Another Birthday...

I should have posted Keira turning 3 FIRST, since technically it happended a couple of days before Kaylee turning 6.... but hey... what can I say? 

 We had her birthday at the park, and it was HOT... and fun. 

My Diva

My little drama queen diva turned 6 years old.  Yep.  Crazy how time flies.  

Blizzard 2009

Spring in Oklahoma is a surprising season.  We can go from sunny, summer weather to frigid snowy weather in an instant.  This week was proof of that absurdity!  

Our trip to Arizona in pictures

The boys (Papa, Chandler and Ben) went Quad riding and the girls had a Real Tea Party.
Ben, Chandler, Kaylee, Papa and I went to Superstition Mountain for the day.  It was beautiful!
Ben and Kaylee got into a bit of trouble!

We even got to swim several times.  And by "we" I actually mean "they"!  Too cold for me!

Chandler, Kaylee, Ben and I went to an Indoor Amusement Park.  These things have to exist in a climate as hot as Phoenix!  
We made several trips to different parks .  Wonderful weather the whole time!


Chayse's first time to be in sand.  Papa had to help her clean her hands and she had to learn how to "walk" in this crazy stuff we call sand!

We had a great time and really enjoyed Phoenix a lot more this time then when we were there last time in the heat of the summer!  We had sun each day with temps in the 70's and 80's and there is really more green in Phoenix than one might think.  It was beautiful!  I highly recommend visiting Mom and Dad there!  

Just call ahead for reservations!

My Princesses and The Kazoo Player

My Princesses - complete with Purses, Pets and Wands. (and Heels that you cant see)

They just come down the stairs this way, proclaiming their beauty the whole time.  I assume Kaylee helped Keira with her ensemble,  but rest assured, that girl can do it ALL on her own too!

And this is my Kazoo player and dancer.  Multi-talented, I tell ya.  

And yes that is Mexican Standoff by Elbow playing in the background from my Eclipse playlist.  (my Twilight Addiction continues on... and on...)

Our Solar System

This was Chandler's 3rd Grade Solar System project.  We did it completely from scratch.  Apparently there are some Solar System Kit's out there, but I had no idea.  It wasnt any harder, I dont believe, to just buy separate parts.  We bought styrofoam balls and we used wooden Shish-Ka-Bob skewers and some paint that I already had.  Ben cut up a diaper box and spray painted it black, and I hot glued the "rings" on saturn, but the rest was completely done by Chandler.  He did the painting and the assembling in the order of his choosing. It was kinda optional how you wanted to display them, in order or just around the sun in various "orbits", but he chose to do it in order from the sun.  

Great job, Bubba!

Keira the Talker

So Keira is quite the talker.  She jibbers all stinkin' day long.  Today while they (Keira and Chayse) were eating their lunch, I was munching on some Cheetos and saw Chayse watching me.  The little stinker caught me.  Then of course Keira catches me too.  Then comes the barrage of questions from Keira.  

What are you doing, Mommy?  Are you eating?  Having chips?  Mommy?  Yummy chips?  Can I have some?  I want some chips.  Mommy, can I have some? Mommy?  

So, since my mouth was full I hoped that a nod would work to hush her for the moment.  I nodded yes to "Are you eating?".  One nod for "Havin' chips?".  One nod yes to "Yummy chips?".  One shake of the head for "Can I have some?"  

Well, Chayse thought this communication method was quite funny.  She starts nodding and shaking that head like crazy and laughing.  

A new barrage of jibber from Keira ensues.

What is Chayse doing?  Mommy?  Is Chayse laughing?  Mommy, Chayse is laughing.  Silly Chayse.  Whats so funny, Chayse?  Chayse is nodding yes, mommy.  Chayse said yes.  Chayse nodded no, mommy.  Chayse said no mommy.  See Chayse?  Mommmy, what is Chayse doing?  Is she laughing?  Mommy?  (seriously, this goes on all day.  All day.)

So I started nodding again in response to both girls.  Now it is more of a game than any sort of actual question answering.  Nods yes and shakes no are abound in the house.  

Keira says  What are you doing?  Are you saying yes?  Are you saying no?

I said yep.   And then I returned with a question of my own.  "What if I do this, Keira?"  And I rolled my head all around in Shake-Nod fashion.  

That stumped her.  She sat there silent for a while.  She just stared at me. (YES!  I did it!  I silenced her!!)

Then she says " Mommy, that means Yo!"

Prayers, please. *updated*

*see update at the bottom*

My niece Tara is in need of your prayers.  She blogged about having an abscess that was growing and that she was going to the doctor.  You can read it here.  As it turns out it is a Flesh Eating Bacteria and they have taken her into surgery.  From my limited information, there is a 50/50 chance of survival. 

I know that my God is a good God and will heal her.  James 5:15 says "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up."

Just to give you a little back info on who you are praying for... she is 26 years old and has been married for 9 years, has 3 beautiful little girls.  She has a pure heart for God and just needs more prayers lifted up in her name and for her family.

Thank you and I will keep you posted with more info.

*update*

They called and said that during surgery the doctors found out it was NOT Flesh Eating Bacteria!  Praise God!  I dont know what it was, but they removed several infected places, drained some and called it good.  She was still in ICU overnight and "not out of the woods" yet, but I have full faith that she is healed.  THANK YOU for your prayers!   

Complete

The kids and I were in the van going somewhere yesterday.  He decided to sit in the front seat with me- the air bag goes off automatically, so dont freak out, and we were only driving around here in town.  We were listening to music on the iPod.  (Goodness, what on earth did I do before I had that thing???)  Anyway, Chandler picked a Third Day song that is "rockin" and then the Goofy Goober song from the Spongebob Movie and then I decided to pick a song or two for the girls.  (Maybe Twinkle, Twinkle or something) And before he could complain about having too much of the "baby music", I picked another to surprise him.    He loves Andy Chrisman but hasnt listened to his CD in a while and his very favorite song of all time is his song Complete. He likes the guitar in it and it was the first song I put on his MP3 player last year.  

So as it starts playing and he says "OH!  Complete!  Thanks MOM!"  My heart grins, those words will always warm my heart.  Sure baby, anything for you kids.  So easy to please them... sometimes.  

He starts remembering seeing him at the Jenks Aquarium and talks about meeting him and of course, seeing him in church when Chandler comes to our service.  After listening for a minute he says "Oh, I get it now.   My joy and happiness doesnt come from big houses, or nice things or money.  I am Complete in Christ."  Now that sounds a little too deep for a 9 year old, but after listening to the song you will understand how he came up with it.   I, of course, told him that he was EXACTLY right.  And how proud I was of him.  I also told him that some people go their whole lives and never figure that one out.  He said "Wow, and I am only nine and I already have happiness that some adults dont have."

Yep, you are one lucky boy, kiddo.  

Lyrics of Complete by Andy Chrisman on the album One

Don't be disturbed if I'm not melancholy all the time

Don't be surprised to find a smile upon my face a mile wide

And don't be alarmed if it's so hard for me to stand still right now

But there's something going on right here

Even as I sing this song

CHORUS 1

There's a joy I know dancing in my soul

And it comes from being with You

It's unbelievable how my heart is full

And it comes from knowing the truth

That I am complete in You

Don't be afraid to jump right in and help me sing this song

Don't be surprised to find a smile upon your face a mile wide

And don't be embarrassed if it's hard for you to stand still right now

'Cause there's something going on right here

Even as I sing this song

CHORUS 2

There's a joy I know dancing in my soul

And it comes from being with You

It's unbelievable how my heart is full

And it comes from knowing the truth

That I am complete in You

Yeah that I am complete in You

BRIDGE

Money won't complete me

Fame won't complete me

I am complete in You

A big house won't complete me

A nice car won't complete me

I am complete in You

Yeah, yeah yeah no I won't do it

Nah, nah nah I still won't do it

I am complete in You

Well all these things yeah, they're nice things

But I am complete in You

'Cause

Repeat CHORUS 2 twice

Yeah I am complete in You

Yeah I am complete in You

Yeah I am complete in You

Wii Box

So you kinda have to know my husband to FULLY appreciate this video.  Most of you do, so that wont be a problem, but for those of you who dont... let me enlighten you.

Ben is the manager of the local pharmacy.  He is super intelligent.  Knows more about drugs and health than most people could imagine.  His brain can retain things, complex things from eon's ago in Pharmacy school.  He is a stickler for a clean workspace.  One of his ex-technicians said that if she didnt know he was married with kids, she would call him "The 40 year old Virgin".  He seems, on the surface, to be a very straight-laced, serious, no sense-of-humor, anal retentive kind of guy. 

Now, dont get me wrong.  He is.  Sometimes.

At home.... Now  THATS a different story.  Most of my family knows how CrAzY he can be. He is ultra competitive.   He is pretty funny and silly with the kids and is relentless when it comes to harassing me.  He looks forward to the opportunity to embarrass the children in front of their friends every chance he gets.   He cant wait for the teenage years for THAT in particular. My poor kids.  

Anyway, here is  your local pharmacy manager acting a fool in his own home.  Gotta love him.

(and yes, we have since taken down the Christmas tree)

Flashback Friday

I am becoming so terrible about posting lately.  I dont really have that much going on that would be interesting in the least to most anyone.  So, there is a lack of inspiration.  But I ran across some old photos of Chandler and I and had to share.  He was  (is) the cutest little guy.  Brings back great memories.  He was about 1ish in the first one and we were at the zoo, probably in Louisiana.  And then the other, he was 2ish and finally let me spike his hair.   Good times, good times....

Can you say ONERY?!

Yes, we may have trouble with this one.  Why on earth would I think God would grant me an "easy" child?  No, I am blessed with High Personality Children, as I like to call them.