boy...sniff, sniff!

I love that Alli requested a pretty little braid and ponytail WITH a ribbon.  I've tried for years to get her to let me put a ribbon in her hair and she has always said NO.  She probalby will not come home with it in, but who knows...maybe she will!

My prayer:

Psalm 119:18

Our children seek You with all their hearts; they will not stray from Your commands; they have

hidden Your word in their hearts that they may not sin against you. 

I pray that my children will always search and do what is right.  And that they realize what is important.  It's not what others are wearing or doing.  It's what God wants you to be doing.  I pray they will be protected and kept innocent.  And that they have the courage to stand up for what is right! 

Can't wait to hear my children's first day of school stories and see them!  I've missed them!

Bowling!

The kids enjoyed bowling.
My kids are pretty competitive.
We had 2 lanes, boys on one lane and girls on the other.


The ball was bigger than Griffin...well not really.

I saw a competitivness in Alli that I'm not sure I've seen before.
Go Alli!

Griffin was soooo stinkin cute! He started out crossing his arms while watching his ball slowly make it down the lane.
He would squat and watch the ball.
And sometimes he would cover his mouth like he was in shock.
So funny!

But whatever it was he did it worked, because this just turned 3 year old won!
Yes, he beat all the boys!
Go Griffin!

Team Holt

Tomorrow is the first day of lots.
It is our first taste of soccer.
Walker can't wait to play soccer.
So tonight he put his gear on and wanted Daddy to come out and kick the ball with him.

So here they head out to the field to play!

They kicked the ball around for maybe 30 minutes or so.

And even Griff got in on the action.

And after 30 minutes of kicking that ball they all came in.
Red faced. Hot. Sweaty. Tired.
Wish us luck tomorrow, because when Walker came inside the first thing he said was, "I hope it's not this hot tomorrow at practice."
Um...probably hotter...

Our last hoorrah

On Friday we meet our friends for our last outing before school started!
First we ate lunch at Chickfila!

Brody, Walker and Carson

At the girls table we had: Alli, GRIFFIN, Avery and Raygan.

After lunch we headed to the bowling ally.
As I parked our car I heard some smacking going on in the back and this is what I turned around to...
Griffin loving on Miss Avery!
Later in the weekend he said to me, "I lub Abery!"
So sweet!

Wyatt

Today we say goodbye to our furry son.
Yesterday was a rough day, I cried...Alli cried...Jason wanted to.

Lainey is back from Michigan!

Do y'all remember last summer when I posted about my poor children having to tell their best buddies goodbye?  They moved to Michigan because their daddy got a new job?  It was soooo sad.  We all cried and cried! 
Well Lainey and Joey were here this past weekend and the kids got to see each other.
Another mom planned a surprise bowling party for Lainey! She was so cute walking in and so surprised when everyone came out!



Can you tell by Alli face that she was sooooo happy to see Lainey!
We sooooo miss this family!

Walker even got to see Joey later in the day at a swim party!
So happy we were able to see them!

C25K

Okay ladies (and dad), tomorrow is the day!  I WILL begin training for a 5k...Do you hear me?  I said I WILL start training.  We've just downloaded a cool app for my iphone and I'm ready!  I can do this!  I soooo can do this!  I have to do this!  I'm going to Great Wolf Lodge in Oct with friends....who works out.  Nothing like peer pressure HA!  So anyway, please feel free to encourage me.  Cause with this heat I'm going to need it!

Her Love...

A trip to the farm isn't complete without Alli getting her Ginger fix!

This girl loves her horse!

And apparently thinks she is a trick pony!

This picture below might be my new favorite!
I love it!

Out on the farm!

This evening we headed out to Diana to visit my granny and my aunt (who just happened to be out visiting too).
When you go out to visit there is always a ton of stuff to do.
Like gather eggs, feed the chickens, goats, pigs, ride the horse, try to make the fainting goats faint and feed the fish.


Feeding the fish has always been a highlight.
Even for me when I was a little girl!
Papa's catfish have always been HUGE.

And every since I was little I loved to have my back tickled by my Aunt Sondra.
And today they were lining up to have their backs tickled too!

Griffin was loving it!

I still can't believe Papa has been gone for a year and a half....