VBS "Beach Party"

This week has been wide open. Our Church is busy with VBS this week and it has been a lot of fun. I decided it was best not to teach my own children this year because they are never good when they are with me. So, I am teaching the 3 & 4 year olds. It has been fun but oh my goodness am I worn out after 3 hours. The 1st day we had 13, the next day 23 and then today we had 30!! We were so not prepared. But we made it!! And you know they were all really good so I guess that made it not so bad. The boys have had a blast. Ben loves to dance and sing to the songs and Will really enjoys that too but he would not dare let you know it. Drew likes coming over to my little 3&4 yr. olds and dancing with them.
On top of VBS, Ben had his library day on Monday. He loves to go and check out books. Will and Drew go on Tuesday and this week the McWane Center came and brought their creepy crawlers! Will said they touched spiders and roaches and all kind of nasty stuff. Last week they got to see snakes. It all sounds gross to me but they are boys and they love it.
Will made the tournament team in baseball and he has baseball practice every night this week and next and will play July 7th. It is a lot but he loves it. I will let you know how it goes. It has of course worked its way into my summer schedule so Me, Drew, Ben and Kate are leaving for the beach Monday and he will stay here with Jason and they will come for the 4th. It is the price you pay for loving baseball!! Hope all is well!

Drew and Walker enjoying arts and crafts

Kate's 6 month pictures

I just got some pictures from Vicki from our last sitting. These are from Kate's 6 month pictures. Yes I know we were a little behind but I had to wait for her to be sitting up good before we could go. These are so precious and I can't wait to view the entire book. These were taken by Vicki Popwell in Andalusia. She has been photographing my family since Will was 6 months old. If you have been to my house you have seen the wonderful work she does. If you want to see more visit her website at www.vickipopwell.com or click on Kate's picture in the margin and it should direct you to it. Also, her blog is on my friends list. Hope you enjoy these precious pictures.

A Farmer in the Making!!

Well, I told you all before that Drew would rather be on a bulldozer with his papa. Today he was in hog heaven!! He was on the tractor fertilizing the corn they have planted. He says we are going to eat it but my guess is the deer will get to it before we do! He got to drive the tractor and the mule all by himself. I must say Papa is brave!! He didn't want to leave when they got done on the tractor, he said he wanted to stay and pick up rocks!! He had a ball! (All pictures taken by Mrs. Vickie)
Driving the Mule!

Guess who is driving?
Drew and Papa

Ouch!!

Will had to have 2 teeth pulled today. The 2 permanent teeth on top are turned and not grinding the root on the baby teeth like it is suppose to do so his dentist and orthodontist thought it would be best to go ahead and pull them so maybe those permanent teeth may turn and come in the right way. He was a real trooper. They pulled 2 teeth the root and all!! He says the tooth fairy needs to be extra kind for those. They are worth more than regular teeth. We'll see!!

I'm 7 months old!!

Where does the time go? I can hardly believe that 7 months ago today baby Kate was brought into this world. We have had so much fun with her. I guess we were terribly bored without her!! She is such a good baby. We have truly been blessed. Her Bibbie and I went to Toys R us to buy her some new toys today. She needed some toys that she could play while sitting up. The lady that checked us out couldn't believe she was getting all this stuff and it wasn't even her birthday. We just said she missed out on Christmas so we are making up for it!! She was only 1 month old so she didn't get much!!

Ben has had more fun with Kate's toys than she has!!

Happy Father's Day

We all had a great Father's Day and hope you all did as well. Our day started off looking for shoes. Not for Ben or Drew but for Will. He had 1 croc and 1 boat shoe. I told him to look under his bed. He said it was not under there but he had not looked. So off I go to his room to look and might I just say we did not find the shoe but we did find: Paper, books, cups, spoons, toys and 2 of his brothers shoes. I finally found a shoe in the toy box in the playroom and luckily it was the match to the croc! So out the door to church we go. For Father's Day our children give candy to all the fathers. Will and Drew were so cute handing out Hershey's Hugs and Kisses to all the fathers. (And some men too that were not fathers!) They didn't know and best to give something to everyone than to leave someone out! After church we ate lunch with Jason's parents and grandparents. Remember that mess under Will's bed well we came home and his job was to clean out from under the bed before he could do anything else. I took a nap and when I got up to get the boys and Kate ready to go to my parent's for dinner I walked in his room and saw him napping and a pile of trash on the floor. Thinking about it now I should have taken pictures but I did not. Drew, Ben, Kate and I left to go to my parent's and I left him here with his dad to clean it up. They came when he finished. When he got to my parents he told me he filled 3 trash bags full. I sat there and believed him. The boys swam and played and we had a great dinner. Then home we go. I walk into his room to find the 3 trash bags and wonder what exactly he put in them. Well, he put all of it in the bags. I went through to pull out shoes, cups and books, spoons too. Most everything else found its way to the trash can!! We still did not find the other shoe! Here are some pictures from Father's Day. We are so blessed to have our Daddys and granddaddys!!

Four Generations!!


Kate and the boys with their Deeda and cousins Lacey and Walker

What a Game!!!

Wow!! I could not be more proud of our team. We were the Americans and our boys played so well tonight. Both games were tough but we pulled out 2 wins! Will got a hit each time he was up to bat which was at least 5 maybe 6. He drove in scores and only got out 1 time at second base. He played 1st base in the 5th and 6th inning and made several outs. It definitely was a tense game at times. We were behind in the second game and came back to beat the other team by 1 run. On top of good plays and some bad plays the boys had a great time!
I do not think Drew and Ben watched a single inning of either game. They played with their friends, got dirty and wet (Yes didn't I mention we played several innings in the rain!!) What you will do for your kids to play baseball!!!

Kate slept some and played some and even cheered for Will once! She was a trooper. We went to eat supper at 9pm home at 10:20, I gave her a bottle and just laid her in her bed and she was out as fast as the hallway light!! Anyway, It was a great ending to Will's Farm League Baseball Days! Next year we will meet the pitching machine!! Elly


1-2-3 Americans!!


Will is ready-ready


Finally I was able to get a picture of Will crossing home plate! (I have a slow camera)


Just because I liked this picture!!

Baby Kate's Christening

We had Kate christened on April 27, 2008. The boys were bound and determined that they were going to the alter to be with Kate while she was christened. We let them but threatened them that they would stay the rest of the afternoon in their rooms if they misbehaved. All three of them were so good. Ben, who keeps his eye on Kate when ever anyone is around didn't take is eye off of her. When Bro. David took her from me, he knelt down on the alter to get a little closer just to be sure he gave her back!! It was so nice to be able to share this special occassion with all of our family and friends. Kate's christening gown was made by Rose Wise from Luverne. It was absolutly beautiful.

What's Happening!

Summer is finally here!! The end of school was a little sad, Ben finished pre-school and it was tough leaving that last day. I have been dropping kids off at Park Memorial Pre-school for 6 years. I almost had a hard time keeping myself composed and did loose it for a moment. It is just hard to believe that my baby boy is going to be in Kindergarten next year.

Will on the other hand had a GREAT First Grade year. His teacher was Ashley Tate and he fell in LOVE with her. She was so wonderful and He learned so much! He loves to read and is really in to the Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne. I have even starting reading them and they are actually really good. They not only tell a story but teach you too!! We just got through reading "The Civil War on Sunday" and I learned things about the Civil War that I did not know!! We have started on the "Revolutionary War on Wednesday" this week but with baseball camp from 8am to 5pm everyday he is a little tired when he gets home. On Awards Day Will got the All A award as well as the Math Award for St. Jude and an award for Jump Rope for Heart participation. Baseball season finally ended and Will was chosen for the Farm League All-Star Team. He is so excited. He finished runner up for his team for highest batting average which was .861. They say that is good, I have no clue!!

Drew also had a GREAT year in Kindergarten. His teacher was Tracie Huner and she is the BEST. She was able to keep Drew focused and taught him so much. He Loves School!! He started Kindergarten with none of his friends from pre-school but made 2 of the best friends ever in his class, Joel Tate and Cole Curtis. He thinks they have to do everything together!! He made all S's and was so pumped!! He moved up from t-ball to coach pitch baseball this year and did so great! He is a really good athlete but he just is more interested in riding the bulldozer with his Papa! He is wide open all the time and notices everything. You can't get anything past him! He is going to baseball camp this week too. He has climbed the rock wall everyday and goes all the way to the top. He is a dare devil!! He has started doing flips off the diving board and the end of the dock at the beach. He feels no fear!!

Ben like I said finished his last year in pre-school. He amazes me everyday. He is very smart and will make you laugh at anytime. He has such an imagination. He loves Star Wars and Indiana Jones. He is my only child that is truly content to play by his self. So he has had a great week this week with Will and Drew at camp. He finally got to start baseball this year. He is in T-ball and Jason was his coach. They had a good little team. Ben is a very good player too!! He has come a long way since last year when he would practice in the yard with Jason. He is a total homebody. He hates to go anywere. He prefers to stay at home unless you take him to the beach or to Disney World!


Kate is already 6 1/2 months old. Where does the time go? She is eating baby food but is not really crazy about it. She started to sit up good about a week and a half ago. She loves to sit up and play with her toys. She loves the bathtub and the pool. I think she has missed Will and Drew this week. She gets so excited when they get home. I think Kate is trying to cut her first tooth. She loves to put just about anything in her mouth!