11 years and 5 boys later.....

Part 2 Family Vacation

2011-04-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

Our entire trip was seemingly Providential...we looked at the map of our house to our destination in Springfield, Missouri and oh how God works...we had people to stay with along the way.

After leaving our dear friends in Naca no where, we headed further north to Louisiana. My Dad's eldest brother, James and his wife Laura, live near Shreveport. I have not seen them in years so it was a special time to stop and catch up. They had not met any of our boys...and they got Canfield's in full force.

I have many memories of my grandfather grilling, steaks and the grill were his passion, and his eldest son's as well. He offered to grill lunch for us I was ecstatic. It was AMAZING!!!

We stayed for the afternoon but after catching up for a bit we still had to make several more hours and miles to Little Rock area. Where much of our story takes place...and you want to stay tuned for this part of the story.....

My Dad's family, those who are left, live North in many different areas. His Mother, my grandmother, who passed away many years ago, I did not ever really know her...has one sister out of 7 girls still living. She is in the Little Rock area..so we stayed with her and her husband for 2 very fun filled, adventurous days ;)

Now I could just make myself sick right now because I did not take pictures with them. I talked about it several times but unfortunately never got the camera out to capture us together. I am very saddened by this fact. But I have many memories as do the boys...of biscuits, and tea...and shoes...

OH I WILL EXPLAIN...

We arrived around 8:00 pm on Saturday evening to the sweetest host. They stayed up for us to arrive and even waited dinner to eat with us..surely they do not typically eat that late in the evening. My dear sweet great aunt has dimensia, so it was...it would have been tragic if not so comical.

Of course she had a difficult time remembering who I was...and not because she has only seen me a few times in my life..or because it has been about 11 yrs since the last time. Once dinner was ready my great Uncle asked us if we would like some tea, and he explained that he could not have any because he was having a heart test on Tuesday morning and he could not have caffeine. So once seated at the dinner table his wife asks, "would you like some tea?" he replied, "no I can't have tea."

She says, "you can have tea."

"no honey I can't have tea, I am taking a test on Tuesday."

"Well you can have tea...you want some water?"

"No thank you I am fine."

5 minutes later..

"Would you like some tea?"

"No honey I cannot have tea."

"You can have tea!"

"No I can't! I am taking a test on Tuesday."

"you can have tea...you want some water?"

"No honey I am fine! just sit down and enjoy your dinner"

5 minutes later...well you can see where this is going. and on and on it went until dinner was over.

She also "discovered" a new tupperware bowl in her cabinet that she hadn't seen in awhile, and thanked me for bringing it back to me...but then was very confused and asked me how I got it. :)

In the middle of diner she handed her biscuit to her husband and said

"Go heat this up!"

..."okay... sure."

it took him a few minutes and when he returned she asked

"where have you been?"

"I was heating up YOUR biscuit."

"I was going to do that myself!"

LOL the boys thought that was hilarious.

She asked the boys every 5 minutes where there shoes where, especially the baby...he doesn't even own shoes. .. but the NUMBER 1, TOP TEN memory of the trip

Monday morning was our last day to spend at their house. We had to wake up early and get going, but we had been up super late the night before and with myself and 2 boys crammed in a full size bed .. a baby that woke up a few times to nurse...David was crowded with 2 other boys on a sofa bed we didn't get much sleep. So we slept a little longer than intended...

8:30 am I just got baby to lay back down to try and sleep. I was just waiting for his peaceful breathing before I got up. When I hear the door being pushed open...it kept sticking on the carpet so it wasn't a peaceful, smooth entry..finally the door gives way and their is my Aunt walking in ...

"Wake up, it is nearly 9 am you have slept enough. Wake up. Time to get up..."

As I rub sleep out of my eye....

Then I hear crying from Tate out of the other room. Because he had been told to "fix" his shoes and put them on the right feet.

Highlight NUMBER 1 from our trip

2011-03-25T18:25:00.000-07:00

Our boys played basketball for HCYA the Houston Home school team. In case you might be thinking...a home school basketball team??? they have sports??? Oh I bet they are terrible...

To put this organization into perspective..My husband coached for a 4A private school for 6 years as head coach. His record....... 1 - 11. Sorry Honey!!!

So Casey and Brayden began their basketball career this year. The boys current 10 and under team have played together for 3 yrs so our boys and a few other young ones were put on a 12 and under. They worked hard but rarely saw the floor. Half way through the year they divided the team and made a 10 and under B team. We had 3 10 yr olds and 3 8 yr olds that had never played organized ball before. At this point David's season had ended so he was able to take the team and coach his own boys. This past week was the 20th annual National's tournament held in Missouri. So we loaded up the "truck" and headed to Springfield MO. And load we did..for 7 people for a 10 day trip....WOWZER!!!! We could barely see the boys heads by the time we were loaded up. We had so much stuff packed they were just heads sticking up over seats.

We left Friday evening and stayed with some good friends in Nacogdoches .. THANK YOU dear friends for the beds, breakfast and company late into Friday..I mean Saturday morning... LOL!

I am trying to break our trip into highlights, because i just don't have enough time to write about it all at once... so here you go. Number 1 highlight, being WAY too crowded in our car than 7 people should feel for a 13 hr trip....because I packed enough stuff for a family of 20....

but I wanted to be prepared. LOL

The boys excited about our first real family vacation!!!! HIP HIP HOOOORAH

This is called CRAZY bed head...

this was only the beginning...first nap we had to wake him from to get in the car..first of about 220 times over our trip. He took it like a Champ though. What a tough cookie #5 has to be....

Our boys playing with our friends kiddos...

Not one more thing is getting in that car...even if we tried really really hard!

It has been forever...

2010-02-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

Pictures taken on my IMAC...its about the only way I make it into the photo!!!

So what to talk about...well I am going to be making a move to cloth diapers! After 4 kids I decided it was time to go cloth! Why has it taken me so long. In all my research I am blown away that I didn't change long ago.....I tried with our 4th, and my husband thought it was too late...so you can actually miss the "cloth diaper boat?"....Anyway..this time around we are taking the plunge!

SO any opinions or advice are always helpful! Because I am completely illiterate in this area. But I am researching and trying to learn as much as possible.

We still attend our class every Tuesday for school. Classical conversations. The kids are doing amazing...learning so much! I can hardly believe how much they can absorb. My brain goes to mush after a few simple facts they just keep going. Like the energizer bunny. They especially love playing their tin whistles....and singing all the facts.

So today...Tate comes up with the cutest things to say. He said "I have to go potty" which he always announces to us all...he runs to the bathroom and loudly proclaims.."the light is of" Now this is a HUGE issue with him. He will not go tot the bathroom without the light on. David says to him, "go in your bathroom" bc the light was on in there....Tate responds

"What does that mean, my bathroom?"

OMG, he is so stinkin' cute!!!

He says things like that ALL the time. I NEED to write them down in his journal so I can reflect on them one day...but alas, when to do so, ...thus the reason I have not written on this blog in so long!

Well thats it for now...Oh that reminds me of another Tate..

When he used to pray he would say.."Thank you God for....(whatever he was praying for)" then at the end he closed with "that's it!"

LOVE IT!!!!

Victims of a crime.....

2009-10-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

We had our first car theft last night, and no despite what some may wonder it may be tight in the Canfield house, but David and I have not turned into Dick and Jane.....

We were the victims of an unscrupulous crime...what does that word mean anyway...thought is was cool..LOL

David and I actually went to bed decently early, for the Canfield household last night, around 11:00....the last week or so I have been having trouble sleeping and naps do not happen for me. So I am beyond exhausted and every night hoping to finally get that peaceful nights sleep. I finally drifted off....groggily I awake to a noise...what was that??? Did I actually hear something, was I dreaming.....then it came to me, it was the door bell! WHAT?!?!?! Really??? Am I insane now, did I just completely lose my mind.....

"David, did you hear that?" I said.....amazingly he woke up and answered me, tyically it takes an earthquake to awaken the dead...(David while sleeping) and even that sometimes I truly wonder if he would make it if he lived in California and an earthquake hit at night. Anyway, he asked me "Did I hear what?"

"The doorbell"....

He thought I was crazy, he said no there wasn't a doorbell....then someone knocked on our door. THANK YOU!!! I am not crazy!!!! I was a little nervous for a second...

David got up and went to the door, in his drowsiness he almost opened the door without even asking who it was....it was a Police officer. A neighbor had noticed our car door was open and the light was on. But nothing seemed out of place, or missing...at first

They didn't take any of the thousand and one children's books we seemingly collect every time we go somewhere, they missed the crusty old bread that was left from last weeks lunch on the road, and apparently the the car seats covered in food from the last few years didn't appeal to them either.....LOL!

David came back in and said everything was normal nothing was missing, so I asked did you see the GPS??? He looked up at me with a shocked look on his face, Oh yeah....no he didn't see that. It was gone! Strange they would take that over the crusty old bread! What were they thinkin?? Leaving the good stuff.......

Anyway, that was our first time to have our car broken into. And only at midnight, that is actually early think. We are usually still up at that time. So I guess someone out there isn't getting lost anymore...meanwhile where am I right now??

BTW, I do not really have crusty old bread. Lots of books collect in our car and the car seats although have been covered in snacks get washed by me periodically....just clearing that up!

We just realized today, in our less sleep deprived stage...that all of our cords were stolen. Phone chargers, ipod chargers as well as GPS. So frustrating!

A day in the life of 4 boys.......

2009-09-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

We discovered a tiny lizard in our house the other evening. Kai, our third, was determined to catch it and catch it he did. Then he picked it up proudly and showed it to me and said in his most adorable voice with many speech issues..."Mommy I want to keep it for my pet."

I thought YAY, my son is awesome he picked up a lizard and liked it, he isn't too cityfied......but I also thought...NO WAY are you keeping that thing in my house!!!

But I explained to him that we do not have an adequate place for him to live, he would miss his Mommy and we do not know how to feed and take care of him so he would probably die if we kept him...or her...

Casey our oldest is by far my most compliant child. He will do or say anything without a fight. He is responsible and mature (for the most part) this helps when you have 3 others running around climbing on everything from the door frames to the roof and wanting to jump off....

Brayden is our dare devil! He started climbing and hanging off of things at an early age. Flips off the diving board before he could even swim well. He doesn't give any thought to the stunts either...such as, "could I break my leg if I attempt this"...no he just runs headlong into whatever catches his fancy and figures out later whether it was worth it or not.

Kai, follows in his footsteps of being a dare devil and trying new and exciting things. As long as he is in conrtol. He doesn't care for stunts that involve other people making him do something but if he can jump off of it, or climb it he is right behind Brayden.

But TATE....he keeps me on my toes! I really wanted to title this blog ~

"A day in my life with Tate"

So here you go...it will not even come close to comparing with an actual day with him...but you can get a glimpse

DAY 1 ~

(Yesterday)

I found him locked in the bathroom, while he was trying to go potty. I thought after several minutes I should probably check on him

I had to unlock the door from outside, and when I opened the door I found the floor soaking wet, he had the toilet brush out on the floor, he was soaked, and the toilet was soaked...I do not even need to explain where all the water came from!

While making lunch he gets so excited...he says "Not ready yet..." about 20 times...and runs around, then he tells me he will get the jelly. I told him no...then there he is in the fridge before I can get him and drops the entire glass jelly jar on the tile floor....do not need to explain the results!

Again, while making one of his many trips to the bathroom, I decide to check on him and find.... him sitting on the potty with a bottle of toothpaste in hand, squeezing away....inside the toilet is about half of the contents

I cannot even tell you how many bottles of soap we have gone through with ihm, EVERYTIME he gest his hands on them he empties all contents into bathtub.

DAY 2 ~

(This is today)

While making another potty trip (I am telling you we have several hundred a day) he calls me and points his finger at me and says "Look"

When I move closer to find out what it is....it is POOP! There is also wet toilet paper on his finger which led me to believe he had been "fishing" in the toilet.

During lunch while my back was turned for a second....I turn back around to find him with the bottle of Arm and hammer baking soda from the fridge dispensing the contents into the shelf of the fridge as well as all over the floor!

Gets his own cereal box out of cabinet, the box is about two of him...and proceeds to open it stick his fat little fist into Cocoa pebbles and bring it out with as large a handful as he can grab...now people you know what happens when anyone, much less a child, grabs a handful of cocoa pebbles.....more than are left in the hand spill on the floor!!! You just can't grab handfuls of those things!

Those are just the events I can remember!!! I am convinced I blot out many more from my mind or I would go insane......Every day is like this with him. I cannot let him out of my sight to do anything....well it is plain to see he cannot got he bathroom without supervision or the fridge....disaster everytime!!!

This is our child who will DO anything!!!! Yes and we as a family will do just about anything for something FREE!!! LOL....Chich fil a wear your favorite sports team and get a free sandwich! So Casey, our poilitican, doesn't want to show favortism so he sports both Texas and A&M, No one said anything to him either!!!

I'm coming back....

2009-06-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

I'm BACK BABY.....Well at least for today....I have been ...shall we say just a little bit busy lately! Need I rundown a list of all my tasks as wife to a coach/teacher and mother to 4 BOYS?!?!?! I think not!

But I have missed the blogging world and writing the crazy stories that are really everyday moments for us at the Canfield house! Oh the DRAMA!!!!

Our house is finally completed from the remodel. Everything they say about living in the home while its being remodeled is true....its a nightmare.....but now our home is SO beautiful! It was a blessing and now that its over I can hardly remember not seeing my kitchen table, ...or wait... for that matter any of the walls....everything from the rooms being remodeled was stacked around us in every available space...which is not much considering the house is only 1664 sq ft to begin with....EVERYTHING from the kitchen and living area and master bathroom was stacked in our dining room, the stuff from Tate's room was also divided between dining room and other boys room which is already full with 2 boys belongings. I can't even begin to describe how crazy it was...you can only get the real picture if you came by while it was going on....I had a friend who knew all of it was happening, I had described the disaster to her but when she came over to see me one day she said...

"You didn't tell me it was this bad!"

LOL....Oh yes I did, but you just can't give the adequate words to describe it so people undestand. If you have remodeled your house mainly the kitchen ...then you understand!!! Not cooking for over 2 months, and even if I could have gotten to the stove I didn't have a clue where anything was...bowl, spatula, can opener....

After the house was completed we thought we needed to take on a new project ...we had our floors painted....thats right.....the floors! Not that painted concrete either, we just went straight for something new!!! Painted carpet! After we completed the remodel of our home our living room and Tate's room have new carpet but not the other two bedrooms....so why not try something new......and here is the master mind and designer of that project

Now here is the crazy part...this happened twice in one day. FYI if Tate is left to himself for more than ... oh...say 1 minute he finds something to destroy!!! So he had already been discovered with polish about 10 mintues prior, and somehow he managed to paint his entire leg without getting even one drop on the carpet. I guess he felt like a failure to all busy 2 year old toddlers out there, so to save his reputation he went back and managed to complete the task.

After a week the polish is still on his nail, I cannot get that red off completley!

New photography blog

2009-04-01T14:52:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile! Life is crazy and becoming more so each day! I did want to give you my photography blog address..>I tend to update that a little more because it requires less wording and thought. Just a few pictures from recent sessions or my playing and letting out my artistic side!

http://photography-by-ashleycanfield.blogspot.com/

Anyway...check it out sometime and give me feedback!

Prayers.....

2009-02-06T15:23:00.000-08:00

Please be praying for David's family. His grandfather passed away this morning. We knew it was coming soon, they have had time to prepare, as much as one can prepare the loss of a loved one. He lost his wife earlier in the year and they both knew the Lord, so we are mourning and rejoicing together.

David and I will be making plans to head to Oregon this week, the boys will stay with our dear friends. I have never been to Oregon and I am very excited about seeing David's beloved home but I was hoping to go for the first time on a more joyous occasion. Please pray for the family as well as our safety and for our boys while we are away!

Bon Voyage part 3 ~ COZUMEL

2009-01-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

COZUMEL....beautiful Cozumel! The highlight of the trip. It was amazingly beautiful and HOT! We rented a moped and drove around the entire island beach hopping ...it was GRAND!!!

Here is me waiting for David to take the picture....come on already!! LOL

I was SO irritated because it was FREEZING cold inside the ship and humid HOT outside my camera experienced SMOG for a few hours after we disembarked......neeedless to say I missed countless pics because I couldn't even see out of the lens. This one was the best and I had to edit it to see this much! I was SO sad!

Our first stop was a little weird, it was a Jamaican bar. Never thought we would find a Jamaican bar in Mexico. David played in the water until his feet could take it no longer, it was a very rocky beach. But the beauty of that was ..well the beauty...because of the rock you see in teh next few pictures it was breathtakingly beautiful! When we walked up that large rocky place there were holes where the water was spraying up like blowholes. Really amazing!!!

This is "us" walking hand in hand" pretty cool it was hard to get with a 50mm since it was so close but it turned out pretty well!

Here I am on the rocky place next to the blowholes....and let me say the camera was set for David so really he just had to click the button, but kudos anyway!

After our first "rocky" experience, pun intended....we set off to find our nesxt stop! I know some of it looks very much the same to you all, but really as you drove around each section of the beach had something new to offer...so bear with me. We stopped at this beautiful cove because theh water was so blue and the different shades were amazing. And there was a little tent shop where we walked up and a local seller said,

"Hey can I offer chu one of our leetle feegures, gut price...for you...." All said in his unmistakable accent. We did not want any feegureenes, especially since they were REALLY risque...actually Rated R for clay! Terrible!!! Anway, we did want a hammock but they were asking $50, we said no thanks and jumped on our moped to head away when of course he said "how much you pay? We give good price" We told him $25, he said no and walked away but when we started the engine he came back and gave us the deal.....GREAT until we later bought an even nicer one for $15...so much for bartering!

This was our ALL TIME FAVORITE spot the entire trip! It was the most beautiful crystal clear water, and it was in a cove where you could just swim of wade, or lay out on the beach. There were a few people there but not many. Some were snorkeling....

We had a great time here until I looked over, I wasn't too shocked to see a girl laying out on her stomach with her bikini straps untied, very normal even for here. I got in the water with David and we splashed and got some pics and then I went to put the camera in my bag and nearly tripped and fell face forward or caught a fly for my mouth was hangning wide open in shock that the woman as spoken of before had now rolled over to her back but had not bothered to tie on her top!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH Does she even realize there are husbands, young boys ...for crying out loud I DO NOT want to see that!!!!! I ran back and was like...."David you cannot go back over there.....if you need something I will get it." He was as shocked as I was and more than willing to stay put!

Despite the shock we did have a great time at this spot, we ended up combing the beach when we realized all of the sand was made up of teeny tiny shells. They were so small you had to get down on your hands and knees to even see what they were. But we collected TONS and in perfect condition, well as perfect as we could tell since they were so tiny. We brought them home for the boys to look at!

Goodbye beautiful cove.....GOOD RIDDANCE no morality....LOL

Here we are cruising on our moped. Sorry these are the best pics I have to offer, we never stopped to get a pic of us riding it! I probably would not have trusted anyone anyway since I took my professional camera....

Here we made our 3rd stop. By this time we are starving so we found a restaurant on the beach and stopped for more sand, water and food! We had fajitas and COKE of course because that is all they have there.

Here I am stuffing my face....Hey I was starving!

We were serenaded...of course we had to give them a tip....

These were taken as David drove us further around the beach!

This is one of my favorite pictures, I took as we drove through the town. I loved the two local ladies driving with a child in between. Priceless moment!

Bon Voyage ~ The ship part 2

2008-12-11T11:54:00.000-08:00

The first day, Saturday and Sunday we enjoyed some much needed leisure time...no wondering where Tate has run off too or what he just put in his mouth. No telling Kai to stop kicking and hitting his brother for the 3rd time this hour. We just laid on the deck with our books, read, ate lots of junk and got sunburned. What a blast!!!
As I mentioned there was food everywhere, even after meal times the pool has a deck with a buffet going most of the time. It was only closed during dinner hours.

The evening meals were really special. It is not necessary to eat at the dining area every night because there is always food to be found. Our idea of eating out at a nice restaurant is a little hole in the wall Mexican place and PF chang's, so we were not going to miss this opportunity to eat in a nice dining area, with amazing gourmet meals and be waited on hand and foot! Your every wish is the waiter's command...well just about.
If you order steak but you want a different side they bring you the steak with the sides it is served with plus the extra side. If you want to order the steak and chicken plate they bring you both with all the sides....if you want to try 4 appetizers Go for it! They bring it all! And you can imagine....dessert....try one of each! We didn't go that far, and besides by the second night we had discovered heaven on earth.
A small bowl of dessert which looked quite innocent. The top was a chocolate cake, with a small sprinkling of powered sugar. But when your spoon broke through the top you discover the need for self control ..and working out!!! HAHA The inside was a melted rich dark chocolate that I could not even begin to give justice to with my words. So if you dare, go on a cruise and order it! WARNING go on your diet several months before the trip....
Sunday was formal night. Dinner is served in a nice dining room with china and nice glassware. Cloth napkins and waiters wearing tuxedo's. The lights are dim giving an atmosphere of romance but not so dark you can't visit and enjoy the other dinner guests. Each table is assigned certain guests, we were with a couple that only came twice so we really ended up by ourselves. Either way we did not mind. It would have been a blast to go with a few friends....you know who you are!!! For formal night my sister had prepared me, having gone on 2 cruises before us. She loaned me a beautiful formal dress, it was black trimmed in pink. The train was long, had tiny straps and beautiful pink embroidered flowers down the train. I was so excited to get dressed up. We never have the opportunity to get dressy so I was really excited about my chance. But because of my foolishness that day and my choice of bathing suit, I had a very red v-neck sun burn on my chest that I was too embarrassed to let people see.....so I went with another option, cute but nothing as formal as I had planned. It was disappointing but definitely did not ruin the trip. That evening was lobster night...a meal David had been much looking forward too. He ordered two! I couldn't even get through one...new discovery.... not my favorite food.

After dinner at 8:00 we changed from our fancy duds to our bathing suits and went to the hot tubs. We loved being on a boat where everything is right there. Usually on vacation you spend so much time getting ready and going out that you get back to the room and just want to watch tv or veg....since everything is right there we enjoyed the hot tub for a little while got out and froze due to the wind...and then changed and enjoyed an evening show...can't remember much about the show but I was not impressed. I enjoyed the comedians and the cruise director was hilarious! But in my opinion teh show was not worth the time...just a personal opinion.

Well that was day 1 and 2... Stay tuned, DAY 3 was my favorite day! Although the 4th day was when I captured my FAVORITE picture of the entire trip....I guess you will just have to keep coming back to see what made it the best for me! I hope that peeks your interest!

Look at my red face.....well you should have seen me 2 days after the cruise my tan was great! But of course it is long gone now!

Formal Night, we are in the front of the dining area.

Bon Voyage ~ Part 1 The ship, first day at sea

2008-12-06T19:52:00.000-08:00

I know I know it is about time, it is almost the end of the year and I am just now getting the cruise posted! Quick recap, I will try to be quick you know how I can be long winded.........

David starting planning a cruise last year for our 10th anniversary...only it was really our 9th oops. It just so happens my birthday is 3 days before the big day...the BIG hahaha 29! We also paid off our car last year, and our small mortgage this year!!! HIP HIP HOORAY HIP HIP HOORAY...Thank you Lord for providing, strength, determination, Dave Ramsey for a great plan, and David and I for working our butts off!!!! He worked as many extra things as possible as did I...nursery 2 days a week for awhile and watching a little girl 3 days a week. WE DID IT!!! So time to celebrate!

Since Ike pretty much destroyed our port the weekend before we were to depart we were a little nervous about the plans. Carnival kept telling us they were hoping it would be re-opened I thought ..."Are you insane?!?!" They just got wiped out by a massive storm! But you know how those business' run...money money money! The Wednesday before we were to leave we found out we would leave from a new destination, and thankfully it was not New Orleans as feared. It was a new port located in Pasadena right outside of the city. And we were still leaving Saturday morning.
I was SO excited as you can imagine....it was not only my first time on a cruise but our first trip together, by ourselves outside of our very short honeymoon, 9 years and 4 boys ago!!! YIPPPEEEEEE!!!! Plus I had some really cute new clothes and bathing suits I was dying to wear...LOL!!!!
Again I will go in segments because I am just a writer, and I want to give details! Too many fun things to share...so bear with me, in a few days you will get the entire trip!

We arrive at the ship around 12:00, after the confusing directions and turning around once, we finally found it. It was HUGE!!! We got out and a man took our luggage, labeled it and had it at our room later. We had a few "details" before we could board. Line for security, line for payment methods and more security as well as paperwork. This was the last year a passport is not required, we were able to use a birth certificate with DL as ID. I was born in Germany, so I never take my original with me because if I were to lose it I am afraid what the process is to get a new one....probably not as hard as I imagine it. But it said on the website that a copy would suffice. So that is what I took, not aware of teh serious issues that can cause....! When we were going through our paperwork the man told me that if I were to miss the ship on an excursion I would be detained in Mexico for weeks. and he said...."So just make sure you are not late." Hey thanks for that...I feel really comfortable and safe and no I am not scared at all....WHAT??????????????????????? Are you kidding me....Apparently not! It sure left me with warm fuzzy feelings for the very beginning of my first cruise ever.....Actually no, I don't think that was warm and fuzzy it was downright FREAKED OUT...LOL....No I am just kidding, if any of you really know me that is not my personality. Actually I wasn't scared at all...but I also made sure I was always early!

Once on the boat we didn''t have much time to explore and boy was I dying to begin work on my tan....so overdue! And for your info I really can tan! I have pictures...!!! But we were immediately taken to a room...yes inside, no sun!!!....to be given a "short" (not sure of their definition of short) run down of safety procedures in case of Emergency. Once done we could leave the port.

And we are off! The sky by this time is covered in clouds no sun to be seen! I was really disappointed because there is nothing better than a beautiful, crisp sunny day! But we managed to enjoy our time anyway. We played some miniature golf....which is quite a fete on a moving ship on the top level where the wind blows 30 MPH..or so. But it was fun and it gave me an excuse to lose...!

The food...Oh the food!!!! Everywhere, all the time, plenty of it and we didn't have to pay for any of it...of course we already did, but no other vacation can you eat that much for so little. Really I am surprised we didn't come by twice our original sizes. No we tripled...Just kidding, David gained 5lbs and it is not polite to ask a lady that question! Besides I did not weigh myself, for good reason.

Our stateroom (isn't that word exquisite..sounds like we were special...really we weren't we didn't even have a window!)

Toddlers pool

The great pool with awesome slide, that was open only one day of our voyage...it was what David looked forward to for a year, and said it was going to be his first thing on board!

Here we are looking our best!!! LOL

Here I am totally smoking him at ping pong....actually I am horrible, I lost EVERY game!

These adorable creatures were a highlight of my day! Each night when we arrived to our room after dinner, or a show, our room was cleaned and we were left with a new adorable animal made from towels! The dog, elephant, ???? and my personal favorite was the monkey that was actually hanging off of a shelf, and like a goober I forgot to get a picture.

Putt putt at sunset! It was really a beautiful light blue! Like nothing you see in Houston!

Days of our lives....

2008-11-14T20:16:00.001-08:00

Just a quick look into our lives over the last few months besides Ike.

David's **th b-day was September 5th. His favortire plac eto eat is PF Changs so I called a couple of his buddies and we surprised him on the Friday evening of his b-day. A few quick looks into that night....the car belonged to a player from the Texan's who parked in the NO parking.....hmmmm I wonder if we could have gotten away with that...Oh yeah our car is only worth a few thousand.....Anyway....here are a few fun pictures......................

IKE the TERRIBLE Part 4...I think

2008-11-14T14:25:00.000-08:00

I promise not to be long winded.....but I only have so much time to blog during the day and I wanted to be done with this story....I needed to get it all in.
Now for the FINALE................
With our master bathroom, Tate's room, we also re-painted the entire back of the house in the same khaki color, to keep everything neutral. The hall bath/shower tile was still original so they retiled and re-finished the tub which was really disgusting. Old percelain had completly gone, if your feet were even slightly dirty there were foot prints in teh bathtub until it was scrubbed with CLR...and intense elbow grease. I will post pics of those areas when the living area and hall bath are remodeled. They haven't even begun yet.
They also have not figured out a way to rig up our shower curtain yet....we have something for them to try but it has not been done yet!

I will begin very soon on our cruise, and I promise it is more pics than story...but I couldn't leave out so many funny and crazy details about Ike!

IKE the terrible, Part 3

2008-11-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

This is what I came home to........ and this is our house after beginning demo work, it got WAY worse! Oh and by the way, David filled over 50 HUGE construction bags with pine needles.... can you say WHOA

The boys working with my Dad in Tate's room

The floor covered with the insulation.........

This is our master bathroom, you can get an idea of the old orginal tile....

Here is the view from our master bedroom...LOVELY! It was easier to throw all the debris out the window than carry to the door. You should have seent he pile when it was completed...HUGE!!!

These are pics from our storage units.....our other rooms in the house!

All 4 boys in one room

Breakfast in the park

This is our entryway closet. It is connected to Tate's room so it was completely ruined as well.

Casey on demo duty in master bathroom!

So I left you with.... our house was a disaster, we had no power and the boys and myself were in SA with 8 kids 8 and under......YIKES!!!

All through the week I kept looking for information about our cruise so we would know what our plan was. Up to this point we did not know whether we were going, not going or leaving froma new location.... I posted about our cruise awhile ago, David began planning a cruise for our anniversary last year. But since Ike hit our port, in Galveston, we wondered whether we would be cancelled or the port would be changed to another location. We did not want to drive to New Orleans but we would if it meant not getting a refund...It took until Wednesday for them to tell us they opened a brand new port in Pasadena, a Houston port, and that would be our location. So FINALLY we knew our plan....it was crazy not knowing our plan for a week.....would we go home to no power, would it come back on, should we stay in SA or plan on going on the cruise.....AGHHHH So now we know and it was really nice not to be left hanging any longer. But our plans are still changed...originally the boys were supposed to stay at our house with David's mom, but now without power we decided they should stay with his parents in Austin. So that meant me driving to Austin on FRiday morning and then straight to Houston. What a raod day trip....our ship was leaving Saturday morning, so I needed to be home and ready to pack.

I am not sure what I have mentioned about my Dad in previous posts, but he headed to Houston to help David out in our house while I was gone. He patched the roof to keep it from leaking, and ripped out the rotting carpet in Tate's room, along with the walls. While working on it he was in the attic and managed to step through the ceiling, twice, leaving giant holes.....well it needed to be ripped out anyway! By Friday our house smelled so bad...it was built in '64 so it is OLD, and with numerous holes leading to the attic.... with no electricity... the humidity had really brought out the rotten smell.......Not to mention there was old, rotten disinigreating insulation EVERYWHERE! It started in the rooms we were repairing but it ended up all over the house.

I will come back to to post about our cruise another time....I want to finish telling you about our house. So all you get for now is we left for our cruise on Saturday for 5 days and my Dad stayed at our house so someone would be there when the insurance inspector came by...let me remind you we still have NO power! My Dad deserves a standing "O" for that and everything else he does! ...... By Tuesday....I think.. the adjustor made a trip to our home and gave an estimate, it covered our ENTIRE roof!!!!! not to mention, Tate's room, and a few other little areas. We come home Thursday, David immediately goes to work and I head to Austin to pick up the boys....and back home to sleep another night without power....thankfully as God saw fit He sent with Ike a natural AC unit that has the lowest prices anywhere....unbeatable really.,...I HOPE Y'ALL GOT THAT ONE

Because we could not plug in the refrigderator we bought a small thing of milk for the ice chest, disposable bowls and spoons, we picked up some donuts and cereal and ate breakfast at the park.....that was fun! Who doesn't like having donuts for breakfast...well okay y'all please don't email me if you hate them the point is made...LOL

We were all geared up(...can you tell I'm from TEXAS) for another week without power and I was loving the opportunity to have this time to actually slow down and see how life is without all of that. I wanted to go to sleep with the sun and wake up with it....have food less convenient as well as everything else just to get a taste...but by that evening we were outside and watched the men working on the power lines and they had it up and running again.....So not bad, one night w/out....I must admit I was disappointed I really wanted to see how we would manage! But now we still have one less bedroom for a family of 6 and my Dad, and I must mention we also demoed our master bath to have it all re-modeled at the same time...so we are also down to one bath . It smells terrible and stuff is everywhere! OMG......you should have seen my house, it is pretty small and packed already. We have a 3 bedroom, and already filled, now down to 2 bedrooms and one less bathroom it was insane...e.verything from those two rooms was throughout the house. Every spot that was semi open had about 3 or 4 new things, on top of other things....crib, mattresses,set of bunk beds, chest of drawers, clothes, fridge parts on my table, a ladder in my living room, ....and on and on it goes........

Enough whining and dramam for one day, actually it wasn't so bad, except it was impossible to have a clean, or even remotely clean, house....Now is the moment when I speak of the amazing hand of Providence! For about 6 months we had put off remodeling our master bathroom, our insurance covered the damage due to us not having a shower pan so we had the money....we just did not know who we should hire and did not have time to really invest in the best person. We wanted to get the most for our money, not just custom but quality. With my Dad living in SA it is too hard for him to do so much it would take too long so we knew we would need to hire it out. But we were VERY grateful that he helped us demo all the areas... that saved time and money. And what was really AWESOME the boys helped EVERY step of the way!!! Man are they getting good training for their house one day!

Sorry for rambling, back to story.....We have a friend who owns his own construction company, and he used to live down the street, so after the hurricane he came to our subdivision right away to check on us knowing we were surrounded by MANY pine trees....we have almost 20 just in our yard...(Note to self, next house, make sure there are NO pine trees..) When he came by to check on us he found out our situation and told us he would get us taken care of. He came by right after we got home from our cruise and we walked through the house so he could see what we wanted done....Tate's room completely re-done, paint, carpet, new walls...., Master bathroom completly re-done as well.....and a new roof. His men were at my house the next 2 1/2 weeks working very hard to get our home more comfortable for us. It is AMAZING!!!!

Our bathroom had the original tile, yellow ceramic, yes you can envision it...UGLY!!!! It was on the floor, shower and cabinetry. The cabinets were so old they smelled horrible and I could not really use them because they made everything smell bad. So I only put cleaning supplies and things that would not take on the odor in the cabinets. Now, those of you who live in an old house built before the '80's you know there is already limited storage.....I am talking you put things in the washer and dryer just to keep it off the floor...LOL, just kidding, but almost! Every part of our house is jammed packed with STUFF...and we do not own that much! So not having usable storage in the bathroom made it even more difficult. And the shower was itty bitty...it used to have a glass door but we took it off because it was so small it was annoying to get inside....So needless to say we were ecstatic to get it remodeled!

Now we have beautiful travertine on the floor and shower. The shower is larger and has glass up one side to allow more light. We have 5 can lights...before we had one light over the sink and it was very dark. The sink also stopped up all the time because the plumbing was old, and the sink ceramic was stained and peeling. Our new sink is from MEXICO...a very cool momento we picked up while we were in Progresso..so there is something in Progresso.....not much though! We were walking through a little shop looking for things to bring back to the boys and we saw this beautiful sink. At this time we did not know we would be remodeling the bathroom right away....but we knew we had to have it done sometime in the near future so we figured it would be a good investment....we paid $80. We wondered if we got a good deal? I mean we have no idea what it should cost but we really liked it and it was really neat to bring something like that back with us (which I packed in our suitcase)....we found out it would sell in the US for over $400...UH... I think we got a good deal! Our cabinet for the sink is an awesome Sante fe/Old world style, the sink sits on top and we found the coolest faucet, that has the feel of an old fashioned pump, it is in blackened bronze which is how we finished everything.

Tate's room was great before but it is AWESOME now...they wainscoated the bottom half and WOW, it is SO beautiful! We repainted the same color as before...only we did the ceiling the same color YEAH no more stars

Enough for now, I would love to keep going but I want you to have time to read this and it is already a book.....

PS ~ I am so sorry about typos, it is a lot to write and I am very tired. So I hope you can wade through it all and get the idea! I will be back to get the rest later!

TO BE CONTINUED ...... AGAIN........

Ike the terrible ~ Part 2

2008-10-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

can't remember if i put this one on....

So where did I leave you...Oh yeah...Tate's room! We discovered the roof had a huge hole letting all the rain from Ike come through the roof and YADA YADA YADA....When we walked in the room we felt the soaked carpet, saw water spots covering the ceiling and the wall was bubbled from all the water that came in. What a project we had in store.

Now as a sidenote: We were hoping for a new roof...but we hadn't asked for a new room as well...if we could have asked I think we would have chosen a differnt one....Tate's room was the only room in the house I had recently changed and I had done it the way I like. I have a good and bad habit. I like to save money but I also have a problem with settling. I settle because it is chepaer not because I like it and then end up hating it. I have not ever really decorated our hosue because we have not had the money to invest in furniture we like. And every piece of furniture we have besides our bed and kitchen tabe was given to us....so I can't be too picky but sometiems I have a hard time being content because I want to choose something because I love it not because it fits in our budget. And because we do not have furniture I have chosen I also have not decorated according to my taste but instead what was.....you guessed...cheapest! But finally I had a little extra money with the nursery job so when I was pregnant with Tate I bought new bedding and got an amazing deal at the same time. I truly loved it and saved money. I found it in ebay. I decorated around it and loved the room. I still did not go out and just choose whatever I wanted but I had a theme I liked. The walls were a light shade of khaki, with a white trim. Very neutral. I had Dark choc brown and this awesome blue, a very modern manly color of blue to off set the neutrals. It was beautiful...minus the stars that were on teh ceiling from the previous decorating that Iw as too lazy to paint over... so they remained much to my chagrin! But Oh well! So when I saw the disaster in this room I loved so much I was a little sad....but I also saw it as a way to get those darn stars off!!!

Back to story......

I immediately called our insurance company knowing they would be off the wall busy with Ike stories and I didn't want to be on the bottom of paperwork. Because we had a hole in our roof we were priority 4, which was the highest status so they would get to us as quickly as they could...it ended up being another week almost. But I know they were swamped.

This is Saturday about 2:00, we have NOT slept all night at our church with 350 people, although we were fed and had electricity, we have surveyed damage on house and discovered a lot more than we had anticipated, and now we are really not sure what to do. We had originally planned on staying at the church one more night, it was supposed to be available. But after hearing and seeing the damage we really thought electricity would be out for AWHILE and we could not move into the Church....or could we, you know we never asked....HAHA

We decided I should take the boys to SA and stay for the week and see how things came together. We had our cruise scheduled for the next weekend and now Galveston is crushed so we have no idea whether our ship is still sailing. We were told many different stories, that we could not get a refund even if they changed the port to New Orleans so we thought we may have to drive there.....and they do not reimburse for travel....I will save that outcome for later....

We went back to the Church to get our stuff so we could head to SA and were told even if we had wanted to the church was no longer available because they were running out of generator fluid and would be out within an hour. Good thing we were leaving. David chose to stay at the house and clean the yard while he had a few days off....no one knew how long it would be, they were hoping to resume classes by Wednesday... but that was not realistic.

I packed our bags, all of our stuff in one huge bag and another smaller bag with a few extra items. David loaded the car for us and we headed out. We arrived at my sisters house after 8:00 so we were worn out and ready to get out of the car. After we ate our dinner we unloaded the car...you know the entire house....HAHA, when traveling with kids it feels like the house is packed! So I took out our one smal bag, the pack and play, diaper bag, boys blankets and pillows....UMMMMMMM where is our bag??? The bag I had ALL of our stuff in?!?!? It is not in the car anywhere! Oh yeah...my husband packed the car! So a few mintues later I make THE call, I dial my husband and while the phone is ringing I am chanting

Be Nice, Be Nice Be Nice!!!! Whew, that was hard!

But I was nice.....he did have my bag! All of our clothes and shoes, diapers, wipes, toothbrushes...! We had a few peices of clothing that did not match and I had my bag with make-up and hair products. Oh well!

It was quite a week...my sister and her husband also have 4 children, so we have 8 children 8 and under in one house! YIKES!!!! Kudos to her family for letting us stay. While there for the week we enjoyed time with cousins, visited friends and had school...because now it is mobile, much to my kids chagrin! The entire time I was in SA we were at a loss as to our plan. We had no idea when the power would come back on and they were saying 3-5 weeks. On Tuesday my Dad traveled to our home to help my husband patch the roof to keep rain out until the insurance company could get an appraisal.

TO BE CONTINUED..........

sorry folks

Part 1 of the Saga of the Canfields

2008-10-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

This was our bedroom...lots of privacy...haha

This was after a MAJOR 3 year old, long day, no nap MELTDOWN!

Dinner cafeteria style

Tate thought this was a slide

FLC the boys enjoying a PSP we borrowed....video games are VERY limited at our house so this was a treat!

This was Casey's bed, which he fell out of once in the middle of the night....he just got back up though as if it never happened
For the soda alone they thought it was worth a hurricane...we do not buy soda
After a very long day!

I finally sat down for the 2 hours that my children have rest time, and blogged the entire time, yesterday. I filled in all the details about the hurricane and life after Ike.....it took the entire time and then.......dun dun dun......I lost the connection as well as my hard work! So I have deceided to change my approach to the blog....to fill you in I will start our mini series...

So here we begin......

Life was going along quite normally, as normal as can be with 4 VERY active boys in a house 1664 sq ft, homeschooling, husband is a basketball coach and me trying to run a photography business out of my home on the side. Anyway, we had our schedule planned as usual, school during the days, working out afternoons, family time in the evenings, 2 photography sessions on Saturday October 13th. But as Saturday moved closer the realization that a hurricane was on its way became a fact, a FACT that it would hit US!

So...what to do........do we stay or do we leave.....? We went back and forth all of Thursday whether we should drive to SA or Austin to stay with family. David and I both wanted to ride out the storm at home. But we had more than ourselves to think about, we have 4 children and their lives as well the lives of their parents to think about. It was decided we would leave the next morning....then we found out Second Baptist, our Church was opening its doors, as it does with any major hurricane, to employees for refuge. That immediately became our best option. We wouldn't have to sit in traffic with 4 boys, did I mention they are active? We wouldn't waste gas in travel, we would be here directly after the storm to check on our house...we would have food provided all while enjoying electricity!!!

So friday evening we packed for the weekend, enough clothes for a few days, just in case, as well as our bedding. We arrrived at the church and it was very organized. They had wristbands for every person, they kept track of all the people staying and even assigned places to sleep. We were sent to the 3rd floor near our sanctuary, it is like a giant hallway. About 75 other people on the same level, but it is so huge it didn't feel like that many people. About 350 people altogether took shelter at Second. Again the Church's size you would not have know there were that many people.

After assigments we had dinner and David had a meeting for several men that were given nightly walk through duty. They were to go in pairs of 3 and check on people as well as potential damage to the church. Then we watched Fox news in our FLC, the church's work out gym, until almost 11:00 when we lost power. But we had a generator so no sweat. LITERALLY....it was still houston after all, we are known for our humidity.....The boys had a great time playing in the gym with some other children, oh I forgot to mention my husband led the playtime...you would have guessed that though I am sure! I was able to work out for a little while during that time as well.

Everyone went to bed about 11:00 knowing it would be a LONG night. But I actually slept....about 2 hours anyway! Whether it was the roaring of the storm outside, David getting up for 2-4 am duty, or OH YEAH the ladies who decided 2-6 am in the morning is a great time to have a conversation at a normal voice level on the floor where others are trying to sleep ...FYI just because the storm is keeping you awake do you need to ruin everyone else's sleep????? AGGHHHHHH Okay now I feel better!

Anyway...during the walk throughs it was discovered the Church received significant damage. The side of town we were in received tough winds. Just about some of the worst for the city. It was later discovered it will be about 9 months before services will be held in the sanctuary.

After a grueling nights sleep, we had our breakfast and were prepared to stay another night since we knew electricity was out in the entire city for who knows how long. We went to see our house about 1:00 in the afternoon and all looked well, at first. Then David opened Tate's room where upon entering the room the door frame dropped water on his head and the floor was soaking wet. The wall had a huge bubble and the ceiling covered in water spots.

Checking the roof we discovered a limb had fallen, from one of our 20 pine trees, and landed on our roof making a huge hole over Tate's room and allowing all the water from the rain to come in.

End of part 1..........TO BE CONTINUED!

It is the cry of my heart!

2008-09-02T06:18:00.000-07:00

I love that song, "It is the cry of my heart to follow You...It is the cry of my heart to know You..." I can't remember the rest but I guess that is the important part of the song.
I have been longing to get back to my "God time!" I mean that with complete sincerity and not as religious time reading to "feel" good. It has taken me awhile but I over the last month I have begun again to sacrifice my sleep and become committed to getting up early during the week, before my boys get up to have a quiet time. Not only to spend with the Lord but to have a LITERAL QUIET before the troops arise. It has been such a necessity. I have already noticed a peace enveloping me more and more throughout my day. Obviously not perfect, I still lose it occassionally. I know hard to imagine....LOL

I can remember times in my life where I woke up and could hardly wait to read the word of God. Which takes me to another song, it is a woman, "Where did the passion go..." Again that is all I remember.....my brain has all but been fried with 4 children. Anyway, I love that song because it is such a reminder that we have seasons in our life where we truly desire Him and Long for His presence and then seasons where we abide so we do not die on the vine. I am so in Love with Him and He surrounds my thoughts and invades my life in every area, but I can't say that every morning I long to read His word. I love communing with Him through prayer and often I read words that jump out at me and sit throughout the day.....but what about the longing to just sit and read His word....
Junior High and High school age...yep about 5 years ago hahah...I remember my Dad sharing with me that the Bible is like a puzzle. It all connects....I began to find great pleasure in connecting the dots. Reading a scripture in one part and realizing how it coincided with another one. That is when the bible became alive to me. Since that time when I go through droughts I always think back to then. I know I can always find His pleasure again.

I have been crying out to the Lord, it has been a delight reading His word, but I wanted more....I wanted LONGING again. Today I asked the Lord for the thousandth time..."to make me a student of His word." It is amazing how when you pray His will He answers!

I am reading through Corinthians, and I read a psalm and proverb each day.
Proverbs 2:21-22
"For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it."

WOW, yesterday if I had read that I probably would have just seen how God blesses the righteous and cuts off the wicked...yet today I immediately saw it as history! When has God shown that to be true? It would take me an entire day to list every example...but here are a few...
1. Noah was upright and he inhabited the land, but those who were wicked were washed away in the flood, they were uprooted.
2. The tower of Babel they were uprooted and scattered across the earth....
3. The Israelites were given the land time and again from their enemies even though the enemy was much stronger;
4. Of course we know that one day the righteous will rain and the wisked will be uprooted forever

Oh I could probably go on and on....here is why this was so powerful to me....besides the fact that it is God's word.
I am the prayer coordinator for MOPS, and I was asked to give a short talk on praying God's word. Many people do not understand the importance or even think about doing that.
I was praying about that event this morning writing down some things I wanted to share, such as.....
Instead of the question behind the question...what is the prayer behind the prayer...?
When you ask for your children to have wisdom and knowledge, do you know "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge"?
Proverbs 28:14
Proverbs 19:23
Psalms 111:10
Proverbs 1:7
Psalms 128:1

Pray that you and your family will have the fear of the Lord

When you ask for safety remember, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runs into and they are saved"
"The children of Your servants shall dwell secure, their offspring shall be established before You." Ps 102:28

Pray you and your family will know the name of the Lord, and you will become His servants

Prayer to succed or prosper in your way..(not to be confused with getting rich) ""How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law he meditates day and night, and he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither and whatever he does he prospers." Psalms 1

Pray you will seek Godly counsel, delight and meditate in God's word.

Prayer over sin in you or your family; ""How can a young many keep his way pure? by keeping it according to Gods word" Ps 119:9
"Your word I have hidden in my heart so I might not sin against You."

Pray you and your family will walk according to God's word, delighting in it and hiding it in your heart.

It also hit me because I am teaching my children, I have the sole responsibility to teach my kids everything from their ABC's, math, laundry, cooking, as well as God's word. I am constantly asking God how I am going to teach them everything.....HAHA like I will accomplish the EVERYTHING! But you know what I mean, there is so much......but if they learn nothing else I want them to know God's word. When we study history I want them to know why a country failed, why their religion failed, why our ccomplishments without Christ are for nothing....
That verse was one more LOVE note from God, a personal history lesson to share with my boys when we study the fall of Rome, and every other country that has failed because the wicked ruled.
Okay, okay.....that is it! I know long enough! What a beautiful morning ~ it was such a joy to "stumble" upon that word from the Lord!

The wait is over!

2008-08-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

I have been keeping y'all waiting on too many things....but it is just as hard for me! I have been wanting to finish something. I have had too many beginnings lately...I wanted to see completion. I have not finished the Wedding, maybe never....haha.
But I have finally completed the LEES family session! The family I used to work for and shot (don't worry they are okay...hope y'all got that) in Boerne while I was visiting SA. I really loved working with them because they are so special, of course they are a beautiful family and their home is GORGEOUS! But besides the point. I have really been wanting to see how their pictures came out. So FINALLY........here is a preview and the rest are on my FLICKR

The complete set ~

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24007605@N07/sets/72157606878845699/

I will hopefully be able to complete the Mom's session soon. She is the singer/songwriter. We spent s few hours going through Boerne capturing her for her latest CD and website! I am SO excited....She is GORGEOUS so it really wasn't too hard capturing her, and as I said before the camera loves her and the feeling is mutual. I love how her session came out but I have not been able to begin editing so again I leave you waiting....but just like a cliffhanger it makes you come back for more! (at least I hope)

Call me a freak!

2008-08-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

Well I know this sounds crazy but I LOVE to work out! I have always been active, playing basketball Junior high through High school, running track, riding horses....for those who do not think this is a physical activity go try it....if you have not ridden before or in awhile you will be very sore....well let me clarify if you are riding one of those "near the glue factory" horses you can "rent and ride" on a trip that doesn't count.....but I would race bareback, (no saddle) through the fields as fast as I could get my horse to go which takes a tlot of muscle strength as well as NO brains ... lol I participated in several rodeo's racing barrel's, goat tying, and pole bending. I also roamed our 300 acre ranch all through my growing up years, on foot and my bike...since I do not even own an acre of land, they do not allow horses in teh city limits, and I am too old to go out for the basketball and track team..... I have found a passion in weights!

After I had Brayden I had a friend encourage me to run a 5k with her, it was just what I needed to get off that lingering baby weight...after a year....So I began running 4 miles a day and doing intense weight training. I LOVED IT! In fact I became addicted. I had never liked running before, long distance that is, but I found pleasure in it as I began and even missed it when I took off a day. But my real passion is doing weight training. It is so much fun! But right now the gym is not really fitting into my schedule, and we know with everything in my life right now I NEED my schedule.

So after putting it off for long enough, and with a cruise in sight, I decided to start running again I need to get that cruise body. Running has definitely been the best fat burner. So even outside in the Houston humidity I got started! Which has been a blesssing in disguise. I began a few weeks ago running outside 2 miles, then last week bumped it up to 4 miles everyday. So yesterday I was able to go to the gym and run in Air Conditioning....YEAH and i didn't even start sweating until after the 2 mile mark, AMAZING. I couldn't believe how much easier it is running in cool air....so I just kept on running...(Forest said)

Running and running and running.... until I had run 5 miles! Today I decided to stretch it a little more....so I made it 6 miles! I am so excited! I think I may be training soon to run in a mini triathalon.......what fun! But even if that doesn't work I may run a half marathon...not really up for running 28 miles so I will wait until I go completely insane to take that on.

School is going GREAT! We are loving it! We have adapted quite well to our new scheduled life so different for my Type B personality! But instead of the day happening to me we are now making things happen! It is so nice. And we can flexible when we need to be....last night I had to stay up very late to try and make a dent on all these pictures I have so we slept in today, and then played monopoly, which teaches math and life skills, and then we started real school.

I guess it is time to let the cat out of the bag....

2008-08-14T12:12:00.000-07:00

I am so sorry friends...it was kind of fun though! But I just have not had any time to blog, this story deserved some thought... and I really do not have time now either, but I will put you out of your misery.

But I have to lead up to the story, so here I go....
You all know my husband is a basketball coach, has been for going on 9 year's this year. When we were engaged he was looking for a coaching position and we found it in Nacogdoches Texas. Where we met some GREAT friends...I know you are reading!!!! As a beginnger coach he started out as a JV coach, and assistant to Varsity. As an asssitant you are also pretty much required to help another sport, so he coached middle school and assisted Varsity football. I know being from Texas y'all understand what that means....

High School Football, especially in a Texas small town, THE god!!!! Practice and game films on Saturdays, and many schools even go on Sunday. It is a serious endeavor. Not a choice my husband made of his own volition, but with a great attitude nonetheless. He is admired by me for his several years of dedication to a sport he is not only not familiar with coaching, but not as crazy about either. But he did all things as unto the Lord, for which I praise him.

When he got the job it was July of '99. Our wedding was scheduled for September of '99, just a couple of months away, we were excited about his new job and our new adventure after the wedding....I was even able to drive to "Nac-a-no-where" to sit through part of his interview and meet the administration and see where we would live and work. At the meeting he mentioned our upcoming wedding and explained our plans.....

Now flash back: My husband is from Oregon, his Mom's parents and all of her family, including 6 brothers and sisters remain there. His grandparents have a lakehouse where he had made plans to go for the week of our honeymoon. The plane tickets were purchased, arrangments made for us to use the lakehouse.....we were so excited! We were borke, I do not know if you have heard but my Dad required him to be completely debt free before we could be engaged...so we had nothing at engagement b/c we had dumped it all on the rest of his school loans. So the trip to Oregon was quite a saacrifice for his tiny budget, which was even less then at the facility he worked at.

Flash forward to meeting: The administration finds out we have a week planned and they say "No way! Not during football season!" OUCH.....hind sight I think I would have asked my soon to be husband to be more assertive and state that plans are made, and to appeal the process...! But we sucked it up. The repurcussions however, we tried to change the dates of our airfare for another time and lost almost complete value. We also had to use them within one year....let me explain the first year of marriage we had $30 in the bank, we were not going anywhere!!!! Thus we ate the tickets....well not literally...haha

Okay now present day! We are so blessed....my husband is a hard worker. He works all summer as you all know, when he could be resting and enjoying time off. He also sacrifices finances to do what he loves...coach! It is not a glorified or financially successful line of work, but he is satisfied, therefore so am I. I feel so sorry for the husbands who are married to women who push there husbands to go into jobs they hate simply to make more money! My husband is Happy! Our jobs should be a reflection of our gifts and talents, and should meet a need in us. But too many people go into professions they hate just to "provide".

My husband also sacrifices by working in a private school verses coaching for a public school. But we are where God has led us. There are far greater benefits to being in His will than making money.
With all of that said, we have not gone on vacations aside from 2 years going to Padre to stay at my in-laws condo. They were great times to get away, and we are grateful for the experience.

Recently my husband was talking and asked me if I liked surprises...? HELLO!!! Who doesn't like surprises....except when you now know there is a surprise coming but you can't know what it is.....I told him they were much better if someone didn't give away the fact that there was a surprise....LOL So I asked him anyway to keep it to himself, at least for awhile. A few months later, he mentioned I was really going to like what he had planned for our 10th anniversary....

10th????? I said, "You know this is our 9th right?" You should have seen the look on his face HAHAHA Oh so funny! He really lost track of time, I guess living with me seems like an eternity! That could be good or bad~ He thought for sure it was our 10th, and now he is worried because he will have to top 9!

He left me hanging for a couple more months and finally the other night pulled up the computer and showed me his plans...............................................

A CRUISE, 5 night to cozumel!!!!! I am SO pumped. I am excited about seeing a new place, about the boat and all the free food, being out in the sun...and mainly I am SO excited to spend 5 days alone with my MAN! After 9 years he is still the joy of my life. It is the highlight of my day when he comes home, my favorite days are when he is here...my heart pounds when I think of him or see him.....I still have feelings for him...it isn't just that commited love, yes it has been at times. And I have had to go through seasons of asking God to renew the passion.....But it is here! I have to share, I have been reading

"Created to be his helpmeet" by Debi Pearl (teaching Titus 2)

It is a strong book, she doesn't mess around or beat around the bush. She tells it like it is, and let's us women have it about our role. Through reading it and putting the principles into practice I have definitely seen God bring back the fire we had at the beginning of our relationship. Only it is 9 x's better, because we also have history and commitment now that we didn't have before. I am so glad to know that you truly can feel in love with your spouse after 9 years. I had someone tell me several years back that after 10 years it is really hard, and you don't really like each other anymore....She really believed it had to do with the amount of time, and that it had to be that way......What a lie she bought into. She had no idea all that she was missing~!

So we leave September 20th, my birthday! And we are gone for 5 days. We have been doing Dave Ramsey as well...and I mean gazelle like intensity! Staying on budget, all extra money to the goal.....which to let you know was our 2nd mortgage that was at $18,000 give or take a little....So this year has been total abandon getting that knocked out. We used our old car payment and dumped that on it, ALL extra money not going to a bill went to it. We did NOT eat out, except with GFcards, and we both took on many extra jobs. I worked nursery Sundays and Wednesdays, and I watch a little girl 3 days a week. David gives up his summers and does private lessons when he can.

It is now PAID off!!!!!! FREEDOM !!!!! We are done. So we got our tax refund which is funding our second honeymoon! God is so good!

On top of all that, another God story! We have been borrowing a truck, which was called ours. Although it was ours to drive and keep as long as needed it really was not ours. It went into the shop pre-summer. When we got back, last week we were told to come and let's discuss it. It was in bad shape....someone found out we were driving that truck which seats 3 people and knew with us having 4 kids it can be difficult and a '97 Expedition was donated to us!!!! And it only has 60K.....Yes I am serious it is over 10 years old with only 60K, less than our '03 trailblazer!

This is a constant reminder to me....When you live by faith He is able to show His Power! If we had all the resources to get what we want, when we want it we would not witness as greatly the miracles of the Lord!

Praise God from whom all blessing flow!

"Whom have I in Heaven but You?

And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

My heart and my strength may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and portion forever.

For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;

You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;

I have made the Lord God my refuge,

That I may tell of his works."

Psalms 73:23-28

Life is going too fast......

2008-08-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

We started school today, just to get ahead of the curve ball....right?!?!?! Well at least try anyway! I know life will bring many obstacles (like 1000's of pics to edit) to slow us down so I thought it best to get a head start!

Also GRAND news.....my hubby has been planning quite a surprise.......

are you in suspense yet??????????? Well just for the fun of it, and to see if you all are reading HAHAHAHA (evil laugh) I am going to wait to continue!!!!! Yawn....so tired,

TO BE CONTINUED.......................................

Thanks for all the LOVE

2008-08-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

Friends thank you so much for your sweet and encouraging words. I needed them, even though I got them after the fact, but never the less itwas important to me! What a great group of people I have in my life!

I am home!!! Back again with over 1000 pictures to edit and get ready for clients, not to mention my schedule is getting jam packed. I had a session a few weeks ago, and the day before I left I photographed my second birthday party, of course that was over 500 pics....then to SA where I did a HUGE session as well as the wedding...back home to 5 sessions in the next 40 days, not to mention we are starting homeschooling this month, David goes back to work....whew I am tired!!!

Now for an update: I use to nanny, I use that term lightly as I was almost a paid companion and friend to Mom.....HAHAHA, no I was the nanny to their 2 sons, 8 and 2 at the time, but the Mother and I bonded and continue to be great friends. On days when she was home we would always find ourselves enjoying one another's company, crying, praying and singing together....which leads into the story. She is a singer/songwriter/musician. She has at least 4 CD's out right now, leads praise and worship at my old church, has a couple of video's as well as very well known around the Boerne area. Her husband, who has made quite a name for himself as a business man, used to be one of the top, I believe CEO's for Nabisco, and now is in charge of the food department for Mission City managment in San Antonio. One of the companies he runs is Promised Land Dairy, a very pure and rich milk from jersey cows and they use no hormones to produce it.
After viewing some of my recent work they scheduled me for a session while I was in SA, not only for the family..... I was scheduled to take her photograph's for her most recent CD and her website. So after completing the family, the boys are now 18 & 12 I believe, we went around the town of Boerne where there are some really fun places, old town stuff her and her guitar.....she really loves the camera ...and BOY DOES THE CAMERA LOVE HER!!!!

I wish I could give you a sneak peek but unfortunately I will have to torture you for a few days.....they are locked up tight on my "trusty" laptop whose cord is now broken, the battery dead and my desktop's CD-rom is broken...so no luck on getting the pics edited or uploaded tonight! SNIFFLE SNIFFLE...I am so anxious my small preview I was excited at how well some of them turned out! It was so much fun, although I am completely spoiled now because she was the best client I have ever had, I never had to tell her anything, she worked the camera like a PRO and so my job was that much easier!

Because I can't get those to you here are a few pics from a recent family session I had.....hope that will suffice for now......

Really nervous...

2008-07-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

I am leaving for SA (San Antonio) this week, I have a friend getting married and that is where I grew up. I am helping photograph the wedding...I am SO nervous about it. I am trying not to think about it too much because there is nothing I can do right now and worrying sure doesn't help...but at the same time I keep wondering how am I going to do this??? Thankfully I am just 2nd shooter nto the main photographer.....but still.......YIKES!!!!!!

I just bought a flash and I haven't even had time to really learn it so that is hard also. Since David has been gone so long, we had VBS last week I haven't been able to do much of that sort.....

I will keep y'all posted about the results!!!!

My cutie patootie

2008-07-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

I think this boy is just adorable, of course I am not prejudice at all.......but he has stolen my heart!

2008-06-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

Check out my son's new "do"........too "cool".......pun intended!

David runs basketball camps in several different areas in Dallas area and Oklahoma, so he is away from us for 4-5 weeks every summer. He left last Saturday and so Friday we went out for a fun donut and kolache breakfast. We picked up donuts down the street and drove to out FAVORITE kolache place EVER....Old Towne Kolaches. THE BEST!!!! The entire way there Brayden looked inside the bag at his donuts as if they were "his precious"! A picture of his cherished look is posted.

David wanted to try his hand at photography so after I set the camera he shot away...not bad with a little PS and croppping! Good job Hon!!! Obviously the ones with me in it are his handy work....and they say photographyby DAVID!

Summer days.....

2008-06-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

Are here again are here again... are here again! The summer is here again and I am gearing up to "single mom it"! We go throught his every year, David travels and does summer basketball camps. Which is a great part time sumemr job, it has helped us tremendously to stay afloat so I can remian home and we can provide for our 4 children. It has been a blessing from God. We are very grateful and Daivd really loves it, although it gets harder every year to be apart for 4-5 weeks straight. But with our goals of paying off our mortgage ever closer in view we are excited that we see an end to that chapter.

I am also overwhelmingly blessed as David's sister, his Mom and my Mom are all on the rotation to stay with us while David is gone.

We are still so excited about the upcoming year. I am ready to begin school and really spend time learning with abnd about my boys. I am more than blessed...I am overcome with joy knowing God has entrusted me with 4 very special children to teach, guide, and impart. I am equally as blessed that through His grace and tender mercy He has opened my eyes and heart to sacrifice even more for them. And that makes me excited......I am not sure why? I just know I am ecstatic to take this journey together.
Maybe it is because I know from experience that when I am stretched I draw ever closer to Him as well as those I love. So the rewards of intimacy are apaprent with My heavenly Father as well as my earthly family if we do this for Him and through Him.

That is all the time I have for now, not as much time to blog these days......

My life is not my own!

2008-05-30T12:09:00.000-07:00

My life is not my own!

A quote I often find myself wondering if I know what it means? Do I understand what HE meant when He told us to "Take up your cross daily, deny yourself and follow Me." I typically want to go down the easier, more convenient, more traveled road.....The path He has for us is seldom easy or everyone would be on it. Yet don't we find ourselves saying..."I could never do that; I do not have the patience, the ability,...." I know I often think I could never do ......whatever it is.....I seem to recall a Giant of the Bible saying the same thing...

"Please Lord I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speach and slow of tongue." The Lord said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? ....Is it not I the Lord?" Now then I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say." Exodus 4:10-12

That is such a reminder that I have nothing to offer. It is arrogant to think I can do anything...."Apart from You I can do NOTHING!" And yet.... With Him we can do anything. I am not referring to fete's of strength. That if we say we can move a house we can, or if we believe hard enough we can have money, a better job, a child, family.....!

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..." refers not to, I can do or have anything I want! Too many people misintepret that verse and read it out of context. The context it was written in is that in all circumstances I am content. I can live with much I can live with nothing, because He gives me the strength to suffer through ALL things!

2 Cor 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. So I boast in my weakness so that the powere of Christ may dwell in me."

We have enjoyed 2 years of Casey attending Second Baptist School, a great Christian private and college prep school. We are pleased with all aspects of the school and really enjoyed our children being a part of it, it felt like a family. Casey is a great student and attending school we saw him blossom even more. We were so excited this year because Brayden had testing and was accepted so it is his first year for Kindergarten. He is so excited about learning and very pumped about going to Second.

Oh how the Lord changes OUR plans. We thought we had it lined up! When we discovered the cost this year for both of them even after our discount and financial aid we realized this was not the plan. We have some financial goals that we are working towards.....we payed our car off last year and this year we are paying off a 2nd mortgage. With this goal Private school did not fit in.

AMAZINGLY.....I was at peace upon the first realization. Last year would have been different. I had a newborn and a VERY 2 year old! But this year I felt....sensed... knew ....God was calling us to something different......

HOMESCHOOLING! A sacrifice of myself and an investment into my children. A time to look past only my comfort and desires and instead how do you want me to invest and impart in the children You have blessed me with before the time is lost.

I knew then He had been preparing me for this decision several months prior without me knowing. He had been impressing a need to spend more time with Casey, because he was gone so much with school. I can never get these days or minutes back! When do I have time to invest in him? How do I get to know my children when they are not here? With Casey at school from 7:30 - 3:20 when was there time for me. Our days went something like this.....

I clean laundry all day......, wash dishes all day....change diapers all day.....give give give all day.....I pick Casey up and most of "my good side" is gone, has been used up between 3 other needy kids! We get home I need to change another diaper get a couple of kids down for a nap....start dinner.......BEDTIME! WOW where did my day go? What did Casey get........my leftovers.....not my best! It seemed that everywhere I turned a speaker a sermon was talking to me. Giving investing in my children. Making the most of each moment because the days are long but the years are short. A day will come when I will LONG for someone to walk in on me in the bathroom!

Will I know my children when they are teenagers or will I lose them.....

Someone talked about the verse "Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it."

I had never heard this interpretation before,

They said, the way they should go is to KNOW them the bents GOd has given them (the same "know" which is used in Genesis and throughout the Bible to speak of intimacy between God and us. "He knows me intimately, He is aquainted with all my ways." Ps. 139 We have to know how God designed them to know how to direct and guide them.

So we decided that for a season God was calling us to bring our children home. I was excited about it in certain aspects. I was nervous about teaching but so excited about having my kids around, and being flexible. But also hoping it was a season....short term. Thinking they may be at Second the following year...

I tell you what....God knows what we need! He supernaturally just works and we don't see it until it hits us in the face.....We went to a friends house last week and she mentioned there was a used book sale if I wanted to check it out. I thought it would be a great time to explore my options for next year, but I did not go to purchase anything because after all I HAD NO IF IDEA what we would be doing . I was so overwhelmed at the thought of curriculum I just didn't think about it at all! I just felt that it would come soon enough I would check it out later. But at least that night I could get my feet wet!

Well here is how God works............here is my new passion, my new curriculum

Even last week I was still dreading teaching my kids....I was peaceful! But I had some fear. I wasn't sure I could do it! But when I saw this curriculum and looked through it I immediately fell in love with homeschooling. I have spent the last few days pouring over it and getting ready for next year.....I am SO excited I don't ever want to send my kids back to school. If He calls us back that direction we are open. But I am truly excited about this journey!

Isn't it like God to use such unlikely things or events to turn our hearts.....a HUGE curriculum book that looked VERY intimidating at first is now what makes me PASSIONATELY want to teach my boys!

Boy ..oh Boy... oh BOY

2008-05-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

Well in a house of 4 boys we may need to take up residency in a hospital, or we need a Doc in the fam,.

So far Brayden has had stitches twice, he was climbing up the stairs to his bunk beds and fell backwards and split his head open at abouty 2 1/2; then he kicked a window out in his room, shattered the glass when he was about 3 because he was mad and tore his foot up; he was walking through our yard with a bunch of lumber and the only piece of wood with a nail up he found....IN HIS FOOT;

Kai has been to the Er for stitches once; And between the 2 of them we have had numerous black eyes, almost stitches.....and surprisingly no broken bones!

Last night we got home late from a b-day party, I was checking my email before I went to bed. Kai was waiting on me, and was standing on his riding train. I know disaster waiting to happen....

Then I hear it slip out from under him, and a THUD on the ground and screaming. I pick him up expecting to find his head split open since I found him on his back.

He is screaming and holding his mouth but all we see is blood dripping....what we find is a huge hole in his lip, it was pretty deep...I was pretty sure he needed a sticth or two. We figured out when he fell he must have hit his mouth on the chair that was next to him as he was falling on the floor then landed on his back. And his tooth must have gone through his lip!

Of course all he wanted was "Ice" he asks for that anytime he has an owie, and wantde to watch a movie...the cure that ails you right??? Although he did not get ice cream.

After we held ice on his lip and got it to stop bleeding we thought it was going to be okay it will heal on its own. It was already somewhat holding together so we chsoe not to go to the ER.

Here is the aftermath.........

2008-05-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

To my Mother with Love!

2008-05-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is a little after Mother's Day!

"Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates." Proverbs 31:31

My mom spent many hours, days and years devoting herself to me and my sister. She had a desire to raise us in the love of the Lord and see us walk with Him. That was what gave her the strength to teach and invest in us for over 20 years.

She home-schooled us yes..... but it was more than an academic education, she sacrificed her time and desires to invest in us daily, and she did not only impart knowledge. She laid the foundation to make sure we knew who we were....

Who did she tell us we are????? Daughters of a King, heirs to a royal inheritance, fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. Priceless, bought and redeemed with His blood, because of His unconditional love.

She also passed on a desire to be a wife and mother! My sister and I, from our earliest memory, desired to get married and have many children. At one time in my life I actually wanted 10 kids, 5 boys and 5 girls. She never discouraged us from that. There were never any negative comments that children are hard, and I would of course change my mind after I had a couple. She always said how wonderful that was. She really would have LOVED for us to have 10 kids....however I do not think I can deliver...pun sort of intended!!! Her joy and passion for motherhood was passed on to us as we saw her truly rejoice in each part of motherhood, highs and lows.

Because of that love for being a mother herself I am passionate about being a Mom as well. I thank you Mom for passing that on to me. Not every Mom gives their child a love for having children......but you did!!!! I love and admire you for that!!!!! We are the product of your hands and we praise you for your sacrifice!

My present to her this year was at her request, capturing timeless memories for her with my 4 boys! So here you go, I hope you enjoy!

The "Queen's" Day!

2008-05-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

Well my thoughtful husband asked me on Friday if I wanted Mother's Day early or on Sunday....it really did not matter to me so we ate at the house, before we left, then walked the mall on Friday evening. They bought me some cool shades and I even managed to save my husband quite a bit of money...I found $10 glass'! I went through at least 5 pairs last summer....and I was not the one to break them...go figure! We are on a really tight budget right now, we are not spending any money....But come Sunday, after I worked 7-1 in the Nursery, as I do every Sunday, we were hanging out at the house, I am trying my best not to expect anything. You know...laying my expectations down! Letting my family off the hook! That is so hard! I didn't care about getting a gift, that is not my love language......what speaks to me? Quality time and Acts of Service! So time with my family and a "day off" from my tasks is what I really long for on that one day of the year! But I didn't want to say anything.....I kept quiet..... until I got hungry, so I politely asked my husband what he wanted to eat. He didn't have any idea.....SO I then asked if he wanted me to cook? So I thought it might be a good idea to give him an idea for next year..... "You know Honey, I love the time we had together on Friday. I had fun and I like my glasses....but I really just want a day off!" I knew what he was thinking...we are trying to save money! I made sure and let him off that hook, "Honey we don't have to eat out, if you do not want to spend money, I just do not want to cook tonight." He is so adorable!!! He looked through the kitchen for about 20 mintues, I heard the refrigerator open, then every cabinet we have. All of a sudden he left the room, and he came back in changed in "going out" clothes......(at home he wears basketball shorts and t-shirts) He came and knelt in front of me and said, "I cannot cook! I am sorry for not thinking about it sooner...let's go out!"

I thought it would be fun to go somewhere that the boys would love. There is a place not too far away, we have been there once before, it's called Clay's. The atmosphere is family friendly and it feels as though you are in the country. They have animals, horses, goats, peacocks.....There is a sand box and balls to throw and kick.

We had a blast!!! We ate fried food, drank soda, the "boys", including hubby, played football with another family.....I could not have asked for a better Mother's Day!!! I wouldn't have cared if we had taken our dinner, I just wanted time with my BOYS!!! (and a night off..)

Here is Tate playing in the sandbox, that was his first time! As you can see he ate some as well!

This is a GREAT example of Big brother (cautious) vs Little Brother (impulsive)

There was a drain open in the ground, one of those large cement drains. The boys were kicking the soccer ball and what do you know, they kicked it right in there. Great aim, way to go Son! Future soccer stars!

Casey, our 7 yr old, went and looked down the drain, he spent some time and put thought into his decision, he evaluated the situation and came to the conclusion that the risk might be too great for the benefit.

So Brayden came along, did he too evaluate whether the risk of what might be in the drain was worth the cost, to have the ball back? .... Nope!!! He didn't stop and evaluate the situation at all! Nor did he stop to think, "What is the best way to get in there and get the ball back?" He just went up to the drain, bent down, looked in there, and headed in...BACKWARDS!!! Of course I am LOVING it! What a photo op for the photographer. As Dad is trying to talk Brayden out to do it the "right" way...(or shall I say his way...hee hee) you know going with hands first I am saying no...no no, I love it! Let him go! As I keep shooting with my camera! As Dad is about to go through his reasoning for why he needs to do it "his" way, out comes the ball! Way to go Bray, we applaud your determination! We also applaud casey for his caution, it will work out in most circumstances!

Getting back out there.....

2008-05-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

Friday we had so much fun at the splash pad...we had to go back with Daddy and Casey on Saturday. I wanted to show those to you because it isn't often I get to include Casey since he is in school when most of the "fun" stuff happens.

This is the car ride.....they don't look very excited....... Check out that bruise.......

Fun - N - Sun

2008-05-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

Get ready.....I haven't uploaded many pictures yet, I have so many sites I post pictures on so I have not posted many on here yet.....BUT that is all about to change! My boys have been going stir crazy in the house lately, of course so has MOM!!! Yesterday we went to the park and it was a beautiful day! Unlike H-town ... it was breezy and no humidity. But today was supposed to be HOT, so I came up with another plan. We have a great little splash fountain at our mall, which is about a mile away! So I surprised the boys, they put on their swimsuits and we loaded up...took our lunch and off we went on our surprise!

parenting is for the grown ups

2008-05-08T12:07:00.001-07:00

I had to post a picture, so you could see he really is a cuty!

I was in a Bible study last fall/spring that was amazing. I attend anything this woman teaches, she is annointed not only in getting deep, but she has a gift for witty humor and keeping us all laughing while sticking us with the truth!

The last study was "Free to be a joyful mother" I couldn't even begin to tell you the depth of the study and all I learned but basically it has taught me many things I have never learned before. Allowing your children to fail and learn from their mistakes! Sure I have heard that before, but then we always follow it up with, "Remember son, I said don't do that because...... blah blah blah blah...that is about all they really hear when we go into one of our parental lectures!

What are the best teachers?

MODELING ~ our children will follow our example
EXPERIENCE ~ when we allow them to fail natural consequences will teach them not to do it again; when have we learned our best lessons? when we have failed.
She used the example of Adam and Eve in the garden and how God put the tree RIGHT smack dab in the middle, he didn't pull it up out of reach or put it way off where they wouldn't see it. He also only told them once not to eat from it! He never reminded them of the consequence that would follow for such a decision, even though it was life altering not only for them but for every generation to follow!

We also went over how to give more decisions (age appropriate) so our children learn how to problem solve and be independant of us, our ultimate goal! They also need to learn to make decisions for themselves so it is their choice, they own the decision as well as the consequence if necessary. This alleviates a lot of frustration for parents. Because instead of changing the focus from their choice to our yelling or lecturing (whatever your bent) our attitude now can be one of empathy...
EXAMPLE "Rats! I know how much you wanted to go and play at your friends house tonight I am so sorry, but because you chose to talk back you can't go now."
KIDS may think "WOW where is my mother, the one who usually yells or lectures me about how you should never talk to anyone that way, it was so disrespectful, and what would God think about that..? Again...BLAH BLAH BLAH....

WHAT SPEAKS?????? CONSEQUENCES, much louder than our yelling or lectures. Also, teaching them right and wrong when it is not in the midst of a battle. Lessons should be taught when you are just talking together, reading bible stories....I was thinking about this one day and since God didn't lecture Adam and Eve how was He teaching them right and wrong, well He was the perfect example, but mainly He was walking with them...EVERYDAY!!! We need to "walk and talk" with our children. That may be in the car, at night before bed....
So I have really tried to work on giving up the lectures, trying to say "rats" a lot more when they make a poor choice.....Of course as we all do, I fail time and again...

So for my TODAY story ~ Sorry for giving you so many stories about my 3rd child, but he was made for stories LOL!!!

I have asked him for 2 days now to pick up his underwear that he took off and left laying on the floor. He said no to me many times, and I kept forgetting to make sure it got done. This morning I noticed they were still laying in the same spot, so I said
"Kai, you need to go and pick up your underwear, we are not going to the park until you put them away!"

I was sitting on the floor, and about to put my other son's shoes on, so after I was done giving Kai his "ultimatum" or choice if you will, I truned to put Brayden's shoes on....tyhen out of the blue I felt a .........
WHACK!!!!! right across my face.....Oh my son had picked up the underwear alright, but on his way out of the room he was going to have the "last word" he swung that underwear as he walked by me and slapped them across my face.

This is where my parenting class' went out the window

I turned so fast and swatted his bottom he didn't know what was coming! Yeah you think your gonna get the last word, not if I can help it....HA HA Of course I didn't say that, and I immediately knew I should have taken him calmy and given out a firm yet loving spanking....but after all

"God was a PERFECT parent and His children still fail!"

Pam Thompson

That was the point she left us with at the end of a study after teaching about Adam and Eve, and what a point it is! It doesn't mean we give up discipline, hardly, God delivered a punishment for them, as well as us, after that poor choice, but He also allowed them to make the choice. He didn't intervene when Satan was conversing with Eve and He didn't come to them after in harsh judgment and say "I told you not to, now you and everyone else will suffer forever and my Son will have to die all because of you!" No! He came to them with questions and EMPATHY. He had already laid before the them the consequence so He merely delivered it closed the door to the garden. Hard yes...but He also gave them a second chance at life! It was different, but He again gave them choices and freedom, as well as responsibility!!! A second chance!!! GRACE!!!!

With 5 boys in the house there is bound to be one....

2008-05-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to post.....LIFE in a house of boys is right!!! My laundry is in the hallway higher than my head, I have hundreds of DON EDDY basketball camp shirts laying throughout my house....(That is what it is like having a coach in the house).....I have paperwork from my photographybyAshley business laying around as I am re-working my price list and I have orders coming and going.....There is dust everywhere, and if I am not mistaken I have seen a few dead bugs laying around....YIKES!!!! Where is the housekeeper?????

Where is my mother???? Oh yeah, she doesn't clean up after me anymore.....whaaaaaaa Sometimes I wish Mary Poppins came to visit and spread her spoon full of sugar over my house and not just my kids cereal.....eating healthy, one day!!!

okay so now to my story from the above title.... There is bound to be one....Those of you who think that if you are good parents and you consistently discipine your kids you will get sweet, compliant and just "do what you want" children....Move into my house! I have to say i used to be very proud, when I saw the kid screaming in the store I would think, "What are those parents doing?" Now I say " I understand!!!" I had two kids that if you so much as threatened a spanking they would shape up. Then we had KAI...dun dun dun...I need sound effects on that one, maybe you will figue it out!

We are consistent disciplinarians, we believe in spanking in certain situations, we believe in taking away privileges, and we definitely say no! We also have fun in our home, after all they are boys! But I have one that no matter the disciplinary tactics we use he will always show me how much he wants to be in charge. And if he gets bored....WATCH OUT!
Dr. Dobson tells parents not to let kids, especially boys, get bored, keep their hands and minds occupied, I know why.
I was putting Kai down for a nap the other day, he is "free" (3), without that wonderful 2 hour interlude from playing his octave level goes up several decimals when telling me no. It was one of those days and he really did not want to sleep, although he was more than tired he was exhausted. For some reason when gets all of his sleep we go back to sleep easier, but when we miss naps or go to bed late nap time is a nightmare! After over an hour of putting him back in bed, using different "tactics" I heard NOTHING! You might say, yes that is good, he is going to sleep now, I said "UH OH" what is wrong???"

When I checked on him there was jewelry all over my floor, my blush which had previously been broken and was in pieces had now turned my white carpet a beautiful "blush" color, and he was painting himself with nail polish....Now I have found him this way before. An entire BRAND new jar of foundation with an oil base had been scooped out with a $30 make-up brush and my room had been painted.... including my 300 thread count sheets! NOW ruined!!! Brown and purple make-up all over his cute little face....

Then the other night..another bedtime disaster....Daddy was gone, never good! I went to check on him and heard water running. I found the light on in my bathroom, the sink was full and overflowing everywhere, there were femine pads in the sink, toilet and strewn throughout the room, water all over the floor, my toothbrush was in the overflowing sink as well as a headband.

All to say he will probably become a preacher one day!

What about MY plans?

2008-04-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

Today I had a humbling experience..... Thursday I realized my camera lens was not working, and I have 2 photo shoots this weekend! So this morning I woke up with a "great" idea....I can rent a lens! I located a place by phone had it all set except for the HARD part, loading 4 boys in the car to go to a tiny shop filled with equipment worth more than we could imagine! Considering it is Houston it wasn't too far of a drive, but we had the LECTURE

"Now boys when we get there DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING!!!!!! It is all breakable and costs a lot of money!"

Just the thought of taking them in there could have sent me into panic mode! So we get there, it is a TINY little room full of camera equipment and right away Brayden asks for something, Kai only wants to see the dog that is behind the counter barking, but all in all they were very good! I talk to the lady working the counter and she begins to help me set up an account to begin renting from them, I need a driver's liscence and a Credit card. So i pull out the DL and my visa debit. She proceeds to tell me it has to be a credit card not debit. Just to let you all know we do not own a credit card. David and I have cut them all up so that we will always live on only the money we have. If we do not have the money we do not buy it. I calmly tell her I do not have a credit card and hold my tongue from going into full detail about our beliefs....but she reaffirms I have to have a credit card in order to rent equipment.
So I close my mouth in order to hold in the huge amount of irritation I feel wants to come out. I walked out calmly (on the outside) without a word, it was quiet yet ever so rude as she said she was sorry and I did not even respond!
I went over and over again in my head how can people punish those for living responsibly!!!! After I loaded up my kids and drove all the way over here, left the house without food ( as a Mom with young children that is a huge problem), I managed to get them all in a tiny store which can be a nightmare with 3 active boys....on and on. Not to mention the fact I still have the looming photo sessions with no lens!

Boy did my conscience begin to work on me.. even though I did not speak rudely my attitude did not reflect that I am entrusting my plans to Him that He will work out the detials of my life even though I cannot see the result. I had planned my day without consulting Him. I had worked out all the details of how to accomplish this problem but forgot to involve Him in my decisions.
I am driving and verses keep coming to mind..
"For I know the plans I have for you, they are plans for welfare, and not calamity. Plans to give you a future and a hope."
"My ways are not your ways, as far as the heavens are above the earth so my thoughts are above yours."
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not upon your own undersdtanding, in ALL your ways acknowledge him and He will direct your paths."
"I will look to the Heavens from where does my help come? My help comes from the Maker of Heaven and earth!"

I had to give this issue over to Him recognizing my inability to solve anything. I need Him in EVERY area of my life.
I also felt a need to call the lady and apologize for walking out on her. I know I didn't yell at her, or speak unkind words but my non responsiveness to her was all that was needed to tell her I was upset and that MY plans were ruined! I called her and she graciously accepted my apology....the freedom I felt that she was now able to see Christ in me....
NOT because I had done anything righteous, but IN SPITE OF the flesh which was so prevalent in me this morning! Oh the grace that He provides in abundance to each of us each day as we continually fall short of righteousness! It is more than we ever have or will deserve!!!!

Life in a house of boys.....

2008-03-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

It seems everyone is moving away from xanga which is too hard for outsiders to view and log into. I have had this google account for several months with no time to fill it out and get it started. I have given up xanaga and hope I have many of you tuned in for more on

Life with 4 boys......
Stay tuned!!!

First entry.....
We have successfully potty trained our 3rd son, THANK THE LORD we only have one in diapers now! Actually I don't think we did anything except put him in underwear and show him the potty. He has done it all on his own, which is exactly how he would have it. If you know our Kai you understand that our 3rd child has quite a will! So a couple of days into this he was outside waiting for mesince we were about to leave. He was by our car which is in the driveway. I was inside gattherinng the last of the "luggage" that you need even for a 5 minute trip with 4 kids. I hear a car honk so I look outside and see my son standing right by the street ...about 4 inches away.....PULLING UP HIS PANTS!!!