Summer is over:(

Well summer is offically over. This week was so long and I missed my family so much! I had to work late pretty much all week getting ready for a new school year but I think now I'm ready for Monday. It has been strange not to spend every moment with the boys. It has been really relaxing at times to not have constant noise but at the same time I miss it. Well any ways here are some pictures of us at the lake this summer. The boys love the boat and Hunter has gotten to fish a little this summer with his day. I would loved to have joined them but Rusty is a little to small for the being still part of fishing, in fact that seems to still be hard for Hunter also! LOL!!!

These two are going to hate me taking pictures someday! It is so hard to get them both smiling and looking at once. Good thing I have a digital camera so I can just stap away and pick the best. And I you can tell you still can't get them looking at the smae time. Oh well They are still as cute as can be!

Rusty was really quite on the boat I think we might Have been a little scared being his first ride. But he never cried or whined. He just held on for dear life. Hunter on the other hand would have stood up the whole time if we had let him. He loved being able to drive with daddy. I enjoy watching Kevin teach him how to drive and what to look for. Moments like this you can tell will be treasured memories for both of them:0)

He like his own seat but it looks like he is being blown into the seat.
This is my brother Clint and his fiance Celinda.

I love close ups of the boys not looking. This is Rusty pointing throwing bread to the ducks.

Hunter loved throwing rocks in the lake we did however have to move away from the ducks because he had a pretty good aim:) I just love watching HUnter at play! He gets so excited about little things. He loves teaching Rusty how to do everything(The good and the bad). Sometimes he just acts so grown up and to see how much he has grown over the summer just amazes me. I should record him talking. He is just so funny and so interested in the world. And of course he has so many questions, which can be annoying but he just wants to know everything. All I can say is WOW! I love my boys they are just amazing to watch grow up:) I look forward to coming home each day tired or not and getting my big hugs from all three of my boys and then off to play with what energy I'll have left.

Update:My last post was about my friend A and she has gotten better and gone home. Hopefully she got the help she needed.

Prayers!

I am really behind on blogging I never have time to add pictuires to the blog and I love that part so I just don't keep it up to date. So eventually I will add more of my millions of pictures fromt he summer. Right now my heart is Heavy for a lady which I will call A for now! She wants no one to know anything about this so just in case I want to honor that. A admited herself to thehospital for what we believe is Postpardum physocis or something. They have 3 children a 5 year old a 3 year old and a 4 week old baby. I was called later this week about A and that they needed help with the kids while the she was seeking help. And of course I was glad to help. Well I tried and tried to help but it was like pulling teeth to do so. Eventually Iwas able to help out by taking the baby. It was the most amazing thing to hold a 3 and half week old baby girl. Oh my gosh a baby in my home. Her mother is still no better and her husband is not telling us much of anything because A is so embarrassed which is understandable. But it is not her fault. Her husband has been by her side the whole time. The baby stayed with me for 3 days and two night. It was an honor to have been able to help them out. She was precious and I miss her as if she was my own. I pray that A will get the help she needs and I'm so proud of her for seeking help. I pray that she will get better and be able to return to her children. I also pray that until then that the kids will be taken well care of. I wish so badly that I could help more but with school starting Monday I just can't Which breaks my heart. I wish I could solve the problems of the world but only through prayer can I even begin.

Fun with 6 boys

I kept 4 boys for my friend Alicia while she took he baby Cheyenee to the doctor. I was a little nervous before they got here wondering how I was going to do it, but it was not bad at all. Everyone behaved just perfectly. Hunter seemed a little overwhelmed to begin with but I think it was because he was no longer the oldest. He soon adjusted and loved all the play time they got. And believe or not I even got them all to sleep!
Here they are minus Rusty in the fort of the swing set From left to righ Hunter, Christopher, Benjamin, Kendrick and Nathaniel sitting on the slide. Rusty was up there also but I was nervous that he would fall while I took the picture.

Here is everyone playing in the sand box

Ihope when my boys are away from me they have the manners and behavior that these 4 did. Christopher the oldest cleaned up after lunch for us and he noticed the trash was full he he just started taking it out and asked where to take it! WOW! Nathaniel really cracked me up he kept tellingme things he was allergic to which I knew was a joke becuase he had his daddy's joking smile and dimples. It was a dead giveaway! Below is Kendrick playing with the Umbrella he kept telling me to take his picture:)

The younger two were just as kind and sweet! I really wish they lived closer than Witchita Falls:( I not only miss spending time and talking to Alicia but I miss watching her boys grow.

Here Rusty and Benjamin work on their sidewalk art.

Here is everyone in action. If you look closely you can see Hunter climbing the basketball goal!

And here is Cheyenne she is13 months old.

Playtime with friends

Yesterday I baby sat Toby and Madison. We had such a blast! I think it is easier with four than two or at least it was most of the time:) Madison is 5 weeks younger than Rusty and Toby will be four in September. So he is right in between Hunter and Rusty. This was lunch time:) The babies were so cute together. Rusty was either hugging her or pushing her. It was hard to tell sometimes. Maddi was not wanting Hugs every 5 second and I don't blame her.Hunter tried to be the one in charge as usual but he did a good job. He tried to make sure everyone was happy especially Madison. Hunter would walk her around and show her things, like the bunny and then they would talk about how to touch her, and then how to get the dogs to come to the window and top priority was that Rusty did not make her cry. He was Super!

I also loved how Madison and Rusty would have their own conversations. Rusty talks but not like Madison. There were times I would walk by and they were just talking an nodding their head like big people! I love it! Everybody really did a great job. I really enjoyed watching them all interact together. It is amazing to think that I have been there to see all of these beautiful babies since day one and now to see them playing and so grown up. God makes some incredible creations and children are definitely one of them!

This is Toby and Hunter laying in the bed playing with their airplanes. It took a lot to keep them still for two second in order to get a picture:) Here is everyone ready for nap time. I turned on cartoons and told them they had 10 minutes and everyone was going to bed. Madison lasted about 2 minutes and then she grabbed her nap pad and said bye. I took her and laid her down then Rusty drug his blanket and off he went as well. The two older ones made it a little tricky but after a few talks and some stares they were all asleep!
Truck were the big hit of the day!

And then the toys get old but the containers are still fun!

Elisha, their mommy and the God mother to my boys , surprised us with dinner when she picked them up! CHICK FILA!!!!! It was AWESOME! It was also really nice to sit down and talk with Elisha. I miss her living close enough to see all the time. But it makes our time together even more special!

And tomorrow I am watching Alicia's 4 boys:) I am sure it will be a blast:)

Happy 6th Anniversary!

On Saturday Kevin and I celebrated our 6th wedding Anniversary! Our plan was to got to San Antonio for the night but we stayed in town and had a great time. Kevin's Parents kept the kids for us Friday night and all day Saturday. It was strange to be at home together without kids. We had dinner together Friday night and then came home to watch a movie. We then got to sleep late Saturday! Wow that was awesome. No getting up in the middle of the night and no little ones to be the alarm. We got up and went to breakfast or by that time brunch and then went to the mall. After the mall we went fishing. Some of you are think, wow on your anniversary! But that is how Kevin and I met and I love to fish. Unfortunatly the fish were not really in the mood to be caught. Kevin caught one and I caught, .... well none! But we still had a good time.

I just love this picture. You can really see his mind working hard:)

As you can see the fish was huge! The funny part was trying to get the hook out. I had my hand downthe poor fishies throat becasue Kevin's hands were to big. We should have taken a picture of me doing that!

After fishing we wnet home and washed up for dinner time!

By the time the day was over we were both really ready to see our boys. When we pulled up we jsut sat there in the car watching them paly in the driveway. Hunter waved and kept playing . Rusty stared like he had no idea who we were and then started jumping up and down and screaming mommy.. daddy. It was pricless!!!

I am so lucky to have Kevin! I love him so much and can't imagine the world without him. Meeting him 9 years ago was a dream come true. He has truely shown me how wonderful life can be. He and my boys are what make my world go around:)

Rusty's Reading Habits

I have been reading a book in my spare time

(Which is not very often!) Rusty takes his every chance to get his hand on it. He always gets comfy and lays down to read the book also. He lays there and stares at it forever like he is really reading. We read a lot of kids books too, but this seems to be his favorite. I am impressed that he enjoyes and book with no pictures:)

Sea World

We took the boys to Sea Word and had a blast. Watching their faces glow with excitment was incredible. We drove in from Corpus and they were so glad to get out of the car. We were worried that we might get rained on but that might be refreshing was our thought. And it di rain but not until we were readu to leave. Running from one show to the next was a challenge but once we got thereit was well worth it. Hunter rode his fist small roller coaster and loved it. I think if he was big enough he would have riden anything. Rusty was just amazed at all he had to see.

He was fussy at times and just wanted to run so we would take breaks from the crowds and just set him free. However when there were animals around he would just stop and stare in amazement. You could see the wheels turning. He kept saying " Pool fishies and then trying to get in with the dolphins. And he was really dissappointed when he could not get in. We did go to the water park area but Hunter was still not big enough to get on the slides. Whichwas fine with me because I'll go up but I'm not much for sliding from way up and water. But I would have done it if he could go. kevin talked about going up and I talked him out of it. All I need is for him to have back surgery again! NO THANKS! We did play in the wave pool and the lazy river. I wish I could have had my carea i nt he water. I need to get a water proof camera for this next ime. In the wave pool Rusty and I stayed int he shallow end he had on a life jacket and he would fall and roll over int he water. Face int he water and all. yet he would stand back up laugh and do it again on purpose. It was the greatest. After doing it many time he would come up hug me and fall again. Hunter and Daddy jumped the waves and had a blast. Hunter kept asking why it was a little ocean and not big. later we did the lazy river. We stuck a life jacket on Hunter and let him swim to us. He had a lot of giigles. And I held on to Rusty form a tube and just let him swim away. When we got to the rapids each time he would laugh and squeal and everyone else would laugh with him.

Then the bad part came. We had to go home. TEARS!!!!! Screams!!!! and here comes the fits. but we survived and they were asleep in their car seats before we left the parking space.

This was the ride out to the car after the fits ended. Mommy and Daddy were POOPed and so were these two

I have to say trips with two little one is a lot of work and difficult but I would do it all again right now. There were so many unbelieveable moment that I will trasure forever.

Even the car ride as crazy as it was at times we had some good laugh. From Rusty saying "NIGHT NIGHT BEEBEE" everytime he was ready to go to sleep even in the middle of the night, which is what tell him when he goes to bed. The the talking dophin that Hunter and Rusty kept pretending to be, And the Simple words from Hunter. Mommy can the truck stop so that you can just hold me please:) Wow being a mom is amazing and incredible.

The beach

We were actually able to go on a short vacation this year. With kevin's new job we were not sure it would actually happen. Rusty and Hunter had a blast. The first day on the beach was a bit crazy. We drove Kevin's new truck and did not consider how it might drive on the sand. BUt it took us anout 5 minutes to find out. WE GOT STUCK!!!! The first time we worked and dug our way out but them we just maded it worse. We ended up digging off and on for an hour and then we called for help. We have a roadside assistant plan but who woul have guesses it doesn't cover you 100 yards off a paved road so we called a tow truck and evnetually got out! The left back tire when all ws said and done was about 2 feet in the sand. However we still had a blast and just laughed about the crazy morning.

When Hunter was this age he was terrified of the waves and didn't like to get dirty. But Rusty dove right in. At least until he fell in and was slashed my a wave. Hunter had a blast jumping the waves and just laying in it.

We had a blast in Corpus. Hunter and Rusty could live right on the water and never leave:) I had a blast watching them have so much fun. God has some beautiful creations, The ocean the sand and my beautiful family.

And the summer is just starting

We have had so much fun and summer has not even started yet. These two are so cute I could not resist sharing. Teh water is still cold but watering the grass is so much fun and entertaining.As some of you know that Briggs truck sitting in front of the house is Kevin's work truck. Well it is gone:) Kevin quit last week and starts a new job on Tuesday. He has been blessed with the oppurtunity to join a new company. Hopefully he will be much happier and more money is always nice:) so that leaves me with the boys from wake up to about 5 by myself. I can't wait. We are going to have a blast. They are both at the age that they will play until they hit the floor. They play well with each other sometimes, however other times they both like to pick at each other. But in the end they both say they are sorry and go on their way. We are trying to teah them both to use their words not their hands. And Yes Rusty talks up a storm. He has started saying more than one word at a time. Yesterday I gave hunter candy and he said. I want it too!








And if you count to him to stop something you have to hold back the smile and laughter. For example I'll say Rusty get out of mommy's room. 1... ANd Rusty says, 2,3,4. It just blows my mind. Well I guess two blogs in one day is enough. Happy Summer!!




Look at his tounge! I look watching the boys explore the world!

Fun in the mud

Well as you can see we went and played in the mud. The boys had a blast. Good thing I don't mind getting muddy myself since Ihave two boys. There has been so much rain thatw e just never get outside time. So today in between rain falls we went out and look what fun we had. Hunter usually is Mr. Clean or else guy but not today. Rusty on the other hand never minds. In fact he fell in the mud puddle face first. Whinned a little and then died laughing. Just look at his face it is covered in mud. I should have taken a picture of the bath tub!

For Rusty's 1st birthday my inlaws had his pictures made. Kris, my mother in-law was worried that there would be no good pictures to choose from because Rusty was on the run the entire time. However he was obvisoly smiling the entire time. He is just so perfect he looks like a doll.

We really wanted a picture of Rusty with the cowboy hat. Hunter had it in his 1st year picture and it was just so cute. Rusty did not want anything to do with the hat. After a few times of hiding the ball underneath it. I guess they got the perfect shot.He had so much fun playing with the photographers assistant.
If you look closley you will see that the chair is actually tiping over. Rusty loves to take risk just like his brother. It's kind of like they think " what can we do to scare mom today."
This was 3 months ago and I just can't believe how big Rusty is. He is now 17 months old going on 4. My boys may wear me out but at the end of the day I am so in love with the life I have. What a blessing my boys and husband are to me.

New Camera

Hip hip horray! I finally have camera. My old one broke and I have 26 rolls of film to develop, but now I have a digital:) My husband took our income tax and surprised me with a carea. I am so excited:) So here is a picture that I took of my boys hugging. A sweet moment:)

SLEEP:)

I am knocking on wood as I type...... Rusty slept all night last night and the night before. It is awesome to sleep all night:) Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. Thanks God for the break:)

Smiles

Rusty has been on his new medication for 6 days now, and we have seen some change. He is sleeping better at night. He still wakes up twice but is not as wild and crazy. he cries and throws his fit yet tells me"juice" which mean a drink. Then he has been laying with me and just talking away! He says- tank u, wuv u, juice, baaaa(bath), side (outside), gogog(dog) noooo noooo, and many more words I just love hearing him talk and he gives amazing hug and kisses

Hunter is such a sweetheart also. I had to take him to the doctor on Thursday and he thanked me for taking care of me. He had to have breathing treatment and I told him it would be ok not to worry he got off the table came over to me and said " Mommy you don't need to worry either I am a brave boy you can be brave to mommy" I though I was going to cry. I'm an emotional person and it doesn't take much.

Kevin and I had a day alone today. His parents kept the kids and we went to Canton. I think we really needed it. To walk together holding hand and talking really made my day and there were no interruptions. Every couple needs to make alone time. Kevin is such a wonderful husband. Lately he has made sure that I have time away and for myself and has made sure that I take care of myself and not just everyone else. I think I'll keep him:)

Prayers are being heard:)

Sunday at church we mentioned to several people that we were having such a terrible time with Rusty Sleeping. We had not really shared it much becuase we know it could be much worse. Everyone said they would include us in theri prayers. Last night we set the video tape up to record Rusty in action at night and we joked that he would probably sleep. Guess what???????
He slept until 4 and then I changed his diaper and he rolled over and went to sleep. This is the 13th time since October that we have slept all night without Rusty up for hours screaming, kicking and head bashing us. I really feel that we were in the prayers of many people last night and God stood by his side patting him to sleep. I however woke up many times wondering if he was ok or if I had slept and not heard him cry.
We went to the doctor today for Rusty's 15 month check up. He weighs 25.8lbs and is 34 inches long. We talked about the whole sleep thing and the doctor suggested shortening Rusty's naps. But he sleep about 45 min in the monring and 1hr 30 min after lunch. He then kept trying to leave the room and send the nurse in for shots. But we kept reminding him that we are not sleeping. He then said he didn't know where to start he mentioned that their was only one thing he could think of and that Rusty really showed no other signs. ACID REFLUX~~~~~ But Kevin has had Acid Reflux since birth and so has Hunter. If anyone was around Hunter as a baby you know how he would spit up. It was terrible. Rusty only spit up sometimes and only a little. However he has been spitting up a little lately in the evenings. Anyways we are trying a medication to see if it solves the problem. This would only be a minor problem and it would be great to have found a cure!!! I can't wait to see the turn out of the next few days. I pray that this is it. Thanks to everyone for your prayers!

It's about time!!!

I know it has been forever since I have posted anything new. I just can't seem to find time to stop and write sometimes let alone post pictures. I have 18 rolls of film to develope so I actually have no new pictures. So now for a catch up session.
School has been crazy. We had a teacher that we hired in August leave so we had to hire a new teacher. To be honest it was an answeres prayer her and I really knew how to make life miserable. She thought everything that I did to help her was a waste of time and she felt it was necessary to tell me along with other not so nice comments. Anyways to make a long story short we have hired a brand new teacher that is just wonderful. She is easy to work, flexible, smart and a great teacher. Sorry the other teacher that I have bad names for had none of these qualities. So the stress has changed a little bit. However I'm really feeling the TAKS pressure and it SUCKS!!!!!!! Along with TAKS we have a principal who comes up with Crazy idea like an American Idol Talent Contest!!!!! I can't sing or dance. But however tomorrow I will be on stage doing both with my team!!!! OH Great!!!! I'm sure it will be funfor the kids and they will have something to think about while they are stressing on the test to cheer them up.
Anyways enough about school@!
Kevin and I have become very involved at our church and I just love it. He spends a lot of time witht he youth! Sometimes I'm jealous but I know he is really being a supporter for those kids and they need it. I work with the k-1 in our children's service. Last week I spent my time with a 5 yr old autistic child. Although he took all my energy I really felt blessed to work with him and I feel like we connected. It also made me that more thankful for my boys even if they are a handful.
My boys have really grown Hunter has turned 4 and it seems tobe a magical age. He wants to act like a big boy now(sometimes). He has decided that it is ok to learn and he is excited to learn the light bulb really turned on last week. It is awesome. We have to pause TV all the time for him to tell us what letters are on TV. I owe it all to our sitter forher hard work. Once I get home there is not much time to make him do it. Now that he is interested that is all we do when we get home. He recognizes letters all over the place and sometimes he even knows how they sound. What a CHAMP!
Rusty has become a hugger he loves to hug. An he sings MOMMA, MOMMA after every bath in such a sweet tune. he even tells us Nit Nit when he is tired. He falls way to much and seem to be brusied at least once on his face a week. Hopefully know one thinks we beat him. He just moves fast and plays rough.
We are however really struggling at night time with Rusty:( HE has woken up almost every night since October throwing an hour to two hour long fit )sometimes longer) He kick throw his head, arches his back and screams. Eventually he wears down and falls asleep. Sometimes we are lucky to get him in bed and other times we start all over again. The doctor thinks it is nighttorres an suggested giving him benedryl. Well that makes my kids hyper, what luck. So we thried a stronger drug Attarax. The first couple of night we are up all night fighting him and then we have a few days where he will sleep all night. I don't want to get him addicted to the meds and that be the only way he can sleep. We are now once again trying the attarax for two weeks to see if we can fix the problem. I have spent many nights awake with him crying because it seems like he is in pain and I can't fix it. They also say it could be teething but for 4 months straight??????? Please pray that whatever it is is figured out so that we can keep it from happening. Not only am I tired but worried. At least he is ok during the day. I guess that is a blessing.
Wll that is probbaly enough rambling as if someones actually going to read all of this. However it just feels good to get it all out. WOW I think I wrote a book:)

Visiting Santa and family pictures

Today we went to get our family pictures and then we went tovisit Santa since the boys were dressed so darn cute. They were both just awesome for pictures. Hunter tried to pull the I'm not going to smile for family pictures but the photographer was awesome an she had oth boys smiling forboth pictures. It was actually fun and not a pain. Hunter was so excited about Santa we had told him that we sould probably just walk by because I figured there would be a line. Howerver, there wer two kids in line so we joined the Santa line. Guess what Hunter ask for? A new vaccum. Yes my child is crazy. He got a toy vaccum last year that now needs batteries and he thinks he needs a new one. he wil not tell us anything else that he wants. Crazy little boy. As for Rusty he was fine with looking at Santa but di not really like teh idea of being on his lap. Out of the three pics to choose from this is the only one that he is not looking at Santa with a very concerened sad face.
Afer us there was a baby gong to see Santa that was about 7 months old. His reaction was so cute. He just stared at Santa with open mouth. They could not get his attention. So they just took that pose. Santa decide to have the same open mouth look as the baby. It was adorable.