Alaska and the beach...

 The first week of August, Matt went on a fishing trip to Alaska. So, my mom, the kids and I and some friends packed up for some fun-filled days at the beach!

Matt caught this 300 lb. Halibut...it was the record for the Alaskan season!



HUGE...just huge! I'm going to be googling Halibut recipes for years!



I don't know what this is, but he was just a "little guy"

He had a great time. But, he was glad to get home and we were even more glad to see him! We missed our daddy terribly! Here's what we were doing while he was setting records...

Grayson, Ella, Hayes and Matti lounging in the pool

Cale and Matti

Hottie with the body!!

The lazy river...or "riber" as Cale calls it!

Good lovin'

Cale and Honey

Three men in a tub...or a boat!

Diva-licious

Ella loving her some Ivey Kate

Catching up...July 4th!!

Well, I successfully didn't post a blog all summer. I'm pretty sure my reading audience is slim to none, but for those of you keeping up I apologize! I guess there's no better way to snag interest than to post consecutive blogs and then disappear for months at a time! Anyway, here are some pictures from the 4th of July get-together at our house. We had over some wonderful friends and their sweet children...we basically just grilled and played, it was a great holiday!!

Ella and Noah...I don't know where she gets this stuff!

A-Mazing flag cake made by Laura

Ella, Kate, Cale and Emma

Matt helping Asa and Aiden

They wanted to touch the fish...but, not really!

Ella, Kate, Emma and Matti

Cale in the bouncy house!

Ella and Matti

Grayson's catch

Matt and Brandon helping reel them in

Breaking the News...

Well, Ella completed her first year of dance. Her recital was last weekend. She was uber excited. Honey, Boppa, MeMe, PaPa and our sweet friends, the Mayer's all came to watch and support her. She was thrilled that everyone could be here to share her special night. She did an amazing job and was most nervous that her lipstick had come off after she drank some water. I assured her it was fine, but that I had more and we could re-apply...which we did! 

In the dressing room beforehand with the bunny Cale gave her

The "Flower" Ballet

"Ooooo, Ooooo"

Our Beautiful Ballerina

Our Teeny Tapper

Eloquently Ella

Ella and Caroline before showtime...

Ella and one of her sweetest friends, Grayson. They were so sweet to come support her!

Mommy's little angel

Daddy's little girl

Our family on another big night!

She was THRILLED to get flowers and a trophy...she waited all year:)

I've seen her on stage and in the spot light three times in four weeks. She has graduated from preschool, performed a solo, danced in front of hundreds of people at the Civic Center and performed songs and dances from VBS on family night. At, the age of five, I couldn't have done it. She's so comfortable, it's natural for her and she OWNS it, everytime. I could be biased because she's mine, but, really she's not. The Lord entrusted her to us and she belongs to Him. So I can't take responsibility for her successes and the things that make her outstanding. He has given her some great gifts, I'm on the edge of my seat to see how He calls her to use them!

"Baby" Zach, is a baby no more...

I was 12 when Zach was born. He was 6 when I left home to go to college at Auburn. So, I was not home for most of his childhood, but regardless of the distance he's always had a very special place in my heart. Last night we all sat proudly as we watched him graduate from high school. "Baby" Zach is all grown up and he'll be heading to Auburn in the fall. I've always thought he'd do great things, that the Lord had very big plans for him...I can't wait to see what they are.



My "little" brothers...they didn't turn out so little;)



The boys



The kids



Mom and her boys



Zach and proud parents



Our family



Zach with Gran and Aunt Na

I hope they love...

I was driving home with the kids from the grocery store this afternoon. They were singing, laughing and carrying on in the backseat. We got stopped behind a school bus. As I sat there watching the kids get off and cross the street into the neighborhood. I noticed a little boy. He was small. If I had to guess I’d say he was probably in kindergarten, maybe first grade or small for his age…either way, he was little and young. Walking next to him was a kid just slightly taller. All of a sudden this “slightly” husky kid comes barreling between the two of them, knocking down the smaller boy in all his haste. He just kept walking. He didn’t stop and help him, say he was sorry or acknowledge it in any way. The small boy got up, his friend helped him dust off and they were on their way. I’m not proud, but feelings of anger raced through my body like wild fire and I wanted nothing more than to whip the car into the subdivision and spank that kids fanny. Obviously, that’s not my place and we drove on. As I sat there driving, listening to my joyful children in the backseat I began to think about it. You know, as parents, we fear our children getting picked on or bullied at school. What a nightmare to think of your “little baby” as being the subject of ridicule or hurt. But, in that moment it dawned on me that that wouldn’t be the worst thing. The worst thing would be them being the bully. What if they just didn’t care how they treated people? What if integrity and compassion were qualities that they didn’t possess? What if they didn’t love other people more than themselves? What if they weren’t concerned with how they treated others? THAT would be the worst thing. Obviously, I don’t want my children to ever be hurt by another child…obviously, that will probably never happen. But, what I can pray for and instill in them are characteristics that are like Jesus. They might get picked on, we will teach them to handle it, if they get pushed down we will teach them how to pick themselves back up and dust themselves off, but most importantly I want to raise the kid that helps someone up and not pushes them down. I pray my kids will love above all else. I pray that they will love others like they are called to love no matter the cost. I pray my children will love like the Father and have a heart like His.

You complete me...

When I was younger my mom would always tell me that I was “exactly what she always wanted to be.” You don’t think much of comments like that when you are a kid. I didn’t at the time. And, mostly, I think I thought she was just being nice; or, just being my mom. Thirty years later, I now know what she meant. She felt about me then the way that I feel about Ella now. She is everything I always wanted to be. From the little things like how she looks; her thick, curly hair that slightly rolls up at the bottom and turns into tight ringlets in the humidity or when she gets a little hot and sweaty, to her dimples that are so prominent when she grins. To the bigger personality characteristics like her excessively vivid imagination, her ability to be outgoing and her capability to take charge of a situation and her natural gift of leadership. To the seemingly biggest things like her faith, love for her Heavenly Father and uncanny biblical knowledge for five. More than anyone ever could she has taught me what it truly means to have “faith like a child.” And, what an amazing thing. In some ways I feel as if she completes me. What if that was His intention all along? To complete works in us through our children. This may not be new information for you, it obviously took me a little longer to understand. You know, the only thing better than me getting the things that I want or being the person I want to be is Ella being that person. It is my deepest desire to do the work of my Father. And, it is my greatest goal to be the vessel for Ella and Cale that they will be equipped to do the same and do it better. If most of what we are called to do as Christians is make disciples and love people then where better to start than with our children. I have to “disciple” them, teach them, invest in them so they can do that for someone else. Thousands of years ago our Savior sent His perfect son to complete a work. And, through that sacrifice He made a way. The Son completed the Father’s work. Now granted none of us birthed a Savior, is creator of the universe or have done anything near perfect, nor have our children. But, because of our children we can more easily grasp the work that the Lord has called us to do. Sometimes, as adults we think that we do all the “teaching,” but it is coming more and more apparent to me that I’m learning a lot from my child.

Guess who graduated from preschool????

THIS GIRL!!!!!

Ella before her ceremony

Ella with some of her class and their teacher

Her "moral" support;)

Walking up to do her solo! She did such a great job...she smiled and didn't stutter, stumble or miss a beat!



Looking at us to make sure we were watching her before she started!

She's on the BIG screen!

Ella getting her diploma from Pastor Kuykendall

Getting our medal from Mrs. Cheryl

You did it!!

Here she comes...our little graduate!!

Walking down the aisle...I LOVE this one!!

Ella and Mrs. Cheryl...they really love each other! We are going to miss her next year.

Ella and Mommy

Ella and daddy

Ella and her Honey

Our family on a pretty special night!