Busy Summer Days!

     This summer has been craaazy so far!  Jes got picked for All Stars baseball after the regular baseball season ended (yay.) Lol! I know...I am a terrible mom for thinking that way, but I came from an all girls family and this sports stuff every weekend, sometimes multiple times a day, plus practices during the week?? Ugh! I gotta say I thought Jes would be overwhelmed, but he has baseball on the brain 24/7 and loves it.  When he is not playing or practicing he is outside with Dad throwing the ball back and forth.  Phillip does most of the taking to and from practices so I can't complain too much there.  I am most likely being overly dramatic and whiny, but I'm the only chick in this house so sometimes it happens.  Plus, I am the one who has to Shout Out the stains on those uniforms and bleach his WHITE baseball pants all the time. Anyways, I can always count on Phillip to keep me in check, and he has reminded me several times that "it's not all about Heather". LOL.

     Last week was VBS for our church and also another church that I have sent the boys to for the last couple of years.  So in the morning they went to a Presbyterian church for a couple of hours and then to our Baptist church in the evening.  That meant I only had 2 children during those 5 hours everyday that week.  I really REALLY like VBS week! ;D 
No but seriously, it plays a HUGE part in children's lives, and I really admire the people who devote their time to setup these programs so that kids may come to know Jesus. I still remember getting saved when I was younger at VBS, and that moment wouldn't have occurred if it wasn't for VBS and the people that volunteer to help.

     So when I went to pick Jes up one evening I couldn't find him, then his teacher told me he was at the front of the church speaking to someone about Jesus.  I had the proudest, biggest, momma smile ever!! Every mom worries and stresses (especially me)...am I raising them right?  Am I being a good enough mom?  And then knowing that Jes took those baby steps of faith by himself (my first born baby!) it was as if God was telling me yes, you are! Soo getting teary eyed while typing this...lol.  It was an overwhelming feeling and an incredibly happy moment so I just had to share it!

Easter Weekend

We mostly spent Easter weekend outdoors and the weather couldn't have been better.  Grandma came to visit and take part in all the Easter activities with us. We grilled some burgers after church, ate eggs and chowed down some candy.

Jakers found this big ole frog with 3 and 1/2 legs

I think he's the animal whisperer...this lizard was literally attached to Jake, I've never seen anything like it!

Joey giving Jude a speedy wagon ride

Baseball ready

Joe Joe cuddling up to Grandma

Hah! He makes the craziest man faces

Joey loved dying eggs

Jake is the artist in the bunch

I was sad to find out that Jes wasn't as thrilled to dye eggs as he was last year...boys grow up too fast!

See what I mean? I can guarantee that I wasn't blow drying my own hair at his age. He's 7 going on 17

My guys all spiffed up for church

I really wish I would've taken a picture of the mess that they left all over my floor and table when they devoured all the eggs without my permission.



All done hunting eggs, and check out Matthew McConaughey Jr. with his bandanna to keep his hair back, lol.

Such excitement on his face...he was over it.

Daddy and his lil buddy

Shheeese!!

So precious...when sleeping. ;)

Monkey face!

HAHAHA!

We made a paper boat since all the rain made our yard a pond.

Saw this after leaving Jake's practice

And he got his first stripe!

   

Joey's Birthday!

3 years old!

He's a blinker just like his momma!

Joey loving on his Aunt Meg

Mammie had to hold them both to avoid some jealousy here, lol.

     My sweet, little chubby-faced Joe Joe is 3! Thank goodness he still has those cheekers because it becomes all too real when those go away and turn into a more mature face.  It's very bittersweet!  But the funny thing is (even though I still get emotional with each birthday) I am starting to grow up more myself and I realize that with each year the boys are getting smarter and more independent and showing more of their individuality.  They have some similarities, but mostly they are coming into their own and figuring out the kinds of activities they like and it's really fun to see this. 

    Jes of course loves outdoors, playing with friends and is a sports fanatic; always some kind of ball in his hand. Jake likes riding his pocket rocket and is very into his jiu jitsu class.  Joey has mastered all of our electronic devices and he likes for me to read to him lots.  And Jude is a climber; can totally see him climbing Mount Everest in the future. Lol! So I guess instead of being sad like I use to be when their birthdays came and went, I'm now really looking forward to it.  I also think that means I've left the young mom phase behind; not even close to wise mom stage (I imagine that comes after you've successfully seen one kid through adolescence right?) yet but I'm somewhere in the middle and it's kinda comfy here. 

     One thing I am not comfortable with is potty training...ugh.  I really really hate it.  I am a girl and they are messy little boys and it's all gross.  I know I should be an expert at this point since the older two have done it all but that's just it...it was by some miracle that they finally decided to go on the potty.  I remember trying EVERYTHING with Jes, charts and stickers, candy, lots of praise, I even let his little naked butt run around thinking he'd be more willing to use the potty that way; only to find out he was more than happy to pee pee and crap on the floor.  Joey knows how to pee on his little potty but has not gone number two at all on there, so you can imagine how fun cleaning underwear has been over here.  I seriously told Phillip that if I could pay someone to take my child for a month and get them potty trained for me, I'd do it in a heartbeat.  Haha!  Someone needs to start that up for real; a potty training boot camp for toddlers. 

Little pool sharks

I went to grab a flashlight and up he goes

I dunno how he squeezed in there, lol.

They play so good together now

Playing catch with Dad

First day of jiu jitsu, all proud wearing his gi!

Good-bye 2011

     Wow!  Isn't it odd that when you're a kid you can never really envision yourself being in the future?  I mean I knew that I was going to grow up and become a pediatrician, marry a handsome man equivalent to Barbie's boyfriend with awesome hair (see below), and have some daughters. Lol! So...1 out of 3 ain't so bad; even though my Ken doll refuses to grow his hair out!  Time seems to go by slower when you're little though and of course when you hit 18 it all flies by in a blur. 

Yes, I had this exact one back in the day

     It's insane to me that I've known Phillip for over 10 years now!  I don't feel old at all, even though we'll both be knocking on 30's door pretty soon.  Hah!  So anyways onto this year's resolutions...yes plural; I have many this time around and I kinda wanna take them seriously.  Normally I don't like sharing mine cause then I run into that annoying moment when someone says, "so how are you doing on such and such?" then I stumble over my words until I admit my laziness and lack of motivation.  I hate that.  And majority of the time the one doing the questioning is that I-do-everything-perfect-because-I'm-awesome person. Lol. I am rolling my eyes just thinking about it. Ok, I'll stop being negative now.  This year I am informing people because I actually want to accomplish my resolutions.

     The first one is to get back to a weight that makes me feel good. Not any particular number, just more confidence in myself.  Second one is to read the Bible daily.  I am a reader, I love to read, I should be reading the Bible daily, but I never do and I don't have an excuse not to.  Third one is to stop being a scaredy pants little girl and join some kind of women's group.  It can be a mommy's getting together with the kids thing or signing up for a group at church, but either way I need more grown-up interaction.  Fourth one is a tough one for me and that is to stop being a "potty mouth", as people here in Mississippi call it.  I have been doing better but I still slip up sometimes, especially if I stump my toe or accidentally make a huge mess by spilling or breaking something in the kitchen. LOL!  Fifth and final goal is to have more patience cause I seem to have none and I don't like being dubbed "monster mom" or "bleep-y". ;)

     There they all are!  Feel free to ask me about them and see how I'm doing, hopefully I won't wig out on you when you do, haha! J/K!  Happy New Year!

A Merry Little Christmas

     We had a nice, relaxing Christmas and it was perfect! Since we have lived in Mississippi for 6 years now we've gotten use to it being just us enjoying the whole day together. We miss seeing our family, but I do not miss rushing to get ready then running from one place to the next while trying to divide up time evenly. It always ends up with someone upset and that completely voids out the purpose of Christmas. So I guess I've come to prefer spending Christmas day at home and I think that is a tradition that Phillip and I will most likely keep no matter where we move to in the future since we both agree it works best for our family.

Seeing Santa at Bass Pro!

Chomping down some Christmas sugar cookies

Super excited to open presents

Jesse loves Transformers

Jude is a big time Daddy's boy

Dad and his boys shooting stuff

Jude dude climbing on his Christmas present

Future Mavericks basketball star

Jake is the new sheriff around these parts

Joey on his new motorcycle

Jes taking his new pocket bike for a ride

All set and ready to race