She's Five!!

My oldest baby turns FIVE today. Ever since she surprised us one month early five years ago, she has continued to bring surprise & joy to our lives. I interviewed her last night- here's her answers: 1. favorite color is pink 2. favorite food is chicken noodle soup 3. favorite movie is Chipwrecked 4. favorite songs are Bible songs 5. favorite place is DisneyWorld 6. favorite subject is writing. 7. best friend is cousin Lilli. 8. wants to be a doctor for animals when she grows up 9. favorite thing to do with daddy is feed cows. 10. the president is George Washington. :). I love this age, and it makes me happy to see Laney getting older and more indedpendent. But, Laney Dawn, here are ten things I never want to forget about you right now: 1. You love your pink tag blankie and you won't sleep without it. 2. You won't let us eat without praying 3. You are the BEST big sister- Lawson often looks to you for comfort. 4. You love to sing and perform, and you have a wonderful voice. 5. You always want to color and draw. 6. You don't let a night go by without coming to check that daddy & I are okay. 7. You are terrified of spiders and most bugs, but love grasshoppers. 8. You love to dance, on stage most of all. 9. You do not like having your hair brushed. 10. You have such a sweet spirit, and you don't like it when anyone is hurt or sad. Happy happy birthday, Laney. You are my precious gift.

Friday Finale- Summer Week Two

5. Memories- tough tough week...especially Tuesday- I miss my friend like crazy. 4. Laney & Haley each had their grammy time this week. Makes it so fun to be home with the other two and watch the different dynamics that exist when one is gone. Also makes me realize how different it will be when they are all at least 4 years old. 3. Lazy mornings, cuddles, cartoons & strawberry milk- enough said. 2. We decided that John will now be a full-time rancher. He has turned his hobby into a full-blown crazy successful business, and it is time that it is his only career. Watching the one you love most do the thing they love most is priceless. 1. Laney's Party Prep- WOW! We are having a blast getting ready for Laney's 5th birthday party tomorrow! We've had great response and expect a ton of fun friends...more next week. Hard to believe this little peanut turns 5 on Monday- my greatest blessing that made me a mommy, she's the best of me...

Friday Finale- Summer Week 1

Week One of Summer Top Five 5. No schedules! The best part so far is not rushing around to get anywhere in the mornings. Not that anybody sleeps in, but being lazy in the morning is sooooo nice. 4. Our new favorite babysitter. We have the sweetest girl across the road who has stayed with the kids a few times. Jaybree is awesome-and close by! 3. No more mange. Haleys hair is a nightmare-yesterday we got serious and cut her hair short short. No more tangles for her, and she has the perfect personality to rock a short cut! (it wasn't to the point of mange, but it was bad!) 2. The start of S & S days. To us, this is Swimming and Sno-Cone days. We've had two so far and expect many more to come! 1. Family Getaway. Last weekend, we took off and stayed in a hotel with a swimming pool (exciting stuff), went to the zoo and ate at kid places. Because of John's second full-time job (hobby?), we don't always have a lot of weekend time together, so this was really special. A perfect start to the summer! Coming up this week is Laney's dance recital, Laney & Haley's individual trips for Grammy time and Laney's birthday party (first one with her friends.) I already feel like it is going too fast, but what a great time we are having! I am doing this on an I- pad, and as soon as I figure out how to coordinate Instagram, Facebook and the blog, we will be rolling, but for now, text is all I can manage. On a personal note, this weekend marks a year that Metisha went to her eternal home. Please keep her family (and me) in your thoughts as we all still struggle to go on without her light in our lives. Have a super weekend! Have an S & S day-they're the best!!

First Day.....Last Day

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! 

                                      A little look back at the first day of school this year....

And a picture from this morning ... the last day of school this year....

Oh how I love my little cowgirl princesses....and yes, potty training is on the list of to-do items this summer for Miss Haley- :)

What a fabulous year!  I now am officially the mom of a kindergartner (crying).

 I am SO proud of Laney & Haley.

Now on to a fun summer!!!

Where do the months go??

Holy moly- I just turned around and it was Easter!  Time. please. slow.down.

Just really quickly- having a wonderfully busy spring with my three amigos.  So thankful for them and how much they bless my life.

Laney & Haley are both at school at the CDL and love it- it is so great to have them together at school.  Here are the sweet sisters on the playground- their classes usually play together at recess.

Lawson spends his days with Lacy & Penelope- it is great for both of them to have a playmate and both are learning and growing so much!

Laney just started soccer.. so far she likes dance MUCH better- but we will see- it is fun for her to try new things!

We had an amazing Easter, and I think the Easter bunny visited 4 times...

With the nice weather, we've been able to spend a lot of time together outside, resulting in my FAVORITE all -time picture of the kids with their special special daddy- totally unposed!

As for me, my days are spent at the Stillwater Junior High for 28 1/2 more days- (not that I'm counting).  I cannot wait to be home for summer fun with my babies. 

 I hope to keep up with this thing better!  My cousin Staci is so good at it, and I love reading hers every week.  I'm going to try!

In honor of Staci and her fun blogs, here are my High 5 for Friday..

1.  On Wednesday I went with Laney and her class to the Jenks Aquarium- so fun and I even was brave enough to go through the shark tank tunnel- big deal people.

2.  Last night I got to have a girls' night out with some good friends- much needed.  So blessed that my kids' good friends' parents are also my good friends.  Also so blessed that my husband understands this and actually encourages this time away!

3.  Lawson learned how to gobble like a turkey and now gobbles all.the.time.

4.  On that note, Laney can call turkeys.  She learned from her daddy and it is the funniest thing.

5.  John & I actually get to see Hunger Games tonight.  We both read the books and have been waiting to have the chance to see it.

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Finally Fall!!!

Just looked at this and realized it's been quite a while since I've updated.  Whew- life is BUSY!!  Here are a few pics of the latest in our world-

Lawson loves to be outside and already is obsessed with his daddy and "manly" activities.  Here he is supervising his daddy's and Tyler's work:

He's so happy being the boss- no idea where he gets that :)

Laney got to be a part of the Stillwater High School Pom Squad activities last week- it was so fun and cute! 

Grammy came to watch- here is their reunion in the parking lot after a few weeks of missing each other.

She was especially good at the hip-shake- it was her favorite part!

Her sweet friend Allie

Her bestest friend Ainsley.

Tried to get a pic of the girls and Grammy and Gee, but Haley was not cooperating.

Supportive brother and sister enjoying the game.

We also went to the fair- had so much fun- Disney on Ice- awesome food.   I only remembered to take one picture!

Laney went to the OSU football game with us last week- she enjoyed the pom girls and Bullet- it was a very big day, and this was the scene in our car on the way home from picking up the younger kids in Pawnee-

Quietest car ride we have ever had!

We also enjoy getting to experience daddy's "hobby," our horses and cows.  Sometimes we even get a visit from one of them at our house.

While we love being busy, our favorite times are just being at home together, especially playing outside.  Here is a moment I caught last week.  I could not ask for more!

Happy fall!  We are looking forward to Halloween, OSU Homecoming (both girls are in the parade) and all the other fun activities and holidays coming up. 

I came across this saying last week, and it really spoke to me,

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that she is someone today."

Make every moment count!



HALEY JEAN IS 2!!!

On September 3, Haley turned TWO!  Since it happened to fall on opening weekend of OSU football, our party theme was easy.  We had a breakfast tailgate at our house, and we all got into the spirit...

I had a banner made because this will probably be her lifelong birthday theme.

My little cheerleaders- 4 & 2!

Cute cute cake

Birthday girl- love this face so very much

Meeting of the minds while frying bacon

Eating - such good food, and I didn't make ANY of it!  Thank you so much Grandma and Peggy!

Lawson and Grandad and the moustache-

Grandpa Don, Grammy and the grandkids- it means a lot to me that we can all be together.

Henry cousins- such a fun group!

Lawson thought the whole thing was pretty silly.

Haley wasn't so sure about blowing out her candle.

Laney had to coach Haley on the basics of blowing out the candle-such a sweet sister.

The only picture I got of my three buddies- didn't even get a family pic. 
Love them more than anything.


Haley's birthday also marks the anniversary (on September 5) of my post-partum cerebral angiopathy (stroke).  In some ways, it seems like yesterday, and in other ways, it seems like forever ago.  It has been the most difficult thing I have ever endured and has made me look at life and our gift of time so very much differently. Two years ago, I was in ICU; and this year on Sept. 5, I got to play at the park and go out to eat with my babies. 

Make every moment count! 

Happy happy 2nd birthday Haley Jean- I can't wait to see what God has in store for you!!