Sleepy Little Pirate

My little pirate was worn out! haha He had to put on brother's pirate costume, and I had to draw on his mustache. then he said "I have to get mine pirate boots!" so he ran and put on brothers black cowboy boots. Then he was sitting in the chair watching cartoons while I folded laundry, and I turned around to see this. I thought he looked so cute and peaceful, I couldn't resist taking his picture. :)

What color today?

OK, so I am constantly changing my hair color lately. I just can't seem to get it right. I used to have such pretty natural brown hair, with blond highlights. But I was driving all the way to OK to get it done by my aunt and it took pretty much a full day, and $50, plus Gas! So then after I met Venece, I was letting her do it, and she kept it just like I had it, and it stayed very pretty brown/blond. But then she got pregnant with her first baby, and I didn't want to bother her, so I was going back to my aunt...until I couldn't afford it anymore. So I decided to do what some of my friends do, and just put a brown hair color on it myself, and do without highlights until Venece could do it again. Well, it looked OK for awhile, but then it started fading out to an auburn color. Then I would re-color it about ever 6 weeks, and it just seemed to get redder and redder. (you saw what it looked like in my previous post!) So I begged Venece to help. Yesterday she called in an order to the professionals products store (since she used to be a full time stylist, she can order from there). So I went and picked it all up. She had me color my hair this REALLY dark brown, to try and get rid of the reddish orange color. So last night, I mixed everything up like she told me to, and then Stephen pretty much painted my head! haha The whole time, he is saying, you know I HATE painting...why can't people just live with their natural color and be happy..... etc. His hands are stained brown, from the color..I didn't even think of picking up some gloves for him, oops! But anyway, it turned out this really dark brown color.

In the next few weeks, or so, she is going to highlight my hair for me. She said this DARK brown will help eliminate the reddish color, and then the highlights will really pop, next to this dark brown. :) Yea!!! Thank you, Thank you,Thank you Venece!!!! I owe you BIG TIME! I also vow to NEVER do anything to my hair without your permission again! haha :)

Love ya girlfriend!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Much better, don't you think?!

I'll post a new picture, once we do my highlights. :)

Let's Bake Cookies!!!!

I always wanted to be the type of Mommy who had fresh baked cookies for her kids, when they got home from school. So on Tuesday, Seth and I had to go buy groceries, so I bought some cookie dough. I know how much Levi loves to help me cook, and pretend to be a "Chef". So, I waited until after school, and then let him help me bake the cookies. They had so much fun!

Today I snapped a picture of Seth, showing me his cookie he made. :)

Pirates!

Since Granny sent Seth the Dora Pirates Adventure DVD, he has now watched it twice. He has also wanted to play pirates again all day today. So I took time and played with him for a little bit. He is totally enjoying having Mommy all to himself. He is really thriving with this attention he is getting. He has been acting so good to! I can't believe it. He actually sat and did 3 work pages with me yesterday when we played school. He has never sat and actually done it right! I am so impressed. So hopefully this will be a good "growing experience" for him, while Levi is at school, and he has Mommy to himself. I just pray that he will continue to be cooperative, and will actually want to learn.

Today he said he is a MEAN Pirate. This is his Mean Pirate face! ha ha

He couldn't hold out though, and I got a smile out of him! :)

Since I was taking his picture, he wanted to take mine to. :)

The first one was really close, but then he was walking around with my camera, and the second one turned out a lot better. I'll make a little photographer out of him yet! haha

P.S. VENECE: PLEASE HELP ME FIX MY HAIR COLOR!!!!!!! EEEKKKK, IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!! :)

After School, on Levi's first day of school

I had to run to the post office to mail some stuff, and while we were there, we picked up our package from Granny (apparently they had tried to deliver it around 8am, when we were at the school).

So the boys were so excited to be getting something in the mail from Granny. When we pulled up to the Post Office Levi said "My Granny is just FULL of Surprises!" I about laughed myself silly! :)

So anyway, Levi opened his right away. He was so excited! Granny had sent him the movie "Ant Bully". He couldn't wait to watch it.

Seth wouldn't open his, he didn't want to tear his name. He didn't open it until we got home. Once he did open it, talk about excited! How fitting that it would be "Dora's Pirate Adventure", after we had been playing pirates today. :)

Seth

Seth and I have been playing today (so that he will not miss Levi so much). He is a Pirate! haha Cute huh.

Levi's 1st Day of School!

Today was Levi's first day of school. He woke up before his alarm clock. He got up at 6:45pm. Then he did everything on his chart, to get ready for school.

Levi putting on his backpack, all ready for school.


Showing off his backpack.


Once we got to school, they all meet in the gym. Then they line up with their teacher, and walk down to the classroom together. His teacher let him lead the class! He was so excited! He walked right into the room, and put his backpack in his cubby. Then he sat down at his spot.

Levi, sitting at his spot, in his Kindergarten Class!

The teacher asked them to write their names at the top of their paper. He was doing that and I took his picture. Isn't he a cutie pie.

I asked him if he was ready for me to leave. He said "I guess". But sounded very unsure. So I told him I would be back to pick him up this afternoon. Then he gave me a kiss, and told me bye. I snapped this picture right before we left. Look at that smile. :)

Once we got home, Seth looked at me and said "Mommy, I miss Weevi". Poor baby, he isn't going to know what to do without Levi today.

Watch out School, here he comes!!!!

Levi starts school tomorrow! I still can't believe it. I took him up there on Friday, to meet his teacher. He really liked her, and so did I. She answered all of my questions, which put me a lot more at ease.
I am still nervous for him. He has never been in pre-school or daycare or anything. He has always been with me. It will be a major transition for him. I hope he handles it well. Y'all keep us both in your prayers. (I hope I handle it well too).

Just driving home on Friday, I thought "Wow, where has the time gone? My first born is going to be starting school...and I wont be there to make sure he is ok...." I got all teary eyed and was about to lose it. But I didn't want him to see me cry.

Goodness, I am getting tears in my eyes, just thinking about this again. I told him that tonight we would get everything ready, for his first day of school. He is extremely excited.

Seth thinks he is going to..so he will be heartbroken tomorrow when he doesn't get to stay. I guess we can just cry the whole way home together! haha

Y'all say a prayer for all of us!

Levi's 5 year checkup

I took Levi to his Pediatrician yesterday, for his 5 year checkup. He was such a little gentleman. He stood on the scale (43lbs), stood against the wall (to check his height: 43 1/2 inches tall), let them check his blood pressure and temperature (both perfect). Then they came in and checked his vision and hearing (perfect on both).

The nurse then told me about a "booster shot", to his first chicken-pox shot, he needed to have. It is a new requirement, because apparently a lot of children didn't respond to the first shot. Keep in mind, the whole way there, Levi is saying "I don't want a shot", and I am telling him "you've already had all of your shots, so you don't have to get any shots". Seth is in the back seat yelling "I want a shot! I want to get something out of the treasure chest!" haha

So anyway, when Levi hears the word "shot", he looks at me with fear filled eyes, and immediately starts to cry. Big crocodile tears rolling down his face....while he silently cries. It was heartbreaking! So I told the nurse that I had told him he didn't have to have any shots today, because I didn't know about them needing this booster. So she gave me a few minutes with him, to talk to him and get him calmed down. I apologized to him, and told him I didn't know about this booster shot. I told him it would just be one little shot, and then if he was a big brave boy, we would go to the store and he could pick out something special (he loves to go shopping). So he decided he might could get a shot, but he wasn't happy about it....then he said "OK, but I don't' want to lay down like a baby to get my shot!" :)

Then his Doctor came in to check him out. As soon as he walked in the room, Seth said "I've been waiting for you!" haha He said "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to keep you waiting." haha Then he gave both boys a hi-five and got them to talking to him. Levi was such a big boy! He answered all of the Doctor's questions, and was so polite. I was so proud of him! Before the Dr. left, he gave both boys a sucker (sugar free of course).

Then...the nurse back came in. She gave me some Tylenol to give to Levi, so I did. Then I signed for his shot. We then sat him down on the table, and she said he could sit up, and she would just raise his shorts up some, and give it in his thigh. So she had me holding his hands, and she told him to look the other way and count to three. Well, that wasn't going to happen! He refused to look the other way! He whimpered, and watched her give the shot. It was so fast, and before he even knew what happened, she was putting the band-aid on him. HE NEVER EVEN CRIED!!!! YEA!!!!!! He looked up at me and said "Wow, that didn't hurt to bad". I said "See!" So he said "now I get to get something out of the treasure chest, and then go get something special?" I said "yes you do, because you were such a big boy, and you didn't even cry!" So we went to check out, and he got a treasure and the receptionist gave both boys a sticker. They were so excited!

So then we got out to the car, and right after I got the van started, my Mom called to see how the appointment went. I told her about it, and asked about hers. Then after we hung up, Levi had to call his Daddy and tell him all about his trip to the Doctor. Then he had to call his Granny and tell her that he "didn't even cry"! haha

We then stopped by Target on our way home. Levi picked out an Animal Doctor Set. It has 3 little plush animals, and little cages/locks on one side of the box (kind of like an animal hospital). Then it had a key for each door, and they are color coated. Then the top opens like a Doctors bag, and all of the tools are in there. He loves this little set! Seth picked out a little Learning Laptop, which is a little old for him, but Levi does it really well. I figure Seth will grow into it. He likes to set it up beside me and pretend he is working with me. I thought this might be a good thing, once Levi starts school, and I start taking my classes. Anyway, we got home, and they played with their new toys for the rest of the day!

NEW Update on Mom!

She went to the Orthopedic Surgeon yesterday. He checked her out, and said she is NOT going to have to have surgery!!! Yea!!!! Thank you all for your prayers!
From what I understand, he told her that everything is still located where it should be, and it will heal just fine on its own. He told her to wean her foot off of the boot, and try to wear "high-top" shoes until it is healed.
Isn't God Good?! Congratulations Mom!!!!

By the way Mom, I heard your favorite baseball team won their game last night, 30-3!!! Wow!!!!! I hope you got to watch it.

Happy Birthday to ME and LEVI! :)

Today is Levi's 5th birthday, and my 29 AGAIN birthday! haha OK, so he was born on my 25th birthday...you do the math. I have just decided that if I don't say it out loud...it isn't real! ha! So I am just 29 AGAIN. We will see how many years I can get away with it. :)

My Mom wished me a happy birthday this morning. Stephen also wished me a happy birthday. Then Tami called (my Pampered Chef Advanced Director and friend) to wish me a happy birthday, but I was in the shower...had just finished working out, and was getting ready to run to the bank and to the store to buy groceries.

While I was shopping, Stefanie (my best friend in TX and my new Pampered Chef DIRECTOR!!! Yea, Congrats Stef!!!) called to wish me a happy birthday. She had also sent me an E-Card. Thank you Stefanie!

Then I got home and checked the mail. Jenni Jones, my best friend in OK, had sent me a birthday card. It was so PERFECT!!!!

It says "She brilliantly figured out a way to combine shopping with staying fit!"

Inside:

It says, "Shop, purchase, lift, repeat! Happy Birthday to someone who does it all - with style!"

Isn't this cute!!!! I love it. I just hope this is really me...on the "style"....with my husband and my kids telling me I am getting old...i don't want to be "out of style"...so maybe I should go shopping! haha :)

She also put this Adorable bookmark inside of the card. Isn't it to cute! She knows how much I love to read, so this was a perfect gift: It says "This is the Life"..it is a girl, in a round floatie, in the pool.....when I am in my floatie, reading a good book in the pool, relaxing...that is when I truly feel like "this is the life". :) Jen: You know me so well!!!!! :)

OK, so I know you are all dying to know if Stephen came through today or not......well........drum roll please.............. (Since he said if I wasn't having a birthday this year, he didn't have to get me anything...)

He..........

DID!!!!! :) Yippy!!!!

He came home, and I was making dinner. I turn around and he is holding a gift bag out for me, and sets it on the counter because my hands are dirty. Then he goes to our bedroom (to change, I thought). But the boys come running out with a card. He had got a birthday card for me from the boys, and had the boys sign it. It was so cute! It said: "It's your birthday Mom. Can you guess how much I love you? go on...guess....give up?" Then you open the card and the arms pop out really wide and it says "THIS MUCH! Happy Birthday". Then Levi signed his name, and Seth made a few ink scratches for his. :) I loved it!

So...what DID Stephen get me? This card......

Isn't he sweet.... HA! Inside it says "Happy 30th!" He just had to rub that in. He is just paying me back though...when he turned 30, I told him he was now half-way to 60! So I deserve it.

Then, in the gift bag.......

He got me this new book! YIPPY!!! :) He knows my love for exercise/fitness, and he also knows how much I love to read. This book is great! It is packed full of workouts, healthy menus, and how to get flat defined abs! I have read half of it already! I love it!!!!!!

He also got me......

USB 10 Key, numeric Keypad!!!! YIPPY!!!! To some of you, this may not mean anything. But to me, this means everything! I have been telling him how badly I miss the 10 key on our desktop computer. Since getting this laptop (it doesn't have the 10 key, number pad), I realized how much i use that. Just putting in all of my pampered chef orders from my shows, and balancing our accounts, and paying bills. I use that number pad all the time. Now that I didn't have it on the laptop, I was going crazy, hunting and pecking those numbers and symbols. I hated it! So I had saw one of these at the store and told Stephen I definitely needed to get one, one of these days. He actually remembered, and got it for me!!!! Isn't he the sweetest. He really listens, and files this information, and puts it to good use when I least expect it. I had told him this, back at the end of June! Isn't he the best?!

I did cook dinner tonight, just like any other night.....but Stephen cleaned the kitchen for me! Yea!!! I HATE cleaning the kitchen. So that was a major birthday blessing. Thank you Stephen!!!!!

Thank you ALL!!!! For the cards/gifts/money I received on Saturday (at the birthday party), and for all of the calls/cards/gifts I received today. You have all made me feel so special! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!!!!! I have the absolute best family and friends a girl could ever hope for.

Love you all!

Update on Mom

Mom went on Friday and had an MRI and X-Ray on her ankle. They told her it is fractured and she also has some torn ligaments. So they have her wearing a boot and using crutches (after walking on it for two weeks).
She has an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon on Wednesday to find out what they need to do to make it better.

Y'all keep her in your prayers!

Practicing for the BIG League! :)

His first broken bat! haha This is the one he just got on Saturday for his birthday. He was playing outside and hit the ball so hard, that it broke the bat. He was heartbroken! He thought he was going to be in BIG trouble with Daddy. But Daddy told him "Wow, your first broken bat?!" he knew everything was OK. Stephen told him it was OK, he would just have to use one of his other bats...then he took his picture. :)

Cute Cowboy!

Here is my cute little cowboy. He got all decked out yesterday, so I took his picture. He had on his new clothes, his new chaps, his new hat (from Colorado), his new boots, and he had me put his spurs on his boots too. Isn't he a little cutie pie! :)

In this picture, he was trying to show me his spurs on the back of his boots.

Thank you!!!

I want to Thank my Mom and Dad, Stephen's Mom and Dad, and Stephen's Sister: Michelle, for the birthday cards and money. They all gave me money for my birthday this year, so I could use it towards my schooling or anything else I might need. This means so much to me! Thank you so much for everything. I know I will be using it for school, and for any software, etc, that I might need for this new career.

For those of you who do not know yet....I am about to start going through the process to become a TX Real Estate Appraiser. My New Uncle, Ken (he married my Aunt last summer) is a TX Real Estate Appraiser and owns his own business. He said he will be my sponsor and will train me. I will then be on his team of appraisers. I went out on an appraisal with my cousin Scott, and I LOVED IT!!!! I love numbers and math, so this was right up my alley. It was fun and challenging, like working out a math problem. So after going with him, and seeing what he does in the field, I decided this was definitely something I wanted to do. However, before I can submit my application as a Trainee, I have to complete 75 hrs of classes (which thankfully I can do online, so I don't have to worry about Seth not being in school yet...I can do my classes during nap time, and after I get the kids in bed at night). We didn't know how we would ever come up with the money for this, but we have been faithful to God with our finances, and he has once again provided! Praise the Lord! :) Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!

My brother and his wife, also gave me a gift for my birthday. They gave me a beautiful glass candle holder, that holds 3 pillar candles of different heights, and then it has rocks surrounding them. It is so pretty! (They must know how much I love candles!) :)

Stephen said that since I am not having a birthday this year, he doesn't have to get me anything! The little toot! I told him I am not having a birthday, because I am just going to stay 29. :) So, he has until the 21st of August: this Tuesday (Levi's and My Birthday)...we'll see. ;)

Cake Time!

After Levi opened all of his presents, we had cake/ice cream. Then the kids went outside and played in the pool, and played with Levi's new baseball toy. Levi didn't play in the pool very long, he was to excited about coming back inside and trying his new clothes on.

Singing: Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Levi, Happy Birthday to you!!!!


blowing out the candles....


whew, it's getting harder to blow out the candles each year! ;) (Five candles this year!)

Present Time!

***Thank you Aunt Michelle, for taking these pictures for me. She had my digital camera, while I used my 35MM camera. My Video Camera wouldn't work. Stephen tried to fix it, and thought he had, until I tried to record with it. It would just keep dinging, and wouldn't ever record. This is the first birthday that I haven't been able to get video of. I was heartbroken.



I want to thank everyone for all of the presents. I couldn't put pictures on here of everything, because there were so many presents. So I wanted to make sure I told everyone thank you!

On top of the things in the pictures below, Levi also got lots of clothes (from everyone!), computer games, a V-smile game, a Kindergarten work book, socks, underwear, and Transformers. If I am forgetting anything, please forgive me. He loves everything so much!!!! Thank you all!!!! (Especially for the school clothes and shoes!!!)

Levi, starting to open his presents.

Seth wanted to help! :)


Daddy got Levi a new "Mater" Alarm Clock (from "Cars"). It is so funny! It has 5 different sayings on it, so Levi can wake up to a new saying each morning.

Daddy also got Levi some new boots for school. He loves them!

My parents got Levi some "Chaps". He has been wanting some for a long time! So while we were in Colorado, he threw a penny in a fountain and made a "wish for some chaps". :)

Granny and Papaw got Levi this new Baseball toy. Talk about fun! The boys love this thing!

They also got him a lot of New School Clothes, and new Sketchers T-shoes that he wanted.

Seth got a few presents too. :) he got new clothes, and socks, a new V-Smile Control (so he can play with brother) and his favorite thing.....new Underwear! haha This totally made his day. He got new Deigo underwear! He also got some new Spiderman "boxer brief" underwear, and these are his new favorite kind of underwear.


Nana and Papa also got Levi this Spiderman Costume. He has wanted one for years now, so he finally got it. He loves playing dress up. He is always in some kind of costume (Police man, fire man, tiger, cowboy, etc). Nana and Papa also got him a Spiderman Web Blaster to go with the costume. He wore this the rest of the day! haha

Look at the smile on that face! :)

Levi, trying out his new toys. He was way to good though, so we had to take it outside before he broke something. You step on a button, and it shoots a ball up in the air, and you hit it. He loves it!

What a Week!

I have barely had time to breathe this week. We have been playing catch up (after being on vacation), and also trying to get everything ready for Levi's birthday party (which is tomorrow). Yea!

I also had to go to the school and pick up Levi's school supplies that I ordered (they were personalized, and it saved me a trip to the store! yea!) Next week we can go meet his teacher, see his room and where he will sit, where his cubby is, etc. He is so excited!

Poor Seth thinks he is going to school to. He is going to be in for a rude awakening, when he doesn't get to stay at school with Levi.

OK, I better get off of here. I have a VERY LONG list of things I need to get done today.

Thank You!!!!

Mom and Dad,
We just want to say Thank You, for taking us on vacation with you. We had a wonderful time, and it is something that we will never forget!
I hope ya'll had as much fun as we did.
Thank you again,
Kandy and all 3 boys! :)

Vacation! Saturday and Sunday

We left for vacation on Saturday morning at 5am. We stopped at around 5pm, for the evening. The hotel we stayed at had an indoor pool, so the boys couldn't wait to go swimming. We went swimming and soaked in the hot tub. It was nice to be out of the van and relax.

Sunday morning, Setphen and I got up at 5am and went for a run outside. It was so beautiful and the air was so clean and crisp! It was great! Then we came back and worked out in the fitness room until about 6am. Then we all got ready and loaded up into the van to go on to Durango. We got there about lunch time. It was nice to finally there there.

The Inn that we stayed at had an indoor pool, and hot tub. So we took the boys swimming again. They had a blast. Then we got cleaned up, and went to church for prayer meeting. My Dad knew the pastor of the Assembly of God church, from the last time they went to Durango for vacation. So they really enjoyed getting to catch up with each other.

Monday, Hiking!

Monday morning, we started the day by going Hiking. We drove up into the mountains for forever, to get to the hiking trails. But it was so worth it. Talk about beautiful!

This is us, at the beginning of the Animas Overlook Trail. It was an easy, paved, trail with beautiful overlooks. You can see the boys already have their hands full of pine cones. They wanted to pick them all up and take them with us! haha

Papa is holding Levi up, to get a better view. I love this picture. It is so peaceful. I love the picture because it shows the love between a grandfather and his grandson. Talk about priceless!

Here is what Papa and Levi were looking at. Pretty amazing, how high we were. The town looks so far away!

At the beginning of the trail, Seth fell. He skinned his knee, so Daddy carried him until it started feeling better. Poor little guy. Plus he already had wet pants, because he had tried to pee-pee, but couldn't get his underwear down fast enough, and wet on himself a little bit. His day was just not starting out well.

Daddy and his boys.

Another overlook. Isn't this amazing? That is Durango, way down there. You can even see the clouds, below us!

Daddy and Seth, hiking.

We went down the mountain a little way, to the Colorado Trail. Levi wanted to go "mountain climbing", and this trail was a little more rugged, so we decided to try it. This trail was rock and dirt. My mother took one step onto the trail and her foot slipped out from under her. It twisted her ankle. God definitely had his hand on her though. She missed landing on a huge pointy boulder, by maybe an inch! If she would have landed on it, it would have broken her tail bone. So she was definitely thankful that it was only her foot that hurt. We were ready to help her back to the van and go to the hotel, but Levi started crying. He had his hopes up to go hiking. So she sent us on without her. We only hiked for about 40-45 minutes, but the boys loved it! They climbed up on ever boulder we saw! haha Plus their was a river running right along the trail, so we got to hear the rushing water, and look out at it. It was beautiful! I'm just sorry that Mom missed it.

When we got back to the van, she had her foot propped up, and it was swelling. So we went to Walgreen's and got her some ice packs and an ankle brace. She was a trooper. She kept it propped up when she could, and soaked it in Epsom salt. She wore her brace, and enjoyed her vacation. She didn't let it get her down. She didn't get to hike or do a lot of walking, but she did what she could, and enjoyed herself despite the pain.

She has a doctors appointment today. I pray to our Lord God Almighty, that it isn't broken. She has now been walking on it for a solid week. Hopefully it is just a sprain or something.

The beginning of the Colorado Trail:

Seth, climbed to the top of this rock, so I took his picture.

I took a picture of Stephen and Papa, we were all looking out at the water, from different parts of the trail.

Me, Papa, and the boys on the hiking trail.

Stephen and Seth almost at the end of the hiking trail. Seth was running to the finish line! haha :)