Guys love chainsaws! Bryan is actually behind me with his chainsaw, gloves & safety glasses getting ready to cut down a tree. They love to be just like dad!
What a beautiful day it's been here. We have had so much fun hanging out today. I love this time of year when you can't decide if you need long sleeves or if you'll be okay in shorts.
Big plans for the weekend! Bryan and I are headed to Punta Gorda Florida where we'll visit our friends Robin & JD and their kids and then on to Orlando (without kids) to run in a 10K with Robin that goes through Epcot! I can't wait. I haven't flown in over a year. To think that I would fly 20-30 flights a week just five years ago! Of course we will be on Delta!!!

Happy Birthday Uncle Mark!!

Happy Birthday Uncle Mark! We love you,

Bryan, Joy Nate & Henry

Check out these soccer pictures!!

The boys are playing under 6 soccer. Which means Henry is by far the youngest player on the team. In fact, I had to get special permission from the YMCA director to let him play. He just doesn't understand that he isn't 4 years old, like Nate. Henry loves the attention, he spends most of the "game time" giving kisses and hugs to us on the sidelines. Nate, however, is all about the "game." He is serious. He gets mad when someone else scores, even when it's someone on his own team.

Oh what fun it is to watch these boys learn about life. To be a kid again...

Well, our week has been quite full! The boys have discovered fun at the Clemson football games. They had a blast on Saturday rooting for the Tigers (while wearing Furman shirts - Bryan is currently attending Furman). Soccer is in full swing with our first game tomorrow night!! The weather is finally cooling off some and we are enjoying the great outdoors (again).

What a difference it makes to have high temps in the 80s instead of the 100s!

One of those days...

Today was one of those days where I feel like I've been scolding or screaming at one of my children most of the evening.

They must be tired. Right. Maybe they're hungry. Probably. Maybe they're just trying to aggravate me and they're doing a fine job of it.

They are asleep now. Precious and innocent(looking).

As I laid there trying to get them to sleep I prayed and asked God to give me more patience and maybe a few more ideas on promoting good behavior.

I will go to bed having faith that my prayer will be answered. In the meantime, I will thank God for the 3 quiet hours preschool gives me.

1st day of preschool!

The first day of preschool has arrived, and it was great! The boys go to an excellent preschool at Golden Corner Church and had a blast the first day. What a change from last year. Some of my first posts on this blog tell of how both the boys cried quite a bit getting used to school last year. But today went great. They both have fantastic teachers (of course all the teachers at GCC Preschool are fantastic) and they seem excited about the coming year. I know I am!

Bald Heads

My children are bald. Bryan asked me late Thursday (while I was half asleep) if they could all 3 buzz their hair. Well, they did. There is nothing left except a little stubble. I almost cried when I saw them and had to remind myself that it is only hair and it will grow back.

So, if you see 3 bald heads running around in our yard don't be surprised.

On another note, we had our first backyard bible club this morning at an apartment complex in town. It was so great. The children were precious and I know we got just as much out of it as they did. Jesus was undeniably there. Can't wait to go back!

Check out this cute picture of Henry when he had lots and lots of hair!

Just thought I'd share a few adorable pictures.

Here is Nate - age 1 1/2 (left)

And Henry - 9 months (right)

Still hoping my camera will turn up. Or maybe someone will give me one for a birthday present (but that isn't until October).

Daniel

"The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone."

I am doing this AMAZING bible study by Beth Moore called Daniel. It is teaching me history & prophecy. If you ever have the opportunity to do this, seize it! And if you are really interested, let me know, I have the materials.
Anyway, I can't keep this verse out of my mind. I keep repeating it. I am so excited about all the interesting things I am learning.
PS - Loving that Kia Rondo more and more everyday!!

Well, I lost my camera this weekend in the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta. So any posting until I find it/get another camera will be using old pictures (but favorites!!).

Ever heard of a Rondo? Well that would be the name of my new car. Check out http://www.kia.com/ and look at the Rondo's. I love it! 4 -cylinder, 30 miles a gallon, seats 7 and still lists for under $17,000 new!! A big step down from my Honda Pilot, but I'm spending less money for car & gas and I feel like I'm doing less harm to our environment. Rock on Kia!

The reality of 40 has set in now for Bryan and he seems to be enjoying this new decade of his life immensely. We drove the Kia to Atlanta for an overnight on Saturday and went to Ikea (if you haven't been, go now, it's great) and then took the boys to World of Coke - my personal favorite tourist attraction in ATL.

We are enjoying the last few days of summer before school starts - 2 weeks until preschool. Nate & Henry seem to be excited. Hope their teachers are.

Here is an adorable picture of Nate just hours after he was born. Dad's buddy already.

Oh Brothers!

I have 3 very cool brothers, 2 of which live nearby and the other is currently attending Yale and lives in CT. He came to visit last week and we had so many fun times together. So did Mama. Doesn't she look like she's in heaven with her 3 boys holding her up!!! Each of my brothers is unique, enjoying different activities and having different interests. They are all three very smart and devoted Christian men and we all get along beautifully, most of the time. Here they are tattooing my kids. No, it didn't come off in the bath!!

Happy Birthday Bryan!

My dear husband turns 40 this week! Trust me he still acts & thinks he's 20. I had him and his mom (who also turns 60 this week) a joint surprise birthday party Friday night. I totally pulled it off. They didn't have a clue. And I had a great time. October will be my 34th birthday! I really still feel in my mind like I did in high school. My body however, it starting to have a few aches & pains. Guess 40 isn't too far off for me either. Thanks to all of you who were able to come Friday, it meant so much to Bryan and his Mom.

Best Friends & Worst Emenies

How can 2 boys be best friends & worst enemies at the same time? Well, Henry can hit Nate or pull his hair until I begin to discipline him. Then, they both get mad at me for scolding Henry. They are beginning to gang up on me. 3 men & 1 woman in the same house, I can see it now that I am going to be outnumbered.

Krispy Kreme

The men in my house love donuts! Hot and now! Krispy Kreme! Here is the proof:

Kids say the cutest things!

I need to post the cute things Nate has said before I forget them.

Last night, as we were laying down in bed, out of the blue he says, "I have a milk cow. I milk it the old fashioned way. I sit down on a stool and put a bucket under the udders. Then, I just pull down on the udders and milk comes out." Bryan and I were both interested/fascinated in what made him think of this and that he knew how to milk a cow by hand. Bryan asked him what do baby horses do? Nate says, "They just lay around taking naps." "But what do they eat?", Bryan asks. Nate says, "Milk, of course, from cows."

While driving in Myrtle Beach I was enjoying a little rock and roll from the early 90s and Nate says, "Mom, that music is making me drive crazy." Which I took to mean that Pearl Jam drives Nate crazy.

Okay, so I think the things they say are priceless. Just wanted to share a few.

I have so much to blog about but never enough time to get it in. Maybe I will do a few short posts the next few days. We just returned from a beach trip with Bryan's parents. Lots of fun! On the drive down, we stopped at a convenience store for a bathroom break and low & behold in the candy section was candy cigarettes! Bryan and I hadn't seen them in years. Of course, we had to get the boys a pack, which they had a blast with as you see here in the picture.

Henry has officially potty trained himself. I had nothing to do with it. In fact, I really wanted to wait until his 3rd birthday so it would be easy. But, everyday he insists on wearing underwear. He ask me, "Mom, do working men wear underwear?" and I'll of course tell him yes. I have, on occassion tried to convince him that sometimes working men wear pull ups. He doesn't believe me.

So, the beach as expected, was a blast. I do love Myrtle Beach. It doesn't matter that I've been there every summer at least once for the past 33 years, it is so much fun!

Wesleyan District Conference

I have had the honor of being a delegate to our church's district conference for the past few years. This is a meeting at Table Rock that lasts all day with representatives from all the Wesleyan churches nearby. They vote on issues & people that will make decisions in the coming year. I am likely a delegate because no one else really gets that excited about going, who likes to spend 9 hours sitting at a table voting & listening to reports, but that's fine with me. I like it. The first year I went I remember my Papa calling me that night wanting to know all the details of what went on at the meeting. It was something very important to him, because it involved our church. He has since passed away, but I hope that I will make him proud by continuing to be involved in the Wesleyan church. Welcome church was so important to him and it is now so important to me.

There's nothing like a wedding with bubbles and chocolate! Here are the boys at Dustin & Hannah's wedding blowing bubbles and of Nate enjoying the chocolate fountain. Congratulations Dustin & Hannah! We love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness! Thanks for sharing your special day with us!

4th of July

Happy 4th of July! Nate & Henry love fireworks so much. We watched them Wednesday night on the boat, which was really cool. All the way around us we could see different firework shows. Here are 2 pictures from our 4th of July party at church. It was lots of fun, only a few things missing: Matt & Ashley, Dustin & Hannah. It just wasn't the same without you guys!

Grandparents!

The boys spent this week doing fun things with their Grandparents. Tuesday and Wednesday they camped with MeMaw and Papa at Mile Creek Park in the motor home. This vehicle (the motor home) completely fascinates both of them. They are amazed that there is a small shower, toilet & refrigerator inside something that Papa drives. They swam, rode bikes, grilled hamburgers and simply enjoyed relaxing with family. They especially enjoyed a thunderstorm that rolled in just after they bathed. I asked Nate "What did you do when the storm came?" and he replied, "I was naked!"

Thursday and Friday they went with my parents (John Daddy and DeeDee) to ride the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad from Dillsboro to Bryson City. Then spent Friday morning at Santa's Land - a place they really thought was wonderful fun! Can you imagine, a small rollercoaster with reindeer antlers, Christmas music in the background and a visit with Santa - all in blazing 90 degree summer heat! They loved it (the boys I mean, I'm not so sure about DeeDee and JohnDaddy).

Grandparents are such a gift. I am so thankful that my children have 4 grandparents that love them with all their hearts and take time to teach them about life, about love, and about their heritage. Bryan and I have 3 grandmothers between us still living and we cherish each moment we spend with them.

I look forward to meeting my own grandchildren one day...